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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.

Hyudra
2011-04-29, 03:31 PM
Frostwind Powers
http://i51.tinypic.com/24cbp95.jpg
A Monster Class Supplement for the Frostwind Virago

Frostwind Powers:

Unless otherwise stated, Frostwind Powers require a standard action and have a range of 25' plus an additional 5' per caster level. All saves have a DC of 10 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD + the Frostwind Virago's Cha modifier.

Least:
Boreal Whirlwind

Least, 2nd
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (20%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, all tiles in whirlwind's space and all tiles passed over.
Duration: 1-5 rounds, depending on maximum size category, see below.
A breath of fogged air passes from the Frostwind Virago's lips, but it does not fade. Turning over and around itself, the stirring of the air builds in size, swiftness and intensity. Within a matter of moments, there is a small whirlwind of snow at the Frostwind Virago's side, growing steadily. With but a gesture, it is instructed to rush towards the enemy, momentarily disorienting foes as it twists through, under and around them.

The Virago fashions a Boreal Whirlwind with a standard action, with the Whirlwind appearing in an empty, adjacent 5' square. Initially small, the Boreal Whirlwind grows one size category at the end of each of her turns, including the turn she creates it. The Boreal Whirlwind reaches a maximum size of medium, with the possibility of being another size category larger for every 4HD the Frostwind Virago has (maximum Colossal). A Boreal Whirlwind that cannot grow any more will automatically move as described below. Though it occupies space appropriate for a creature of its size, the Boreal Whirlwind has no hp, HD or other statistics and cannot be attacked.

As a swift action, the Frostwind Virago may send a Boreal Whirlwind of at least small size traveling in a straight line for 20' per caster level. For each foe it passes over as it travels, the Boreal Whirlwind deals 1d6 cold damage for every two HD of the Frostwind Virago. Further, provided the Boreal Whirlwind is of the same size or larger than the affected target, the winds turn the foes around and disorient them, forcing them reroll their initiative, with the Frostwind Virago deciding if they use the new result. Foes who attempt to enter the Whirlwind before it begins moving take the damage and are potentially disoriented as though they had been struck by the moving whirlwind.

The Boreal Whirlwind covers every tile it hovers over or passes over in deep snow, which is difficult terrain.

Capricious Winds

Least, 1st
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (20%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, target only, until target breaks free or concentration ceases.
The Frostwind Virago concentrates on a foe, and the wind turns against them. The wind tugs at their clothing, blows hair into their face and makes every step they take, no matter how quickly they change direction, a step headlong into freezing, strong winds.

The Frostwind Virago designates a target and concentrates on them. For as long as she concentrates, that foe can't 5' step and loses 5' from their base land speed. This difficulty in movement accumulates at the start of each of the Frostwind Virago's turns, with the movement reduction increasing by 5' each time, to a minimum movement speed of 5'. Flying foes suffer a 10' cumulative loss in fly speed at the start of the effect and at the start of each of the Frostwind Virago's turns, to a minimum fly speed of 0'. Finally, affected foes suffer twice the penalties for firing their ranged weapons at any range increment beyond the first.

If the foe wishes to end the effect, he or she may elect to make a Strength check, opposed by the Virago's Charisma check, to wrest themselves free from the snaring and countering winds. This is a standard action. If the foe succeeds in beating the Frostwind Virago's Charisma check with his or her Strength check, the effect ends. If the foe fails, however, the Virago has the option of letting the effect persist or sending that foe flying in a straight line. The foe flies 5' for every two points the Virago beat their Strength check result, taking falling damage appropriate to the total distance they would have traveled if they collide with something en route. Any individual the foe would collide with is may make a Reflex save to dodge. Failing to dodge the flying victim means the bystander takes the same falling damage as the victim.

The Frostwind Virago gets a +1 on her Charisma check for every step the temperature is lower than comfortable (see Frigid Demesnes, above, for stages of temperature).

Chill Metal

Least, 2nd
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, target only, until item is dropped or discarded.
As though she were blowing a kiss, the Frostwind Virago sends a scattering of snowflakes across the battlefield. Landing atop a weapon or a plate of armor, the snowflakes sink in, and the metal turns white with frost, creaking at the sudden change in temperature. Those bearing the metal objects on their person stagger as they feel the cold being absorbed by their bodies.

As Chill Metal, but for every step the weather is colder than comfortable, the duration of the Freezing stage is extended by one round.

Frozen Fabrication


Least, 2nd
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
After manifesting a large chunk of ice in her grasp, the Frostwind Virago flicks her wrist and the chunk of ice snaps into the shape of a common object, complete with engravings and fine detail. Those touching the item are liable to wince at the chill of the material it is fabricated from.

The Frostwind Virago can, as a full-round action, create any common object with a shop price of up to 10 gp per caster level out of pure ice. The created object must be solid, rigid and nonmagical, and no special properties granted by material are applied. As such, one could not create an adamantium dagger, nor an alchemical item such as a tindertwig. The Frostwind Virago could not create a rope, as it is not rigid, but she could create a chain. Created weapons and ammunition are fragile and break on a natural 1 or 2 on an attack roll, but deal 1d6 nonmagical cold damage in addition to standard damage dealt. Each round after the first that one holds the item, individuals lacking cold resistance suffer 1d6 nonlethal damage and are fatigued (this fatigue does not stack with itself to cause exhaustion) as the cold numbs. Items created with Frozen Fabrication have 0 hardness and 3 hp per pound (minimum 1). If there's ice or snow within 5' of the Frostwind Virago, this Frostwind Power requires only a standard action to use.

Glacial Blast

Least, 2nd
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (20%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, area affected by cone.
Extending her arm, the Frostwind Virago releases a sudden blast of slush, sleet and freezing water from her palm to drench and freeze her foes and their surroundings.

Glacial Blast takes the form of a 15' cone, with 5' additional range for every 4HD of the Frostwind Virago. All foes within the area take 1d6 damage plus 1d6 per two HD of the Frostwind Virago. Half of the damage dealt is cold damage and half is nonlethal. Foes taking damage are fatigued, and already fatigued foes are exhausted. Affected targets within 5' of any vertically ascending terrain that fills a 5' space (such as a wall, tree trunk or large rock) are also entangled for one round as the ice binds them to the wall.

Foes are entitled to a Reflex save to avoid half the damage and prevent the fatigue, exhaustion and entanglement.

Finally, the affected area, terrain and creatures failing the Reflex save are covered in a sheet of ice. Creatures so covered in ice suffer no particular deleterious effects, beyond being vulnerable to several of the Frostwind Virago's powers, but the terrain becomes difficult terrain, with any creature standing on it suffering a +5 increased DC for any Tumble or Balance checks. Unattended items left on the ground before the Glacial Blast are trapped beneath the ice.

Icicles

Least, 1st
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (20%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, struck area and squares within 5' of struck area.
Drawing her fingertips together as she lowers her hand, the Frostwind Virago bids massive icicles to form and loom overhead. Should an unwary foe step too close, the icicle drops like the proverbial Sword of Damocles.

The Frostwind Virago creates 2d4 medium sized icicles, with an additional icicle for every three HD she has, placing each within 60' of herself, but with no icicle placed within 15' of another, all affixed to a ceiling or other solid horizontal surface. Should a foe pass beneath an icicle (foes starting their turn beneath an icicle will not prompt it to drop), that icicle drops and the Frostwind Virago makes a ranged touch attack roll. On a hit, the icicle deals 1d6 piercing/cold damage for every 3HD of the Frostwind Virago. The icicle deals quadruple damage should she roll a natural 20 on the attack roll.

