Bloodlines

Bloodlines are exceedingly rare. The System cannot create new Bloodlines but will sometimes recycle them from the deceased. New bloodlines appearing in established universes is quite rare, but somewhat common in newly initiated universes.^[1] Those who are the first to awaken a given Bloodline is given the Title of Bloodline Patriarch or Bloodline Matriarch.

Bloodlines can be passed down hereditarily to the Holder's direct descendants. The chance of a descendant inheriting the bloodline goes down the more children the holder has with the chance being highest for the first child and decreasing for each subsequent child. Because men are generally capable of fathering many more children in a single life time than their female counterpart can give birth to, Bloodline Patriarchs are much more sought after than Bloodline Matriarchs.^[2]

Bloodlines are not inherently good or powerful. The majority of Bloodlines provide little to no practical benefit with some even damaging to the Bloodline holder.

Bloodlines and Transcendents both exist outside of the System, but paradoxically they exist because the System allows it because such deviations allow the System to learn and grow. Bloodline Holders and those with Transcendent skills often have a seemingly unfair advantage, as they gain skills and abilities without taking up a skill slot or being capped or limited by the system. The Malefic Viper describes it as "a Bloodline is a born cheater, then Transcendents are self-made cheaters"^[3]

Bloodline holders are able to detect other Bloodline holders. The presence of a bloodline cannot be hidden, but its functions can. Others may sense the general power of the bloodline, but the specific details are only known to the holder and those with which they choose to share.^[1]

Bloodline holders are resistant to divination as their bloodline abilities give them the ability to defy fate. The Viper notes that Jake's tutorial played out drastically different than anticipated because Jake's bloodline abilities could not be divined and caused him to react differently than the fates anticipated.^[4] Later, Jacob, who has a specialized divination skill, attempts to scry outcomes of the Treasure Hunt but notes that his skill is all but useless due to the presence of Jake, Eron, and the Sword Saint who have bloodline abilities and transcendent skills.

Bloodline holders have historically been extremely sought out by the many large factions of the Multiverse. In the early days of the System, Bloodline holders were hunted to near extinction by those who desired to find a way to steal their highly coveted power.

Once it became clear that the Bloodline could not be forcibly extracted from the Holder, many turned to abductions, enslavement, and coercion of those with Bloodlines for purposes of forced procreation and control of the Bloodline. This ultimately culminated in the Bloodline Accords being created in the 7th era and signed by all 12 Primordials as well as most active Gods.

Eversmile was able to spoof a skill on William's status screen, convincing the mortal he had a bloodline. The tip off that it was not a true bloodline was that Jake, an actual bloodline holder, could not sense it. Upon further investigation, the Fallen King pointed out that Bloodlines are not listed as skills, but rather have their own section in the stat sheet and that the rarity for a real bloodline is always "Bloodline Ability - Unique". In contrast, William's "bloodline" was listed as "Ancient" and housed under his skill list, despite the name containing the word "Bloodline":

[Bloodline of the Bondless One (Ancient)] – Grants resistance to passively creating karmic bonds. Increases ability to comprehend bonds and manipulate them.

• One way to get a bloodline outside of being born with it is through a system event. However, these events are "extremely, almost impossibly, rare"^[6] and the Viper himself describes these events as all but impossible to win.
• The Malefic Viper gained his bloodline in a system event. He was already a god^[1] and his bloodline was recycled from the First Sage by the System.
• When redeeming his tutorial points, Jake attempts to ask the System Guide about enhancing his bloodline^[7]. The Guide initially doesn't respond at all, similar to how most react to Forbidden Knowledge. When Jake continues to ask, the Guide simply says it does not have enough information to give a response, further demonstrating that bloodlines are not controlled by the system.
• Those with bloodlines cannot enter the Holyland,^[8] likely because it requires a level of soul binding which is impossible for bloodline holders.