Cold Ken
Some look at the glistening expanses of snow and ice and see hardship. Others are entranced by the beauty and majesty. I see the potential... - Jergen Tam, the Northdrawn
Every snowflake, every ice floe, every rain of sleet holds great power. Crystals are not limited to rocks buried deep underground, but are in great abundance in every northern clime. Gems of beauty that rival any bit of earth, snow and ice have within them fantastic possibilities in every facet of their graceful forms.
Cold ken have come to understand this power, and daily hike through lands filled with the scintillating accumulation. As they walk the ice crystals beneath their very feet shifts and alters itself into more logical patterns alike to the makings of the brain itself. Through these connections with these crystals the Cold Ken learns a discipline that druids themselves find difficult to comprehend.
Becoming a Cold Ken
Cold Ken are always Psions or Erudites living alongside glaciers or in vast snowfields and icebergs deep within the frostfell. Just by their traipsing through the cold they gain new insight into the power waiting to be tapped. Some even come together and construct glistening structures to channel and focus the crystals of vast areas. These areas are always freezing but a haven to wanderers lost in the arctics, for few dare approach the Cold Ken in their focal dens.
Hit Dice: d6
Requirements
To qualify to become a Cold Ken, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Concentration 9 ranks, Craft (Ice Sculpture) 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 9 ranks
Feats: Imprint Stone, Psicrystal Affinity (Hero)
Psionics: Ability to manifest 3rd-level powers.
{table=head]Class Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Powers Known
1st|+0|+2|+0|+2|Deepblue, Ice Crystal|-
2nd|+1|+3|+0|+3|Skater's Poise, Clear Headed|+1 level of existing manifesting class
3rd|+1|+3|+1|+3|Cold Command|+1 level of existing manifesting class
4th|+2|+4|+1|+4|Arctic Mind, Frostfelt|-
5th|+2|+4|+1|+4|Crystal Clarity, Resistance to cold 5|+1 level of existing manifesting class
6th|+3|+5|+2|+5|Preservation of the Ice|+1 level of existing manifesting class
7th|+3|+5|+2|+5|Decree of Cold Blood, Resistance to Cold 10|-
8th|+4|+6|+2|+6|True Ken|+1 level of existing manifesting class
9th|+4|+6|+3|+6|Blizzard Meld, Resistance to cold 15|+1 level of existing manifesting class
10th|+5|+7|+3|+7|Glacial Enrapture|-[/table]
Class Skills
Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (nature/psionics) (Int), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Use Psionic Device (Cha)
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Cold Ken prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Cold Ken gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Powers Known: At every level indicated on the table, the character gains additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain most other benefits a character of that class would have gained (bonus feats, metapsionic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the level of Cold Ken to the level of whatever manifesting class the character has, then determines power points per day, powers known, psicrystal special abilities, and manifester level accordingly. If a character had more than one manifesting class before he became a Cold Ken, he must decide to which class he adds the new level of Cold Ken for the purpose of determining power points per day, powers known, and manifester level.
Deepblue (Ex):
In the hands of a Cold Ken a weapon of blue ice gains the properties of deep crystal and may channel psionic energy into it.
Ice Crystal (Ps):
At first level a Cold Ken's psicrystal buries itself in snow or ice and forms connections with the fractal crystals of the frozen substance itself. The psicrystal alters and arranges the crystals to form a protective barrier of blue ice about itself and melds with the new material.
The psicrystal gains 20 additional hit points, a +10 bonus to its natural armor, and immunity to cold.
Skater's Poise (Ps):
While maintaining psionic focus, a Cold Ken may move on snow, ice, or any other frozen substance without any penalty to speed or chance of slipping and may even use the Run action.
Clear Headed (Ex):
Freezing temperatures seem to crystallize a Cold Ken's thought processes. When in areas below freezing a Cold Ken gains a +2 Circumstance bonus to Intelligence. If exposed to unearthly temperatures (-50 or colder) this bonus raises to +3.
Chill Command (Ex):
If a cold ken makes a successful touch attack he can cause a matrix of ice crystals to grow within the body of the target. This deals 1d4 cold damage a minute (successful Fortitude save DC 10 + Cold Ken's int modifier halves for a minimum of 1 point), but also interacts with the target's nervous system. For one minute per prestige level a Cold Ken may use the Psionic Suggestion power, able to make a new suggestion every minute. Every minute the target may make a new Will save to resist the suggestion (DC as above).
Arctic Mind (Ps):
At 4th level a Cold Ken can create a kinetic field once per day which cools the moisture in the air and freezes it, forming an arctic haze that follows the Cold Ken wherever he goes. A bank of fog composed entirely of tiny ice crystals billows out from about him in a 40-foot radius and 20 feet high. The fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% misschance, and the attacker can't use sight to locate the target). This cold cloud lasts 10 minutes per prestige level. He may generate the field twice per day at 6th level, and thrice at 8th.
