Hyudra
2011-04-29, 03:30 PM
Frostwind Virago
http://i55.tinypic.com/2lnu61j.jpg
Monster Class
Source: Monster Manual V
Description & Details
The Frostwind Viragos are a powerful kind of faerie most often found in the coldest climates. They stand as tall as human women, with regal bearing. The skin of the Frostwind Viragos ranges in color from alabaster white to a blue tint, their hair ranges from snow white to platinum blond, though some Frostwind Viragos have been known to have black hair.
Her primary abilities are her Frostwind Powers, giving her the ability to demand favors from the most minor spirits and elementals of the wind, ice and snow. When she battles her foes, the winds whips up flurries of snow, spikes of ice erupt from the ground and the battlefield is turned into a frozen tundra. In this, the Frostwind Virago reflects the cruelty of the arctic climes and the uncaring devastation that winter can leave in its wake.
Such is not the full extent of her power. Just as the most terrible cold can cause it's victims to feel warm, euphoric and relaxed enough to lie in a snowbank and freeze to death, the Frostwind Virago can draw from her Faerie heritage to beguile a mortal's senses with the illusion and enchantment of her glamour.
Adventures: As a Faerie, the Frostwind Virago is a creature of an indeterminate lifespan. How a Faerie deals with such is a defining aspect of her particular species and individual character - some Faerie will celebrate, cavort and dance for centuries at a time to while away the years, while others amuse themselves by plaguing mortals with trickery, mischief or curses. Most Frostwind Viragos are content to remain in an icy landscape where Winter persists year round, preying on any who venture into her territory and occasionally dallying with romantic partners from the Frostborn or the human tribes of the winter tundra.
For a Frostwind Virago to break this pattern and begin adventuring, it typically takes something to jar her from her isolated life. Boredom strikes anyone after a handful of decades or centuries spent in the same place. Alternately, the Frostwind Virago may be ousted from her territory by someone or something more powerful than her, or ordered to some task by a higher ranking Faerie noble.
Alignment: The Frostwind Virago tends to be evil - she's a sociopath by nature - but a fair number can be neutral as well. She is also, by virtue of the winter she embodies, careful and patient enough that her fey nature doesn't make her out and out chaotic. She tends to be neutral rather than chaotic or lawful, with her place on this particular axis depending on how much of the winter is in her and how much of the Faerie runs through her veins.
Religion: Fey do not worship gods, as a general rule. The exact reasoning differs from setting to setting, but generally speaking, the Faerie are disinclined to negotiate unless they know there is something to gain, and loathe to put themselves into another's favor. To do so is as good as a death sentence with the politicking and the power struggles of the Faerie Courts, when a rival can force you to follow through on your word or be Forsworn.
As such, Frostwind Viragos do not tend to worship any gods. They may, however, pay homage to primal forces, or carry out a form of ongoing bargain or partnership with a god.
Ecology/Background: Most Frostwind Virago are born to another Frostwind Virago and either a Frostborn or a Human. Those that aren't might be lesser Fey who managed to steal/bargain for the name of an ice Faerie, tricked an ice Faerie or winter spirit into giving away their power or were granted their powers by an extremely powerful Faerie Lord.
Races: The race and class features of the Frostwind Virago are intertwined so tightly that the two cannot be separated. Upon taking the first level in this class, the Frostwind Virago loses all pre-existing racial features (including any gained skill points, proficiencies and/or feats) and gains the racial features of the Frostwind Virago, described below (See Frostwind Virago Body).
Other Classes: Frostwind Viragos tend to enjoy the company of the charismatic, such as bards, sorcerers and warlocks, and those who are attuned to nature, such as rangers. That said, they look down on casters (especially Druids) as being particularly crude in their attempts to alter the world around them - Imagine someone using bellows to inflate their own lungs rather than inhaling, and you have a sense of how strange it is for the Frostwind Virago to observe someone using such awkward measures to do something that she can do without a second thought.
Class:
HD: D6
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|
Special|
Frostwind Powers
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Frostwind Virago Body, Caress of the Frozen, Frostwind Powers (Least)|
1
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Frostbite Touch I, Glamour|
2
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Faeriekind|
2
4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4| Frigid Demesnes |
3
5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Kiss of the Frozen|
3
6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Frostwind Powers (Lesser)|
4
7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Frostbite Touch II|
4
8th|
+6|
+2|
+6|
+6|Faeriekith|
5
9th|
+6|
+3|
+6|
+6|Embrace of the Frozen|
5
10th|
+7|
+3|
+7|
+7|Cold Hearted|
6
11th|
+8|
+3|
+7|
+7|Frostbite Touch III, Frostwind Powers (Greater)|
7
12th|
+9|
+4|
+8|
+8|Faerieblood|
7
13th|
+9|
+4|
+8|
+8|Cold Hearted II |
8
14th|
+10|
+4|
+9|
+9|Ardour of the Frozen|
8
15th|
+11|
+5|
+9|
+9|Faerie Noble|
9
16th|
+12|
+5|
+10|
+10|Frostbite Touch IV, Frostwind Powers (Elite)|
10[/table]
Skill Points: (6 + Int modifier) per level, x4 at first level.
Class Skills: The Frostwind Virago’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any two, Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).
Proficiencies: The Frostwind Virago is proficient with simple weapons and is not proficient with armor or shields.
Frostwind Virago Body: The Frostwind Virago loses all other racial bonuses and takes on the Fey type. She gains Fey traits, namely low light vision. Frostwind Viragos are medium sized creatures with a base land speed of 30', possessing two Frostbite Touches that operate as natural weapons delivering 1 + Cha modifier cold damage. Frostbite Touches are touch attacks, and cannot benefit from Power Attack. Frostwind Viragos have Natural Armor equal to their Con modifier.
A Frostwind Virago has her choice of two of the following as her starting languages: Auran, Common, Elven, Sylvan. Otherwise, she gets additional languages for a high Int score as normal.
Caress of the Frozen: Starting at first level the Frostwind Virago gains cold resistance equal to double her HD. She suffers no penalties for moving through heavy snow and is not dealt nonlethal damage nor is she fatigued by cold environments.
Frostwind Powers, Least: The Frostwind Virago gains access to spell like abilities that she can use at will. These spell like abilities, unless otherwise noted, are standard actions that provoke attacks of opportunity. They are able to be disrupted, cast defensively or warded against with spell resistance. Frostwind Powers have a caster level equal to the Frostwind Virago's class level. Given that they are not actual spells, feats or abilities (such as metamagic feats) that apply to spells do not apply to Frostwind Powers. Feats or abilities that affect spell like abilities (such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability) or abilities (such as Ability Focus) can benefit Frostwind Powers.
There are four grades of Frostwind Power; Least, Lesser, Greater and Elite, which become available at 1st, 6th, 11th and 16th levels, respectively. The Frostwind Virago gains new powers, chosen from available grades, with most levels in the class. At any level she learns a new power, the Frostwind Virago may replace an old power with another power of the same or lower grade.
Frostwind Powers are subject to arcane spell failure chance. For the purposes of meeting feat and prestige class prerequisites, Frostwind Powers count as being invocations or arcane spells of an equivalent level.
Powers are listed in greater detail here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10890194&postcount=2). Least Frostwind Powers are listed in brief here:
Boreal Whirlwind: The Frostwind Virago calls forth a whirlwind of snow and ice that grows each round. She may send it rushing forward in a straight line, whereupon it damages and disorients foes it passes over.
Capricious Winds: The Frostwind Virago bids the wind to impede the movement of a foe for each round she concentrates. The foe can attempt to break free of the effect, but if they fail, the Frostwind Virago can take advantage of their being off balance and send them flying.
Chill Metal: As the spell, but the effect is extended in cold climates.
Frozen Fabrication: The Frostwind Virago can take a handful of ice and fashion it into a common item. Weapons and ammunition so created deal cold damage but are fragile and uncomfortable to hold.
Glacial Blast: A cone shaped blast of ice water that chills foes and potentially fatigues or exhausts them. Covers the affected area in ice.
Icicles: The Frostwind Virago calls forth a number of massive icicles that manifest on the ceiling above and drop onto any foe passing beneath.
Manifest Ice: The Frostwind Virago creates a swathe of icy terrain, or uses a Stone Shape like effect that only affects ice and snow.
Seal of Ice: The Frostwind Virago creates a tracing of frost that highlights magic in the affected area and makes both the spell effects and incorporeal creatures solid and vulnerable to attack.
Sudden Snowstorm: As Obscuring Mist, but when the effect ends, the area is covered in snow.
Thief of Air: The Frostwind Virago steals the very air from an opponent's lungs.
Whispering Wind: The winds carry voices to the Frostwind Virago, regardless of distance or intervening materials. Further, she may send them out to scout and bring her back information in their cryptic manner.
Frostbite Touch I: At second level, the very touch of the Frostwind Virago's fingers sends patterns of frost dancing across the surface of metal and makes flesh turn hard and blue in the span of a heartbeat. Her Frostbite Touches now deliver 1d6 + Cha mod cold damage. Further, she gains the option of having her Frostbite Touches be treated as normal attacks rather than touch attacks. If she does so, she deals a bonus 1d6 slashing, piering or bludgeoning damage and adds her Str mod to damage, but loses any Cha mod bonus to damage as well as further effects of Frostbite Touch (as described in Frostbite Touch II, III and IV).
