Aegis of Winter
Buff, Rework
Aegis of Winter suffered from having too many conditions that ultimately did nothing much but complicate this archetype. This new changes is to simplfy their function and focus on their ability to deliver big Cold damage instances.
Elenadara's Gift is back to just being a one trick pony of converting damage to cold, but this time the entire kit revolves around how you dealt your cold damage. Whether if its single target or AoE, the kit rewards both styles and supplies both methods if one is lacking.
Winter's Curse took too long to trigger and it did not scale properly into the mid and high level campaigns. Furthermore this update tries to add more synergy whenever Winter's Curse is triggered. Aegis of Winter should feel the strongest when the Curse triggers so hopefully this update nails that aspect.
Aegis of Winter
Boon
Boon #01: Elenadara’s Gift: Ice Shatter. Requires 1 perk(s)
As a bonus action or an action, convert all of the damage dealt during that turn into Cold damage, +1d12 cold damage to it and gain 1 Frost stack. The moment you gain 4 stacks, immediately consume all stacks and trigger a Winter’s Curse in order first then take half of your Total character level (Round Up) as Pure Cold damage.
Frost stacks never reset under any condition, cannot be dispelled and continues tracking infinitely.
When triggering a Winter's Curse, Hail Frost must trigger first, afterwards the next Winter's Curse triggers Frozen Gale and lastly the next Winter's Curse triggers Flash Blizzard. After the Flash Blizzard triggers, the next Winter's Curse trigger will reset to Hail Frost and repeats the cycle.
Elenadara’s Gift last till 4 hours or until expanded. Cannot have multiple instance of Elenadara’s Gift. You are immune to all dmg taken by any of the Winter’s Curse effects caused by you.
The converted damage and Elenadara's Gift bonus damage cannot benefit from the Elemental Adept Feat or similar effects unless the initial damage was originally the damage type that would benefit from it.
Winter’s Curse. (DC = 8 + Proficiency bonus (+1 per 2 perks))
1: Hail Frost: All creatures within 10ft radius of you take 7 Cold damage and takes extra 1d4 damage from the next cold damage.
2: Frozen Gale: Within 15ft radius of you, a strong chilling wind (25 miles/h) gushes out of you, all objects weighting less then 350 ibs and creatures are push 10ft away from you. After the push, they take 4 Cold damage. The chilling wind extinguish any fire, disperse fog, mists, and similar phenomena in the area, whether mundane or magical.
3: Flash Blizzard: Every creature within 30ft radius of you takes 12 Cold damage and must make a Constitution saving throw or be Restrained by frozen ice. Last for 1 minute or 1 hour in a colder environment (0 degrees or lower). Restrained creatures can spend an action to break free.
New
As an Action or a Bonus Action, gain the Elenadara's Gift. It lasts for 1 minute or until it is expended, and you can't have more than one instance of it active. While the Elenadara’s Gift is active, the Gift is expended on the first instance of damage you deal. All that damage dealt is converted to Cold damage, that damage increases by 1d12 Cold damage, and you gain 1 Frost stack.
Frost stacks accumulate over time and do not expire. Whenever you reach 3 Frost stacks, you immediately expend all 3 stacks and trigger a Winter's Curse. Your Winter's Curses cycle in order: Hail Frost, then Frozen Gale, then Flash Blizzard, then back to Hail Frost. Your position in the cycle persists the same way your stacks do.
Winter’s Curse. (DC = 8 + Proficiency bonus (+1 per 2 perks))
1: Hail Frost: Each other creature within 15ft radius of you takes 6 Cold damage. Until the end of your next turn, each creature that took this damage is inflicted with Frostbite. A creature with Frostbite takes an extra 3 Cold damage whenever it takes Cold damage.
2: Frozen Gale: A howling wind bursts out 15ft radius of you. Each creature in it makes a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 8 Cold damage and is pushed 15 feet away from you. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't pushed.
3: Flash Blizzard: Each other creature within 30ft radius of you makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 12 Cold damage and has the Restrained condition as ice locks around it. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. A Restrained creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending its Restrained condition. A creature can also take an action to break free.
