THE WINTER WARLOCK
Cold. Indifferent. Merciless. Even sometimes cruel. Some say ice runs through the veins of winter warlocks, and they may be right. The winter warlock devotes his life to Winter Magic, sorcery connected to the many aspects of winter, from the cold death and ice to wind and beasts. Unlike the more academic pursuits of elemental savants, who often devote only a portion of their arcane potential to maximizing a more strictly-defined group of wizard spells, the winter warlock pursues a oneness with winter to the near-exclusion of all other magic, granting them access to spells and supernatural powers alien to cold savants. The winter warlock’s inherent aptitude for Winter Magic can often be traced to some ancestor’s unusual union with a creature of cold, such as a white dragon or frost giant.



REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a winter warlock (WrW), or a winter witch, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: True Neutral or Neutral Evil
Skills: Bluff 2, Intimidate 2, Survival [Intuit Direction/Wilderness Lore] 6
Feats: Great Fortitude, Iron Will
Spellcasting: The character must be able to cast 3rd-level spells and must be able to cast arcane spells without preparation. In addition, he must be able to cast three spells that appear on the Winter Magic spell list (see below), one of which must be chill touch.
Special: If you are using the custom feats detailed below, you may substitute Winter Focus and/or Greater Winter Focus for one or both of the listed Feat requirements. If you are utilizing the witch core class, you can meet the Spellcasting requirement by being able to cast 3rd-level witch spells, Dabbling in Winter Magic, and knowing at least two of those Dabble spells, one of which must be chill touch.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Winter warlocks have the following game statistics.
Base Attack Bonus: Low (as a loremaster)
Hit Die: d4
Saves: High Will
Class Skills: The winter warlock’s class skills are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Scry (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival [Intuit Direction/Wilderness Lore] (Wis). Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence modifier per level

CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the winter warlock.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: The winter warlock gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

1 Cold-Blooded, Icy Dominion, Winter’s Kiss
2 Snowfall, Winter Magic [Spellcasting +1]
3 Snowfoot, [Spellcasting +1]
4 Winterlife, [Spellcasting +1]
5 Icy Demeanor, [Spellcasting +1]
6 Cryomancy
7 Frostbite, [Spellcasting +1]
8 Cold-Hearted, [Spellcasting +1]
9 Greater Winterlife, [Spellcasting +1]
10 Winter’s Son, Wintry Eye, [Spellcasting +1]

Cold-Blooded: As he ascends levels, the winter warlock’s skin gradually pales and becomes cooler to the touch. He enjoys cold resistance equal to twice his levels in winter warlock. This stacks with any existing natural Cold resistance but not with the benefit of spells such as protection from elements.

Icy Dominion: The winter warlock holds powerful sway over creatures of frost and ice, and can destroy beings of flame with a simple wave of his hand. A number of times per day equal to his Charisma bonus, he can turn and destroy fire elementals and rebuke and command the following creatures, as a cleric of equal level affects undead: asperi, frost giants, frost salamanders, frost worms, ice paraelementals, ice mephitis, ice serpents, ice trolls, immoths, orglashes, remorhazes, tares, winter wolves, and Animals encountered in and native to cold climates, such as polar bears, snow leopards, and snow owls, although he cannot effect bears, leopards, or owls native to other climates. (Outsiders, such as ice mephits, have a resistance to Icy Dominion equal to half of their magic resistance, if any). This is a supernatural ability.

The winter warlock can enhance his Icy Dominion ability with the Extra Winter Warlock Ability feat.

Winter’s Kiss: The touch of the winter warlock is the numb of the coldest dark. A number of times per day equal to his winter warlock level, he can touch with Winter’s Kiss, inflicting 1d8 points of Cold damage and, unless the creature touched makes a Fortitude save (DC 10 + winter warlock level + Charisma modifier), causing 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage. Creatures immune to cold are immune to Winter’s Kiss. After initiating this spell-like ability, the winter warlock has a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier to deliver the touch attack before that use of Winter’s Kiss fades. In many ways, Winter’s Kiss functions as the chill touch spell.

