-Frostbite Necromancer [FC]-

[Deathtouched]

Frostbite Necromancer
Sometimes in winter, unwanted or lost children are left outside in the cold. After the children have been outside for too long, their flesh begins to slowly die. They become frostbitten. If a child somehow manages to survive through this ordeal, he or she will sometimes gain special powers. These powers make them similar to any magic-user, but they are especially attracted to the dark arts of necromancy, because of their own near-death experience. They also gain power over the cold that once nearly killed them. They mix these two forces together: cold and death. And thus, Frostbite Necromancers are born.

Alignment: Any
HD: d6
Class Skills:Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int)
Spells: Casts arcane spells like wizards and sorcerers. Can cast any known spell without preparing it in advance. To cast a spell, must have a Charisma of 10 + the spell's level. Spell list consists of the Necromancy and Evocation spells of wizards and sorcerers.
Skill Points: 2 + Int Modifier

Frostbite Necromancer
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|Frostbite Caster|5|3

2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+0

|

+3

|- |6|4

3rd|

+1

|

+1

|

+1

|

+3

|Spell Focus: Necromancy |6|5|

4th|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Cold Claw 1/day |6|6|3|

5th|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Energy Resistance 5 |6|6|4|

6th|

+3

|

+2

|

+2

|

+5

|Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy |6|6|5|3|

7th|

+3

|

+2

|

+2

|

+5

| |6|6|6|4|

8th|

+4

|

+2

|

+2

|

+6

|Cold Claw 2/day |6|6|6|5|3|

9th|

+4

|

+3

|

+3

|

+6

|Arcane Defense: Necromancy |6|6|6|6|4|

10th|

+5

|

+3

|

+3

|

+7

|Frostbitten Dead, Energy Resistance 15 |6|6|6|6|5|3|

11th|

+5

|

+3

|

+3

|

+7

| |6|6|6|6|6|4|

12th|

+6/+1

|

+4

|

+4

|

+8

|Cold Claw 3/day |6|6|6|6|6|5|3|

13th|

+6/+1

|

+4

|

+4

|

+8

| |6|6|6|6|6|6|4|

14th|

+7/+2

|

+4

|

+4

|

+9

|Icy Dead |6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|

15th|

+7/+2

|

+5

|

+5

|

+9

|Energy Resistance 15 |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|

16th|

+8/+3

|

+5

|

+5

|

+10

|Cold Claw 4/day |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|

17th|

+8/+3

|

+5

|

+5

|

+10

| |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4

18th|

+9/+4

|

+6

|

+6

|

+11

|Frozen Dead |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3

19th|

+9/+4

|

+6

|

+6

|

+11

| |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4

20th|

+10/+5

|

+6

|

+6

|

+12

|Energy Resistance 20, Cold Claw 5/day |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5[/table]

Frostbite Necromancer Abilities

Frostbite Caster - at level 1, the Frostbite Necromancer has acquired the power of cold death. All damage-dealing spells he casts deal half their damage in cold energy and half in negative energy. Metamagic feats that change spell energy types can still affect the spells.

Spell Focus: Necromancy - at level 3, the Frostbite Necromancer becomes more adept at necromancy. He automatically has the feat Spell Focus: Necromancy.

Cold Claw - at level 4, the Frostbite Necromancer gains a new ability using the power of cold. He is able to make a touch attack on a creature that does a number of d6 equal to his charisma modifier in cold damage. The attack also paralyzes the creature for 1d4 rounds if it fails a Fortitude roll (DC 10 + 1/2 FN level + charisma modifier). The ability is usable 1/day, but gains additional uses every 4 levels after level 4, to 5/day at level 20.

Energy Resistance - at level 5, the Frostbite Necromancer becomes stronger against the powers he uses. He gains Energy Resistance 5 to cold and negative energy. The resistance increases every 5 level after level 5, to resistance 20 at level 20.

Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy - at level 6, the Frostbite Necromancer becomes more adept at necromancy. He automatically has the feat Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy.

Arcane Defense: Necromancy - at level 9, the Frostbite Necromancer learns to resist against necromancy. He automatically has the feat Arcane Defense: Necromancy.

Frostbitten Dead - at level 10, the Frostbite Necromancer's undead minions become stronger against cold energy. Any undead he creates is automatically Immune to cold energy.

Icy Dead - at level 14, the Frostbite Necromancer's undead minions gain the power of cold. Any undead he creates deals half its damage in cold energy.

Frozen Dead - at level 18, the Frostbite Necromancer's undead minions harden from the cold. Any undead he creates has an icy armor and gains an additional +4 natural armor bonus to its AC.

EDIT: Okay, I've added it in. The class should basically be complete now. I am wondering if it should get some more abilities, you know, to make up for the tiny spell list. What do you think?

