The Blood Guard

Thematically I like it. Mechanically the cost/benefit feel out of whack.

1. Speed for injuring yourself with a weapon should never be more than 3. You’re not swinging that greatsword at yourself, you’re running your hand along the blade.

I have no problem with this, but it should be said that it is much more difficult to do this with a 6′ long greatsword than with a 4 inch long dagger, hence the original difference in time.

2. The attacks MUST draw blood to match the theme. Limit to attacks that do slashing or piercing damage. Also, the damage must be melee. Not sure how you’d hit yourself with a ranged weapon.

Again, no issue here. It could also be noted that they would be considered wounded for spells like Bleed (sp).

3. A 5 Stamina increment is WAY too expensive for the benefit. For Natural AR5 you’ve already given up 25 stamina representing probably a third or more of your Stamina. Blood Shield *might* be worth it if you can affect multiple characters quickly for that investment. If it’s going to be incremental as you’ve described, cost should probably be 2, maybe 3 stamina per increment. For reference, the Tier 5.1 character I wrote up for Matt which is a Martial melee combatant only has 91 stamina.

I disagree that 5 is too steep. These people are effectively sacrificing their stamina in battle to be more formidable (in the short term), and there is not that steep of a price of entry into this Path. I expect people will not use more than the first 1 or two tiers on a regular basis, but I want to give them the option of more power effects with a real sacrifice on their part. If it is only 2-3 per tier, that is only 15 damage MAX to get a +5 to attack, which is ridiculously cheap (IMHO) for such a massive bonus. On the flipside, by Tier V my character will have close to 100 Stamina (with the +10 from the Perseverence Rune), which means that it is 1/4 to 1/3 of their total stamina. This means that the Blood Guard will need to be economical how they use their blood magic, and not just cut themselves to make themselves an unstoppable warrior willy-nilly. Great power and great responsibility and all that

4. Acid Blood – Damage should at least be on par with a T2 spell with similar # of targets or melee attack with sweeping strike applied. Otherwise, why is this tactic something that’s been developed over time? If this doesn’t help shorten the combat, the guards are slowly taking themselves out of the way of being able to protect the Tamul Khan. A different way to fix this is to effectively make it a damage shield.

While this may be (functionally) a Tier II Path, the powers need not necessarily be Tier II (though I do agree that it isn’t a bad idea). I am more than happy to increase the base damage to d4(Vi) because it means that SOME of it will always hit even on a missed attack (the d4), with die bumps to d6, d8, d10, and d12 at II, III, IV, and V. As such, assuming a d10 Vi, they’ll take 5 damage to deal an average of 7 across up to 3 targets. The economy drops over time, granted, until Tier V when you are sacrificing 25 stamina do do an average of 12 damage as many as 3 targets. Perhaps we can include Adaptations in this which allow for increased range? Change the damage type? Things to ponder. . .

5. If open to other nationalities, there should be a special: nationality changed to Blessed Lands

This is a Henry decision here.

6. Sanguine Ward – the mechanics feel like they’re in conflict. It’s executed in combat as an attack against yourself, but limited to a physical space and it lasts hours. There should be a couple of additional notes with it: 1) what happens with overlapping wards? 2) Are other Blood Guards immune?

You are correct. This will require more thought.

7. I would expect the effects especially things like the Wards can be dispelled. What Passive skill or TN is used by an opposing caster?

This one is ultimately a Henry decision. This Blood Magic has a noticably different ‘feel’ to normal magic, which means that normal Unravel The Threads (sp) or Counterspell (ta) might not work on them. Personally, I’d like them to either NOT be able to be Dispelled, or are treated as spells at the Blood Guard’s Tier for CTN of casting Unravel, and the passive is their Fortitude Defence. I also think Counterspell should just not work on this at all.

8. This feels like the talent “Potent Blood” and/or blood rank of a Sarishan bloodline should have some benefit as the blood is stronger.

I have no problem with this, but I would like to differ this to Henry.

9. While completely separate it would be interesting to see some sort of interaction (positive, negative or both) of formal Sarishan training.

I intentionally wrote this up to be basically a completely unrelated branch of Sarishan magic, able to overlap with normal Sorcerer-Priest of Sarish abilities. Effectively, these abilities were designed and developed by a group who had a few Sarishan Blood Spells when the First Imperium fell, and modified them and experimented with them until their current form in a vacuum of established Sarishan clergy. I also personally envisioned it that the Blood Guards are made of every Archetype: Some Divine and Arcane casters of Sarish, most Marital bodyguard types, and even a few Experts. All they need is the faith in Sarish to be able to use their blood effectively.

