Cardinal (5e Class)/Sin of the Deathless

While all Cardinals come into power that gets stronger the closer they are to meeting their end, and all blood magi carefully tread the balance between life and death, a handful of these unique souls come into their power after they've crossed that line and returned - Either awakening their latent Hemocraft in the process, or being returned to life by it alone. Whatever the case, these grim wielders of power from beyond mortal reach, sometimes known as Grimwalkers, walk their eternal path solemnly and, often, alone.

Grimwalker

Beginning at 1st level, you have escaped death. This grants you the following benefits:

• When you make a death saving throw, you may roll your Hemocraft die once and add the result to your saving throw.

• You cease to age, cannot be aged magically, and cannot die of old age.

• You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.

• You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in an inactive, motionless state, during which you retain consciousness.

Revenant Resilience

Also at 1st level, each time you take damage while you are Critical, you may roll your Hemocraft die once and subtract the result from the damage, regardless of source. This special reduction is applied after resistances, immunities and vulnerabilities are applied.

Additionally, you can continue acting even when on the brink of destruction. When you fall to 0 hit points while under the effects of Enervation or Decay, you can choose not to fall unconscious until the start of your next turn. When you begin your turn with 0 hit points, you must choose to either fall unconscious, or act normally; If you act normally, you must still make death saving throws as normal. However, you must make your death saving throw on this turn with disadvantage, and you suffer from Enervation until the start of your next turn, at which point you must choose again.

Crimson Flow

Your veins overflow with sanguine power when your life force is strong, but they likewise harden as they empty.

Beginning at 3rd level, whenever you are Uninjured, whenever you Rend yourself, you may roll twice the normal number of Hemocraft dice, doubling both the amount of health you lose, and the potency of that Rend.

For example, an Uninjured Cardinal of 6th level attacks a target with Blade of Blood. Instead of 2d6, they could roll 4d6, adding that as bonus damage to their attack.

Likewise, whenever you are Wounded, whenever you would lose hit points to a Rend or to the expenditure of a Sacrifice Point, you lose only half of the normal number of hit points (Rounded down).

For example, a Wounded Cardinal of 17th level uses Cardinal Aptitude to Minor Rend to an Acrobatics check to escape a giant's grapple. Rolling their d12 for the Rend, they roll a total of 6, giving them a +6 bonus on the check. However, they only lose 3 hit points to the Rend, instead of 6.

Life Finds a Way

Beginning at 3rd level, your life essence grows strong enough that it persists in residual form even after your demise. If a spell, such as Raise Dead, has the sole effect of restoring you to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn't need material components to cast the spell on you.

Carmine Revivification

Beginning at 7th level, your immortal flame hungrily consumes any fuel that it is given, springing back to life from only an ember.

Whenever you regain hit points while Wounded, you regain the maximum possible amount instead of rolling.

Whenever you regain hit points while Critical, instead of rolling, you regain hit points equal to twice the maximum hit points you would have regained.

Finally, you are immune to disease and to any effect that would reduce your maximum hit points.

Vampiric Rebirth

Beginning at 11th level, death becomes your second chance instead of your end. When you have to make a death saving throw at the start of your turn, you can instead rip vitality from those around you to rejuvenate your self with a storm of necrotic power. You regain hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. Each creature of your choice that is within your Corpse Magic range takes Necrotic damage equal to 4 rolls of your Hemocraft die, + your Constitution modifier. Each creature that suffers this damage also suffers from Enervation for 1 minute.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Lifeblood Ignition

Beginning at 15th level, you learn how to restore others to life using your own unwavering immortality. You can Major Rend at will in order to cast the Revivify spell without material components, using Constitution as your spellcasting ability. The creature returns to life with hit points equal to the Rend Bonus of your Major Rend.

Once you've revived a creature with this ability, that creature cannot benefit from this feature again until they finish a Long Rest.

As an additional benefit, you regain the use of your Vampiric Rebirth feature whenever you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Stygian Veins

At 18th level, you become an unkillable force of nature, your blood poured right from the river Styx. This grants you the following benefits:

• You no longer suffer disadvantage on death saving throws when you use your Revenant Resilience. Additionally, Revenant Resilience can be used even when you're not suffering the effects of Enervation or Decay.

• You are immune to any effect that would slay you outright.

• You regain the use of your Vampiric Rebirth feature whenever you become Uninjured.

• You can brush away the veil between life and death as if it were a cobweb. You may cast the True Resurrection spell, using Constitution as your spellcasting ability. When cast this way, you may cast the spell as an action, and it requires no material components. Once you cast this spell in this way, you must finish a Long Rest before you may do so again.