Cardinal (5e Class)

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The Cardinal class is part of the Z's Blood Magic sourcebook, and uses the mechanics and features presented therein.

Cardinal

The quintessential Hemocraft practitioner, the Cardinal takes to the battlefield drenched in red with a divine purpose to fulfill.

Bloodsoaked Saints

Cardinals, like most blood magi, are as feared as they are revered, for their ancient power is the subject of many legends. Cardinals are said to come into being when the world most needs them, as if the blood in every living being has called for balance to be brought to the world. Be they a selfless defender of humanity against the creatures of night, or a ruthless devourer of souls, the Cardinal is always a harbinger of the natural - Or supernatural - Order.

The Mark of Crimson

Every Cardinal is marked with a sign of their nature, whether by birth or by the event that awakened their power. As such, many organizations attempt to find Cardinals before they come into their power fully - Either to train them in the old ways, or snuff them out before they can grow too powerful to contain.

Creating a Cardinal

When creating a Cardinal, consider the nature of their blood magic - Has it been a part of you since your birth, or did it abruptly awaken, a bolt from the blue, disrupting your life? Did you teach yourself, or were you trained by a grizzled and battleworn mentor? Likewise, how has the mark of crimson affected your life; Have you spent most of your days since gaining your power on the run, or is hemocraft revered in your culture, making you a champion of your people? In knowing your past and the shape your blood magic takes, you can better know yourself and your future, as the bloodstains without are a reflection of the ideal self within.

Quick Build

First, make Constitution your highest ability score, followed by either Strength or Dexterity.

Second, choose the Outlander or Haunted One background.

Third, choose the Sacrament of the Pyre, and the Master of the Pyre and Lore of Minor Pyric Arcana Rites.

Class Features

As a Cardinal, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d12 per Cardinal level
Hit Points at 1st Level: d12 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 + your Constitution modifier

Proficiencies

Armor: Light and Medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple and martial weapons
Tools: Herbalism Kit
Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Perception, Survival.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) Scale mail or (b) Leather, longbow, and 20 arrows
• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Herbalism kit and 2 daggers

Wealth Rolls

Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment listed above and in your background, and buy 5d4 x 10gp worth of equipment from chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook.

Multiclassing

The prerequisites for multiclassing into or out of the Cardinal class are a Constitution score of 13 and a Strength or Dexterity score of 13.

When you multiclass into the Cardinal class, you gain proficiency with light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial weapons, and proficiency with either the Medicine skill or the Herbalism Kit.

Cardinal

Table: The Cardinal

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Hemocraft Die	Sacrifice Points	Sacrifice Limit	Sanguine Rites
						Sacraments Known	Rites Known
1st	+2	Crimson Mark, Cardinal Sin	(1)d4	1	1	1	2
2nd	+2	Mantle of Sin, Blade of Blood	(1)d4	1	1	2	3
3rd	+2	Cardinal Virtue, Sin feature	(1)d4	1	1	2	4
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement, Crimson Versatility	(1)d4	2	1	2	5
5th	+3	Extra Attack	(2)d6	2	2	3	6
6th	+3	Gift of Birth	(2)d6	2	2	3	7
7th	+3	Sin feature	(2)d6	3	2	4	8
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement, Crimson Versatility	(2)d6	3	2	4	9
9th	+4	Greater Virtue	(2)d8	3	3	5	10
10th	+4	Gift of Life	(2)d8	4	3	5	10
11th	+4	Sin feature	(3)d8	4	3	5	11
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement, Crimson Versatility	(3)d8	4	3	6	12
13th	+5	-	(3)d10	5	4	6	12
14th	+5	Gift of Death	(3)d10	5	4	6	13
15th	+5	Sin feature	(3)d10	5	4	7	13
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement, Crimson Versatility	(3)d10	6	4	7	14
17th	+6	-	(4)d12	6	5	7	14
18th	+6	Sin feature	(4)d12	6	5	8	15
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement, Crimson Versatility	(4)d12	7	5	8	15
20th	+6	Crimson Hierophant	(4)d12	7	5	8	16

Crimson Mark

Somewhere on your body, there is a mark, be it a birthmark, tattoo, scar, deformity, or some other abnormality on your body, and its color typically (But not always) matches that of your blood (Usually crimson red for most humanoids); It can be a single large mark, or a collection of several smaller ones. As a player, you decide what kind of Mark(s) your character possesses, the appearance of the Mark, and how they were received - Were they Marked at birth, by a symbol or vestigial body part; was it a cursed wound, inflicted during a monster attack; or a ceremonial brand, placed there as part of an initiation or rite of passage? Regardless, your Mark reveals your identity as a Cardinal, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on the person, and you may choose to hide or flaunt your Mark as you see fit. Those that see your Mark can identify you as a Cardinal by making an Arcana check; The DC is typically 20 or higher, as Cardinals, though known sparingly in legend, are quite rare and thought to be myths by most common folk. Some superstitious groups might seek to harm you because of your Mark, seeing it as a sign of evil, while others might view you as a myth made flesh, and attempt to help you on your journey, if for no other reason than to include themselves in the legendary tale that will no doubt be written about you in ages to come.

Regardless of the origin of your Mark, it is a reminder of the event that awakened the core of your identity as a Cardinal - Your use of blood magic, called Hemocraft. Your power comes from harming yourself, a sacrifice you begrudgingly or gleefully make each day in order to unleash your ability. This Hemocraft is represented by a Hemocraft Die, which begins as a d4, and increases in size as you grow stronger and able to endure greater sacrifice, as shown on the Hemocraft Die column of the Cardinal table.

Hemocraft

At 1st level, you gain the Hemocraft ability, allowing you to harm yourself to unleash ancient power, as is your birthright. You gain a Hemocraft Die, which you may use to Rend yourself in order to activate your blood magic. You also gain access to Corpse Magic, allowing you to manipulate the blood of the recently departed as well as your own.

Additionally, you gain two Sacrifice Points, which you can use to cast spells granted to you by your Sanguine Rites. You gain additional Sacrifice Points as you gain levels, as shown in the Sacrifice Points column of the Cardinal table.

Bloodborne Sacraments

At 1st level, you learn how to use your blood to perform sacred - Or profane - Rites of hemocraft magic, awakening a primal connection within yourself, binding a magical force to your blood. You can unleash this force sparingly by merely living, but spilling your blood amplifies it further. When you gain your first level in this class, you gain access to a small number of Bloodborne Sacraments, from which you may learn a handful of Sanguine Rites, powerful invocations of blood magic that your can use by consuming your life force. The first Sacrament you learn must be a Basic Sacrament, but once you've learned a Basic Sacrament (Either from levels in a Hemocraft class, or from another source, such as the Hemocraft Initiate feat or the Hexborne Blessing of a Durlaanar), you may learn Advanced Sacraments. The number of Sacraments you may gain access to and the number of Rites you may learn from those Sacraments are both detailed in the Rites section of the Cardinal table above.

Each time you gain a level in the Cardinal class, you may replace one Rite you know with another Rite you qualify for from one of your Sacraments.

Hemocraft Ability

Some blood magic abilities, such as Sanguine Rites, may require you to make an attack roll, or force a target to make a saving throw. Your Hemocraft relies on a combination of physical endurance, pain tolerance, and sheer strength of life force; Thus, Constitution is the ability you use for your Cardinal Hemocraft. You use your Constitution whenever an ability refer to your Hemocraft ability. In addition, you use your Constitution modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Hemocraft ability you use, and when making an attack roll with one.

Hemocraft save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

Hemocraft attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.

Cardinal Sin

At 1st level, you begin your journey by willingly to falling to your lowest depths, in order to become your purest self and awaken your true potential. After this dark night of the soul, you choose the manifestation of your blood's power, in the form of your Cardinal Sin. The Sin you choose grants you features at 1st level, and again at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 18th levels.

• The Abomination

• The Beast

• The Deathless

• The False

• The Forbidden

• The Fury

• The Hunger

• The Mirror

• The Void

Mantle of Sin

At 2nd level, the things you have done - Or had done to you - Change you, granting you uncanny resilience, unnatural aptitude in some of the things you do, and allowing you to sense the residue of sins that have been committed. This grants you access to the following benefits:

• Cardinal Aptitude: You gain proficiency with one skill of your choice. Additionally, you may choose two skills and one tool, all of which you must be proficient with, to be your Crimson Aptitude proficiencies - Hereafter, when you make a check with one of these Crimson Aptitude proficiencies, you may Minor Rend to the roll. You may choose another skill or tool you are proficient with to add to your list of Crimson Aptitudes when you reach 9th level in this class, and again at 13th and 17th levels.

• Grim Psychometry: Your connection to suffering unlocks a supernatural talent for discerning the history surrounding mysterious objects or places touched by evil. When making an Intelligence (History) check to recall information about a darker past surrounding an object you are touching, or a location you are present in, you have advantage on the roll. The information gleaned often leans towards the more sinister influences of the past, and sometimes conveys visions of things previously unknown to the character on higher rolls.

