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View Full Version : Pathfinder The Blood Scion - A Sorcerous Gish (incl. 2 archetypes and 55 bloodlines)



Ethereal Gears
2015-06-24, 06:33 AM
Hey guys.
So I kinda got this idea after reading the Advanced Class Guide and both digging the bloodrager class and utterly despising the eldritch scion archetype for the magus. The concept is sort of simple: a magus-style class that's a Charisma-based spontaneous caster who gets bloodline powers and stuff. I really like how mysteries and revelations function for the oracle class, so I decided to make the bloodlines contain selectable powers (like revelations) rather than a set progression like the bloodrager and sorcerer get. The class also has some other class features, partially inspired by trying to fix the eldritch scion's "mystical focus" ability and partially focused on making the blood scion able to dominate creatures related to his bloodline.

Lastly, I went a bit overboard and created a ton of bloodlines (55 in all!), so I realize most people won't be able to read through them all. I uploaded it all to a folder on Google Drive for ease of access, and I'd appreciate any comments or impressions. I haven't playtested the class thoroughly yet, so anyone wanting to give one of the bloodlines a go would be super-cool.

I would advice people to read both the Blood Scion file and the 1-page Blood Scion Bloodline Rules file before reading any of the bloodlines, as especially the latter helps to clarify how some of the abilities work. The bloodlines themselves are in the sub-folder named "Bloodlines Files". There are also two archetypes, the Crossblooded Scion and the Blood Master, included in the main folder. These are rather simple, as I've preferred creating additional bloodlines rather than archetypes.

So, without further ado, here's the link to the Blood Scion folder:

The Blood Scion (https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8e09cD4OAF3fmFieWRrNzBJZEFPVXVqX1p yZHBVbVM1blVLU0Y0bEpCenZ4MEpRbXR4Rlk&usp=sharing)

And a direct link to the included Bloodline Files folder:

The Bloodlines (https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8e09cD4OAF3fm9kdE5sc2VUVEkxZk43cVB YMXhRaWlHRGxUampEX1ZZWHJzbnMybnRwczA&usp=sharing&tid=0B8e09cD4OAF3fmFieWRrNzBJZEFPVXVqX1pyZHBVbVM1b lVLU0Y0bEpCenZ4MEpRbXR4Rlk).

Here is also a list of all the bloodlines with a brief description:

Aberrant - same theme as Paizo's aberrant bloodline
Absolute - an inevitable- and lawful outsider-themed bloodline
Abyssal - same theme as Paizo's abyssla bloodline
Alchemical - alchemy-themed bloodline (with some construct and ooze flavor)
Ancient - a bloodline based around having an antediluvian heritage
Arcane - same theme as Paizo's arcane bloodline
Bewitched - hag- and witch-themed bloodline
Bizarre - a protean- and chaotic outsider-themed bloodline
Black Powder - a firearms and explosives-themed bloodline
Brute - orc- and giant-themed bloodline
Caliginous - darkness-themed bloodline
Cataclysmic - apocalyptic and doomsday-themed bloodline
Celestial - same theme as Paizo's celestial bloodline
Chthonic - "Underdark"- and subterranean-themed bloodline
Destined - same theme as Paizo's destined bloodline
Draconic - same theme as Paizo's draconic bloodline
Elemental - same theme as Paizo's elemental bloodline
Elysian - azata-themed bloodline
Enlightened - monk- and ki-themed bloodline (plus a bit of Street Fighter)
Feral - animal and lycanthrope-themed bloodline
Fey - same theme as Paizo's fey bloodline
Genie - Genie-themed bloodline (less elemental and more classic folktale genie style)
Goblin - goblinoid-themed bloodline
Heavenly - archon-themed bloodline
Heroic - for blood scions with the "blood of heroes"
Infernal - same theme as Paizo's infernal bloodline
Lamyros - lamia and lamia-kin-themed bloodline
Lyrical - bard- and music-themed bloodline
Machine - construct-themed bloodline
Mako - An FF7-inspired bloodline, kinda wacky but rather fun abilities (get a chocobo animal companion!)
Malignant - plague and pestilence-themed bloodline
Martial - for blood scions with the "blood of soldiers"
Metaphysical - vaguely aeon-themed and philosophically inspired bloodline
Modern - a bloodline that gains weird "present day"-themed powers
Nirvanic - agathion-themed bloodline
Oneiric - dream-themed bloodline with illusion flavor
Phthisic - Bloodline inspired by the Phyrexians of Magic: the Gathering, H.R. Giger, Dead Space, et cetera.
Radiant - light-themed bloodline
Sallow - Bloodline inspired by the King in Yellow and Hastur
Sidereal - stars- and outer space-themed bloodline
Slithering - snakes and poison and serpentfolk
Sovereign - for blood scions with the "blood of kings"
Spellscarred - anti-magic, dispelling, magic-warping bloodline
Stygian - daemon-themed bloodline
Swarming - swarm- and vermin-themed bloodline
Tempestuous - storms and lightning and wind
Thalassic - ocean-themed bloodline
Thanatotic - ghost- psychopomp- and haunt-themed bloodline
Umbral - Shadow Plane-themed bloodline
Undead- same theme as Paizo's undead bloodline
Unseelie - evil fey-themed bloodline
Viridian - plant-themed bloodline
Wandering - for blood scions with the "blood of explorers"
Warded - An abjuration-themed bloodline based around wards and defending
Wintry - a winter-themed bloodline with snow and ice powers