Further, should she hit the target with the icicle, that target may make no further movement or actions that turn and the foe must make his or her choice of a balance or tumble check (DC 10 + ½ Frostwind Virago's HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha) or be knocked prone.

Manifest Ice

Least, 1st
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (20%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, all affected spaces.
Sweeping her arm, the Frostwind Virago bids ice to appear and spread over a target area.

As the 1st level spell Grease, only the Frostwind Virago covers a total number of 5' squares equal to 1+ her HD or her Cha mod, whichever is less. The affected squares must all be connected. The squares are considered to be covered in ice for the purposes of her Frostwind Powers and class features. Further, she gains the ability to cast Stone Shape, but the effect is restricted to snow and ice rather than stone.

Seal of Ice

Least, 1st
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, affected foes only for as long as the effect lasts.
Frost spreads from the Frostwind Virago's feet and fingertips, covering a surface. Where the frost encounters traces of magic, it outlines the magic, revealing prominent diagrams and runes that glow with energy, locking them into place. The ethereal and astral is given form, and both enchantments and insubstantial creatures who are so touched by this Seal may be broken with blades.

Seal of Ice covers a 5' square for every HD of the Frostwind Virago. All affected squares affected with a given casting of Seal of Ice must be connected to one another and must fall within a range of 25' plus 5' per HD of the Frostwind Virago.

Within the affected area, all enchantments or spell effects present in the area are made explicitly visible to all present as though they all had the benefit of a Detect Magic spell on them, as tracings of frost outline the magical diagrams and runes that define the spell at work (Alternately, it takes an appearance similar to the aurora borealis, marking the raw magical energies at work). The colors, ranging from white to blue to pale green and purple, make it possible to identify the school of magic at work, while the intensity of the glow makes the general power level of the effect clear. Once the Seal has been cast, it remains for a number of rounds equal to half the Frostwind Virago's HD (rounding up), but the effects persist on all affected spells for a number of rounds equal to the Frostwind Virago's HD, marking them and making them vulnerable to being shattered (see below).

A given spell effect may be targeted with an attack, potentially shattering it. Shattering a spell effect in this manner requires an attack roll against an AC of 11 + the spell's caster level + the ability modifier for caster's spellcasting attribute. The damage dealt must be sufficient to bypass a hardness equal to the spell's caster level and must cause 2 points of damage for every caster level of the spell. If successful, the ongoing spell effect is dispelled. The attack roll must also surpass the AC of any summoned creatures and other spell effects with an armor class (such as summoned creatures). Consequences from spells with an instantaneous duration and ongoing effects (such as the blaze created in a fireball's wake) cannot be dispelled with Seal of Ice as they are not technically magical effects.

An incorporeal creature that attempts to pass through the Seal of Ice fails to do so and is forced into the nearest open space. For 1d3 rounds thereafter, the incorporeal creature loses the benefits of corporeality, as the frost takes root in them to give them a physical body.

Sudden Snowstorm

Least, 2nd
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (20%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, within affected area throughout & 1 round afterwards.
The Frostwind Virago summons a violent swirl of snowflakes, clouds and twisting winds that obscures vision for any onlookers. As the effect dissipates, the snow settles, leaving the ground beneath covered in deep snow.

The Virago summons a snowstorm over a 20' radius at a target location. This operates as Obscuring Mist for all intents and purposes, but when the effect fades it leaves the area beneath it covered in snow, which should be treated as difficult terrain. The Frostwind Virago may end the effect prematurely as a swift action.

Thief of Air

Least, 2nd
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, victim only, until the effect ends or the Frostwind Virago ceases concentrating.
The Frostwind Virago bids the air in her victim's lungs to come to her, gathering it up in her palm as an orb of swirling air and wind. The victim finds their lungs a vacuum, devoid of breath, with only a chill void to fill them. Even as their lungs lurch and heave for breath, the victim finds each breath stolen from them before it can give sustenance.

The Virago draws the air from a target's lungs and gathers it in her grasp. Subjects get a Fortitude save, with failure meaning they are effectively silenced for the purposes of using their voice and they begin to suffocate. To end the suffocation effect, the victim or one of their allies must successfully attack the Frostwind Virago to free the air to return to the victim - Dealing damage equal to 10% of the Frostwind Virago's maximum hitpoints forces her to release the air. Failing that, the victim must take a full round action followed by a Fortitude save (same DC as above) to draw in a full lungful of air and hold onto it before it can escape, which interrupts and ends the Frostwind Power's effect.

Whispering Wind

Least, 1st
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
The most minor elementals of air, those that carry voices and direct the currents of the air, are obedient to the will of the Frostwind Virago. They obediently carry sounds to her as whispers and echoes.

The most minor elementals of air, those that carry voices and direct the currents of the air, are obedient to the will of the Virago. The DC for her Listen checks is not modified by distance or intervening objects so long as she knows what she is listening for, as the least elementals loyally carry the sound to her. Alternately, she may command the least elementals to scout for her. In the doing, she loses the benefit of this Frostwind Power for 1d4 minutes, but as the elementals return, she hears whispers of goings on in the vicinity, as a general jumble of replies. The elementals are typically native to a particular area, and can thus make note of something new, strange or changing about the area, while others share details about the surroundings that concern the spirits of air. Given the limited capacity of these least elementals of air, the whisperings tend to be more cryptic than specific:
An figure unfamiliar to the area is following the Frostwind Virago: "Misssstresss, he follows, he follows, the blade sings as he unsheathes it, unsheathes it."
A meteor struck not far away, a few days ago: "It fell, big and loud, and we danced with the smoke we did, and ran with the booming sounds for miles and miles"
There's a pit trap nearby that a number have fallen victim to: "The screaming spot is near. Funny, funny, the noises they make when they dip, slip and fall."
Successive attempts at sending the Whispering Winds out to scout are unlikely to provide more detailed information - they might expand or reword something they said previously, but it is just as likely they will seize on a word game or a particular phrase and repeat it ad infinitum (For example, to use the examples on the list above, it might be simply "He follows, he follows, he follows", "The smoke danced and twirled and spun with us" or "They dip and slip they do", respectively).

Lesser:
Cold Snap

Lesser, 4th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes, but only if 5 or more squares/objects/creatures detonate. (40%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, all areas falling within blast radius.
With a snap of her fingers, the Frostwind Virago makes the ice around her explode violently, slivers of ice becoming shrapel and the frozen flesh of her enemies breaking into tens of thousands of crimson, crystalline shards.

The Frostwind Virago makes every instance of ice in the area explode violently. Each square containing icy terrain, icy ground, an icy item or a creature fabricated from ice explodes, dealing damage in their space and in a 5' radius around them. Each such exploding square delivers 1d6 slashing/piercing damage for every 3HD of the Frostwind Virago to all within the blast. They may make a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Frostwind Virago HD + Frostwind Virago Cha) for half damage and to avoid being blinded for 1 hour. The blindness may be cured with a DC 10 heal check, or rubbed out with a full round action that deals 1d6 slashing damage and has only a 25% chance to work. Creatures of living ice that are caught by the Cold Snap get a Fortitude save (same DC as above) to negate the damage, but they take double damage if they fail (regardless of whether or not they attempt the save or not).

Cresting Iceberg

Lesser, 4th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes (40%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, area within 5' of iceberg after creation/growth.
Palm upward, the Frostwind Virago raises her arm, bidding an iceberg to ascend from the frosted ground, or building upon an existing glacier. Foes in the affected area risk being having a limb caught within, or worse, being trapped within as it forms.

