Rime Assassin and Mare's Tail (3.5 Class and Discipline, PEACH)

Rime Assassin (3.5)

Abilities: Intelligence is the rime assassin's most important score. It grants much needed skill points and sets the saves for the mare's tail discipline. Strength, dexterity, and constitution are next up as they increase survivability in combat.

Organization: see discipline

Alignment: Rime assassins may be of any alignment, depending on who they work for or what their cause is.

Religion: Most rime assassins who worship gods, worship gods of luck, because assassination is a tricky business. Otherwise they make their own.

Background: see discipline

Races: -

Other Classes: -

Role: A rime assassin is adept at melee combat, but where they truly shine is when using maneuvers to hinder opponents and skulking around like a rogue. If push comes to shove they can shift to ranged combat. The rime assassin really shines when stuck on his own though.

Class Features

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: As Rogue

Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points: 6 + Int mod (x 4 at first level)

{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Maneuvers Known (Readied) | Stances Known
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Heart of Ice, Trapfinding | 3 (3) | 2
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Evasion | 4 (3) | 3
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Sudden Strike +1d6 | 5 (3) | 3
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Fast Movement (10ft) | 6 (4) | 3
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Flash Freeze 1/day | 7 (4) | 4
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Minor Osmose | 7 (4) | 4
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Sheer Cold, Sudden Strike +2d6 | 8 (4) | 4
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | | 8 (4) | 4
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Osmose | 9 (4) | 5
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Flash Freeze (At Wills) 2/day | 9 (5) | 5
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Sudden Strike +3d6 | 10 (5) | 5
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Fast Movement (20ft) | 10 (5) | 5
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | | 11 (5) | 5
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Sheer Cold | 11 (5) | 6
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Flashfreeze 3/day, Sudden Strike +4d6 | 12 (5) | 6
16th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +10 | +10 | | 12 (6) | 6
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Major Osmose | 13 (6) | 6
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | | 13 (6) | 6
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Sudden Strike +5d6 | 14 (6) | 6
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Flashfreeze (At Wills) 4/day | 14 (6) | 6
[/table]

Weapons and Armor Proficiencies: The rime assassin is proficient with all simple weapons, as well as any weapon normally in the light category. The rime assassin is proficient with light armor, but not with any shields.

Class Abilities

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Maneuvers and Stances
The rime assassin uses maneuvers and stances the same as a swordsage, except as noted here.
The rime assassin has a different progression (see table) and has access to a different set of disciplines: Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, Shadowhand, and Mare's Tail. Additionally, the save DC for any maneuver is 10 + 1/2 his rime assassin level + the relevant modifier.

Lv1 > Heart Of Ice:
The rime assassin has grown cold from the many deaths he has seen. This manifests itself granting cold resistance equal to his rime assassin level or his intelligence modifier (whichever is higher).
In addition he gains half his rime assassin level to saves (to a minimum of 1) against the effects of a cold environment, as well as against any effect that has the cold descriptor or deals cold damage.
His resistance to cold stacks with any provided by heavy clothes or other cold resistant tailored, but not resistance enchanted, gear.

Lv1 > Trapfinding:
A rime assassin may find and disable traps in the same manner as a rogue.

Lv2 > Evasion:
The rime assassin gains the Evasion ability, same as the rogue.

Lv3, 7, 11, 15, 19 > Sudden Strike:
The rime assassin gains the Sudden Strike ability, same as the ninja (see complete adventurer). It improves at each indicated level.

Lv4, 12 > Fast Movement:
An assassin must be swift and as such, he gains a +10ft bonus to his base land speed as long as he isn't carrying over a light load or wearing heavy armor.
At level 12 this bonus increases to 20ft.

Lv5, 10, 15, 20 > Flash Freeze:
A certain number of times per day (see table) the rime assassin may preform a strike maneuver as a swift action. This strike may not be of a level higher than half the highest level maneuver he can use (rounded down).
At level 10 the rime assassin may use any strike maneuver of 2nd level or lower from the mare's tail discipline with this ability without expending a use.
At level 20 the rime assassin may use any strike maneuver of 5th level or lower from the mare's tail discipline with this ability without expending a use.

