Cursed Classes

Routes of Retribution On a failure, they are stunned until the end of their
next turn and take 6d6 necrotic damage. On a
You embrace the anguish, anger and methods success, they are not stunned and take half
which made you what you are. Your route of damage. You can use this ability a number of times
retribution is how you remember your death and equal to your Wisdom modifier. You regain this
also how you inflict your vengeance on others. ability after finishing a short or long rest.

Route of the Avenger Share the Curse

The tethers that bind the unliving can be tenuous At 18th level, when you are forced to make a
ones but for the Avenger they are like steel chains. saving throw against any condition you may
The brutality of the Avenger is second only to their choose one of the following options:
mettle, and they will not allow themselves to be
stopped by anything short of dying again. The You may choose to automatically fail the saving
Avenger will let no weakness in their enemy slip throw, succumbing to the condition but
by. inflicting the same condition on one creature
you can see within 60 feet. They do not get a
Focused Movement saving throw. For as long as you are affected by
the condition, so are they.
Starting at 3rd level, when you are within 60 feet You may choose to roll at disadvantage. If you
of a creature affected by your Fixated Tracker succeed, you are immune to the effect for 24
ability your movement speed increases by 10 feet hours.
and that creature cannot take attacks of You may choose to gain advantage on the roll. If
opportunity against you. you fail, you suffer one additional level of
exhaustion.
Avenging Fire You may choose to resolve the effect normally.

At 6th level, at the end of your turn if two or more 48
of your weapon attacks deal damage to a target
they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw
with a DC equal to 8 + your Wisdom modifier +
your proficiency bonus, or become blind for 1
minute. The creature may repeat the saving throw
at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect
on themselves on a success.

Unending Retribution

Beginning at 11th level, when a creature you can
see who is blind, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, or
stunned succeeds on a saving throw you may use
your reaction to make them reroll. You can use this
feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom
modifier. You regain this ability after finishing a
long rest.

Charging Strike

At 15th level, if you use all of your movement to
move straight toward a target under the effect of
your Fixated Tracker in a turn and then hit the
creature with a melee weapon attack, the target
must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC
equal to 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your
proficiency bonus.

Route of the Umbraged

They say that in death some see a light at the end
of the tunnel, a glimmer of hope and peace at the
end of their suffering. For the Umbraged there is
nothing but darkness and a willingness to sink
deeper and deeper into its depths in the pursuit of
their goals. The Umbraged flourish where the
living fear to tread.

Waxing Darkness

At 3rd level, you gain abilities to harness darkness
to your advantage. Once per short or long rest you
can cast the spell darkness. You gain darkvision
out to 60 feet if you don’t already have it, and your
darkvision cannot be impeded by magical
darkness created by yourself or allies.

Step of Umbrage

At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one
shadow into another. When you are in dim light or
darkness as a bonus action, you can teleport up to
60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is
also in dim light or darkness.

Strikes of Shadow

At 11th level, when you make a melee weapon
attack while in dim light or darkness, you score a
critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 and deal an extra
2d6 necrotic damage.

Heightened Precision

At 15th level, when you use your Step of Umbridge
you can choose to make your next attack at
disadvantage. If it hits, it scores a critical hit and
you roll the damage die three times, instead of
twice.

Radiating Darkness

At 18th level, as an action you may choose to
activate an aura of darkness. You cast the darkness
spell on yourself and the radius is increased to 30
feet. For the next minute, each creature of your
choice within the aura has disadvantage on one
type of saving throw you choose, all attacks, and
must succeed on a Charisma saving throw with a
DC equal to 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your
proficiency bonus to move beyond the radius of the
darkness. You cannot use this ability again until
you finish a short or long rest.

49

Route of the Drowned Drowning

Many threats lurk below the water's surface. Beginning at 6th level, as an action you can cause a
Sahuagin do the will of their shaman, while creature to begin to drown if they are capable of
Koalinth wage wars against the surface realms drowning. The target must make a Constitution
and deeper evils lurk where light can’t reach. saving throw against a DC of 8 + your Wisdom
There are many reasons why someone might die modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failure, the
by drowning, but in returning to life, this death has target takes 1d6 + half your Revenant level cold
become a wellspring of power for you. damage as icy water fills their lungs and the target
cannot speak, hold its breath, or cast spells with
Flowing Movement verbal components until the end of its next turn.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to
At 3rd level, you gain a swim speed equal to your your Wisdom modifier. You regain all uses of this
walking speed and creatures lacking a swim speed feature after finishing a long rest.
make opportunity attacks against you with
disadvantage. If you already had a swim speed, Aquatic Channel
then add 10 feet of movement to it instead.
At 6th level, you always have a wet appearance. If
you wish when you interact with objects, you leave
them equally wet. As an action, you can cast create
water. You can use this ability twice, regaining all
uses after finishing a short or long rest.

Water Step

At 11th level, you can use the spell misty step
provided you and your destination are both
touching at least a gallon of water. You can use this
feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom
modifier. You regain all uses of this feature after
finishing a long rest.

