ALT - Blood Hunter
ALT - Blood Hunter
Blood Hunter
When the young man's blindfold was
removed he found himself in a dimly lit
room surrounded by hooded figures. He
stood in front of a small dais that held a
vial of gleaming crimson liquid. Months of
training had led him to this moment. If he
survived drinking the vial, the Hunter's Bane,
he would never be the same. Becoming more
than human, he would finally have the power
to avenge his family that lay dead all these years.
As the horde of demonic spawn lurched toward
her, the aging half-elf ran her thin blade along her
palm, coating it in her blood. In an instant, the blood
ignited, wreathing her sword in a ghastly blue flame.
She fell upon the horde as a blur of azure fire and cold
steel. She would show no mercy to the hellspawn today.
In the light of the pale moon, an almost feral halfling got
down on all fours to sniff the tracks before him. The scent of
goblin was unmistakable, vile rags and rotten meats. With a
bestial howl, the halfling grew in size and wiry gray fur burst
forth from his arms and legs. As fast as the wind, the halfling
werewolf began another hunt in the light of the full moon.
All of the strange and monstrous warriors described above
are Blood Hunters, guardians who infect and inoculate their
very blood with accursed power so they may hunt monsters. Ancient &
Sinister Rites
Self-Sacrificing Hunters
Wherever creatures of darkness prowl, so do warriors who
Blood Hunters have no formal hierarchy and their Orders are stand against them. Many Orders of Blood Hunters can trace
as varied as the curses they choose to bear, but they do hold their lineage back to ancient days. The blood magic they use
one thing in common, the Hunter's Bane. Those who survive is older than the divine magic of Clerics and is a legacy of
this ancient and deadly ritual are able to wield the signature dark times when mortals were left to fend for themselves.
sanguine magic that marks them as a Blood Hunter. Though their blood magic is grim in nature and unsettling in
The makeup of this sinister ritual varies by Order and era, practice, many Blood Hunters place a great deal of pride in
with each incorporating monstrous curses and magic which the elder traditions, rituals, and rites of their Occult Order.
grant a Blood Hunter the unique abilities of their Order. This
ritual permanently changes the subject, inoculating its blood Creating Your Blood Hunter
with monstrous power at the expense of what makes them a When creating a Blood Hunter, the most important thing to
normal mortal. Wherever monsters lurk, there also are Blood consider is why they would choose this accursed way of life.
Hunters who have given up their chance at a mundane life so Were they the victim of a horrible monster attack and swore
they may stalk and slay the vile creatures of darkness. vengeance, no matter the personal cost? Were they trained
from birth under the tutelage of an elder hunter, and forged
Editor's Note into a relentless monster slayer? Or, were they recruited by
The Alternate Blood Hunter presented here is based on the
a secretive society for their exceptional talent at hunting?
Blood Hunter class originally designed by Matthew Mercer.
This is not intended to be seen as a criticism of the original
Multiclassing and the Blood Hunter
class, but rather as an homage to the Blood Hunter concept.
If your group uses the optional multiclassing rule,
This reimagining of the Blood Hunter class is intended to here's what you need to know if you choose to
take your first level in the Blood Hunter class.
bring the original more in line with the design philosophy of
Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character,
5e, and make it less punishing for players who may not be as you must have a 13 in Strength (or Dexterity) and
used to the risk/reward mechanics present in the original. Constitution to take a level in this class, or to take
a level in another class if you are a Blood Hunter.
The official Blood Hunter can be found on the DMsGuild, Proficiencies. If Blood Hunter isn't your initial
and I encourage any fans of this project to also support the class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you
original version by picking up a copy from the link above. take your first level as a Blood Hunter: light armor,
medium armor, shields, simple weapons, martial
~laserllama weapons, and alchemist's supplies.
Class Features The Blood Hunter
Rite Rites
Hit Points Level PB Features Die Known
Hit Dice: 1d12 per Blood Hunter level Hunter's Bane,
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + your Constitution modifier. 1st +2
Blood Rites
d4 2
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d12 (or 7) + your Constitution
modifier per Blood Hunter level after 1st 2nd +2
Crimson Offering,
Fighting Style
d4 2
Proficiencies 3rd +2 Occult Order d4 2
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons 4th +2 Ability Score Improvement d4 2
Tools: Alchemist's supplies 5th +3 Extra Attack d6 3
Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma 6th +3 Crimson Brand d6 3
Skills: Choose two: Athletics, Acrobatics, Arcana, History,
Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Survival 7th +3 Order Feature d6 3
Artist Credits:
Covers - Paul Canavan - Species Specialist
Page 1 - Alix Branwyn - Harker's Journal
Page 3 - Tyler Walpole - Morbid Opportunist
Page 4 - Vincent Proce - Fangblade Brigand
Page 5 - Sam White - Mountain
Page 6 - Josu Hernaiz - Strange Augmentation
Page 7 - Brian Valeza - Bloodrage Alpha
Page 8 - Tuong Dong Chu - Twinblade Geist
Page 9 - Peter Mohrbacher - Vampire Token
Page 10 - C. Sheppard - Markov Dreadknight
Page 11 - Rodrigo Idaliano - Malakir Cullblade
Page 12 - Anna Pavleeva - Odric, Blood Cursed