[Jack_Simth]

Basic Mechanics:
Missing Skill list and skill points
Missing Spell List
Spells per day = Spells known? You've just blown the Sorcerer out of the water in terms of HD, class features, and spells known.
Frozen Dead: You mean the undead minion's natural armor increases by +4, correct? A +4 Natural Armor bonus is technically useless on anything that already has +4 or better natural armor, such as, say, a Zombie Riding Dog.

Balance:
Assuming for the moment you're using the Sor/Wiz spell list, the Sorcerer now has no particular reason to continue to be in use when this class is in play.

[Deathtouched]

1. What do you mean by missing skill list and skill points? I put them right up top...
2. I know the spells are a little too numerous, but I couldn't figure out how to make a Per Day and a Known list, plus its supposed to be a specialist necromancer mostly and it has less spell spots then their are for necro spells, plus it need damages spells, so...
3. The +4 think was meant to be in addition, I wanted to make that one stronger. Plus I haven't read all the monsters, but yes "+4 in addition".
4. Ah, but the sorcerer does have a reason to exist, its... umm... uh... hmm..... IGNORE
Ya know, I was gonna say "because this is a necro spell class, but you may be right. The only problem with less spells known is that you wouldn't be able to get most necro spells, so the specialization would be igh useless. I was thinking it could be changed to wizard, but that goes behind the who- HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!
5!!!! Hello!? Ever heard of warmage????? They get all of the spells on their list for free and can cast any they want! This class only get 6 spells per level, thats so much less! And because it's assumed that the character will get mostly necro spells, it works with sorcerer! Unless you were so desperste to break the system that youd do this just to get free spells per day, it would work fine! And any class can be hacked like that, so its silly to even think about it, cause its not gonna happen! This idea may have taken me about 30 minutes to complete, but its a good idea and I think specialist, non-Pr classes would be a good thing. Plus i like necromancy!
EDIT: okay this is the second time ive posted this cause it didnt make it the first time, blah blah blah blah blah, me trying ideas, blaah blah blah balah, me realizing its hopeless, blah blah blah balh blah blah, me deciding to change the class to a more wizardly sense, knowing that it will destroy most of what the class it based on, end... thats all, you right, I wrong, end of story, I like kitties...

[Jack_Simth]

1. What do you mean by missing skill list and skill points? I put them right up top...

Odd... must have missed them.

2. I know the spells are a little too numerous, but I couldn't figure out how to make a Per Day and a Known list, plus its supposed to be a specialist necromancer mostly and it has less spell spots then their are for necro spells, plus it need damages spells, so...

You can have more spells known, if you've got a more limited selection of them (e.g., if all you've got available is evocation and necromancy, it doesn't matter if you know all the ones of those two schools in the PHB - you're not going to be overly much of a powerhouse). This is how the Warmage and Beguiler function - while they know every spell on their list, their list is basically of a single type - the Warmage zaps stuff with Evocations, the Beguiler uses Enchantment and Illusion.

3. The +4 think was meant to be in addition, I wanted to make that one stronger. Plus I haven't read all the monsters, but yes "+4 in addition".

About what I figured - just thought I'd mention it.

4. Ah, but the sorcerer does have a reason to exist, its... umm... uh... hmm..... IGNORE
Ya know, I was gonna say "because this is a necro spell class, but you may be right. The only problem with less spells known is that you wouldn't be able to get most necro spells, so the specialization would be igh useless. I was thinking it could be changed to wizard, but that goes behind the who- HEY, WAIT A MINUTE!
5!!!! Hello!? Ever heard of warmage????? They get all of the spells on their list for free and can cast any they want! This class only get 6 spells per level, thats so much less! And because it's assumed that the character will get mostly necro spells, it works with sorcerer! Unless you were so desperste to break the system that youd do this just to get free spells per day, it would work fine! And any class can be hacked like that, so its silly to even think about it, cause its not gonna happen! This idea may have taken me about 30 minutes to complete, but its a good idea and I think specialist, non-Pr classes would be a good thing. Plus i like necromancy!
EDIT: okay this is the second time ive posted this cause it didnt make it the first time, blah blah blah blah blah, me trying ideas, blaah blah blah balah, me realizing its hopeless, blah blah blah balh blah blah, me deciding to change the class to a more wizardly sense, knowing that it will destroy most of what the class it based on, end... thats all, you right, I wrong, end of story, I like kitties...