Lv6 > Minor Osmose (Su):
Should the rime assassin be struck by an effect that would deal cold damage and any cold resistance he has (even if he has cold immunity) would reduce the damage to 0, he heals an amount equal to the amount of cold resistance left.

Lv9 > Osmose (Su):
Anytime the rime assassin makes a save against an effect with the cold descriptor or that does cold damage, he completely negates it effects.
Furthermore if it dealt (or would continue dealing) damage he heals an amount equal to the cold damage it would have dealt (including each round if a continuous effect) if he had failed the save.
Healing from osmose doesn't stack with that from minor osmose, if it occurs at the same time.

Lv7, 14 > Sheer Cold (Su):
Any cold damage dealt by the rime assassin partially ignores cold resistances.
At level 7, anytime the rime assassin uses a maneuver that deals cold damage against a target(s) resistant to cold damage, it ignores half of their cold resistance.
At level 14 this improves. If a target is normally immune to cold damage, it now still does half damage.

Lv17 > Major Osmose (Su):
The rime assassin automatically succeeds on any save an effect with the cold descriptor allows, regardless of the DC.

Design Notes:

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This entire class was inspired by the phrase mare's tail, which I found in the thesaurus, and the word ninja. Go figure.
Might need some work to make the ice maneuvers more stealth based instead of blatantly freezing everything in sight. Although killing everyone is just as good a plan as not being seen (either way leaves no witnesses).
I'm open to help. I've never designed a discipline before and really don't have clue what I'm doing this time around.

Mare's Tail Discipline

wip/description

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-Quote-

-History-

The mare's tail discipline focuses on making oneself more mobile, while simultaneously making opponents less mobile.
Maneuvers of this discipline revolve around the use of ice magic blended with martial prowess.
Balance is the key skill for mare's tail discipline. It's associated weapons are ----.

New Condition: Frozen
A frozen target may not take move actions while they are frozen. Unless otherwise noted the targets hands are free (but their legs and feet are not).
A target usually thaws in 5 minutes, but for every temperature band it is above cold (see page 9 of frostburn) this number is halved (round up (5m, 3m, 2m, 1m, 5r, 3r)).
Additionally striking the ice (AC of your initiator level) may break it, but requires a total of damage equal to 5 + your initiator level. Any attack that misses strikes the frozen character instead. Effects that affect an area strike both the ice and the frozen character. Any amount of cold damage 'heals' damage done to the ice. Fire or electricity deals double damage to the ice.
Anyone stuck within ice, even if completely immobile because of it, may make a full round strength check to deal damage to the ice equal to the check.
This applies to each individual 5ft of ice separately. Anyone frozen in ice also takes 1d4 cold damage each round.
Special: A target who is frozen in a position they normally couldn't maintain, or that is another position (such as prone for example) is stuck in that position until freed.


Maneuver Quick Reference
Unless otherwise noted, all Mare's Tail maneuvers are supernatural in nature, but any continuing conditions they create are not.
Any ice formed from a maneuver follows the rules of the frozen condition above, unless otherwise noted, even if no-body is frozen by that ice.

1st
Mare's Tail (Boost) - Leave behind a light fog that obscures vision when you move
Ice Skate (Stance) - Walk over snow or ice without risking falling through or sliding
Frostbite (Strike) - Deal 1d6 cold damage with strike
Mermaid's Tear (Strike) - Fire up to 5 bolts of ice that deal 2d6 cold damage each
Slide (Boost) - Immediately move 10ft without provoking attacks of opportunity, 20 if on ice

2nd
Brinicle (Counter) - Deal 2d6 cold damage, frost freezes attackers feet to the ground
Boreal Wind (Boost) - Teleport through up to 30ft of ice or snow, doesn't end turn
Glacial Wall (Counter) - Briefly raise a thin wall of ice between you and attacker to reduce damage
Ice Razor (Strike) - Deal 1d6 cold damage with strike, plus 2d6 extra if target is unarmored
Winter's Stride (Stance) - Can hide in plain sight when in snow or on ice

