Blood Apostle

Blood Apostles are practitioners of dark magics that remain forbidden in most societies. The nature of blood thaumaturgy is elusive to mortals without connections, but can be discovered by delving into sordid lexica or tenets that require dedicated study. To truly become a Blood Apostle, one must prepare and endure harrowing rites that grant an awakening to the manipulation of blood. Should they survive, they may learn spells that are tied to their life force, and using one will require the sacrifice of their own life force or that of others.

Requirements

Alignment: Any Evil

Skills: Knowledge: Arcane 8

Feats: Toughness, Willing Deformity, Awaken Blood

Spells: 3 levels in an Arcane spellcasting class (Wizard, Sorcerer, or Bard)

Special: The character must have a background involving dedicated study to learn a ritual to awaken their blood thaumaturgy.

Hit Die: d12

Proficiencies: None

Skill Points: 2 + INT

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft (all), Discipline, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Lore, Parry, Persuade, Profession (all), Sense Motive, Taunt

*Note: Sorcerers and bards will not be able to learn new spells via leveling up Blood Apostle, they must learn from sorcerer or bard levels.

Level Progression

Lvl	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Class Features	Available Abilities	Caster Progression
1st	+0	+2	+0	+0	Choose Two Spells	Blood Lance, Leech, Purge Ailment	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class*
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+0	Choose Two Spells	Rend, Cannibalize, Miasma
3rd	+1	+3	+1	+1	Choose Two Spells	Scarification, Consume, Wither	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class*
4th	+2	+4	+1	+1	Choose Two Spells	Homunculus, Blood Cavity, Hemorrhage, Bloodsurge
5th	+2	+4	+2	+1	Choose Two Spells	Impale, Siphon Life, Rejuvenate, Harden Skin	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class*
6th	+3	+5	+2	+2	Choose Two Spells	Blood Burst, Blood Bond, Contagion, Immobilize
7th	+3	+5	+2	+2	Choose Two Spells	Bloodrind, Devour, Bloodshard, Become Dust	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class*
8th	+4	+6	+2	+2	Choose Two Spells	Blood Boil, Freeze Blood, Living Puppet, Deadlock, Carapace Armor
9th	+4	+6	+3	+3	Choose Two Spells	Twisted Host, Crimson Chrysalis, Resuscitate-Self, Bloodthirster, Rejuvenate Legion	+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class*
10th	+5	+7	+3	+3	Choose Two Spells	Tribunal of Blood, Freeze Horde, Virulent Plague, Gorge, Scorched Earth, Pierce the World, Blood Avatar

Awaken Blood: The Blood Apostle has endured dark rites to access vile thaumaturgy that grants mastery over the manipulation of blood. Their abilities are tied to their life force and using one will require the sacrifice of their health or the health of others. However, so long as the Apostle has health remaining, abilities will have unlimited uses and their DCs will scale with their constitution modifier.

Remaining above 50% of their max health will increase the Apostle's normal damage abilities by 50%. Conversely, if they are below 50% of their max health, abilities that sap blood from enemies have their damage and healing increased by 50%. Using an ability that costs more health than the Apostle has will kill them. All self-harming abilities are unmitigable while all offensive abilities are physical damage and mitigated by DR/DI. Creatures without blood are immune to attacks that directly target a creature's blood.

Path of the Blood Knight

Thicken Blood: The Blood Apostle has learned to permanently thicken their blood, making their spell costs more efficient. Ability costs are reduced by 10%.

Empower Blood: The Blood Apostle has learned to permanently empower their blood, making their spell costs even more efficient. Ability costs are reduced by an additional 15% to make for 25% total.

Ravenous Thirst: The Blood Apostle's appetite has become insatiable. Every ability that heals or regenerates the Apostle now heals by an additional 50%.

Blood Apotheosis: The Blood Apostle has achieved the culmination of all blood thaumaturgy. They may now add their intelligence modifier to their class level for the purposes of calculating damage and duration spells.

Path of the Blood Mage

Blood Focus: The Blood Apostle has learned to focus their control over blood, empowering some of their abilities. Their level 1-4 abilities gain +2 to DC.

Greater Blood Focus: The Blood Apostle has learned even greater focus over blood, empowering additional abilities. Their level 5-7 abilities gain +2 to DC.

Superior Blood Focus: The Blood Apostle has learned true focus over blood, empowering all abilities. They gain +2 to all DCs.

Blood Apotheosis: The Blood Apostle has achieved the culmination of all blood thaumaturgy. They may now add their intelligence modifier to their class level for the purposes of calculating damage and duration spells.

Level 1 Options:

Blood Lance: The Blood Apostle draws forth and hardens their blood into a spiked projectile that they launch at an enemy to deal d8 physical damage per Apostle level.

