Frozen Wizard Gish?

[tadkins]

Had an idea earlier that I was wondering if it could be made to work.

Take your standard Fighter1/Wizard/Spellsword/Abjurant Champion gish build. Have its primary weapon be a maul or other big crusher-type. From there, have its signature combo be to freeze its opponent in battle, take the hammer and shatter it to bits.

I'm basically looking for a way to take the aforementioned build and give it a nice icy flavor. Thoughts?

[Eloel]

It's cold outside has Frostmage class that you might like.

[dascarletm]

I made a character in a gestalt campaign that was a frosty gish.

He was something like Wizard 5/Abjurant Champion5/Frost Mage 10//Warblade 20. You could drop the warblade for a standard campaign.

The key to themed casting is my good friend over here.... refluffing.

Some DMs require Spell Thematics as a feat tax for such things, see if you can get away without it. And if your DM is extra cool see if you can make custom spells that do basically the same thing as another spell but in an Icy sort of way. Example: hold person -> Freeze person.

Take all the spells you would normally gish and if you have any trouble refluffing post them, and we can help you with the refluff.

For freezing enemies take spells like snowcasting and the like to boost your CL/save DCs. The book Frostburn is your friend.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Frostburn has a spell called Flesh to Ice, it's almost identical to Flesh to Stone (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fleshToStone.htm) except it's 5th level and turns them into a statue of ice.

A custom use-activated item (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) costs spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp. For example, a +1 Shortsword that appears as an icicle and inflicts anyone damaged by it with a Flesh to Ice spell at caster level of 9th would cost 92,310 gp (2,310 gp for a +1 Shortsword, plus 5x9x2000=90,000 gp).

An Intelligent Item (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/intelligentItems.htm) with a special purpose and dedicated power can use a 5th level spell at will, and intelligent items get actions in combat so it can activate that effect using its own actions every round, leaving you free to attack every round. A 5th level spell at will as a dedicated power costs 81,000 gp (per Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Song of Discord, and Prying Eyes). You can make any existing item an intelligent item by making it an Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm), and then you can upgrade it yourself as though using item creation feats to add the special purpose and dedicated power ("A creator can add new magical abilities to a magic item with no restrictions. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm#addingNewAbilities)").

Keep in mind however that this also destroys any loot the target is carrying.

[tadkins]

Wizard/Frost Mage/Abjurant Champion sounds pretty nice, and simple. I like it. Question, though; from that how would you get the Martial Weapon proficiency needed for AC without the Fighter level? Just use a feat on it?

It does sound thematically cool and I'd definitely ask the DM about refluffing, but even without the approval I don't think I'd mind even spending a feat on Spell Thematics; it's just cool and worth it. xD


Keep in mind however that this also destroys any loot the target is carrying.

Damn. Guess I can't use it on everything then!

[Eloel]

Wizard/Frost Mage/Abjurant Champion sounds pretty nice, and simple. I like it. Question, though; from that how would you get the Martial Weapon proficiency needed for AC without the Fighter level? Just use a feat on it?

It does sound thematically cool and I'd definitely ask the DM about refluffing, but even without the approval I don't think I'd mind even spending a feat on Spell Thematics; it's just cool and worth it. xD



Damn. Guess I can't use it on everything then!


Elf, maybe?

[tadkins]

Elf, maybe?

Character's gonna be a gnome, so this wouldn't work.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Fighter 2/ Wizard 4/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Frost Mage 4/ Eldritch Knight 4 has a +16 BAB and 17th level Wizard spellcasting at a caster level of 20th with Practiced Spellcaster.

[Red Fel]

Shame you wanted to go with a Gnome. For flavor purposes, I'd have suggested a Frostblood Half-Orc from Dragon Magic. Yeah, the Int penalty hurts, but it gives you Darkvision, the Dragonblood subtype, free Endurance, Resist Cold 10, and Fire Vulnerability. In short, you're a Half-Orc with the blood of a White Dragon in your veins. Now imagine this guy gishing it up.

Yeah. Enjoy that one.

[tadkins]

Fighter 2/ Wizard 4/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Frost Mage 4/ Eldritch Knight 4 has a +16 BAB and 17th level Wizard spellcasting at a caster level of 20th with Practiced Spellcaster.

Ooh, that sounds delicious. I will probably go with that. Thanks!


Shame you wanted to go with a Gnome. For flavor purposes, I'd have suggested a Frostblood Half-Orc from Dragon Magic. Yeah, the Int penalty hurts, but it gives you Darkvision, the Dragonblood subtype, free Endurance, Resist Cold 10, and Fire Vulnerability. In short, you're a Half-Orc with the blood of a White Dragon in your veins. Now imagine this guy gishing it up.

Yeah. Enjoy that one.

