Prestige Class: Sanguinist

Dipping his finger in the blood seeping from a recent wound in his shoulder, a necromancer carves scarlet words in arcane script upon the floor to unleash his magical power. With her arms extended toward her enemies, a hagborn witch commands the magic power lurking inside her foes' blood, twisting their limbs as if they were her puppets. Whispering a prayer to an evil god, a priest swirls the ritual blood within their goblet, offering it to their deity in exchange for power.

Sanguinists are spellcasters that have devoted some of their study or power to the pursuit of blood magic and the arcane secrets of blood itself. No matter the source of their magic or the practice of wielding it, sanguinists of every kind know the secrets involved in drawing the power from their own blood and from the blood of their enemies. Many sanguinists are heretical mages with a passion for experimentation, while others are acolytes of blood-thirsty gods. Some are even vampires seeking to learn the true nature of their cursed blood.

Prerequisites

In order to advance as a sanguinist, you must meet the following prerequisites (in addition to the multiclassing prerequisites for your existing class):

• Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 15. Delving into the forbidden secrets of blood magic requires a firm grasp on the fundamentals of your spellcasting.

• Character level 11th. The specialized abilities of the sanguinist can't be mastered without enough experience, training, and study.

• Spellcasting or Pact Magic. You must have spell slots granted from a class feature to be a sanguinist.

• Hematurgy, Blood Rites, Pact of the Blood, or Blood Mage Feat. You must be able to do blood magic, either by having the Hematurgy class feature, the Blood Rites class feature, the Pact of the Blood class feature, or the Blood Mage feat.

Hematurgy and Blood Rites Features

Characters that multiclass can have multiple of the same type of blood magic class feature, which is called either Hematurgy or Blood Rites, depending on which class is granting the feature. These class features have minor differences between them. For example, the Hematurgy feature granted by the sorcerer subclass doesn't cause saving throws to maintain concentration, while the wizard subclass's Hematurgy feature does.

When a character multiclasses and gains access to multiple features that are named Hematurgy or Blood Rites, the features combine their maximum number of uses and share the uses among each of the features. For example, a character with six levels as a blood sorcerer and four levels as a blood cleric has a limit of three hit dice from the sorcerer class feature and two hit dice from the cleric class feature. Thus, the character can use either Hematurgy or Blood Rites to expend hit dice, but can't expend more than five hit dice as a total between the two features per long rest. If the character expends four hit dice for the Hematurgy class feature, they can only expend one more hit die for either class feature unless they finish a long rest first.

The warlock's Pact of the Blood feature is an exception to these multiclassing rules. Pact of the Blood is treated independently, without adding to the capabilities of any other feature.

Class Features

As a sanguinist, you gain the following class features.

HIT POINTS
Hit Dice: 1d8 per sanguinist level
Hit Points per Level: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per sanguinist level

PROFICIENCIES
Tools: None
Saving Throws: None
Skills: Choose one from Arcana, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, and Religion

EQUIPMENT
This prestige class does not grant any equipment.

Blood Magic
When you gain your first level in this prestige class, you learn how to properly harness the magical energy within blood and weave it into your own spellcasting.

When a creature with blood fails a saving throw against a Blood spell that you cast, or takes damage from one, you can choose to gain 1 blood point by extracting energy from the target's blood. You can also gain 1 blood point whenever a creature with blood is reduced to 0 hit points within 60 feet of you. You can only gain blood points a number of times based on your sanguinist level as shown on the Sanguinist Class Table, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you finish a short or long rest, you lose any unexpended blood points.

When you cast a spell of 5th-level or lower, you may expend blood points instead of spell slots, but you must expend at least a number of blood points equal to the level of the spell. When you do so, the spell doesn't require a spell slot and counts as a Blood spell in addition to its other schools.

However, the spell can't restore a dead creature to life. Also, unless it is a necromancy spell, it can't cause any creature to regain hit points; instead of restoring hit points, it grants temporary hit points equal to half as many hit points as it would have restored.

Hematurgy
Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to cast beyond your limits by sacrificing the vital life force inside your own blood. As a bonus action, you can spill your own blood and spend up to 5 of your remaining hit dice, but instead of healing you take 1d8 necrotic damage per hit die expended that ignores resistance and immunity. This damage doesn't cause saving throws to maintain concentration.

