Frostfire Mage (PrC)

[Delandel]

Frostfire Mage


Frostfireball, anyone?

Description: Frostfire mages are spellcasters that desire to solve their problems with explosions of raw power. Unable to decide whether to "kill it with fire," or, "freeze it with ice," they instead do both. Dedicating their focus to this singular art, frostfire mages specialize in blasting their foes to pieces instead of taking a more "subtle" approach.


Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Must be able to cast 2nd-level arcane spells.
Special: Must be able to cast a spell with the fire descriptor and one with the cold descriptor.

HD: d4
Class Skills (2+Int modifier per level): Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You gain no proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.

{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Frostfire Spell, Focused Blaster | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Frostfire Augmentation | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Pierce Resistance | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Improved Accuracy | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Blazing Speed | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Amplify Intensity | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Chill to the Bones | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Protective Flames | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Pierce Immunity | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Dragon's Fury | +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class [/table]

CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the frostfire mage prestige class.


Spells per Day/Spells Known: At each level, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class you belonged to before adding this prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

Frostfire Spell (Su): You may change spells you cast with the fire or cold descriptor into a frostfire spell. Frostfire spells have both the cold and fire descriptor and deal half fire damage, half cold damage. You may only add frostfire to spells that deal hit point damage (though the spell may still have secondary effects). This ability is added to the spell as it is cast, with no adjustment to spell level or casting time. For example, if Mialee casts a frostfireball (fireball) that deals 10 damage, 5 damage would be cold and the other 5 damage would be fire.

In addition, you also cast frostfire spells with a +1 caster level bonus.

Focused Blaster: At 1st level, you give up a school of magic to focus more on the remaining schools. You must choose a school of magic other than evocation and conjuration as a prohibited school. This prohibited school is in addition to any others already chosen due to spell specialization.

Frostfire Augmentation (Su): At 2nd level, your constant experimenting with frostfire opens your mind to new possibilities and grants you powerful augmentation abilities. When casting a frostfire spell you may augment it with a metamagic ability listed under Augmentations list (see below). Doing this adds the metamagic ability to the spell as though using the appropriate metamagic feat on it, but with no adjustment to spell level or casting time. You can only apply one augmentation per spell cast. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your frostfire mage class level.

Augmentations: Explosive Spell, Sculpt Spell, Fiery Spell, Blistering Spell, Flash Frost Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Piercing Cold, Searing Spell

Pierce Resistance (Su): At 3rd level, your spells are powerful enough to punch through your enemies' resistances. Your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire resistance.

Improved Accuracy (Ex): At 4th level, you've become more accurate landing your spells. When casting frostfire spells, any saving throws required increase by 1 DC and you gain +1 ranged attack bonus to land them.

Blazing Speed (Su): At 5th level, your speed is magically heightened. Your movement speed increases by +10 feet. You can also move both before and after performing a standard action, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate.

Amplified Intensity (Su): At 6th level, you can amplify the heat and cold of your spells, making them deadlier. When casting frostfire spells, you may sacrifice a spell of 1st level or higher to deal extra damage equal to 1d6 x the level of the spell sacrificed. You cannot add more d6 rolls than your frostfire mage class level.

Chill to the Bones (Su): At 7th level, the bitter cold of your spells is enough to partially freeze your foes. Anyone damaged by your cold spells must make a Reflex save DC equal to 10 + spell level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier or be slowed as the Slow spell (PHB p280)for 1 round.

Protective Flames (Su): At 8th level, you can sheathe yourself in protective flames. You may cast Fire Shield (PHB p230) a number of times per day equal to your frostfire mage class level.

Pierce Immunity (Su): At 9th level, your spells are no longer treated as mere fire or ice, but something greater than the sum of its parts. Your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire immunities. In addition, you apply your spellcasting ability modifier to caster level checks to defeat spell resistance against your frostfire spells.

Dragon's Fury (Su): At 10th level, your mastery of frostfire reaches its peak. Once per day you may unleash the fury within your soul, manifesting it around you in the form of a fiery dragon. As a full round action you charge a foe without provoking attacks of opportunity, detonating the flames when you reach the target, causing a massive forceful explosion. You deal 1d12/CL frostfire damage to everyone within a 30 foot radius, with a Reflex Save equal to 10 + your primary spellcasting ability modifier + half your caster level for half damage. Anyone who does not succeed on the reflex save is shunted out of the blast radius, taking damage equal to 1d6 per 10 feet moved and falls prone, as described in Explosive Metamagic. After this occurs you are dazed for 1 round and fatigued for the rest of the encounter.