You could take a necromancy and evocation spell at each and every spell level, and you'd STILL have more space remaining for spells known than the Sorcerer does before any selection at all (except on the very lowest levels of spells). Seriously - doing that leaves the "open" spells known at 4/4/4/4/4/4/4/4/4/3 (at 20th) while the Sorcerer gets 9/5/5/4/4/4/3/3/3/3 (also at 20th). Sorcerer is ahead in 0th, 1st, and 2nd level spells; tied in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th level spells; behind in 6th, 7th, and 8th... and that's after accounting for the fact that your homebrew class has "specialized" in necromancy and evocation (by taking at least one of each for every spell level).

The trick is to make a very small spell list. Everything in the PHB in Necromancy and Evocation is fair game as-is from the Sor/Wiz list for the flavor of the class, as is anything with the [Cold] descriptor. That gives you some pretty useful stuff, but the powerhouse spells - Time Stop, Gate, Polymorph, Disjunction, and so on - are other schools. *Waves hand* any spell that doesn't meet at least one of...
A) Has the [Cold] descriptor
B) Is in the Evocation school
C) Is in the Necromancy school
... has it's spell level boosted by +2 if it's selected as a spell-known (it's not native). Done - now we've got a pretty hefty weakening.

The simplest way to limit the class down to roughly the level of the Sorcerer (Full caster, about a mid-high on the power level of the Core classes - generally a good spot to shoot for) is to set the spell list to something sharply limited.

[Mal666]

... or you could pick up thehero's of horror and mess about with swapping in and out class features with the dread necromancer.
every Necromantic spell, wizard and cleric, as an arcane caster... with choice Conjouration and utility jobbages thrown in too, could be pretty easy to swap becoming a lich out for cold based stuff.

i like the take on being an Ice Sorceror too though :) thats funky and cool

[Deathtouched]

I guess a Necro-Evo would work...
I'm not sure about using cleric Necros too, but it would make the class more powerful...

EDIT: How about an arcane based class, same, with spells as...
1. Necro
2. Evocation
3. Conjuration (damage)
Cause the only cold spells are Evoc and this class doesnt get bonuses on cold spells, because ALL of its damage dealing spells are cold/negative. I guess you're right, this would work.
Also, maybe I COULD give it an ability for cold spells, maybe it gets each cold spells as a 1/day spell-like ability? 'cept, that would be weird since the spells would only be cold damage instead of cold/nega...
I guess Necromancy and Evocation spells from the sorc/wiz list would work, not a whole lot of damage-dealing Conj... OKAY!

[Mal666]

lesser Orb of Cold (conjouration, Cold)
Orb of cold (Conjouration, Cold)
Freezing Fog (Conjouration, Cold)
Kelgors Grave Mist (Necromantic, Conjouration, Cold Type)

theres some necromantic cold based ones too, in the libris mortis and spell compendium. Hell, even make up some of your own! :P

you could give the necro abilities that add necromantic effects to any Cold descripted spell (metamagic Fell Weaken, Fell Drain etc) even make the cold spells part negative energy (healing undead for half damage)
on the same line, you could add the cold descriptor to Necromantic damage spells (chill touch, vampiric touch and the like) allowing them to rinse fire based critters, or people with neg-energy protection.

its a good idea, dont give up on it! (Ps, post your idea inthe complete necromancer thread.)

[Mal666]

Right, finally had a chance to sit down and pull the abilities appart. sorry for any ego damage i may be dealing ;)

the class abilities looks incredibly weak so what do you think to these ideas?

as a note and a pointer to designing a class - keep away from feats when you can make upyour own abilities that are much cooler and in theme with the origional idea.
---
on that note- every specialised sorceror (warmage, Beguiler, Dread necro) has the ability to wear and cast through light armour, and the training to use one martial weapon. with a lack of defensive spells like mage armour, ithink this guy needs it too.
---

Cold Claw(Su) - 1/ Roundtouch attack for D6+Cha Cold Damage, maybe up the damage dice to D8, D10, and D12 at later levels? i'd make this ability unlimited/day because it isnt really going to break the class. you will maybe use it once/twice an encounter if that (dread necro's have a similar ability, and i only ever used it to heal my own undead...)
at level 8, i'd give the paralysis ability... Frozen Touch: 1/Day, D4+1/4 level rounds duration, DC 1/2 Caster level + cha

Arcane Defense - Necromancy: i'd replace with save bonuses against Negative energy/poison/disease and cold(frostbite and enviromantal effects), +2 at lower levels, +4 at higher. this leaves it open to the player to take the feat if they want extra protection and works in the cold aspect of the class a little.

Spell Focus': i think something very much cooler might be in order. not that many decent necro spells actually allow saving throws.... maybe - Chill to the Bone: Living Creatures taking damage from a Cold/Neg spell take a -2 penalty to their attack rolls and Fort saves for 1 min?

greater spell Focus: Similar, i'd do something like the above, Frozen to theCore: any creatures affected by Chill to the Bone may only take a standard action in their next turn?