3rd
Reforge (Strike) - Reforge broken blade dealing 5d6 cold damage to target, possibly freezes target
Stalagmite (Strike) - Icicle juts up from the ground dealing 3d6 cold damage, 6d6 if in snow or ice
Jack's Frost (Boost) - Freeze ground within 20ft of you, deal 1d6 cold damage to anyone on ground
Algid (Counter) - Attacker takes 1d6 cold damage and is affected as if by chill metal
Blizzard (Boost) - Release a torrent of wind and snow, drop temperature

4th
Stalactite (Strike) - Icicle fall from ceiling dealing 4d6 cold damage and 2d6 bludgeoning
Exsiccate (Strike) - Strike dehydrates target and then freezes anyone else within 5ft
Crystal Palace (Strike) - Create a semi-permanent wall of ice, may freeze those caught in it

5th
Frigid Strike (Strike) - Strike deals 5d6 cold damage, freezes target, affects armor within 5ft as if with chill metal
Subzero (Stance) - Drop temperature, deal an extra 4d6 cold damage to frozen creatures
Iceberg (Counter) - Create a semi-permanent wall of ice that blocks attack

6th
Polar Strike (Strike) - Strike deals an additional 8d6 cold damage
Rima (Counter) - Break ice underneath attackers feat causing them to fall in and miss you
Hydra's Breath (Strike) - Blast of living ice deals 5d6 damage, may freeze targets

7th
Freezerburn (Strike) - Strike deals an additional 8d6 cold and fire damage and lights foe on fire
Ice Dragon's Rage (Counter) - If you die release up to a 30ft wave of ice that deals 10d6 damage and freezes targets

8th
Wintertide (Boost) - Release a massive torrent of wind and snow, drop temperature
Snowman (Stance) - Create an icy duplicate of yourself

9th
Absolute Zero (Strike) - Anyone within 60ft takes 12d6 damage and may be turned into ice statues


Maneuvers List

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Mare's Tail
Mare's Tail (Boost) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 1
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
With a quick outward breath a frosty mist billows behind you as you move, quickly obscuring the battlefield.
Anytime you move, for the duration of this boost, you release a cloud of mist in any square you have moved through. This mist functions as the Obscuring Mist spell, but dissipates at the start of your next turn.

Ice Skate
Mare's Tail (Stance) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 1
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Ice becomes imbibed around your feet, forming a small blade beneath them.
While this stance is active you may walk on snow or ice without risk of breaking through it. Additionally you don't need to make balance checks to move on ice.
Unfortunately, however, you treat any terrain not covered in ice or snow as difficult terrain.

Frostbite
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 1
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
The temperature around your weapon quickly drops to near zero and a cold dew clings around it as you strike.
You deal an extra 1d6 cold damage with your melee attack.

Mermaid's Tear
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 1
Initiation Action: Full Round
Range: 60ft
Target: see text
Snow begins to rapidly whirl around your hand. With a swift flick of your wrist, icicles dance across the air.
You fire a single bolt of ice at a target with range. You must make a ranged touch attack, but if it hits it deals 1d6 damage. If it misses roll as if it were a splash weapon.
For every 5 initiator levels you possess you may throw an additional bolt of ice. These bolts needn't be at the same target.

Slide
Mare's Tail (Boost) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 1
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Ice forms around your feet and discharges, flinging you to a different nearby location.
You immediately move 10ft without provoking any attacks of opportunity. If your movement begins on snow or ice you may instead move 20ft.

Brinicle
Mare's Tail (Counter) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 2
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: 60ft
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
You form a conduit between your body and your opponent releasing a blast of cold air at him as he attacks you.
In response to being hit by an attack within range you release a wave of cold air that deals 2d6 cold damage. In addition the target of this counter must make a reflex save or become frozen to the ground.
Special: If your target is air-born they instead, upon a failed save, have their wings frozen (if any) and plummet to the ground. This ice shatters upon impact with the ground. Otherwise it has no effect against targets not on the ground.