50

Hydrokinesis Domination

Starting at 15th level, you can mentally manipulate At 18th level, you are able to manipulate the blood
water as though it were an appendage of your own within the bodies of living creatures. You can
body. If you target at least a gallon of water within target a living creature that is not a construct as an
50 feet you create a medium-sized tentacle of action. The creature must succeed on a
water in a 5 foot space that can manipulate objects Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + your
as though you were standing directly adjacent to Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.
them. Any smaller amount of water can also be
manipulated, but the tentacle functions with the On a successful saving throw, this feature is not
limitations of the mage hand spell. expended although your action is wasted. On a
failure, choose one action the creature could
Tentacles can act independently at the end of make. The creature uses its reaction and must
your turn. They can follow simple directions such perform the action as you describe. You can move
as “attack them”, “guard this”, or “open that”. You the creature up to half its speed during this time.
can maintain a number of tentacles equal to your You lose control of the creature if you cannot see
Wisdom modifier. it. At the start of your next turn, you must choose
to either release the creature or gain a level of
exhaustion. If you do so you can control the
creature for another turn. Once you use this ability,
you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

51

Vampire Born From Death

He waits until the sun goes down. Silent, and Vampires are not born in the sense that most other
patient. The bandits hijacked his carriage hours living creatures are. They are not born from warm
ago. They’ve been rifling through the boxes and bodies, hatched from eggs, or even sprouted from
chests of his belongings but giving the coffin a seeds. A vampire is born from the end of their
wide berth. He watches the last glimmers of previous life, from a body fallen cold after being
daylight vanish from beyond the broken seal of the drained of its life’s blood by another vampire. In
lid. They didn’t stay back far enough. the beginning these mindless creatures are known
as vampire spawn, enslaved to the vampire who
She walks down the street at midday, smiling sired them. Freedom from this enslavement is
and cheerful. The people of her village know her granted when the master feeds their own blood to
and they love her. They never knew what she was their spawn or when the master dies.
until that night. When the village was attacked,
they found her with a bloody mouth standing over Dead Folk Walking
a pile of dead orcish raiders. Still, they would never
call her a monster. She is their hero. Whereas many vampires are chained to their
graves, adventurous vampires manage to escape
Life as an adventurer was rough. His allies loved this tether by any manner of technicality. Rather
his strength, but they hated having to travel at than spending their daylight hours in their coffin,
night. They loved his charm, but they hated his crypt, or under the dirt of their grave adventuring
hunger. They asked much of him but always vampires may instead carry with them trinkets like
treated him as a burden. The keep those a scrap of wood from their coffin or a bottle of
adventurers once held still remains on the their gave dirt. Though these relics of their brief
mountainside with but one man dwelling inside for deaths are not necessary to their continued
the last three hundred years. Finally, he got his fair existence they do offer the vampire some comfort.
share.
Creating a Vampire

When making a vampire consider how your
character came into their curse. Were they already
an adventurer when they were bitten? Did
vampirism drive them out into the open world?
Were they accepted by their village and loved ones,
or rejected? Did they know the person who cursed
them? Was it a traumatic experience, or something
they willingly consented to? Were they granted
their freedom by their master, either willfully or
accidentally? Is their master still alive?

Consider how your vampire views their curse
and how it might alter the way they view other
living or dead creatures. Do they consider living
humanoids to be akin to prey and lesser than
themselves somehow, or do they seek a give and
take relationship? Do they take only what they
need to survive, or do they feast like gluttons? How
do they feel when they look ahead to the potential
prospect of outliving even their elvish companions?

52

Quick Build The Vampire

You can make a vampire quickly by following these Proficiency Blood
suggestions. First, make Strength or Charisma Level Bonus Features Points
your highest ability score depending on if you
would rather attack or trick your prey. Your next 1st +2 Undead —
highest score should be Dexterity if you wish to Transformation
strike quickly and quietly. Next, choose the Noble
background. 2nd +2 Bloodthirst 2

Class Features 3rd +2 Dark Path 3

As a vampire, you gain the following class features. 4th +2 Ability Score 4
Improvement
Hit Points
5th +3 Spider Climb, 5
Hit Dice: 1d8 per vampire level Spawning (Ghoul)
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution
modifier 6th +3 Improved Charming 6
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Allure, Curse Escalation
Constitution modifier per vampire level after 1st
7th +3 Eyes of the Night, Path 7
Proficiencies feature

Armor: None 8th +3 Ability Score 8
Weapons: Club, dagger, light crossbow, Improvement
quarterstaff
Tools: None 9th +4 Shapechanger, 9
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma Spawning (Wight)
Skills: Choose two from Deception, Intimidation,
Perception, Persuasion, Religion, and Stealth 10th +4 Curse Escalation, Path 10
feature
Equipment
11th +4 True Charming Alure, 11
You start with the following equipment, in addition Children of the Night
to the equipment granted by your background:
12th +4 Ability Score 12
(a) an explorer's pack or (b) an adventurer's Improvement
pack
(a) A light crossbow and 20 bolts (b) a 13th +5 Path feature 13
quarterstaff
A dagger 14th +5 Undying Grace 14

15th +5 Spawning (Vampire 15
Spawn)

