3.P Is an Ice Mage possible?

[Steamflogger]

Let me just preface this by saying that I know that playing a monothematic caster is totally unoptimal. The group I'm in has griped whenever I optimize my character in the least, and even my super non-spotlight stealing bard has earned complaints about "being too good"(From a conjurer who was attempting wish abuse via candles, but complaints nonetheless).

Now that the fall semester is winding down, I'm probably getting back together with an old group of mine. They are pretty attached to pathfinder, and I can't use 3.5 resources. They are running a rather silly Serpent Skull campaign, and I want to play a ice-themed spellcaster.

Now, if this was 3.5, I would play a generic spellcaster and just pick a bunch of ice themed spells and grab Spell thematics, and maybe the snowcasting feat line. But this is pathfinder. There are no cold races. I could find no cold classes (even the sorcerer bloodline is more hyberborean shaman than winter mage). There are few cold spells that I know of. Are there any resources I have somehow missed?

[Anderlith]

Winter Witch. Prc/ Witch Archetype.

As for races, alter the fluff of the Undine or the Slyph to be a little more frosty ;)

[NikitaDarkstar]

Elemental bloodline (lets a sorcerer change any spell to cold typed.). Or if you prefer a wizard go water elementalist which nets you a good deal of cold themed spells and some water stuff. Water Elementalist. (https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-schools/paizo---arcane-schools/elemental-arcane-schools/water)

I'm not sure about races, but most of it is fluff anyway and the rest could probably be done with traits and feats.

[Wyntonian]

Well, for a start, there's a 3.5/PF subforum for exactly this sort of question. That said, yeah. Pathfinder had sorcerer's bloodlines, and one for cold-folks. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-paizo/boreal-bloodline)

Oh, and a third-party one. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-3rd-party-publishers/super-genius-games---sorcerer-bloodlines/frost)

[Glaurung]

Check out the metamagic feat Rime Spell. I think its in Ultimate Magic. It adds a brief entanglement to your augmented cold spells. +1 to the spell level.

[Razanir]

Sorcerer, pick this (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines-from-paizo/elemental-bloodline) bloodline and choose water. Use undines (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-undine) for a race (water genasi)

[Steamflogger]

Well, for a start, there's a 3.5/PF subforum for exactly this sort of question.

Yeah, I realized that this wasn't in the 3.5 subforum after I posted it, wasn't sure how to request to get it moved.

I had previously seen everything posted here, I guess I'm just spoiled by 3.5's mass of options. I suppose the thing I really need is spells, because while I can sort-of specialize in a mix of cold and water (The 3rd party sorcerer bloodline would be perfect, if I wasn't limited to Paizo's stuff), there are just too few cold spells that I could find to make it worth it. From the general sorcerer/wizard list on the PFSRD, I could only find 17 spells that either dealt cold damage, or somehow involved ice, snow or sleet.

I thank you all for your advice, but I'm afraid making such a character might be impossible using only the stuff Paizo has put out.

[Razanir]

Yeah, I realized that this wasn't in the 3.5 subforum after I posted it, wasn't sure how to request to get it moved.

I had previously seen everything posted here, I guess I'm just spoiled by 3.5's mass of options. I suppose the thing I really need is spells, because while I can sort-of specialize in a mix of cold and water (The 3rd party sorcerer bloodline would be perfect, if I wasn't limited to Paizo's stuff), there are just too few cold spells that I could find to make it worth it. From the general sorcerer/wizard list on the PFSRD, I could only find 17 spells that either dealt cold damage, or somehow involved ice, snow or sleet.

I thank you all for your advice, but I'm afraid making such a character might be impossible using only the stuff Paizo has put out.

Again, it's really not as restricting as you make it. If I understand the rules correctly, with the elemental (water) bloodline, you can change ANY spell with energy damage to do cold damage. Fireball? How about an iceball instead. Chain lightning? How about some cold damage instad.

[Steamflogger]

with the elemental (water) bloodline, you can change ANY spell with energy damage to do cold damage.

....How did I miss that!? It's perfect! Thank you so much! Here I was bemoaning the lack of energy substitution, and the bloodline comes with a superior version!

[Dayaz]

If you choose Suli as your race, you can choose an alternate racial feature the makes it to where you can only do the once per day thing as ice, but you can walk on water because small amounts of ice form under your feet :D

[Cranthis]

There is always the energy substitution metamagic feat. Great if you are a cold wizard, for sorcerer you can pair it with another feat that makes metamagic not increase the time anymore.

[Pyromancer999]

Also, going with the obvious, provided your DM allows you to use 3.5 material, go with the Pathfinder Sorcerer with Elemental(Water) or a similar bloodline, then take the 3.5e Frost Mage prestige class.

[Cranthis]

Also, going with the obvious, provided your DM allows you to use 3.5 material, go with the Pathfinder Sorcerer with Elemental(Water) or a similar bloodline, then take the 3.5e Frost Mage prestige class.

I find you ironic in this thread.:smallbiggrin:

[TheTick]

You could also go Crossblooded archetype, grab the Elemental bloodline mentioned above, and add the Draconic one for a cold dragon (White/Silver). The downsides (-2 will saves, one less spell known at each level) can be overcome, but are worth pointing out. The two arcanas work well together...Draconic gives you +1 damage per dice rolled for spells of your element, and the Elemental bloodline makes it so all of your elemental spells are of that type. Worth it if you're planning to blast, IMO.

[Steamflogger]

You could also go Crossblooded archetype, grab the Elemental bloodline mentioned above, and add the Draconic one for a cold dragon

I saw that Crossblooded got to use both arcana, but I couldn't find anything to pair with it. Yet again, I forgot about bloodlines that you can specialize further in. Thanks!


Also, going with the obvious, provided your DM allows you to use 3.5 material, go with the Pathfinder Sorcerer with Elemental(Water) or a similar bloodline, then take the 3.5e Frost Mage prestige class.

Yeah, rereading Frostburn is what inspired me to make a Cryomancer. Unfortunately, using a handful of minor spells from 3.5 (Animalistic Power and a few others) on a wizard a few months ago got all 3.5 material banned.