Haemotheurge

Feared by some, reviled by others, and intriguing to many, haemotheurges, or blood mages as some call them, cast their spells through a complex process of rote, incantation, and self-exsanguination. It is this latter that makes many wary of them - how sane could someone willing to injure themselves for power be? And yet, the rewards are often worth the penalties, as haemotheurges can cast more powerful spells than most others, at the cost of some of their own vitae.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the haemotheurge.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Haemotheurges are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a haemotheurge's gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.

Spells

A haemotheurge casts arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. A haemotheurge must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time.

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the haemotheurge must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a haemotheurge’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the haemotheurge’s Intelligence modifier.

A haemotheurge can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Haemotheurge. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

Whenever a haemotheurge casts a spell, he must ritually cut himself, spilling blood as part of the spellcasting. He suffers 2 points of damage per level of the spell he casts (including any level increases due to metamagic). He must be wielding a slashing or piercing weapon in one hand to cast a spell, and the ritual cut counts as the somatic component for the spell. Haemotheurges cannot cast Still Spells, and any spells that don't normally have somatic components gain one.

A haemotheurge may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the haemotheurge decides which spells to prepare.

Starting Spells A haemotheurge begins play with a spellbook containing three 1st-level spells of his choice. The haemotheurge also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new haemotheurge level, he gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new haemotheurge level) for his spellbook. At any time, a haemotheurge can also add spells found in other haemotheurges’ spellbooks to his own.

Spells Gained at a New Level: Haemotheurges perform a certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time a character attains a new haemotheurge level, he gains two spells of his choice to add to his spellbook. The two free spells must be of spell levels he can cast.

Bloodline (Su)

As part of each haemotheurge's initiation, they are injected with the blood of some powerful magical entity they choose, and through the ritual's magic, take on some of the traits of the entity. This bloodline grants her spells, bonus feats, an additional class skill, and other special abilities. A haemotheurge must pick one bloodline upon taking her first level of haemotheurge. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

At 7th level, and every six levels thereafter, a haemotheurge receives one bonus feat, chosen from a list specific to each bloodline. The haemotheurge must meet the prerequisites for these bonus feats. At 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter, a haemotheurge learns an additional spell, derived from her bloodline. These spells are in addition to the spells normally learned upon leveling. The haemotheurge can expend any prepared spell that isn’t a cantrip to spontaneously cast any bloodline spell of the same spell level or lower. 

A list of bloodlines can be found here: Bloodlines

Where a bloodline ability refers to sorcerer level, use haemotheurge level instead, and use Intelligence in place of Charisma.

Cantrips

Haemotheurges learn five cantrips, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again. A haemotheurge need not sacrifice any blood to cast a cantrip.

Blood Rejuvenation

A haemotheurge can redirect the flow of his blood away from his internal organs, bringing much-needed materials to heal his wounds, but reducing his toughness. As a move action, he reduces his maximum HP by an amount equal to twice his haemotheurge level, and then heals for 1d8+Haemotheurge level hit points. The max HP is restored when the haemotheurge regains his spells, but cannot be recovered in any other way.

Should the haemotheurge reduce his maximum HP below 0 with this ability, the magic of his blood pools, shielding him briefly, then detonates suddenly. He becomes completely invincible for one round, after which he explodes and is utterly destroyed, his soul burned out of existence in this life and the next. A haemotheurge who dies in this way cannot be resurrected, even by a Goddess. There is nothing left. Once the process has started, it is irreversible. This explosion has a 5-foot radius and deals damage equal to three times the amount Blood Rejuvenation would heal for. A Reflex save (DC 10+1/2 haemotheurge level+Con mod) halves this damage.

At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the amount healed by this ability increases by 1d8.

Eschew Materials

A haemotheurge gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at 1st level, as his blood is substituted for the normal material component.

Spell Scars (Ex)

The haemotheurge can use special scar-based tattoos called spell-scars on his skin to cast or prepare spells, much like scrolls. He can cast a spell from a spell-scar exactly like casting from a scroll; the ink and scars vanish when the spell is cast. The haemotheurge can also prepare spells from his spell-scars, even if he doesn't have access to his spellbook.

The haemotheurge does not need to be able to see his spell-scar to use it. A haemotheurge has room on his skin for 18 total spell levels of spell-scars, which he can create using the rules for scribing scrolls (although they do not require the Scribe Scroll feat).

Archetypes

A haemotheurge may choose to take an archetype from the list below. These archetypes replace or modify various haemotheurge abilities, allowing you to focus the character into a unique discipline.

• Chronomancer 

• Exploiter 

• Preceptor 

• Scholar 

• White Mage