Pact of the Frost Curse

This subclass represents Part A: Pact of the Frost Curse (Warlock) of the Blue Mage prestige class. It focuses on weakening enemies through accumulating Frost Curse penalties, transferring Hex between targets, converting spell damage into Cold, and overcoming resistance and immunity to Cold damage.

It is designed to be used alongside Part B: Ice Sorcery (Sorcerer), which represents the Blue Mage's innate connection to winter and elemental magic. The Sorcerer subclass focuses on expanding the character's Cold spell repertoire, transforming into an Elemental, summoning Ice Mephits, and developing increasingly powerful winter magic.

For the intended Blue Mage progression, take Warlock at 1st character level, Sorcerer at 2nd character level, and alternate between the two classes thereafter, reaching Warlock 10 / Sorcerer 10 at 20th character level.

Blue Mage prestige features begin at 5th character level, when the character reaches Warlock 3. Pact of the Frost Curse subclass features begin at 5th character level, while Ice Sorcery subclass features begin at 6th character level, when the character reaches Sorcerer 3.

Both subclasses are independently playable. Pact of the Frost Curse provides accumulating ability-score penalties, flexible Cold damage conversion, rapid Hex transfers, and increasingly powerful frost magic, while Ice Sorcery provides elemental transformation, expanded winter spells, summoned Ice Mephits, and additional Cold magic capabilities. Together, they combine precise magical restraint, battlefield control, and elemental power to create opportunities for peaceful resolution.

Blue Mages believe that peace is achieved through restraint rather than domination. Ice Girl, born in Rainbowland's snow-covered Blue Region and now living in the Green Region, embodies this philosophy through her dedication to resolving disputes without unnecessary violence. She uses Blue Colour Magic to create the stillness in which mercy, justice, forgiveness, or other resolutions can be freely chosen.

For a Blue Mage, acceptance is not defeat. It is recognising when continued conflict serves neither side. Their purpose is not to determine the outcome of a dispute, but to create the opportunity for those involved to decide what comes next.

Ethos: “Peace through de-escalation.”

Frost Curse

You always have Hex prepared; it doesn't count against your prepared spells. Cast it normally, expending a spell slot and maintaining Concentration. Its chosen ability remains fixed for that casting, except when transferred. While you concentrate on Hex, whenever its current target takes an independent instance of Cold damage from you, a spell you cast, or a creature you summoned, it makes a saving throw using that chosen ability against your Warlock spell save DC. On a failed save, the ability score is reduced by 1 (2 at Warlock level 6; 3 at level 10). Frost Curse deals no damage and can't trigger itself.

Each damage roll is one instance, regardless of the number of dice. Resolve saves sequentially, applying each reduction before the next save or effect. Reductions are cumulative ongoing penalties, not changes to base scores, and accumulate for each creature and ability across Hex castings. Subtract the total penalty from the otherwise-current score, then recalculate its modifier and derived statistics immediately. Frost Curse can't reduce a score below 4 or raise a score already below 4. Each creature's penalty to an ability expires 30 minutes after its latest failed Frost Curse save for that ability; failure at the floor still refreshes the duration. Penalties persist after Hex ends or transfers. Remove Curse or Greater Restoration removes all Frost Curse penalties from a creature.

Swift Hex Transfer

When your current Hex target drops to 0 Hit Points, regardless of the cause, you can use your Reaction on any turn to transfer Hex to an eligible creature within the spell's range. When you do, you can retain its chosen ability or choose a different ability for Hex to affect. Retain its remaining duration and Concentration; expend no spell slot. Hex's normal Bonus Action transfer remains available.

Blue Colour Conversion

When you cast a spell, you can choose to convert any or all its damage types to Cold for that entire casting, including subsequent damage. The choice is fixed at casting, costs no additional action or resource, and has no use limit. This works with Warlock and Sorcerer spells, even if you have no Sorcerer levels.

Icy Presence

Add your Wisdom modifier to Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

Improved Frost Curses

Frost Curse reduces the chosen ability score by 2 on a failed save.

Piercing Frost

Cold damage dealt by you, your spells, or creatures you summon ignores Cold Resistance.

Greater Frost Curses

Frost Curse reduces the chosen ability score by 3 on a failed save.

Absolute Zero

You gain immunity to Cold damage, and Cold damage dealt by you, your spells, or creatures you summon ignores Cold Immunity.

Epic Boon

This feature serves as a progression placeholder for the Blue Mage prestige class and grants no additional abilities, resources, feats, or Epic Boons.

Epic Boon feats remain available through the normal character progression rules, subject to their usual prerequisites.