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gallagher
2011-01-10, 12:56 PM
so as an adventurer, i enjoy most going into uncharted lands, roughing it in the wild, and being generally hardcore.

that being said, i most prefer frostburn. the tundra, the ice, the mystery. i am currently playing a crusader//cleric whose backstory involves him being a soldier in the great white north (our map is somewhat based off of the US map) fighting barbarian tribes and the whatnot, eventually becoming an officer through combat.

spells that i have used that have already pulled my butt out of the fire: Ice Slick, thin air, freeze armor, and frostbite (oh that is such a fun spell)

what is everyone's opinion of frostburn? i am currently looking at Disciple of Thrym, which i think is interesting. i wish i had room in my build for primeval

gbprime
2011-01-10, 07:42 PM
I'd rank it the #2 environment book, right behind Sandstorm. Frozen magic rocks, some of the PrC's are quite capable, and there's a little bit in the book for every class should it fit your conception.

There are two spells I particularly enjoy from the book. The first is Blood Snow. The idea of luring the enemy into a vampiric snow field and then immobilizing them is just evil. Not [Evil], just evil. :smallamused:

The second spell is Conjure Ice Beast. CIB 2 can get you an ice construct Hippogriff, which is lackluster in battle, but has an engulf ability and over 50 HP, making an excellent meat(sickle) shield. And with CIB 3 and 4, you get LOTS of them.

Aspenor
2011-01-10, 08:23 PM
I love Frostburn, mostly for the feats. You can make a truly sick caster utilizing Snowcasting and throwing in some other good feats, like Cold Focus, Greater Cold Focus, Draconic Aura: Energy (Cold).

Some of the other stuff, like Frozen Magic and Primitive Caster can be fun, flavorful, and useful too.

AslanCross
2011-01-10, 08:26 PM
Frostburn is pretty awesome, though I prefer Sandstorm for its PrCs.

Frostburn also takes a hit for Shivering Touch, but that never existed. Carry on, citizen.

Akal Saris
2011-01-10, 08:26 PM
I'd say it's definitely one of my top 5 D&D sourcebooks - I'm running a campaign that's gone from 9th to 16th exclusively set in the frozen wastelands of Icereach, and it's been a blast so far. I've used the feats, monsters, PrCs, and spells from the book, far more than I ever expected. I'll probably use the mini-campaign in it as well at some point.

Some of my favorites from the book:
-Snow Spiders are crazy good!
-All the class-leveled giants
-Ice Slick, Cleric 1 (a 20ft grease for clerics!)
-Beckon the Frozen for summoning
-Frostrager PrC

Dsurion
2011-01-10, 08:39 PM
I absolutely LOVE Frostburn. I don't really care for a lot of the crunch most of the 3.5 books but the terrain stuff and some of the magic is really good.

I'm using a lot of the terrain stuff in an Iron Age Viking campaign I'm running. With all of those ice floes and frozen lakes, a lot of people are regretting overlooking taking no ranks in swim. Same for survival in blizzards. Blizzards of Death Hail and Razor Sleet are particularly awesome. gbprime mentioned blood snow. How can that not be awesome?

Traps are all the standard fare, avalanches, icicles dropping, etc. but having rules for that is really cool.

The diseases are similarly good. Cabin Fever? Hilarious! Now a DM can force people to quit screwing around for long periods of time. Creeping frost? Slowly turning to ice.

I've used the Uldra and the Neanderthals a lot too, and to good effect.

I even love some of the prestige classes. I convinced a player who normally thinks of bards as a joke class to play a bard just because he likes the idea of being a skald-gone-stormsinger.

I wasn't overly impressed by the armor, exotic materials, or weapons, but what are ya gonna do? Great book.

Benly
2011-01-10, 09:08 PM
Frostburn has a ton of good stuff for all kinds of different characters, with the exception of the cryokineticist which is basically a big ol' flip-off in the general direction of psionic characters.

(However, it is pretty to adapt the cryokineticist to a rather solid Soulknife prestige class. Well, as solid as Soulknives get.)

The Glyphstone
2011-01-10, 09:17 PM
Frostburn has a ton of good stuff for all kinds of different characters, with the exception of the cryokineticist which is basically a big ol' flip-off in the general direction of psionic characters.

(However, it is pretty to adapt the cryokineticist to a rather solid Soulknife prestige class. Well, as solid as Soulknives get.)

A cold-based PrC for Soulknives makes sense, since they can't take the heat anyways.:smallbiggrin:

Dead_Jester
2011-01-10, 09:24 PM
Frostburn is one of my favorites, and it contains a lot of good stuff, especially for druids (Boreal Wind, Blood Snow, Frostfell, etc), as well as a wealth of DMing stuff, so it's definitely a good book.

Also, for the Crusader/Cleric, the only thing I can recommend is Ruby Knight Windicator (of course, with a better god as a prerequisite and better skill bonuses, someone like Thrym?).

Benly
2011-01-10, 09:25 PM
A cold-based PrC for Soulknives makes sense, since they can't take the heat anyways.:smallbiggrin:

Seriously, all you have to do is give it mind blade advancement and a d10 HD, change the entry reqs, and replace Frozen Fist with a mind blade upgrade and you've got one of the best soulknife build options out there.

...not that this is a terribly high bar to hurdle.

Jjeinn-tae
2011-01-10, 09:37 PM
I love Frostburn, but that might be be because it would almost be applicable in my front lawn.

I mainly like the cold weather rules, and the magical varieties of snow, but the "heroes against the hostile wilderness" has always been one of my favorite situations for stories.