16th +5 Ability Score 16
Improvement

17th +6 Curse Escalation, Path 17
feature

18th +6 ─ 18

19th +6 Ability Score 19
Improvement

20th +6 Ascendant Body 20

53

Undead Power of the Grave
Transformation
Thanks to your curse you gain the following
Your transition to undeath has produced a physical benefits.
transformation with a mixture of benefits and
drawbacks. Your curse is currently fresh and Undead Anatomy. Your creature type is undead.
undeveloped, but as you gain experience your You do not need to consume normal food or water,
vampirism will strengthen and cause some of you do not need to sleep, and you do not need to
these features to become more severe. breathe. To gain the benefits of a long rest you can
spend all eight hours doing light activity such as
Curse of Vampirism keeping watch. While you are not wearing armor,
you have an AC of 16. Your Dexterity does not
Because of your curse you suffer the following affect this number.
difficulties.
Bite. Your canines are slightly elongated,
Sunlight Aversion. While you are in direct forming the iconic fangs of a vampire. As an action
sunlight you have disadvantage on Wisdom on your turn you can use these fangs to make a
(Perception) checks that rely on sight, as well as bite attack. This bite has a reach of 5 feet and
on death saving throws. deals 1d6 piercing damage. You are proficient with
this attack.
Blood Drinker. You must gain sustenance by
drinking blood. A Small creature has enough blood Claws. Your fingernails have transformed into
to feed you for a day, and it takes 1 minute to drink retractable claws. You can use these claws to
that much blood from such a creature (or its perform unarmed strikes that deal 1d4 slashing
corpse). You do not gain sustenance if the creature damage. Whenever you use your action to make a
is undead or has been dead longer than 10 days. bite attack, you can make one claw attack as a
bonus action.
Restless Undeath. You cannot spend hit dice to
heal during a short rest, and you do not regain hit Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60
dice or hit points after finishing a long rest. feet of you as if it were bright light, and in
darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern
color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you
already have darkvision, the range of that
darkvision increases by 30 feet.

54

Bloodthirst Vampires: Decadent Predators

Starting at 2nd level, your bloodthirst intensifies In the foreword of the Curse of Strahd adventure,
while also offering you greater power. Getting even Tracy Hickman discusses the history and thought
a sip of especially fresh blood grants you blood processes behind Dungeons & Dragons’ most
points, up to a maximum number as shown in the famous vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich. In
Blood Points column of the Vampire table. doing so, he discusses the roots of the vampire
from a short story written by John William Polidori
As an action, you can drink enough blood to gain which was inspired by the poet Lord Byron. Like
1 blood point. You do not gain this benefit if the Lord Byron, Polidori’s vampire was described as a
blood comes from an undead creature or from a ‘decadent predator’ and an abuser hidden behind a
creature that has been dead for more than 1 romantic veil. For all of the beauty and tragedy, both
minute. Polidori’s vampire and the vampire crafted by Tracy
and Laura Hickman were selfish monsters.
To drink the blood of a living creature that
creature must be restrained, incapacitated, or Tracy later goes on in the foreward to bemoan
willing. Such a creature takes 2d6 necrotic the evolution of the vampire mythos: “The vampire
damage. If the creature is immune to this damage, we so often see today exemplifies the polar
you gain no blood points. opposite of the original archetype: the lie that it’s
okay to enter into a romance with an abusive
If a bloodthirst ability requires a target to make monster because if you love it enough, it will
a saving throw, the save DC is equal to 8 + your change.”
Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for any spells This idea of a monstrous but redeemable vampire
cast using a bloodthirst ability. has varying mileage depending on who you talk to.
Though tales of a particular daywalker who sparkled
Your blood points are used to power various in the sun like diamonds have dominated the
abilities, described below. You will gain additional fantasies of a generation, many critics point out that
uses of blood points as you gain levels in this class. the relationship glorified in the saga is unhealthy
and abusive. Elements of control, isolation, and
Charming Allure emotional abuse become romanticized in these
tales.
You can spend 1 blood point to cast charm person
as a 1st-level spell. The vampires of Dungeons & Dragons are
depicted in the Monster Manual very clearly as
Death Bite being monsters. Going beyond their stat block and
their lawful evil alignment, the book goes to great
Whenever you hit with your bite attack, you can lengths to portray vampires as individuals who have
spend 1 blood point to deal 1d8 necrotic damage become twisted by their curse of unlife. The book
to the target in addition to the bite's normal tells of dark desires, obsession, jealousy, torture,
damage. When you reach 11th level, this bonus and other decidedly undesirable traits.
damage increases to 2d8.
As a player, you have the utmost freedom in how
Regeneration you wish to portray your vampire. It is entirely
within your rights to play a vampire who is not a
At the start of each of your turns you regain hit monster, who struggles against their hunger and
points equal to your current number of blood desire and strives to be a better person. It is also
points, provided you aren't in direct sunlight or well within your rights to play one who is, at their
running water at the time and you already have at core, truly a monster. Keep in mind, however, that a
least 1 hit point. If you take radiant damage, this vampire who is abusive or controlling is still a
ability doesn't function on your next turn. monster, even if they do it under an air of
seduction, and redemption may be far beyond their
reach.

55

Dark Path You can have only one spawn at a time. If you
create a new spawn while your existing spawn is
By the time you reach 3rd level you have begun to still intact, your old spawn becomes uncontrolled
come to terms with your new unlife. You have and may attack you.
made a decision about how you will cope with your
curse, represented by your choice of Dark Path: When you reach 9th level, your spawn uses the
the Dark Master, the Daywalker, or the Alp. Your game statistics of a wight, except its longsword
chosen path grants you features when you choose attack becomes a claw attack (1d8 slashing
it at 3rd level and again at 7th, 10th, 13th, and damage) and it has no longbow attack. When you
17th level. Each path is detailed at the end of this reach 15th level, your spawn uses the game
class description. statistics of a vampire spawn.

Ability Score Increase Improved Charming
Allure
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th,
16th, and 19th level you can increase one ability Starting at 6th level, when using Charming Allure
score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two drinking a charmed target's blood does not
ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you automatically end the effect though they might still
can't increase an ability score above 20 using this be reluctant and need to be convinced.
feature.
Also at 6th level, you can use your Charming
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo Allure feature to cast suggestion instead of charm
taking this feature to take a feat of your choice person by spending 1 additional blood point.
instead.
Curse Escalation
Spider Climb
By 6th level, your curse is starting to become
Beginning at 5th level, you can climb difficult noticeably more extreme. You can no longer enter
surfaces including upside down on ceilings a residence without an invitation from one of the
without needing to make an ability check. occupants. Additionally, you suffer disadvantage on
all ability checks while you are in direct sunlight.
Spawning
Starting when you reach 10th level, you take 10
Also at 5th level, you gain the ability to sire minor acid damage whenever you end your turn in
undead creatures with your cursed bite. Whenever running water and you have disadvantage on
you reduce a Medium or small humanoid to zero attack rolls while you are in direct sunlight.
hit points by either drinking its blood or hitting
with a bite attack, you can expend 2 blood points Finally, at 17th level, you take 10 radiant damage
to infuse it with a fraction of your curse. At the whenever you start your turn in direct sunlight.
beginning of your next turn, the subject rises as
your undead spawn. Your spawn uses the game Eyes of the Night
statistics of a ghoul.
Starting at 7th level, your vision becomes even
On each of your turns, you can use a bonus more accustomed to darkness. You can see
action to mentally command your spawn if it is normally in both normal and magical darkness out
within 60 feet of you. You decide what action your to a range of 120 feet.
spawn will take and where it will move during its
next turn, or you can issue a general command 56
such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor.
If you issue no commands, your spawn only
defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given
an order your spawn continues to follow it until its
task is complete.

Shapechanger Undying Grace

At 9th level, you gain the power to change your By 14th level, your curse has frozen your body
form at will. If you aren't in direct sunlight or against the ravages of time preserving a beautiful
running water, you can use your action to and otherworldly grace. You become proficient
polymorph into a tiny bat or a medium cloud of with Dexterity saving throws, and you have
mist or back into your true form. advantage on Charisma checks related to flirting
and romance.
While in bat form you can't speak, your walking
speed is 5 feet, and you have a flying speed of 30 Ascendant Body
feet. Your statistics other than your size and speed,
are unchanged. Anything you are wearing At 20th level, your undead might manifest in great
transforms with you but nothing you are carrying physical power. Your Strength, Dexterity, and
does. You revert to your true form if you are Constitution scores all permanently increase by 2
reduced to zero hit points. and the maximum score for each of those abilities
increases by 2.
While in mist form you can't take any actions,
speak, or manipulate objects. You are weightless, Additionally, you gain resistance to bludgeoning,
have a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical
enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. In attacks.
addition, if air can pass through the space you can
do so without squeezing, and you can't pass
through water. You have advantage on Strength,
Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws and you
are immune to all nonmagical damage, except
radiant damage.

True Charming Allure

Starting at 11th level, a target charmed by
Charming Allure is always willing to let you drink
their blood.

Children of the Night

Beginning at 11th level, you can call on other
creatures of the night to aid you. As an action, you
can expend 5 blood points to magically call 2d4
swarms of bats or rats provided that the sun isn't
up. While outdoors, you can call 3d6 wolves
instead.

The called creatures arrive at the end of your
next turn acting as your allies and obeying your
spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour,
until you are reduced to zero hit points, or until
you dismiss them as a bonus action.

57

Dark Paths Borrowed Face

As you learn more about your curse you discover At 10th level, when you use your Shapeshift
new ways of exploiting its powers. The dark path feature you can use it to transform into the form of
you choose determines how you utilize your your connected soul. You maintain all their abilities
vampirism. and statistics, but if you are immersed in running
water, enter an area of sunlight, or are reduced to
Path of the Dark Master 0 hit points you revert to your natural form. Using
this feature breaks your connection with your
Many vampires choose a particularly faithful connected soul.
servant promising them everlasting life as a
vampire themselves. They serve not as a mindless Dominate Soul
slave, but a powerful undead in their own right
who will maintain their free will. While these gifts At 13th level, you take control of your connected
aren’t close at hand these servants can become soul’s body. You lose control over your body
powerful conduits for their undead masters. including your senses. For the next 10 minutes,
you fully control the target although you can use
Sip Their Soul any of your class features through the connection.
After 10 minutes, the connection is closed and
At 3rd level, drinking the blood of a humanoid your connection to your connected soul is broken.
allows you to connect to their soul. This needs to
be a willing creature or they are allowed a Soul Drinker
Charisma saving throw against a DC of 8 + your
Charisma modifier + your proficiency. Starting at 17th level, you can absorb the full soul
of your target. This drains their life force and they
Once drained in this fashion you are connected rise as a vampire spawn. If they’re unwilling, they
to their soul. You remember everything they did in are reduced to 0 hit points and make death saving
the last 10 minutes per vampire level. While throws. You get their soul if they die and they
connected you can use their sight, smell, or taste, become a revenant.
as long as they are on the same plane of existence
as you. While borrowing their own senses, you 58
lose control over your own.

This lasts until you are on different planes of
existence, until your connected soul spends a
number of rounds equal to your vampire level in
sunlight or running water, or until you break the
bond by using one of the abilities below.

Lonely Soul

Also at 3rd level, whenever you use your Charming
Allure class feature, instead of charming a target
you can choose to erase your existence in their
mind. Once the target cannot see you, they forget
you exist and any memories of events you
participated in become hazy. This lasts until they
can see you again.

Deep Shadows

Starting at 7th level, as an action, you can teleport
adjacent to your connected soul provided they’re
near dim light or darkness and if that location has
room for you. Using this feature breaks your
connection with your connected soul.

Path of the Daywalker Sanguinous Versatility

Those unwilling to be relegated to the shadows of At 10th level, you become even more flexible in
the night become Daywalkers, vampires who still how you resist the effects of sunlight. When you
feel connected to living societies. Rather than make an attack in sunlight you may expend 2
walking as a wolf among sheep the Daywalker is blood points to negate the disadvantage imposed
akin to the shepherd, taking only what they need by sunlight.
from their herd and using their power to protect
those under their purview. Saving for a Sunny Day

Nothing to See Here At 13th level, you’ve unlocked the secrets of storing
blood. Once per long rest, when you take an action
At 3rd level, you become adept at blending in with to gain a blood point, you can use a vial to store an
the living. You gain proficiency in the disguise kit if additional amount of blood points equal to your
you are not already. You have advantage on any Wisdom modifier. Drinking from this vial takes 1
Charisma checks made to disguise yourself or to minute and you can have a number of vials equal
take on the persona and mannerisms of another to your Constitution modifier.
person.
Additionally, when you take radiant damage you
Desensitization can use your reaction to expend blood points and
ignore an amount of radiant damage equal to the
At 7th level, you begin learning to overcome some number of blood points expended.
of the disadvantages of sunlight. The first ability
check you make after finishing a short or long rest Hoarding Blood
does not suffer disadvantage from being in the
sun. Additionally, you can expend 1 blood point to While it might behoove a vampire to hold onto
negate disadvantage on any Wisdom (Perception) gallons of blood in reserve, the properties of
check you make. coagulation make this nearly impossible. The
Daywalker has learned how to preserve blood using
their own supernatural power, but trying to hold
onto more than a modest amount can weaken them
more than the benefit the blood provides.

They Walk Among Us

At 17th level, taking radiant damage does not
inhibit your ability to heal from your blood points.

59

Path of the Alp Slumber

There are many cultures around the world and At 10th level, when you use your Energy Shape
while all of them have stories of undead creatures class feature you can expend 1 blood point. If you
who drain the life from your veins, not all of them do, the target must succeed on a Constitution
are so literal. Take for instance the alp: a spirit that saving throw or fall asleep as though affected by
takes the form of a butterfly or cat. While most see the spell sleep. If they succeed on this saving
harmless creatures, it isn’t until a swarm of them throw, they are not aware they were the target of
descends upon a body and steals the breath from this feature.
its lungs that their true nature is revealed. Stories
tell of loved ones hanging around doorways after The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your
being visited by these white spirits, an ominous Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
sign that doom shall soon cross the path of the
living. Breath Taker

