Revision 2

Overview

Magic in The Blood of Dawnwalker is described as "raw" and "ritual-based," with dark, primordial origins. Rebel Wolves was clear about the tone: "We're not going the high fantasy route." To cast spells, practitioners must carve runes into their flesh to "open the gate and welcome the power in." Coen becomes a living conduit for occult forces, and the magic is tied to grounded elements: blood, heat, and air that seems to pulse and breathe.

Visual appearance

During the day, Coen's runes appear as bloody scars etched on his skin. The aesthetic is deliberately dark and visceral rather than the glowing fantasy sigils common in other RPGs. The runes reflect the game's grounded approach to supernatural elements, treating magic as something painful and physical rather than elegant.

The night problem

This is where rune carving intersects with Coen's dual nature as a Dawnwalker. Because of his vampiric regeneration, Coen's runic scars seal over at night as his flesh heals itself. This renders the runes inert and makes rune-based magic unavailable during nighttime. The mechanic is one of the main reasons both forms have distinct combat identities: daytime Coen has swords and Hex magic, while nighttime Coen relies on vampire abilities.

HP cost

Hex abilities consume HP to cast, not just Activation Charges. Players must balance the power of their magic against their own survival. Since daytime Coen cannot regenerate health naturally (unlike his vampire form), every Hex cast is a genuine sacrifice. Crafted consumables from the crafting system become a critical resource for players who rely heavily on rune magic, as they are the only way to recover HP during the day.

Known Hex abilities

• Burning Blood: boils an enemy's blood and burns the skin, dealing damage over time

• Acrid Dust: a stun ability that creates openings for follow-up attacks

• Artery Attack: a finisher/execution move capable of decapitating enemies

Additional abilities beyond these three have been referenced but not yet demonstrated. The skill trees include a human abilities branch that contains further rune magic upgrades and new Hex spells.