The Frostwind Virago calls forth an iceberg in a 10' by 10' square within 25' + 5' per HD. The entire area of the iceberg need not fall within the range. Foes within the affected area must make a Reflex save or be immobilized as a leg or foot is caught in the ice. Creatures gain a +2 to their save if at least half of their space is outside the affected area, and a -2 if the growing iceberg completely encompasses their space.

Affected foes may free themselves with a Strength check or by breaking each 5' square of ice that encroaches on their space. Ice has no hardness and each square has a number of hitpoints equal to 20 or twice the Frostwind Virago's HD, whichever is more. Ice takes half again as much damage from bludgeoning weapons and double damage from fire. Cold damage dealt to ice repairs it.

The Frostwind Virago may also expand an existing iceberg or structure made of ice, extending its covered space by 5' in two directions. A 10' by 10' iceberg, for example, could become 15' by 15' or 10' by 20'. Creatures who fall at least partially within the space are potentially immobilized, in the same manner as described above. Already immobilized creatures risk being buried, being entitled to their choice of another Fortitude save or a Strength check as described above (DC 10 + ½ Frostwind Virago HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha modifier for both), as the ice covers them. Failure to save or make the Strength check results in the target being completely smothered in ice. They can take no actions beyond a Strength check to free themselves (see DC, above) at a -4 penalty, they begin suffocating as though they were underwater and they take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage a round from the cold (the last of which is reduced by cold resistance and prevented entirely by cold immunity).

Crystal Column


Lesser, 4th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (40%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes. Violent use only, all squares within 5' of Column.
Raising both arms above her head, the Frostwind Virago directs a pillar of ice to spear out of a nearby surface, three times the height of a grown man and twice as wide across.

The Frostwind Virago creates a pillar 5' across, with a height or length of 5' per HD of the Frostwind Virago. (5' tall with a length of 5' per HD of the Frostwind Virago), originating from (and fixed to) one solid surface, such as stone, solid earth or ice. The Crystal Column may be used in two ways. The first is a gentle appearance, taking a full six to ten seconds to rise to its full height. Creatures atop the column must make a DC 10 balance check to stay on top (helpless creatures fail automatically).

The second method is a more violent one, as the Crystal Column lunges out of the ground or wall, either vaulting those atop it into the air or slamming them into a nearby surface. Foes atop or in front of the column as it emerges must make a Reflex save. Success means they move 5' and the Column passes them by without harm. Failure to avoid a vertically ascending Column means the foe is vaulted a distance into the air equal to half the height of the column, starting at the point the column ceases rising. The victim flies an added 5' for every size category they are smaller than medium, with 5' less distance for every size category they are larger than medium. The foe falls into an unoccupied square within 20' of the Crystal Column, chosen by the Frostwind Virago. Failure to avoid a horizontally growing column means the foe is shoved 5' per 15' of the Column's length in the same direction the Crystal Column is growing, starting at the point the column ends, adjusted for size category as described above.

Should a victim fail their Reflex save and find themselves sandwiched between the Crystal Column and another terrain feature (such as a wall, a ceiling or another Crystal Column), they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per HD of the Frostwind Virago and are pinned. Trapped foes must make a Strength check (DC 10 + ½ Frostwind Virago HD + Frostwind Virago Cha mod) to free themselves. Alternately, a trapped foe may attempt to destroy the column with any light or natural weapon at their disposal. Each 5' square of ice in the column has a number of hitpoints equal to twenty or twice the Frostwind Virago's HD, whichever is more.

Frostflight


3rd, Lesser
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
The Frostwind Virago bids the spirits of the ice and storms to carry her aloft.

The Frostwind Virago uses the powers of the winds to gain flight with average maneuverability, with a speed of 10' for every 2HD she has, for 24 hours. While flying, the Frostwind Virago is unaffected by the dangers or hazards of powerful winds, magical or otherwise.

Gelid Blade

Lesser, 3rd
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
As the Frostwind Virago touches a blade, frost traces over it, then around it, and finally spirals outward into the air surrounding the weapon. Wrapped in arcane diagrams of frost and rime, the weapon freezes anyone so unlucky as to be struck by it.

The Frostwind Virago bestows the ability to deal cold damage to a weapon. The weapon deals a bonus 1d6 cold damage for every 4HD of the Frostwind Virago. Further, the weapon can, for the duration, be considered a magic weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus for every d6 of cold damage granted. This enchantment does not stack with pre-existing magical enhancements on the same weapon (Each 1d6 of cold damage is equivalent to one enhancement bonus).

Further, the enchanted weapon cannot critically hit. Instead, the weapon grants a special Gelid Blade effect should the wielder make an attack roll that would critically threaten a foe, not counting any Keen enchantment or feats. In the event that the Gelid Blade special effect is triggered, the target takes no conventional damage, instead taking an amount of Dexterity damage equal to the base weapon damage plus 1d6 Dexterity damage per 4 HD of the Frostwind Virago.

Hailing Volley

Lesser, 4th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (40%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes (all potentially targeted areas).
Levitating a daunting mass of icicles and ice shards overhead, the Frostwind Virago directs countless spears of ice to vault through the air and bombard the affected area. The volley strikes without rhyme or reason, potentially doing catastrophic amounts of damage, or none at all, while leaving jagged blades of ice sticking out of the ground as fallout.

Use of Hailing Volley is a full round action, and targets a 15' radius circle within 100' of the Frostwind Virago. Each individual in the radius is struck for 1d6 piercing damage per HD of the Frostwind Virago and a matching 1d6 cold damage per HD. Thereafter, there is a 50% chance per target that they will sustain an additional hit. This repeats until a volley misses a target, after which point they sustain no further hits for that casting. Foes may choose to make a Reflex save to avoid being struck by the volley, but if they fail, the percentage chance increases to 75% for subsequent hits.

The area is thereafter filled with icy blades, which can be treated as both being covered in ice and dealing 3d6 cold/piercing damage to any individual who falls into, falls prone on or who is thrown into the affected area.


Ice Sculpture

Lesser, 4th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (40%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, all spaces adjacent to the summoned creature when it is summoned, and again when it dies. Summoned creature is immune.
A block of ice emerges from the ground, then rapidly sheds fragments of ice, layer after layer, until an intricately crafted creature sculpted of ice is revealed. The creature, fashioned down to details as fine as eyelashes and fingerprints, remains stationary for mere heartbeats before the Frostwind Virago casts a droplet of her own blood onto it. Imbued with her lifeforce, the sculpture fights on her behalf

Ice Sculpture operates as a Summon Monster spell of a level up to ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD (Such as Summon Monster III for a Frostwind Virago of 6th level), only it cannot summon outsiders or elementals, all summoned creatures bear the cold subtype and all summoned creatures are neutral, regardless of their other types or traits. Animating the creature requires a drop of the Frostwind Virago's own blood, which passes on the necessary lifeforce. This deals 1 point of damage to the Frostwind Virago and if she already has a summoned monster (or multiple summoned monsters), it causes her to be fatigued for one hour. Should she already be fatigued, she becomes exhausted. An already exhausted Frostwind Virago cannot use this Frostwind Power. The fatigue and exhaustion effects result from a loss of lifeforce and a price paid, and cannot be circumvented - should the Frostwind Virago not become fatigued or exhausted, the creature does not animate. Further, the exhaustion and fatigue conditions persist for one hour regardless of effects that would end them prematurely.

Mistral Attendant

Lesser, 3rd
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
The Frostwind Virago calls forth one of the most minor spirits of the air to do her bidding, attend to menial tasks and carry her belongings.