Frost bitten Dead... skeletal minions already have that... so possibly work in the corpsecrafter feats- Corpsecrafter at level 6, the one that makes them deal D6 cold damage with each hit at level 12 and +4 armour class at level 18?
or have your created undead healed by cold damege? that would be sweet and characterful :)

one thing you may be missing at later levels is Undead mastery... basicly adds your charisma bonus onto your hd before multiplying it to see how may undead you can create at once, or controll. you'll want to be having as many skeletal dire-wolves as possible ;) hehe

Energy Resistance - just make him immune at level 20. most necromancers would have gone into lichdom, or nastier by that level anyway.

One thing you are missing (which would help fill in the blanks... Advanced Learning, any necromantic, or Cold Descrpted spell) Given how underpowerd the class is already, i dont see any problems with including it at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12, 15th and 18th level.

i'm getting the feeling that the classrepresents a sort of Norscan/Viking type sorceror. adding in a summon undead at lvl 10/11 might be good, summoning one Dire Wolf or D4+1 Skeletal wolves for an hour (counts as creation, not summoning, so they get frozen dead bonusses)

[katarl]

Would you like to submit this class to the complete necromancer project?

[Deathtouched]

Okay in order...

all damage spells, including cold, deal half cold and half necro damage. That's the first ability. Basically, the FN ONLY gets cold-necro spells, unless they get the energy substitution feat. That limits them in many ways, but they are supposed to be half-dead people nearly frozen to death when they were little kids. That's who they are. Also, I thought Complete Arcane listed the Ordband Lesser Orb spells as evocations? I only have that and the d20 core spells, so I've never heard of a couple you listed.

I would like to give the class more abilities, but I wasn't sure how much. For cold claw, I though that CharModd6 per attack was good. That's like a specialised attack for at least 3d6 at level 1. Not that powerful, so I could up it a bit, but its not that weak. Unlimited might be cool, but I'm not sure, paralysis change I will do if you think it's a good idea, but a DC of only 1/2 lvl + cha mod? too weak.
Big thing here. I HAVE NO RULEBOOKS. I made this class this way because I do not know other classes and feats. I don't know Corpsecrafters, or Undead mastery, or anything like that. I'm working with severely limited knowledge. I will replace some of the necro feats, cause they are silly, but I don't know much else. The +4 bonus to undead was meant to be in addition to any other bonuses. So skeles would have +8 or something total. Undead healed by cold is a good idea, but since they are immune to cold, HALF the damage from every Frostbite spell heals them (the negative part). And when you say "immune" at level 20, do you mean to cold and negative? Also, I never heard the skeles were auto-immune to cold, but I suppose I could of missed something. Anyways, I've never seen a class that was even immune to one type of energy, let alone two. And don't sorcerers get Summon Undead on their own?
It's not really meant to be a place-ist type of sorcerer. In, um, my world there are no humans or Vikings or whatever. Although, I posted this because I didn't think it would fit with my world so I guess that doesn't matter then. I will add more stuff to it, but I'm leaving for a week so if I don't do it today I won't be doing it for a while.

I'm not sure what the "complete necromancer project" is, but it has the word necromancer in it, so I'd love to submit this class. If I can that is.

Also, once again, I really don't know a lot of feats and stuff. I only have the Complete Arcane and I've skimmed Libris Mortis and a couple others. Until someone gave me a link to d20 Hypertext, I couldn't even figure out skills. So, I really don't know how to handle some of these suggestions.
Thank you

Okay, I won't be able to do this for a while, but I have one question if anyone notices this while im off. How do I spoiler? I've tried it so many times and it never works correctly. This is totally unrelated, but if i don't know by next week I'm going to just explode from the annoyance. that's all.

[Mal666]

sorry, that was my bad with the save DC's. theyre usually 10+half HD+cha mod.

any creature can choose to take the full affect of a beneficial spell. critters with spell resistance can lower it to take a cure spell from a weak cleric, and creatures healed by an element can take the whole lot and refuse to save.

Monster manual on the SRD. the skeleton template states that they are immune to cold. unless its healing them obv :P

with the damage spells always being half necro/half cold... might be unnecessarily penalising the class. if somehow you had a force effect (like magic missile)- it would no longer deal force damage and would besubject to normal miss chances for incorporeal creatures, and many differing spells would have identical effects :S possibly adding the Energy substitution feature to allow you the option of casting as either cold or neg might be a betterchoice... otherwise if a 1hd skeleton walks up to your FN you might have issues.

heres a link for the srd, the monstor manual is built into it, so you can see what undead are like.

http://www.systemreferencedocuments....sage/home.html