Bloodshaper (3.5e Prestige Class)

Bloodshaper

“	My blood fuels my body, strengthens my spirit, and breaks my enemies before me.	”
—Ruby Laoch, Hengyokai bloodshaper

Blood has always been seen as a force of life and power. Mages have used it as materials for spells, clerics have studied its use in healing, and assassins have determine the best ways to deprive their targets of it. Some warriors have spent their lives in meditation and personal reflection, striving to obtain control over this life-sustaining substance. Their training is fierce and time consuming, taking decades to establish mental discipline over the smallest of effects. Others have an easier time at it. There are those who possess the ability to shift their physical form, either through magic, divine insight, or simple biological nature, for those lucky few, the decades of training can be accomplished and even exceeded in weeks. It was those few who first discovered the path of the bloodshaper.

Becoming a Bloodshaper

It is not a simple choice to pursue the path of the bloodshaper. Though it requires little in terms of preparation, the stress of awakening their mental control over their own blood is intense. The manner in which this occurs changes based on how the individual character is capable of changing their shape. Those who can shift at will through racial means find this training almost easy, merely an adjustment of envisioning the process of shifting lessened from full form to just changing the flow of their blood. Initiates that shift via class features or spell-like abilities have a slightly harder time, having to learn how to specialize and isolate the individual elements of their method of shifting to focus on the blood. In either case, those who undertake this path must condition themselves to endure the physical and mental strain of forcing their blood to act in ways their bodies never intended it to.

Entry Requirements

Base Attack Bonus:	+4.
Feats:	Endurance
Special:	Must be able to change shape in one of the following ways: Change shape supernatural ability Shapechanger subtype Polymorph as a spell-like ability Wild shape or similar class feature Alternate Form ability

Table: The Bloodshaper

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Bloodrush +2, Bloodless Suffering
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Bloody Weapon
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Biofeedback 1 (1/day)
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Bloodrush +4, Bloody Limb
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Toxic Blood
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Biofeedback 2 (2/day)
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	Bloodrush +6
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	Call to Blood
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	Biofeedback 3 (3/day)
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	Bloodrush +8, Blood Master
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist(Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha)), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

Though those who enter this class must possess a way to shift between their natural and alternate forms, these abilities will functions so long as they are in a form that possesses a functional circulatory system. All of the following are class features of the bloodshaper.

Bloodrush (Su): Bloodshapers train their bodies and minds to fully control the flow of blood and its beneficial effects. As a standard action, a bloodshaper can grant herself a +2 bonus to either Strength or Dexterity. This bonus lasts for 1 minute per level of bloodshaper. Since this boost is derived from rerouting the blood, it causes a minor amount of strain on the user's body. For the duration of the ability, a bloodshaper suffers from a -1 penalty to Constitution. This is cumulative with penalties derived from other bloodshaper class features. This bonus granted by this ability increases at to +4 at 4th, +6 at 7th, and +8 at 10th level.

Bloodless Suffering (Ex): A bloodshaper's training grants her such focused control over her blood that she can prolong her life in critical situations. Whenever a bloodshaper is reduced to less than 0 hitpoints she automatically stabilizes, in addition, any effects that would cause bleeding damage have no effect.

Bloody Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a bloodshaper learns how to craft hard objects out of their own blood. As a full-round action that involves taking 1 point of damage, she can form a single weapon out of her blood. She can form any weapon she is proficient in. Only one weapon can be formed at a time. If the weapon leaves her grasp or she is rendered unconscious, the effect immediately ends. Since this ability relies on diverting the standard flow of blood, a bloodshaper endures a -1 penalty to Constitution for the duration of this ability. This is cumulative with penalties derived from other bloodshaper class features. A bloodshaper can choose to enhance weapons made in this manner by sacrificing more of their own physical well being. By increasing the Constitution penalty by 1 to a maximum of her bloodshaper level, the weapon can be treated as enchanted by an equivalent amount. Magical properties can be granted through this ability. For example, Ruby is a 4th level bloodshaper. She takes a full-round action to form a +1 Collision longsword from her blood. She takes a -4 penalty to Constitution for the duration of her wielding that weapon (-1 for the ability, -1 for the magic enhancement, -2 for the collision enchantment). She cannot form a +2 Collision longsword as that would bring the penalty to -5, above her class level.