The winter warlock can enhance his Winter’s Kiss ability with the Extra Winter Warlock Ability feat.

Snowfall (2nd level): The winter warlock can call down upon his enemies a light precipitation of glittering snowflakes, which gently descend upon the target area and cover all in a glistening coat of frost. Snowfall is identical to the glitterdust spell, except that those who fail their Will save (DC 10 + winter warlock level + Charisma modifier) are slowed for 1 round per winter warlock level from the resulting cold. Creatures immune to cold damage are also immune to the slowing effect. The winter warlock can use this spell-like ability twice per day.

The winter warlock can enhance his Snowfall ability with the Extra Winter Warlock Ability feat.

Winter Magic (2nd/3rd/4th/5th/7th/8th/9th/10th levels): At the indicated levels, the winter warlock gains new Spells Known and Spells Per Day as if he had also gained a level in whatever arcane class met the casting without preparation requirement of this prestige class, such as bard, sorcerer, or warlock. (If he had more than one qualifying class, he must choose the one to benefit, a decision that cannot be later changed.) However, all spells learned as part of this progression must be selected from the Winter Magic spell list below, up to the spell level normally allowed by the designated class:

Spell Notes: When casting any spell with a Divine Focus or Dragon Magic component, the winter warlock can substitute a tuft of fur, nugget of ice, or handful of snow; such spells have a minimum casting time of 1 full round. Spells simply renamed, such as iceslick and coldsnap, operate identically to the root spell noted (grease and spike growth, in these cases). When learned as Winter Magic, spells listed with parentheticals, such as the elements and summon spells, can only have the indicated effect or summon the indicated creature. The winter warlock can enhance his Winter Magic with the Maximize Winter and Winter Focus feats. A list of each spell’s source is at the end of this post.

Snowfoot (3rd level): The winter warlock leaves no trace in the cold crunch of tundra, passing with Trackless Step through such areas. In addition, he moves over normal and magical snow and ice, snowdrifts, frozen areas, and similar terrain at his normal speed without suffering damage, impediment, or other effects. When traversing such environments, he is considered under the effects of freedom of movement as cast by a druid of the winter warlock’s character level. This is a supernatural ability.

Winterlife (4th level): The winter warlock can take the form of certain animals native to the coldest climates. Once per day, he can Wild Shape into one of the following forms: snow leopard, snow owl, snowshoe rabbit, or white wolf. He can resume his natural form as a move-equivalent action. This is a spell-like ability.

The winter warlock can enhance his Winterlife ability with the Extra Winter Warlock Ability and Epic Winterlife feats.

Icy Demeanor (5th level): The winter warlock’s disposition can be as cold as a wall of ice. He receives a +2 competence bonus to Bluff and Intimidate checks.

Cryomancy (6th level): The winter warlock’s connection to Winter Magic is so strong that he can mold his magic into a variety of effects. Once per day, he can attempt to cast any spell on the Winter Magic spell list by sacrificing the spell slot of a Winter Magic spell he knows that is at least three levels higher than the desired spell. For example, a winter warlock could sacrifice one casting of cold orb, a 4th-level Winter Magic spell that he knows, in an attempt to cast hold portal, a 1st-level Winter Magic spell that he does not know. To successfully replicate the desired spell, the winter warlock must make a Spellcraft check (DC 5 + twice the desired spell’s level). Success indicates that the desired spell is cast; failure indicates that the desired spell is not cast and the sacrificed spell slot is lost. The winter warlock cannot replicate the following spells through Cryomancy: bestow curse, break enchantment, detect magic, dispel magic, greater scrying, magic circle, remove curse, scrying, or true seeing.

However, this intimate connection to Winter Magic has a price. Any spell that the winter warlock casts spontaneously with the Fire descriptor is now cast as if one level higher. A winter warlock who learned fireball as a sorcerer, for example, now casts that spell as if it were a 4th-level spell. This effect is similar to the adjustment made by certain Metamagic feats. If the winter warlock cannot cast spells of the higher spell level, he cannot cast the Fire spell until attaining the requisite spellcaster level (although knowledge of the spell is not lost).

