Unearthed Arcana

BLOODLINES

CelestialDemonDevilDoppelgangerDragon, BlackDragon, BlueDragon, BrassDragon, BronzeDragon, CopperDragon, GoldDragon, GreenDragon, Red

Dragon, SilverDragon, WhiteElemental, AirElemental, EarthElemental, FireElemental, WaterFeyGenie, DjinniGenie, EfreetiGenie, janniGiant, CloudGiant, Fire

Giant, FrostGiant, HillGiant, StoneGiant, StormHagLycanthropeMinotaurOgreTitanTrollVampire

Random Bloodline DeterminationCreating other Bloodlines

Every so often, an individual is born who stands out a little from the rest of his people. This individual displays characteristics associated with a different kind of creature, such as a dragon, giant, celestial, or demon. Such a character is said to have a bloodline.

Bloodlines can exist for any of a number of reasons. Perhaps the character has an unusual ancestor, such as a dragon who took alternate form to live among humans or elves. The character might be a throwback to an earlier age, when all species were more closely related. The bloodline might be the result of unusual supernatural energies present during conception, pregnancy, or birth. It could also be an omen sent by the gods, part of an ancient prophecy or dire legend.

Bloodline Strength And Source

Every source has a minor bloodline associated with it. A minor bloodline doesn't alter a character much, and thus don't represent a very significant power increase over an ordinary character. In some cases, the only bloodline associated with a source is minor. This is most often true of sources derived from relatively weak creatures such as minotaurs or hags.

Many sources also have intermediate bloodlines. These affect the character's power level more drastically, and come from more potent races, such as elementals, and many dragons and giants.

Major bloodlines only come from the most powerful and primal of sources, including celestials, demons, devils, and the mightiest of dragons. A character with a major bloodline is a potent scion of his ancestor, displaying significant powers and abilities.

Bloodline Levels

Over the course of his career, a character with a bloodline becomes more powerful than one without a bloodline. Because the power gain is gradual over a span of twenty levels, a static level adjustment doesn't truly reflect this difference. Instead, a bloodline character must take one or more levels of "bloodline" at various points in his career, as noted on Table: Bloodline Levels. Before a character with a bloodline reaches the indicated character level, he must take one class level of "bloodline." Class levels of "bloodline" do not increase a character's character level the way a normal class level does, but they do provide certain benefits (see below).

If the character does not take a class level of bloodline before reaching the character level indicated on the table, he gains no further bloodline traits and must take a 20% penalty on all future XP gains. As soon as he meets the minimum bloodline level, he gains all bloodline abilities due him according to his character level, and the XP penalty no longer applies.

For example, A 1st-level character with a major bloodline (silver dragon) receives a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks as a bloodline trait. When he reaches 2nd character level, he gains the Alertness feat as a bloodline trait. Before he reaches 3rd character level, he must take a level of bloodline in order to continue gaining bloodline traits. if he reaches 3rd character level and has no bloodline levels, he does not gain the bloodline trait due him at 3rd character level (Strength +1) and must take a 20% reduction on all future XP gains. If he later meets the minimum required bloodline levels, he gains his 3rd-level trait at that time (as well as any other traits he may have failed to receive for not taking his bloodline level right away), and the XP reduction no longer applies to future gains. Before reaching his 6th character level, he must have taken two levels of bloodline in order to keep gaining bloodline traits. If he takes his third bloodline level before reaching 12th character level, he becomes eligible to gain all the traits of his bloodline (as they become available when he reaches new character levels).

A bloodline level grants no increase in base attack bonus or base save bonuses, no hit points or skill points, and no class features. It counts as a normal class level (with no class skills) for the purpose of determining maximum skill ranks. Levels of bloodline never result in XP penalties for multiclass characters.

Include the character's bloodline level when calculating any character ability based on his class levels (such as caster level for spellcasting characters, or save DCs for characters with special abilities whose DCs are based on class level). The character doesn't gain any abilities, spells known, or spells per day from the addition of his bloodline levels, though�only the calculations of his level-based abilities are affected.

If a character has levels in two or more classes in addition to his bloodline levels, each class gains the benefit of adding the bloodline levels when calculating abilities.

For example, a 2nd-level sorcerer with a major bloodline takes a bloodline level when earns enough XP to advance in level. He is treated as a 3rd-level spellcaster for the purpose of spell durations, caster level checks, and so forth. But he doesn't gain a 3rd-level sorcerer's spells per day or spells known.

Similarly, the stunning attacks of a 3rd-level monk with one bloodline level have a save DC equal to 12 (10 + one-half class level) plus her Wisdom modifier, since the bloodline level is treated as if it were a monk class level when calculating the save DC. A 3rd-level monk/3rd-level sorcerer with two bloodline levels would be treated as a 5th-level spellcaster and a 5th-level monk for determining level-based abilities.