Designer's Notes, Class Balance:

Spoiler

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This is a blaster PrC first and foremost. It caters specifically to things blasters want most 1) a reason to cast blasting spells instead of control spells 2) damage 3) metamagic 4) accuracy.

A problem in terms of balance is when a class offers too much in a single type of boost. For example, the Incanatrix PrC is wildly considered overpowered precisely because it boosts your metamagic to such extremes. Likewise, an "ubercharger" stacking multiple ways to maximize raw damage output ends up threatening to one-shot all of a DM's BBEG's. One exception of note, however, is the Red Wizard PrC in the DMG -- it greatly increases the DC of the caster's spells, but it doesn't take it to a crazy extreme, it's distributed over a nice amount of levels, and requires a feat + banning a school of magic to enter. Therefore a good rule of thumb is to spread the love on multiple abilities evenly, instead of invest too much in a single one. I decided to do that with this PrC.

The frostfire mage has very easy prerequisites and offers full caster progression with a good payoff. However, this class isn't without restrictions. The class only boosts damage dealing spells, which are weaker than the control spells a caster has access to. Also, it only boosts spells with the fire and cold descriptor, which greatly narrows the field of useful blast spells. This can be overcome by taking the feat Energy Substitution, but it still requires a feat spent. Finally, entering this class requires you to ban a school of magic, which further cuts down on the caster's versatility. These are things most blasters can live with, but should thoroughly discourage generalist casters from dipping here. When looking at class balance I constantly made comparisons to full spellcasting PrCs such a Master Specialist, Red Wizard of Thay, Paragnostic Apostle, and others. Paragnostic Apostle was the biggest reference point though. In 5 levels of that PrC a blaster can get partially/fully ignore spell resistance and spell immunity to an energy type, +1 caster level to an energy type, +1 ranged attack to most monsters, and some other useful ability like +2 AC. I think everyone can agree that the Apostle is a balanced PrC. Compare it to the frostfire mage, and I think it's on the same level.

It's also important to keep some abilities in context. Blazing Speed, for example, is basically a much better Spring Attack for no feat investment. But the frostfire mage is most certainly not a gish, so why is it here? Because there's alot of sweet blaster spells that require touch attacks, and thus are never used. This ability makes them finally usable. It also helps you position cone spells when the Big Stupid Fighter is in the middle of mooks and you don't want to hit him. Now you can run in there, blast, and then run the hell out.

Hope you enjoy the class! Feel free to comment and suggest changes, nothing has to be set in stone.

[Temotei]

Gain Knowledge (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, you can add one spell with the fire or cold descriptor to your known spells. The spell can be of any level that you can cast, and it is in addition to the normal spells gained when increasing your level. You learn another spell with this restriction at 4th, 6th, and 8th level.

This could be reworded to be more concise, if you'd like it to be. "At 2nd level, you can add one spell with the fire or cold descriptors to your known spells in addition to the spells normally gained, chosen from any spell level you are able to cast. You may do the same at levels 4, 6, and 8."

Alternately, the last sentence can be "You may do the same at 4th, 6th, and 8th levels."

Frostfire Immolation (Su): At 3rd level, you can spend a swift action to engulf your body in blue and red flames. This ability functions as fire shield except it grants cold and fire resist 5 simultaneously instead of halving damage, and damage dealt to melee attackers is your choice of fire or cold. In addition, frostfire spells you cast in this state deal an extra amount of damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier, just like warmage edge. This ability lasts indefinitely and may be dismissed as a free action.

Indefinite cold and fire resistance, and damage to attackers? Yoink. Still, it's a 4th level spell forever. It might be a bit overpowered, considering you can get this at level 8.

Greater Frostfire Immolation: At 7th level, the flames protecting your body become more powerful. The cold and fire resistance increases to 10 and the damage dealt to melee increases to 3d6 +CL. You can also manifest fiery draconic wings while the flames are active, allowing you to fly at your base speed with good maneuverability.

Same thing. I recommend a rounds/day type of thing. Maybe 3 + class level + casting stat.

Pierce Defenses: At 7th level, your spells are harder to be denied. You apply your spellcasting ability modifier to caster level checks to defeat spell resistance against your frostfire spells. In addition, all damage dealt by your frostfire spells ignore cold/fire resistance and half the damage ignores cold/fire immunities.