For the purposes of qualifying for feats or prestige classes, the Frostwind Virago's Frostbite Touch can be considered an Eldritch Blast of a Warlock with the same number of class levels as she has in Frostwind Virago.
Glamour: The Frostwind Virago, at second level, gains the protections innate to the Fey, shrouding herself in protective workings of glamour that only cold iron can reliably cut through. So long as she is unarmored or clad in light armor, she gains DR equal to ½ her HD, penetrated by cold iron.
Faeriekind: At third level the Frostwind Virago can use the glamour that is the heritage of the fey. Glamour is the forerunner of illusion magic and serves as the ultimate font of a fey's power. The Frostwind Virago may elect to be a Unbound Fey or a Fey of the Court. The Unbound Fey may use either Disguise Self or Silent Image once a day per 2HD (one or the other, not once a day each). The Unbound Fey gains Bluff (Cha) as a class skill and while she receives none of the advantages granted by the court, she is not restricted in word or deed, as described below.
The Frostwind Virago who follows the strictures of the Court gains the ability to, once a day per 2 HD, use one of the following augmented spell like abilities (one or the other, not once a day per 2HD each):
Disguise Self, but a creature that interacts with her only shakes the foundations of the effect, and doesn't get a will save until a round later, and only then if the Frostwind Virago is still present and visible. If she wishes, she may spend another use of her Glamour in the interim to preserve the effect without allowing the will save.
Silent Image, but the effect lasts 1d3 rounds after the Virago ceases concentrating. Again, a creature that interacts with it only shakes the foundations of the effect, and doesn't get a will save to disbelieve until a round later, and only then if the creature is still perceiving the illusion.
The Virago, however, is consequently bound by the laws of the Faerie Court, those selfsame laws that prevented infighting from destroying them a millenia ago. A Frostwind Virago may obscure the truth, mislead or sidestep a question, but may not lie outright. As an extension of this, any promise or bargain made by the Frostwind Virago is binding, and a breaking of that promise renders the Frostwind Virago forsworn for a fortnight and a day (15 days) per HD.
A Frostwind Virago that lies is unable to use her Faeriekind, Faeriekith, Faerieblood and Faerie Noble abilities for 48 hours and Fey, Elemental and Outsiders immediately recognize her as a betrayer of her word for the duration, each being a step more hostile towards her. For another 48 hours thereafter, the Frostwind Virago gains none of the special benefits for being a Fey of the Court. Following this period (96 hours total), the SLAs work as normal.
A forsworn Frostwind Virago receives the penalties described for lying, above, along with suffering a -2 penalty to saving throws against any ability, spell or effect used against her by Fey, Elemental or Outsider. These penalties do not end after 96 hours, however, and persist until the duration passes (15 days per HD), until she can fulfill her end of the promise or until she throws herself on the mercy of a Fey of higher station (typically a Fey of higher CR than her own HD) and then convince them (usually requiring a diplomacy check and/or a bargain) to grant her a task that she may perform in contrition. Given these consequences, most Fey of the Court are loathe to offer any promises or bargains that do not overwhelmingly benefit them.
Frigid Demesnes: Beginning at fourth level the Frostwind Virago affects the climate around her when using her Frostwind Powers. As she wields Frostwind Powers that create snow or ice or wind, the environment is chilled as cold fog and frigid air spread out from the affected area. There are eight stages of climate, and uses of most Frostwind Powers have a chance of lowering the local temperature by one step (ie. From comfortable to chilly, chilly to cold, see the table below) and blasting all opponents on the battlefield with chilled air. There is a 20% chance for Least Frostwind Powers, a 40% chance for Lesser Frostwind Powers, a 60% chance for Greater Frostwind Powers and a 100% chance for Elite Frostwind Powers to trigger the Frigid Demesnes effect. The descriptions of individual powers note whether that power offers the Frigid Demesnes benefit. The Frostwind Virago may suppress this power any time she uses a Frostwind Power.
Cold weather, over a set duration noted on the table below, deals nonlethal damage that cannot be recovered until the chilled individual reaches a location where the temperature is at least comfortable. Each iteration of nonlethal damage allows a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ Frostwind Virago HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha) to prevent the damage entirely. Those taking nonlethal damage from cold weather are beset with frostbite and/or hypothermia (treat as Fatigue, this does not stack with itself to create exhaustion, but does stack with other sources of fatigue) until such a time as the nonlethal damage is healed.
The individual stages of cold are as follows:
{table=head]Environment is...|FWV HD|Temperature|Effect
Severe Heat|> 120° F|See SRD.
Very Hot|90 to 119° F|See SRD.
Hot|85 to 89° F|No real effects, can't recover from heat damage.
Comfortable|65 to 85° F|No effects
Chilly|41 to 64° F|No real effects, but too cool to recover from cold damage.
Cold|1 to 40° F|1d6 nonlethal every hour unless wearing cold weather clothing.
Severe Cold|-19 to 0° F|1d6 nonlethal every 10 minutes.
Extreme Cold|< -20° F|1d6 cold with no save, and 1d4 nonlethal every minute. Metal equipment acts as if under Chill Metal spell[/table]
Every time the effect triggers, the local temperature drops by one step and every foe in the area suffers 1d6 nonlethal damage for every step the temperature is below Comfortable (1d6 for Chilly, 2d6 for Cold, 3d6 for Severe Cold and 4d6 for Extreme Cold) to a maximum of 1d6 for every 3HD the Frostwind Virago has.
Foes that are damaged by Frigid Demesnes are frostbitten and are effectively fatigued as though they had succumbed to the effects of the weather, as described above. If the temperature is already Extreme(ly Cold) when Frigid Demesnes would trigger, all foes in the area instead suffer 4d6 cold damage and are exhausted, with previously exhausted foes becoming paralyzed for 1d3 rounds.
The Frostwind Virago, her allies and any creature that is resistant to cold are all immune to the nonlethal damage caused by cold weather.
The lowering of temperature takes effect in a 200' radius around the targeted location, traveling around corners and occupying the entirety of the area where air is free to circulate (a closet with a closed door would be safe until the door opened, but an adjacent room with no door barring the path would be affected). The immediate damage affects all within line of effect of the area targeted by the Frostwind Power.
In a closed area, such as a building, room or hallway, the temperature persists for 1 hour, at which point it warms up by one stage. Outdoors, this is reduced to 10 minutes for each stage of temperature reduction, as the cold air is lost to the surrounding region.
Kiss of the Frozen: Beginning at fifth level the Frostwind Virago can grant a kiss to an ally, often a gentle pressing of her lips to their forehead, nose or snout, granting them a measure of protection from her powers. With this gesture, the Frostwind Virago may bestow a willing individual with half her cold resistance for 24 hours. The capricious Frostwind Virago may retract the granted benefits at any time as a swift action. When the effect ends, whether by the end of the duration or the whim of the Virago, the victim must save against any ongoing cold weather effects or suffer the consequences of a failed save immediately. Further, the individual takes double damage (both nonlethal and lethal) from cold and cold weather effects for one minute afterward.
Alternately, the Frostwind Virago may deliver a Kiss of the Frozen offensively against a target. This attack my only be made against a helpless or grappled target, and bestows the negative effect described above.
Frostwind Powers, Lesser: Starting at sixth level, the Frostwind Virago may select her Frostwind Powers from the list of Lesser Frostwind Powers, in addition to the list of Least Frostwind Powers. Lesser Frostwind Powers are noted here:
Cold Snap: With a snap of her fingers, the Frostwind Virago causes all ice in her vicinity to shatter explosively, damaging foes nearby. Sufficiently frozen foes may shatter as well, to grisly effect.
Cresting Iceberg: The Frostwind Virago raises an iceberg from the soil. Foes too slow to react may have a limb trapped within the small glacier. She may also expand a pre-existing iceberg in size, potentially burying any foe who has failed to free themselves from earlier entrapment in a clear icy tomb.
Crystal Column: The Frostwind Virago summons a pillar of ice from a nearby surface. Used gently, it can raise an ally to safety, form a bridge or bar a path. Used violently, it can fling enemies into the air or slam them into a wall.
Frostflight: The Frostwind Virago gains the ability to fly.
Gelid Blade: The Frostwind Virago enchants a weapon to deal icy damage and be treated as a magic weapon. On a critical hit, it can deal massive Dexterity damage.
Hailing Volley: The Frostwind Virago releases a volley of icy spears that fills a target area, potentially dealing catastrophic damage (and potentially none). The area is littered with dangerous icy spikes thereafter.
Ice Sculpture: A sculpture of ice is given life with a drop of the Frostwind Virago's blood, acting as a summoned monster.
Mistral Attendant: Summon augmented Unseen Servants.
Roaring Squall: The Frostwind Virago summons or directs a mischievous air spirit. Enemies touched by the spirit may be flung a distance and potentially knocked prone.
Zephyr: The Frostwind Virago enchants all nearby allies, herself included, with spirits of air that offer a minor boost to movement. These spirits may be extinguished to grant the user a few heartbeats of flight, protect against a ranged attack or gain a bonus when attacking a flying foe.