Spiritual Vampire At 13th level, the range of your Energy Shape class
feature becomes 60 feet. Also, when you use your
At 3rd level, your body dissolves and your spirit Energy Shape class feature you can expend 1
becomes untethered. You no longer have a physical blood point. If you do a swarm of energy creatures
form and while not possessing a dead body you are sharing your form descends upon your opponent.
invisible, you cannot speak and you cannot take The target must succeed on a Constitution saving
actions, bonus actions, or reactions. throw or begin to asphyxiate as though they were
drowning. You can sustain this effect by using 1
If you rest on a dead corpse that shares your blood point. If you do not sustain the effect, the
creature type for at least 1 minute, you possess target can breathe normally.
that body as though it were your own. The body
loses all of its statistics including attacks and The DC for this saving throw is 8 + your
abilities, except for size. Use your statistics, Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.
attacks, and abilities instead.
Suffocating
Each 24 hour period you do not gain a blood
point, you gain one level of exhaustion. Every 8 A creature can hold its breath for a number of
hour period you possess a body you gain 1 blood minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier
point and lose one level of exhaustion. This is the (minimum of 30 seconds).
only way you can gain blood points. Possessing the
corpse does not stop it from decaying. When a creature runs out of breath or is choking,
it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its
Energy Shape Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the
start of its next turn, it drops to 0 Hit Points and is
At 7th level, as an action, you can manifest your dying, and it can’t regain Hit Points or be stabilized
energy form for a period of time. When you do this until it can breathe again.
you appear as a ball of light or a creature made of
light. You can take the form of a cat, pig, dog, a For example, a creature with a Constitution of 14
poisonous snake, or most commonly a butterfly. If can hold its breath for 3 minutes. If it starts
you are possessing a corpse you stop doing so and suffocating, it has 2 rounds to reach air before it
the corpse becomes prone. drops to 0 Hit Points.

As part of the same action, choose a creature One of Us
within 30 feet. Your energy entangles the target
causing them to have disadvantage on all attacks, At 17th level, while not possessing a body you can
all saving throws except Constitution and all ability spend 1 blood point at the start of your turn. Doing
checks. Their AC lowers by 2. You return to your so allows you to act for the rest of the turn as
body at the end of this action. though you were possessing your original body,
which appears when you use this ability.

60

Backgrounds
Every story has a beginning. For
some the story of being a Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, History
revenant began with them being Tool Proficiencies: Alchemist’s supplies,
an accomplished sorcerer who herbalism kit
was killed on the battlefield Equipment: A bottle of black ink, a quill, a set of
before they had accomplished all common clothes, a letter of introduction bearing
they had set out to do in life. For the crest of the apprentice’s master, a pouch
others, the story of their curse begins before they containing 10 gp
ever became adventurers.
Suggested Methods of Affliction
Any adventurer of a cursed class could
conceivably come from any background. While Not every arcane apprentice stumbles into their
many clerics begin as acolytes there is nothing to curse the same way. Choose a method of
say they were not a charlatan seeking redemption, contracting your curse, or roll on the table below.
or a noble fleeing from the vanity of the court.
Likewise, any cursed could be placed on a person d6 Method of Affliction
from any walk of life. That being said, sometimes
the affliction of a curse is the most important part 1 I was asked to drink a potion. It burned going
of a person’s life to that point. For that reason the down.
following backgrounds may help you construct a
level-one cursed adventurer. I should have died falling off the library
2 ladder. My master saved me, but at what
Arcane Apprentice
cost?
Suitable for all cursed classes, especially magic
users. 3 I was carrying a stack of tall books and failed
to notice the magic circle I walked into.
You have devoted your life to the service of a
master of the arcane, assisting them with their 4 I went to sleep in my bed. I woke up on a
research in hopes that you could someday become stone altar, hearing strange chanting.
a powerful arcanist yourself. Your life has until this
point generally revolved around helping your 5 I took on some additional studying, and read
master by collecting their reagents, organizing a dusty tome I shouldn’t have.
their library, cleaning their study, cooking their
meals, or any number of odd jobs asked of an I was organizing the potion cabinet when the
apprentice. shelf broke, and dozens of bottles fell on me.
6 I don’t remember what happened next, but I
However being an apprentice to an arcane
master puts you in close proximity to all manner of woke up changed.
strange chemicals, substances, spells, and runes of
questionable use. You may or may not be aware Feature: House Of Learning
that apprentices are sometimes called upon to be
test subjects, and that your master may or may not As an arcane apprentice in good standing with the
ask your permission first. academic community, you can expect shelter to be
offered to you from institutes of learning so long as
they possess dormitories or other living facilities.
You will receive basic room and board from an
institute as long as you have not shown yourself to
be a threat to them.

61

Suggested Characteristics d6 Ideal

Arcane apprentices are generally magically 1 Research. A day without learning is a day
inclined folk, though their transformation may wasted. (Neutral)
have robbed them of their magical potential. Still
they’re likely to continue to carry their fascination 2 Experimentation. It would be a waste not to
with all things arcane. Arcane apprentices tend to see what this curse is capable of. (Chaos)
be studious individuals who value research and
discovery, as well as the betterment of their own 3 Rationality. Let’s not get carried away by
skills and knowledge. thinking with our emotions. (Lawful)

4 Breakthrough. I will study and utilize my curse
to build a better life for others. (Good)

d8 Personality Trait 5 Selfishness. At the end of the day, all that
matters is furthering my own research. (Evil)

I’m always bursting with questions, and never 6 Fame. I want my name to be listed among the
1 afraid of asking them. I am convinced there greatest arcane researchers. (Any)

are no stupid questions. d6 Bond

There is nothing more precious in the world 1 I will make my master proud of me.
2 than knowledge, and books are worth their
2 I must find a cure for this curse, not for my
weight in gold to me. own sake, but for others.