The winter warlock can enhance his Cryomancy ability with the Greater Cryomancy feat.

Frostbite (7th level): The winter warlock’s touch can freeze a victim in her place. Twice per day, his Winter’s Kiss can be used to instead paralyze the creature touched for a number of rounds equal to his levels in winter warlock, if the creature fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + winter warlock level + Charisma modifier). Creatures so affected take on a bluish tint and are cold to the touch, as if they are frozen solid, although these qualities are merely cosmetic; the effect is otherwise identical to the hold monster spell. Creatures immune to cold are also immune to Frostbite.

The winter warlock can enhance his Frostbite ability with the Extra Winter Warlock Ability feat.

Cold-Hearted (8th level): The winter warlock assumes the cold indifference of winter, a nearly unshakable aloofness and emotional control. He adds his Charisma bonus to all Will saves against Fear and Enchantments; if he already does so, he receives an additional +1 bonus to those saves.

Greater Winterlife (9th level): The winter warlock’s Winterlife ability can now be used three times per day to change form. In addition to the available forms listed for Winterlife, he can also assume one of the following forms once per day: a dire white wolf, ice mephit, Medium-sized ice elemental, or polar bear.

Winter’s Son/Daughter (10th level): The winter warlock’s eyes become frosty pools of white, his skin grows cold to the touch and near-white or bluish in hue, and his hair and eyebrows pale and take on a crystalline quality, constantly flecked with snowflakes. He assumes the Cold subtype, gaining immunity to Cold but taking double damage from Fire spells and attacks.

In addition, the winter warlock begins to radiate a deadly chill in his touch and in the very air around him. His touch now deals Cold damage equal to his Charisma modifier, which stacks with the effects of Winter’s Kiss; creatures that strike the winter warlock with natural weapons automatically suffer this cold damage. He also radiates an aura of cold that deals 1 point of cold damage each round to all living creatures within 5 feet of the winter warlock, with no save. He can suspend and reinstate his cold touch and aura of cold as a free action. These qualities are supernatural.

The winter warlock can enhance his Winter’s Son nature with the Improved Aura of Cold feat.

Wintry Eye (10th level): The gaze of the winter warlock evokes cold’s numbing death. Once per day, he may make a spell-like gaze attack upon a single creature within 30 feet. If the victim fails her Fortitude save (DC 10 + winter warlock level + Charisma bonus), the Wintry Eye inflicts 1d4 points of Constitution damage per point of the winter warlock’s Charisma bonus. If a victim suffers damage equaling 25% or more of her Constitution score, she is shaken for 1 hour per point drained. If her damage equals 50% or more of her Constitution score, she is both shaken and slowed for 1 hour per point drained. If the damage exceeds her Constitution score, she is turned to ice and immediately slain. In most cases, the effect is similar to being turned to stone.

In many cases, a creature so slain can be brought back to life by normal means. If, however, the ice “sculpture” completely melts prior to any raising or resurrection, only a true resurrection spell can return the victim from death. Ice sculptures of Medium-sized victims will typically melt in 2d4 hours in warm, tropical environments, and in 2d4 days in near-freezing climates. This melting time is decreased by a 25% for each size category the victim was below Medium-sized, and increased by 25% for each size category the victim was above Medium-sized.

The winter warlock can enhance his Wintry Eye ability with the Extra Winter Warlock Ability feat.