10. Given the way this has come about, are these abilities considered strictly devout rather than Arcane / Devout? If so, it has interesting implications.

My personal view is that they are Devout, but they could very easily be Arcane as well. I’m not married to any particular thought here.

11. With the high level of sacrifice it might be interesting to put in an ability to renew non-ability drained stamina. Whenever any of the other abilities are active, the Blood Guard gains regeneration of Passive Vigor stamina every X ticks at a cost of 5 Stamina to invoke.

Could be fun. I’d also like to see maybe a Vampiric Attack or something to steal other people’s blood (which works well with the val’Mehan bloodline talent granted as part of the Path).

12. Given the focused study and feel of the Path, I would suggest limiting it to Martial and Expert archetypes or at least not ones with formal training by the Church of Sarish. Could be concerns over divided loyalties or an inability to grasp how this works separately from formal church teachings.

I am also fine with this. It fits fairly well with Henry’s view of it as being a Martial order, and I am not married to the idea of letting SPS’s into the order so no issue there.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

Thanks for the input, Scott!

1) I mostly worded it the way I did for flavour reasons rather than simply saying you take damage. I wanted to make clear that you are effectively cutting yourself, not that the blood wells up from your pores because you love Sarish so much.

2) Since it doesn’t say +NAR, it would NOT stack with existing natural armour. That said, I can clarify it.

3) As this is gained through a talent, I would vote talent source. That should probably be made explicit.

4) Touche’, I will edit this and provide a new version.

5) I can see that, and this is why the original version was an attack using the weapon’s speed on yourself. It makes using 2-hand reach weapons a lot more difficult to do this trick with. That said, I intended this to basically be the Blood Guard forming a protective wall to save their charge, so it wasn’t too far out of design.

6) That is 1/3 of your average fighter’s life for a +5, which means they are likely to not have other buffs from the Guards up. That said, I can decrease this to a +1 at Tier 1, +2 at Tier 3, and +3 at Tier 5.

7) Yeah, that is my thought, but it is an investment still to save time. I’m not jacked about it, but what Paul said did make sense that this actually would be a good application of it.

I’ll work on updates when I’m less dead and nauseated.

Post-Paul and Post-Scott Suggestions

Order of the Blood Guard

Nationality: [Up to Henry, but “Blessed Lands”?]

Initiate to the Order of the Blood Guard
Requirements: Sword Saint (Pa), 3 ranks in Melee (Balanced), Toughness (ta), must worship Sarish. You must not have any Infamy with the Tomal Khan of the First City.
Skills: Mettle, Etiquette
Benefits: Blood Calls to Blood (ta), Blood Magic (ta)*
Special: You cannot take this Path if you have the Magic Dead Flaw or Of the Mundane (ta).

Knight of the Order of the Blood Guard
Requirements: Initiate to the Order of the Blood Guard
Skills: Battle, Melee (Any)
Benefits: Blood Magic (ta)*, Sanctified Body (ta)

Blood Magic [Devout, Limited]

Requirements: Vigor 7, Charisma 6, must worship Sarish.
Benefit: When you first gain this Talent, choose one of the following powers. Each time that this talent is acquired you may learn one addition power. Multiple effects can be applied in the same scene as long as the sacrifice is made, and the Stamina that is sacrificed cannot be healed while its effects are active. These abilities are magical, but are not your standard form of magic and are therefore cannot be countered with Counter Spell (ta). They may be unravelled via Unravel the Thread (sp), with the spell tier of the Blood Magic ability equal to the Hero Tier of the caster when calculating CTN, and the Arcanum Action Roll is made against the Fortitude defense rather than the Passive Arcanum value. Additionally, for effects such as Bleed (Sp), you are considered to have taken stamina damage as you need to draw blood to power these abilities.
These abilities are treated as talents in terms of stacking effects.

Acid Blood: To you your blood is your very life energy. To your enemies, it is death itself. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina to make a Ranged (Thrown) attack against your enemies Avoidance (Range: 5′ arc, Duration: Instant) dealing d4(Vi) acid damage. For each Hero Tier above first you may sacrifice an additional 5 Stamina to Die Bump the damage die one step and increase the range to a 10′ arc at Tier II, and then a cones of 15′, 20′, and 25′ at Tiers III, IV, and V respectively.