The Frostwind Virago may create an Unseen Servant as the spell, to a maximum of 1 per 6HD. These Mistral Attendants are slightly more adept than Unseen Servants. They can perform tasks with a DC up to 10 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD and move up to 5' for every 3 HD she has. A Mistral Attendant that serves the Frostwind Virago for one week's time learns to follow common instructions with gestures as well as spoken orders. After a month's time, they know enough to do as their mistress wishes without any indication on her part (treat as mental command).

Roaring Squall

Lesser, 3rd
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (40%)
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
The Frostwind Virago gives vitality and shape to those selfsame least air elementals that carry the more mischievous and mean aspects of the wind - The current of air that drives stinging dust or sand into the eyes, the sudden of wind that scatters carried papers and the breeze that blows smoke and soot from the campfire into one's face. Given life, these Squalls are mischievous, small sized entities that eagerly await an opportunity to fling a foe through the air.

With a standard action, the Frostwind Virago bids a Roaring Squall to materialize in an unoccupied space within 50' of her. The Roaring Squall is a small sized effect that remains stationary until directed to move. As a standard action, the Frostwind Virago may direct the Roaring Squall to move up to 15'. Should the Roaring Squall move into an enemy's space, or vice versa, the Frostwind Virago may attempt a ranged touch attack against that foe. If the touch attack is successful, that foe is thrown 5' per point of the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod in the direction of the Frostwind Virago's choice. Further, affected foes must make a Reflex save or fall prone. A creature that cannot move the full distance due to an intervening obstacle takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and suffers a -1 to their Reflex save for every 10' they would have moved beyond the obstacle.

The Roaring Squall threatens the space around it as though it were a small creature, for the purposes of attacks of opportunity. Such attacks of opportunity are made as though the Frostwind Virago had attempted a ranged touch attack and count against the Frostwind Virago's maximum number of attacks of opportunity for the round. If the attack of opportunity is successful, the foe is affected as though they moved into the Roaring Squall's space, as described above. Only one attack (whether an attack of opportunity or an attack made by moving into an enemy's space) may be made against each foe in a given turn.

Zephyr

Lesser, 4th
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
The spirits of wind cavort and dance about the Frostwind Virago and her allies, lightening their steps and potentially extinguishing themselves to buoy them into the air for just a few moments.

The Frostwind Virago calls forth spirits of wind and air - Zephyrs - to enchant herself and allies within 30' for one hour. Affected individuals gain 5' additional movement speed to all movement types except for burrowing and swimming. An individual so enchanted may extinguish the Zephyr as an immediate action to gain flying with a fly speed (perfect) equal to their unmodified base land speed for one round, add the Frostwind Virago's Cha modifier to their AC against one ranged attack, or gain a bonus to an attack roll against a flying creature equal to the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod (Said creature must have a flight speed & maneuverability).

Greater:
Avalanche

Greater, 6th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes (60%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes. All tiles and creatures in area of effect.
The Frostwind Virago infuses the ice and snow in her vicinity with the elemental cold, then releases that energy in a torrential flood of ice, sleet and snow that spouts and pours outward from that which already exists.

The Frostwind Virago chooses a direction. To determine if a creature falls within the area of effect, draw a 20' line extending opposite that direction from each foe within 80'. If that line passes over a tile of ice and snow that is also within 60' of the Frostwind Virago, that foe is in the path of the Avalanche effect. Every foe caught in the area is smothered in a tide of snow and ice, and is forced to make two Reflex saves.

Foes who fail one such save are immobilized until they can pull their lower bodies free (A Strength check with a DC of 10 + ½ Virago HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha modifier). Each attempt to free oneself grants a +2 bonus on further attempts as the victim digs themselves free. Foes who fail both saves are buried. They may take no actions except to make a Strength check (same DC as the Reflex save, above) at a -4 penalty, with no benefit for successive attempts. Immobilized and buried foes take 1d6 nonlethal damage at the end of each of their turns due to the exposure to the cold, and are fatigued if and when they suffer the damage. Buried foes begin to suffocate.

Bloodrime

Greater, 6th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes, offensive version only. (60%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, offensive version only. Target's space and all spaces within 5', only if it does damage.
The Frostwind Virago eyes the blood dripping from her opponent's wounds. The hints of a smile touch the corner of her lip. Before the victim can make something of the expression, the Ice Fey makes a claw gesture with her hand, and the blood congeals into a mass of hard crimson ice. As the blood freezes, the victim's wounds are torn open further and ice roots itself deep in their bodies.

With a gesture, the Frostwind Virago forces a Fortitude save from a victim within 100'. If they fail, they take cold damage equal to the damage they have already sustained (that is, equal to the difference between their current and their maximum health). Alternately, the Frostwind Virago may target a foe with Bloodrime with a round's casting time, allowing no Fortitude save, with the same effect.

Finally, the Frostwind Virago may also use this ability on a willing creature to grant them the Cold subtype for 1 hour per caster level.

Crosswinds


Greater, 5th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes (60%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, within wind's area of effect.
The Frostwind Virago gestures, and the wind obeys, a blustering flurry of snowflake filled wind erupts and blows smaller enemies off their feet and sends the bigger foes stumbling for cover. Flying foes are liable to suffer the most, as the spirits of the air steal the wind from beneath their wings and potentially send them plummeting for the ground below.

Crosswinds operates in the same manner as the second level spell Gust of Wind, except for the following: It covers tiles beneath the affected area in snow, creatures take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage for every 4HD of the Frostwind Virago, with an additional 1d6 nonlethal damage for every size category they are larger than medium, and flying creatures that find themselves within the affected area have their maneuverability reduced by two steps for one round. Nonlethal damage dealt is reduced or prevented by cold resistance and cold immunity, respectively. Flying creatures that would have their maneuverability reduced below Poor lose the ability to fly for one round instead.

Cryokinesis


Greater, 5th
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
Her lips set in a thin line, the Frostwind Virago focuses her gaze on an icy object. With a snap, it breaks free from the frost-laced floor and floats into her grasp. Turning her head to one side, she sees a scoundrel sneaking up on her, blade in hand. Focusing her attention on the ice crusting his boots, she trips him.

The Frostwind Virago gains the ability to use Telekinesis, but this ability is restricted to frozen objects, objects made of ice and objects covered in ice or snow (such as that created by her Glacial Blast Frostwind Power or falling under the area of effect of one of her powers that creates snow). To be targeted, enemies must be either covered in ice or snow (as just described), be under the effect or influence of one of her SLAs or Frostwind Powers or have sustained Dexterity damage equal to half their unmodified Dexterity attribute to her Frostwind Powers. The Frostwind Virago can move frozen objects weighing up to 50 lbs. per HD, to a maximum of 750 lbs. at 15 HD.

Snowdrift

Greater, 5th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (60%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, burial only, all spaces above target creature.
The Frostwind Virago's enemy falters as his step finds no solid ground in the snow beneath him. Only paces away from the Frostwind Virago, he sinks in as deep as his knees, then finds himself waist deep and still sinking. Telling himself there was a stone floor not three feet under the ice, before, he belatedly realizes the danger, throwing his weapon aside and reaching for more solid ground. The Frostwind Virago approaches and stands imperiously above him as he struggles and fails to get a handhold in the snow and ice. Coldly, she looks down on him as she places a bootheel on his forehead and forces him beneath. Hours later, at the Frostwind Virago's behest, the snowbanks have shifted and the enemy is thoroughly lost beneath.

The Frostwind Virago can cause any pre-existing patch of deep snow (typically created with another Frostwind Power) to strategically collapse, with those standing on it being swallowed up and buried in a matter of seconds. The snowdrift acts very similar to quicksand: The affected area is 20 feet in diameter and the momentum of a charging or running character carries him or her 1d2×5 feet into the snowdrift. Spotting the snowdrift requires a Survival check against a DC of 10 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD + the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod, or a Spot check against the same DC with a -5 penalty. Should the Frostwind Virago create the Snowdrift under a foe, that foe is entitled to a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD + the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod) to avoid the effect and jump clear.