Frostbite Touch II: Starting at seventh level the Frostwind Virago can augment her Frostbite Touch with a numbing cold. The Virago may elect to deal a bonus 1d6 nonlethal damage with her Frostbite Touch, but the rest of the damage dealt becomes nonlethal damage as well. This damage is reduced by cold resistance.
Further, a successful hit with the Frostwind Virago's Frostbite Touch now applies a 'Frostbite Touch' curse to foes, stripping them of their immunity to fatigue and exhaustion, as even skeletons and golems are slowed and bound by the frost that dances and flowers from her touch. Finally, an enemy affected by the Frostbite Touch curse that would sustain nonlethal damage may, at the Frostwind Virago's behest, take half damage, but suffer it as lethal damage instead. This grants the Frostwind Virago the ability to penetrate the defenses of those who cannot be bruised or worn down.
Faeriekith: Upon reaching eighth level the Frostwind Virago gains the ability to use Charm Monster as an SLA, drawing from those selfsame uses of Glamour that power her Disguise Self and Silent Image SLAs. As such, once a day for every two HD she has, she may use Silent Image (now Major Image, see below), Disguise Self or Charm Monster.
If she elected for the Fey of the Court option in Glamour (see above) then she increases the DC for her Charm Monster by +4 and eliminates any bonus for being threatened by the Virago or her companions when casting it on any individual or creature that both knows her name and either vocally gives thanks or states they owes her a favor. If she is disguised or going by a different name, then the favor (or the thanking of the Frostwind Virago, which implies gratitude, or owing a favor) isn't truly directed at her and is insufficient for her to work her binding of their words to their deeds.
Finally, her Silent Image is replaced by a Major Image SLA. Major Image is unaffected by the Frostwind Virago's choice of being Unbound or Court.
Embrace of the Frozen: The ninth level Frostwind Virago augments her Frostwind Powers with flurries of snow and showers of tiny ice crystals that billow out from the affected area, battering and clouding the senses of foes in the surroundings. Those Frostwind Powers that are used on an area or a target or those that create something will create clouds of frigid snow and ice, afflicting those within the area with a Shiver♦ing effect. Shivering foes suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks. Environmentally, the effect obscures line of sight for one round, and all tiles within range are covered in snow. Details on whether a given power offers the Embrace of the Frozen effect and the area covered are noted in the individual descriptions of each Frostwind Power. This effect may be suppressed as a free action.
Cold Hearted: Beginning at tenth level the Frostwind Virago is untouched by even the coldest climes. She becomes immune to cold. She has effective Cold Resistance 20 for the purpose of her Kiss of the Frozen ability.
Frostbite Touch III: Starting at eleventh level the Frostwind Virago improves her Frostbite Touch. Rather than simply add her Cha mod to damage dealt, the Frostwind Virago now adds her Cha mod to damage done for every die of damage delivered by her Frostbite Touch. This bonus damage is of whatever type of damage the aforementioned die dealt (For example, Cha mod in cold damage for every d6 of cold damage dealt, Cha mod in nonlethal damage for every d6 of nonlethal damage dealt). Precision damage (such as that from Sneak Attack) is excepted from this.
She also gains the option of freezing swollen, bruised and stiff tissue solid. Foregoing damage entirely, the Virago may make a touch attack against a foe in melee range. By doing so, she can remove all nonlethal damage from that target and subsequently cause 1 point of Dexterity damage for every 3 points of nonlethal damage removed, rounding up. A foe brought to 0 Dexterity by this effect is frozen solid for 1 minute and is shattered to thousands of crystalline pieces the next time they take any bludgeoning damage.
This effect improves to deal 1 point of Dexterity damage for every 2 points of nonlethal damage removed when the Frostwind Virago has 15 HD, and deals 1 point of Dexterity damage delivered for every 1 point of nonlethal damage removed when she has 20 HD.
Frostwind Powers, Greater: Upon reaching eleventh level the Frostwind Virago may select her Frostwind Powers from the list of Greater Frostwind Powers, in addition to the lists of Least and Lesser Frostwind Powers. The Greater Frostwind Powers are:
Avalanche: The Frostwind Virago creates a tide of ice and snow, smothering enemies.
Bloodrime: Exploiting a victim's bleeding wounds, the Frostwind Virago turns blood to ice, opening injuries. Used in a benign fashion, grants a creature the cold subtype.
Crosswinds: As Gust of Wind, but also spreads snow and hampers the maneuverability of flying creatures.
Cryokinesis: As Telekinesis, but works on ice, snow and frozen targets only. Can lift more than a Telekinesis user of the same caster level.
Snowdrift: A patch of snow becomes similar to quicksand, with entrapped creatures forced to scramble to climb out. Failure means being sucked beneath the snow and ice. Also gain Move Earth for the purposes of moving snow and ice only.
Snowflurry Step: The Frostwind Virago can teleport short distances, with an increasing risk of failure as the distance grows. Should she teleport to ice or snow, the risk of failure drastically reduces.
Faerieblood: At twelfth level, the Frostwind Virago can use Scrying and True Seeing as SLAs, each activated with two of the glamour uses that fuel her Major Image, Disguise Self and Charm Monster SLAs. Should she be a Faerie of the Court, she also gains the ability to use Bestow Curse by spending two uses of her Glamour, but only against an individual who has insulted her, attacked her or stolen from her three times, with her verbally marking the offense between each such event. Alternately, she may use Bestow Curse on an opponent against which she has thrice counted coup without the opponent doing the same to her. 'Coup' in this case marks an occasion where the Frostwind Virago has defeated, humiliated or markedly inconvenienced a foe and verbally marked the event (typically by mocking the foe, demanding they submit to her will or warning them). Most instances where the Frostwind Virago demands a saving throw or skill check of the enemy and the enemy fails will suffice.
Finally, her Disguise Self glamour is replaced by Seeming.
Cold Hearted II: Beginning at thirteenth level the Frostwind Virago can augment her Frostwind Powers and Frostbite Touch so they can penetrate the defenses of even other creatures who are immune to cold. Her attacks and Frostwind Powers ignore cold resistance and deal half damage to creatures who are immune to cold.
Creatures affected by the attacks or Frostwind Powers of the Frostwind Virago lose all cold resistance and those who were immune to cold nonetheless take half damage from cold for a full minute. In addition, the fatigue, exhaustion and nonlethal damage penetration described in Frostbite Touch II are applied for the duration. Each attack or Frostwind Power of the Frostwind Virago that deals cold damage to them causes the duration of this effect to double. (Two minutes for the second hit, four for the third, and so on).
Ardour of the Frozen: At fourteenth level the Frostwind Virago learns to draw in her foes with a Captivating Call. This requires a standard action and is a sonic, language based, mind affecting ability. The Frostwind Virago speaks in an imperious voice that echoes across the landscape. Every individual within a range of 300' must make a will save (DC 10 + ½ HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha) or become captivated. Captivated individuals walk toward the Frostwind Virago taking the most direct route possible. If that path is clearly dangerous, the affected may make another saving throw against the effect. Foes that reach the Frostwind Virago stop within 5' of her to bask in her radiance, taking no actions except to defend themselves. This lasts as long as the Frostwind Virago speaks and for 1d3 rounds thereafter. A bard's countersong counters this effect.
Faerie Noble: At fifteenth level, the Frostwind Virago counts herself among the more powerful of the fey, and acquires the ability to fashion accommodations befitting her status in the upper echelon of the Faerie. She may cast Mirage Arcana by spending four of the same uses that power her Scrying, True Seeing, Major Image, Seeming and Charm Monster SLAs. Further, so long as her Mirage Arcana persists and portrays an image of ice, snow or the like (including those as grand as a frozen tower, an ice-blasted archway, a snow-whipped clifftop) each step of cold weather generated by her Frozen Demesnes ability will persist for one day in the area. The Mirage Arcana effect will persist as long as the temperature remains below Comfortable.
For a Faerie of the Court, this Mirage Arcana becomes reality after a year and a day. This need not be one continuous use, but the effect is broken if a sentient creature other than the Frostwind Virago intrudes upon the area when the spell duration has lapsed or if a creature disbelieves it. Valuable goods (such as gold, gemstones, mithral) become ice if taken from an area where the Mirage Arcana became reality. A Faerie of the Court also gains the ability to Geas, rather than charm monster, a creature or individual that has broken a promise to her or betrayed a bargain, casting the effect with a one-round casting time.
Frostbite Touch IV: At sixteenth level, the Frostwind Virago's touch is devastating, passing through flesh as though it were barely there, her fingertips brushing past frozen flesh, crystals of frozen flesh spraying off in their wake. Her Frozen Touch deals an additional 1d6 cold (+Cha mod, as described in Frostbite Touch III) damage. As detailed in Frostbite Touch II, above, she may also elect to deal 3d6 nonlethal damage, with her Cha mod in bonus nonlethal damage for every d6 of damage done. Precision damage is still excepted from this.
