[3.5 Base Class] Blood Knight (PEACH, need ideas)

[GunbladeKnight]

Made this a while ago, but had to redo it since I lost the file. Most will notice a likeness to Dark Knights from FF, and you would be right.

Blood Knight

"There is power in the blood. More so than you can imagine." - Donnell, part of the Blood Knight Corps.

Many shy from the path of the Blood Knight, thinking only the craziest would give up their life force for power. Those that take up the mantle tend to be the heartiest and the most determined. Some take up the path of the Blood Knight for revenge, others for glory, but all for power.

Other Classes: Blood Knights get along well with the barbarian, fighters, and rogues, who place emphasis on strength, power, or combat ability. They tend to unnerve monks, druids, and rangers, but are not viewed as good or bad collectively. Wizards and sorcerers share their drive for power. Paladins and some clerics, depending on the patron deity, are distrustful of blood knights, viewing their abilities as evil.

Role: Blood Knights take the role of front-line combatant. Wearing heavy armor and wielding shields, they can avoid most blows that would fell others.

Alignment: While they can be of any alignment, most blood knights are lawful. They also tend either towards evil, wanting a path to quick power, or good, giving up their own life force for the benefit of others.

Hit Dice: d12

{table=head]

Level

|

Base Attack Bonus

|

Fort Save

|

Ref Save

|

Will Save

|

Special

1st

|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|

Blood Strike 2, Improved Toughness

2nd

|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|

Endurance

3rd

|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|

4th

|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|

Diehard

5th

|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|

Blood Strike 4

6th

|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|

Blood Blade, Blood Weapon +1

7th

|

+7/+2

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|

Blood Enhancement +1

8th

|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|

Thicker than Water

9th

|

+9/+4

|

+6

|

+3

|

+3

|

Blood Wave, Blood Weapon +2

10th

|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|

Blood Enhancement +2, Blood Strike 6

11th

|

+11/+6/+1

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|

Blood Aura

12th

|

+12/+7/+2

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|

Blood Weapon +3, Shadow Blade

13th

|

+13/+8/+3

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|

Blood Enhancement +3

14th

|

+14/+9/+4

|

+9

|

+4

|

+4

|

15th

|

+15/+10/+5

|

+9

|

+5

|

+5

|

Blood Strike 8, Blood Weapon +4

16th

|

+16/+11/+6/+1

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|

Blood Enhancement +4

17th

|

+17/+12/+7/+2

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|

18th

|

+18/+13/+8/+3

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|

Blood Weapon +5

19th

|

+19/+14/+9/+4

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|

Blood Enhancement +5

20th

|

+20/+15/+10/+5

|

+12

|

+6

|

+6

|

Blood Strike 10, Sacrifice

[/table]


Skills:
The class skills for the blood knight are as follows:
Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skills at first level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4
Skills at each additional level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blood Knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all armors and shields (except tower shields).

Blood Strike: Starting at first level, a Blood Knight can sacrifice 2 hit points to deal an extra 1d6 damage on each attack for one round. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, a blood knight sacrifices an additional 2 hit points to deal an additional 1d6 points of damage, up to a maximum of 10 hit points sacrificed for an additional 5d6 points of damage.

Improved Toughness: Blood Knights gain Improved Toughness as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Endurance: Blood Knights gain Endurance as a bonus feat at 2nd level.

Diehard: Blood Knights gain Diehard as a bonus feat at 4th level.

Blood Blade: Starting at 6th level, a Blood Knight may make a full melee attack at a distance of 30ft per 2 hit points sacrificed. They can add Blood Strike to this attack.

Blood Weapon: Starting at 6th level, a Blood Knight can add his life force to enhance a weapon he wields. He can add a +1 enhancement bonus, +1 for every three levels above 6th up to a maximum +5 at level 18, per 2 hit points sacrificed. This effect lasts for 1 hour per Blood Knight level, but ends 3 rounds after it leaves his hand. A Blood Knight may add more to a weapon already enhanced by this method during the duration up to his maximum allowed, thus resetting the duration. A Blood Knight may not increase a weapon's total enhancement bonus higher than his maximum allowed using this method.