Armor of Blood: As your blood flows from your wounds, it forms a hard scale which can deflect even the mightiest of blows. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina to grant yourself a Natural AR of 1 for the rest of the scene. For each Hero Tier above first you may sacrifice an additional 5 Stamina to boost this NAR by an additional one, to a maximum NAR of 5. This armor does not stack with preexisting natural armor.

Blood Rage: When a shark smells blood, they are thrown into a frenzy. You, however, are far more controlled than that, but no less deadly. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina to apply a die-bump to your Might die for the rest of the Scene. At Tier III you may sacrifice an additional 5 Stamina to additionally ignore all Wound penalties for the duration of this ability. At Tier V you may additionally add your Passive Vigor to all damage rolls during the duration of this ability.

Blood Rune: Your blood has gained the ability to grant magical effects to items it touches. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina to coat your weapon with your own blood, granting you the benefits of a Fine Quality Sanctified Rune for the rest of the Scene. At Tier III and Tier IV you may sacrifice an additional 5 Stamina to boost the quality of this Rune to Exceptional or Legendary, respectively. If the anointed weapon has no remaining Rune slots, this power overrides one of your weapon’s active runes for the duration of the Scene.

Blood Shield: Your blood exudes such power that others find it difficult to damage anything that has been touched by it. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina to grant anyone anointed with your blood a +1 bonus to one defense for the rest of the scene. For every Hero Tier above first you may sacrifice an additional 5 Stamina to increase this bonus by an additional +1 to a maximum of +5.

Purifying Blood: Your blood has become so enchanted that you have the ability to burn your own blood to remove aliments in much the same way that a Nierite may burn away heresy. As a Push 4 action you may sacrifice 5 Stamina (this is not a self-attack, but simply burning your blood) to cure yourself of a single disease or poison, 10 Stamina to remove a single Limiting Condition, or 15 Stamina to remove the effects of any effect which compels you to act against your will, such as the Thrall spell.

Sanguine Ward: While the sight of blood would make anyone pause, the power of your blood is enough to force foes to turn back. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina push an enemy in melee 5′ away from you. If that enemy wishes to pass within 5′ of you, they must succeed on a Mettle: Perseverance (Re) Action Skill Roll against your Fortitude Defense. For every Hero Tier above first you may sacrifice an additional 5 Stamina to increase the radius of this effect by an additional 5′. This ward is considered a Binding spell.

Vision of Sarish: You cut your forehead, allowing the blood to flow into your eyes. While to many this would blind them in combat, your devotion to Sarish allows you to see more clearly. Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina to yourself to gain a +1 to all attack rolls for the rest of the scene. At Hero Tier III and Tier V you may sacrifice an additional 5 stamina to gain a further +1, for a maximum bonus of +3 to attack rolls.

Special: Once you acquire this Talent, it is no longer a Limited Talent for you.
Special: If you have Potent Blood (ta), you may access tiered benefits of these abilities one tier earlier, meaning at Tier IV you may use the Vision of Sarish ability for a +3 to attack.

Should all the +1 abilities be dropped down to Vision of Sarish levels? The Armor, the Shield, etc?
No, I don’t think so. 5 AR is far from broken. How I think this will get used the most is just to gain a +1 NAR bonus to your existing AR. And a +5 to a single defense is not broken, either. You have 2 other defenses that can be attacked. And the defense bonuses don’t scale in the same way that attack bonuses do. So I’m not worried about those. But a +5 to hit did concern me, based on my understanding of the mechanics of the system.

Scott

The phrase:
Make a melee weapon attack (Sp: 3) against yourself using either a piercing or slashing weapon to sacrifice 5 Stamina

Should be reworded to:
As a speed 3 action using either a piercing or slashing weapon you may draw your own blood and sacrifice 5 Stamina

I don’t want to get into arguments of Base, Advanced, etc. attack or what it can be combined with etc. It’s drawing blood for a purpose. Eliminate headaches in advance.

What would you think of a Push reaction to an attack that draws blood to trigger one of the abilities – say Push 4 and only after resolving the effects of the attack that draws blood. At least 1 stamina damage from a piercing or slashing weapon is required.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul

One thing I probably should have been more clear on with the Push idea is that the Stamina to be spent is above and beyond the damage dealt. Say the Tamul Khan and his Blood Guard get ambushed and them injured tick 1, they could reactively trigger the NAR for example to help ensure they’re still there to defend their charge, even as say the second attack lands tick 1 as well.

Not sold on the idea, just brainstorming ideas that might fit the flavor.

I’d also like to see Potent Blood or blood rank have a more general effect or tie in with their abilities.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul