Burn Magic for Pathfinder First Edition (Patreon)

The idea of using your own blood to fuel extra magic power is a common one in fantasy fiction, and lots of designers have taken a stab (pardon the pun) at adding it to Pathfinder First Edition. The main problem those systems run into is that they either expend hp (which are too easily replaced) or Constitution (which is too easy to replace if lesser restoration can handle it, and too hard to replace at most levels if lesser restoration can't replace it).

There is, however, another option; burn. The special damage created for the kineticist class can be used to represent self-bloodletting as a way to access additional power and, as the description burn notes, "channel more power than normal, pushing past the limit of what is safe for her body by accepting burn." Burn is well-understood by groups that have had kineticist characters, and has years of live-play experience behind it. It doesn't make a character easier to kill, but does put them as a health-related disadvantage that nothing but time can fix.

In short, it's perfect as the fuel for Blood Magic... or any "overchannel power" option a GM cares to add.

Here's a single feat designed to add a Burn Magic option to the game, just as a starting point of where I can go with this idea.

BURN MAGICYou can increase your spellpower by channeling more power than is safe for your body.Prerequisites: Caster level 1+Benefit: When you cast a spell, you can accept burn (as the kineticist class feature of the same name) to increase your caster level for that specific spellcasting.

*You can gain a +2 bonus to your caster level by accepting 1 point of burn.*If you are caster level 5 or more, you can gain a +4 bonus to your caster level by accepting 2 points of burn.*If you are caster level 9 or more, you can gain a +6 bonus to your caster level by accepting 3 point of burn.

You accept the burn when you begin casting the spell, and the increase to your caster level applies to only that instance of casting the spell. If you lose the spell or spell slot for any reason, or the spell is ineffectual, you still accept the burn.

(I have ideas for entire blood cults who can only cast spells in rituals, using burn... but that's for later. Art by Николай Акатов.)

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