Epic Winter Warlock: The epic-level winter warlock continues his Hit Die, skill point, and Winter’s Kiss progressions. In addition, he receives bonus epic feats at 13th level and every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, etc), chosen from the following: Armor Skin, Automatic Quicken Spell, Automatic Silent Spell, Automatic Still Spell, Enhance Spell, Epic Counterspell, Epic Elemental Focus (Cold), Epic Fortitude, Epic Spellcasting, Epic Spell Focus, Epic Spell Penetration, Epic Will, Epic Winter Focus, Epic Winterlife, Extended Lifespan, Extra Wintry Eye, Final Strike, Greater Cryomancy, Ignore Material Components, Improved Aura of Cold, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Heighten Spell, Improved Metamagic, Improved Spell Capacity, Infusion of Balance, Intensify Spell, Multispell, Out of Body, Perfect Health, Permanent Emanation, Spell Knowledge, Spell Stowaway, Spell Opportunity, and Tenacious Magic.

Ex-Winter Warlocks: The winter warlock who entirely turns away from a True Neutral or Neutral Evil alignment can no longer progress as a winter warlock and loses access to all class features and the Winter Magic spell list (although spells already learned are unaffected). If he had already attained 10th level, he loses Winter’s Son and reverts to his former type. He can regain his winter warlock abilities only after resuming an appropriate alignment and then waiting 13 nights.


NEW FEATS:

ARCANE INSIGHT [General]
Your natural aptitude for and knowledge of arcana grant you insight into the basic laws of magic.
Prerequisite: Any Metamagic feat, Able to cast arcane spells without preparation.
Benefit: Select up to two of the following sorcerer spells as bonus Spells Known: absorption, analyze dweomer, arcane sight, break enchantment, detect magic, dispel magic, freedom, globe of invulnerability, greater dispelling, greater spell resistance, identify, lesser spell immunity, minor globe of invulnerability, minor reflection, Mordenkainen’s disjunction, nondetection, permanency, protection from spells, remove curse, see invisibility, spell turning, true seeing, or unbinding. The combined spell levels of the spell or spells chosen cannot the maximum spell level that you can cast at the time the feat is taken minus 2.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times, choosing up to two additional spells each time. Each additional time the feat is chosen, the number of Metamagic feats you must know for the prerequisite increases by one (two Metamagic feats the second time it’s taken, three feats the third time, etc.).

ARMORED CASTING [General]
You can more easily cast arcane spells while wearing armor.
Benefit: You may ignore 5% of the Spell Failure normally associated with casting arcane spells while wearing armor (to a minimum 5% for any armor).
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, increasing the amount of Spell Failure you can ignore by 5% each time.

DEADLY [General]
Your spells with the Death descriptor are more potent than normal.
Prerequisites: Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), Able to cast three spells with the Death descriptor, such as circle of death, finger of death, and power word, kill.
Benefits: Add a +2 to the Difficulty Class of all saving throws against your spells and spell-like abilities with the Death descriptor. This stacks with the effects of all Spell Focus feats. In addition, for the purposes of range, area of effect, and duration, your caster level is considered +1 when casting these spells.

DEATH TOUCH [General]
Your touch brings death.
Prerequisite: Death Domain, or Spell Focus (Necromancy) feat and ability to cast four Necromancy spells with a range of Touch, two of which must be chill touch, harm, inflict critical wounds, inflict serious wounds, slay living, or vampiric touch.
Benefit: Once per day, you may make a melee touch attack against a living creature. If the creature’s current hit points are equal to or less than 6 x your level in the class that met the feat prerequisite, the creature is instantly slain. This death effect is a spell-like ability.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time, you can use your Death Touch once more per day. This feat stacks with the granted power of the Death domain.

ELEMENTAL FOCUS [General]
Your spells with the chosen energy descriptor are more potent than normal.
Prerequisites: Spell Focus (Evocation or Conjuration) feat, Able to cast three spells with the chosen energy descriptor.
Benefits: Choose one of the following energy types: Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, or Sonic. Add a +2 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against your spells and spell-like abilities with this descriptor. This stacks with the effects of all Spell Focus feats and the Elemental Focus and similar class features.

EPIC ELEMENTAL FOCUS [Epic]
Your spells with the chosen energy descriptor are even more potent than normal.
Prerequisites: Elemental Focus (Chosen energy type) feat, Greater Spell Focus (Evocation or Conjuration) feat, Able to cast one 9th-level spell with the chosen energy descriptor.
Benefits: Add a +4 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against your spells and spell-like abilities with this descriptor. This stacks with the effects of all Spell Focus feats and with the Elemental Focus and similar class features but does not stack with the Elemental Focus feat.