Hope people enjoy the read!
Cheers,
- Gears

KitsuneBoxing
2015-06-25, 07:14 AM
I like it!

Obviously I haven't read all the bloodlines, but those I have looked at have had flavourful and fun abilities. I like the powerlevel of the class, and as far as I can tell, the bloodlines are relatively balanced against each other (though of course not completely, because of logic).

Good job!

Ethereal Gears
2015-06-25, 08:06 AM
Thanks! I've only one design note right now: thinking of changing the Lyrical's spell dance and Wandering's skirmish spells to be activated as part of activating Arcane Strike instead of a separate swift action.

EDIT: Just confirming that I did indeed make those two changes. I also altered the acid blood bloodline power of the aberrant and stygian bloodlines so that the acid damage dealt to creatures attacking the blood scion with piercing or slashing weapons is reduced to equal 1/2 his class level rather than his full class level. Since that ability as written will trigger on every hit it seemed more than reasonable I thought.

Ethereal Gears
2015-06-26, 01:38 AM
I wonder if it's all those 55 bloodlines that are a bit overwhelming, heh. :tongue:
I really wouldn't mind if someone just looked at the class itself and a single bloodline they liked the name or feel of, personally. I mean, even if the internal balance ends up being wonky because some bloodline is overpowered compared to another, it'd still be useful to know that Bloodline X looks alright or Bloodline Y just looks inherently off, even in a vacuum.

Short version: shameless bump.

Cheers,
- Gears

khadgar567
2015-06-26, 04:28 AM
I wonder if it's all those 55 bloodlines that are a bit overwhelming, heh. :tongue:
I really wouldn't mind if someone just looked at the class itself and a single bloodline they liked the name or feel of, personally. I mean, even if the internal balance ends up being wonky because some bloodline is overpowered compared to another, it'd still be useful to know that Bloodline X looks alright or Bloodline Y just looks inherently off, even in a vacuum.

Short version: shameless bump.

Cheers,
- Gears
angelic and demon one look solid but little bit wtf inducting on beginner style players

Ethereal Gears
2015-06-26, 07:39 AM
Yes, I do suppose the sheer number of bloodlines is a lot to take in, but then again, a Paizo sorcerer has close to 40 bloodlines to choose between as well, so it's not that much more. Aside from the amount of bloodlines, though, I do feel like the class' core mechanics are rather straight-forward. Obviously, some bloodlines contain more fiddly bloodline powers than others.

I guess it's essentially part of the nature of the beast that classes that have to choose between whole suites of powers (oracles, sorcerers, blood ragers, the upcoming vigilante) will by their nature be less newbie-friendly than, say, an alchemist who only picks her discoveries from a single list or a cavalier who chooses between a handful of minor orders.

Ethereal Gears
2015-06-30, 03:29 PM
Since the Blood Scion just underwent a rather substantial rewrite over at the Paizo boards (discussion here (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2se5z?The-Blood-Scion-A-Sorcerous-Gish-With)), I thought I would give this thread one final bump for the sake of the rehashed, leaner and meaner (or at least meaner) blood scion!

Cheers,
- Gears

Adam1949
2015-06-30, 03:56 PM
Would the update include a new PDF for download?

Ethereal Gears
2015-06-30, 07:32 PM
Ah, sorry, I should've clarified. The links in the original post still work, and they will take you to the correct folders containing all the updated versions of the blood scion documents.

Ethereal Gears
2015-07-01, 03:38 PM
Just as a final update: a lot of tweaking of bloodline powers and such have been going on during the past couple of days but is now all finished. Those who have been perusing the Google Drive link may therefore have noticed its contents shifting quite a bit, but that should be settled down now. Unless anything drastic pops up, what the link leads you to now is very close to a final version of the blood scion and all the bloodlines.