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Blood Mage (Magus Archetype)
A blood mage gains his arcane powers as a result of inherent power, rather than through careful study.
Modifies Spells; Replaces Spell Recall, Knowledge Pool, Improved Spell Recall
Spells: The blood mage does not gain spells per day as a typical magus does. Instead, he gains cantrips, spells known, and spells per day as a bard of the same level (though still using the magus class spell list). If a blood mage selects the harmonic blending, jinx blending, or spell blending magus arcanas, he gains the selected spells as bonus spells known.
A blood mage uses his Charisma, rather than his Intelligence, to determine all class features and effects relating to his magus class, such as bonus spells per day, the maximum spell level he can cast, the save DCs of his spells, and the number of daily uses of his class abilities.
Blood Magic (Su): At 4th level, a blood mage may expend 1 point from his arcane pool to enhance a spell he is about to cast, as a swift action. When he does so, for purposes of calculating the effect of his spell, a blood mage treats his caster level as +2 higher than normal.
This ability replaces Spell Recall.
Absorb Spell (Ex): At 7th level, when a blood mage fails a saving throw against a spell, he may add it to his list of spells known, as an immediate action. He retains access to this spell until he casts it, at which point it lost. If an absorbed spell is divine, the blood mage may treat it as if it were arcane. A blood mage can use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces Knowledge Pool.
Improved Blood Magic (Su): At 11th level, when a blood mage enhances a spell with blood magic, he may apply any one metamagic feat he knows to the spell without increasing the casting time. He must still expend a higher-level spell slot to cast this spell.
This ability replaces Improved Spell Recall.
Interesting archetype. I would call it Born Magus (or Bloodborn Magus) not Blood Mage as Blood Mage implies using blood in casting process(too much Legend Of Five Rings, WoD and Dragon Age? nah, impossible).
In case of Absorb Spell I would add clause that only one spell can be absorbed at any one time. I'm also wondering if spells that are harmless should not be excluded from absorbtion to avoid chaining spells (i.e. another allied caster casts a spell upon magus granting him it's benefits and he then recasts it on another creature). On the other hand such chaining spells could be deliberate option.
I agree, Blood Mage does have its implications. Bloodborn Magus sounds pretty cool. I will use it!
Perhaps that is a good idea to limit Absorb spell to 1 spell known at a time.
Not sure if other casters dropping spells on the magus could be abused. I am sure someone would find a way to do so if they wanted to.
There is in fact a 3.5 prestige class from Complete Arcane called Blood Magus. As I recall, he could do 1d6 hp of damage to himself to cast a spell one level higher, scribe "scrolls" directly into his own skin, and some other interesting blood effects.
Never had a chance to play it myself, but it looked cool.
Yea, there are plenty of spellcasters which use their blood or the blood of enemies to enhance their spells. Though, this isn't one of them.
Blood magi (as per Dragon Age, or even Last Airbender--as an advanced water bending technique) are pretty damned cool. I've never seen a class pull it off in the d20/pathfinder ruleset. Perhaps I'll take a shot at it sometime.
At the moment I have a homebrew (but unused in PF yet) feat I made in 3.5 times Blood Magic that allows burning Constitution points to increase caster level and/or spell saving throw DC or to apply known metamagic feats without increasing spell level. It's improved version allows burning Con to cast spells without using slots/regain already cast prepared spells and apply metamagic feats without knowing them and greater version returned to revision and hasn't emerged since december.
I'm of the opinion that Constitution damage is too costly a price for any character to pay for just about anything. It's suicide.
Were I to draw up a blood mage, I think inflicting damage to themselves would be a given, but Constitution damage? Probably not.
Abilities which are usable a number of times per day equal to their Constitution modifier would be pretty cool, though.
They should definitely get benefits for high Con.
I'm of the opinion that Constitution damage is too costly a price for any character to pay for just about anything. It's suicide.
Were I to draw up a blood mage, I think inflicting damage to themselves would be a given, but Constitution damage? Probably not.
I see it not as something that should be used often but rather a desperate option at the most crucial moment (ok, too much WoD and Dragon Age ;). I also thought about using ability damage to other stat (probably Strength, to represent weakness caused by loss of blood or maybe both Strength and Dexterity).
Getting such power for hit point damage was too easy in my opinion.
On a similar note, I've always liked the idea of having a necromancer class which serves as a healer in a setting that lacks conventional "divine" healing.
Instead of seeking a temple or shrine, those in need of healing would be forced to walk the darkest alleyways in search of a dark practitioner.
This class would be able to heal, but to do so would have a cost.
I wonder how it might work. Blood magi sacrifice their blood. But, I envision these necromancers as tampering with souls, perhaps trading in them.
Hmmm...
(Sorry if I have gone of topic; quite a tangent.)
On a similar note, I've always liked the idea of having a necromancer class which serves as a healer in a setting that lacks conventional "divine" healing.
Instead of seeking a temple or shrine, those in need of healing would be forced to walk the darkest alleyways in search of a dark practitioner.
This class would be able to heal, but to do so would have a cost.
I wonder how it might work. Blood magi sacrifice their blood. But, I envision these necromancers as tampering with souls, perhaps trading in them.
At most basic it could work as expansion of vampiric touch/healing touch spells (especially their pre 3.5 version that actually healed instead of granting temporary hit points). Their magic would not heal but only transfer damage, be it hit point damage, ability damage or conditions to another creature of the same order. So to resurrect someone someone else would have to die. The most basic reviving spell would require willing sacrifice while the more potent spells could do with unwilling ones and finally with neatly packed bound soul/lifeforce.
(Sorry if I have gone of topic; quite a tangent.)
It's your thread, do with it what thou wilt.
Myself I intend to play with these ideas in various campaigns, games and stories.
BTW: when it comes to blood magic, when PCs in my Forgotten Realms campaign met Thay Wizard they immediately considered them "that Tevinter mage". I think that I might add some sort of blood magic availabe to Thayan Wizards.
The Red Wizards are pretty cool.