Z's Blood Magic (5e Sourcebook)/Magic/Bloodborne Sacraments

Sacraments are groups of abilities that are available to Blood Magi to use. Each Sacrament is a collection of Sanguine Rites, all centered around a general theme, such as an element or a sin.

Sanguine Rites

There are many different types of Rites that can be learned from a Sacrament. Their mechanics are detailed below. Each Rite (Other than Wills and Mercies) counts as a spell for the purposes of dispel magic, and the spell level is equal to half of your Hemocraft level, rounded down (maximum of 9th level spell).

Rite Damage and Rite Effect

Many Sacraments will denote a damage type and/or special effect tied to the Sacrament in question. When you deal Rite Damage using a Rite belonging to one of these Sacraments, the damage is of the type specified by that Rite.

Rite Effects are conditions that apply to a creature that suffers the corresponding Rite Damage (Provided the creature possesses blood or a similar fluid in their body, and they are not immune or resistant to the type of damage dealt).

Critical Rite Effects function similarly, but affect the target only when they are critically hit by the damaging effect, or roll a natural 1 on their saving throw against the corresponding effect. Some Rite Effects apply to all instances of Rite Damage you inflict, rather than only those from the corresponding Sacrament, as noted in their description.

Will

Each Sacrament grants you the ability to tap into its Will, a fragment of primal power. Each Will is a cantrip; Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells; When cast in this way, these spells require no verbal, somatic or material components, and may be cast as a bonus action instead of an action. In order to cast one of the Wills you know, you must Minor Rend as a free action. Doing so allows you to cast that Will a number of times equal to the Rend Bonus of that Minor Rend. All unexpended uses of your Wills are lost when you finish a Long Rest.

Mercy

A Mercy is a miscellaneous or passive benefit you can gain access to, by means of a stronger connection to the corresponding Sacrament than most possess. A Mercy can be active all the time, or it can become active only after you use another ability or only while you are injured beyond a certain extent, as noted in the Mercy's description. Unlike most Rites, Mercies cannot be dispelled, unless they replicate a spell's effect.

Sign

A Sign is a crude invocation of a Sacrament's power in an attempt to directly harm a foe. Blood Magi can invoke any Sign they know as an action. Each Sign affects a single target the user can see within a range equal to twice the user's Corpse Magic range, and forces the target to make a saving throw against the user's Hemocraft save DC. On a failure, the target takes Rite Damage equal to one roll of the user's Hemocraft Die, plus the user's Constitution bonus; and on a success, the target takes only half damage. If the target is not immune to critical hits and rolls a natural 1 on the saving throw, they take double damage from the Sign, and suffer the corresponding Critical Rite Effect if they are eligible.

The damage dealt by a Sign you invoke increases to 2 rolls of your Hemocraft dice whenever you are Bloodied, to 3 dice whenever you are Injured, and to 4 dice whenever you are Critical.

Amplify: Upon choosing to activate a Sign, but before resolving the Sign's effects, the Blood Magi can choose to Major Rend; Doing so Amplifies the Sign, increasing the damage of the Sign by an amount equal to the Rend Bonus of that Major Rend, and causing the Sign to fully affect creatures that do not possess blood, and those immune to critical hits.

Benediction

A Benediction is a helpful effect; A spiritual blessing of ancient might. A Blood Magi can choose to call upon one of the Benedictions they know; Once they do so, they cannot call upon another Benediction until they finish a short or long rest, or until they utter and amplify a Malison. Activating a Benediction typically requires an action, but some Benedictions can be activated with a bonus action or even as a reaction, noted in the Benediction's description.

Amplify: Upon choosing to activate a Benediction, but before resolving its effects, the user can choose to Minor Rend; In doing so, they Amplify the Benediction in a manner specified in the Benediction's description.

Malison

Malisons are powerful curses, that only grow stronger when the Blood Magi spills their own blood to fuel them. A Blood Magi can also choose to utter one of the Malisons they know; Once they do so, they cannot utter another Malison until they finish a short or long rest, or until they call upon and Amplify a Benediction. Activating a Malison typically requires an action, but some Malisons can be activated with a bonus action or even as a reaction, noted in the Malison's description.

Amplify: Upon choosing to activate a Malison, but before resolving its effects, the user can choose to Minor Rend; In doing so, they Amplify the Malison in a manner specified in the Malison's description.

Torment

A Torment is an ability that alters your Blade of Blood, infusing it with primal power; As such, in order to learn a Torment, you must possess that feature. As a bonus action, you can awaken a Torment within any number of weapons you are currently wielding. This lasts until the weapon(s) leave(s) your hand, until you are incapacitated, until you finish a short or long rest, or until you choose to awaken the Torment of a different Rite within that weapon (In which case the new Torment replaces the old one); You can have multiple Torments active, but you can only have a single Torment active on any individual weapon. For the purposes of this ability, you treat all of your unarmed attacks and natural weapons as a single weapon.

A weapon bearing a Torment deals additional Rite Damage equal to the user's Constitution bonus (Min 1). When you activate Blade of Blood to empower an attack made using a weapon bearing a Torment, the additional damage dealt is changed to the damage type to the corresponding Sacrament's Rite Damage. On a critical hit, the target also suffers the Sacrament's corresponding Critical Rite Effect if eligible.

Brand

A Brand is a runic mark of Hemocraft magic, meant to bind and hinder a foe, or make them easier to track or harm. Immediately after striking a target with a Blade of Blood attack, you can use your Reaction to subject the target to one of the Brands you know, searing an arcane mark of hemocraft magic into its body. Unless otherwise noted, your Brand lasts for 1 minute, until you dismiss it, until it is dispelled, until you are incapacitated, or until you use this feature again.

Once you use a Brand, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use a Brand again.

Sacraments

Below are the Sacraments that Blood Magi may gain access to and select their Rites from.

• Sacrament of the Deep
• Sacrament of the Glacier
• Sacrament of the Pyre
• Sacrament of the Song
• Sacrament of the Storm
• Sacrament of the Wild
• Sacrament of the Deathknight
• Sacrament of the Hunter
• Sacrament of the Necromancer
• Sacrament of the Shaman
• Sacrament of Avarice
• Sacrament of Envy
• Sacrament of Gluttony
• Sacrament of Lust
• Sacrament of Pride
• Sacrament of Sloth
• Sacrament of Wrath
• Sacrament of the Destroyer
• Sacrament of the Hierophant
• Sacrament of the Lifegiver
• Sacrament of the Sage
• Sacrament of the Beyond
• Sacrament of the Dawn
• Sacrament of the Grave
• Sacrament of the Mind