Those stuck in a snowdrift may attempt to stay in place with a Climb check, which must beat a DC of 10 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD + the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod. Failing this check causes the victim to sink below the surface. Moving 5' through the snowdrift requires a Climb check against a DC of 15 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD + the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod. Again, failing this movement attempt by 5 or more causes one to sink below the surface.

Once a victim has sunk below the surface, they take 1 point of Dexterity damage and suffer 1d6 nonlethal damage each round. The DC to climb back to the surface is the same as an attempt to move 5', but increases by +1 for every round spent below. Allies can attempt to pull a victim free, but this requires either a length of rope or a pole of 10' or more length. An attempt to pull a victim free requires a DC 15 Strength check on the part of the rescuer and a DC 10 Strength check on the part of the victim, with a success moving the victim 5' closer to the surface or the edge of the effect. A failure on the part of rescuer or victim forces the victim to immediately make another Climb check or sink beneath the surface (DC 15 + ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD + the Frostwind Virago's Cha mod).

Finally, the Frostwind Virago gains the ability to cast the spell Move Earth, only it is restricted to ice and snow.

Snowflurry Step

Greater, 6th
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: No.
The Frostwind Virago stands in the midst of the snowstorm, her expression unreadable as enemies tromp through the knee deep snow beneath her. As a wave of falling snow obscures her from vision for just a moment's time, she disappears from view. A stirring of snow on the clifftop above the enemies conceals her reappearance.

The Frostwind Virago gains the ability to travel nigh instantaneously from location to location. Snowflurry Step requires a move action and provokes no attacks of opportunity. With a use of Snowflurry Step, the Frostwind Virago may attempt to travel to a location within 100' that she can see. Beyond the first square, for every 5' of distance between her and the intended space, her Snowflurry step has a cumulative 10% chance of failing, leaving her where she is. If she is standing on snow or ice or if the target location is covered in snow or ice, this chance is reduced to 5% per 5' of distance. If both are the case (both starting area and the destination are covered in snow and ice), the chance is reduced to 2.5% per 5' of distance (rounding down).

Elite:
Crack the Ice

Elite, 7th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes. (100%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes. All spaces within and within 5'.
Spreading her arms wide, the Frostwind Virago bids the ice and snow to crack, unleashing a cresting wave of icy water that ensnares and pulls at all within reach. Where there was once ground, there is only water, so cold it saps one's strength and pulling the submerged ever deeper.

This water serves as a portal to the lands known as the Faerie, the Feywidls or the Fair Glades - the plane of the Fey. Those caught beneath when the portal closes that are lost to a frozen corner of one of those deceptively beautiful and consummately dangerous lands.

The Frostwind Virago can crack a surface having it transform into a pool of freezing cold water. The affected area is a burst 5' across for every three HD the Frostwind Virago has, targeting a space within 25' + 5' per HD. If the ground is icy or covered in snow, the burst is instead up to 5' across for every HD of the Frostwind Virago. The ground at the location is shattered, becoming a pool of water that serves as a portal to an otherworldly lake or pond. This occurs regardless of the terrain beneath the land, and as such, it would create a pool of endlessly deep, freezing waters regardless of whether one stood on an open plain, the roof of a castle or a cloud.

As the power is used and the land cracks to reveal the pool, a blast of ice and water strikes every individual within 15' of the area, forcing a Reflex save. The Frostwind Virago may elect to halve the size of the pool (the initial burst size, rounding down) to double the range of the blast. She may make this adjustment multiple times, (ie. she may reduce the pool size to ¼ to quadruple the size of the blast). In any event, every individual in the area of the blast is dragged 5' towards the center of the effect, while individuals who fail the saving throw are dragged an additional 5' per point they failed by.

Foes that are pulled into the center of the effect or who otherwise fall into the water are drawn beneath. Each round they are in contact with the water, affected foes take 1d3 Strength damage and 1d3 Constitution damage and must either make a Strength check opposed by her Charisma check or make a Swim check opposed by her Charisma check at a -4 penalty. For each point a foe fails the check by, they are dragged either 5' closer to the center of the effect or 5' deeper into the water. Submerged creatures must still make swim checks to navigate the icy lake.

The portal closes after a number of rounds equal to the Frostwind Virago's HD, freezing over with a heavy crust of ice, with any summary melting of the ice revealing only the terrain that was once there, damaged but showing little of the sheer destruction that had been visited on it before. The Frostwind Virago may, as a free action, close the portal early, no less than 1d3+1 rounds after the portal's creation (roll as the portal is created). Those who are still beneath the water when the portal closes must swim 1d20x10 feet straight up to reach the surface, whereupon they find themselves in a particularly cold and inhospitable region of the Faerie/Feywilds/Fair Courts (the Plane of the Fey for your respective campaign, the Elemental Plane of Water if such does not exist).

Once a week, the Frostwind Virago can call forth one who was caught in the pool when it closed, using a sufficiently large body of water, reaching in and pulling them forth to bargain, threaten or mock them. For 1 hour thereafter, she may banish them back to the watery realm with an immediate action. Those who had their Strength or Constitution reduced to 0 or who drowned are revived with the respective attribute and their hitpoints set to 1.

As a variant, Crack the Ice may be used on a wall or ceiling, the Frostwind Virago instead creates a geyser/spout/waterfall of icy water in much the same fashion as the geyser function of a decanter of endless water, only it is 50' long, 5' across and produces 376 gallons a round. Should it originate on ice or snow, it is twice as long and produces twice as much water a round. Those caught within the geyser take 1d3 Strength and 1d3 Constitution damage and are moved to the terminus of the effect. Making a Reflex save negates all three of these effects.

Mindnumbing Aura

Elite, 8th
Frigid Demesnes: No.
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, the area within 30' of the Frostwind Virago.
The very presence of the Frostwind Virago can sap an individual of his or her ambition, enthusiasm and drive, as the persistent cold and the wind cause them to wait just one moment longer to catch their breath or dive headlong into the icy winds once more.

For 24 hours, any foe that starts their turn within 60' of the Frostwind Virago is forced to delay their action until after someone else (who has not been affected by Mindnumbing Aura or who already acted on their delayed turn) has acted, taking a new place in the initiative order as a consequence. Foes at the bottom of the initiative order delay until they are near the top of the next round's initiative order.

North Wind

Elite, 9th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes, with special effect. (100%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, throughout the affected area.
The Frostwind Virago dispatches a terrible storm that dances over the landscape in front of her, smothering the terrain in heavy snow and ice. Smaller foes are blown away while larger foes bear the full brunt of the wind. So terrible is this wind, it can cast a region into the deepest winter for weeks at a time.

The Frostwind Virago summons a wind that extends in a one mile cone before her. She creates Windstorm level winds in the affected area that persists for one round, but the Fort save DC is increased to (10 + ½ Frostwind Virago's HD + Frostwind Virago's Cha mod). Further, the Frostwind Virago extends the temperature in her current location over the affected area. The new climate persists in the affected area for a duration of one day for every HD she has.

Finally, foes in the area take damage based on their size as described on the table below:

{table=head]Creature Size|Damage
Colossal|1d6 cold damage and 1d6 nonlethal damage per HD of the Frostwind Virago
Gargantuan|1d6 cold damage per HD of the Frostwind Virago
Huge| 1d6 cold damage per two HD of the Frostwind Virago
Medium or smaller|1d6 cold damage per three HD of the Frostwind Virago[/table]
Still of Winter

Elite, 8th
Frigid Demesnes: Yes (100%)
Embrace of the Frozen: Yes, within burst and in adjacent squares.
The Frostwind Virago points, and there is a muffled rustling in the air a short distance away. For those caught within the affected area, noises are smothered, breathing is suddenly strained and movement seems as though it takes twice the effort, as snow and air simply refuses to bend or cooperate.