Frostwind Powers, Elite: Upon reaching sixteenth level the Frostwind Virago may select her Frostwind Powers from the list of Elite Frostwind Powers, in addition to the lists of Least and Lesser and Greater Frostwind Powers. The Elite Frostwind Powers are:
Crack the Ice: The Frostwind Virago creates a pool of ice that serves as a portal to the Faerie/Feywilds/Fair Court. Foes may be dragged in by the water or dragged under, and suffer Strength and Constitution damage. Those caught beneath when the portal closes are trapped in another plane.
Mindnumbing Aura: Foes near the Frostwind Virago are forced to delay their actions as the cold saps their initiative and energy.
North Wind: A powerful and wide ranging blast of windstorm-level wind that extends her Frozen Demesnes ability over a landscape and is especially effective at chilling larger foes.
Still of Winter: The Frostwind Virago stills the frozen air, causing foes to be Stilled, an effect similar to but more deleterious than being Slowed. Those who are not stilled are nonetheless Slowed as the third level spell.
Comments
Ok, so the Frostwind Virago is a fey based around ice and cold. I went out of my way to emphasize Fey aspects, as I think the Faerie are really done a disservice in D&D. There's so much rich lore in Fantasy for the Fair Folk and D&D barely does anything with that. However, as much as I wanted to emphasize that bargaining and the whole 'you don't screw with the Fey', I left an avenue to avoid it should DMs feel it would detract from the quality of the game. So you get a choice of the Unbound Fey (unchanged) and the Fey of the Court, which emphasizes deals, fairness, and exploiting those who give you an opening.
As far as actual powers go, the Frostwind Virago is very similar to the Warlock. That said, she's very much a battlefield controller, and this is emphasized by her Frigid Demesnes and Embrace of the Frozen abilities, which give an added depth to her invocation Frostwind Power use. I named them Frostwind Powers rather than invocations, by the by, to avoid situations like what cropped up with Dragonfire Adept and Warlock, where the invocations of the two were interpreted by some as being more or less interchangeable.
I do think the Frostwind Virago is powerful, even if her Frostbite Touch is less of a big deal to her than the Eldritch Blast is to the Warlock. So yeah, she's more powerful than the Warlock, but since the goal is a Tier 2-3 individual and the Warlock is low-Tier-4ish, I'm okay with that. On top of her invocations having the augmentations of Frigid Demesnes and Embrace of the Frozen, they're aimed at being a little more versatile overall. The overall lists are shorter, though (no eldritch essence invocations and about 25% less invocations at each stage), so that keeps things a touch more sane.
All in all, a battlefield controller with some Fey-suited SLAs to fall back on, a cold theme and a little more meat on her mechanical bones than her Warlock cousin.
Changelog (Alterations made to the class since original posting):
April 18, 2011:
Frostwind Virago:
Added Frostwind Virago Body to the table under 1st level. Was absent.
For the purposes of meeting feat and prestige class prerequisites, Frostwind Powers count as being invocations and spells of an equivalent level.
Ditto for Frostbite Touch being considered an Eldritch Blast.
Frigid Demesnes tweaked. It now allows no saving throw (less rolls and a bit of a boost in power) and the nonlethal damage is equal to the number of steps below comfortable, with an extreme effect (cold damage and exhaustion/paralysis) if it would drop the temperature below Extreme. Text about the range and scope of the effect clarified, the Frostwind Virago gets the option of not activating Frigid Demesnes and the effect overall has been made more concise and easy to apply.
Kiss of the Frozen simplified. It no longer affects a maximum 1 ally per hour, and the penalty to the Frostwind Virago has been removed. An offensive option has been added, allowing the Frostwind Virago to curse a helpless or grappled foe, causing them to suffer double cold and nonlethal damage.
Embrace of the Frozen: Renamed Shaken to Shivering, which is essentially the same thing except not a morale effect and it doesn't graduate to fear/panic, etc.
Embrace of the Frozen: Noted that the snow clouds it creates obscure line of sight. This makes its use a little more tactical/strategic-based, as the Frostwind Virago can obscure line of sight for herself or her allies (as well as foes).
Noted under Frostbite Touch I that the physical damage option precludes use of other augmentations, to avoid some unintended interactions.
Moved the 'you can convert nonlethal damage to Dexterity damage' option from Frostbite Touch II to Frostbite Touch III, which was otherwise a little dry (Frostbite Touch II has a tactical depth to it, while III was just flat passive gain). Added a progression so that, at 15HD, the conversion is 1 Dexterity damage for every 2 points of nonlethal damage removed, and at 20HD, it becomes 1:1.
Clarified Faerie Noble's Mirage Arcana effect to make it more flexible. If she's depicting snow, ice or a frozen structure, it extends the duration of cold weather, and cold weather, in turn, prevents the Mirage Arcana from ending so long as it lasts. This makes it easier to maintain the effect.
Also added a bit under the 'making it permanent' section for Faerie of the Court; you can let the effect lapse, but if a creature intrudes on the area before it does lapse or if someone disbelieves it, you lose your progress.
Added a link to the Frostwind Powers post under Frostwind Powers (Least).
Frostwind Powers:
Finished sentence under Boreal Whirlwind. Foes moving into the whirlwind are damaged and disoriented as though they had been struck by the moving version.
Capricious Winds now imposes a penalty on ranged attacks (double penalty for ranged weapons).
Specified that items created with Frozen Fabrication must be rigid, and gave an example.
Clarified that the Icicles invocation requires a ranged touch attack roll, rather than 'just her BAB'
Many clarifications made to Seal of Ice, essentially specifying what spells can be affected and how, adding durations and clarification on how the spells are made visible (essentially clarifying that it's like everyone had detect magic for the purposes of viewing the spell.
Changed Cold Snap so it deals damage once for every square that has ice in it. No 100's of marbles exploding for 1000d6+ damage.
Made a note at the top of the list that all saves are cha based, yadda yadda, and removed the repetitive mention of Save DCs, except where funny stuff happened (such as where it was the DC for a strength check)
Changed Frostflight from offering a fly speed of 10' per 3HD to 10' per 2HD.
Hailing Volley: upped the damage from 1d6 piercing/cold per HD to 1d6 piercing per HD and 1d6 cold per HD.
Ice Sculpture now only fatigues/exhausts if the Frostwind Virago already has a monster summoned with it.
Clarified text in Roaring Squall to specify that the squall is a small creature for the purposes of attacks of opportunity.
Zephyr now, in addition to being able to be spent for temporary flight, grants you another two options - a bonus to AC against ranged attacks or a bonus to an attack roll against a flying enemy.
Added another qualifier to Cryokinesi, so anyone affected by one of the Frostwind Virago's powers (SLA or Frostwind Power) also qualifies to be thrown around.
Mistral Attendant is now a Lesser Frostwind Power, and scales up more gradually in how many unseen servants you can have (From a flat maximum of 3 to 1 per 6HD)
Made it so that Snowflurry Step doesn't count the first 5' of movement (to avoid having it be limited to an awkward distance of 90' or 95'). The chance is now halved again if both the starting and destination square are covered in snow or ice (to 2.5% per 5' moved).
Avalanche is moved from Elite Frostwind Power to Greater. I'm not changing the line of effect (which draws from enemy to snow) because the reverse option is overly confusing, suggesting one should draw a line for every instance of snow, which would be incredibly time consuming. It's a check, more than anything. I added a bit to one sentence to clarify such.
Added Still of Winter to make up for the absence of Avalanche. This is a targeted burst effect that slaps an augmented Slow effect onto all foes in the area. All actions made by Stilled foes are one step more difficult to make (Move actions are now standard, standard actions are full-round, and so on).
Replaced Crack the Ice with a new effect. It now lets the Frostwind Virago crack the ice/snow and create a pool of icy water. Being submerged causes Str and Cold damage.
April 29, 2011:
Frostwind Virago:
Some minor tidying up and clarification of words and wording throughout.
Frostwind Powers:
Glacial Blast toned down from 1d6 damage per HD (half nonlethal) to 1d6 damage plus 1d6 per 2 HD (half nonlethal). Clarified wording on the entangle bit some.
Seal of Ice altered so spell effects have a hardness and hitpoints to bypass.
Hailing Volley altered. Used to involve a percentage roll with possibility for multiple hits. Simplified so you now deal 1d6 piercing and 1d6 cold, and have a 50% chance for the effect (including further 50% chances) to repeat. Foes can make a reflex save but if they fail, the effect is more likely to repeat.
Simplified Snowflurry Step from being a 'toggle' (activate to change how you move, deactivate to return to normal) to just being a move action option.
May 23rd, 2011:
Frostwind Virago:
Some rewording of Frigid Demesnes for clarity.
Frostbite Touch II now inflicts a curse on any foe struck, stripping them of any immunity to fatigue, exhaustion and allowing the Frostwind Virago to circumvent an immunity to nonlethal damage (dealing 1/2 the potential nonlethal damage as lethal damage to anyone so affected).
Cold Hearted II: Clarified wording and tacked on the Frostbite Touch II penetration of fatigue, exhaustion and nonlethal damage, so it's a versatile little package, if a bit unwieldy. May need to tweak or tidy up.
Frostwind Powers:
Clarified that Icicles needs a ceiling or other surface to hang the icicles from.
