New Spells: Greater Blood Magic
PDF Link | D&D Beyond: Agonize, Bend Blood, Grim Terror
Art Credit: https://www.deviantart.com/vesner/art/blood-magic-336121638
If you’ve been waiting for some mid-level hemomancy spells to go along with the lower-level blood spells and high-level blood spells we’ve shown already, then this preview should really get your blood pumping with excitement! Blood magic plays a major role in the themes of the upcoming D&D Unleashed compendium for forbidden magic and lore, The Impermissicon, including content that ranges from spells like these to subclasses, magic items, monsters, and even a prestige class themed around blood magic.
These spells share more in-common than just being blood magic; they’re also offensive spells that can incapacitate the caster’s enemies. The first is a single-target stunning spell that deals a bit of bonus damage to bleeding targets, while another is a frightening necromancy (just like cause fear at 1st-level, from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) that often acts as an empowered form of the fear spell, and yet another allows a spellcaster to turn any creature with blood into a combat-puppet against their will in a style that will already be familiar to some. Let’s take a closer look at the design of these three new spells.
Much like the other spell that invokes magical pain, power word pain (also from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything), the new spell agonize gives the target protection from the pain if they can’t be charmed, as their body is less willing to harm itself. Agonize, however, is not an enchantment, but a necromancy. As such, the psychic damage that it can deal is not caused by magic directly affecting the mind but by intense, torturous pain, which is why the spell can weaken a creature with blood but can’t ultimately kill it.
Although it will only deal damage to a bleeding target, agonize’s main use is applying the Stunned condition to its target, which doesn’t require the target to have blood at all, allowing the spell to be used more broadly than most other spells that a dedicated blood mage might be casting. It also makes the spell more appealing for spellcasters that aren’t necessarily looking to go into the narrative of actually utilizing blood magic; these kinds of spells are almost like “Blood Magic Lite” from that perspective!
Similarly, grim terror is a versatile spell for a blood mage’s repertoire because it doesn’t gain any benefit from enemies having blood at all — instead, this blood spell requires the caster to have blood. This prevents most undead spellcasters, like liches or mummies, from casting the spell, as well as some D&D Unleashed homebrew races, such as the crystalkin or the stone dwarves, which don’t have blood. Being a creature that is naturally without blood is usually a good thing, as it means you aren’t affected by all the possible afflictions of blood magic. But there are a few downsides, such as being unable to be targeted by the rare benevolent blood magic like infuse blood, or being unable to cast a spell like grim terror.
Finally, bend blood serves as a middle-ground between hold monster and other controlling effects such as dominate person, while also providing an option for those looking to paralyze their enemies without having to control their mind — just their body. Although bend blood can paralyze creatures just like hold monster, doing so requires the target to fail twice as many saving throws. However, to help make up for that, the spellcaster can repeat the spell’s effects against a new target should the current target manage to break free of the spell. In addition, the caster can choose to move the target around instead of holding it still. You can use the spell to help take down the target’s allies, and then paralyze the target once it is the only enemy left. But don’t be too surprised if your enemies manage to succeed on some of these saving throws!
PDF Link | D&D Beyond: Agonize, Bend Blood, Grim Terror