Still of Winter affects all within a 20' radius burst, targeting a location within 25' + 5' per HD of the Frostwind Virago that she can see. Those within the area must make a Will saving throw or be Stilled, as described below. Those who succeed their saving throw are nonetheless Slowed as the spell for 1d3 rounds.

Stilled foes require more effort to make each action, as shown on the table below:

{table=head]Old Action Type|New Action type
Immediate|Immediate, but also uses swift/immediate for subsequent round.
Swift|Move
Move|Standard
Standard|Full-Round
Full-Round|Effectively one round casting time.*
One Round or more Casting Time|Casting time doubled.[/table]
In the event of actions that now have an effective casting time (such as a full attack), the action is carried out at the end of the round. Such actions may be interrupted in the same manner of a spell and require a Concentration check to maintain in the same fashion. Actions that already required a Concentration check (such as casting spells) have a flat 25% chance to fail in addition to all other penalties. All actions beyond free actions for Stilled foes provoke attacks of opportunity, and the movement speeds of Stilled Foes are halved.

At the Frostwind Virago's discretion, foes may be Slowed rather than Stilled.

Ziegander
2011-04-29, 05:47 PM
Really excellent work here. I'm very impressed with the thoroughness of the design, the uniqueness and aesthetics of the subject matter, and the thoughtfulness of the mechanics.

Bravo!

Stycotl
2011-05-03, 11:53 AM
i told you i'd critique this when i could. i'm very interested in using it for an NPC.

anything i don't comment on specifically is cool and works well in my opinion; i'm saving comments for either things i think need work or clarification, or for the really outstanding stuff that i just feel bears some applause. i didn't bother critiquing punctuation or grammar or anything.


i think it wouldn't be inappropriate to give a light armor proficiency, and later, an arcane armor similar to the warlock's in order to cast without chance of spell failure in light armor only. this is especially

faeriekind: i really like the option between unbound and court faeries. this alone makes this feel a lot like a changeling: the dreaming game, which is good for extra points in my book. and even better for allowing a normal set of SLAs for those that don't want to deal with changeling-esque roleplaying.

i think it might be appropriate to replace silent image with minor image.

frigid demesnes: another cool, thematic ability that i really like, with a lot of potential for some awesome roleplaying, and some good enemy nerfing.

however, i have some issues with the wording:


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. This is limited to a maximum of a one step drop below the current norm for every 3HD the Frostwind Virago has.

this seems clumsy to me; i'd just say, 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, to a limit of 1d6/3 frostwind virago levels, or something similar.


If the effect would trigger and the temperature is already Extreme, all foes in the area instead suffer 4d6 cold damage and are exhausted, with already exhausted foes becoming paralyzed for 1d3 rounds.

similarly, i want to make sure that i understand this one correctly. if the temperature is already extreme, the virago still rolls the percentage when using frostwind powers to see if the temperature would change. but the temp doesn't actually change, the enemies just suffer worse effects. is that right?

if it is, that is awesome. if not, i think this is what it needs to be.

frostbite touch II: i think that the separate entry for this is unnecessary. i'd just list this under frostbite touch I with an at 7th level... deal.

i think that the effect would have to be bigger to warrant its own heading. that said, i think that it could use a bigger effect, especially since all of this is rather easily overcome nonlethal damage. i know you are not trying to make this keep up with eldritch blast, but at this current rate, it's nowhere close.

faeriekith: i would up the daily uses at this point. cool fey court charm monster effect though.

embrace of the frozen: i'd state that creatures immune to pain or cold are immune to this. i'd also state that the virago, and maybe even her allies affected by kiss of the frozen are not affected by the obscuring effect.

frostbite touch III: this is what i think is worth a separate heading. the only problem is that the damage dice are still pretty limited. 2d6 at 11th level is very low. the charisma mod will be high, but still only normal PC-high since there are no racial charisma bonuses. so let's say 2d6+14 at this level, which i feel is pretty generous. not bad, but not great. i think she should be dealing around 3d6 at this level, with the appropriate charisma bonus.

now, that said, i just realized that this pretty much puts it on par with the warlock (more damage actually with even just 2 dice, but fewer applicative options and less of a chance to effect foes), so maybe it is good as is.

cold hearted II: i'd specify what this means: Further, affected creatures are stripped of their protections against the cold weather for one minute, with this duration being doubled every time the Frostwind Virago deals cold damage to them. (Two minutes for the second hit, four for the third, and so on).

i'm assuming you mean cold resistance. but as is, it could even mean cold immunity or bonuses to saves against cold attacks, etc. other than that, this is an essential feature to an energy-based class. wouldn't work without it.

frostwind powers


you should complete the spell headers, to include area of effect, duration, etc. some of the frostwind powers have this info in the text body, but a number of them are not included. add the frigid demesnes and embrace of the frozen effects after the normal spell header info.

icicles: does this require a ceiling of any sort, or can they hover in midair?

seal of ice: sweet.

hailing volley:


Thereafter, there is a 50% chance per target that they will sustain an additional hit. This repeats until a volley misses a target, after which point they sustain no further hits for that casting.

thereafter? for how long? this is one of the powers that desperately needs a complete spell header.

also, if this spell hits more than once per casting, which it seems to suggest it does, then the damage is way too high. as is, it is a 4th level effect that does 2d6/caster level. that is pretty high already, even with just one hit per casting.

ice sculpture:


Ice Sculpture operates as a Summon Monster spell of a level up to ½ the Frostwind Virago's HD (Such as Summon Monster III for a Frostwind Virago of 6th level)

do you mean, up to 1/2 the frostwind virago's class level? or do you really mean HD?

i'd clarify that the subsequent summoned monster does not animate unless she takes the appropriate fatigue or exhaustion effect, and that it doesn't affect a summoning that would otherwise not fatigue or exhaust her. i know that this is the logical effect, so long as i am reading it right, but it still bears clarification.

roaring squall: cool ability, especially with two or more summoned as body guards.

avalanche: str check for an immobilized foe seems too high. you have it as the same DC as a saving throw. i'd argue too that it is too high for buried creatures, but it seems fair to me after having failed two separate saves. i might not even grant a buried creature a save, except that it makes sense to enormous creatures and creatures with a burrowing speed.

maybe you ought to give bonuses to creatures with burrowing speeds.

bloodrime: wicked cool.

crosswinds: if there were a way to make this a swift act, it would be fantastic. as is, assuming it is a standard act, as the spell, it is ok, but i think it works better as a lesser, 3rd or 4th level effect. if you up the effects (maybe add dex or con damage or something) and then say that it can be used as a swift act when the temperatures are already at cold or severe cold or something, that would be stupendous.

snowdrift: define "deep snow." right now by the rules, you could use this power in an area that just had a few feet of snow, which wouldn't be enough to bury anyone larger than a wiener dog. i'd make a rule that either this power augments surrounding snowdrifts, making them at least 5' deep or 10' deep or something, or come up with a standard that says every applicable frostwind power whose area of effect has covered a certain square, increases the depth of the snow by a certain amount (1' or 2' or something).

seems tedious; maybe there's a better way to do it. but it needs to be defined.

snowflurry step: make this a lesser power. to merit a greater power, it needs to be drastically better than this.

crack in the ice: marvelously flavorful. this power alone makes me smile. talk about a powerful bargaining position.

a question though: does a revived victim get a new save within that hour that she can immediately banish them back to the pool? if not, why? i'm ok either way, but want to see the reasoning.

also, you might specify that she can banish them back with that immediate act no matter the distance or whether or not they are on the same plane. that way, if she needs to send them on an errand as part of their bargaining (not at all unlikely), if they betray her or something, they still get screwed.

mindnumbing aura: another one that is in dire need of spell header information. i'm guessing that this is a "personal" effect? it could be worded clearer. sounds cool though.

north wind: why does the wind only last one round if the cold it leaves behind lasts for days? do affected creatures get saves for half damage or anything, or is that only against getting blown over and stuff? header info.

still of winter: depending on the duration, this might merit a greater power (maybe 7th level) rather than an elite power. if it lasts hours or days though, it would be a cool 8th level ability. imagine pairing it up with a curse of despair that gives a percentage chance of not acting at all. nice.