• Staunch The Flow: Once per round, when Rending yourself would drop you to 0 hit points, you are dropped to 1 hit point instead. Additionally, when you roll an 18 or higher on a death saving throw while under the effects of Decay or Enervation, you regain 1 hit point.

Blade of Blood

At 2nd level, whenever you make a successful attack with a weapon, unarmed attack or natural weapon, you can choose to use Blade of Blood; If you do so, you may Major Rend as part of the attack, and deal additional weapon damage to the target.

The amount of damage added is based on the range of the attack:

• If you empower a melee attack with Blade of Blood, the additional damage is equal to the Rend Bonus of that Major Rend, plus one roll of your Hemocraft die; If you are Wounded, this increases to 2 rolls of your Hemocraft die, and to 3 rolls if you are Critical.

• If you empower a ranged attack with Blade of Blood, the additional damage is equal to half the Rend Bonus of that Major Rend, plus one roll of your Hemocraft die; If you are Wounded, this increases to 2 rolls of your Hemocraft die, and to 3 rolls if you are Critical.

Cardinal Virtue

At 3rd level, your life force manifests a helpful affinity. You gain one Virtue of your choice, chosen from the following. Each Virtue grants you a feature when first obtained, and another feature when you reach 9th level in this class.

Purity of Flesh

While wearing no armor, your AC equals 10 + Your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier; You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. This does not stack with Unarmored Defense - You use the highest AC value. Additionally, while wearing no armor, you possess a Barrier with 0 hit points, and a maximum number of hit points equal to your Constitution modifier (Min 1); While this Barrier is active, each time you begin your turn while not as 0 hit points, your Barrier regains one hit point. The Barrier lasts until you don armor, and reactivates whenever you doff armor.

Additionally, your unarmored AC increases by +1 whenever you are Bloodied, by +2 whenever you are Wounded, and by +3 whenever you are Critical.

Armory of Blood

You gain proficiency with heavy armor.

Additionally, you can break down metallic armor and weapons, storing them in your blood until you need them. At the end of a long rest, you can absorb a suit of armor you are proficient with, provided the armor is composed almost entirely of metal. You can also absorb weapons that would fit in your hands - One two-handed weapon, two one-handed weapons, or one one-handed weapon and one shield. These must also be weapons/shields you are proficient with, and they must also be composed mostly of metal. Thereafter, you can use your action to summon and equip the weapons and armor you've stored in your blood, or to store them away again. If you absorb a new piece of equipment in this way, it replaces the old item, and the old item is released harmlessly into your grasp; If the item you are replacing is a one-handed weapon, you must choose which of the previous handheld items you want to replace with the new item.

Sardonyx Mind

Your mind is reinforced with the strength of your blood magic, giving you a smidgen of psychic power. You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30ft of you; You need not share a language with the creature, but it must understand at least one language for it to understand your messages. The creature gains no ability to telepathically respond, however.

Additionally, you can Minor Rend to saving throws against effects that inflict the Frightened or Charmed condition. When doing so, if you succeed on the save, you can also choose to deal Psychic damage, equal to the Rend Bonus of that Minor Rend, to the creature that forced you to make that saving throw; For example, if you lost 11 HP to your Minor Rend, the Rend Bonus would be +3, thus granting you a +3 bonus on that save, and, if you succeed, dealing 3 points of Psychic damage to the creature that forced you to make that save.

Cruorwrought Creature

You learn the Find Familiar spell, and can cast it as a ritual; Constitution is your spellcasting ability. Your familiar takes on a reddish tint (Or a different tint resembling that of your character's blood, as appropriate), and if slain, dissolves into a puddle of blood; In addition to the usual forms a familiar can take, the Imp, Quasit, Pseudodragon, Sprite, Stirge, and Flying Sword are added to the list of forms you may choose from when summoning your familiar. Whenever you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to use its reaction to make one attack of its own.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th and 19th 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.

Crimson Versatility

Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the following, representing a mutation in the way your blood magic manifests and a change in your study of the ancient art of Hemocraft.

• Replace one Bloodborne Sacrament you know, and all known Rites belonging to it, with another Sacrament you meet the prerequisites for. For each Rite you knew from the Sacrament you replaced, you may learn one new Rite of your choice from any Sacrament you know, including the new Sacrament you gained with this feature.