Loren
2011-01-10, 09:46 PM
Orignially Poted by Gallaghera soldier in the great white north (our map is somewhat based off of the US map) fighting barbarian tribes

Are you, sir, implying that Canadians are barbarians? I'll have you know that we are very civilized up here.

That said, I had fun with a sugliin weilding neanderthal fighter and the enlarge spell (although it needed so many feats). What's that, did I just hit you across the for massive damage?
The fun wore off as the levels got higher though.

gallagher
2011-01-10, 10:05 PM
Are you, sir, implying that Canadians are barbarians? I'll have you know that we are very civilized up here.

That said, I had fun with a sugliin weilding neanderthal fighter and the enlarge spell (although it needed so many feats). What's that, did I just hit you across the for massive damage?
The fun wore off as the levels got higher though.
i am implying that there were barbarians in the frozen tundra in my game

from my experience, canadians are much too nice to go into a rage

The Glyphstone
2011-01-10, 10:06 PM
i am implying that there were barbarians in the frozen tundra in my game

from my experience, canadians are much too nice to go into a rage

That's what they want you to think....

gallagher
2011-01-10, 10:13 PM
That's what they want you to think....

and then they seduce you to their ways with french canadian women

i have been to quebec once for the winter festival... and MY GOD

gbprime
2011-01-10, 10:17 PM
i have been to quebec once for the winter festival... and MY GOD

It's worse in the summer. Where do you think the idea for the Stirge came from? Everyone in that country is immune to CON drain. It's eldritch, I tell you. :smalleek:

gallagher
2011-01-10, 10:34 PM
It's worse in the summer. Where do you think the idea for the Stirge came from? Everyone in that country is immune to CON drain. It's eldritch, I tell you. :smalleek:
i swear i am never vacationing with you guys, or we will spend the whole time LARPing

Fox Box Socks
2011-01-10, 10:37 PM
Of particular note is the titular spell, Frostfell, which is almost soul-crushingly good at killing stuff.

Greenish
2011-01-11, 01:50 AM
I'd rank it the #2 environment book, right behind Sandstorm.

Frostburn is pretty awesome, though I prefer Sandstorm for its PrCs.You filthy ninjas! :smallamused:

Rappy
2011-01-11, 02:13 AM
Personally, I much prefer Frost and Fur, but for an official title Frostburn's pretty good. I'd still rate it behind Sandstorm as my favorite of WotC's environmental titles, though.

Lord.Sorasen
2011-01-11, 03:06 AM
Before Frostburn, if I joined a game and said "Hi, I'd like my character to be a neanderthal. And I want him to wield a crossbow that shoots stalagmites. And I want him to have a penguin familiar. And I want him to ride upon the back of a large elk" that would be against the rules. Now it is RAW.

Point is, Frostburn is awesome.

Alleran
2011-01-11, 05:16 AM
Of particular note is the titular spell, Frostfell, which is almost soul-crushingly good at killing stuff.
I prefer Iceberg, because nothing beats being able to kill somebody by dropping an iceberg on them. Most hilarious death ever.

DarthCyberWolf
2011-01-11, 05:48 AM
One of my favorite things from Frostburn is a Major Iceheart. Get one of those, then take a hike across country...:smallbiggrin:

Malachei
2011-01-11, 06:14 AM
IMO, Frostburn is the best environment book. I think it is more classic than Sandstorm (which arguably offers some excellent content, as well) and more well-rounded than Stormwrack.

Oh, there is so much good content in it. Of course, some of the crunch suffers from game design issues (shivering touch), but the cold weather rules are wonderful, and I love the Frost Mage PrC.

But I think we are not alone. When recruiting for my Frostburn campaign, Into the Wild (Recruitment (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181245) / IC (not on GITP) (http://z14.invisionfree.com/Malachei/index.php?showforum=106)), I had to select from 17 submitted sheets.

bokodasu
2011-01-11, 08:53 AM
I like the spells in Sandstorm a wee bit better, but Frostburn is definitely my favorite book for flavor. I really wish my DM would use it; I love adventuring in the frozen northlands.

BadJuJu
2011-01-11, 02:37 PM
Frostburn is pretty awesome, though I prefer Sandstorm for its PrCs.

Frostburn also takes a hit for Shivering Touch, but that never existed. Carry on, citizen.

Yeah, saying shivering and touch too close together is illegal in my game. Same with Planar and Shepard.

Yora
2011-01-11, 02:46 PM
I like the book. And I don't even like D&D.

Irving
2011-01-11, 08:04 PM
Ever since I read the book, I'm been aching to do a Russian-centered D&D game. Now I'm finally striking one up at Myth Weavers. I'm as happy as a clam.

Lateral
2011-01-11, 09:43 PM
I like the book. I built a Primeval who was fun and a wizard who specialized in dropping massive icy objects on people who was fun. It's all plusses, except for that spell.

Tvtyrant
2011-01-11, 09:46 PM
That's what they want you to think....

Let the great Curling begin!

Benly
2011-01-11, 09:57 PM
Honestly, Shivering Touch wouldn't even be that bad except that I strongly suspect they miswrote what they wanted it to do. It has a duration, which makes no sense for what it does but would make sense if it was an ability penalty rather than ability damage. If you amend it to a penalty, it's a nasty debuff but not a dragonslayer.

Winter_Wolf
2011-01-11, 11:25 PM
Ever since I read the book, I'm been aching to do a Russian-centered D&D game. Now I'm finally striking one up at Myth Weavers. I'm as happy as a clam.

How happy are clams, really? :smalltongue:

I love Frostburn, it's even above Heroes of Horror for my favorite book. Then again I grew up in the cold cold north and I know ways to scare the crap out of players that have nothing to do with undead and everything to do with winter climates. :smallwink: