Vitalist (5e Class)
Vitalist[edit]
Self-Sacrificial[edit]
Vitalists give up their blood as fuel for their spellcasting. A vitalist may have been cursed or blessed to have powerful blood, or they may use magic, alchemy, or science to make their blood more powerful. They can heal and harm creatures, but in doing so they are causing harm to themselves in order to accomplish their goals. With every one of these more powerful actions, they can rack up exhaustion, making it so that they are more limited in their spellcasting than other magic-users.
Creating a Vitalist[edit]
Why did your character choose to become a vitalist? Were they blessed by their chosen deity to have powerful blood? Did they spend hours studying ancient tomes in order to become cursed in this way? Was it a freak accident? Do they use these powers to mainly heal or harm, and why?
- Quick Build
You can make a vitalist quickly by following these suggestions. First, charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by constitution. Second, choose the Sage background. Third, choose studded leather armor, a shortsword, and the scholar's pack.
Class Features
As a vitalist you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per vitalist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 1d8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per vitalist level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
Skills: Medicine, Arcana
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Studded Leather Armor or (b) Leather Armor
- (a) 2 Daggers or (b) Shortsword
- (a) Scholar's Pack or (b) Explorer's Pack
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4 × 10 in funds.
Hemomancy[edit]
Starting at the 1st level, you gain the ability to use your powerful blood to harm or heal creatures of your choice. When you reach 5th level, and again at 12th, 16th, and 20th level, you can improve one hemomancy action by adding another damage die (for instance, 2d4 to 3d4), or by choosing another hemomancy action. You start with Sanguine Renew and Blood Sear at the 1st level. These do not count against spell or cantrip slots, but behave as cantrips.
- Sanguine Renew
A sphere of blood arcs towards a creature in range. You take 1d4 damage to heal 1d8 HP to a creature of your choice. Range of 60ft cube, casting time of 1 action.
- Blood Sear
A sharp blade of blood arcs towards a creature in range. You take 1d4 damage to cause 1d10 slashing damage to a creature of your choice. Range of 60ft cube, casting time of 1 action.
- Cauterize
Prerequisite: 5th level. A blade of blood hits the wound of a creature in range, dispersing over the flesh, allowing it to heal. You take 1d6 damage to heal any surface damage and stop any lingering piercing, slashing, bludgeoning, force, necrotic, cold, or fire injury, or healing 1d12 piercing, slashing, bludgeoning, force, necrotic, cold, or fire damage. Range of 60ft cube, casting time of 1 action.
- Hemorrhage
Prerequisite: 5th level. A blade of blood shoots toward a creature in range. You take 1d6 damage to cause 2d12 necrotic damage. Range of 60ft cube, casting time of 1 action.
Blood Surge[edit]
Starting at the first level, you can add your proficiency bonus to your initiative on attack rolls. At the 6th and 11th levels, you add 1d4 to this bonus. At the 17th level level, this becomes a bonus action. Range of self, casting time of 1 round.
Blood Sigil[edit]
Starting at the 2nd level, you gain the ability to use your powerful blood to create sigils and wards. At the 4th, 10th, and 15th levels, you gain the ability to create additional sigils to the basic choices granted at level 2.
- Protective Ward
Sigil Level 1When drawn on an object or creature, this sigil allows the user to protect entities and objects from 1d12 piercing, slashing, bludgeoning, force, or necrotic damage. This lasts for 1 hour, or until the protection has been used, with a casting time of 1 action.
- Vital Vigilance
Sigil Level 1When drawn on an object, this sigil allows the user to sense when a boundary has been passed. The user can make a perception/insight check to gain more information on this, at DM discretion. This lasts for 1 hour, with a casting time of 1 action.
- Magic Block
Sigil Level 2Prequisite: 4th level. When drawn, this sigil allows the user to block all magic activity in a 10ft radius hemisphere based off of the sigil's location. Casting time of 1 action, and the sigil is in effect for 2 rounds.
- Ichor Imbue
Sigil Level 3Prequisite: 10th level. When drawn on a creature, this sigil will heal 1d8 piercing, slashing, bludgeoning, force, or necrotic damage for 3 rounds. Casting time of 1 action.