Started adding durations to the Frostwind Powers.
http://i55.tinypic.com/2lnu61j.jpg
Monster Class
Source: Monster Manual V
Description & Details
The Frostwind Viragos are a powerful kind of faerie most often found in the coldest climates. They stand as tall as human women, with regal bearing. The skin of the Frostwind Viragos ranges in color from alabaster white to a blue tint, their hair ranges from snow white to platinum blond, though some Frostwind Viragos have been known to have black hair.
Her primary abilities are her Frostwind Powers, giving her the ability to demand favors from the most minor spirits and elementals of the wind, ice and snow. When she battles her foes, the winds whips up flurries of snow, spikes of ice erupt from the ground and the battlefield is turned into a frozen tundra. In this, the Frostwind Virago reflects the cruelty of the arctic climes and the uncaring devastation that winter can leave in its wake.
Such is not the full extent of her power. Just as the most terrible cold can cause it's victims to feel warm, euphoric and relaxed enough to lie in a snowbank and freeze to death, the Frostwind Virago can draw from her Faerie heritage to beguile a mortal's senses with the illusion and enchantment of her glamour.
Adventures: As a Faerie, the Frostwind Virago is a creature of an indeterminate lifespan. How a Faerie deals with such is a defining aspect of her particular species and individual character - some Faerie will celebrate, cavort and dance for centuries at a time to while away the years, while others amuse themselves by plaguing mortals with trickery, mischief or curses. Most Frostwind Viragos are content to remain in an icy landscape where Winter persists year round, preying on any who venture into her territory and occasionally dallying with romantic partners from the Frostborn or the human tribes of the winter tundra.
For a Frostwind Virago to break this pattern and begin adventuring, it typically takes something to jar her from her isolated life. Boredom strikes anyone after a handful of decades or centuries spent in the same place. Alternately, the Frostwind Virago may be ousted from her territory by someone or something more powerful than her, or ordered to some task by a higher ranking Faerie noble.
Alignment: The Frostwind Virago tends to be evil - she's a sociopath by nature - but a fair number can be neutral as well. She is also, by virtue of the winter she embodies, careful and patient enough that her fey nature doesn't make her out and out chaotic. She tends to be neutral rather than chaotic or lawful, with her place on this particular axis depending on how much of the winter is in her and how much of the Faerie runs through her veins.
Religion: Fey do not worship gods, as a general rule. The exact reasoning differs from setting to setting, but generally speaking, the Faerie are disinclined to negotiate unless they know there is something to gain, and loathe to put themselves into another's favor. To do so is as good as a death sentence with the politicking and the power struggles of the Faerie Courts, when a rival can force you to follow through on your word or be Forsworn.
As such, Frostwind Viragos do not tend to worship any gods. They may, however, pay homage to primal forces, or carry out a form of ongoing bargain or partnership with a god.
Ecology/Background: Most Frostwind Virago are born to another Frostwind Virago and either a Frostborn or a Human. Those that aren't might be lesser Fey who managed to steal/bargain for the name of an ice Faerie, tricked an ice Faerie or winter spirit into giving away their power or were granted their powers by an extremely powerful Faerie Lord.
Races: The race and class features of the Frostwind Virago are intertwined so tightly that the two cannot be separated. Upon taking the first level in this class, the Frostwind Virago loses all pre-existing racial features (including any gained skill points, proficiencies and/or feats) and gains the racial features of the Frostwind Virago, described below (See Frostwind Virago Body).
Other Classes: Frostwind Viragos tend to enjoy the company of the charismatic, such as bards, sorcerers and warlocks, and those who are attuned to nature, such as rangers. That said, they look down on casters (especially Druids) as being particularly crude in their attempts to alter the world around them - Imagine someone using bellows to inflate their own lungs rather than inhaling, and you have a sense of how strange it is for the Frostwind Virago to observe someone using such awkward measures to do something that she can do without a second thought.
Class:
HD: D6
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|
Special|
Frostwind Powers
1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Frostwind Virago Body, Caress of the Frozen, Frostwind Powers (Least)|
1
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Frostbite Touch I, Glamour|
2
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Faeriekind|
2
4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4| Frigid Demesnes |
3
5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Kiss of the Frozen|
3
6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Frostwind Powers (Lesser)|
4
7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Frostbite Touch II|
4
8th|
+6|
+2|
+6|
+6|Faeriekith|
5
9th|
+6|
+3|
+6|
+6|Embrace of the Frozen|
5
10th|
+7|
+3|
+7|
+7|Cold Hearted|
6
11th|
+8|
+3|
+7|
+7|Frostbite Touch III, Frostwind Powers (Greater)|
7
12th|
+9|
+4|
+8|
+8|Faerieblood|
7
13th|
+9|
+4|
+8|
+8|Cold Hearted II |
8
14th|
+10|
+4|
+9|
+9|Ardour of the Frozen|
8
15th|
+11|
+5|
+9|
+9|Faerie Noble|
9
16th|
+12|
+5|
+10|
+10|Frostbite Touch IV, Frostwind Powers (Elite)|
10[/table]
Skill Points: (6 + Int modifier) per level, x4 at first level.
Class Skills: The Frostwind Virago’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any two, Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).
Proficiencies: The Frostwind Virago is proficient with simple weapons and is not proficient with armor or shields.
Frostwind Virago Body: The Frostwind Virago loses all other racial bonuses and takes on the Fey type. She gains Fey traits, namely low light vision. Frostwind Viragos are medium sized creatures with a base land speed of 30', possessing two Frostbite Touches that operate as natural weapons delivering 1 + Cha modifier cold damage. Frostbite Touches are touch attacks, and cannot benefit from Power Attack. Frostwind Viragos have Natural Armor equal to their Con modifier.
A Frostwind Virago has her choice of two of the following as her starting languages: Auran, Common, Elven, Sylvan. Otherwise, she gets additional languages for a high Int score as normal.
Caress of the Frozen: Starting at first level the Frostwind Virago gains cold resistance equal to double her HD. She suffers no penalties for moving through heavy snow and is not dealt nonlethal damage nor is she fatigued by cold environments.
Frostwind Powers, Least: The Frostwind Virago gains access to spell like abilities that she can use at will. These spell like abilities, unless otherwise noted, are standard actions that provoke attacks of opportunity. They are able to be disrupted, cast defensively or warded against with spell resistance. Frostwind Powers have a caster level equal to the Frostwind Virago's class level. Given that they are not actual spells, feats or abilities (such as metamagic feats) that apply to spells do not apply to Frostwind Powers. Feats or abilities that affect spell like abilities (such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability) or abilities (such as Ability Focus) can benefit Frostwind Powers.
There are four grades of Frostwind Power; Least, Lesser, Greater and Elite, which become available at 1st, 6th, 11th and 16th levels, respectively. The Frostwind Virago gains new powers, chosen from available grades, with most levels in the class. At any level she learns a new power, the Frostwind Virago may replace an old power with another power of the same or lower grade.
Frostwind Powers are subject to arcane spell failure chance. For the purposes of meeting feat and prestige class prerequisites, Frostwind Powers count as being invocations or arcane spells of an equivalent level.
Powers are listed in greater detail here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10890194&postcount=2). Least Frostwind Powers are listed in brief here:
Boreal Whirlwind: The Frostwind Virago calls forth a whirlwind of snow and ice that grows each round. She may send it rushing forward in a straight line, whereupon it damages and disorients foes it passes over.
Capricious Winds: The Frostwind Virago bids the wind to impede the movement of a foe for each round she concentrates. The foe can attempt to break free of the effect, but if they fail, the Frostwind Virago can take advantage of their being off balance and send them flying.
Chill Metal: As the spell, but the effect is extended in cold climates.
Frozen Fabrication: The Frostwind Virago can take a handful of ice and fashion it into a common item. Weapons and ammunition so created deal cold damage but are fragile and uncomfortable to hold.
Glacial Blast: A cone shaped blast of ice water that chills foes and potentially fatigues or exhausts them. Covers the affected area in ice.
Icicles: The Frostwind Virago calls forth a number of massive icicles that manifest on the ceiling above and drop onto any foe passing beneath.
Manifest Ice: The Frostwind Virago creates a swathe of icy terrain, or uses a Stone Shape like effect that only affects ice and snow.
Seal of Ice: The Frostwind Virago creates a tracing of frost that highlights magic in the affected area and makes both the spell effects and incorporeal creatures solid and vulnerable to attack.
Sudden Snowstorm: As Obscuring Mist, but when the effect ends, the area is covered in snow.
Thief of Air: The Frostwind Virago steals the very air from an opponent's lungs.
Whispering Wind: The winds carry voices to the Frostwind Virago, regardless of distance or intervening materials. Further, she may send them out to scout and bring her back information in their cryptic manner.
Frostbite Touch I: At second level, the very touch of the Frostwind Virago's fingers sends patterns of frost dancing across the surface of metal and makes flesh turn hard and blue in the span of a heartbeat. Her Frostbite Touches now deliver 1d6 + Cha mod cold damage. Further, she gains the option of having her Frostbite Touches be treated as normal attacks rather than touch attacks. If she does so, she deals a bonus 1d6 slashing, piering or bludgeoning damage and adds her Str mod to damage, but loses any Cha mod bonus to damage as well as further effects of Frostbite Touch (as described in Frostbite Touch II, III and IV).