Required For: Impale
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 15 HP

Leech: The Blood Apostle makes a quickened ranged touch attack to rip blood out of the target, dealing d4 physical damage per Apostle level and healing for the damage dealt.

Required For: Siphon Life

Purge Ailment: The Blood Apostle is able to remove maladies from their blood or the blood of an ally, removing ability decrease, attack decrease, damage decrease, saving throw decrease, skill decrease, blindness, deafness, disease, poison, and negative level.

Required For: Rejuvenate
Cost: 15 HP

Level 2 Options:

Rend: The Blood Apostle draws forth and hardens their blood into spiked projectiles that launch at all nearby enemies deal d8 physical damage per Apostle level.

Required For: Blood Burst
Radius: Huge
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 50 HP

Cannibalize: The Blood Apostle may drain life from a nearby willing ally, sapping 50% of their current health that heals the Apostle.

Required For: Blood Bond
Cooldown: 1 minute

Blood Hex: Miasma: The Blood Apostle inflicts an enemy's blood with a pestilent curse. On a failed will-save, they suffer -2 to saves and 25% physical damage vulnerability. As a result, abilities that heal based on damage dealt heal 25% more against afflicted targets.

Required For: Contagion
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Will vs Disease/Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP

Level 3 Options:

Scarification: The Blood Apostle has learned to carve runes of power into their flesh. The scars grant 5/+5 DR and absorb damage equal to 5 plus Apostle level and then multiplied by their con mod. The runes upgrade at level 7 to 15/+5 DR and again at level 10 for 20/+5 DR. This ability persists through rest and cannot be dispelled.

Required For: Bloodrind
Cost: 75 HP

Consume: Passive. The blood of each enemy that the Blood Apostle kills with a spell is absorbed into the Apostle's body to restore 15 health.

Required For: Devour

Blood Hex: Wither: The Blood Apostle disrupts the target's natural functions with a debilitating curse. On a failed will-save, the afflicted target's heartbeat begins to slow considerably as it struggles to pump increasingly thickening blood through its veins. They suffer 2d3 str/dex/con ability drain, -3 to level, slow, and -3 AB. Freedom of Movement, Lesser Restoration, Restoration, and Haste are blocked by this effect.

Required For: Become Dust
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP

Level 4 Options:

Homunculus: The Blood Apostle utilizes fleshcraft to create a minion made from their own flesh and blood to do their bidding. The homunculus grows in power as the Apostle does, becoming stronger at level 7 and then again at level 10.

Required For: Twisted Host
Cost: 50% max health
Cooldown: 5 minutes

Blood Cavity: The Blood Apostle has learned to store blood within pockets inside their body. After doing so, they may then use the blood at any time to make their next spell cost no health. This ability may be toggled on or off at will. Additional uses are granted at levels 8 and 10 for a maximum of 3.

Required For: Resuscitate-Self
Cost: 50% max health
Cooldown: 30 seconds

Hemorrhage: The Blood Apostle uses their thaumaturgy to target vulnerable points in a target, causing it to begin bleeding excessively on a failed fort-save. They take 10 + d4 physical damage per half Apostle level every round for the duration. While the target hemorrhages, further single target abilities against them cost no health, deal 20% increased damage, and increase the DC by 4. As a result of the increased damage, abilities that heal based on damage dealt also heal the Apostle an additional 20%.

Required For: Bloodthirster
DC: 14 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Spell
Duration: 5 rounds
Cost: 65 HP

Bloodsurge: The Blood Apostle applies their knowledge of the manipulation of flesh and blood to their own body, optimizing bodily functions beyond their natural limits. They temporarily gain immunity to fear and bonus AB equal to 1 plus 1/3 their level.

Required For: Bloodshard
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Level 5 Options:

Impale: The Blood Apostle draws forth a large portion of their blood to gore a single enemy with a powerful blow. This ability does 25% of the Apostle's current health as physical damage.

Required For: Pierce the World
DC: 14 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 10% current HP
Cooldown: 1 minute

Siphon Life: The Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack to briefly channel as they drain health from an enemy. The target has 20% of their current health stolen after a short time.

Required For: Tribunal of Blood
DC: 14 + con mod
Save: Fort 1/2
Cooldown: 1 minute

Rejuvenate: The Blood Apostle is able to purge maladies from their blood or the blood of an ally, removing ability decrease, attack decrease, damage decrease, saving throw decrease, skill decrease, blindness, deafness, disease, poison, and negative level. The target also undergoes an adrenaline rush, granting them haste.

Required For: Rejuvenate Legion
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP

Harden Skin: Passive. The Blood Apostle utilizes fleshcraft to permanently toughen their skin with thick callouses, gaining 3/- damage reduction.