Hyudra
2011-05-03, 01:10 PM
i told you i'd critique this when i could. i'm very interested in using it for an NPC.

Much appreciated.


i think it wouldn't be inappropriate to give a light armor proficiency, and later, an arcane armor similar to the warlock's in order to cast without chance of spell failure in light armor only. this is especially

I wanted to give her natural armor, and felt that having natural + light armor would be over the top as far as personal protections. As a battlefield controller with better HP than your typical caster (and enough SAD to be able to dedicate some points to Con/Dex), it doesn't seem like a huge priority to give her the armor proficiency.

Light armor proficiency typically only works out to 2-3 points of armor, since you can wear padded armor even if you aren't proficient and enchant it as normal.


faeriekind: i really like the option between unbound and court faeries. this alone makes this feel a lot like a changeling: the dreaming game, which is good for extra points in my book. and even better for allowing a normal set of SLAs for those that don't want to deal with changeling-esque roleplaying.

i think it might be appropriate to replace silent image with minor image.

I'll look them over and see if it makes sense.


frigid demesnes: another cool, thematic ability that i really like, with a lot of potential for some awesome roleplaying, and some good enemy nerfing.

however, i have some issues with the wording:

this seems clumsy to me; i'd just say, 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, to a limit of 1d6/3 frostwind virago levels, or something similar.

The trouble with that is that there's technically only 4 stages of low temperature. I get what you're saying though, about the wording being kludgy. It was one of those abilities I put together, hacked apart, patched back together and so on, so it does need some attention.


similarly, i want to make sure that i understand this one correctly. if the temperature is already extreme, the virago still rolls the percentage when using frostwind powers to see if the temperature would change. but the temp doesn't actually change, the enemies just suffer worse effects. is that right?

if it is, that is awesome. if not, i think this is what it needs to be.

That was the intent. I'll see about clarifying the wording to make it clearer.


frostbite touch II: i think that the separate entry for this is unnecessary. i'd just list this under frostbite touch I with an at 7th level... deal.

i think that the effect would have to be bigger to warrant its own heading. that said, i think that it could use a bigger effect, especially since all of this is rather easily overcome nonlethal damage. i know you are not trying to make this keep up with eldritch blast, but at this current rate, it's nowhere close.

I'll see what I can do to make it more enticing as an ability boost.


faeriekith: i would up the daily uses at this point.

Fair enough.


embrace of the frozen: i'd state that creatures immune to pain or cold are immune to this. i'd also state that the virago, and maybe even her allies affected by kiss of the frozen are not affected by the obscuring effect.

It's not just pain and cold, but an actual cloud of snow and mist. With Embrace of the Frozen enabled, you, for example, drop an icicle on a foe, and the resulting debris obscures their vision. It's a major aspect of the Frostwind Virago's ability to control the battlefield. Whether she uses it for a given ability or not is a tactical call she has to make. I kind of want to retain that so it isn't necessarily mindless.

But yeah, maybe immunity to pain or cold means you wouldn't suffer the Shivering condition, though your vision would be obscured.


frostbite touch III: this is what i think is worth a separate heading. the only problem is that the damage dice are still pretty limited. 2d6 at 11th level is very low. the charisma mod will be high, but still only normal PC-high since there are no racial charisma bonuses. so let's say 2d6+14 at this level, which i feel is pretty generous. not bad, but not great. i think she should be dealing around 3d6 at this level, with the appropriate charisma bonus.

I'll see about scaling it up. I kept the 2d6 damage at level 11 because the base monster had such and I didn't want to get too far away from the base monster's core concept. (as is, ideally, one could interpret a CR 16 Frostwind Virago as being a Frostwind Virago with a rather narrow selection of Frostwind Powers chosen... and kinda unoptimal feat choice).


cold hearted II: i'd specify what this means: Further, affected creatures are stripped of their protections against the cold weather for one minute, with this duration being doubled every time the Frostwind Virago deals cold damage to them. (Two minutes for the second hit, four for the third, and so on).

i'm assuming you mean cold resistance. but as is, it could even mean cold immunity or bonuses to saves against cold attacks, etc. other than that, this is an essential feature to an energy-based class. wouldn't work without it.


I'll see about clarifying this.



you should complete the spell headers, to include area of effect, duration, etc. some of the frostwind powers have this info in the text body, but a number of them are not included. add the frigid demesnes and embrace of the frozen effects after the normal spell header info.

The lack of spell headers was a consequence of both the character limit for posts & just a mirroring of the Warlock's own invocation listings.


icicles: does this require a ceiling of any sort, or can they hover in midair?

My initial impression was that they'd require a ceiling of some sort.


hailing volley: thereafter? for how long? this is one of the powers that desperately needs a complete spell header.

also, if this spell hits more than once per casting, which it seems to suggest it does, then the damage is way too high. as is, it is a 4th level effect that does 2d6/caster level. that is pretty high already, even with just one hit per casting.

Too much damage? Ok. I can see about a workaround.

The idea was that all the hits would occur in the same turn. You hit, 50% chance you deliver another hit, and so on.


ice sculpture: do you mean, up to 1/2 the frostwind virago's class level? or do you really mean HD?

i'd clarify that the subsequent summoned monster does not animate unless she takes the appropriate fatigue or exhaustion effect, and that it doesn't affect a summoning that would otherwise not fatigue or exhaust her. i know that this is the logical effect, so long as i am reading it right, but it still bears clarification.

I suppose class level does make more sense.

Good point on the wording.


avalanche: str check for an immobilized foe seems too high. you have it as the same DC as a saving throw. i'd argue too that it is too high for buried creatures, but it seems fair to me after having failed two separate saves. i might not even grant a buried creature a save, except that it makes sense to enormous creatures and creatures with a burrowing speed.

maybe you ought to give bonuses to creatures with burrowing speeds.

My problem here was that I wanted to mimic quicksand. No problem, right? Except most monsters have very narrow skill selections compared to what the typical PC packs. There's no/little guarantee most monsters will have Climb, so I added the strength check as an option for those that didn't.

So I want, ideally, to find a sweet spot where Str check is a little more different than climbing with ranks in climb, but not impossible.


crosswinds: if there were a way to make this a swift act, it would be fantastic. as is, assuming it is a standard act, as the spell, it is ok, but i think it works better as a lesser, 3rd or 4th level effect. if you up the effects (maybe add dex or con damage or something) and then say that it can be used as a swift act when the temperatures are already at cold or severe cold or something, that would be stupendous.

I'll think about this some.


snowdrift: define "deep snow." right now by the rules, you could use this power in an area that just had a few feet of snow, which wouldn't be enough to bury anyone larger than a wiener dog. i'd make a rule that either this power augments surrounding snowdrifts, making them at least 5' deep or 10' deep or something, or come up with a standard that says every applicable frostwind power whose area of effect has covered a certain square, increases the depth of the snow by a certain amount (1' or 2' or something).