You get this at 9th level.

Dragon's Fury: At 10th level, your mastery of the flames reaches its peak. Once per day while frostfire immolation is active you may unleash the fury within your soul, manifesting it around you in the form of a fiery dragon. As a full round action you expend your immolation and charge a foe without provoking attacks of opportunity, detonating the flames when you reach the target, causing a massive forceful explosion. You deal 1d10/CL damage to everyone within a 30 foot radius, with a Reflex Save equal to 10 + your spellcasting modifier + half your caster level for half damage. Anyone who does not succeed on the reflex save is shunted out of the blast radius, taking damage equal to 1d6 per 10 feet moved and falls prone, as described in Explosive Metamagic. After this occurs you are dazed for 1 round and fatigued for the rest of the encounter.

Save need not be capitalized. Just Reflex. I'd also reword it to be Reflex saving throw. Also, in the save, you should specify that "spellcasting modifier" means your casting stat. Do flying creatures take the movement damage as well? Also...I can imagine this. It would be freakin' sweet.

Overall, nice class. I want to see this when it's nice and polished, with fluff and all.

[DueceEsMachine]

Wow. This could be really dangerous with Flash Frost and Blistering Spell. Normally you'd have to have Energy substitution and Admixture to stack those two together.

I think there's a feat that lets you do +1 pt of damage w/evocation spells as well, so it could add up to quite a bit of damage.

[Temotei]

I think there's a feat that lets you do +1 pt of damage w/evocation spells as well, so it could add up to quite a bit of damage.

Must be a crappy feat. Seems like it, if that's all.

This could be really dangerous with Flash Frost and Blistering Spell. Normally you'd have to have Energy substitution and Admixture to stack those two together.

Agreed. Then again, not as dangerous as some other things. Still, maybe the prerequisites could have a bit of a hike-up. What's Admixture from?

[Latronis]

Where i've seen that image before has been bugging me for the last couple of hours now, but i finally realised.

Invoke the Firemind right?

Nifty looking blaster though some of the wording can be cleared up. Rather suitable for Izzet too :P

[Delandel]

Indefinite cold and fire resistance, and damage to attackers? Yoink. Still, it's a 4th level spell forever. It might be a bit overpowered, considering you can get this at level 8.

A frost mage from Frostburn can get cold resistance 10 at level 7 if he wants. Apples and oranges of course.

The fire shield was more for fluff than anything else. I don't think it's a good spell, certainly not worth being a 4th level spell. First of all, resistance to cold and fire is very situational -- in most campaigns you won't be taking that kind of damage, maybe a fireball once in a blue moon. Secondly, if you're getting hit in the first place as a caster rolling d4's for health, you're in trouble.

I could just remove the resistance and damage on attack and leave it at that though. Then you're left with cool imagery and an always useful mechanic (warmage edge). It's more simple, less wordy. Hmmm. Maybe change warmage edge out and have a more fun mechanic with the flames (though I run the problem with wordiness).

Do flying creatures take the movement damage as well? Also...I can imagine this. It would be freakin' sweet.

Overall, nice class. I want to see this when it's nice and polished, with fluff and all.

I'm not sure. I think it would depend if they hit a surface or not.

Thank you for looking at my brew and fixing it up! I'll edit in those corrections. It's definitely a work in progress.

Wow. This could be really dangerous with Flash Frost and Blistering Spell. Normally you'd have to have Energy substitution and Admixture to stack those two together.

I think there's a feat that lets you do +1 pt of damage w/evocation spells as well, so it could add up to quite a bit of damage.

To my knowledge, Blistering Spell only does 2*spell level, not 2*caster level. Even a mighty 9th level spell would be doing an extra +18 damage. The secondary effects aren't that great either, but I'm sure there might be a situation where the debuff is good.

+1 damage? The only feat that I know does something like this is Fiery Spell (an augmentation choice), which lets you do an extra +1 damage per dice rolled in a spell with the fire descriptor.

[Delandel]

Where i've seen that image before has been bugging me for the last couple of hours now, but i finally realised.

Invoke the Firemind right?