For the purposes of qualifying for feats or prestige classes, the Frostwind Virago's Frostbite Touch can be considered an Eldritch Blast of a Warlock with the same number of class levels as she has in Frostwind Virago.
Glamour: The Frostwind Virago, at second level, gains the protections innate to the Fey, shrouding herself in protective workings of glamour that only cold iron can reliably cut through. So long as she is unarmored or clad in light armor, she gains DR equal to ½ her HD, penetrated by cold iron.
Faeriekind: At third level the Frostwind Virago can use the glamour that is the heritage of the fey. Glamour is the forerunner of illusion magic and serves as the ultimate font of a fey's power. The Frostwind Virago may elect to be a Unbound Fey or a Fey of the Court. The Unbound Fey may use either Disguise Self or Silent Image once a day per 2HD (one or the other, not once a day each). The Unbound Fey gains Bluff (Cha) as a class skill and while she receives none of the advantages granted by the court, she is not restricted in word or deed, as described below.
The Frostwind Virago who follows the strictures of the Court gains the ability to, once a day per 2 HD, use one of the following augmented spell like abilities (one or the other, not once a day per 2HD each):
Disguise Self, but a creature that interacts with her only shakes the foundations of the effect, and doesn't get a will save until a round later, and only then if the Frostwind Virago is still present and visible. If she wishes, she may spend another use of her Glamour in the interim to preserve the effect without allowing the will save.
Silent Image, but the effect lasts 1d3 rounds after the Virago ceases concentrating. Again, a creature that interacts with it only shakes the foundations of the effect, and doesn't get a will save to disbelieve until a round later, and only then if the creature is still perceiving the illusion.
The Virago, however, is consequently bound by the laws of the Faerie Court, those selfsame laws that prevented infighting from destroying them a millenia ago. A Frostwind Virago may obscure the truth, mislead or sidestep a question, but may not lie outright. As an extension of this, any promise or bargain made by the Frostwind Virago is binding, and a breaking of that promise renders the Frostwind Virago forsworn for a fortnight and a day (15 days) per HD.
A Frostwind Virago that lies is unable to use her Faeriekind, Faeriekith, Faerieblood and Faerie Noble abilities for 48 hours and Fey, Elemental and Outsiders immediately recognize her as a betrayer of her word for the duration, each being a step more hostile towards her. For another 48 hours thereafter, the Frostwind Virago gains none of the special benefits for being a Fey of the Court. Following this period (96 hours total), the SLAs work as normal.
A forsworn Frostwind Virago receives the penalties described for lying, above, along with suffering a -2 penalty to saving throws against any ability, spell or effect used against her by Fey, Elemental or Outsider. These penalties do not end after 96 hours, however, and persist until the duration passes (15 days per HD), until she can fulfill her end of the promise or until she throws herself on the mercy of a Fey of higher station (typically a Fey of higher CR than her own HD) and then convince them (usually requiring a diplomacy check and/or a bargain) to grant her a task that she may perform in contrition. Given these consequences, most Fey of the Court are loathe to offer any promises or bargains that do not overwhelmingly benefit them.
Frigid Demesnes: Beginning at fourth level the Frostwind Virago affects the climate around her when using her Frostwind Powers. As she wields Frostwind Powers that create snow or ice or wind, the environment is chilled as cold fog and frigid air spread out from the affected area. There are eight stages of climate, and uses of most Frostwind Powers have a chance of lowering the local temperature by one step (ie. From comfortable to chilly, chilly to cold, see the table below) and blasting all opponents on the battlefield with chilled air. There is a 20% chance for Least Frostwind Powers, a 40% chance for Lesser Frostwind Powers, a 60% chance for Greater Frostwind Powers and a 100% chance for Elite Frostwind Powers to trigger the Frigid Demesnes effect. The descriptions of individual powers note whether that power offers the Frigid Demesnes benefit. The Frostwind Virago may suppress this power any time she uses a Frostwind Power.
Cold weather, over a set duration noted on the table below, deals nonlethal damage that cannot be recovered until the chilled individual reaches a location where the temperature is at least comfortable. Each iteration of nonlethal damage allows a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ Frostwind Virago HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha) to prevent the damage entirely. Those taking nonlethal damage from cold weather are beset with frostbite and/or hypothermia (treat as Fatigue, this does not stack with itself to create exhaustion, but does stack with other sources of fatigue) until such a time as the nonlethal damage is healed.
The individual stages of cold are as follows:
{table=head]Environment is...|FWV HD|Temperature|Effect
Severe Heat|> 120° F|See SRD.
Very Hot|90 to 119° F|See SRD.
Hot|85 to 89° F|No real effects, can't recover from heat damage.
Comfortable|65 to 85° F|No effects
Chilly|41 to 64° F|No real effects, but too cool to recover from cold damage.
Cold|1 to 40° F|1d6 nonlethal every hour unless wearing cold weather clothing.
Severe Cold|-19 to 0° F|1d6 nonlethal every 10 minutes.
Extreme Cold|< -20° F|1d6 cold with no save, and 1d4 nonlethal every minute. Metal equipment acts as if under Chill Metal spell[/table]
Every time the effect triggers, the local temperature drops by one step and every foe in the area suffers 1d6 nonlethal damage for every step the temperature is below Comfortable (1d6 for Chilly, 2d6 for Cold, 3d6 for Severe Cold and 4d6 for Extreme Cold) to a maximum of 1d6 for every 3HD the Frostwind Virago has.
Foes that are damaged by Frigid Demesnes are frostbitten and are effectively fatigued as though they had succumbed to the effects of the weather, as described above. If the temperature is already Extreme(ly Cold) when Frigid Demesnes would trigger, all foes in the area instead suffer 4d6 cold damage and are exhausted, with previously exhausted foes becoming paralyzed for 1d3 rounds.
The Frostwind Virago, her allies and any creature that is resistant to cold are all immune to the nonlethal damage caused by cold weather.
The lowering of temperature takes effect in a 200' radius around the targeted location, traveling around corners and occupying the entirety of the area where air is free to circulate (a closet with a closed door would be safe until the door opened, but an adjacent room with no door barring the path would be affected). The immediate damage affects all within line of effect of the area targeted by the Frostwind Power.
In a closed area, such as a building, room or hallway, the temperature persists for 1 hour, at which point it warms up by one stage. Outdoors, this is reduced to 10 minutes for each stage of temperature reduction, as the cold air is lost to the surrounding region.
Kiss of the Frozen: Beginning at fifth level the Frostwind Virago can grant a kiss to an ally, often a gentle pressing of her lips to their forehead, nose or snout, granting them a measure of protection from her powers. With this gesture, the Frostwind Virago may bestow a willing individual with half her cold resistance for 24 hours. The capricious Frostwind Virago may retract the granted benefits at any time as a swift action. When the effect ends, whether by the end of the duration or the whim of the Virago, the victim must save against any ongoing cold weather effects or suffer the consequences of a failed save immediately. Further, the individual takes double damage (both nonlethal and lethal) from cold and cold weather effects for one minute afterward.
Alternately, the Frostwind Virago may deliver a Kiss of the Frozen offensively against a target. This attack my only be made against a helpless or grappled target, and bestows the negative effect described above.
Frostwind Powers, Lesser: Starting at sixth level, the Frostwind Virago may select her Frostwind Powers from the list of Lesser Frostwind Powers, in addition to the list of Least Frostwind Powers. Lesser Frostwind Powers are noted here:
Cold Snap: With a snap of her fingers, the Frostwind Virago causes all ice in her vicinity to shatter explosively, damaging foes nearby. Sufficiently frozen foes may shatter as well, to grisly effect.
Cresting Iceberg: The Frostwind Virago raises an iceberg from the soil. Foes too slow to react may have a limb trapped within the small glacier. She may also expand a pre-existing iceberg in size, potentially burying any foe who has failed to free themselves from earlier entrapment in a clear icy tomb.
Crystal Column: The Frostwind Virago summons a pillar of ice from a nearby surface. Used gently, it can raise an ally to safety, form a bridge or bar a path. Used violently, it can fling enemies into the air or slam them into a wall.
Frostflight: The Frostwind Virago gains the ability to fly.
Gelid Blade: The Frostwind Virago enchants a weapon to deal icy damage and be treated as a magic weapon. On a critical hit, it can deal massive Dexterity damage.
Hailing Volley: The Frostwind Virago releases a volley of icy spears that fills a target area, potentially dealing catastrophic damage (and potentially none). The area is littered with dangerous icy spikes thereafter.
Ice Sculpture: A sculpture of ice is given life with a drop of the Frostwind Virago's blood, acting as a summoned monster.
Mistral Attendant: Summon augmented Unseen Servants.
Roaring Squall: The Frostwind Virago summons or directs a mischievous air spirit. Enemies touched by the spirit may be flung a distance and potentially knocked prone.
Zephyr: The Frostwind Virago enchants all nearby allies, herself included, with spirits of air that offer a minor boost to movement. These spirits may be extinguished to grant the user a few heartbeats of flight, protect against a ranged attack or gain a bonus when attacking a flying foe.
