Over the summer, I wanted to run a homebrew setting for the first time in a long time. Without discussing their characters with me beforehand, the group of players decided they were all cursed, and had joined together to resolve their individual curses. Rather than pushback, I said, “sure, sounds good,” and then proceeded to take the challenge of building the world based on the principles needed to tell the stories in a way that felt cohesive to me.
One of the players came to me and said, “I want to play a were-hellhound.” Another player was thinking of being a vampire. I said, sure, we can make this work, and started to put together a new class because I’m an idiot, I guess.
Yesterday, Wizards released a Gothic Unearthed Arcana where you can just play those as ancestries now, so I feel like I wasted a ton of time and energy. However, I commited to it, so it’s here. I figured, why not share what I’ve done so far.
So far, three characters are playing it and it’s gone through some iterations thanks to the feedback. There is still a lot of testing to be done, but it seems fairly inline at this stage.
I must be crazy sharing this but, here’s the curse-marked.
The Curse-Marked
The elf hides her eyes as she passes by the tavern’s open door. She can see the crowd of people pressing against the bar inside. She can feel her thirst growing as she watches them. She sighs, shakes her head, and continues on her journey.
A halfling sprints through the trees, long claws dragging the ground. They let loose a blood-curdling scream and charge toward the injured deer.
The goblin exhales a gout of flame at the bugbear challenging him for his plunder. His strange scales glisten in the light before the fire fades. While it has made some things more challenging, the goblin can’t deny the strength the curse has brought him.
Though these cursemarked are similar in neither curse nor circumstance, they all share a similar experience. Curse-marked labor under a curse that defines their existence. This curse could be carried in their bloodline, punishment for your actions, the willing acceptance of the curse in place of another, mysterious magic, an infectious bite, the price of a bargain, or a myriad of other possibilities.
The curse-marked work to become the masters of their curse, instead of being controlled by it. Not all curse-marked seek to rid themselves of their circumstance. Some revel in the power it brings them, even as they can chafe that it comes from a source other than themselves. Others find themselves seduced by their curse, giving into what they believe to be their true nature.
Regardless, curse-marked carry with them the knowledge they are different than those around them. What they do with that knowledge is entirely up to them.
Born Under a Bad Sign
Someone who is unhappy in their small village can work hard, take risks and can one day find themselves on the road to the big city. A blacksmith’s child can aspire to train with the swords they make and find a noble willing to take them on as a knight. Curse-marked don’t have the luxury to dream of a better life in a new home. Their troubles remain indelibly inked upon their souls.
The curses they bear set them apart from others. Beneath the surface lurks a monster, waiting to be set free. The small blessing most curse-marked enjoy is the more they unleash the power of their curse, the better they learn to control it. However, even the most experienced knows they are not the masters of their curses, no matter how it might seem. They know that when push comes to shove, the curse answers the call of its creator.
Two Paths
Some curse-marked simply resign themselves to their fates. They see their inner nature as inescapable and inexorable. These curse-marked sometimes become hermits, shutting themselves away from society. Others…others, become the stories that villagers use to scare their children into behaving. You must listen, or else the cursed monster shall come.
Those that choose to fight against the curse upon their souls find themselves traveling the lands in search of answers. They can seek the one who placed the curse upon their soul. Others can seek out relics promised as a cure. Still others can simply choose to try and master the curse as they can, and do the most good they can possibly do to offset the horrors they bear upon their soul.
Creating a Curse-Marked
When creating a curse-marked character, think about how your character became cursed and discuss an appropriate origin with your DM. Were you bitten by a beast and now you share its curse? Did a powerful magician curse your familial line for ancient wrongs and slights? Perhaps you brokered a deal with a devil and sought to renege on your part of the bargain? Maybe a deity themself is behind your woes.
How do you feel about the curse upon your soul? Under what circumstances would the curse become your master rather than the other way around? Do you fear you will lose control of your curse? Are you seeking to remove the curse upon your soul? What questions are you seeking to answer?
QUICK BUILD
You can make a curse-marked quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Strength, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the cursed one background.
The Curse-marked Table
Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Transforms | Manifestations | Curse Die
| 1 | +2 | Curse-Mark, Transform | 1 | – | 1d4 |
| 2 | +2 | Manifestation | 2 | 2 | 1d4 |
| 3 | +2 | Soul Well | 2 | 2 | 1d4 |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 2 | 1d4 |
| 5 | +3 | Curse Brand, Extra Attack | 2 | 3 | 1d6 |
| 6 | +3 | Curse-Mark Feature | 2 | 3 | 1d6 |
| 7 | +3 | Rend | 2 | 4 | 1d6 |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 1d6 |
| 9 | +4 | Curse Brand | 2 | 5 | 1d6 |
| 10 | +4 | Curse-Mark Feature | 2 | 5 | 1d8 |
| 11 | +4 | Tear | 3 | 5 | 1d8 |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 6 | 1d8 |
| 13 | +5 | Curse Brand | 3 | 6 | 1d8 |
| 14 | +5 | Curse-Mark Feature | 3 | 6 | 1d8 |
| 15 | +5 | Kill | 3 | 7 | 1d10 |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 7 | 1d10 |
| 17 | +6 | Curse Brand | 4 | 7 | 1d10 |
| 18 | +6 | Devour | 4 | 8 | 1d10 |
| 19 | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 8 | 1d10 |
| 20 | +6 | Unstoppable Monster | at-will | 8 | 1d12 |
Class Features
As a curse-marked, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d10 per curse-marked level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per curse-marked level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor, heavy armor, shields
Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, History, Investigation, Intimidation, Perception, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a greatsword or (b) any martial melee weapon and shield
(a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
(a) leather armor or (b) chain mail
Saving Throws
Some of your manifestations and features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the manifestation and feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Manifestation and Feature save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier.
Curse-Mark
At 1st level, you bear the mark of a curse upon your soul: The Curse-Mark of the Moon, The Curse-Mark of the Sun, or The Curse-Mark of the Stars. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Transform
In battle, your curse fully manifests, unleashing your true form, which always lurks just below the surface. On your turn, you transform as a bonus action. The appearance of your transformation is determined by your Curse Mark.
While transformed, you gain the following benefits:
- Your speed becomes 40, or you gain +5 feet to your speed, whichever is greater.
- When you make an attack you roll an additional die and add that to the damage roll. This die increases as you gain levels as a curse-marked, as shown in the Curse Die column of the Curse-Marked table.
- When you suffer damage that you do not resist, you can roll your Curse Die as a reaction, and reduce the damage you suffer by the result.
- You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws and ability checks.
- You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.
Your transformation lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious, shapeshift, or enter a barbarian rage. You can also end your transformation on your turn as a bonus action.
Once you have transformed the number of times shown for your curse-marked level in the Transforms column of the Curse-Marked table, you must finish a short or long rest before you can Transform again.
Manifestations
Your curse has begun to shift and become more closely bound to you. You begin to manifest additional abilities and physical features when you transform. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
At 2nd level, you gain two manifestations of your choice. Your manifestation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain curse-marked levels, you gain additional manifestations of your choice, as shown in the Manifestations column of the Curse-Marked table.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the manifestations you know and replace it with another manifestation that you could manifest at that level.
If a manifestation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
Arch Devil’s Breath
Prerequisite: Hellfire Breath, 11th level
Your hellfire breath manifestation now deals an additional curse die of damage of your choice of acid, cold, poison, psychic, or necrotic damage.
Whenever you deal damage to at least one creature with your arch devil’s breath, you roll two curse dice and gain that many temporary hit points.
Cursed Protection
Prerequisite: Must not have Spell-Hide
Your skin hardens, causing your skin to have an unearthly sheen.
As a bonus action or as part of your transformation, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-silver weapons for the shorter of either 1 minute, or until you are no longer transformed.
Once you have used this manifestation, you must finish a long rest before you can use this manifestation again.
You gain additional uses of this manifestation at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.
Cursed Sight
Prerequisite: 6th level
You gain darkvision out to 60 feet, and you can cast bane as a 1st-level spell. Once you have used this manifestation, you can not do so again without completing a long rest.