The next spell you cast on this turn is also a Blood spell in addition to its other schools and does not require a spell slot if it would normally expend a spell slot of a level equal to or less than the number of hit dice you expended. If the casting time is 1 bonus action, you can cast the spell as part of using this feature.

However, the spell can't restore a dead creature to life. Also, unless it is a necromancy spell, it can't cause any creature to regain hit points; instead of restoring hit points, it grants temporary hit points equal to half as many hit points as it would have restored.

You can't use this feature to cast a spell at a level higher than you have spell slots for, and you can't expend more hit dice using this feature than twice your sanguinist level before finishing a long rest.

Spellcasting
Using the magical power invested in your blood and the blood of others, you can empower your ability to cast spells to even greater heights.

Cantrips
You know the new hemokinesis cantrip and the spare the dying cantrip. For each of these cantrips that you already know, you learn a different Blood cantrip of your choice instead. They are sanguinist spells for you.

Spell Slots
The Sanguinist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell sanguine wave and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast sanguine wave using either slot.

Spells Known
You know two Blood spells of your choice from any class's spell list. These spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, they must be of 1st-level or higher, and they count as sanguinist spells for you. The Spells Known column of the Sanguinist table shows when you learn more Blood spells of your choice, following the same rules.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sanguinist spells you know and replace it with another Blood spell from any class's spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots and must be of 1st-level or higher. It counts as a sanguinist spell for you.

Unlike with normal multiclassing, you learn spells using this feature based on your total spell slots from all classes. For example, if you have nine sorcerer levels, two wizard levels, and one sanguinist level, you could learn spells using this feature based on the spell slots available to a twelfth-level spellcasting class, and thus you could learn Blood spells as high as 6th-level.

Spellcasting Ability
You can use any ability as your spellcasting ability for your sanguinist spells, so long as you already have a Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature from another class which uses that ability as your spellcasting ability. For example, if you have the Spellcasting feature from the sorcerer class, you can use Charisma as your spellcasting ability. If you have multiple abilities that you could use, you must use the highest one.

You use that ability score whenever a sanguinist spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use that ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sanguinist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your chosen ability modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your chosen ability modifier

Spellcasting Focus
Anything that you can use as a spellcasting focus for a Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature from another class can also be used as a focus for your sanguinist spells.

Student of Blood
Starting at 1st level, you can cast the new blood reading spell as a sanguinist spell without using a spell slot. You can do so even if you don't know the spell.

In addition, whenever you cast a spell, you can choose to alter that spell, causing the spell to count as a Blood spell in addition to its other schools.

You can use this feature to cast blood reading a number of times equal to your sanguinist level, and you can use it to alter a spell a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Sanguine Power
At 2nd level, you learn how to channel the power of your blood into each and every spell that you weave.

Whenever you cast a spell, you can choose to expend a hit die without regaining hit points. Instead, you roll the hit die and add the number rolled as bonus damage to one damage roll of that spell. Each creature can't be dealt this bonus damage more than once per turn. Alternatively, you can choose to spend 1 blood point and roll 1d8 for the bonus damage rather than expending and rolling a hit die.

Each time you use this feature, you immediately take necrotic damage equal to 1 + the spell's level. This damage ignores resistance and immunity and doesn't provoke saving throws to maintain concentration.

Vital Restoration
Starting at 2nd level, your knowledge of the flow of blood enables you to enhance your body's own natural recovery. When you finish a long rest, you regain all of your missing hit dice instead of only half.

Blood Compatibility
Starting at 3rd level, you specialize your style of blood magic to be more compatible with either your own blood, or the blood of others. Choose one of the following benefits to gain permanently.

My Own Blood. When you expend hit dice and roll damage against yourself for blood magic, you roll the damage twice and take the lower result. In addition, when you finish a short rest, you can expend any of your remaining uses of your Blood Magic feature and regain the same number of expended hit dice.

The Blood of Others. The range at which you can acquire blood points using your Blood Magic feature is doubled. In addition, whenever you would gain a blood point, you can choose to gain two instead. This counts as two uses for the purposes of the feature's limited uses per long rest.

Whenever you gain a sanguinist level or a level that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can change the decision you made for this feature.

Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th 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.

Ritual Sacrifice
Also at 4th level, you learn the secrets of blood sacrifice and how it can empower your spellcasting.

Before you cast a spell, you can choose to spend 1 uninterrupted hour undergoing a special ritual that requires your concentration, targeting a single creature. The creature must be incapacitated and within 5 feet of you for the entirety of the ritual, it must have blood, and it must die within the last minute of the ritual.