I always have an ill-timed anecdote about my
master’s research and experiments, which is
3 never as appropriate for the situation as I 3 My parents gave up everything to win my
apprenticeship. I must repay them.
think.
All of my efforts and study are for the good of
4 I believe in being organized and orderly in all 4 generations to follow me.
aspects of life.
I will do anything to serve and aid the magic
5 The quality of a city can be measured in the 5 school where I studied.
size of its libraries and academies.
6 My fellow apprentices are like siblings to me.
6 I like to break things to see how they work,
and how to remake them. d6 Flaw

7 I talk a lot when I’m nervous. A lot. Usually 1 I can’t think straight in a messy environment.
delivering essays on magical subjects. It clouds my mind.

8 I’m convinced that other arcane students will 2 I take a little too much pride in telling people
consider me a test subject and not a peer. when they’re wrong.

I can’t admit that I don’t know something,
3 and I’m prone to making up details and

presenting them as fact.

4 I judge the failings of others harshly, and treat
my own failings as catastrophic.

5 When I have a magic subject to study, I may
forego food or sleep.

6 I will do anything for the opportunity to learn.

62

Sacrifice Suggested Characteristics

SuYiotaubllievefodrmlyuccahntohfryoopuerolrifevaumnpdierre.the gaze of a A sacrifice probably never intended to become an
powerful beast. It was an accepted fact of life that adventurer before their life took a drastic turn.
an evil creature considered your home to be part They likely had plans to pursue a trade, maintain a
of its territory, and your people to be cattle for the home, and live out their life as a productive
slaughter. In spite of this you worked to build a life member of their community. Taking on a cursed
for yourself. That life was a relatively ordinary one class will be a shock to their system and they may
in spite of the surrounding circumstances until it find themselves feeling like a fish out of water.
was decided that you held more value to your
community as a sacrifice than you did as a d8 Personality Trait
contributing citizen.
1 I always wanted to be an adventurer, I just
You might have listened as the votes were didn’t think it would happen like this.
counted and your neighbors nominated you, or
perhaps you were drug from your home in the 2 Sometimes I don’t even notice when I grunt
middle of the night without warning. Perhaps the or growl in place of using actual words.
choice was made by the local oracle, who hung a
marker above your door to signal to the beast that 3 I try to apply rural bumpkin logic, experience,
you were being offered up. Regardless of how it and solutions to everything.
came to be you were offered up, and the sacrifice
was taken. 4 Table manners escape me often, and I may
snarl if anyone gets near my plate.
Whereas others have died or become enslaved,
you awoke with your wits about you still and a 5 I’m entirely oblivious to how out-of-my-
strange new power coursing through your veins. element I may be at any given time.
You had served your people as their sacrifice but
now they looked upon you in terror. You no longer 6 I don’t know how to behave like a noble but
hold a place among them, and it is time you that will never stop me from trying.
venture out into the world.
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Survival 7 If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools, small-town life is preferable to adventuring.
vehicles (land)
Equipment: A small knife, a mess kit, a trinket I don’t see why I should let a little curse that
from your hometown, a set of traveler’s clothes, causes me to hunger for mortal flesh and
and a pouch containing 10 gp 8 blood stop me from living my life to the

Feature: Walk Among The People fullest.

You fit in amongst the common folk with ease, as d6 Ideal
long as you are able to hide the visible signs of
your cursed affliction. You can find a place to hide, 1 Peace. I just want to return to the simple life I
rest, or recuperate among other commoners once had. (Neutral)
unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to
them. They will shield you from accusations of 2 Revenge. I want those who sacrificed me to
being a lycanthrope, vampire, or other cursed know the fear and pain I felt. (Evil)
creature for as long as they believe you to not be
afflicted though they will not risk their lives for 3 Change. Life is like a river and I must go with
you. the flow, even in violent rapids. (Chaos)

4 Faith. Everything happens for a reason. I just
have to figure out my purpose. (Lawful)

5 Nature. I feel closer to the wild than ever, and
I want to embrace it freely. (Any)

Break The Circle. I wasn’t the first sacrifice
6 made, but I will be the last. I must end the

beast before anyone else falls victim. (Good)

63

d6 Bond d6 Flaw

1 I still care for my neighbors and would 1 I don’t trust easily. I always assume others
sacrifice myself again for their sakes. will betray me.

2 My home is my home, and I will return to my 2 When I drink too much, I get a little... feral.
land one day, regardless of its people.
3 I trust too quickly and share my secrets too
3 Before I became afflicted, I had a lover, and I easily.
hope to see them again someday.
4 I fear the hunger inside of me, always worried
4 After I fled from home, I was taken in by a I’ll hurt someone I care for.
kindly old hermit. I want to repay them.
5 Sorry, I can’t be held responsible for what I
5 I want to return home to see my family and do in the moonlight.
let them know I’m safe.
6 I’m enamored with the idea that now I am the
6 I hold a grudge against all those who let me hunter in power, and others my prey.
be sacrificed.

64

Guardian Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Religion
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools,
SuYiotaubrledefodricbaotiuonndtosptihreitvoorwflsoryaosuphaawvne.taken in musical instrument
life has never wavered, never been questioned by Equipment: A symbol of your vows or order, a
anyone but a fool. Much of your life has been spent musical instrument (one of your choice), a set of
honing your body to carry out the tasks that have common clothes or vestments, and a pouch
been asked of you. You are a guardian whether of a containing 10 gp
living being, a material place or object, or even the
guardian of something more ephemeral like oral Feature: Knowledge of Sanctity
history or spiritual teachings.
Your familiarity with sanctified, protected spaces
However, the limitations of the mortal body allows you to more easily recognize them even
make for a frail protector of ageless things without when formed by faiths, orders, or organizations
a little extra help. Whether you chose to give your different from your own. You have advantage on
body to your cause and accept the changes that Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence
you have been blessed with or your fragile mortal (Investigation) checks to detect the presence of a
body fell and your life was saved only by the curse, guardian in spaces that currently have or have
the results are the same: You are now an ageless previously had a guardian like yourself.
guardian, with an eternity to uphold your vows.
Suggested Characteristics

Guardians are dedicated people and their
dedication is usually not limited only to their vows
of stewardship. Instead of a wishy-washy
personality, consider an individual who commits
themselves fully to everything they set out to do. A
Guardian doesn’t have to agree with everything
that their organization believes and may have
some deeply held disagreements, but their
dedication to their purpose is nigh-unshakable.

65

d8 Personality Trait

1 I’m all too accustomed to an ascetic life and
luxuries make me uncomfortable.

2 Every promise I make, no matter how small, is
a matter of honor for me.

3 I have little experience dealing with people
and the world at large outside of my peers.

If I ever still my tongue, it’s still brutally
4 obvious to everyone that I want to say

something.

5 My teacher spoke wisdom applicable to every
situation and I’m always eager to share it.

I’m technically immortal, but not
6 indestructible. I need to be reminded of this

often.

7 Talking is for diplomats. I prefer a
straightforward approach.

8 Every problem, no matter how large or small,
is an exasperating test of my dedication.

d6 Ideal

1 Patience. I have all the time in the world to
wait out any problems. (Neutral)

2 Normalcy. I want only to return to the duties
I’ve been taken away from. (Lawful)

3 Pursuit. My vow has been broken, and so am I,
until I find another purpose. (Chaos)

4 Tradition. My traditions must be preserved,
upheld, and taught to others. (Any)

5 Greater Good. No vow is worth more than the
lives of the innocent. (Good)

6 Relentless. My pledge is worth more than
anything or anyone. (Evil)

d6 Bond d6 Flaw

1 My order gave me shelter when I was alone in I’m proud of my accomplishments in
the world. I owe them everything. 1 guarding my vow and take note of them

2 I was given to my duty as an infant by my often.
parents. I wish to make them proud.
2 I put no trust in others to safeguard what I
I was my teacher’s last pupil, and I must carry find valuable.
3 on their teachings for a new generation.
3 If my daily rituals are interrupted, I feel
In my youth, my sleep was filled with visions unsettled for the whole day.
4 of my duty. My vow is destined.
4 I have no sympathy for those who die in the
My fellow guardians are like family to me, line of duty. They were weak and failed.
5 sworn by blood vows.
My heart still can’t resist a pretty face or
I must make the most of the opportunities 5 pleasing words, regardless of my body or
6 granted to me, lest I let down my peers who
vows.
did not receive this blessing.
I sometimes allow anger to cloud my
6 judgment and forget about my vows in the

haze.

66

Discover other products by Cursed Classes authors...

BE What Goes Writing & Design Credits
Bump In The
Alex Clippinger - Lich.
Night Bryan Holmes - Lycanthrope, Werebear,
Wereboar, Wererat, Weretiger, Werewolf,
Should an event as dramatic as a vampire bite or Drowned, Wastes, Dark Master, Alp.
a brush with lycanthropy mean the end of an Ryan Langr - Omniscient, Wereape,
adventurer? No! Wereraven, Werecrocodile, Avenger,
Instead, open the next chapter of your Umbraged, Daywalker.
adventurer's tale with their struggle or Jacob S. Kellogg - Vampire.
acceptance of their new found power. Cursed Isaac A. L. May - Floraspawn, Revenant,
Classes allows your adventurers to grow with Spore Savant, Vegepeople, Wood Woad,
their afflictions, learning to conquer them. and Baelnorn.
Ashley May - Becoming Cursed chapter,
WWW.GMBINDER.COM infoboxes, backgrounds.
Matthew Whitby - Bound Spirit, Suit of
Armor, Flesh Golem, and Stone Golem.

Technical Credits

Editing by Kayla Bayens.
Layout by Ashley May.

Art Credits

Dana Braga - Cover, class icons, and
interior art on pages 12, 19, 21, 32, 42,
and 50.
Dean Spencer - Interior art on pages 31,
41, and 58.
Bryan Holmes - Interior art on page 23.
Bradley K McDevitt - Interior art on
page 39.
CleoStarr - Interior art on page 43.
Fat Goblin Games - Interior art on page
47.
All other CC0 artwork sourced from
Pixabay, Unsplash, and Wikimedia
Commons.