Dark Call
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can focus on the power of your curse, sending out a call for assistance after ten minutes of concentration. Within an hour, a swarm of bats or rats, or one wolf answers your call. The creatures consider you an ally, and will obey your spoken commands. The creatures remain for 1 hour, until you die, or until you dismiss them as a bonus action. Once you used this manifestation, you may not do so again until you complete a long rest.
This manifestation may be used while not transformed.
Dark Master
Prerequisite: Dark Call, 9th level
You can cast the find familiar as a ritual without a ritual book, but still requiring components. You can summon additional forms of familiars, depending on your curse-mark.
- Curse-Mark of the Moon: hellhound
- Curse-Mark of the Stars: kuo-toa whip stats
- Curse-Mark of the Sun: ghoul
This manifestation may be used while not transformed.
Furious Strikes
Prerequisite: Stinging Strikes, 11th level
As long as you use your claws for all of your attacks you make on your turn, you can attack three times, instead of twice, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Hellfire Breath
Prerequisite: Curse-Mark of the Moon
Your skin exudes smoke and your mouth appears to be filled with fire and brimstone.
As an action, you breathe a gout of flame upon your foes. Creatures within a 15-foot cone must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or suffer fire damage equal to your curse die. You can roll an additional curse die at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.
This manifestation recharges on the result of a 6 on a d6, rolled at the end of your next turn after using this action, or upon finishing a short or long rest.
Heightened Body and Mind
Your eyes glow red.
While transformed and not wearing armor or a shield, your AC becomes 13 + your Dexterity ability modifier (minimum of 1) + half of your Intelligence ability modifier (rounded down, minimum of 1).
Heightened Mind and Body
Your eyes glow red.
While transformed and not wearing armor or a shield, your AC becomes 13 + your Intelligence ability modifier (minimum of 1) + half of your Dexterity ability modifier (rounded down, minimum of 1).
Hellish Leap
Prerequisites: Curse-mark of the Moon, 5th level
Smoke of an appropriate color for your resistance swirls around your feet.
While transformed, whenever use your Bounding Leap feature, creatures within 5 feet of your landing make a Dexterity saving throw. Creatures who fail this saving throw suffer your curse die in damage and are knocked prone. Creatures who succeed on this saving throw suffer half damage, and no additional effects.
Inner Beast
Prerequisites: 4th level
You have scars across your chest.
You are on constant guard to try and contain your curse. While not transformed, you have advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened condition, and have resistance to psychic damage.
Master at Arms
When you choose this manifestation select a weapon. You can substitute this weapon in place of your claw or tentacle attacks, and still gain the benefits.
You can choose this manifestation multiple times, choosing a new weapon each time.
Mist Form
Prerequisite: Curse-Mark of the Sun, 6th level
You exude subtle mist around your feet while transformed.
As an action, you turn into a Medium cloud of mist. While in mist form, you can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. You have advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and are immune to all nonmagical damage. .
Once you have used this manifestation, you cannot do so again without completing a long rest.
Misty Retreat
Prerequisite: Mist Form, 9th level
As a reaction to taking damage that would reduce you to 0 hit points, you instead suffer no damage and turn into a Medium cloud of mist with the abilities defined in the mist form manifestation until the end of your next turn. You can use this manifestation even if you have already used mist form.
Once you have used this manifestation, you cannot do so again without completing a long rest.
Otherworldly Brand
Your skin has a large phosphorescent brand upon it.
While transformed, you have knowledge that is not your own of how to best fight in your form. This knowledge is at odds with certain fighting styles, and you cannot benefit from both simultaneously. You may take this manifestation multiple times, gaining a different brand each time. You gain access one of the following brands:
Guardian Brand
When a creature you can see hits a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to roll your curse die and reduce the damage by the result.
Jagged Brand
When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a claw or bite attack granted as part of your transform, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.
Quickening Brand
You gain a +1 bonus to AC. You cannot use this brand and the defense fighting style simultaneously.
Slavering Maw
Prerequisite: 11th level
Your mouth unleashes a steady stream of green, frothy drool.
When you hit a creature with your bite attack, you deal an additional 1d8 acid damage.
Soul Hide
Prerequisite: Curse-Mark of the Moon, Cursed Protection, 8th level
The unearthly sheen resolves into screaming faces periodically, as if tortured souls are crawling on your skin.