Look at the flavor text. The idea is that even if it's a relatively light layer of snow on a flat surface, it sucks you in much in the same way that Crack the Ice is an extradimensional ability. It's that blurring of the boundaries of reality.


snowflurry step: make this a lesser power. to merit a greater power, it needs to be drastically better than this.

Man, I may just remove this. I've buffed it considerably several times, but nobody's been happy with it.

Or maybe I'll figure out a way to buff a lesser power enough to replace it. Dunno.


crack in the ice: marvelously flavorful. this power alone makes me smile. talk about a powerful bargaining position.

a question though: does a revived victim get a new save within that hour that she can immediately banish them back to the pool? if not, why? i'm ok either way, but want to see the reasoning.

also, you might specify that she can banish them back with that immediate act no matter the distance or whether or not they are on the same plane. that way, if she needs to send them on an errand as part of their bargaining (not at all unlikely), if they betray her or something, they still get screwed.

Way I figure it, if someone gets stuck in the pool and is trapped in there long enough for it to close over 'em, at 16th level or later, they've earned their fate, so no need for a new save at a later date.

I will specify as to the range & lack of restriction there.


north wind: why does the wind only last one round if the cold it leaves behind lasts for days? do affected creatures get saves for half damage or anything, or is that only against getting blown over and stuff? header info.

The inspiration for this ability was Narnia, book one. Jadis (who may well have been the inspiration for the Frostwind Virago in the first place) had the land trapped in an eternal winter. This ability is simply a vehicle for the same concept.

What you get is an immensely powerful blast of wind that will level towns and can be done multiple times in a row with multiple standard actions. The cold being left behind for days is more flavor. I'll clarify re: the saves.

Stycotl
2011-05-03, 11:03 PM
I wanted to give her natural armor, and felt that having natural + light armor would be over the top as far as personal protections. As a battlefield controller with better HP than your typical caster (and enough SAD to be able to dedicate some points to Con/Dex), it doesn't seem like a huge priority to give her the armor proficiency.

Light armor proficiency typically only works out to 2-3 points of armor, since you can wear padded armor even if you aren't proficient and enchant it as normal.

i can understand that, but since her natural armor is tied to her con score, it won't be that impressive either. also, you give her an ability early on (can't remember which one) that is specifically usable in up to light armor. so i figure that it couldn't hurt.


It's not just pain and cold, but an actual cloud of snow and mist. With Embrace of the Frozen enabled, you, for example, drop an icicle on a foe, and the resulting debris obscures their vision. It's a major aspect of the Frostwind Virago's ability to control the battlefield. Whether she uses it for a given ability or not is a tactical call she has to make. I kind of want to retain that so it isn't necessarily mindless.

But yeah, maybe immunity to pain or cold means you wouldn't suffer the Shivering condition, though your vision would be obscured.

i wasn't very clear there. i meant that immunity to pain or cold should negate the penalty, not the obscuring effect. but the more i look at that, the less important it becomes to me. a -2 penalty with no immunities is fine.


The lack of spell headers was a consequence of both the character limit for posts & just a mirroring of the Warlock's own invocation listings.

with invocations, it is easier to get away with. a huge number of invocations only mimic preexisting spells. yours don't, by and large––and this is an extremely good thing because it means that you went to a lot of work to come up with original material, but that also means that there are a lot of effects that i am wondering about duration or casting time, etc. if you don't make a header for them, at least go through and make absolutely sure that all of the pertinent info is in the body text for each power.


Too much damage? Ok. I can see about a workaround.

The idea was that all the hits would occur in the same turn. You hit, 50% chance you deliver another hit, and so on.

ok. if that is the case then i would lower the damage. not by a lot. is there a good way to split 2d6/3 levels?

scratch that, maybe just drop the percentage chance to be hit multiple times to 30 or 40% and then it would be balanced for the high damage.


So I want, ideally, to find a sweet spot where Str check is a little more different than climbing with ranks in climb, but not impossible.

that works for me.


Look at the flavor text. The idea is that even if it's a relatively light layer of snow on a flat surface, it sucks you in much in the same way that Crack the Ice is an extradimensional ability. It's that blurring of the boundaries of reality.

ok, that works too. seems cooler now too that i see it that way.


The inspiration for this ability was Narnia, book one. Jadis (who may well have been the inspiration for the Frostwind Virago in the first place) had the land trapped in an eternal winter. This ability is simply a vehicle for the same concept.

What you get is an immensely powerful blast of wind that will level towns and can be done multiple times in a row with multiple standard actions. The cold being left behind for days is more flavor. I'll clarify re: the saves.

sounds good. i was just curious.

you have some really good mechanics that make it possible to play the ice queen. kudos.

Hyudra
2011-05-04, 10:00 PM
i can understand that, but since her natural armor is tied to her con score, it won't be that impressive either. also, you give her an ability early on (can't remember which one) that is specifically usable in up to light armor. so i figure that it couldn't hurt.

Right, but assume a 1st level Frostwind Virago with:
8 Str
14 Dex
16 Con
8 Int
8 Wis
18 Cha

That's a bit extreme, but figure you'll have a chain shirt for a total of AC 19 and 9hp right off the bat.

At mid levels it'll really become clear, when you've got the secondary cash to spend on a few +Con boosts (which add to hp, armor and fort saves, which you have poor progression for). It's a lot of benefit for relatively little investment.


with invocations, it is easier to get away with. a huge number of invocations only mimic preexisting spells. yours don't, by and large––and this is an extremely good thing because it means that you went to a lot of work to come up with original material, but that also means that there are a lot of effects that i am wondering about duration or casting time, etc. if you don't make a header for them, at least go through and make absolutely sure that all of the pertinent info is in the body text for each power.

So noted.


ok. if that is the case then i would lower the damage. not by a lot. is there a good way to split 2d6/3 levels?

scratch that, maybe just drop the percentage chance to be hit multiple times to 30 or 40% and then it would be balanced for the high damage.

Hrm. What if the first hit only had a 50% chance to land?


you have some really good mechanics that make it possible to play the ice queen. kudos.

Thank you good sir.

Stycotl
2011-05-05, 01:28 AM
Hrm. What if the first hit only had a 50% chance to land?

no! too risky! but maybe first hit only does a fraction of the damage, and then the next hits have a percentage miss chance, but deal astronomical damage if they hit.

say first hit does standard 10d6 damage, or 15d6 or something, and auto hits (minus reflex save shenanigans). nothing to write home about, especially for a 4th level or higher power. but, then it has a 50% chance of doing 20d6 more, and if that hits, a 40% chance of the same, and then 30%, 20%, etc.

or something like that.

Ziegander
2011-05-05, 02:33 AM
Okay, so I haven't read all of the actual power descriptions, but since you two are discussing the Volley, I thought I'd take a look and chime in on it.

I know blasting isn't that great, but what we've got here is a really complicated, at-will, area-effect disintegrate with the chance for even more damage as well as a tacked-on icy ground/ice blades hazard. As a 4th level Wizard spell this would still be pretty awesome. As a Warlock power this is pretty degenerate.

RavenJovan
2016-03-17, 03:49 PM
I know you sited a source of the image at the top but what is she? is she of this class or a specific race?

Zombimode
2016-03-17, 06:13 PM
I know you sited a source of the image at the top but what is she? is she of this class or a specific race?

Frostwind Virago is a specific type of fey detailed in the Monster Manual V. The picture above is the same found in the monster entry.