Blood Hunter

Far from the judging eyes of society, blood hunters have mastered the secretive techniques of hemocraft, finding blood magic’s esoteric nature effective against evils that resist divine rebuke or arcane bindings. Through careful study and practice, blood hunters hone the rites of hemocraft into unique combat techniques, forfeiting a portion of their own health to call blood curses down upon their enemies or summon the elements to aid their strikes. Willing to suffer whatever it takes to achieve victory, these adept warriors have forged themselves into a potent force dedicated to protecting the innocent.

Whether driven by the wish to make a difference, the need to take vengeance, or the hope of finding a place to belong in an uncaring world, every blood hunter has their own reasons for undertaking the ritual that starts them on this path. 

This version of the Blood Hunter builds on the 2020 revision while giving players a choice between Intelligence and Wisdom as their Hemocraft ability score. The class still revolves around trading some of its own vitality for power, but several of those costs have been adjusted to make its core abilities easier to use consistently.

Crimson Rite has a simpler activation cost, while Blood Maledict now scales with Proficiency Bonus and recovers on a Short Rest. Weapon Mastery and the modern Fighting Style feat system have also been added to bring the class in line with the updated martial framework.

Brand of Castigation remains a central part of the class, with Hunter's Resilience providing additional durability and Brand of Sundering giving the Blood Hunter a clearer damage increase at higher levels. Sanguine Mastery serves as the capstone, improving the reliability of Hemocraft abilities and helping recover key resources during longer adventuring days.

The goal was to keep the Blood Hunter's focus on martial combat, curses, and Hemocraft while reducing some of the friction in its older resource systems. It should still require careful management of health and abilities, but with more dependable access to the features that define the class.

Becoming a Blood Hunter...

As a Level 1 Blood Hunter

• Gain all the traits in the Core Blood Hunter Traits table.
• Gain the Blood Hunter's level 1 features, which are listed in the Blood Hunter Features table.
• Select either Intelligence or Wisdom. This choice determines the ability modifier used for your Hemocraft save DC and other Blood Hunter features that specify your Hemocraft modifier.

As a Multiclass Blood Hunter

• Gain the following traits from the Core Blood Hunter Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with Martial weapons, proficiency with Alchemist's supplies, proficiency in one skill of your choice from the Blood Hunter's skill list, and training with Light and Medium armor and Shields.
• Gain the Blood Hunter's level 1 features, which are listed in the Blood Hunter Features table.

As a Blood Hunter, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Blood Hunter levels. These features are listed in the Blood HunterFeatures table.

Level 1: Hunter's Bane

You have survived the Hunter’s Bane ritual, altering your blood and honing your senses. You gain the following benefits:
Tracking Advantage. You have Advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track Fey, Fiends, or Undead, and on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.

Hemocraft. The Hunter’s Bane empowers you to use hemocraft magic. Choose either Intelligence or Wisdom as your Hemocraft Ability. Your Hemocraft modifier is the ability modifier for your chosen score. Your Hemocraft save DC equals 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Hemocraft modifier.

Level 1: Blood Maledict

You gain the ability to curse creatures through hemocraft magic.
Uses. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Known Curses. You know one Blood Curse of your choice (see “Blood Curses”). You learn additional Blood Curses at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18. When you learn a new Blood Curse, you can replace one you know with another.

Invoking Curses. When you use this feature, choose one Blood Curse you know to invoke. Your blood curses can affect any creature, regardless of whether it has blood.

Amplify. Before a curse affects its target, you can amplify it by taking necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Hemocraft die (this damage can't be reduced). An amplified curse gains an additional effect.

Level 1: Weapon Mastery

Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery properties of two kinds of Simple or Martial Melee weapons of your choice with which you have proficiency (such as Greataxes or Rapiers). Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change one of those weapon choices.

Level 2: Fighting Style

You have honed your martial prowess and gain a Fighting Style feat of your choice (found on page 209 of the 2024 Player's Handbook).

Level 2: Crimson Rite

You learn to invoke rites of hemocraft, infusing weapons with elemental energy.

Activation. As a Bonus Action, you can activate one rite you know on one weapon you hold. When you activate a rite, you take necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Hemocraft die (this damage can't be reduced).

Effect. The rite lasts until you finish a Short or Long Rest, or until you use a Bonus Action to dismiss it. While active, attacks with the weapon are magical and deal extra damage equal to your Hemocraft die of the rite's type. A weapon can hold only one active rite. Other creatures can’t gain the benefit of your rite.

Known Rites. Choose one Primal Rite below. You learn another Primal Rite at 7th level, and one Esoteric Rite at 14th level.

• Primal Rites: Rite of the Flame (Fire), Rite of the Frozen (Cold), Rite of the Storm (Lightning).

• Esoteric Rites (Prerequisite: 14th level): Rite of the Dead (Necrotic), Rite of the Oracle (Psychic), Rite of the Roar (Thunder).

Level 3: Blood Hunter Subclass

You gain a Blood Hunter subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Blood Hunter levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Blood Hunter level or lower.

Level 4: Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Fighter levels 6, 8, 12, 14, and 16.

Level 4: Hunter's Versatility

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature (levels 4, 8, 12, and 16), you can replace the Fighting Style feat you chose at 2nd level with a different Fighting Style feat available to Blood Hunters.

Level 5: Extra Attack

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Level 6: Brand of Castigation

When you damage a creature with an attack using a weapon bearing an active Crimson Rite, you can sear an arcane brand onto that creature (no action required). You gain the following benefits:

Tracking. You always know the direction to the branded creature if it's on the same plane as you.

Retribution. Each time the branded creature damages you or an ally you can see within 5 feet of you, the branded creature takes psychic damage equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 1).

Duration and Usage. Your brand lasts until dismissed (no action required) or you brand another creature. It can be dispelled (dispel magic). You can use this feature once per Short or Long Rest.

Level 7: Hunter's Resilience

When you fail a saving throw against an effect from a Fey, Fiend, or Undead, you can use your Reaction to roll your Hemocraft die and add the result to the save, potentially succeeding instead. When you use this feature, you take irreducible necrotic damage equal to twice the Hemocraft die roll. You can use this feature once per Short or Long Rest.

Level 9: Grim Psychometry

You gain Advantage on Intelligence (History) checks to recall information about the sinister or tragic history of an object you touch or your current location.

Level 10: Dark Augmentation
Hemocraft magic enhances your body. Your Speed increases by 5 feet, and you gain a bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws equal to your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of +1).

Level 11: Brand of Sundering

Your Brand of Castigation makes foes vulnerable to your rites. When you hit a creature Branded by you with an attack using a weapon bearing your Crimson Rite, you roll one additional Hemocraft die when determining the extra damage from the rite.

Level 13: Brand of Tethering

Your Brand of Castigation gains the following effects:

Increased Damage. The psychic damage dealt by the brand increases to twice your Hemocraft modifier (minimum of 2).

Movement Restriction. A branded creature can’t take the Dash action or leave its current plane by any means (including teleportation); attempting to do so causes the creature to take 4d6 psychic damage and make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = your Hemocraft save DC), failing the attempt on a failed save.

Level 14: Hardened Soul

You have Advantage on saving throws against being Charmed and Frightened.

Level 19: Epic Boon

You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Level 20: Sanguine Mastery

Your mastery of blood magic reaches its peak:

Hemocraft Control. Once per turn, when a Blood Hunter feature requires you to roll your Hemocraft die, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

Maledict Recovery. When you score a critical hit with an attack using a weapon bearing an active Crimson Rite, you regain one expended use of Blood Maledict.