When you use your cursed protection or spell-hide manifestation, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Curse-Marked level + your Constitution modifier or you can spend a hit die to heal an amount equal to your hit die + Constitution modifier + your curse die.
Sonic Scream
Prerequisite: 8th level
You gain strange vents along your throat that don’t impede you in any way.
As a bonus action, you can unleash an unnerving scream – such as a high-pitched scream, a howl, or a furious roar. You can cast thunderwave as a 3rd-level spell.
Once you have used this manifestation, you must finish a long rest in order to do so again.
Spell-Hide (updated 2020-09-19)
Prerequisite: Must not have Cursed Protection
Your skin glows with runes and sigils.
You have advantage on saving throws against spells that target only you, or on spells where you are the only target in its area of effect.
As a bonus action or as part of your transformation, you gain resistance to your choice of acid, cold, fire,force, lightning, poison, psychic, necrotic, or thunder damage for the shorter of either 1 minute, or until you are no longer transformed.
Once you have used this manifestation, you must finish a long rest before you can use this manifestation again.
Stinging Strikes
Prerequisite: 3rd level
Your claws and tentacles grow longer, thinner, darker, and sharper.
Attacks you make with your claw or tentacle attacks granted as part of your transformation deal additional 1d4 piercing damage.
Supernatural Stamina
Your muscles are more well-defined.
You have advantage on saving throws against the exhausted condition.
Additionally, whenever you roll a death saving throw and roll a 1 on the die, you may reroll the die, taking the second result.
Void Orb
Prerequisite: Curse-Mark of the Stars
Your veins become the pure black of the void, clearly visible through all skin.
As an action, you hurl an orb of swirling night sky at a creature you can see within 60 feet. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes your curse die +your Intelligence ability modifier psychic damage. Hit or miss, the orb then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take your curse die in cold damage.You can roll an additional curse die for both parts of this manifestation at 5th, 11th, and 17th level. If you damage any creature with this manifestation, you gain a Star Sign.
You gain an additional Star Sign when you damage a creature and deal an additional curse die for both parts of this manifestation at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.
Once you have used this manifestation, you may not do so again without finishing a long rest.
Void Wave
Prerequisites: Void Orb, 8th level
Your tentacles and hands now swirl with inky blackness.
As an action, you extend your hand in front of you and project a wave of pure black matter from your palm. Creatures in a 15-foot cone originating from you must make an Intelligence saving throw. Creatures suffer your curse die in psychic damage and have their speed reduced by half until the start of your next turn if they fail the saving throw, suffering half damage and no further effects on a success. If you damage any creature with this manifestation, you gain a Star Sign.
This manifestation’s damage increases by your curse die when you reach 5th level, 11th level, and 17th level.
Well Magic
Prerequisite: 11th level
You gain cracks and veins that pulse with a soft light when you are transformed – such as a cold, blue light for the arcane well, sickly green light for primal, or the red of a rising sun for divine.
Magic of the Arcane Well
Choose one 1st-level spell from the sorcerer, warlock, or wizard spell list. You can cast that spell without expending a spell slot. Once you have done so, you must finish a long rest in order to cast it again.
You gain a 2nd-level spell from the same lists at 13th, a 3rd-level spell at 15th, a 4th-level spell at 17th, and a 5th-level spell at 19th.
Magic of the Divine Well
Choose one 1st-level spell from the cleric or paladin spell list. You can cast that spell without expending a spell slot. Once you have done so, you must finish a long rest in order to cast it again.
You gain a 2nd-level spell from the same lists at 13th, a 3rd-level spell at 15th, a 4th-level spell at 17th, and a 5th-level spell at 19th.
Magic of the Primal Well
Choose one 1st-level spell from the druid or ranger spell list. You can cast that spell without expending a spell slot. Once you have done so, you must finish a long rest in order to cast it again.
You gain a 2nd-level spell from the same lists at 13th, a 3rd-level spell at 15th, a 4th-level spell at 17th, and a 5th-level spell at 19th.
Wicked Intent
Prerequisite: 7th level
When you make a Wisdom(Insight) ability check, you can roll your curse die and add the result to the roll.
Additionally, you can cast suggestion as an action. Once you have done so, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Soul Well
Starting at 3rd level, you are able to tap into a hitherto unknown well of power within your soul. You gain one of the following features of your choice.