Boon #02: Elenadara’s Gift: Impeding Frost. Requires 3 perk(s)
Elenadara's Gift now has 2 modes, Ice Shatter & Impeding Frost. You determine the mode when you cast Elendara’s Gift. Only 1 instance of Elenadara's Gift can be active at a time. Elenadara's Gift: Impeding Frost does not deal bonus damage but still converts all damage to cold damage and roots the target in frozen ice, they must make a Constitution saving throw or be restrained by frozen ice. Last for 1 minute or 1 hour in a colder environment (0 degrees or lower). Restrained creatures can spend an action to break free.
Additionally, Winter's Curse no longer affects creatures summoned by you and your Mount Creature if mounted.
New
Boon #02: Legacy of Glaciercraft. Requires 3 perk(s)
When you expend Elenadara's Gift, you can apply one of the following effects to that instance of damage, in addition to the extra 1d12 Cold damage. You can use this feature 3 times per Long Rest.
Glacier armour: After the damage is dealt, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to half the Cold damage dealt by that instance (round down), to a maximum of 14 (+1 per perk). These Temporary Hit Points last until the end of your next turn. If a Winter's Curse triggers while you have them, they last for 1 minute instead.
Glacier enhancement: After the damage is dealt, the next casting of Elenadara's Gift is empowered. When you expend that empowered Gift, the instance deals extra Cold damage equal to half the Cold damage dealt by this instance (round down), to a maximum of 3 (+1 per perk). If expending that empowered Gift triggers a Winter's Curse, that Winter’s Curse deals triple damage.
Glacier Wall: After the damage is dealt, a wall of ice erupts from the ground within 5ft of you. The wall is 10 feet long, 10 feet high and 1 foot thick, and you choose its orientation. A creature in the wall's space when it appears is pushed 5 feet to a side of your choice. The wall lasts until the end of your next turn. It has AC 12, immunity to Cold and Poison damage, and hit points equal to half the Cold damage dealt by that instance (round down). If a Winter’s Curse triggers while the Wall is still up, extend the duration to 1 minute instead.
Boon #04: Power of the Winter’s Curse. Requires 7 perk(s)
Hail Frost damage increases to 11, bonus damage taken by cold to 2d4.
Frozen Gale push improves by 5ft and damage increase to 7 Cold damage.
Flash Blizzard damage increases to 20 and radius increases to 40ft radius of you. If target has less then 30 hitpoints, they instantly drop to 0 hitpoints instead.
New
When you roll for initiative, if you have 0 Frost stacks, gain 1 Frost stack. In addition, all your Winter’s Curse effects are upgraded.
Hail Frost: Increase damage to 12.
Frozen Gale: Applies Frostbite until the end of your next turn to all creatures that failed the save. A creature with Frostbite takes an extra 3 Cold damage whenever it takes Cold damage.
Flash Blizzard: Increase damage to 20 then if any creature has less than 31 hitpoints, they drop to 0 hitpoints immediately.
Boon #05: Cursed Blizzard. Requires 10 perk(s)
2 times per long rest. As an action you cast the Cursed Blizzard at a point you can see within 150ft of you. A 40ft radius of ice and snow starts pelting the area. This creates an area of difficult terrain. When a creature enters the ability’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 Cold damage. Lasting for 1 minute and requires concentrating to hold this ability.
While Winter Storm is active, whenever Winter's Curse is triggered, it occurs inside the Cursed Blizzard radius as well.
New
2 times per long rest. As an action you create a Cursed Blizzard at a point you can see within 120ft of you. Ice and snow pelt a 30ft radius Sphere, and the area is Difficult Terrain. The Cursed Blizzard lasts for 1 minute.
When a creature enters the Cursed Blizzard for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d12 Cold damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage.
While Cursed Blizzard is active, whenever Winter's Curse triggers, a copy of its effect triggers inside the Cursed Blizzard radius.
Perks
Chilling Frostbite (Hail Frost upgrade)
The bonus to the next cold damage source now deals 1d6 instead. It is also applied to the next 2 Cold damage source.
7+ perks: Upgrade to 1d8 instead
10+ perks: upgrade to 1d10 instead
New
You can choose which creatures gain the Frostbite. They will still take the Hail Frost damage regardless.
Aurora Steps (Frozen Gale upgrade)
Improve the weight of objects that can be push to 1000 ibs instead. If creatures has 0 speed, they are immediately proned.
Frozen Gale also deals double damage to creatures who are Proned, Stunned, Paralzyed or Restrained.
New
You may increase the Push distance to 20ft instead. Regardless, if any creature had their speed 0 or has the Stunned, Paralyzed or Restrained Condition, they take triple the damage from Frozen Gale.