Frostbite Touch II: Starting at seventh level the Frostwind Virago can augment her Frostbite Touch with a numbing cold. The Virago may elect to deal a bonus 1d6 nonlethal damage with her Frostbite Touch, but the rest of the damage dealt becomes nonlethal damage as well. This damage is reduced by cold resistance.
Further, a successful hit with the Frostwind Virago's Frostbite Touch now applies a 'Frostbite Touch' curse to foes, stripping them of their immunity to fatigue and exhaustion, as even skeletons and golems are slowed and bound by the frost that dances and flowers from her touch. Finally, an enemy affected by the Frostbite Touch curse that would sustain nonlethal damage may, at the Frostwind Virago's behest, take half damage, but suffer it as lethal damage instead. This grants the Frostwind Virago the ability to penetrate the defenses of those who cannot be bruised or worn down.
Faeriekith: Upon reaching eighth level the Frostwind Virago gains the ability to use Charm Monster as an SLA, drawing from those selfsame uses of Glamour that power her Disguise Self and Silent Image SLAs. As such, once a day for every two HD she has, she may use Silent Image (now Major Image, see below), Disguise Self or Charm Monster.
If she elected for the Fey of the Court option in Glamour (see above) then she increases the DC for her Charm Monster by +4 and eliminates any bonus for being threatened by the Virago or her companions when casting it on any individual or creature that both knows her name and either vocally gives thanks or states they owes her a favor. If she is disguised or going by a different name, then the favor (or the thanking of the Frostwind Virago, which implies gratitude, or owing a favor) isn't truly directed at her and is insufficient for her to work her binding of their words to their deeds.
Finally, her Silent Image is replaced by a Major Image SLA. Major Image is unaffected by the Frostwind Virago's choice of being Unbound or Court.
Embrace of the Frozen: The ninth level Frostwind Virago augments her Frostwind Powers with flurries of snow and showers of tiny ice crystals that billow out from the affected area, battering and clouding the senses of foes in the surroundings. Those Frostwind Powers that are used on an area or a target or those that create something will create clouds of frigid snow and ice, afflicting those within the area with a Shiver♦ing effect. Shivering foes suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks. Environmentally, the effect obscures line of sight for one round, and all tiles within range are covered in snow. Details on whether a given power offers the Embrace of the Frozen effect and the area covered are noted in the individual descriptions of each Frostwind Power. This effect may be suppressed as a free action.
Cold Hearted: Beginning at tenth level the Frostwind Virago is untouched by even the coldest climes. She becomes immune to cold. She has effective Cold Resistance 20 for the purpose of her Kiss of the Frozen ability.
Frostbite Touch III: Starting at eleventh level the Frostwind Virago improves her Frostbite Touch. Rather than simply add her Cha mod to damage dealt, the Frostwind Virago now adds her Cha mod to damage done for every die of damage delivered by her Frostbite Touch. This bonus damage is of whatever type of damage the aforementioned die dealt (For example, Cha mod in cold damage for every d6 of cold damage dealt, Cha mod in nonlethal damage for every d6 of nonlethal damage dealt). Precision damage (such as that from Sneak Attack) is excepted from this.
She also gains the option of freezing swollen, bruised and stiff tissue solid. Foregoing damage entirely, the Virago may make a touch attack against a foe in melee range. By doing so, she can remove all nonlethal damage from that target and subsequently cause 1 point of Dexterity damage for every 3 points of nonlethal damage removed, rounding up. A foe brought to 0 Dexterity by this effect is frozen solid for 1 minute and is shattered to thousands of crystalline pieces the next time they take any bludgeoning damage.
This effect improves to deal 1 point of Dexterity damage for every 2 points of nonlethal damage removed when the Frostwind Virago has 15 HD, and deals 1 point of Dexterity damage delivered for every 1 point of nonlethal damage removed when she has 20 HD.
Frostwind Powers, Greater: Upon reaching eleventh level the Frostwind Virago may select her Frostwind Powers from the list of Greater Frostwind Powers, in addition to the lists of Least and Lesser Frostwind Powers. The Greater Frostwind Powers are:
Avalanche: The Frostwind Virago creates a tide of ice and snow, smothering enemies.
Bloodrime: Exploiting a victim's bleeding wounds, the Frostwind Virago turns blood to ice, opening injuries. Used in a benign fashion, grants a creature the cold subtype.
Crosswinds: As Gust of Wind, but also spreads snow and hampers the maneuverability of flying creatures.
Cryokinesis: As Telekinesis, but works on ice, snow and frozen targets only. Can lift more than a Telekinesis user of the same caster level.
Snowdrift: A patch of snow becomes similar to quicksand, with entrapped creatures forced to scramble to climb out. Failure means being sucked beneath the snow and ice. Also gain Move Earth for the purposes of moving snow and ice only.
Snowflurry Step: The Frostwind Virago can teleport short distances, with an increasing risk of failure as the distance grows. Should she teleport to ice or snow, the risk of failure drastically reduces.
Faerieblood: At twelfth level, the Frostwind Virago can use Scrying and True Seeing as SLAs, each activated with two of the glamour uses that fuel her Major Image, Disguise Self and Charm Monster SLAs. Should she be a Faerie of the Court, she also gains the ability to use Bestow Curse by spending two uses of her Glamour, but only against an individual who has insulted her, attacked her or stolen from her three times, with her verbally marking the offense between each such event. Alternately, she may use Bestow Curse on an opponent against which she has thrice counted coup without the opponent doing the same to her. 'Coup' in this case marks an occasion where the Frostwind Virago has defeated, humiliated or markedly inconvenienced a foe and verbally marked the event (typically by mocking the foe, demanding they submit to her will or warning them). Most instances where the Frostwind Virago demands a saving throw or skill check of the enemy and the enemy fails will suffice.
Finally, her Disguise Self glamour is replaced by Seeming.
Cold Hearted II: Beginning at thirteenth level the Frostwind Virago can augment her Frostwind Powers and Frostbite Touch so they can penetrate the defenses of even other creatures who are immune to cold. Her attacks and Frostwind Powers ignore cold resistance and deal half damage to creatures who are immune to cold.
Creatures affected by the attacks or Frostwind Powers of the Frostwind Virago lose all cold resistance and those who were immune to cold nonetheless take half damage from cold for a full minute. In addition, the fatigue, exhaustion and nonlethal damage penetration described in Frostbite Touch II are applied for the duration. Each attack or Frostwind Power of the Frostwind Virago that deals cold damage to them causes the duration of this effect to double. (Two minutes for the second hit, four for the third, and so on).
Ardour of the Frozen: At fourteenth level the Frostwind Virago learns to draw in her foes with a Captivating Call. This requires a standard action and is a sonic, language based, mind affecting ability. The Frostwind Virago speaks in an imperious voice that echoes across the landscape. Every individual within a range of 300' must make a will save (DC 10 + ½ HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha) or become captivated. Captivated individuals walk toward the Frostwind Virago taking the most direct route possible. If that path is clearly dangerous, the affected may make another saving throw against the effect. Foes that reach the Frostwind Virago stop within 5' of her to bask in her radiance, taking no actions except to defend themselves. This lasts as long as the Frostwind Virago speaks and for 1d3 rounds thereafter. A bard's countersong counters this effect.
Faerie Noble: At fifteenth level, the Frostwind Virago counts herself among the more powerful of the fey, and acquires the ability to fashion accommodations befitting her status in the upper echelon of the Faerie. She may cast Mirage Arcana by spending four of the same uses that power her Scrying, True Seeing, Major Image, Seeming and Charm Monster SLAs. Further, so long as her Mirage Arcana persists and portrays an image of ice, snow or the like (including those as grand as a frozen tower, an ice-blasted archway, a snow-whipped clifftop) each step of cold weather generated by her Frozen Demesnes ability will persist for one day in the area. The Mirage Arcana effect will persist as long as the temperature remains below Comfortable.
For a Faerie of the Court, this Mirage Arcana becomes reality after a year and a day. This need not be one continuous use, but the effect is broken if a sentient creature other than the Frostwind Virago intrudes upon the area when the spell duration has lapsed or if a creature disbelieves it. Valuable goods (such as gold, gemstones, mithral) become ice if taken from an area where the Mirage Arcana became reality. A Faerie of the Court also gains the ability to Geas, rather than charm monster, a creature or individual that has broken a promise to her or betrayed a bargain, casting the effect with a one-round casting time.
Frostbite Touch IV: At sixteenth level, the Frostwind Virago's touch is devastating, passing through flesh as though it were barely there, her fingertips brushing past frozen flesh, crystals of frozen flesh spraying off in their wake. Her Frozen Touch deals an additional 1d6 cold (+Cha mod, as described in Frostbite Touch III) damage. As detailed in Frostbite Touch II, above, she may also elect to deal 3d6 nonlethal damage, with her Cha mod in bonus nonlethal damage for every d6 of damage done. Precision damage is still excepted from this.