EPIC WINTER FOCUS [Epic]
Your Winter Magic spells are far more potent than normal.
Prerequisites: Winter Focus feat, Greater Winter Focus feat, Able to cast at least one 9th-level Winter Magic spell.
Benefits: Add +6 to the DC for all saving throws against your Winter Magic spells. This bonus only applies to those spells detailed in Winter Focus, and it supersedes (does not stack with) the bonus from Greater Winter Focus.
Special: Subtract -2 to the DC for all saving throws against your spells with the Fire descriptor. This supersedes the penalty from Greater Winter Focus.

EPIC WINTERLIFE [Epic]
You are able to transform into more powerful creatures.
Prerequisites: Cha 25, Survival [Intuit Direction/Wilderness Lore] 30, Extra Winterlife feat, Greater Winterlife class feature.
Benefits: You can use your Greater Winterlife ability to change into one of the following forms once per day: elder ice paraelemental, grizzly mastodon, or a white dragon of an age corresponding to yours: If you are in Adulthood, your white dragon form is Adult; Middle Aged results in Mature Adult; Old is Old; and if Venerable, you become a Very Old white dragon.

EXTRA WINTER WARLOCK ABILITY [General]
You can use one of your winter warlock class features more frequently than you normally could.
Prerequisites: Class feature to be affected.
Benefits: Choose one of the following class features: Frostbite, Icy Dominion, Snowfall, Winterlife, Winter’s Kiss, or Wintry Eye. You may use this ability two more times per day.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times, gaining two additional uses of any ability selected.

FEARLESS [General]
You are fearless in the face of doom.
Prerequisite: Intrepid feat.
Benefit: You are immune to fear spells and effects.

FLORA/FAUNA [General]
You have studied plants and animals.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (Nature) 10 ranks.
Benefit: You may identify animals and plants as if you possessed the Nature Sense class feature. Flora/Fauna does not, however, allow you to identify pure water.

FOCUSED CASTING [General]
Your sound mind allows you to ignore distractions when casting defensively.
Prerequisite: Combat Casting feat, Wisdom 14, Concentration ranks.
Benefit: You add your Wisdom modifier to all Concentration checks made when casting defensively.

GREATER CRYOMANCY [Epic]
You are more skilled at casting Winter Magic spells without preparation through Cryomancy.
Prerequisites: Cryomancy class feature, must be able to cast 9th-level spells.
Benefits: You can use your Cryomancy class feature twice per day. In addition, Cryomancy now only requires a spell slot 2 levels higher than the spell level of the desired spell.
Special: You can take this feat additional times, gaining one more use of Cryomancy per day each additional time.
Normal: You can only use Cryomancy once per day, and it consumes a spell slot three levels higher than the desired spell.

GREATER WINTER FOCUS [General]
Your Winter Magic spells are now even more potent than before.
Prerequisites: Winter Focus feat.
Benefits: Add +4 to the DC for all saving throws against your Winter Magic spells. This bonus only applies to those spells detailed in Winter Focus, and it supersedes (does not stack with) the bonus from Winter Focus.
Special: Subtract -1 to the DC for all saving throws against your spells with the Fire descriptor.

IMPROVED AURA OF COLD [Epic]
Your aura of cold is colder and deadlier.
Prerequisites: Winter’s Son class feature.
Benefits: The aura of cold aspect of Winter’s Son now emanates in a 10-foot radius around you and inflicts 1d4 points of cold damage per round to all within that area, with no save.
Normal: The aura of cold only extends in a 5-foot radius and inflicts 1 point of cold damage per round.

INTREPID [General]
You are brave in the face of doom.
Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus to all Will saves against all fear spells and effects.