Arcane Well
You have an untapped well of arcane power residing within your soul. Your curse has given you the ability to cast comprehend languages and detect magic as rituals without a ritual book.
Additionally, you can choose to roll your curse die and add half the result (rounded down) to any Intelligence (Arcana) ability check. If you do, you suffer the same amount of unpreventable cold damage.
Divine Well
Within you resides a well of divine power, awakened by your curse. Your curse has given you the ability to cast ceremony and purify food and drink as rituals without a ritual book.
Additionally, you can choose to roll your curse die and add half the result (rounded down) to any Intelligence (Religion) ability check. If you do, you suffer the same amount of unpreventable necrotic damage.
Primal Well
Deep within your soul is a well of primal power, connecting you to the natural world in spite of your curse. Your curse has given you the ability to cast detect poison and disease and speak with animals as rituals without a ritual book.
Additionally, you can choose to roll your curse die and add half the result (rounded down) to any Intelligence (Nature) ability check. If you do, you suffer the same amount of unpreventable piercing damage.
Ability Score Increase
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Curse Brand
Starting at 5th level, your curse begins to brand your flesh with strange sigils, runes, or images that seem to glow softly with a phosphorescent light – though it provides no actual illumination.
When you gain this feature, choose one feature granted to you when you transform (such as one manifestation, rolling curse die when you deal damage with an attack, etc.) Using these features in this way does not alter your physical appearance. Once you have done so, you cannot use these features while you are not transformed until you finish a long rest. You can activate these features whenever you wish, and remain active for 1 minute or until you choose to end the feature.
You gain additional brands and can choose additional features at 9th, 13th, and 17th level.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Rend
By 7th level, you have learned to rend the flesh of your foes when unleashing the powers of your curse upon them. When you deal your cursed die damage to a creature with an attack, the power of your curse lingers upon them until the end of your next turn.
As a bonus action, you can roll your curse die and deal damage of the same type as your Soul Well feature choice to a creature with a curse lingering upon them.
Tear
Starting at 11th level, whenever you score a critical hit, you maximize the damage of your curse die.
Kill
Beginning at 15th level, whenever a creature is at or below half of its maximum hit points, you can roll an additional curse die when dealing damage to it with an attack.
Devour
Beginning at 18th level, you can spend ten minutes devouring a dead humanoid body. If you do, you regain one spent hit die and you recover as if you finished a short rest.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier. Once you have done so, you must finish a long rest in order to use this feature again.
Unstoppable Monster
At 20th level, your curse has made you incredibly difficult to kill. Whenever you would be reduced to 0 hit points, you can spend your reaction to restore yourself to half of your maximum hit points (rounded down). When you do so, you reduce the number of death saving throws you need to fail in order to die by one. If you have no death saving throws remaining, you instantly die the next time you fall to 0 hit points. If the d20 roll for your death saving throw is a 20, you increase the number of death saving throws you need to fail in order to die by one, to a maximum of three.
Additionally, when you make a death saving throw, you can roll your curse die and add the result to your saving throw.
This reduction of death saving throws ends when you finish a short or long rest.
Curse-Marks
There is an indelible mark upon your soul, cursing you. These curses come from a multitude of sources – objects, deities, otherworldly beings, powerful magic, or even the land itself. These curses cause you to undergo transformations into monstrous, yet powerful creatures, indicative of the curse upon your soul.
Sharing a curse-mark with another creature isn’t a guarantee of them becoming your ally, but you can expect a wary respect and mutual understanding, at least until specific circumstances dictate otherwise. Some curses are limited to a low number of individuals, but others can spread like wildfire – cursing towns or populations.
As part of picking a curse-mark, work with your DM to find an external trigger to compel your curse (blood moon, a creature making death saving throws, etc.). If you transform as a result of this trigger, the DM should not require you to expend a use of your transform.
Curse-Mark of the Moon
You labor under a curse that is tied to the moon. This might be a bite from a werewolf or wererat, from a deity of the hunt or of beasts, a curse by a powerful wizard, or any other number of sources. The result is the same – your curse transforms you into a powerful beast.
