! CONTENT WARNING !
The Blood Mage class involves, as you have probably surmised, blood and related topics, and may not be suitable material for all groups.
Persons particularly adverse to specific mentions of self-harm or focus on bleeding/blood as a component of magic, and any derivative body horror that can stem from that, may be best served excluding this content from their games. Blood Mages, especially as persistent player characters, should be discussed in a Session 0 or "above the table" (out of character) talk with other participants before they're introduced.
For what it's worth, while I personally find the Blood Mage intriguing for its game mechanics, roleplay, and story possibilities...it still squicks me out sometimes, and I wrote the thing.
TTRPGs with a trusted group of friends can be a great space to explore uncomfortable topics, but no participant (GM or player) should be forced to immerse themselves in material that causes them distress. Houndsong recommends a Session 0 as a best practice, and employing safety tools, especially if playing with unfamiliar people.
As always: Relict is intended for mature audiences, and discretion is advised.
The Blood Mage class involves, as you have probably surmised, blood and related topics, and may not be suitable material for all groups.
Persons particularly adverse to specific mentions of self-harm or focus on bleeding/blood as a component of magic, and any derivative body horror that can stem from that, may be best served excluding this content from their games. Blood Mages, especially as persistent player characters, should be discussed in a Session 0 or "above the table" (out of character) talk with other participants before they're introduced.
For what it's worth, while I personally find the Blood Mage intriguing for its game mechanics, roleplay, and story possibilities...it still squicks me out sometimes, and I wrote the thing.
TTRPGs with a trusted group of friends can be a great space to explore uncomfortable topics, but no participant (GM or player) should be forced to immerse themselves in material that causes them distress. Houndsong recommends a Session 0 as a best practice, and employing safety tools, especially if playing with unfamiliar people.
As always: Relict is intended for mature audiences, and discretion is advised.
Scarlet Legacy
Seen by many as a foul taboo, sanguinomancy—blood magic—was some of the first spellcraft harnessed by mortals, and the depths of its potential are often overlooked as antiquated or outdated. Blood Mages gained an association with dark practices due to the methods used to harvest the fundamental component of their craft, but practitioners today are quick to point out that this is a matter of implementation, not necessity. Regardless of the societal implications, sanguinomancy offers a unique, little appreciated field of study for those mages who are not troubled by how they may be perceived.
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She was a terror, wading through the battlefield with a cloud of crimson hanging around her. It grew with every man cut down, and from it she wove horrors. To think such death could be born from the stuff of life. |
At Level 1, gain the following features:
Seeing Red. Whenever you roll a Critical Hit with an Attack or Spell that deals Slashing Damage, you may inflict +1 Round of Bleeding. This effect can stack with Critical Effects.
Sanguinomancer. Whenever you or a creature within 10ft. of you gains a Round of Bleeding, you gain +1 Blood Token.
Seeing Red. Whenever you roll a Critical Hit with an Attack or Spell that deals Slashing Damage, you may inflict +1 Round of Bleeding. This effect can stack with Critical Effects.
Sanguinomancer. Whenever you or a creature within 10ft. of you gains a Round of Bleeding, you gain +1 Blood Token.
- Blood Tokens can be used to power up your Blood Mage spells.
- Blood Tokens expire after 1 minute (10 Rounds).
- You may spend Blood Tokens instead of Mana.
- You cannot have more than 2+your Character Level Blood Tokens at any time.
- Blood Token costs are NOT increased due to Blood Mage being your Minor or Influence Class.