MAXIMIZE WINTER [Metamagic]
You can cast Winter Magic spells to maximum effect.
Prerequisites: Winter Focus feat.
Benefits: All variable, numeric effects of a Winter Magic spell are maximized. A maximized Winter Magic spell deals maximum damage, affects the maximum number of creatures, etc. For example, a maximized ice burst does 5 points of damage per caster level (up to 50 points of damage). Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, and spells without random variables cannot be maximized. This feat only applies to those spells detailed in Winter Focus. A maximized Winter Magic spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

METAMAGICIAN [General]
Your ability to manipulate your own natural arcane magic becomes almost second-nature to you.
Prerequisite: Quicken Spell feat and at last one additional Metamagic feat, Able to cast arcane spells without preparation.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to the number of Metamagic feats you know, you may cast a spell without preparation and with a Metamagic effect without the normal 1 round penalty to casting time. For example, a sorcerer with the Extend Spell, Quicken Spell, and Silent Spell feats who takes the Metamagician feat can cast up to three sorcerer spells each day with one of these three Metamagic effects without the normal penalty to casting time.

OUT OF BODY [Epic]
You can enter a trance and release your astral form.
Prerequisite: Wisdom 23, Tranquility class feature or ability to cast 9th-level spells.
Benefit: After meditating for 10 minutes, you can free your astral self, as if under the effects of astral projection cast by a sorcerer of your character level. This spell-like ability can be used once per day.

SKEPTICAL [General]
You have a sharp eye for deception.
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on all Sense Motive and Spot checks.

WINTER FOCUS [General]
Your Winter Magic spells are more potent than normal, regardless of their individual schools.
Prerequisites: Winter Magic class feature, Dabble (Winter Magic) class feature, or Dabble (Winter Magic) feat.
Benefits: Add a +2 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against your Winter Magic spells. This bonus only applies to Winter Magic spells that you cast directly, and only those that you learned through the Winter Magic class feature or by Dabbling in Winter Magic. It does not apply to Winter Magic spells cast through Cryomancy, Winter Magic spells cast through spell-completion items (such as scrolls and wands), or to spells on the Winter Magic spell list that you learned by any means other than the Winter Magic class feature or by Dabbling in Winter Magic.


Spell/Creature Sources: All spells and creatures are from the Player’s Handbook and Monster Manual, except as follows: Book of Vile Darkness: No Light, Preserve Organ; Defenders of the Faith: Blight, Divine Flame, Divine Zephyr, Owl’s Wisdom; Dragon Magazine: Blast of Air (285), Eagle’s Splendor (282), Energized Shield (299), Energize Projectile (304), Foraging Charm (302), Freezing Cloud (308), Ice Cloud (307), Lesser Energized Shield (299), Ray of Ice (A5), Thunderhead (302), Transparency (305), Unstoppable Energy (308); Forgotten Realms: Claws of Darkness, Eagle’s Splendor (again), Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm; Magic of Faerun: Aura Against Flame, Cloudburst, Ice Dagger, Jaws of the Wolf, Zajimarn’s Avalanche/Field of Ice Razors/Icy Claw Prison; Manual of the Planes: Ice Paraelemental creature; Masters of the Wild: Blight (again), Creeping Cold, Greater Creeping Cold; Monster Manual II: Asperi creature, Frost Salamander creature, Immoth creature; Monsters of Faerun: Ice Serpent creature; Savage Species: Final Strike feat, Hailstones, Weapon of Energy; Tome & Blood: Cold Orb, Eagle’s Splendor (and again), Energy Immunity, Ice Burst, Ice Knife, Indifference, Lesser Cold Orb, Mass Resist Elements, Owl’s Wisdom (again); Unapproachable East: Ice Troll creature, Orglash creature, Taer creature, Snilloc’s Snowball; WotC Website: Animate Snow, Anticold Sphere, Bite of the Werebear, Elemental Familiar, Frost Vortex, Ice Assassin, Icemelt, Icy Claw, Mantle of the Icy Soul, Snowsong, Steely Focus, Winter’s Embrace.

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