Blood Enhancement: Starting at 7th level, Blood Knights can make their weapon even stronger. They can add a weapon special ability or combination of special abilities equaling +1, +1 for every 3 levels above 7th up to a maximum +5 at level 19, per 3 hit points sacrificed. The weapon must be a legal target for a special ability to be added to it. This effect lasts for 1 hour per Blood Knight level, but ends 3 rounds after it leaves his hand. A Blood Knight may add more to a weapon already enhanced by this method during the duration up to his maximum allowed, thus resetting the duration. A Blood Knight may not increase a weapon's total enhancement bonus higher than his maximum allowed using this method.

Thicker than Water: At 8th level, a Blood Knight can take a -2 penalty on Fortitude saves to gain DR 3/- for one hour. This ability may be used 1+Con modifier times per day.

Blood Wave: Starting at 9th level, if a Blood Knight sacrifices 1d6 hit points, they can, as a standard action, make a melee attack in a 30ft cone in front of them. They can add Blood Strike to this attack.

Blood Aura: At 11th level, whenever a Blood Knight uses his Thicker than Water ability, the damage reduction extends to all allies within 30ft.

Shadow Blade: Starting at 12th level, Blood Knights can 3 + Con modifier times per day absorb the damage they deal in one attack as hit points. This must be declared before the attack roll, and a failed attack still uses the attempt.

Sacrifice: At 20th level, Blood Knights can, as a standard action, sacrifice their current hit points +10 to deal extra damage equal to their maximum hit points +10. They cannot add Blood Strike to this attack. A Blood Knight that dies due to this ability can only be brought back to life through a Wish or Miracle.

Looking for ideas for the missing levels (don't need to fill out all of them, but it looks a bit bare).

[Amechra]

Give them a weak Blood King progression; it fits with the whole "power in the blood" thing, and all.

[GunbladeKnight]

Added an ability to add enhancements by sacrificing hit points.

The only Blood King I found was Welkinar's class based around bloodlines, and that is not the direction I plan to go with this class.

[Dumbledore lives]

You can always take a few cues from the Blood Magus prestige class (Complete Arcane), especially the Bloodwalk ability, which I've always regarded as one of the coolest capstones, maybe at 14th level. Some minor abilities like damage reduction or fast healing would also not be out of place.

[Daverin]

I've always wanted to have a class based around "martyr melee", but I could never really get enough ideas down to satisfy me. So I wish you luck with this!

As for ideas... perhaps a defensive ability? My idea is that you pay a health cost every turn, but in exchange you have an aura that causes damage to anyone who harms you. Perhaps it could also be supped up to be a general damage aura as well.

Also, I concur with the looking into the Blood Magus call, as some of the abilities were really cool. I believe the Tainted Scholar from Heroes of Horror also had some moves involving an hp cost.

[GunbladeKnight]

A defensive ability does sound good. Should it be a DR, resistance, or retributive ability, and how much would be a good cost? Thinking DR 5/- for an hour, then eventually DR 10/- for double the cost.

Also: make sure Sacrifice adjusts for any houserules (I'm using one for Toughness that adds 3 to your "death pool" as well as hit points, meaning you would not die until -13 with one application of the feat). Unsure if I want it used with Blood Wave, and if it includes temporary hit points.

[AtlanteanTroll]

As for ideas... perhaps a defensive ability? My idea is that you pay a health cost every turn, but in exchange you have an aura that causes damage to anyone who harms you. Perhaps it could also be supped up to be a general damage aura as well.

Similar to Susano'o perhaps?

[YouLostMe]

This class is begging for improved movement on the battlefield, the ability to exclude allies from the cone of attacks, and some sort of control (dazes, slows, shaken/sickened/whatever). It would be nice to have some sort of "I'm NOT DEAD YET" thing going on. Also, making a sacrifice for a team buff is a super awesome idea, and maybe instead of HP burn try for penalties to attacks/saves/AC and such.

The Bloodcloud Assailant is about blood and killing things--it could help you a fair bit.

[GunbladeKnight]

Added a couple abilities and changed some wording on others.