I always go gnome, with everything. :)

That said, your suggestion does sound pretty badass, though. I'd be tempted to fully play on the dragonblood and find a way to breathe frost on people.

[Red Fel]

That said, your suggestion does sound pretty badass, though. I'd be tempted to fully play on the dragonblood and find a way to breathe frost on people.

Funny story; if you were going with Sorcerer, I'd suggest taking some Draconic feats. White Dragon Lineage (which you don't have by RAW but you do sort of have because that's what Frostbloods are) gives you a rage ability, during which you can cast spells; Draconic Power augments your CL and DCs for all [Cold] spells; and Draconic Breath lets you burn a spell slot to produce a cone breath weapon that deals 2d6 [Cold] damage per spell level of the slot sacrificed.

For pretty much any spellcaster, Wizards included, you could always take the Reserve feat Winter's Blast. You gain +1 CL to [Cold] spells, and as long as you have at least one [Cold] spell ready, you can generate a 15-foot cone, dealing 1d4 [Cold] damage per level of your highest-level readied [Cold] spell. You can easily fluff that as a breath weapon.

[tadkins]

Funny story; if you were going with Sorcerer, I'd suggest taking some Draconic feats. White Dragon Lineage (which you don't have by RAW but you do sort of have because that's what Frostbloods are) gives you a rage ability, during which you can cast spells; Draconic Power augments your CL and DCs for all [Cold] spells; and Draconic Breath lets you burn a spell slot to produce a cone breath weapon that deals 2d6 [Cold] damage per spell level of the slot sacrificed.

Damn, I gotta play this sometime. Get some half-orc time in. It looks so much fun. xD


For pretty much any spellcaster, Wizards included, you could always take the Reserve feat Winter's Blast. You gain +1 CL to [Cold] spells, and as long as you have at least one [Cold] spell ready, you can generate a 15-foot cone, dealing 1d4 [Cold] damage per level of your highest-level readied [Cold] spell. You can easily fluff that as a breath weapon.

Oh yes, that's a must of course. Can never have too much cold with this character.

"I don't understand. Why are people always telling me to 'let it go'?"

[dascarletm]

This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRH-Ywpz1_I) will help you in the role-playing aspect.

[tadkins]

Got one last question for you guys. If I want some kind of cold weapon, what would be the best route? I figure there might be some kind of spell that can create one, or some kind of special ice material I can get a weapon made out of. Figure a crystalline ice greatsword would be the greatest thing ever for this character.


This (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRH-Ywpz1_I) will help you in the role-playing aspect.

Icy what you did there, but it'll be a cold day in the Nine Hells before I start using frost puns!

[dascarletm]

Got one last question for you guys. If I want some kind of cold weapon, what would be the best route? I figure there might be some kind of spell that can create one, or some kind of special ice material I can get a weapon made out of. Figure a crystalline ice greatsword would be the greatest thing ever for this character.



Icy what you did there, but it'll be a cold day in the Nine Hells before I start using frost puns!

Blue Ice doesn't melt, and there is a spell that makes a weapon out of ice for you. Forget the name....

[Hiro Quester]

Got one last question for you guys. If I want some kind of cold weapon, what would be the best route? I figure there might be some kind of spell that can create one, or some kind of special ice material I can get a weapon made out of. Figure a crystalline ice greatsword would be the greatest thing ever for this character.


Frost weapon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#frost) enhancement.

A friend playing a cold themed sorcerer has refluffed a few spells. E.g. His magic missile has the shape and look of being hit by a thrown snowball (but still force damage).

[goto124]

I thought Frozen referred to the movie. Was wondering where Elsa was.

Also, gnome Elsa.

[Solaris]

I thought Frozen referred to the movie. Was wondering where Elsa was.

Also, gnome Elsa.

I believe that's called an uldra.

[tadkins]

Blue Ice doesn't melt, and there is a spell that makes a weapon out of ice for you. Forget the name....


Frost weapon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm#frost) enhancement.

A friend playing a cold themed sorcerer has refluffed a few spells. E.g. His magic missile has the shape and look of being hit by a thrown snowball (but still force damage).

What about...a Blue Ice Frost Enchanted weapon? Can that actually be done?


I thought Frozen referred to the movie. Was wondering where Elsa was.

Also, gnome Elsa.

I do often dream of this character fighting Elsa in a DeathBattle. Is that wrong?

[Ilorin Lorati]

"often dream"?

...How long have you been trying to do this?

[tadkins]

"often dream"?

...How long have you been trying to do this?

A while, actually. Only recently decided I should make the character a gish though.

[Seerow]

Suggestion for an alternate means of fulfilling the same goal: Refluff stunning fist and/or a sudden stunning weapon into freezing the target in ice. (If you're set on Wizard a dip into Monk + carmendine monk will get you there plus int to AC. If you're willing to try a Sorcerer gish, Sudden Stunning is 2000gp).