Mark of the Beast
Starting at 1st level, when you transform, you become a hideous beast. Your bestial form might look like a massive hound or great cat, but twisted and monstrous. When you choose this form, you gain the following benefits while transformed:
Armor of the Beast
Your armor continues to provide you protection, even while you are transformed – causing your hide to toughen, instead. Shields do not provide you protection while transformed.
Bounding Leap
You can choose to leap instead of moving normally to an empty location you can see. Leaping requires twice as much movement as moving normally, and provokes opportunity attacks from creatures who you leap away from.
Cursed Lineage
You gain resistance to your choice of acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, or necrotic damage. Your curse die deals damage of the same type as your chosen resistance when you deal damage with it. Once you select this, this is always the type of your resistance and curse die damage.
Teeth and Talons
You gain a bite attack and a claw attack. You have proficiency with these attacks.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack.Your bite deals 1d10 piercing damage on a successful hit. Your bite is a heavy weapon.
- Claws. Melee Weapon Attack. Your claws deal 1d6 slashing damage on a successful hit. Claws are considered light, finesse weapons. When you take the Attack action and make all attacks with your claws, you can make one claw attack as a bonus action.
Blessing and a Curse
Beginning at 1st level, your curse provides you with beneficial side effects. These side effects are present regardless of if you are transformed or not.
- You gain proficiency in Strength saving throws
- You can reroll Strength(Athletics) ability checks, but must take the second result
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Sign of the Moon
Starting at 6th level, whenever you hit a creature or deal a creature damage with one of your manifestations, that creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you until the start of your next turn.
Shared Punishment
Upon reaching 10th level, you have learned to share the torment of your curse with others who attack you. Whenever you spend your reaction to reduce damage with your curse die, the creature who damaged you suffers damage the type of your curse die equal to the amount you reduced.
On the Hunt
Beginning at 14th level, you have honed your hunting skills, become accomplished in different tactics.
You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
If no other allies are within 5 feet of a creature you are attacking, you deal that creature an additional curse die of damage on a successful hit.
Curse-Mark of the Stars
You labor under a curse that is tied to the stars. This might be an infection from an otherworldly being, a curse from a baleful star, from a wizard who has discovered knowledge that was better left buried and forgotten, or a variety of other possibilities. The result is the same – your curse transforms you into an aberrant creature.
Mark of the Outside
Starting at 1st level, when you transform, you become an abomination from beyond the stars. Your skin becomes more transparent, rubbery, and luminous, as you sprout numerous appendages and tentacles. When you choose this form, you gain the following benefits while transformed:
Cosmic Combat
You gain a tentacle attack and a star blade attack. You have proficiency with these attacks, and you use your choice of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.
- Star blade. Melee Weapon Attack. A blade of starlight extends from your arm. This star blade deals 1d8 piercing damage on a successful hit. When you hit with this weapon, you may expend a Star Sign to deal additional damage equal to your curse die. You may spend any number of Star Sign in this way.
- Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack. Range 5. Your tentacle deals your curse die as bludgeoning or cold damage to the target.
- If you choose bludgeoning damage, when you hit a creature with your tentacle, the creature’s next weapon attack is made with disadvantage.
- If you choose cold damage, when you hit a creature with your tentacle, the creature’s speed is reduced by 5 feet until the start of your next turn. If you hit a creature multiple times, their speed is reduced for each hit.
From the Outside
You gain resistance to your choice of cold or psychic damage. Your curse die deals damage of the same type as your chosen resistance when you deal damage with it. Once you select this, this is always the type of your resistance and curse die damage.
Space Between the Stars
When you teleport or take the dash, dodge, or disengage action, you have resistance to non-piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing damage until the end of your turn, and you may move through spaces occupied by creatures as long as you don’t end your turn in your occupied space. If you would end in an occupied space, you simply can’t move to that space.
Star Sign
When someone within 30 feet of you casts a spell or you critically hit a creature, you can spend your reaction to gain a Star Sign. You can have a number of Star Signs at a time equal to 1 + your Constitution modifier. Star Signs remain until spent or until you finish a long rest, whichever comes first.
Starspawn
Beginning at 1st level, your curse provides you with beneficial side effects. These side effects are present regardless of if you are transformed or not.
