Bloodweaver

Snarling, the ore stalked through the refugees’ clearing intent on a scrawny human girl-easy prey. A malevolent monstrous grin overcomes his face as he imagines the cruelties soon to be visited upon her but as he tries take another step forward, he finds his body unable to move. The girl tilts her head and smiles, her eyes becoming pools of crimson. Without warning the ore cries out as something inside of him tears. Pain explodes in his chest, a red haze fills his vision, blood spatters across the girl’s face, and the last thing he sees is her licking a sanguine droplet from her lips.

Perching on the bandit’s camp, the drow smiled. It had been a long hunt but as always she’s found her prey. She extends her hands and blood flows forth, hardening into the shape of two long, slightly curved daggers. Reaching within to her reservoir of inner power she allows it to pour through her, muscles surging in response with impossible strength and speed before she leaps into the middle of them. They outnumber her six to one-only the last bandit has the chance to scream.

The elven scout runs. His horse died yesterday and he’s been running since but he dare not stop-the war host was close, their hunting horns echoing around and behind. If he falters the whole kingdom would have no warning of their treachery. The elf suddenly staggers into a small clearing where a halfling woman in a simple brown robe stands gathering herbs. He trips and falls at her feet, struggling to rise. She moves toward him and wipes a drop of blood from his forehead, placing it to her lips. Her eyes suddenly fill with concern and anger, and when the halfling touches him again, he feels a warmth and comfort flow through him. “Don’t worry,” she whispers, ”.You’ve done enough. I won’t let them harm you.”

Bloodweavers use the primal power coursing through their veins to enhance their own abilities, heal or bolster allies, and debilitate or kill their foes. Many fear them for their control over the substance of life but those that see past this superstitious dread often find powerful allies.

Sanguine Paths

A bloodweaver’s power flows from their vitality and the strength of that exceptionally potent life force the means by which they fuel disciplines, the teachings of sanguine traditions. These focuses are to the masters of blood as schools of magic are to a wizard, their area of expertise defining themselves as much as anything else. Through blood cursing they alter destiny, blood puppetry takes control over other living things, blood shaping turns flowing crimson to clay in their hands, consumption takes what knitting restores, sanguine alacrity makes them supernaturally quick, sanguine body incredibly tough, and with the techniques of vitriolic conversion they attain the ability to corrode.

Primal Power

Bloodweavers have many conflicting stories about their origins but all agree that the power is nearly as old as mortals themselves. One common myth tells of a primitive hunter encountering a dying primordial after it had been bested by one of its own kind in the early days of the world-moved by her plight, he tried vainly to aid her and came in contact with the creature’s blood. The immortal blood served as a conduit that allowed some of the being’s power to flow into the hunter when she died, a power that all of his descendants have borne since.

Another myth speaks of the daughter of a chieftain in the depths of antiquity. Fearing that her people would be exterminated by a rival tribe, she sought the means to protect them, seeking help from a powerful fey sorceress of blood, birth, and death that women of her tribe worshiped for aid with fertility and illness. A bargain was struck and while the woman was never seen by her tribe again, five other girls awoke with strange powers that they used to protect their people when they were attacked.

Bloodlines

Bloodweaving is strongly tied to particular family lines. Some families see nearly every member awaken to their power in their teens. Others might have one bloodweaver every other generation.

Regardless of the frequency of their birth, they almost always play an important role among their people. Interestingly, although their mythological origins would suggest otherwise, bloodweavers have been found at various times throughout history in many different mortal races. While most common in tribal humans and ores, other peoples have also manifested the power, though even then it nearly always manifests among particular lineages.

Creating a Bloodweaver

The first thing to decide when making a bloodweaver is the sanguine path upon which they walk and the blood traditions they pursue. Most bloodweavers don’t simply wake up one day to discover their power, learning of their potential instead by way of a tutor-was yours a malevolent ancestor spirit or a mentor met by way of fate? What of the possibility that you discovered your abilities amidst a traumatic (and likely violently bloody) moment, one that haunts you to this day? Were you treated like a pariah by your community or embraced for your talents? What of your family and loved ones?