• Replace the option you chose for your Cardinal Virtue feature with one of that feature's other options. If you have the Greater Virtue feature, the benefit granted to you by that feature changes to match your new Virtue. Finally, if you have access to a Virtue Sacrament, that Virtue Sacrament, and all Rites belonging to it, are replaced with the Virtue Sacrament corresponding to your new Virtue; For each Rite you knew from the previous Virtue Sacrament, you may learn one new Rite of your choice from the new Virtue Sacrament.

Extra Attack

Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Moreover, once per round, you can activate one of your Signs, Benedictions or Malisons in place of one of those attacks, provided the Sign, Benediction or Malison in question requires an Action to activate.

Gift of Birth

Beginning at 6th level, the first drops of blood that fall from your veins are your birthright, and awaken new power in you. Choose one of the following features; The benefits of that feature remain active as long as you are Bloodied.

Birth of Alacrity

You nimbly flicker in and out of reach, becoming an elusive foe once your blood has spilled.

You can take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. You can also Minor Rend once per round to move faster; Doing so increases all of your movement speeds by 5 times the Rend Bonus of that Minor Rend, until the end of your current turn.

Birth of the Physical

Your muscles and metabolism are reinforced by every blow you suffer.

You can Minor Rend to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution ability checks. You must choose to do so before you make the check.

You can also Minor Rend to a single Strength, Dexterity or Constitution saving throw. You must choose to do so before you make the saving throw. Once you use this feature in this way, you must finish a Short or Long rest before you may do so again.

Birth of the Ephemeral

The taste of pain focuses your cunning, willpower and spirit.

You can Minor Rend to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma ability checks. You must choose to do so before you make the check.

You can also Minor Rend to a single Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma saving throw. You must choose to do so before you make the saving throw. Once you use this feature in this way, you must finish a Short or Long rest before you may do so again.

Birth of Control

You finely control your life force as it spills forth.

When you would roll one or more Hemocraft dice, you may choose to roll the Hemocraft Di(c)e in question twice, and choose which result to use; You can choose to do this before or after the dice are rolled. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until the start of your next turn.

Greater Virtue

At 9th level, the Cardinal Virtue you chose at 3rd level improves. You gain one of the following benefits, based on your chosen Virtue:

Greater Purity of Flesh

When you take nonmagical Bludgeoning, Piercing or Slashing damage that isn't dealt by a silvered weapon, you can use your reaction to Major Rend; This reduces the triggering damage by 3 points for every point of Rend bonus granted by that Major Rend. If the attacker that triggered this ability is within 5ft of you, as part of this reaction, you can choose to deal damage to them equal to the Rend Bonus granted by that Major Rend, as your lost blood temporarily forms blades, spikes or armored plates; This damage is nonmagical Bludgeoning, Piercing or Slashing damage (Your choice at the time of activation). You can perform this reaction a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses at the end of a Long Rest.

Greater Armory of Blood

You gain the ability use your reaction to summon your Armory of Blood faster in times of great need, at the cost of harming yourself, in the following two ways:

• As a reaction in response to being targeted by an attack from an attacker you can see, you can Minor Rend to summon your Armory of Blood before the attack is resolved, and you may add the bonus to your AC against the triggering attack.

• When a creature provokes an Attack of Opportunity from you, you can choose to summon your Armory of Blood before making the attack, as part of the same reaction. To do so, you must Minor Rend, and, if the Attack of Opportunity hits, you can add the Rend Bonus to the damage dealt by the attack.

You can summon your Armory of Blood in either these two ways a combined number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses at the end of a Long Rest. When you summon your Armory of Blood in either of these two ways, the first Blade of Blood attack you make before the end of your next turn does not cause you to lose hit points to its Major Rend.

Greater Sardonyx Mind

You can, as an action, Minor Rend to force a single creature you can see within 30ft of you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Hemocraft save DC. If they succeed, they suffer Psychic damage equal to one roll of your Hemocraft Die per point of Rend Bonus of that Minor Rend. If they fail, they are Charmed by you or Frightened of you (Your choice) for a number of rounds equal to the Rend Bonus of that Minor Rend; For example, if a 9th-level Cardinal lost 15 HP to their Rend, the target would be Charmed or Frightened for 4 rounds, or take 4d6 points of Psychic damage. A target that fails its save is allowed another save at the beginning of their turn each round to break free from the effect. You can use this action a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses at the end of a Long Rest.

Greater Cruorwrought Creature

You gain the following benefits, relating to your Familiar:

• When you activate a Sign, Benediction or Malison, if your familiar is within 100ft of you, you can choose for it to deliver the effects of that Rite, causing the effect to originate from your familiar instead of from you. Your familiar must use its reaction in order to do so. If you Rend as part of activating that Sign, Benediction or Malison, you still lose the corresponding amount of hit points, not your familiar. This ability can be used in conjunction with your Extra Attack feature, but you can still only replace one attack per round with a Sign, Benediction or Malison, regardless of whether its effects originate from you or your familiar.

