Artic Priest

Icy Aura

The bitter cold of winter clings to Elara like a shroud. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of Elara takes 1d4 cold damage as frost spreads across their skin and equipment. The air around her is visibly frigid, with breath misting and ice crystals forming in the air.

Spellcasting

Elara is a 5th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She channels her magic through her grief and her pact with the winter archfey, causing her spells to manifest with frost and ice. She has the following spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): frostbite, thaumaturgy

1st level (4 slots): ice knife, shield of faith, bane

2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon

3rd level (2 slots): spirit guardians, dispel magic

Winter's Blessing (Recharge after a Short or Long Rest)

Through her pact with the winter archfey, Elara has been granted a desperate escape mechanism fueled by winter magic. When Elara is reduced to 0 hit points, she can use her reaction to transform into a swirl of snow and ice, teleporting up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space she can see, and immediately regain 10 hit points as the winter magic reconstitutes her form. Frost explodes from her original location in a crystalline burst. She can use this ability only once per combat.

Frostbite (Cantrip)

Elara gestures toward a creature she can see within 60 feet, causing numbing frost to form on the target's body. The target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 1d6 cold damage and has disadvantage on the next weapon attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn as ice crystals weigh down their limbs and weapons.

Ice Knife (1st-level Spell)

Elara creates a shard of ice and hurls it at one creature within 60 feet. Make a ranged spell attack (+6 to hit). On a hit, the target takes 1d10 piercing damage as the ice shard impales them. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes in a 5-foot-radius sphere centered on the target. Each creature in that area (including the original target if the attack hit) must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Ice and frost coat everything in the blast radius.

Hold Person (2nd-level Spell)

Elara targets one humanoid she can see within 60 feet, attempting to freeze them in place with winter magic. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for up to 1 minute (concentration). The target is surrounded by a visible aura of frost and ice crystals, unable to move as if frozen solid. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Elara can target up to two humanoids if she uses a 3rd-level spell slot.

Spirit Guardians (3rd-level Spell, Concentration)

Elara calls upon the spirits of winter to protect her. Spectral, translucent ice spirits resembling frozen children and winter fey appear and swirl in a 15-foot radius around her for up to 10 minutes (concentration). The spirits look sorrowful and move through the air trailing frost. Elara can designate any number of creatures she can see to be unaffected by the spirits. All other creatures treat the area as difficult terrain, and when a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d8 cold damage (half on a successful save) as the spirits claw at them with icy hands. The spirits move with Elara, maintaining the 15-foot radius.

Dispel Magic (3rd-level Spell)

Elara chooses one creature, object, or magical effect within 120 feet. Any spell of 3rd level or lower on the target ends. For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, Elara makes a Wisdom ability check (DC 10 + the spell's level). On a success, the spell ends. A wave of winter cold washes over the target as the magic is stripped away.

Mace (Melee Weapon, Rarely Used)

Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. Elara carries a simple mace but rarely resorts to melee combat, preferring to rely on her magic. If forced into melee, the mace is covered in frost and crackling with cold energy.

Spiritual Weapon (2nd-level Spell)

As a bonus action when Elara casts this spell, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns while the spell lasts (up to 1 minute, concentration), Elara can move the spectral weapon up to 20 feet and repeat the attack against a creature within 5 feet of it. The weapon appears as a floating greatsword made entirely of jagged ice and frost, glowing with pale blue light.

When Elara first casts the spell (2nd-level slot), the weapon makes a melee spell attack (+6 to hit) against a creature within 5 feet of it, dealing 1d8 + 3 cold damage on a hit as the icy blade cuts through armor and flesh, leaving frost burns. The weapon hovers in the air and can occupy another creature's space without penalty.

Higher Levels: If cast using a 3rd-level spell slot, the damage increases to 2d8 + 3 cold damage.

Shield of Faith (1st-level Spell)

As a bonus action, Elara or a creature she can see within 60 feet gains a +2 bonus to AC for up to 10 minutes (concentration). A shimmering field of frost and ice crystals surrounds the protected creature, deflecting attacks with crystalline barriers.

Bane (1st-level Spell)

As a bonus action, Elara curses up to three creatures she can see within 30 feet. Each target must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, whenever a target makes an attack roll or saving throw before the spell ends (up to 1 minute, concentration), the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw. Dark ice crystals swirl around cursed creatures, weighing them down with doubt and cold.

Winter's Blessing (Once Per Combat)

Trigger: Elara is reduced to 0 hit points.

Effect: Elara's body explodes into a swirl of snow, ice, and frozen mist as she invokes her pact with the winter archfey. She immediately teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space she can see, reappearing in a crystalline burst of frost and regaining 10 hit points. Ice and snow scatter from her original location, coating the ground in a thin layer of frost. Her form reconstitutes from the winter magic, though she appears more translucent and desperate, surrounded by swirling snowflakes. She can use this ability only once per combat encounter.

Shield (1st-level Spell, If You Want to Add It)

Trigger: Elara is hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell.

Effect: As a reaction, Elara conjures an invisible barrier of magical force (or a wall of ice, if reflavored) that grants her a +5 bonus to AC until the start of her next turn, including against the triggering attack. If this causes the attack to miss, frost explodes outward from Elara's position as the barrier deflects the blow.

(Note: Shield is not in the standard Priest spell list, but you can add it if you want to give her more defensive options. If you don't want it, just use Winter's Blessing as her only reaction.)