Winter Guardian (5e Subclass)

Winter Guardian

In the farthest reaches of the world, where the howling winds carve ice into jagged spires and the land is locked in an eternal frost, the Winter Guardians stand vigilant. Legends say they were once ordinary warriors who, through trials in the heart of winter, were chosen by the spirits of ice and snow to serve as protectors of the frozen wilds. Their duty is not only to guard their homelands but also to embody the unyielding resilience of winter itself.

Some claim that the first Winter Guardians were blessed by an ancient frost titan, while others speak of a pact with the enigmatic Winter Court of the Feywild. Whatever their origins, these warriors wield the chilling power of ice to shield their allies and slow their foes, their very presence turning the battlefield into a frozen wasteland.

The Call of the Frost A fighter does not simply become a Winter Guardian by training alone. Many are chosen after enduring brutal trials—lost in a blizzard, stranded atop a glacial peak, or forced to battle relentless ice elementals. Those who survive and prove their resolve awaken to their newfound power, their bodies hardened like permafrost and their spirits as unwavering as the frozen tundra.

Some Winter Guardians dedicate their lives to defending ancient, snow-covered ruins or sacred places where the cold never fades. Others take to the wider world, bringing the might of winter to those who threaten balance and peace. Whether they serve as stalwart defenders of civilization or wandering sentinels of the wilds, all Winter Guardians carry with them the whisper of the north wind and the silence of a snow-covered battlefield.

Optional Prerequisites

• Environmental Trial – The character must have survived an extreme winter event, such as being stranded in a blizzard, fighting off frost creatures, or enduring magical cold.
• Race Restriction (Optional) – While not required, it could be more common among races with natural cold resistance, such as Goliaths, Frostborn Dwarves, or Eladrin (Winter).
• Alignment or Oath (Optional) – The Winter Guardian might be required to uphold certain principles, such as protecting the balance of nature or defending the weak against the harshness of the world.
• DM's Choice – The subclass could be unlocked through roleplay, such as receiving a blessing from an ice spirit, frost giant, or fey of the Winter Court.

Physical Descriptions of a Winter Guardian

Winter Guardians are shaped by the relentless cold, their bodies hardened like permafrost and their presence carrying the chill of the tundra. Those who take up this mantle often undergo physical transformations, whether from prolonged exposure to the elements, ancient blessings, or mystical frost-infused power. While individual appearances vary, most Winter Guardians share common traits that set them apart from ordinary warriors.

Common Physical Traits:

• Frost-Touched Skin – Their skin may take on a pale, bluish, or icy-white hue, as if permanently frostbitten but without suffering harm. Some bear frost-like patterns across their bodies, reminiscent of rime spreading over a frozen lake.
• Cold-Breathing Aura – When they exhale, their breath always mists in the air, even in warm climates. In extreme cold, it may form tiny ice crystals that drift and vanish.
• Glacial Eyes – Their eyes often resemble frozen lakes, with icy blues, deep glacial greens, or even shimmering silver-white irises that seem to reflect snowfall.
• Snow-Dusted Hair – Many Winter Guardians develop silver, white, or ice-blue streaks in their hair, regardless of age. Some warriors’ hair flows like windblown snow, always lightly dusted with frost.
• Frozen Scars – If they have scars from battle, they often appear like cracks in ice, glowing faintly with frost magic in dim light.
• Chill to the Touch – Their skin is unnaturally cool, as if they themselves are an extension of winter. Some may even cause frost to form on metal they hold for too long.
• Permafrost Armor – Their armor may develop a thin sheen of ice that never melts, even in warm climates. Some Winter Guardians wield weapons that seem eternally rimed with frost, leaving behind a chill when they strike.

Optional Unique Traits (Choose or Roll 1d6)

d6	Trait	Description
1	Hoarfrost Veins	Your veins shimmer faintly beneath your skin, as though liquid ice runs through them.
2	Snowbound Footsteps	Your footprints briefly leave patches of frost or light snow behind, fading after a moment.
3	Crystalline Horns or Spikes	Some Winter Guardians, especially those with frost giant or elemental ties, grow icy crystalline protrusions from their head, shoulders, or forearms.
4	Wraith of the Blizzard	In strong winds or heavy snowfall, your form blurs and shifts like a specter in the storm.
5	Icicle Tears	When you cry, your tears freeze into tiny ice shards before melting away.
6	Silent Walker	Snow and ice never crunch beneath your feet, allowing you to move through winter landscapes without a sound.

Frigid Sentinel

At 3rd level, your body and mind have become as unyielding as the frozen tundra. You gain resistance to cold damage, and your weapon attacks deal additional cold damage equal to your proficiency bonus once per turn.

Additionally, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can reduce its speed by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.

Frostbound Aegis

At 7th level, your icy presence shields your allies. When a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to grant it temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your Fighter level, absorbing some of the harm with a protective frost.

Additionally, creatures of your choice within this aura have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.

Glacial Bulwark

At 10th level, you can summon a wall of ice to protect your position. As a bonus action, you create a 10-foot-wide, 10-foot-high, and 1-foot-thick barrier of ice within 5 feet of you. This barrier provides half cover and lasts until the start of your next turn or until destroyed (AC 15, HP 20). You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Additionally, you ignore difficult terrain caused by ice or snow.

Permafrost Strike

At 15th level, your strikes freeze your foes to the core. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw (DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier). On a failure, the target is restrained in magical ice until the end of your next turn. If it succeeds, its speed is halved instead.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.

Eternal Winter

At 18th level, you become a true embodiment of the endless winter. You gain immunity to cold damage, and creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of you have their speed halved unless they succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your Permafrost Strike DC.

Additionally, when you use your Frostbound Aegis, the temporary hit points you grant are doubled, and creatures that attack a protected ally take cold damage equal to your Fighter level.

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