BLOODLINE LEVELS
Over the course of his career, a character with a bloodline be-
comes more powerful than one without a bloodline. Because
the power gain is gradual over a span of twenty levels, a static
level adjustment doesn’t truly reflect this difference. Instead, a
bloodline character must take one or more levels of “bloodline”
at various points in his career, as noted on Table 1–2: Bloodline
Levels. Before a character with a bloodline reaches the indicated
character level, he must take one class level of “bloodline.” Class
levels of “bloodline” do not increase a character’s character level
the way a normal class level does, but they do provide certain
benefits (see below).
If the character does not take a class level of bloodline before
reaching the character level indicated on the table, he gains
no further bloodline traits and must take a 20% penalty on all
future XP gains. As soon as he meets the minimum bloodline
level, he gains all bloodline abilities due him according to his
character level, and the XP penalty no longer applies.
For example, Alarion is a 1st-level character with a major
bloodline (silver dragon). The bloodline trait he receives at 1st
level is a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks. When he reaches 2nd
character level, he gains the Alertness feat as a bloodline trait. Be-
fore he reaches 3rd character level, he must take a level of blood-
line in order to continue gaining bloodline traits. If he reaches
3rd character level and has no bloodline levels, he does not gain
the bloodline trait due him at 3rd character level (Strength +1)
and must take a 20% reduction on all future XP gains. If he later
meets the minimum required bloodline levels, he gains his 3rd-
level trait at that time (as well as any other traits he may have
failed to receive for not taking his bloodline level right away),
and the XP reduction no longer applies to future gains. Before
reaching his 6th character level, he must have taken two levels
of bloodline in order to keep gaining bloodline traits. If he takes
his third bloodline level before reaching 12th character level, he
becomes eligible to gain all the traits of his bloodline (as they
become available when he reaches new character levels).
A bloodline level grants no increase in base attack bonus or
base save bonuses, no hit points or skill points, and no class
features. It counts as a normal class level (with no class skills)
for the purpose of determining maximum skill ranks. Levels of
bloodline never result in XP penalties for multiclass characters.
Include the character’s bloodline level when calculating any
character ability based on his class levels (such as caster level for
spellcasting characters, or save DCs for characters with special
abilities whose DCs are based on class level). The character
doesn’t gain any abilities, spells known, or spells per day from
the addition of his bloodline levels, though—only the calcula-
tions of his level-based abilities are affected.
If a character has levels in two or more classes in addition to
his bloodline levels, each class gains the benefit of adding the
bloodline levels when calculating abilities.
For example, a 2nd-level sorcerer with a major bloodline takes
a bloodline level when earns enough XP to advance in level. He
is treated as a 3rd-level spellcaster for the purpose of spell du-
rations, caster level checks, and so forth. But he doesn’t gain a
3rd-level sorcerer’s spells per day or spells known.
Similarly, the stunning attacks of a 3rd-level monk with one
bloodline level have a save DC equal to 12 (10 + one-half class
level) plus her Wisdom modifier, since the bloodline level is
treated as if it were a monk class level when calculating the save
DC. A 3rd-level monk/3rd-level sorcerer with two bloodline
levels would be treated as a 5th-level spellcaster and a 5th-level
monk for determining level-based abilities.