Bloodline Traits

Depending on the strength of a character's bloodline, he gains a new bloodline trait every one, two, or four character levels (or effective character levels, for characters with a level adjustment greater than +0). The traits gained are given in each bloodline description.

Bloodline Trait Descriptions

Ability Boost: You gain a permanent +1 increase to the given ability score. This is similar to the ability increase gained by characters at every fourth level.

Bloodline Affinity: You gain a bonus (either +2, +4, or +6) on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, andPerform checks made to interact with creatures of your bloodline.

Skill Boost: You receive a +2 bonus on checks made with the given skill.

Special:You gain a special ability. Common bloodline special abilities include bonus feats, natural armor, special attacks (such as the ability to smite evil or smite good), special qualities (such as resistance to energy, spell resistance, or scent), or spell-like abilities.

If you already have a feat that a bloodline provides as a bonus feat, you may choose a different feat. For example, the minor celestial bloodline grantsAlertness as a bonus feat at 8th level, If a character with this bloodline already has Alertness by the time he reaches 8th level, he can choose any other feat instead (subject to normal prerequisites, of course).

Bloodline Descriptions

CELESTIAL

Celstial Bloodline Traits

DEMON

Demon Bloodline Traits

DEVIL

Devil Bloodline Traits

DOPPELGANGER

Doppelganger Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, BLACK

Black Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, BLUE

Blue Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, BRASS

Brass Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, BRONZE

Bronze Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, COPPER

Copper Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, GOLD

Gold Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, GREEN

have been known to take control of (rather than simply devour) small enclaves of forest-dwelling humanoids. Some of those humanoids later give birth to half-dragon offspring, creating bloodlines that last centuries. Descendants of a green dragon are often voracious and belligerent, picking fights with little or no provocation.

Green Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, RED

Red Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, SILVER

Silver Dragon Bloodline Traits

DRAGON, WHITE

White Dragon Bloodline Traits

ELEMENTAL, AIR

Air Elemental Bloodline Traits

ELEMENTAL, EARTH

Earth Elemental Bloodline Traits

ELEMENTAL, FIRE

within their veins are often high-strung and quick-tempered. Their eyes often seem to glow like embers, and their skin may take on a reddish hue.

Fire Elemental Bloodline Traits

ELEMENTAL, WATER

is most common among the water-breathing races, but it also manifests among sailors and fishermen, and even the occasional character with no link whatsoever to oceans, seas, or large lakes. Such characters are often independent minded, and generally don't live in any one place for very long.

Water Elemental Bloodline Trait

FEY

Fey Bloodline Traits

GENIE, DJINNI

Djinni Bloodline Traits

GENIE, EFREETI

Efreeti Bloodline Traits

GENIE, JANNI

Janni Bloodline Traits

GIANT

An intermediate bloodline can only be taken for cloud giants, fire giants, frost giants, stone giants, and storm giants. A major bloodline can only be taken for storm giants.

Cloud Giant Bloodline Traits

Fire Giant Bloodline Traits

Frost Giant Bloodline Traits

Hill Giant Bloodline Traits

Stone Giant Bloodline Traits

Storm Giant Bloodline Traits

HAG

have the ability to change their appearance, making it possible for them to interact with creatures of other races. Though horrible to contemplate, some use this ability to lure in mates, in the hopes that the offspring can help them further their evil plots. The descendants of a hag tend to be strong but ugly, and often share their ancestor's love of schemes.

Hag Bloodline Traits

LYCANTHROPE

Lycanthrope Bloodline Traits

MINOTAUR

Minotaur Bloodline Traits

OGRE

Ogre Bloodline Traits

TITAN

Titan Bloodline Traits

TROLL

Troll Bloodline Traits

VAMPIRE

Vampire Bloodline Traits

Random Bloodline Determination

First, roll d% and consult Table 1-3: Bloodline Strength to determine the bloodline's strength. Then roll d% on Table 1-4: Minor Bloodlines, Table 1-5: Intermediate Bloodlines, or Table 1-6: Major Bloodlines to determine the source.

Table: Bloodline Strength

Creating Other Bloodlines

The bloodlines described here are by no means a comprehensive list of all possible permutations. You might choose to create bloodlines of creatures not included here, to create more specialized celestial, demon, or devil bloodlines, or even to create more potent versions of the bloodlines here for use in your game.

Table: Bloodline Trait Distribution gives you the basic framework for bloodline traits. Over the course of twenty levels, a major bloodline boosts four skills (giving each a +2 bonus) and three ability scores (increasing each by 1). It grants a bloodline affinity at three stages (+2, +4, and +6) and provides ten special abilities. Intermediate bloodlines grant the first ten traits, spread out over twenty levels. Minor bloodlines grant the first five traits.

When creating a new bloodline, use those described above as guidelines for appropriate special abilities.