Required For: Carapace Armor

Level 6 Options:

Blood Burst: The Blood Apostle sends out a wave of his blood at all nearby enemies, dealing d6 physical damage per Blood Apostle level. After a brief delay, they then draw the blood back and any blood from those struck, regaining health equal to the damage dealt to each enemy in the process.

Radius: Large
DC: 15 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Special: Temporarily lose 20 HP per enemy

Blood Bond: The Blood Apostle is able to magically bond themselves to a nearby willing ally, including summons. While the link persists, the ally shares half the cost of all Blood Apostle abilities.

Special: Must be in a party in the same area
Cooldown: 30 seconds

Contagion: The Blood Apostle inflicts the blood of all nearby enemies with a pestilent curse. On a failed will-save, they suffer -4 to saves and 25% physical damage vulnerability. As a result, abilities that heal based on damage dealt heal 25% more against afflicted targets.

Required For: Virulent Plague
Radius: Colossal
DC: 15 + con mod
Save: Will vs Disease/Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 100 HP

Blood Hex: Immobilize: The Blood Apostle turns the target's blood against its own body with a thaumaturgic curse. On a failed will-save, the target succumbs to the curse and is paralyzed, feeling as if their own veins are restricting their movements from beneath the skin.

Required For: Deadlock
DC: 15 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 75 HP

Level 7 Options:

Bloodrind: The Blood Apostle can sacrifice some of their life force to create a sanguine sheen over their skin for protection. The blood acts as a layer of armor, granting temporary health equal to 50% of their max health that cannot be dispelled.

Required For: Crimson Chrysalis
Duration: 5 minutes
Cost: 50% max HP
Cooldown: 5 minutes

Devour: The wounded Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack on a single enemy in an attempt to consume their life force. If the target fails their save, they explode into gore and the Apostle absorbs their remaining health.

Required For: Gorge
DC: 16 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Spell
Special: This ability may only be used when below 50% max HP
Cost: 50% current HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Bloodshard: The Blood Apostle temporarily draws and empowers a shard of their own blood. The powerful spear forms in their grasp that may deal additional divine damage equal to half the Apostle's strength modifier. The weapon will then steal enemy health equal to the additional damage upon every successful strike. Killing an enemy with a bloodshard may also trigger the Consume ability if taken.

Required For: Blood Avatar
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 135 HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Blood Hex: Become Dust: The Blood Apostle disrupts the natural functions of all nearby enemies with a debilitating curse. On a failed will-save, an afflicted target's heartbeat begins to slow considerably as it struggles to pump increasingly thickening blood through its veins. They suffer -6 str/dex/con, -5 to level, slow, and -5 AB. Freedom of Movement, Lesser Restoration, Restoration, and Haste are blocked by this effect.

Radius: Colossal
DC: 16 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 135 HP

Level 8 Options:

Blood Boil: The Blood Apostle causes an enemy's blood to literally boil in their veins. The enemy must succeed their save or become incapacitated for 1 round, after which they suffer an explosion of d10 fire damage per Apostle level. Any creatures nearby also suffer d10 fire damage per Apostle level from the explosion as a reflex save. If an enemy should succeed their initial fort save, their boiling blood will still result in half the d10 damage, but no incapacitation or explosion.

Required For: Scorched Earth
Radius: Large
DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Fire/Spell
AoE Save: Reflex vs Fire 1/2
AoE Radius: Medium
Cost: 135 HP

Freeze Blood: The Blood Apostle freezes the blood in an enemy's veins. On a failed save, they suffer d10 cold damage per Apostle level and are turned into a solid block of ice for 5 rounds. Even if the target manages to resist, they still take half the cold damage.

Required For: Freeze Horde
DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Cold/Spell
Cost: 115 HP

Blood Hex: Living Puppet: The Blood Apostle forces its own will upon the target's blood. On a failed will-save, the target loses control of its body as it is remotely puppeteered through its circulatory system. The target is fully aware of its actions but is unable to control them. If the target resists, it still takes d4 physical damage per Apostle Level due to its blood rebelling within their own veins.

DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 1 minute per level
Cost: 135 HP

Blood Hex: Deadlock: The Blood Apostle turns the blood of all nearby targets against their own body with a thaumaturgic curse. On a failed will-save, an enemy succumbs to the curse and is paralyzed, feeling as if their own veins are restricting their movements from beneath the skin.

Radius: Huge
DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 165 HP

Carapace Armor: Passive. The Blood Apostle utilizes fleshcraft to permanently toughen their skin by creating jointed sections of hard keratin that form into their flesh, stacking an additional 3/- damage reduction. The protective nature of the carapace also allows the Apostle to shrug off disruptive blows by permanently granting +5 to concentration.

Level 9 Options:

Twisted Host: Passive. The Blood Apostle has perfected their fleshcraft when it comes to homunculi. They now create an additional homunculus and all homunculi are empowered.