Hailing Barrier (Hail Frost upgrade)
For each creature that you hit, gain 4 temp hitpoints up to 24 maximum temp hitpoints. Last for 1 minute.
New
Iced Wings
Until the end of your next turn, creatures damaged by Hail Frost can no longer gain Flight speed and if they already have Flying speed, it is reduced by half (rounded down).
Tundra Burns (Flash Blizzard upgrade)
After Flash Blizzard has been triggered. Your next Elenadara’s Gift can be casted as a Free action during your turn. If you have at least 3 or more perks, along with the above bonus, your next cast of Elenadara's Gift applies both Ice Shatter and Impeding Frost.
New
After Flash Blizzard has been triggered. Your next Elenadara’s Gift can be casted as a Free action during your turn. If you hit at least 10 different creatures with the Flash Blizzard, at the start of your next turn, gain 1 Frost Stack.
Enchant: Shatter
When you use Elenadara’s Gift, choose to activate this enchantment. While active, every round the first attack with Elenadara’s Gift affects all other creatures including yourself within 10ft radius of the initial target. Last for 1 minute, can only cast once per Initiative roll. Only 1 enchantment can be active at a time and recasting a different enchantment ends this.
New
Frost Hearth
When you expend Elenadara's Gift and the instance deals damage to only one creature, cold erupts outward from it in a 15ft Cone originating from that creature. Each other creature in the Cone takes Cold damage equal to half the damage dealt by that instance (round down).
Enchant: Cold
When you use Elenadara’s Gift, choose to activate this enchantment. While active, the next 2 (+1 per 3 perks) attacks that hit you, you deal 2d6 Cold damage if they are within 60ft range of you.
Last for 1 minute, can only cast once per Initiative roll. Only 1 Enchant effect can be active at a time and recasting a different Enchant ability ends this.
New
Hearth Glacier
When you expend Elenadara's Gift and the instance deals damage to at least 5 creatures, choose one or two of those creatures. Each chosen creature takes Cold damage equal to half the damage that instance dealt to it (round down).
Enchant: Defense
When you use Elenadara’s Gift, choose to activate this enchantment. While active, gain +3 AC. Every new round, reduce the AC bonus 2 by and apply +3 damage roll to the next Elenadara’s Gift attack, damage stacks up if not expanded. Last for until AC bonus reaches 0 or less, can only cast once per Initiative roll. Only 1 enchant effect can be active at a time and recasting a different Enchant ability ends this.
New
Frigid Shield
While you have at least 1 Frost stack, you have a +1 bonus to your AC and to Constitution saving throws.
When you make a saving throw while Elenadara's Gift is active, you can take a Reaction to expend the Gift and gain a +3 bonus to that saving throw.
Blizzard Dash
Twice per initiative roll (thrice when at 6 perks or more), when you cast Elenadara's Gift, you can move up to 15ft in a single direction for free
New
Icy Slide
After a Winter’s Curse triggers, you may perform a Dash action immediately. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Call of the Blizzard
Whenever you triggered Winter's Curse, your next Elenadara's Gift: Ice Shatter or Impeding Frost grants you retaliation. Until the start of your next turn, any melee attackers that hit you takes cold damage equal to your profiency bonus
New
After a Winter’s Curse triggers, you gain resistance to Cold and Fire damage for the next minute. If you are already resistant to Cold or Fire damage, gain 9 (+1 per perks) Temp Hitpoints for the same duration.
Numbing Curse
Whenever you triggered Winter's Curse your next Elenadara's Gift: Ice Shatter now upon hit, deals the 1d12 Cold damage to all other creatures 10ft radius around your initial target. You are immune to this damage.
New
Tundra’s Call
Whenever you gain one or more Frost stacks, you can gain 3 Temp Hit Points. They last until the start of your next turn. If you already have Temp Hit Points, these are added to that total and last for the same duration as those Temporary Hit Points instead.
Ice Depth Cut
When Winter's Curse triggers, the next Elenadara Gift: Ice Shatter gains additional +2d6 bonus damage or the next Elenadara Gift: Impeding Frost Stun the target instead. This stun lasts until the start of their next turn.
New
Shallow Winter
The first time you invoke Elenadara's Gift after finishing a Long Rest, you gain 2 Frost stacks instead of 1 when that Gift is expended. At 6 or more perks, that Gift's extra damage becomes 2d12 Cold damage instead of 1d12.