Blood Reaver (3.5e Prestige Class)
Blood Reaver
| “ | While you may prefer stabbing someone in the back, or staying back a safe distance from the fray, I stand at the front lines reveling in their pain and misery as I drink from their very life force to power my own existence. | ” |
A Blood Reaver is an individual who has tasted both pain and death alike, and finds themselves hungering for it. Seeking it out, the first were taught by demons that showed them to use Blood Magic to enhance their melee capabilities to the point where they could become unstoppable. Over time however, the true teachings have faded some, and now even if a shadow of its former self a Blood Reaver now can be just as potent as it was in the past.
Becoming a Blood Reaver
Most Blood Reavers become so after following the paths of a god of slaughter. A Blood Reaver must truly love pain and suffering.
A Blood Reaver's most vital stats are strength, as that governs how much pain it can deal, and constitution, how much pain it can take.
| Base Attack Bonus: | +10 |
|---|---|
| Race: | All races are capable of falling to mindless rage, though ones inclined toward lawful alignments are less likely to be blood reavers. |
| Skills: | Intimidate 13 |
| Alignment: | Any Chaotic |
| Feats: | Cleave, Greater Cleave, Die Hard, Rage (Class Feature) |
| Special: | A character becoming a Blood Reaver must have been reduced to -9 hit points and survived, or have served in a war. |
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Rage Bonus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Devour Life Essence 1d8 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Masochist 3/Magic, Frightful Presence | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | Devour Life Essence 2d8 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | Crimson Lust | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +6/+1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | Masochist 6/Magic | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +7+2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | - | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +8/+3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | Aura of Pain | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +9/+4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | Masochist 9/Magic, Greater Draining Life's Essence | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +10/+5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | Blood Reave, Devour Life Essence 4d8 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) Class FeaturesProficiency : A Blood Reaver is proficient with all martial weapons. Rage Bonus : Add your Blood Reaver levels to your barbarian level to see if you receive additional use of your rage ability per day. Blood Frenzy: Upon dealing or receiving a critical hit a Blood Reaver must attempt a will save (DC = 10 + Blood Reaver Class Levels). On a failed save, the Blood Reaver immediately uses a rage and attacks the nearest creature indiscriminately. Devour Life Essence (Su): Starting at first level, a Blood Reaver may, as a standard action usable a number of times equal to the Blood Reaver's rages per day, consume the blood of a fallen enemies, restoring hp equal to 1d8+Constitution Modifier. This is increased to 2d8 at level 4 and 4d8 at level 10. Additionally, upon consuming the blood, the Blood Reaver's rage is extended for a number of rounds equal to the Blood Reaver's class level. The target must be incapacitated or recently deceased (within 1 day). Any disease or poison that is still active in the target may also affect the Blood Reaver. Crimson Lust: The Blood Reaver's lust compels them to move as swiftly as possible to find, and devour their enemies, granting a +10 Bonus to movement speed. Stacks with other class speed bonuses. Frightful Presence (Ex): Starting at third level. All enemies who see the Blood Reaver in combat must make a will save of DC 10 + Blood Reaver level. If the enemy fails by 5 points or less, they are shaken for one round; if they fail by 6 points or more, they are scared for one round; if they fail by 10 points or more, they are stunned in fear for one round. Masochist (Ex): Starting at third level and every 3 levels afterwards, a Blood Reaver enjoys the pain of battle to the point where she shrug it off, giving them a damage reduction of 3/Magic. This effect stacks with other sources of damage reduction. Greater Draining of Life's Essence (Su): A Blood Reaver's lust for blood has grown so strong, they act without hesitation and can now perform Drinking of Life's Essence as a swift action without provoking attack of oppertunity. Aura of Pain (Su): The Blood Reaver has become so in-tune with the pain of his enemies that he can radiate an aura of pain. As a full round action, the Blood Reaver can activate or deactivate