- You gain proficiency in Intelligence saving throws
- You can reroll your choice of Intelligence (History) and Intelligence (Investigation) ability checks, but must take the second result. Once you choose one ability check, you can only ever use this feature with that ability check.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to navigate, as long as you can see the sky.
Sign of the Star
Starting at 6th level, whenever a creature you damaged during your turn dies before the start of your next turn, you gain a Star Sign.
Star Stride
Upon reaching 10th level, you are able to stride across the land upon a starlit path. As a bonus action, you can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. You may spend any number of Star Sign to immediately teleport up to an additional 30 feet per Star Sign spent.
This feature recharges on the result of a 6 on a d6, rolled at the end of your next turn after using this action, or upon finishing a short or long rest.
Cosmic Balance
Beginning at 14th level, the number needed to critically hit with a melee attack is reduced by 1 for whenever you teleport. This increased critical hit range lasts until the end of your turn.
Curse-Mark of the Sun
You labor under a curse that is tied to the sun. This might be a disease from ancient magic, a bite from a vampire, the result of a relic or artifact, or a myriad of other sources. The result is the same – your curse transforms you into a vampiric creature.
Mark of the Sun
Starting at 1st level, when you transform, several or all of your teeth become sharpened and elongated. Your skin and hair grow pale – almost luminous, your senses heighten, and your fingernails lengthen and become razor-sharp, You might even gain the features of a number of different bats or spiders. Through it all, you remain mostly humanoid. When you choose this form, you gain the following benefits while transformed:
Arachnid Setules
You gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed, and can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Chill of the Grave
You have resistance to necrotic damage.
Claws and Fangs
You gain a bite attack and a claw attack. You have proficiency with these attacks, and the attacks are considered finesse weapons.
- Bite. Your bite deals your curse die as piercing damage or necrotic damage to the target.
- If you choose piercing damage, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt.
- If you choose necrotic, the creature you damage reduces their maximum hit points by that amount until they finish a long or short rest.
- Claws. Your claws deal 1d6 slashing damage on a successful hit. Claws are considered light weapons. When you take the Attack action and make all attacks with your claws, you can make one claw attack as a bonus action.
Too Many Masters
While transformed, you have advantage on saving throws against the charmed and frightened conditions. If you already have advantage on saving against these conditions, you can instead roll a 1d4 and add the result to your roll.
Daywalker
Beginning at 1st level, your curse provides you with beneficial side effects. These side effects are present regardless of if you are transformed or not.
- You gain proficiency in Charisma saving throws
- You can reroll your choice of Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Intimidation) ability checks, but must take the second result. Once you choose one ability check, you can only ever use this feature with that ability check.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Sign of the Sun
Starting at 6th level, whenever you deal damage to a creature, you have advantage on attacks made with your claws against that creature until the end of your turn. Until the end of your turn, if you hit a creature with one of these attacks with advantage, you deal an additional curse die of damage.
Additionally, whenever a creature you dealt damage to this turn dies before the start of your next turn, you can use your reaction to roll a curse die and choose to either regain hit points equal to half the result (handed down) or gain temporary hit points equal to the result.
Blood Bond
Upon reaching 10th level, you can use the strength of your blood to empower others you deem worthy. As an action, you can feed your blood to others. You can spend a hit die and allow a willing creature to drink your blood. That creature regains hit points as if they spent your hit die, has advantage on saving throws against the charmed condition, and gains a curse die of the same type and size as your curse die for any damage they deal for one minute.
Only one creature can benefit from your blood bond at a time, and you can end the connection to your bonded creature as a bonus action.
Blistering Regeneration
Starting at 14th level, as long as you have 1 hit point remaining, you regain hit points equal to your proficiency bonus at the start of your turn. If you suffer radiant damage, your regeneration ceases to function for one turn.
As a bonus action, you can draw on the power of your curse to increase the strength of this regeneration to your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. If you choose to do so, you gain vulnerability to radiant damage, holy water deals you damage as if you were undead, and you suffer acid damage equal to your Curse-Mark level if you end your turn in running water until the start of your next turn.
“Vampire VS Werewolf. VTda.info” by vtdainfo is licensed under CC BY 2.0