You may have stumbled across or even sought out a bloodweaver intent on learning the practice, traveling far from civilization to find a fabled crimson witch or bloodbinder teacher, maybe driven to seek out a scarlet reaper after facing one in battle.

Regardless of their origins, what do your powers mean to you? Do you consider them grisly or less appealing than the spellwork of magicians? Are you at odds with priestly orders that believe your abilities make you no better than a vampire? Perhaps most importantly, what do you hope to achieve by walking the paths of blood and where do you hope your journey will end?

Quick Build

Bloodweavers are uniquely different from other classes but you can quickly build one using these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score. Your next highest ability score should be Dexterity. When selecting equipment, choose two daggers, an explorer’s pack, and a shortbow. For skills, pick Athletics and Perception.

Choose Bloodbinder as your tradition, learning the mystical stanching minor discipline; for your other two minor disciplines, choose blood hex and stop flow.

For your lesser disciplines, choose aqueous corruption, knit wounds, and taint blood.

Class Features

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per bloodweaver level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per bloodweaver level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, or Survival

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• Studded leather armor
• (a) two daggers or (b) a quarterstaff
• (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) a scholar’s pack
• (a) a shortbow and a quiver of 20 arrows or (b) a light crossbow and a quiver of 20 bolts

Table: The Bloodweaver

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Sanguine Reservoir	Maximum Reservoir per Use	Minor Disciplines Known	Disciplines Known	Mastery Level
1	+2	Sanguine Mastery, Sanguine Reservoir, Tradition	2	1	2	3	Lesser
2	+2	Sanguine Fortification	3	1	2	3	Lesser
3	+2	Hydraulic Control	4	2	2	4	Lesser
4	+2	Ability Score Improvement	6	2	2	4	Lesser
5	+3	Path Feature	7	3	3	5	Intermediate
6	+3	Life Sense	8	3	3	5	Intermediate
7	+3	–	10	4	3	6	Intermediate
8	+3	Ability Score Improvement	11	4	3	6	Intermediate
9	+4	Path Feature	12	5	3	7	Greater
10	+4	Blood Purification	14	5	4	7	Greater
11	+4	Vitalicrux	15	6	4	8	Greater
12	+5	Ability Score Improvement	16	6	4	8	Greater
13	+5	Improved Vital Restoration	18	7	4	9	Master
14	+5	Path Feature	19	7	4	10	Master
15	+5	Improved Sanguine Endurance	20	8	4	10	Master
16	+6	Ability Score Improvement	22	8	5	11	Master
17	+6	Improved Life Sense	23	9	5	11	Ascendant
18	+6	Path Feature	24	9	5	12	Ascendant
19	+6	AbilitY Score Improvement	26	10	5	12	Ascendant
20	+6	Sanguine Rejuvenation	27	10	5	12	Ascendant

Multiclassing Prerequisite(s): Constitution 13

Proficiencies Gained: Light armor, one skill from the class skill list

Sanguine Mastery

Bloodweavers are masters of the source of life, filling their sanguine reservoirs with fell crimson energies used to implement deadly, potent, and incredible disciplines.

Sanguine Paths. These are each a different type of control over blood: blood cursing, blood puppetry, blood shaping, consumption, knitting, sanguine alacrity, sanguine body, and vitriolic conversion.

Disciplines. These are a bloodweaver’s mystical talents, the powers they work upon others and themselves. You know 3 lesser disciplines of your choice. The Disciplines Known column of the Bloodweaver table shows when you learn more disciplines of your choice. Each of these disciplines must be within your Mastery Level (also on the Bloodweaver table). Additionally, when you learn a new minor discipline at 4th, 10th, and 16th level, you can choose one of the minor disciplines you know and replace it with another minor discipline. When you do so, you also replace any disciplines that use that minor discipline as a prerequisite.