Boreal Wind
Mare's Tail (Boost) [Teleporation, Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 2
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
With a flash of blue and flicker your body melds into ice and uses it as a conduit to travel short distances.
You must be within 5ft of snow or ice to use this maneuver. If you are you may teleport up to 30ft away.
When traveling in this manner you must teleport to within 5ft of another location with snow or ice, and it must be attached to the snow or ice you initiated this maneuver with.
If this is used to avoid an attack, you must make a reflex save (DC of the attack roll), or be hit before movement.
If the ice is broken mid-teleport you are shunted near the broken ice instead of your intended location.

Glacial Wall
Mare's Tail (Counter) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 2
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: see text
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
A sheet of ice leaps up in front of your opponents attack taking the brunt of the blow.
In response to an attack you may raise a thin wall of ice in front of or around you. It reduces the damage dealt by the attack by 3 + 1/2 your initiator level (to a minimum of 0). The ice melts into a puddle immediately after the attack is countered.
This counter does not prevent other effects unless they are tied to damage and only reduces hit points damage. This ability works against area of effects, but not ongoing effects.

Ice Razor
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 2
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
appearance
Jagged crystals of rime form around your weapon and tear into your opponents unprotected flesh.
You deal an extra 1d6 cold damage with your melee attack. If your target isn't wearing armor it deals an additional 2d6 slashing damage.

Winter's Stride
Mare's Tail (Stance) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 2
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You take on an ashen appearance and the gleam of ice seems to catch your enemies eyes.
While you are in this stance you may make hide checks while being observed as long as you are within 10ft of ice or snow, as if you had cover to hide behind.

Reforge
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 3
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Reach
Target: One Creature
With a smug smile you point your broken blade at your opponent. He thinks he's beaten you, but you have one last trick up your sleeve.
A blade of ice forms behind your enemy and forms towards your blade piercing your foe. Your target takes 5d6 cold damage and becomes entangled (functions otherwise as frozen effect however), although they may make a fortitude save to halve damage and prevent entanglement.
As part of this maneuver you pull a completely repaired weapon out of your target.

Stalagmite
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 3
Initiation Action: Full Round
Range: 30ft
Target: 4 square area
With a load cracking sound a huge spike of ice erupts from the ground.
A pillar of jagged ice erupts from the ground in a 10ft area. All targets take 3d6 cold damage and are force to the nearest excitable sides of the area. If no sides are viable, for even a single target, the ice immediately shatters and creating rubble (aka difficult terrain) for 1 round.
If the pillar of ice is created in a snowy area, or on a snowed or iced over area it instead deals 6d6 cold damage.
This maneuver's effect must be created on the ground.

Jack's Frost
Mare's Tail (Boost) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 3
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
A frigid chill fills the air and liquid ice seeps up from the ground
You release a wave of ice freezing the 20ft area of ground around you. If a wall gets in the way it instead becomes forming up the wall until another such junction happens (if any).
Anyone touching the ground when the wave of ice hits, takes 1d6 cold damage.
Anyone attempting to walk on this ice must make balance checks to remain balanced. The DC is either the normal check or a DC of 10 + your initiator level + your intelligence modifier, whichever is higher.

Algid
Mare's Tail (Counter) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 3
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: see text
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
appearance
You form a conduit between your body and your opponent releasing a blast of liquid ice at him as he attacks you.
In response to being hit by an attack within range you release a wave of frost that deals 1d6 cold damage. In addition the target of this counter must make a reflex save or be afflicted as if the chill metal spell (if they have the requisite metal equipment).
Special: If your target is air-born they instead, upon a failed save, have their wings frozen (if any) and plummet to the ground. This ice shatters upon impact with the ground. Otherwise it has no effect against targets not on the ground.

Blizzard
Mare's Tail (Boost) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 3
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
A sudden gale whips up out of nowhere carrying the winter wind with it.
For the duration of this boost you emanate a 30ft aura of cold creating the following effects in its area:
The temperature drops three bands, wind increases by one band, and whiteout conditions (see frostburn) follow you. Any area that remains in this area for more than 1 round accumulates 1d6 inches of snow (to a maximum of 6), which melts in 1d4 + 1 rounds.