Class Spells
Pinprick (1)
Range: Touch Use: Action Activation Cost: 1 Mana Tags: Bleeding Target yourself or a willing creature you can touch. It gains 1 Round of Bleeding. Clot (2+) Range: Touch Use: Action Activation Cost: 2+ Mana Tags: Bleeding, Treatment, Sanguinomancy Target yourself or a willing creature you can touch. Remove 1d4 Rounds of Bleeding. Upcast: Remove 2 Rounds of Bleeding for each additional 2 Mana spent to cast this spell. Sanguinomancy: Spend 1 Blood Token when you cast this spell. Remove 6 additional Rounds of Bleeding. Lacerate (3+) Range: 15ft. Use: Action Activation Cost: 3+ Mana Tags: Bleeding, Spell Attack, Sanguinomancy Make a Spell Attack (1d12+Might) against a target you can see within range. On a hit, inflict 1d6 Slashing Damage. Upcast: For each additional 3 Mana spent to cast this spell, add +1d6 Slashing Damage. Bloodbath. For every 10 points of damage inflicted by this spell, target gains 1 Round of Bleeding. Sanguinomancy: For each Blood Token you spend when you cast this spell, maximize one damage die (it automatically rolls a 6), and inflict one round of Bleeding. Blood Haze (2/2) Range: Self Use: Action Activation Cost: 2 Mana Sustaining Cost: 2 Mana Tags: Defense, Buff, Armor, Sanguinomancy So long as you are Sustaining this spell, your Armor increases by 1 for each Blood Token you currently have. If you have 5 or more Blood Tokens, you are partially obscured from view, appearing only as a vague figure within a crimson mist. Bloodlust (2/2) Range: Self Use: Action Activation Cost: 2 Mana Sustaining Cost: 2 Mana Tags: Speed, Buff, Climb, Movement, Sanguinomancy So long as you are Sustaining this spell, your Speed increases by 5ft. for each Blood Token you currently have. If you have 5 or more Blood Token, the crimson aura partially buoys you, and you are able to levitate on a cushion of blood mist just above the ground as you move. In this state, you gain a Climb Speed equal to your normal Speed, and can move across difficult terrain without penalty. This does not prevent you from falling or sinking into liquids. |
Storm of Barbs (4+)
Range: Self, 5ft. Radius Use: Action Activation Cost: 4+ Mana Tags: Bleeding, AoE Summon a swarm of sharp arcane darts that scatter in all directions. You and each creature in the affected area gain 1 Round of Bleeding. Large or larger creatures instead gain 1d4 Rounds of Bleeding. Upcast: For each additional 2 Mana spent to cast this spell, increase its radius by 5ft. Bloodbath. For every 5 Rounds of Bleeding you inflict with this spell, heal 3 points of Damage. Vivisect (4+) Range: Touch Use: Action Activation Cost: 4+ Mana Tags: Bleeding, Sanguinomancy A target you can touch must make a Might or Fortitude Check (its choice) against your Spell Save (Might + Willpower + 1/2 CL). For each point it fails by, it gains 1 Round of Bleeding. Upcast: For each additional 1 Mana spent to cast this spell, increase the Check target by 1. Bloodbath. For every 5 Rounds of Bleeding you inflict with this spell, target takes +5 Slashing Damage. Sanguinomancy: For each Blood Token you spend when you cast this spell, increase the Check Target by 2, and the target takes 1d6 Slashing Damage for each Round of Bleeding it gains. Rupture (6+) Range: 30ft. Use: Action Activation Cost: 6+ Mana Tags: Bleeding, Spell Attack, Sanguinomancy Remove 2d4 Rounds of Bleeding from a target within range. For each Round removed, it takes 1d8 Kinetic Damage + 1d8 Piercing Damage. Bloodbath. For every 10 Damage you inflict with this spell, the target is pushed 5ft. in the direction of your choice. Giant and larger creatures are immune to this effect. Sanguinomancy: For each Blood Token you spend when you cast this spell, add +1d8 Infernal Damage to the damage total. If the target would not have suffered any other damage (i.e., it was not Bleeding), this has no effect. Infuse Vitality (1+) Range: Touch Use: Action Activation Cost: 1+ Blood Tokens Tags: Bleeding, Healing, Sanguinomancy For each Blood Token you spend when you cast this spell, heal a number of Common or Forceful Damage points on target creature equal to your half your Character Level (min. 1). Afterward, it gains 1 Round of Bleeding. Transfusion (1+) Range: 30ft. Use: Reaction Activation Cost: 1+ Blood Tokens Tags: Bleeding, Healing, Sanguinomancy, Afflictions When a creature you can see within range makes an Affliction Roll, you may spend any number of Blood Tokens, and reduce the result by up to that amount. You must declare the number of tokens spent before the roll is made. The player/creature affected may choose not to use all of them after they roll (in order to stop at a preferred result). |
Starting Equipment
If Blood Mage is your Major Class, you get the following equipment at level 1.
