Siphon Slinking through the eddying crowds, an injured human murmurs a fell incantation to himself as he touches an unsuspecting passerby. His victim staggers as if struck, clutching a side suddenly alive with blinding pain. The human strides away, refreshed, his wounds fading with each step. Fiends bear down on a gnome and her comrades as they race through bloodstained snows. With a cry, one of her companions trips over a treacherous stone and falls, her ankle bent at a tortured angle. The gnome grits her teeth as she reaches for her fallen friend, overwhelmed as she takes on the burden of his pain. As the tiefling feels the tingle of magic in the air, he smiles. His foe hurls a roaring fireball toward him with a victorious cackle. The roiling sphere of liquid flame soars toward its target... and vanishes, the only evidence of its passage a momentary glow of power around its intended victim's form. Anima is a potent and mysterious force that quickens all living things. Whether through study or inborn ability, siphons are attuned to the ebb and flow of this power. In the hands of the benevolent, it can be manipulated to bolster allies and ease pain. When wielded by the dark of heart, it is a corrosive and hungry thing, the source of abilities unnatural and vile. Siphons are frequently misunderstood, their powers associated with vampirism and undeath. The truth is that in every siphon is the potential for great good, but also for darkest ill. Life in the Balance Siphons have an unusual appreciation for living beings. To them, a friend or neighbor is not just an individual, but part of a greater web of life energy that can be manipulated, strengthened, or fatally severed. Motivated by compassionate self-sacrifice or selfish desire, a siphon is ever aware of the threads entangling them. Their manipulation of life force, or Anima, grants them heightened physical abilities and unique versatility. Siphons can devote their art toward tending the sick or injured at the cost of others, spreading weakness among many to facilitate healing. They can be peerless warriors as well, savagely tearing strength from their foes to their own gain. Others may even wed their arts to the powers of magic, using their gifts to absorb and redirect potent spells. In a siphon's eyes, all living things are but threads in an endless tapestry, and they are its tireless weavers. Uplifted and Outcast To be a siphon is a heavy blessing. Most are born with their powers, which manifest -- often violently -- during puberty, though a scant few seek out the power by delving into mutagenic magical augmentations and transformative rites. Siphons frequently conceal their abilities. Even jurisdictions with a tolerance for arcana may take a dim look on a siphon's skills, seeing them as little better than foul necromancy. Some become lonesome outcasts, while others hide in plain sight through judicious use of their power: a bit of vitality given to an ailing neighbor; a surge of needed fortitude in a bar fight; a hated enemy suddenly falling ill. A siphon's preternatural senses often tug them, unsuspecting, into an adventuring life. It can be difficult to resist the comparative freedom of the road, where they can indulge in their power more freely with fewer prying eyes and less damning consequences. 1

The Siphon Level Proficiency Bonus Features Maximum Anima Points 1st +2 Anima, Essence Wrack 2 2nd +2 Fortified Blood, Consume Vitality 2 3rd +2 Critical Tenacity, Siphon Bloodline 2 4th +2 Willing Flesh, Ability Score Improvement 3 5th +3 Malignancy, Wracking Blows, Essence Wrack improvement 3 6th +3 Siphon Bloodline feature 3 7th +3 Inexorable Bond 3 8th +3 Pulsereader, Ability Score Improvement 3 9th +4 Harmonious Accord 4 10th +4 Mindmold 4 11th +4 Siphon Bloodline feature, Essence Wrack improvement 4 12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 4 13th +5 Spirit Famine 5 14th +5 ─ 5 15th +5 Vigor of the Leech 5 16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 5 17th +6 Siphon Bloodline feature, Essence Wrack improvement 6 18th +6 Spreading Necrosis 6 19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 6 20th +6 Lifebinder 6 Creating a Siphon While creating your siphon, consider the ramifications of the uncanny and unsettling powers that you possess. The manifestation of such abilities -- the manipulation of life essence -- might be traumatic and tragic, or it might be the culmination of a long road to incredible power. Do you wield your abilities responsibly? If not, are you blatant in your rampant abuses of life essence, or are you a subtle manipulator, plying the anima as a spider might its deadly web? Siphons are often outcasts, but sometimes their powers are confused for holy signs or heralds of dark things to come. Consider how your talents affected your life, for better or for ill. Siphons are often solitary in nature due to the misunderstood nature of their skills or their deadly misuse. Keeping strong allies might mean the difference between a long life and death at the hands of the ignorant or the wary. It also might be enough to keep you from succumbing to the darkest temptations of great power. Quick Build You can make a siphon quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Constitution your highest ability score, followed by Strength or Dexterity. Second, choose the outlander background. Class Features As a siphon, you gain the following class features. Hit Points Hit Dice: 1d10 per siphon level