Stalactite
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 4
Initiation Action: Full Round
Range: 30ft
Target: 4 square area
With a quaking sound a huge spike of ice breaks out from the ceiling and falls to the ground below
A pillar of jagged ice erupts downward from the ceiling above in a 10ft area. It falls from the ceiling above dealing 4d6 cold damage and 2d6 bludgeoning damage to those below. It shatters upon hitting the ground dealing 1d4 piercing damage to anyone within 5ft, before shattering.
It creates rubble (aka difficult terrain) for 1 round in a 15ft area.
This maneuver's effect must be created on a ceiling.

Exsiccate
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 4
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Your target withers and shrivels as your draw the water out of their body, which you then release as an explosion of liquid ice.
In addition to being subject to the normal effects of your melee strike, your target must make a fortitude save or become dehydrated. If your target is successfully dehydrated a wave of ice fling outward and anyone other than yourself and the target of your melee attack within 5ft (of your melee target) must make a reflex save or become frozen.
Targets frozen with this ability are completely immobile and unable to take any actions other than those that are mental-only. They also must hold their breath or risk suffocation until the ice is removed or melts.

Crystal Palace
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 4
Initiation Action: Full Round
Range: 60ft
Target: see text.
A sheet of ice forms and warps at your command.
This functions as the wall of ice spell, other than as noted here. Your 'caster level' is equal to half your initiator level.
It follows the rules for the frozen condition instead of the Wall of Ice spell, for the purposes of destroying.
A reflex save does not disrupt the effect, but allows the targets to take up to a 10ft step out of the way. Any target caught within is frozen.
Targets frozen with this ability are completely immobile and unable to take any actions other than those that are mental-only. They also must hold their breath or risk suffocation until the ice is removed or melts.

Frigid Strike
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 5
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Your weapon flickers white and as you strike your opponent a torrent of cold energy flares up around him freezing him solid.
You deal an extra 5d6 cold damage with your melee attack and your target must make a fortitude save or be frozen. Regardless of the save, your target is affected as if by the chill metal spell.
Your target must make another fortitude save the next time the chill metal effect takes place or the ice refreezes and spreads.
Targets already frozen that are re-frozen from the secondary effect are completely immobile and unable to take any actions other than those that are mental-only. They also must hold their breath or risk suffocation until the ice is removed or melts.

Subzero
Mare's Tail (Stance) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 5
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Ice grows on your skin and waves of winter air roll off your body exacerbating the conditions of those already frozen.
The temperature within 30ft of you drops by two bands for the duration of this stance. Furthermore you deal an extra 4d6 cold damage anytime you strike a frozen target with a melee strike.

Iceberg
Mare's Tail (Counter) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 5
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: see text
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
A wall of ice interposes itself between you and an attack.
In response to an attack you may raise a wall of ice in front of you. It forms a wall of ice much like your crystal palace ability, but may only create ice on the lines between you and your opponent that are 1ft wide (treat as being 5ft for durability).
Any effect targeting you hits the ice wall instead. If this initial attack deals enough damage to destroy the wall it may continue through to strike you.

Polar Strike
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 6
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Your weapon flickers white and as you strike your opponent a torrent of cold energy flares up around him freezing him solid.
You deal an extra 8d6 cold damage with your melee attack and your target must make a fortitude save or be affected as if by the chill metal spell.
Your target must make another fortitude save each time the chill metal effect takes place or become frozen (or refrozen).

Rima
Mare's Tail (Counter or Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 6
Initiation Action: Immediate (Counter) or Full Round (Strike)
Range: 30ft
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
As you plunge your sword into the ground below the ice around you cracks and buckles collapsing under the weight of your foes.
This maneuver may only be used if your opponent is standing on ice, that if it breaks they fall at least 10ft.
Counter:
Before your opponent can complete his attack the ice beneath him ruptures. Your target must make a reflex save or fall through (the target, upon a successful save, may grab onto the edge). This ability breaks the ice beneath the feet of your attacker, destroying up to 30ft deep of ice.
Strike:
This ability obliterates any ice within 30ft of you, destroying it up to 10ft deep. You may choose to exclude any portions of ice you wish from this effect, as long is it wouldn't leave any chunks of ice unstable.
Targets near an edge may make a reflex save to catch onto it, to stop from falling.