- Blood Field
Sigil Level 3Prequisite: 10th level. When drawn on an object or surface, this sigil allows the user to create an nigh-impenetrable, invisible field that lasts for 1 hour. If a creature attempts to pass through the field, they will take 1d6 damage for every second that they stay within the field. Casting time of 1 action.
- Hemotic Health
Sigil Level 4Prequisite: 15th level. When drawn on a creature, said creature will have 1d8 temporary health. Casting time of 1 action, length of 1 minute.
Vital Field[edit]
Starting at the 3rd level, you gain the ability to gain a 'field' for more specialized actions.
- Necromancy*
You specialize in death and decay. You lean into your more harmful abilities, whether it be for protection or harm.
- Druidic**
Your connection with nature is wide and deep, from the smaller creatures of the meadows to the massive beasts of the wild.
- Antagonization***
You specialize in antagonizing others, finding their weak points and exploiting them. If you take on this field, your alignment shifts more negative, unless you already have the evil alignment. For example, if you are Neutral Good, you will become True Neutral. If you are Chaotic Neutral, you will become Chaotic Evil. If you are Chaotic Evil, you will stay chaotic evil. The only way to change your alignment back is via the Wish spell or other similar means.
- Divinity****
Whether your abilities come from your worshipped divine or not, your faith is nigh-infallible. You gain the ability to cast spells using your faith for your deity.
Vitae Imbue[edit]
Starting at the 7th level, you gain the ability to imbue a weapon of your choice with your powerful blood, granting you the ability to cause 1d8 additional necrotic damage. Range of touch, casting time of 1 action. At the 14th level, you add another 1d8 of damage. Using this ability grants you one level of exhaustion until your next long rest.
Blood Trait[edit]
Starting at the 9th level, you gain the ability to give your blood a specific trait, allowing possible additional actions or improvement to actions. At the 13th and 17th levels, you can either add another die or another trait.
- Searing Blood
Your blood is white hot and burns any creature it touches. Add 1d6 fire damage to any offensive spell you cast.
- Divine Flair
Your faith is rewarded by your god granting your blood further properties. Add 1d6 healing to any healing spell.
- Restorative Blood
Your blood can heal 1 level of intoxication or exhaustion (excluding your own, or another vitalist’s), as well as confusion, charmed, and frightened conditions on a roll greater than your spellcasting ability. Useable once per short rest.
Revitalize[edit]
Starting at the 18th level, you gain the ability to add a permanent 1d12 HP to any other creature’s HP, at the cost of one constitution point. Using this ability grants you one level of exhaustion until your next long rest.
Control Vitae[edit]
Starting at the 15th level, you can control your blood to create and puppet a figure of blood less than or equal to 12 square feet in volume. This figure cannot make sound or touch, carry, or harm objects in any way, dispersing into a puddle of blood upon being hit. Control Vitae can last for up to 6 minutes with concentration, and can be used once per long rest. Using this ability grants you one level of exhaustion until your next long rest.
Ability Score Improvement[edit]
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.
Vitalist Spell List[edit]
You know all of the spells on the basic vitalist spell list and additional spells based on your subclass. Some spells are specific to vital fields, marked by asterisks.
- Cantrips (0 Level)
mending, sapping sting***, resistance, spare the dying****, toll the dead*, true strike
- 1st Level
ceremony****, inflict wounds, magnify gravity, sleep, snare***, caustic blood*, animal friendship**
- 2nd Level
air bubble, alter self*, darkvision, magic mouth, warding bond****
- 3rd Level
animate dead*, revivify****, bestow curse, feign death, magic circle, enemies abound***, plant growth**
- 4th Level
blight*, death ward****, Gate Seal, gravity sinkhole, dominate beast**
- 5th Level
awaken**, bigby’s hand, conjure elemental, dominate person***, commune****
Multiclassing[edit]
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the vitalist class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Constitution, 13 Intelligence
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the vitalist class, you gain the following proficiencies: None
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