Minor Disciplines. Minor disciplines are the fundamental powers that all bloodweavers study until they are ingrained. You begin play with 2 minor disciplines in addition to those granted to you by your path.

Lesser, Intermediate, Greater, and Master Disciplines. Once a bloodweaver has gained the use of a minor discipline, they acquire the necessary knowledge to perform the techniques of more potent disciplines.

Ascendant Disciplines. These are the most powerful techniques known to a bloodweaver and extremely taxing. After using any ascendant discipline, you must finish a long rest before you can use an ascendant discipline again.

Bloodweaving and Magic. Bloodweaving is still a form of magic and is subject to dispel and antimagic effects. Treat a discipline’s spell level as equal to the number of reservoir points spent to activate it. Because disciplines are not spells they can’t typically be counterspelled.

Concentration. Also unlike spells, unless noted otherwise a discipline does not require concentration. However, you are unable to simultaneously activate or use disciplines of the same mastery level.

Noticing Disciplines. Disciplines require no overt casting or gestures in order to work. The primal power that flows through bloodweavers still often manifests in a variety of ways however and is typically noticeable. Attempting to activate disciplines without being noticed requires a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Charisma (Deception) check, usually opposed by Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Insight). At the GM’s discretion, you may roll against passive Perception or passive Insight.

Sanguine Reservoir

At 1st level you gain access to the well of fell power that fuels bloodweaving. Your bloodweaver level determines the number of reservoir points you have, as shown in the Sanguine Reservoir column of the Bloodweaver table. You can spend these points to fuel your disciplines and various bloodweaver features.

You may spend no more reservoir points than half your character level, rounding up, to activate a discipline-certain disciplines are simply outside of the grasp of inexperienced bloodweavers. When you spend a reservoir point, it is unavailable until you finish a long rest, at the end of which your blood replenishes itself. Some of your bloodweaver features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

• Blood save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier
• Blood attack bonus = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier

Crimson Assurance. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend 1 Hit Die and regain a reservoir point. Once you have used this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Sanguine Endurance. You can spend 1 reservoir point to gain advantage on a Constitution saving throw.

Vital Restoration. You can use a bonus action and spend 1 reservoir point to regain hit points as if you had spent a Hit Die.

Traditions of Blood

Also at 1st level, choose a tradition (Blood Binder, Crimson Witch, Scarlet Reaper). You gain abilities for your tradition at 1st, sth, 9th, 14th, and 18th level.

The tradition that you choose also determines one of your starting minor disciplines.

Sanguine Fortification

Starting at 2nd level, while you are not wearing any armor and not wielding a shield, your Armor Class is equal to 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.

Hydraulic Control

At 3rd level, you have advantage on death saves and become immune to any effect relating to blood loss (like sight rot and slimy doom).

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Life Sense

At 6th level, you gain the ability to sense life. You can use an action and spend 1 reservoir point to reach out and perceive flowing blood for 1 minute. While using Life Sense, you are able to pinpoint the location of any living creature within 30 feet of you.

Blood Purification

At 10th level, your mastery of your own vital energy allows you to instantly purify your body, making you immune to disease and poison.

Improved Vital Restoration

At 13th level, whenever you use Vital Restoration, the number of hit points you regain from your Constitution modifier doubles.

Improved Sanguine Endurance

At 15th level, you can use Sanguine Endurance to gain advantage on any type of saving throw.

Vitalicrux

Beginning at 11th level, once per turn when you reduce a hostile living creature to 0 hit points, you regain 1 reservoir point. Once you have used this feature to regain a number of reservoir points equal to half your bloodweaver level, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Improved Life Sense

At 17th level, the duration of your Life Sense increases to 10 minutes and its range increases to 60 feet.

Sanguine Rejuvenation

At 20th level, when you are killed your body reconstitutes and heals itself after 1 week so long as even a drop of your blood remains (as resurrection).

Additionally, you no longer age naturally and you are immune to any effects that would age you magically.