Crimson Sorcery (5e Alternate Class Feature)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 12-17-21 Status: First Draft Editing: Don't edit without discussion. Unauthorized edits will be reverted.

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

While most Sorcerers experience their magic welling up inside them like an arcane flame, a certain few find it seeping from their veins, eager to escape their bodies and shape the world. Though these Crimson Sorcerers can come from any mystical origin, they are born with the gift of Hemocraft, and it twists the expression of their magic in new and terrifying ways.

Prerequisite

In order to choose this alternate class feature, the character must meet or exceed the following prerequisite(s): Consitutition 13.

Table: Crimson Sorcery

Sorcerer Level	Proficiency Bonus	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	Hemocraft Die	Rites		Sorcery Points	Sacrifice Points	Sacrifice Limit	Features
					Sacraments Known	Rites Known
1st	+2	2	2	(1)d4	1	2	-	1	1	Spellcasting, Hemocraft, Well of Sacrifice, Sorcerous Origin
2nd	+2	2	2	(1)d4	2	3	1	1	1	Font of Magic
3rd	+2	2	3	(1)d4	2	3	1	2	1	Crimson Metamagic
4th	+2	2	4	(1)d4	2	4	2	2	1	Ability Score Improvement, Sorcerous Versatility (Optional)
5th	+3	2	4	(2)d6	2	4	2	3	2	Magical Guidance (Optional)
6th	+3	2	5	(2)d6	2	5	3	3	2	Sorcerous Origin feature
7th	+3	2	6	(2)d6	2	5	3	4	2	Primeval Technique
8th	+3	2	7	(2)d6	3	6	4	4	2	Ability Score Improvement, Sorcerous Versatility (Optional)
9th	+4	2	8	(2)d8	3	6	4	5	3	-
10th	+4	3	8	(2)d8	3	7	5	5	3	Crimson Metamagic
11th	+4	3	9	(3)d8	3	7	5	6	3	-
12th	+4	3	9	(3)d8	4	8	6	6	3	Ability Score Improvement, Sorcerous Versatility (Optional)
13th	+5	3	10	(3)d10	4	8	6	7	4	No Cost Too Great
14th	+5	4	10	(3)d10	4	9	7	7	4	Sorcerous Origin feature
15th	+5	4	11	(3)d10	4	9	7	8	4	-
16th	+5	4	11	(3)d10	5	10	8	8	4	Ability Score Improvement, Sorcerous Versatility (Optional)
17th	+6	4	12	(4)d12	5	10	8	9	5	Crimson Metamagic
18th	+6	4	12	(4)d12	5	11	9	9	5	Sorcerous Origin feature
19th	+6	4	12	(4)d12	5	11	9	10	5	Ability Score Improvement, Sorcerous Versatility (Optional)
20th	+6	4	12	(4)d12	5	11	10	10	5	Eternal Cascade

Hit Die

With this alternate class feature, the Hit Die for the Sorcerer is a d8, instead of a d6.

If swapping from the normal Sorcerer class to Crimson Sorcery after many levels (Which is not recommended, but possible with the right DM), don't re-roll your hit points - Simply replace the size of your Hit Dice for your Sorcerer levels, and increase your hit point maximum by 1 for each Sorcerer level you possess.

Spellcasting

An event in your past, or in the life of a parent or ancestor, left an indelible mark on you, infusing you with powerful Hemocraft. This font of blood magic, whatever its origin, fuels your spells and rites.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list. You learn additional Sorcerer cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Crimson Sorcery table.

Spell Slots

The Sorcerer table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Sorcerer spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these Sorcerer spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a Long Rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Burning Hands and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Burning Hands using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Sorcerer spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Crimson Sorcery table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the sorcerer spells you know and replace it with another spell from the sorcerer spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since the power of your magic relies on your ability to project your will into the world. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your Sorcerer spells.

Blood Focus

When you cast a Sorcerer spell that requires a material component, you can choose to lose 1 hit point in order to ignore that component, unless it has a monetary value greater than 1 gp. If the material costs 1gp or more, you can choose to lose hit points equal to one roll of your Hemocraft Die for every 25gp of the component's cost, to a minimum of one roll of your Hemocraft Die for a material component that costs 25gp or less.

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, as shown on the Crimson Sorcery table above, which you may use to Rend yourself in order to activate your blood magic; This also grants you a handful of Sacrifice Points that you may use to fuel your Hemocraft abilities. Additionally, you gain access to Corpse Magic, allowing you to manipulate the blood of the recently departed as well as your own.

When you reach your 5th character level, when you Major Rend, you may roll your Hemocraft Die twice, totaling the results. This increases to 3 rolls when you reach your 11th character level, and to 4 rolls when you reach your 17th character level.