Nifty looking blaster though some of the wording can be cleared up. Rather suitable for Izzet too :P

That's the one. Izzet guild was my favorite guild from one of my favorite sets and was inspiration for this PrC. It turned out not at all like them (red mana is easy to represent, but how do you mechanically represent blue outside of divination/illusion?), but Dragon's Fury is definitely a nod to the almighty Firemind.

[Latronis]

From a flavour pov i much prefered House Dimir, though mechanically not the greatest of the guilds :P

I was referring more to the combining of opposed elements(such as fire and ice) like the izzet do with the weirds.

Representing blue magic isn't overly hard in dnd, as part of a blaster class probably not so much

[Temotei]

Also, consider getting rid of that last column. The one that's squished into a millimeter of space.

[Delandel]

Done and done. Switched the table around alot, nix'd the fire shield, made the PrC overall beefier I think. I hope I didn't go overboard. Still needs tweaking, but for now I sleep.

[Temotei]

Improved Accuracy (Ex): At 3rd level, you've become more accurate landing your spells. When casting frostfire spells, any saving throws required increase by 1 DC and you gain +1 ranged attack bonus to land them.

I imagine the attack bonus only applies to the ones that actually need the attack roll.

This ability functions identically like the warmage edge ability.

This could be better if written as "just like..."

Blazing Speed (Su): At 6th level, your speed is magically heightened. Your movement speed increases by +10 feet. You can also move both before and after performing a standard action, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate.

Sweet. That's like getting two Dash feats and Spring Attack. I always thought Dash should be ten feet anyways, though...

Chill to the Bones: At 7th level, the bitter cold of your spells is enough to partially freeze your foes. Anyone damaged by your frostfire spells must make a Reflex save DC equal to 10 + spell level + your primary spellcasting ability modifier or be slowed as the slow spell for 1 round.

Slow should be capitalized, since it's a spell. This ability makes me think almost that it should be applied to all your cold spells, but I get where you're going with this. Maybe changing the name would make more sense...to include the fire part.

As a full round action you expend your immolation...

Immolation?

[Delandel]

Corrected those mistakes, thanks as usual.

I reworked the table again, and I'm very satisfied with the results. I think the abilities scale really well and all work towards helping a blaster at multiple angles, not just raw damage. Blazing Speed, for example, is there to help a blaster land damaging touch spells or manifest a fire sword and strike away, without dying horribly the round after. I may change the ordering of the last abilities due to power levels, but other than that I'm happy.

My biggest concern now is balance factor. I used PrC's like Paragnostic Apostle, Frostmage, and Master Specialist as comparisons due to their similarly easy pre-reqs and levels. For example, a Paragnostic Apostle is a superb choice for wizard blasters, and in the span of 5 levels they can get +1CL, +2 AC, +1 ranged attack bonus vs. monsters with natural armor, and can ignore half of immunities at the least (evil) and sometimes fully ignore them. That's a pretty good boost to snatch up by level 10, especially with flexibility in choosing what you want when you want. And it's not considered a broken PrC like Incanatrix, so I figured it would be a good reference.

What do you guys think?

[industrious]

I like the class, and it does seem balanced, especially for a blaster, but I have one question: What about classes who cast exclusively from evocation and conjuration? What would happen then?

[Temotei]

I like the class, and it does seem balanced, especially for a blaster, but I have one question: What about classes who cast exclusively from evocation and conjuration? What would happen then?

What classes are those?

[Delandel]

I like the class, and it does seem balanced, especially for a blaster, but I have one question: What about classes who cast exclusively from evocation and conjuration? What would happen then?

If you can show me a class with that restriction then I'd change it.

[industrious]

Homebrew Class: Black Mage

And I think you can lose 5 schools via wizard/focused specialist/red wizard of Thay shenanigans.

[Temotei]

Homebrew Class: Black Mage

And I think you can lose 5 schools via wizard/focused specialist/red wizard of Thay shenanigans.

Five?

[Delandel]

Homebrew Class: Black Mage

And I think you can lose 5 schools via wizard/focused specialist/red wizard of Thay shenanigans.

You only lose 4 schools with focused specialist + red wizard, so if you took all that and then this PrC you'd be fine. It's probably a good mix too, since this PrC doesn't really boost the saves too much.

That's a neat homebrew, but unfortunately they can't qualify for this PrC. I felt obligated to throw in at least some downside to full spellcasting progression and easy prereqs, and this seemed like a good fit thematically. There's so many homebrews out there that I'm bound to step on somebody's toes. Still, if you have a suggestion on how to add a better downside to this PrC for balance reasons, I'm all ears.