1d10 per siphon level Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier

10 + your Constitution modifier Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per siphon level after 1st Proficiencies Armor: Light armor, medium armor

Light armor, medium armor Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons

Simple weapons, martial weapons Tools: None Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence

Constitution, Intelligence Skills: Choose two from Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Nature, Medicine, Survival, and Deception Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background leather armor

(a) a simple melee weapon

(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack 2

Anima Your attunement to the web of life energy connecting all creatures allows you to harvest raw vital essences. Your access to this energy is represented by an amount of anima points. The maximum number of anima points you can store is determined by your siphon level, as shown in the Maximum Anima Points column of the Siphon table. You can spend these points to fuel various anima features. You start knowing two such features: Verve and Vigor. You learn more anima features as you gain levels in this class. You lose all anima points when you finish a long rest, at the end of which any anima points you have harvested disperses back into the surroundings. Some of your anima features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Anima save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier Verve When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can expend one anima point to roll a d4 and add the result to your attack roll. This can be done before or after taking your attack roll, but only before the result of the roll is decided. Vigor When an attacker that you can see causes damage to you, you can use your reaction to spend 1 anima to roll a d4 and add the result to your Armor Class until the end of your next turn. This increase is not applied to the triggering attack. Essence Wrack You can use your attunement to creatures' life forces to drain vitality from a hostile creature, suffusing yourself with its stolen anima. As an action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. It must succeed a Constitution saving throw against your anima save DC or suffer 1d10 necrotic damage. On a failed save, you gain one anima point. This feature's damage increases by one die when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 16th level (4d10.) Fortified Blood Beginning at 2nd level, you innately draw upon the web of life to invigorate yourself as you rest. Upon completing a short or long rest, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your siphon level. Consume Vitality Also at 2nd level, as a bonus action, you can spend one anima point to regain hit points equal to 1d6 + half your siphon level. The amount healed increases by one die at 7th level (2d6 + half your siphon level), 12th level (3d6 + half your siphon level), and 17th level (4d6 + half your siphon level). You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier per long rest. Siphon Bloodline Beginning at 3rd level, you dedicate yourself to siphon bloodline: the Bloodline of the Mender, the Bloodline of the Spellbreaker, or the Bloodline of the Reanimator. Your chosen bloodline encompasses a philosophy and accompanying skills that define how you use your siphon powers. Your bloodline grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. Critical Tenacity At 3rd level, you can expend harvested life force to strengthen your spirit's connection to your body when knocked unconscious. While unconscious, you can expend one anima point to gain advantage on a death saving throw. In addition, when you become stable as a result of succeeding at three death saving throws, you gain 1d6 hit points, returning to consciousness. You may return to consciousness in this fashion once per long rest. Ability Score Improvement When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 by using this feature. Willing Flesh By 4th level, your will to live becomes a force of its own, amplifying the effects of healing potions and spells. When you regain hit points through magical means, add your Constitution modifier to the amount healed. In addition, you can reroll 1s on hit dice you expend to regain health. Malignancy At 5th level, you have learned to twist the floes of essence when striking at your foes. Upon making a successful weapon attack, you can expend up to three anima points to enhance the blow with necrotic energy, causing the attack to do an additional 1d6 necrotic damage for each anima spent. You can use this feature once per turn. Wracking Blows Beginning at 5th level, you can use Essence Wrack immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn. You can use this feature once per turn. If you have the Extra Attack feature, you cannot benefit from it and Wracking Blows on the same turn. 3

