Blood Pool

At 1st level, a bloatmage gains a pool of blood points, representing an overload of her system with excess blood to extend her arcane abilities beyond their normal level. A bloatmage’s normal pool of blood points is equal to her level.

Blood points can be spent at the time of casting to cast a spell without using that spell’s spell slot. The spell slot remains unused (for spontaneous casters), or the spell is recalled as if it had not been cast (for spellcasters who prepare spells). Retaining a spell or spell slot in this manner costs a number of blood points equal to the spell’s level, and these points must be spent at the time of casting. Blood points do not give spellcasters access to spells they don’t already know or have prepared.

In addition, the bloatmage may push herself via her bloat ability in order to gain a number of extra blood points, but such exertion is a dangerous gamble. If the bloatmage’s current number of blood points is greater than her class level but less than or equal to twice her class level, she gains the sickened condition.

If her exertions push her beyond twice her normal blood point level, she immediately flies into a homicidal rage, striking out randomly with her most damaging attacks and abilities at friends and foes alike for 1d6 rounds or until her blood pool is reduced to 0 (whichever comes first). At the end of the rage, her blood points drop to 0, her hit points drop to –1, and she begins dying.

Each day, when the bloatmage rests to regain spells, she regains blood points up to her class level but not beyond (so if her bloatmage level is 5 but she currently has 8 points, she remains at 8 until she spends the extra points). Some bloatmages conduct constant rituals involving leeches or exsanguination in an attempt to regulate their systems. These rituals, which must be undertaken daily during spell preparation, give the bloatmage the option of subtracting 1 point from any bloating rolls (see below) after the results are known, but at the price of a non-cumulative –2 penalty to Constitution. This penalty cannot be removed, save by the bloatmage abandoning the rituals for a day (also during spell preparation), which removes it immediately.