If the DM determines that the creature's blood contains great power, the ritual is successful, and the creature cannot be resurrected by any means. Though the DM ultimately decides, some suggestions for DMs of creatures that might have this blood include:

• A royal born to a destined lineage.

• A legendary hero or saint.

• A sorcerer that can cast 7th-level spells.

• An aberration, celestial, dragon, fey, fiend, or shapechanger with a CR of 16 or higher.

• A creature the sanguinist loves more than anything.

If the ritual is successful, you choose one of the following benefits to apply to the next spell that you cast, so long as you begin casting immediately after finishing the ritual. The spell is also a Blood spell in addition to its normal school.

Enhanced Duration. If the spell does not require concentration and lasts longer than 1 hours, the duration is doubled. If the spell normally lasts 24 hours or longer, the duration is tripled instead of doubled.

Enhanced Range. If the spell has a range other than Self or Touch, the range of the spell is doubled. If the normal range is 1 mile or more, the range is tripled instead of doubled.

Enhanced Size. If the spell affects an area, the radius of each sphere, circle, or cylinder and the length of each cone and cube are all doubled.

Inexorable. You add your proficiency bonus to the DC for using the counterspell or dispel magic spells or similar effects against the spell, and ability checks made to do so have disadvantage. In addition, dispel magic can't dispel the spell without a successful ability check, regardless of the spell's level, and it treats the spell as if it were two levels higher than it is.

Special Targets. If the spell normally can't affect creatures of a particular type, this casting can affect those creatures, although they have advantage on saving throws against the spell and resistance to any damage dealt by the spell.

Crimson Mastery
At 5th level, you master special blood magic techniques, distinct from spellcasting. Choose two of the following options to learn. Whenever you gain a level that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace one of your choices with a different option from this list. If an option forces a creature to make a saving throw, the DC for the save is your sanguinist spell save DC.

Arterial Puppetry
Whenever you deal damage to a creature using a Blood spell or a creature fails a saving throw against one of your Blood spells, if the creature has blood, you can expend 3 blood points to attempt to take control of the creature's blood. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or else you can direct its movement on its next turn, and it must spend its action on that turn to attack a target of your choice. The attack roll is made with disadvantage, and you can't move the creature into hazardous terrain using this ability.

Blood Backlash
When you take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, you can use your reaction to spend 1 to 5 blood points to strike back at your foe with a spike of blood. If the creature that damaged you is within 150 feet of you, you make a ranged spell attack against it using your spellcasting attack modifier. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 force damage for each blood point spent, plus necrotic damage equal to your spellcasting modifier.

Bloodletting
Whenever you deal damage to a creature using a Blood spell or a creature fails a saving throw against one of your Blood spells, if the creature has blood, you can expend 2 blood points to cause the creature to begin bleeding profusely. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d8 necrotic damage and start bleeding. A bleeding creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, taking damage on a failed save, and ending the effect on a success.

Contusion
Whenever you deal damage to a creature using a Blood spell or a creature fails a saving throw against one of your Blood spells, if the creature has blood, you can expend 2 blood points to cause the creature to bruise all across its body. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer the following effects for 1 minute.

• It can't maintain concentration or take reactions.

• It has disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls.

• Its speed and carrying capacity are both halved.

A bruised creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Crimson Fury
Whenever you start your turn, you can expend 1 blood point to enhance your body and your soul with intense fury and strength. Until the start of your next turn, you have advantage on weapon attacks as well as on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. You also gain 5 temporary hit points for the same duration, but you can't maintain concentration during this time.

Sanguine Storm
When you deal damage to a creature that has blood within 60 feet of you and reduce it to 0 hit points, you can spend 3 blood points to cause the creature to explode violently. The target fails one death saving throw automatically. Each creature within 10 feet of the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 6d6 necrotic damage.

Transfusion
You can use a bonus action to spend 1 or more blood points to infuse one creature that you touch with the power of your blood magic. If the target has blood, it gains 2d6 temporary hit points for each blood point spent, up to a maximum of 40 temporary hit points, which disappear after 1 minute.

Vampirism
Whenever you deal damage to a creature using a Blood spell or a creature fails a saving throw against one of your Blood spells, if the creature has blood, you can expend 1 to 5 blood points to drain the vitality from the creature's blood. You regain hit points equal to 5 times the number of blood points expended.