Pact of the Sanguine Sacrament

A Warlock patronage of a blood rite, with spells paid for in hit points, damage taken in an ally's place, and a rite that spends hit points as necrotic damage.

Identity

The Pact of the Sanguine Sacrament is the Warlock patronage with a rite on the other end instead of a name. The sacrament is older than the Prime Plane's current arrangement of powers and works for anyone willing to open a vein and say the words in the right order. It scales with sincerity, so Sanguine Warlocks are discreet about their practice and specific about their cuts. They wear long sleeves in warm weather and keep more field dressings than a Warlock should need.

Features

• L3 Blood Price

  When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can pay for it in blood instead of a Pact Slot. You take 1d6 damage per level of the spell, and this damage cannot be reduced or prevented by any means. The spell costs no Pact Slot. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

• L7 Open Vein

  Once per short rest, as a bonus action, you open a vein. You take damage equal to your Warlock level, which cannot be reduced or prevented. Until the end of your next turn, your spell attack rolls have advantage and your spell save DC increases by 2.

• L11 Crimson Ward

  When a creature you can see within Close range takes damage, you can use your reaction to take that damage in its place. The damage you take is reduced by 10, ignores your resistances and immunities, and cannot otherwise be prevented. You can use this feature once per short rest.

• L15 Blood Recovery

  You have resistance to necrotic damage. Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you can take damage equal to twice your Warlock level, which cannot be reduced or prevented, to regain all expended Pact Slots.

• L18 Blood Rite Capstone

  Once per long rest, as an action, you perform the rite in full. Choose a number of hit points to spend, up to half your current hit points. The loss cannot be prevented and cannot reduce you below 1 hit point. Each creature of your choice within Medium range makes a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, a creature takes necrotic damage equal to twice the number of hit points you spent, and on a success it takes half that. If at least one creature fails, you regain hit points equal to half the number you spent.