Frostfelt (Ps):
A Cold Ken gains Tremorsense out to 60 feet when in contact with ice or snow as he resonates with their crystal patterns.
Crystal Clarity (Ps):
When a Cold Ken would gain his bonus to Intelligence he may, once per day, truly open his mind to the cold around him and gains an additional +2 bonus to intelligence for a total of +4, or +5 in areas of unearthly cold. However, this is extraordinarily painful and the Cold Ken takes 1d6 points of damage every minute that cannot be healed until he ceases to expose his mind.
At 8th level he takes only half damage from this ability, for a minimum of 1 point.
Resistance to Cold (Su):
At 5th level a Cold Ken gains resistance to cold 5. This increases to +10 at 7th level, and +15 at 9th level.
Preservation of the Ice (Ex):
At 6th level, a Cold Ken learns both Suspend Life and Crystalize. These powers are in addition to any powers the Cold Ken normally learns by advancing a level.
The cold ken treats these powers as if they were 4th-level powers on his class list. This means, among other things, that manifesting these powers costs only 7 power points.
Decree of Cold Blood (Ps):
At 7th level a Cold Ken may use an advanced form of Chill Command. His touch deals 1d8 points of cold damage per minute and unless the target makes a successful Will save the target is affected as the Psionic Dominate power. The Cold Ken may only dominate one target at a time, but it affects any creature that contains internal fluids. He may dominate for one minute per prestige level.
True Ken (Ex):
Once per day a Cold Ken may use Hypercognition. If in direct contact with snow or ice or in temperatures below freezing he may use it one additional time per day. He also gains a +20 bonus on Knowledge (nature) checks for a minute as he becomes intimately connected with his natural surroundings.
Blizzard Meld (Ps):
At 9th level a Cold Ken forms mental connections even with ice crystals in the air, be they snow or merely the frozen moisture in the wind. While in falling snows, sleet, or other freezing moisture, or in areas below freezing, a Cold Ken gains the Blindsight ability out to 60 feet, including within his own Arctic Mind haze.
Second, if in the same conditions, a Cold Ken may manifest any power he knows with the range of touch on any subject within 60 feet as a ranged touch attack. Saves still apply as normal.
Glacial Enrapture (Ps):
At 10th level a Cold Ken has learned to shape the crystalline nature of ice and gains 4 points in Craft (Ice Sculpture). With a successful DC 30 Craft (Ice Sculpture) roll, he can mentally manipulate the ice crystals of an area to form into an intricate shape that he may imbue with his own psionic energy. Those who come near this sculpture have a chance of contracting Fractal Dementia.
Fractal Dementia
Spread by mental contact with infected psionic beings or by visual means mentioned below; mental contact or visual; DC = Half Ken's HD + Int modifier; incubation 1d4 days; damage fractal dementia.
Fractal dementia is linked to the mind's need to find patterns and shapes. Almost everyone at some time has been momentarily intrigued by the shape of an object or a particularly interesting pattern. A Cold Ken constructions are literally mesmerizing, more so to individuals of particular mental might. Their minds see more than a pattern, they view a fascinating enigma whose solution is right on the brink of being understood. Perhaps it could be solved if they just concentrated enough they think.
Captivated by this puzzle they no longer care for such unimportant things as drink, food or even simple comfort. For the disease causes the mind to spiral internally, seeking with infinite anticipation the end of the riddle. But there is no known end, or if there is an end, it dwells so deep that once within, it is impossible to pull oneself out. Those who make contact with the mind of an infected individual suddenly receive a clear image of the fractal and must make the same saves or contract the disease as well.
Any being with an Intelligence of 4 or higher who looks upon the fractal from within 5 feet must make an initial will check (DC mentioned above) to keep from contracting the disease. Even if they make the save they become Dazed. If they fail, they become Fascinated by the pattern. Even if moved away and no longer in sight of the fractal, an infected creature dwells upon the mystery of the pattern and it fills their thoughts so as they cannot achieve Psionic Focus or cast spells/manifest powers requiring concentration. Each day of their incubation period they may attempt a new save to keep from becoming enthralled. If they can hold off being enthralled through the incubation period the dementia fades away. Normal disease healing spells will remove the condition while in its incubation stage. If they fail every save their mind turns completely within itself and they are considered permanently helpless. Only psychic chirurgery, bend reality, reality revision, or other similar powerful abilities can bring the subject out of themselves.
The Cold Ken is vaguely aware of any creature who has succumbed to Fractal Dementia through a fractal made by himself. He may use Mind Switch for a duration of 10 minutes per Prestige level once per day to have full control over the helpless body, which costs no XP and allows no Will save. The Cold Ken and victim of Fractal Dementia must both be on the same plane.
Cold Ken: Understanding the arctic