• Additionally, when you cast Find Familiar with this feature, you can choose to Minor Rend yourself as part of casting; If you choose to do so, the casting time is reduced to a bonus action, the spell does not require a material component for that casting, and the familiar gains a Barrier for 1 minute; Its current and maximum hit points are equal to 5 times the Bonus of your Minor Rend. You can cast the spell in this way a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses at the end of a Long Rest.

Gift of Life

Beginning at 10th level, when you are bloody and weakened, your new life unfurls, growing to survive. Choose one of the following features; The benefits of that feature remain active as long as you are Wounded.

Life of the Slayer

Your life force seeks to overwhelm that of those you combat.

When you Major Rend a part of a Blade of Blood attack or as part of amplifying a Sign, if you roll the maximum result on at least one of the Hemocraft die rolled during that Rend, you can roll an additional Hemocraft die and add it to the Rend Result, thus increasing the bonus damage dealt (But not increasing the number of hit points you lose to the Major Rend). If this additional die rolls its maximum number, you may roll another additional die and add it to the total, and so forth, until a die rolls less than its maximum.

Life of the Duelist

Your familiarity with the dance of life and death aids you as you dance with your opponents.

While this feature is active, you gain the following abilities:

• Bloodied Strike: When you make an attack roll, you may Minor Rend as a Reaction, and add your Rend Bonus to the attack roll.

• Wounded Parry: When an enemy you can see targets you with an attack roll, you may Minor Rend as a Reaction, and add your Rend Bonus to your AC against that attack.

Life of the Survivor

When you sacrifice your life to stave off death, it armors you in red.

When you Rend while this feature is active, you gain a Barrier, whose current and maximum hit points are equal to half (Rounded down) of the number of hit points lost to that Rend; This Barrier persists for 1 minute, and is not broken when its hit points are depleted. While the Barrier persists, each time you Rend, the Barrier's current and maximum hit points increase by an amount equal to one-half of the number of hit points you lost to that Rend.

Life of the Martyr

Your sacrifice not only harms your foes, but revitalizes your allies.

When you Rend while this feature is active, you can choose one creature (Other than yourself) that you can see within your Corpse Magic range. That creature regains hit points equal to half (Rounded down) of the number of hit points you lost to that Rend.

Gift of Death

At 14th level, as your life flickers and you find your veins empty, you find your true power. Choose one of the following features; The benefits of that feature remain active as long as you are Critical.

Death of Weakness

While this feature is active, you gain immunity to the following conditions: Charmed, Exhausted, Frightened, Goaded, Poisoned, Restrained, and Stunned.

Death of Vulnerability

While this feature is active, you gain resistance to all damage you take, and healing you receive is not hampered by Decay or Enervation.

Death of Ineptitude

While this feature is active, when you use your Extra Attack feature, you may make two additional attacks; And when you activate a Sign, Benediction or Malison while this feature is active, you can choose to affect one additional target with that Sign, Benediction or Malison.

Death of Restraint

While this feature is active, you can take the Dodge action as a Bonus Action, and you can make one additional Reaction each round.

Crimson Hierophant

At 20th level, your mastery of your life force allows you to return from the edge against all odds, and finely control how much of your essence you expend at any given time. You gain the following benefits:

• You no longer suffer the effects of aging, cannot die of old age, and cannot be magically aged.

• Once per round, when you Rend, you may roll the Rend twice, and choose which Rend Result to use; For example, if you choose to use this ability in conjunction with Blade of Blood, and the totals of both rolls are 23 and 31, you can choose to use either result, losing that number of hit points and adding that number of damage to your attack.

• When you die, as long as at least one part of your body remains - A fingernail, an eyeball, an ounce of pure blood, etc. - You can regrow from that body part over the course of 24 hours. At the end of that time, you return to life with 1 hit point.

If your body is destroyed by a Disintegrate spell or similar effect, your body has no healthy parts you can regrow from.

If your body has been burned completely through or otherwise ruined with powerful spells and abilities that affect an area (such as a dragon’s breath weapon or cone of cold), you can still regrow from internal body parts, as long as the damage taken from such effects doesn’t exceed half your hit point maximum.

Finally, if you are dead or not yet fully regrown, any magic attempting to raise your body as an undead creature succeeds, but you instantly gain control over your unliving form.

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