this aura, which forces all creatures effected by Frightful Presence within 30 feet to succeed at a fortitude save (DC = 10 + Blood Reaver Class Level + Constitution Modifier) every 1d3 rounds or take 4d6 points of damage. Blood Reave (Su): At 10th level, the Blood Reaver has mastered his namesake art, which she can attempt to use once per rage as a full-round action. The Blood Reaver coats her weapon in her own blood, and loses 1d6 points of HP. Secondly the Blood Reaver makes a melee attack. On a successful hit, the target must succeed at a fortitude save (DC = 19 + Strength Modifier) or die instantly. On a failed save, the target takes an additional 3d6 points of damage +1 point per Blood Reaver level. If the target dies to the death effect, the Blood Reaver immediately receives a free use of Devouring Life's Essence. Campaign InformationPlaying a Blood ReaverA Blood Reaver prides themselves most on their hardiness and sheer strength, never backing down from a challenge of might. Combat: Always takes to the front lines, occasionally will wander off alone. Other Classes While not necessarily wanted before hand, a Blood Reaver may find levels in Fighter Useful for Bonus Feats, and Horizon Walker for the Terrain benefits, especially those that reduce fatigue and exhaustion as these can reduce how long they are required to rest and how long they are allowed to fight. Full levels in Barbarian would also be useful as Tireless Rage would prove useful at the end of their rages. Resources: While they hold no specific society, they do know one another at a single glance and will only defend one another if they can agree to. Otherwise, even if they are of kin they would sooner drink their blood then help them. Special: A DM allowing the use of this class in their campaign may wish to give the player an additional challenge of having the Blood Reaver have a habit of some form. An example would be at least once per day they must write a poem drink a certain amount of alcohol or even play a game of sorts, regardless of its outcome. The explanation for this could be that to keep the demonic energies that drive their powers they need a focus point. Each day missed increases the DC of the "Blood Frenzy" by +5 as well as that roll must be made every hour regardless of being in combat or not. Blood Reavers in the WorldBlood Reavers fill the camp horror stories of warriors with peerless might defeating hundreds of enemies on a battle field, and some armies alone. Their blood drinking habits have given rumor to them potentially being Vampire Barbarians. All the same, it has earned this class titles such as "Crimson Reapers".
Typically, a Blood Reaver is someone of legend with great combat prowess. They have been known to take up apprentices when they do show themselves among the public, and those who do become one, are hardly ever seen anywhere other then knee deep in enemy blood. NPC Reactions: Melee combatants without deities: "What power and strength you posses. I would be honored to fight along side you." Typically, these people are impressed by the strength of a Blood Reaver. Divine Casters (Good Alignments): "How dare you set foot in my presence, it is right here and now I shall kill you!" Due to their relations to having learned Blood Magic from Demons, those of good alignment typically view Blood Reavers as despicable and evil and must be killed, regardless of the Blood Reaver's alignment. Divine Casters (Evil Alignment): "What curious powers you have for such a large muscled brute....Tell me, how did you come about them?" NPCs and others of this alignment typically hold curiosity to their power, with it being so clear that its from an evil origin. There are some who would go so far as to accompany the Blood Reaver just to see their powers in action if the curious is of lesser strength then the Blood Reaver. Arcane Spell Casters: "Umm...Can we be friends? Ill even wash your weapon for you and spit shine your boots as long as I can live." Due to the outright power of Blood Reavers and the (stereotypical) squishyness of Wizards and Sorcerers, they are usually extremely cautious of Blood Reavers, knowing full well that brutish strength could potentially end them in an instant. Blood Reaver LoreCharacters with ranks in Knowlege: History, and Knowlege: Religion can research Blood Reavers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
Blood Reavers in the GameWhile typically a villain due to connections with devils and blood magic, a Blood Reaver can also play a hero...So long as they don't abuse their power for evil. Adaptation: It is suggested that this class be paired only with a group that has a lack of melee combatants or frequently splits the party as it has high survivability. A great use could also be to play a main villain or hero.
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