[Urpriest]

Incidentally, this is way easier to do as a Cleric. Persist the spell Ice Axe, use various kickass spells from Frostburn, and smite your foes.

But as a Wizard, yeah, other folks have covered it.

[tadkins]

Incidentally, this is way easier to do as a Cleric. Persist the spell Ice Axe, use various kickass spells from Frostburn, and smite your foes.

But as a Wizard, yeah, other folks have covered it.

It's something I've considered. Was a tough choice between Wizard, Cleric or Duskblade. Wizard just has more of the stuff I want on this character though, namely skill points and knowledge skills. None of the cold deities I could find really matched up to the image I wanted either.

[Seerow]

It's something I've considered. Was a tough choice between Wizard, Cleric or Duskblade. Wizard just has more of the stuff I want on this character though, namely skill points and knowledge skills. None of the cold deities I could find really matched up to the image I wanted either.

Go cloistered cleric and worship a concept instead? Gets you 6 skills, all knowledge skills, and while low BAB sucks by level 7 that stops mattering.

[tadkins]

Go cloistered cleric and worship a concept instead? Gets you 6 skills, all knowledge skills, and while low BAB sucks by level 7 that stops mattering.

That would actually work really well, but based off the opinions posted in a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?302449-Opinions-on-deity-less-Clerics) I made a while back, deity-less clerics don't really fly with a lot of DMs.

[Seerow]

That would actually work really well, but based off the opinions posted in a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?302449-Opinions-on-deity-less-Clerics) I made a while back, deity-less clerics don't really fly with a lot of DMs.

Honestly what does and does not fly with "a lot" of DMs doesn't matter as much as what works with your DM and your group. It doesn't hurt to ask. Especially since that is an allowance in the core rulebook.

I personally have not had a DM that required clerics to have a specified deity in over a decade. I still see Clerics of a deity fairly frequently, because that is kind of an iconic thing, but not because it is required.

[Red Fel]

That would actually work really well, but based off the opinions posted in a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?302449-Opinions-on-deity-less-Clerics) I made a while back, deity-less clerics don't really fly with a lot of DMs.

It doesn't matter what the consensus says. It matters what your DM says. (Unless it's FR. But that's FR.)

All that said, what was the image for which you were looking, that you couldn't find in a deity? I ask, because there might be some more obscure deities you've overlooked, and if we knew the image, we could go from there.

As an aside, a Gnome Cloistered Cleric of Thrym would amuse the Nine Hells out of me.

[tadkins]

Honestly what does and does not fly with "a lot" of DMs doesn't matter as much as what works with your DM and your group. It doesn't hurt to ask. Especially since that is an allowance in the core rulebook.

I personally have not had a DM that required clerics to have a specified deity in over a decade. I still see Clerics of a deity fairly frequently, because that is kind of an iconic thing, but not because it is required.

For sure. The "Frost Warrior" concept would work really well with the Cleric chassis as it is. Heavy armor, the aforementioned Persisted Ice Axe, and the Cold/Winter/Knowledge domains. Doesn't even have to be called a Cleric by name, just using the mechanics of the class. I'd love to play such a character in a game with a DM that allowed it.


It doesn't matter what the consensus says. It matters what your DM says. (Unless it's FR. But that's FR.)

All that said, what was the image for which you were looking, that you couldn't find in a deity? I ask, because there might be some more obscure deities you've overlooked, and if we knew the image, we could go from there.

As an aside, a Gnome Cloistered Cleric of Thrym would amuse the Nine Hells out of me.

Basically an adventurer from the North going out into the world in search of lost lore and artifacts of power with the intent of preserving history and magic. I pictured her having a sort of macabre museum later on, where the things she's collected are on display protected by thin layers of ice. She'd be TN-aligned, with NG leanings. Boccob I think would work well as a deity, except he doesn't have the Cold domain. The only other deity that might somewhat match would be Auril in terms of domains, but she's evil and requires her followers to do evil.

Ironically enough, that Gnome Cleric of Thrym is one I did consider, but that'd be pretty hard to make sense of. xD

[dascarletm]

Just aspire to become the sorely needed good deity of coldness... Though I think in Frostburn there are a few.

[tadkins]

Just aspire to become the sorely needed good deity of coldness... Though I think in Frostburn there are a few.

We could use a cold deity of knowledge and magic, that's for certain. :)

[dascarletm]

We could use a cold deity of knowledge and magic and puns, that's for certain. :)

I fixed that for you.

[tadkins]

I fixed that for you.

Such of thing might actually fit a gnomish deity pretty well!

Hell, why not? Regular gnomes, Svirfneblin, and forest gnomes I believe have their own deities, but not the ice gnomes. Such a thing could fill a needed niche in their pantheon.

Alright, we have a game plan!