You may add your Sorcerer levels to your total Hemocraft level for the purposes of determining the size of your Hemocraft Die, and the number of Sacrifice Points you possess.

Bloodborne Sacraments

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 choose this alternate class feature, 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 Crimson Sorcery table above.

Each time you gain a Sorcerer level, 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. Charisma is the ability you use for your Crimson Sorcery Hemocraft. You use your Charisma whenever an ability refer to your Hemocraft ability. In addition, you use your Charisma 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 Charisma modifier.

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

Well of Sacrifice

At 1st level, you learn to convert your life force into raw magical energy. This life force is represented by Sacrifice Points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects.

You have 1 Sacrifice Point, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Sacrifice Points column of the Crimson Sorcery table. You can never have more Sacrifice Points than shown on the table for your level, unless another feature grants you more. You regain all expended Sacrifice Points when you finish a Long Rest.

You can never spend more Sacrifice Points at one time than your Sacrifice Limit, as shown in the Sacrifice Limit column of the Crimson Sorcery table. For the purposes of your Sacrifice Limit, casting a spell using Sacrifice Points, and applying a Metamagic effect to a spell, are separate expenditures that occur at the same time, and thus are not mutually exclusive when it comes to abiding by your Sacrifice Limit.

When you gain this feature, your number of Sacrifice Points improves beyond the norm, as you learn new and better methods for converting life force into magical aether. When multiclassing, compare your Sorcerer levels to your total number of Hemocraft levels on the Hemocraft table, and use the better Sacrifice Point and Sacrifice Limit values.

Flexible Sacrifice

Whenever a Sorcerer class or subclass feature requires you to expend Sorcery points, you may expend an equivalent number of Sacrifice Points instead, suffering the corresponding consequences.

As a Bonus Action, you can expend a spell slot to regain expended Sacrifice Points. When you do so, you regain Sacrifice Points equal to the level of the spell slot expended.

Finally, as a Bonus Action, you may expend Sacrifice Points to regain expended Sorcery Points. For every 2 Sacrifice Points you expend, you regain 1 expended Sorcery Point. Expending Sacrifice Points in this way does not incur hit point loss, nor Evervation or Decay, as it normally would for the expenditure of a Sacrifice Point.

Sorcerous Origin

Choose a sorcerous origin, which describes the source of your innate magical power. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.

Sorcerous Origins are not listed here; They can be found elsewhere.

Font of Magic

At 2nd level, you tap into a deep wellspring of magic within yourself. This wellspring is represented by Sorcery Points, which allow you to create a variety of magical effects.

Sorcery Points

You have 1 Sorcery Point, and you gain more as you reach higher levels, as shown in the Sorcery Points column of the Sorcerer table. You can never have more Sorcery Points than shown on the table for your level, unless another feature, such as a feat, specifies otherwise. You regain all spent Sorcery Points when you finish a Long Rest.

Flexible Casting

You can use your Sorcery Points to cast your spells in place of spell slots; You cannot cast a spell of 6th level or higher in this fashion. You learn other ways to use your sorcery points as you reach higher levels.

As a Bonus Action, you can expend a spell slot to regain expended Sorcery Points. When you do so, you regain Sorcery Points equal to the level of the spell slot expended.

Sorcery Point Spell Costs

Spell Level	Sorcery Point Cost
1st	2
2nd	3
3rd	5
4th	6
5th	7

Finally, as a Bonus Action, you may expend Sorcery Points to regain expended Sacrifice Points. For every Sorcery Point you expend, you regain 1 expended Sacrifice Point.

Crimson Metamagic

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your needs. You gain two of the following Metamagic options of your choice. You gain another one at 10th and 17th level.

You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when you cast it, unless otherwise noted.

Metamagic Options are not listed here; They can be found elsewhere.

Expanded Sorcerous Versatility

If using the Sorcerous Versatility feature from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, it gains the following additional option, which you may select in place of the feature's usual options:

• 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.

Primeval Technique

At 7th level, you learn an ancient technique that allows you to further alter your blood sorcery. When you activate a Sign, Benediction or Malison, you can apply Metamagic effects to it, as if it were a spell.

No Cost Too Great

At 13th level, as an action, you can choose to activate this feature. In doing so, you must Minor Rend; You regain a number of Sacrifice points equal to the Rend Bonus of that Minor Rend.

Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Everdeep Well

Beginning at 20th level, your blood magic evolves far beyond what most will ever see. When you lose hit points due to expending one or more Sacrifice Points, for each Sacrifice Point spent, you can roll the corresponding Hemocraft die twice, and choose which number of hit points to sacrifice.

Additionally, you regain one expended Sacrifice Point when:

• You roll initiative;

• You land a critical hit against a creature within your Corpse Magic range;

• A creature rolls a natural 1 on its saving throw against one of your Signs.

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