Inexorable Bond Starting at 7th level, you can forge anima into an invisible, durable thread that entwines your soul with that of another creature. As an action, you can spend two anima and target a creature you can see within 15 feet. If unwilling, that creature must roll a Constitution saving throw against your anima save DC. On a failed save or if it does not resist, the creature is bound to you and cannot move more than 15 feet away from you by choice. When you take damage, the damage taken is split between you and the creature to which you are bound, and the creature may repeat its saving throw to end the effect prematurely. This effect ends after one minute or if the creature is moved more than 15 feet away from you. Pulsereader When you reach 8th level, your senses allow you to detect subtle variances in the life forces of creatures. You have advantage on Insight checks used to determine a creature's intentions. As a bonus action, you can expend one anima point to gain Blindsight within 20 feet for 1 minute. Harmonious Accord At 9th level, the vital energy of your stored anima seeps into the air around you, empowering your allies. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet gain resistance against poison and necrotic damage. You must be conscious to grant this bonus. Mindmold Beginning at 10th level, you can use your connection to the web of life to subtly manipulate the emotions of others in your favor. You have advantage on Insight checks to determine a creature's intentions. When making an Intimidation, Deception, or Persuasion check, your target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your anima save DC. On a failed save, you gain advantage on the check. Spirit Famine By 13th level, you can unleash your vitality on your foes, raking the life force from their bodies. As an action, you can erupt with necrotic energy. All hostile creatures within 30 feet must succeed at a Constitution saving throw against your anima save DC or take 3d12 necrotic damage. You gain one anima point for each creature hit. You may use this feature a number of times equal to half your Constitution modifier. All expended uses are regained at the end of a long rest. Vigor of the Leech Beginning at 15th level, you can add half the current amount of anima points you are holding, rounded down, to all saving throws. This does not expend anima points. Spreading Necrosis At 18th level, when you roll damage for an attack or siphon feature and roll the maximum number on any die, roll another of that die and add its result to the attack as necrotic damage. The additional damage dice do not benefit from this feature. Lifebinder At 20th level, you have become an avatar of the web of life. You regain health points equal to your Constitution modifier at the beginning of each turn while you are conscious. You also have advantage on Constitution saving throws. Siphon Bloodlines Siphons perceive that all living beings are of one family, a commonality that supercedes one's physical lineage. They organize themselves into bloodlines, metaphorical groupings defined by their approach to the unique magics that they wield. The following choices are available to siphons: the Bloodline of the Mender, the Bloodline of the Reanimator, and the Bloodline of the Spellbreaker. Bloodline of the Mender There are those gifted with the powers of the siphon who see it as their responsibility to preserve life and ameliorate pain. Menders know that the web of life is often cold and unforgiving, but they lend compassion to its cruelty. They work as might a conscientious gardener, cutting away rot to enable the plant as a whole to flourish. A mender's oath is simple: for every wasted death, a life preserved; for injuries done, a mending made. Arts of Preservation When you choose this bloodline at 3rd level, your study of the physical form and ephemeral spirit grant you greater knowledge of mundane healing. You gain expertise in the Medicine skill. Restorative Balance Also at 3rd level, you can manipulate your Essence Wrack to serve as a conduit to transfer life force to a friendly creature. Whenever you damage a hostile creature with Essence Wrack, you can choose not to gain an anima point and instead heal a friendly creature you can see within 30 feet for half the damage done. Essence Surge At 6th level, you have mastered the essence floes. As an action, you can expend any number of anima points to heal all allies within 15 feet for 1d8 per anima point consumed + your Constitution modifier. You may use this feature a number of times equal to half your Constitution modifier. All expended uses are recovered after a long rest. 4