Armor & Clothing:
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Adventuring Gear & Currency:
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Specializations
If Blood Mage is your Major Class, gain the benefits below as you reach the indicated levels.
Level 1 Basic Spellcraft. Choose 1 Generic Spell Perk. Improved Sanguinomancy. Your maximum number of Blood Tokens increases by 1. When you spend Blood Tokens in place of Mana, each Token is worth 2 Mana. Level 2 Choose one:
Harness Vitae. Once per Turn as a Free Action, you may spend a Blood Token to gain +2d4 Mana or +1d6 Stamina. You may repeat this ability during the same Turn by using it as an Action. Level 4 Choose one:
Choose one:
Choose Two: Greater Sanguinomancy. Your maximum number of Blood Tokens increases by 2. Call to Blood. Use this ability as an Action. All creatures you can see lose one Round of Bleeding. You gain one Blood Token for each Round of Bleeding removed this way. Font of Power. You always have one Blood Token. When spent, it returns at the start of your next Turn. Blood Tithe. Use this ability as a Free Action during your Turn. You immediately gain Blood Tokens up to your maximum, and suffer one instance of the Exhausted Affliction. Level 7 Choose one:
Choose one:
Choose One: Bloodroil. This ability costs 2 Blood Tokens, and is used as an Action. A target you can see must make a Might or Fortitude Check (its choice) against your Spell Save (Might + Willpower + 1/2 CL). It suffers a -1 penalty for each Round of Bleeding it has. It takes 1d6 Infernal + 1d4 Eldritch Damage for each point it fails the Check by. Fleshmend. As an Action, spend any amount of Blood Tokens. For each Blood Token spent, choose one:
Choose one:
Choose One: Prodigious Sanguinomancy. Your maximum number of Blood Tokens increases by 3. Siphon. This ability costs 4 Blood Tokens, and is used as an Action. A target you can see must make a Might Check against your Spell Save (Might + Willpower + 1/2 CL). You can spend additional Blood Tokens to increase the target of this save by +3 per Token.
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Level 13
Choose one:
Choose one:
Blood Aegis. Whenever you would take Damage, you may sacrifice any number of Blood Tokens as a Free Action. Change one die roll of damage to 1 for each Blood Token spent this way, starting with the highest result. If the damage was inflicted against multiple targets, only your damage is reduced. Level 16 Choose one:
Choose one:
Choose two: Epic Sanguinomancy. Your maximum number of Blood Tokens increases by 5. When you spend Blood Tokens in place of Mana, each Token is worth 3 Mana. Bloodcurse. Target a creature you can see and spend any number of Blood Tokens as an Action. For one Round per Token spent, all creatures within one mile that share a creature type with the target suffer a -3d4 penalty to Checks, Attacks, and Spell Attacks. Bloodbomb. Spend any number of Blood Tokens as an Action. Each Token spent becomes a missile, streaking toward a target you choose within 120ft. For each one, make a Spell Attack (1d12+Might) against the target. On a hit, it deals 2d6 Piercing Damage. Hit or miss, all creatures within 5ft. of the target take 1d6 Kinetic Damage and are Blinded for one Round. You may select different targets for each missile. Bloodwraith. Target a corpse you can see (it must come from a creature that had blood), and spend any amount of Blood Tokens as an Action. A simulacrum made of blood and viscera rises from the corpse, and takes its turns directly after yours. It is a medium creature with 15 Armor and a walking Speed of 60ft., and is considered an Aberration/Undead creature type. The Bloodwraith has 4 Health per Blood Token spent to summon it, and disappears after a number of Rounds equal to the number of Tokens spent. It has the following Actions: Move, Shove, Grapple, Wait, Opportunity Attack (Reaction), Retreat (Reaction), Bloodclaw (below).
Choose two:
Choose two. You may select the same option twice:
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