Hydra's Breath
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 6
Initiation Action: Full Round
Range: see target
Target: see text
You billow out a huge cloud of frost that condenses into a storm of liquid ice shards that streak across the battlefield.
You may create a 60ft line of 30ft cone of ice starting at your position. Anyone caught within takes 5d6 cold damage and must make a reflex save or be frozen solid. Anyone who fails the save by 5 or more finds themselves completely covered in ice.
Target who fail by 5 or more are completely immobile and unable to take any actions other than those that are mental-only. They also must hold their breath or risk suffocation until the ice is removed or melts.

Freezerburn
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 7
Initiation Action: Standard
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Your cold blade flickers as an unexpected raw heat surges through the blade catching alight in mid-strike.
Your strike deals an extra 6d6 cold damage and 2d6 fire damage. Your target must make a reflex save or be lit on fire. The save to extinguish this fire is the same as the DC to prevent catching fire.
If the fire in question is put out with water or the target rolls in water, snow, or ice; the target must immediately make a fortitude save or become frozen.

Ice Dragon's Rage
Mare's Tail (Counter) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 7
Initiation Action: Immediate
Range: 30ft
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
appearance
With a final curse at your enemy you release all the cold energy pent up in your body in a final wave of icy wrath.
This counter may only be used in response to your death. Anyone within 30ft of you is struck by a wave of ice. They must make a fortitude save or take 10d6 cold damage and be frozen solid.
Target who are frozen are completely immobile and unable to take any actions other than those that are mental-only. They also must hold their breath or risk suffocation until the ice is removed or melts.
A successful save results in taking only half damage.

Wintertide
Mare's Tail (Boost) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 8
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
A sudden snowstorm rolls in.
For the duration of this boost you emanate a 30ft aura of cold creating the following effects in its area:
The temperature drops four bands, wind increases by two bands, and whiteout conditions (see frostburn) follow you. Any area that remains in this area for more than 1 round accumulates 2d6 inches of snow (to a maximum of 18), which melts in 1d4 + 1 minutes.
Anyone in contact with any fallen snow within the aura takes 1d6 cold damage per round. Any cold damage dealt within the aura is increases by 2 die.

Snowman
Mare's Tail (Stance) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 8
Initiation Action: Swift
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
???.
???.

Absolute Zero
Mare's Tail (Strike) [Cold]
Level: Rime Assassin 9
Initiation Action: Full Round
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
A chill goes down the spine of everyone nearby, briefly before ice begins creeping up their feet.
Anyone within 30ft takes 12d6 cold damage and must make a fortitude save or be frozen.
Target who fail their save by 5 or more are instead turned into ice statues, as the flesh to ice spell. Targets frozen in this manner may be shattered with a strength check DC of 20 to tip them over or melted with at least 20 points of fire damage.

so it is a cold ninja/Tundra wind?
it is sudden strike not ambush.
the class seems a little specialized. it deals with cold really well... and thats about it. I guess the discipline could make it better.



once I get to see the full discipline I can comment on it..

Thanks, I didn't catch that. Fixed Ambush to Sudden Strike. I think they do the same thing anyways though.
Most of the maneuvers are done. The only one I haven't figured out how to handle is snowman (stance). I was thinking about a nerfed version of the Ice Assassin spell from Frostburn.
I haven't figured out a history to the discipline and really have no ideas. If anyone is bored and comes up with something before me, please shoot.
I'm also worried about the frozen condition being particularly powerful, but it doesn't actually ever consider the target helpless so it shouldn't be an issue (maybe I should add it in though; it would make sense).

Edit > I think reforge is my favorite. I actually stole it from an awesome tv show.

ok, a PEACH was requested so...
in Bold

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eftexar

Rime Assassin (3.5)
Hit Die: d6
ok ish... might do with a d8

Starting Gold: As Rogue

ok...

Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points: 4 + Int mod (x 4 at first level)
seems good, might use 6+int mod

Weapons and Armor Proficiencies: The rime assassin is proficient with all simple weapons, as well as any weapon normally in the light category. The rime assassin is not proficient with any armor or shields.
ok... ninja knives and such. would give him light armor, as even a ninja needs some armor...

Class Abilities
Maneuvers and Stances
The rime assassin uses maneuvers and stances the same as a swordsage, except as noted here.
The rime assassin has a different progression (see table) and has access to a different set of disciplines: Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, Shadowhand, and Mare's Tail. Additionally, the save DC for any maneuver is 10 + 1/2 his rime assassin level + the relevant modifier.
seems good...

Lv1 > Heart Of Ice:
The rime assassin has grown cold from the many deaths he has seen. This manifests itself granting cold resistance equal to his rime assassin level or his intelligence modifier (whichever is higher).
In addition he gains half his rime assassin level to saves (to a minimum of 1) against the effects of a cold environment, as well as against any effect that has the cold descriptor or deals cold damage.
His resistance to cold stacks with any provided by heavy clothes or other cold resistant tailored, but not resistance enchanted, gear.
cold resistance is fun...

Lv1 > Trapfinding:
A rime assassin may find and disable traps in the same manner as a rogue.
ninja trap sensing


Lv2 > Evasion:
The rime assassin gains the Evasion ability, same as the rogue.
evasion is good

Lv3, 7, 11, 15, 19 > Sudden Strike:
The rime assassin gains the Sudden Strike ability, same as the ninja (see complete adventurer). It improves at each indicated level.
yay for ninjaness

Lv5, 10, 15, 20 > Flash Freeze:
A certain number of times per day (see table) the rime assassin may preform a strike maneuver as a swift action. This strike may not be of a level higher than half the highest level maneuver he can use (rounded down).
hmm... the low uses/day makes it ok. I might make it at will for maneuvers 3 levels lower then his current maximum. level 3 less tend to be much weaker then the current max, and with its limited maneuvers readied it might balance out. then I would suggest making it at will at level 20.

Lv6 > Minor Osmose (Su):
Should the rime assassin be struck by an effect that would deal cold damage and any cold resistance he has (even if he has cold immunity) would reduce the damage to 0, he heals an amount equal to the amount of cold resistance left.
cold healing is fun. get a DA with cold breath for free healing, but a DN and tomb-tainted soul can do the same.

Lv9 > Osmose (Su):
Anytime the rime assassin makes a save against an effect with the cold descriptor or that does cold damage, he completely negates it effects.
Furthermore if it dealt (or would continue dealing) damage he heals an amount equal to the cold damage it would have dealt (including each round if a continuous effect) if he had failed the save.
Healing from osmose doesn't stack with that from minor osmose, if it occurs at the same time.
and more cold healing... seems good, a little niche

Lv14 > Sheer Cold (Su):
Any cold damage dealt by the rime assassin partially ignores cold resistances.
Any maneuver that deals cold damage against a target(s) resistant to cold damage, ignores half of their cold resistance. Furthermore, if a target is normally immune to cold damage, it still does half damage.
ok, cold needs some help, perhaps add it at lower levels?

Lv17 > Major Osmose (Su):
The rime assassin automatically succeeds on any save an effect with the cold descriptor allows, regardless of the DC.
supa cold resistance. seems fine.

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so a lot of focus on cold, ok. some nice ninja stuff on top of that. needs more abilities though... perhaps a movement speed boost and some spring attack support?

I decided to keep the HD the same, but changed pretty much everything else you suggested:
Upped the skill points to 6, added a small movement bonus, and added light armor.
Split sheer cold into two parts instead of just straight up granting it at lower levels.
Added a more limited version of at will uses of flash freeze.
Thanks for the peach though!

Thought I would resurrect this. I didn't get a lot of input on it last time, so I would like to know people thoughts (but I guess it was around Christmas so that was to be expected).
It was my first discipline (and actually still remains my only one). Now that I've got a better understanding of ToB and it's balance, I realize it might be too damage/strike heavy and freeze happy. Still even if it is a bust I need to learn about balancing disciplines better so I can make more of them. So?