EDIT: Actually, that class can qualify, and just as quickly as any other class for that matter. Use Arcane Ability to pick up a new spell school at 5th level and then promptly drop it when entering this PrC.

[Temotei]

I think I'll read through it again tomorrow, but for now...

Frostfire Augmentationv

[Delandel]

One of my players plans on entering this PrC next time he levels. The rest of the group is warblade, cleric going radiant servant of pelor, and crusader. Is this PrC okay for playing? Too weak / strong / boring / mushroom, or should anything be added / removed? Thanks for your help peoples!

[deuxhero]

It gives boosts to blasting and blasting only and blasting isn't that powerful. Compared to Loremaster (who has some really nice stuff and is also really easy to qualify) it's better than a straight wizard 20 (and definitely sorc 20) but what aint.

[Temotei]

It gives boosts to blasting and blasting only and blasting isn't that powerful. Compared to Loremaster (who has some really nice stuff and is also really easy to qualify) it's better than a straight wizard 20 (and definitely sorc 20) but what aint.

But blasting is fun. It may not be optimal, but if it's fairly balanced (i.e. can hold its own), then it works.

Also, this is a bit of thread necromancy...not that I'm complaining. I forgot to look through it again.

[Foryn Gilnith]

The wizard still has 5 schools, so he ought to be fine. However, I'm concerned that if they don't get the fifth level ability, resistances will dampen the class's first impression.

[Delandel]

Blasting can be powerful. Unoptimized it sits well with unoptimized melee damage, being stronger but limited. Optimized you can still keep up pretty easily with arcane thesis, even without the cheesy RAW interpretation.

If you want further elaboration on why blasting is indeed powerful:

Spoiler

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Example: When building a wizard for a short-lived RHOD campaign on these forums, my first drafts was a human wizard5 with the energy affinity fire variant (+1 CL fire spells), and feats maximize meta, easy metamagic (maximize), fiery spell, and fiery burst. I bought him the cheap empowered spellshard (scorching ray) for 3,000gp I think? So casting socrching ray at CL7, 3/day the maximum he could do was empowered fiery scorching ray (8d6+8)*1.5 = 54 average with a 3rd lvl slot. Not bad, if both rays hit it 1shots mostly anything in the beginning campaign. Next level he'd pick up Arcane Thesis (+2CL) and take a level in Paragnostic Apostle for another +1CL to fire spells. Now 3/day with empowered maximized fiery scorching ray he's doing [(12*6)+12]*1.5 = 126 damage at level 6. That could break the module.

A higher level sorcerer can be even more ridiculous with uncapped CL Wings of Flurry and Arcane Thesis. Use the dubious RAW interpretation of Thesis and suddenly you've opened the floodgates to insanity.

Now, I agree blasting isn't the most powerful option for casters. Isn't that a good thing though? I'd say blasting is a step closer towards balance with melee, which is exactly what I'm aiming for.

Temotei: Sorry about the thread necro, I wasn't aware of the term until now. I only brought this thread back up because someone intends to play it and I don't want some hole in the class to crop up midgame and then have to fix it. And as always, thanks for your fixes!

Foryn: This could be remedied by bringing the ability earlier. When would you say is an appropriate level for a blaster to negate fire / cold resistance? I could swap it with blazing speed or improved accuracy.

[Temotei]

You should specify that you can't prohibit the universal school of spells.

[Delandel]

Universal spells are not a school of magic so you couldn't ban it anyway. I don't think anyone would assume they could. I'm purposely letting people choose to ban divination however.

I bumped pierce resistance to the 3rd level (min 8th level character). I think it's a more appropriate level for it. I'm thinking of changing Protective Flames to a more fun mechanic, but equally simple to understand.

I forgot to capitalize Slow. Fixed it now.

[Temotei]

Universal spells are not a school of magic so you couldn't ban it anyway. I don't think anyone would assume they could. I'm purposely letting people choose to ban divination however.

I bumped pierce resistance to the 3rd level (min 8th level character). I think it's a more appropriate level for it. I'm thinking of changing Protective Flames to a more fun mechanic, but equally simple to understand.

I forgot to capitalize Slow. Fixed it now.

A wizard cannot select universal as a specialty school or as a prohibited school.

It still explicitly states it.

Also, spells are italicized usually. I know I said capitalize slow before, but...yeah.