Frostwind Powers, Elite: Upon reaching sixteenth level the Frostwind Virago may select her Frostwind Powers from the list of Elite Frostwind Powers, in addition to the lists of Least and Lesser and Greater Frostwind Powers. The Elite Frostwind Powers are:
Crack the Ice: The Frostwind Virago creates a pool of ice that serves as a portal to the Faerie/Feywilds/Fair Court. Foes may be dragged in by the water or dragged under, and suffer Strength and Constitution damage. Those caught beneath when the portal closes are trapped in another plane.
Mindnumbing Aura: Foes near the Frostwind Virago are forced to delay their actions as the cold saps their initiative and energy.
North Wind: A powerful and wide ranging blast of windstorm-level wind that extends her Frozen Demesnes ability over a landscape and is especially effective at chilling larger foes.
Still of Winter: The Frostwind Virago stills the frozen air, causing foes to be Stilled, an effect similar to but more deleterious than being Slowed. Those who are not stilled are nonetheless Slowed as the third level spell.
Comments
Ok, so the Frostwind Virago is a fey based around ice and cold. I went out of my way to emphasize Fey aspects, as I think the Faerie are really done a disservice in D&D. There's so much rich lore in Fantasy for the Fair Folk and D&D barely does anything with that. However, as much as I wanted to emphasize that bargaining and the whole 'you don't screw with the Fey', I left an avenue to avoid it should DMs feel it would detract from the quality of the game. So you get a choice of the Unbound Fey (unchanged) and the Fey of the Court, which emphasizes deals, fairness, and exploiting those who give you an opening.
As far as actual powers go, the Frostwind Virago is very similar to the Warlock. That said, she's very much a battlefield controller, and this is emphasized by her Frigid Demesnes and Embrace of the Frozen abilities, which give an added depth to her invocation Frostwind Power use. I named them Frostwind Powers rather than invocations, by the by, to avoid situations like what cropped up with Dragonfire Adept and Warlock, where the invocations of the two were interpreted by some as being more or less interchangeable.
I do think the Frostwind Virago is powerful, even if her Frostbite Touch is less of a big deal to her than the Eldritch Blast is to the Warlock. So yeah, she's more powerful than the Warlock, but since the goal is a Tier 2-3 individual and the Warlock is low-Tier-4ish, I'm okay with that. On top of her invocations having the augmentations of Frigid Demesnes and Embrace of the Frozen, they're aimed at being a little more versatile overall. The overall lists are shorter, though (no eldritch essence invocations and about 25% less invocations at each stage), so that keeps things a touch more sane.
All in all, a battlefield controller with some Fey-suited SLAs to fall back on, a cold theme and a little more meat on her mechanical bones than her Warlock cousin.
Changelog (Alterations made to the class since original posting):
April 18, 2011:
Frostwind Virago:
Added Frostwind Virago Body to the table under 1st level. Was absent.
For the purposes of meeting feat and prestige class prerequisites, Frostwind Powers count as being invocations and spells of an equivalent level.
Ditto for Frostbite Touch being considered an Eldritch Blast.
Frigid Demesnes tweaked. It now allows no saving throw (less rolls and a bit of a boost in power) and the nonlethal damage is equal to the number of steps below comfortable, with an extreme effect (cold damage and exhaustion/paralysis) if it would drop the temperature below Extreme. Text about the range and scope of the effect clarified, the Frostwind Virago gets the option of not activating Frigid Demesnes and the effect overall has been made more concise and easy to apply.
Kiss of the Frozen simplified. It no longer affects a maximum 1 ally per hour, and the penalty to the Frostwind Virago has been removed. An offensive option has been added, allowing the Frostwind Virago to curse a helpless or grappled foe, causing them to suffer double cold and nonlethal damage.
Embrace of the Frozen: Renamed Shaken to Shivering, which is essentially the same thing except not a morale effect and it doesn't graduate to fear/panic, etc.
Embrace of the Frozen: Noted that the snow clouds it creates obscure line of sight. This makes its use a little more tactical/strategic-based, as the Frostwind Virago can obscure line of sight for herself or her allies (as well as foes).
Noted under Frostbite Touch I that the physical damage option precludes use of other augmentations, to avoid some unintended interactions.
Moved the 'you can convert nonlethal damage to Dexterity damage' option from Frostbite Touch II to Frostbite Touch III, which was otherwise a little dry (Frostbite Touch II has a tactical depth to it, while III was just flat passive gain). Added a progression so that, at 15HD, the conversion is 1 Dexterity damage for every 2 points of nonlethal damage removed, and at 20HD, it becomes 1:1.
Clarified Faerie Noble's Mirage Arcana effect to make it more flexible. If she's depicting snow, ice or a frozen structure, it extends the duration of cold weather, and cold weather, in turn, prevents the Mirage Arcana from ending so long as it lasts. This makes it easier to maintain the effect.
Also added a bit under the 'making it permanent' section for Faerie of the Court; you can let the effect lapse, but if a creature intrudes on the area before it does lapse or if someone disbelieves it, you lose your progress.
Added a link to the Frostwind Powers post under Frostwind Powers (Least).
Frostwind Powers:
Finished sentence under Boreal Whirlwind. Foes moving into the whirlwind are damaged and disoriented as though they had been struck by the moving version.
Capricious Winds now imposes a penalty on ranged attacks (double penalty for ranged weapons).
Specified that items created with Frozen Fabrication must be rigid, and gave an example.
Clarified that the Icicles invocation requires a ranged touch attack roll, rather than 'just her BAB'
Many clarifications made to Seal of Ice, essentially specifying what spells can be affected and how, adding durations and clarification on how the spells are made visible (essentially clarifying that it's like everyone had detect magic for the purposes of viewing the spell.
Changed Cold Snap so it deals damage once for every square that has ice in it. No 100's of marbles exploding for 1000d6+ damage.
Made a note at the top of the list that all saves are cha based, yadda yadda, and removed the repetitive mention of Save DCs, except where funny stuff happened (such as where it was the DC for a strength check)
Changed Frostflight from offering a fly speed of 10' per 3HD to 10' per 2HD.
Hailing Volley: upped the damage from 1d6 piercing/cold per HD to 1d6 piercing per HD and 1d6 cold per HD.
Ice Sculpture now only fatigues/exhausts if the Frostwind Virago already has a monster summoned with it.
Clarified text in Roaring Squall to specify that the squall is a small creature for the purposes of attacks of opportunity.
Zephyr now, in addition to being able to be spent for temporary flight, grants you another two options - a bonus to AC against ranged attacks or a bonus to an attack roll against a flying enemy.
Added another qualifier to Cryokinesi, so anyone affected by one of the Frostwind Virago's powers (SLA or Frostwind Power) also qualifies to be thrown around.
Mistral Attendant is now a Lesser Frostwind Power, and scales up more gradually in how many unseen servants you can have (From a flat maximum of 3 to 1 per 6HD)
Made it so that Snowflurry Step doesn't count the first 5' of movement (to avoid having it be limited to an awkward distance of 90' or 95'). The chance is now halved again if both the starting and destination square are covered in snow or ice (to 2.5% per 5' moved).
Avalanche is moved from Elite Frostwind Power to Greater. I'm not changing the line of effect (which draws from enemy to snow) because the reverse option is overly confusing, suggesting one should draw a line for every instance of snow, which would be incredibly time consuming. It's a check, more than anything. I added a bit to one sentence to clarify such.
Added Still of Winter to make up for the absence of Avalanche. This is a targeted burst effect that slaps an augmented Slow effect onto all foes in the area. All actions made by Stilled foes are one step more difficult to make (Move actions are now standard, standard actions are full-round, and so on).
Replaced Crack the Ice with a new effect. It now lets the Frostwind Virago crack the ice/snow and create a pool of icy water. Being submerged causes Str and Cold damage.
April 29, 2011:
Frostwind Virago:
Some minor tidying up and clarification of words and wording throughout.
Frostwind Powers:
Glacial Blast toned down from 1d6 damage per HD (half nonlethal) to 1d6 damage plus 1d6 per 2 HD (half nonlethal). Clarified wording on the entangle bit some.
Seal of Ice altered so spell effects have a hardness and hitpoints to bypass.
Hailing Volley altered. Used to involve a percentage roll with possibility for multiple hits. Simplified so you now deal 1d6 piercing and 1d6 cold, and have a 50% chance for the effect (including further 50% chances) to repeat. Foes can make a reflex save but if they fail, the effect is more likely to repeat.
Simplified Snowflurry Step from being a 'toggle' (activate to change how you move, deactivate to return to normal) to just being a move action option.
May 23rd, 2011:
Frostwind Virago:
Some rewording of Frigid Demesnes for clarity.
Frostbite Touch II now inflicts a curse on any foe struck, stripping them of any immunity to fatigue, exhaustion and allowing the Frostwind Virago to circumvent an immunity to nonlethal damage (dealing 1/2 the potential nonlethal damage as lethal damage to anyone so affected).
Cold Hearted II: Clarified wording and tacked on the Frostbite Touch II penetration of fatigue, exhaustion and nonlethal damage, so it's a versatile little package, if a bit unwieldy. May need to tweak or tidy up.
Frostwind Powers:
Clarified that Icicles needs a ceiling or other surface to hang the icicles from.
Started adding durations to the Frostwind Powers.