Heartwarden By 11th level, your attunement to the web of life allows you to bolster the injured at the expense of the hale. As an action, you can expend two anima points and target a friendly creature. Combine your hit points and those of the creature. Your hit points and those of the creature become half this amount, rounded down. Neither your health nor your target's can exceed your respective maximum hit points through use of this feature. Indurate Soul At 17th level, when an ally takes damage from an Attack, you can use your reaction to spend two anima points to halve the attack's damage. Bloodline of the Reanimator The Reanimator's bloodline is shrouded in dark whispers and vile rumors, few of which do justice to the techniques of its adherents. Reanimators warp the power of harvested anima into a semblance of life and instill it into lifeless things, the most common of which are their unsettling spirit dolls. There are those who have embraced the techniques of the bloodline in an effort to fight evil with evil, but these are few and far between, for utilizing such dark arts is always a dance on a knife's edge. Arts of Desecration When you select the Bloodline of the Reanimator at 3rd level, your unnatural manipulations of life force are honed to the point that you can breathe life into an unliving doll specially prepared for that purpose. Working for one day, you can craft an inert spirit doll from harvested bone and flesh. Over a long rest, you can expend any amount of anima points to quicken the inert doll. The resulting quickened doll is a tiny creature with starting hit points equal to 1d10 per anima point expended in its construction. It remains quickened for one day per anima point expended. It is a tiny creature that has your ability scores and modifiers, but it has a movement speed of 15 feet. It cannot wear armor and can only use light weapons. In battle, the doll uses your initiative and will follow your commands unfailingly. The doll becomes inert if its duration expires, if it moves more than 200 feet away from you, if it drops to 0 hit points, or if you quicken another spirit doll. An inert doll can be quickened by repeating the process outlined in this feature. Symbiotic Pact Also at 3rd level, you can use the life force of your foes to shield your spirit doll. When you deal damage to a hostile creature with Essence Wrack and have a quickened spirit doll active, it gains half the damage done as temporary health. Baleful Eye Beginning at 6th level, when your quickened doll damages a creature by using the Attack action on its turn, you can spend one anima point to force that creature to make a Wisdom saving throw against your anima save DC. On a failed save, the creature is stunned until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Constitution modifier. All expended uses are recovered after a long rest. Crimson Thread By 11th level, you can transform the spiritual tether between you and your quickened doll into a weapon. As an action, you can spend two anima points to cause the thread between you and your doll to flare with power. All hostile creatures in a straight line between you and your doll must make a Wisdom saving throw against your anima save DC. Creatures failing this save take 4d10 Psychic damage and are frightened of you and your doll for one minute. Frightened creatures may repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn. You can use this ability a number of times equal to half your Constitution modifier. All expended uses are replenished at the end of a long rest. Aura of Fragility By 17th level, your doll is suffused with corrupted anima. As an action, you can spend three anima points to enhance this virulent aura for one minute. During that time, all hostile creatures within a 15 foot radius of your doll are vulnerable to necrotic damage and have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws. Bloodline of the Spellbreaker Spellbreakers are a rare and peculiar breed of siphon whose techniques bridge the gap between essence manipulation and the arcane. Adherents of the bloodline have learned to twist and redirect the powers of magic cast against them and their allies as easily as they spin the threads of essence. Arts of the Mage Hunter When you choose the Bloodline of the Spellbreaker at 3rd level, your research into the mystical arts grants you facility with the works of the magi. You gain expertise in the Arcana skill. Petrify Mind Also at 3rd level, your Essence Wrack clouds the minds of creatures it affects. When you damage a creature with Essence Wrack, its mind grows clouded. Its movement is reduced by half and its ranged spell attack and spell save DC are reduced by 1d4 until the end of its next turn. Mage Slayer Beginning at 6th level, you can channel your anima into a blow to strike at the minds of your foes. When you successfully hit a hostile creature with the Attack action on your turn, you can spend one anima point to enhance the blow, dealing 1d8 additional Psychic damage. If the creature is concentrating on a spell, it has disadvantage on the Constitution roll required to maintain concentration. 5