Biofeedback (Su): At 3rd level, a bloodshaper has taught herself a means by which to enhance her natural healing. Once per day as a free action, a bloodshaper can enter a state where she gains fast healing 1 for 2 minutes. The bloodshaper can use this ability an additional time and the amount of healing increases at 6th level and 9th level, as noted on the chart. Also, as a full round action, she can make a concentration check (DC equal to damage taken) to immediately heal 10 points of damage.

Bloody Limb (Su): At 4th level, a bloodshaper learns how to manipulate her blood in the same way she can manipulate her arm. As a full-round action, she can willingly take 1 point of damage in order to release a controlled stream of blood from the wound. This blood forms into an amorphous appendage that grants the bloodshaper a natural attack. This attack takes the form of either a claw, a stinger, or a tentacle, dealing slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage respectively as dictated by the creature's size. This appendage lasts until she chooses to release the ability or is rendered unconscious. Only one limb can be active at a time. If a boodshaper wants a different type of limb, she must release the ability and reactivate it. Since this ability relies on diverting the standard flow of blood, a bloodshaper endures a -1 penalty to Constitution for the duration of this ability. This is cumulative with penalties derived from other bloodshaper class features.

Toxic Blood (Ex): At 5th level, a bloodshaper has determined the means by which she can change the composition of her blood. Her blood becomes a poison that deals 1d4 initial Constitution damage and 1d4 secondary Constitution damage (DC 10 + bloodshaper level + Wis). A bloodshaper can choose the delivery method of the poison (touch, injury, or ingestion) as a full-round action. Her bloody weapon and bloody limb abilities automatically transmit this poison if it is delivered via injury. Any creature that deals damage to a bloodshaper with a bite attack must make a save regardless of delivery method. A bloodshaper is always immune to her own toxic blood. This ability also gives a bloodshaper a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves against poison and disease.

Call to Blood (Su): At 8th level, a bloodshaper has progressed in her training to the point where she can manipulate the blood in other creature's bodies to a limited extent. As a standard action, she can force the blood away from the vital area's of a foe's body within 30ft, dealing 1d6 Constitution damage with a fortitude save for half (DC 10 + bloodshaper level + Wis). This ability only functions on corporeal creatures who require blood to live. This ability is usable 2 + Wis modifier times per day (minimum 2).

Blood Master (Ex): At 10th level, a bloodshaper has reached the apex of her blood manipulating abilities. Whenever she generates a bloody weapon or a bloody limb, she may create a second weapon or limb, without suffering any additional penalties. The weapon or limb may be different from the initial one, but if the weapon is enchanted then both carry the same enchantments. The bloody weapons and bloody limbs are always treated as having a +1 enchantment without increasing the penalty. The save DCs for her toxic blood and call to blood abilities increase by 5. Finally, her control over biofeedback improves to the point where she permanently gains fast healing 2, and gains regeneration equal to the fast healing she would gain when she activates her biofeedback ability.

Ex-Bloodshapers

Playing a Bloodshaper

Combat: Bloodshapers take up an interesting role in combat. With their blood weapon and bloody limb abiities, they can quickly and easily adapt the damage they deal to whatever situation they find themselves faced with. Their biofeedback provides them with the ability to heal from the damage they will inevitably take on the front lines.

Advancement: Bloodshapers tend to benefit from classes that enhance their members natural shifting abilities, such as nature's warrior or warshaper. Bloodshapers share much with the warshaper class, with nearly all those who qualify for bloodshaper also qualified for warshaper. Alternatively, bloodshapers can benfit greatly from strong front-line combat-oriented classes.

Resources: Bloodshapers typically live on the fringes of society; surprisingly enough, a fair amount of people find those who wield their blood as a weapon fairly creepy. Despite their usual lack of resources, bloodshapers as a community are fiercely supportive of their peers. Rivalries are uncommon, but civil and productive when they form. The only source of friction between bloodshapers lies between those of good and evil alignment, and even then it rarely reaches the point the violence.

Bloodshaper Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge (arcana) can research bloodshapers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (nature or arcana)

DC	Result
11	Bloodshapers are warriors who weaponize their blood.
16	All bloodshapers are shifters of some form.
21	Bloodshapers can adapt their weapons to suit near any situation and can even affect the blood of others.
26	A check at this level can determine unique information about specific bloodshapers in the campaign.

Bloodshapers in the Game

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter:

EL whatever:

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