Crimson Chrysalis: The Blood Apostle encompasses themselves in a chrysalis of hardened blood that protects them from all harm for 2 rounds. While within, they cannot perform any actions, but they heal 25% of their max health plus 50% of their missing health. This ability cannot be dispelled.

Cooldown: 3 minutes

Resuscitate-Self: Passive. If the Blood Apostle should fall in combat, they are able to stabilize and slowly revive themselves to 1 HP over a short time. Each Blood Cavity available will restore 20% of their max health.

Cooldown: 1 hour

Bloodthirster: The Blood Apostle uses their thaumaturgy to target vulnerable points in nearby enemies, causing any that fail a fort-save to begin bleeding excessively. They take 10 + d4 physical damage per half Apostle level every round, healing the Apostle for the damage dealt to each enemy. While a target hemorrhages, further single target abilities against them cost no health, deal 20% increased damage, and increase the DC by 4. As a result of the increased damage, abilities that heal based on damage dealt also heal the Apostle an additional 20%.

Radius: Huge
DC: 18 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Spell
Duration: 5 rounds
Cost: 175 HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Rejuvenate Legion: The Blood Apostle is able to banish maladies from their blood and the blood of all nearby allies, removing ability decrease, attack decrease, damage decrease, saving throw decrease, spell resistance decrease, skill decrease, blindness, deafness, curses, diseases, poisons, paralysis, charms, domination, daze, confusion, fear, negative level, slow, entanglement, movement speed decrease, petrification, silence, and stuns. They also undergo an adrenaline rush, granting them haste.

Radius: Huge
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 175 HP

Level 10 Options:

Tribunal of Blood: The Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack against a target and then briefly channels as they perform a rite. As the Apostle channels, they attempt to swap their current health with the target after a short delay. If the target has lower health than the Apostle or makes their save, the Apostle still siphons 20% of the target's current health.

DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Spell
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Freeze Horde: The Blood Apostle freezes the blood in the veins of all nearby enemies. On a failed save, they suffer d10 cold damage per Apostle level and are turned into solid blocks of ice for 2 minutes. Even if a target manages to resist, they still take half the cold damage.

Radius: 25 meters
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Cold/Spell
Cost: 200 HP

Virulent Plague: The Blood Apostle creates a fatal pestilence at their location to infect the blood of all nearby enemies. Inflicted targets fall prone for 1 round before succumbing to the plague.

Radius: 15 meters
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Disease/Spell
Cost: 250 HP

Gorge: The gravely injured Blood Apostle becomes ravenous and attempts to consume the life force of all nearby creatures. If a target fails their save, they explode into gore and the Apostle absorbs their remaining health.

Radius: Huge
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Spell
Special: This ability may only be used when below 30% max HP
Cost: 50% current HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Scorched Earth: The Blood Apostle causes the blood of all nearby enemies to literally boil in their veins. Each one must succeed their save or become incapacitated for 1 round, after which they suffer an explosion of d10 fire damage per Apostle level. Afflicted targets and any creatures nearby also suffer d10 fire damage per Apostle level per exploding target as a reflex save. If an enemy should succeed their initial fort save, their boiling blood will still result in half the d10 damage, but no incapacitation or explosion.

Radius: 15 meters
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Fire/Spell
AoE Save: Reflex vs Fire 1/2
AoE Radius: Colossal
Cost: 275 HP

Pierce the World: The Blood Apostle draws forth a large portion of their blood to gore all enemies in a direction with powerful blows. This ability does 25% of the Apostle's current health as physical damage to each enemy.

Shape: 60 degree cone
Range: 30 meters
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 25% current HP
Cooldown: 1 minute

Blood Avatar: The Blood Apostle's deep understanding of their own body allows them to employ their ultimate thaumaturgical fleshcraft upon themself. They gain immunity to knockdown, +4 AC, +8 regeneration, +1d8 physical damage, and maximum BAB for their level as they temporarily mold their body for combat. Every enemy the Apostle kills grants +1 AB for 5 rounds as they bolster their transformation with each fallen victim's flesh. This ability cannot be dispelled.

Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 250 HP
Cooldown: 3 minutes

Ability Progression:

Blood Lance > Impale > Pierce the World
Leech > Siphon Life > Tribunal of Blood
Purge Ailment > Rejuvenate > Rejuvenate Legion
Rend > Blood Burst
Cannibalize > Blood Bond
Miasma > Contagion > Virulent Plague
Scarification > Bloodrind > Crimson Chrysalis
Consume > Devour > Gorge
Wither > Become Dust
Homunculus > Twisted Host
Blood Cavity > Resuscitate Self
Hemorrhage > Bloodthirster
Bloodsurge > Bloodshard > Blood Avatar
Harden Skin > Carapace Armor
Immobilize > Deadlock
Freeze Blood > Freeze Horde
Blood Boil > Scorched Earth