Warden of the Bifrost

A fighting style born from icy hearts of the Uthgardt, a savage bloodline of vikings who mastered the art of giant-slaying. Using the weight and power of inhumanly large weaponry to enable their unique flow of combat, a Warden of the Bifrost will fear no foe, no matter the size. Using ancient giant-slaying techniques known as Hǫfuð, the style is meant to topple large and small folk alike by reigning control over a runic magnetic field known as the Bifrost. Used as a method of rapid teleportation, the Bifrost is a window to the ascendant blood of the Uthgardt and the manipulative power they control.

Bifrost Savagery

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn Hǫfuð techniques that are fueled by special dice called Hǫfuð dice.

Hǫfuð. You learn three Hǫfuð techniques of your choice, which are detailed under “Hǫfuð” below. Many of these techniques enable you to adopt the savage fighting style of the Uthgardt. You can use only one Hǫfuð per attack.

You learn two additional Hǫfuð techniques of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new Hǫfuð, you can also replace one Hǫfuð you know with a different one.

Hǫfuð Dice. You have four Hǫfuð dice, which are d8s. A Hǫfuð die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended Hǫfuð dice when you finish a short or long rest.

You gain another Hǫfuð die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.

Saving Throws. Some of your Hǫfuð require your target to make a saving throw to resist the Hǫfuð’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Hǫfuð save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice)

Heart of Ice

At 3rd level you become resistant to cold damage and arctic terrain is considered favored.

While traveling for an hour or more in your favored terrain, you gain the following benefits:

Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the area.

Hǫfuð

The following list outlines each Hǫfuð technique.

Axe Ignition

When you take the Attack action, you can expend one Hǫfuð die to ignite the frozen blood in your arms and throw your weapon up to 30 feet at a target, even if it doesn't have the thrown property. If the attack hits, you may use your bonus action to call the weapon back, causing the creature to take the weapon's damage again plus the number rolled on the Hǫfuð die.

Axe of the Bifrost

On your turn, you can use your bonus action to expend any number Hǫfuð dice and summon a spiritual greataxe from the Bifrost. Roll initiative for the axe with no modifiers. The spiritual axe lasts 1 minute, or until it successfully lands one melee attack. On its turn it can move up to 20 ft. and attack once. On a hit it deals Xd12 cold damage, X being equal to the number of Hǫfuð dice you spent and then vanishes.

Bifrost Blink

When you’re within 10 ft. of a creature on your turn, you can expend one Hǫfuð die to unleash the Bifrost at the feet of the creature and yourself, provided you spend at least 10 ft. of movement and the creature is willing and isn’t incapacitated. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. You and the creature switch places. When you emerge, you may use your reaction to make a weapon attack against another creature within 5 ft of your new location.

Bifrost Redirection

When a creature makes a melee attack against you, you can use your reaction to expend a Hǫfuð die and open the Bifrost in the path of their attack. You can then direct the Bifrost to open at the location of another creature within 20 ft. of you, forcing the original creature to make a melee attack against that target instead of you. The attack deals half damage to the newly targeted creature if it hits.

Giant Hunt

A savage technique used by the Uthgardt to fell giants. When you take the Attack action and a creature is within 10 ft. of a wall, pillar, or similar scalable vertical surface, you can expend one Hǫfuð die to vault yourself into the air off of the surface and carry the momentum into a spinning downward slash. Roll the Hǫfuð die and make an attack against the creature, hitting twice if the creature is large size, or thrice if they are huge size or greater. You can add the value of the Hǫfuð die to the damage of each attack.

Icy Sweep

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one Hǫfuð die to ignite the frozen blood in your legs, performing a sweeping kick at their feet and spreading an icy surface. Roll the Hǫfuð die. The creature takes cold damage equal to the value of the Hǫfuð die and makes a DEX saving throw. On a failure, the creatures is knocked prone.

Raging Whirlwind

When you take the Attack action, and the attack hits a creature, you can expend one Hǫfuð die to carry the momentum of the strike into a reckless spin, hitting twice. If this second strike hits, you may either add the number rolled of the Hǫfuð die to the damage of the second hit and halt, or carry the momentum from your lodged axe to swing over the target and land up to 15 feet behind them.

Roar of Uthinn

You can expend one Hǫfuð die and an action to call upon the rage of Uthinn and roar, dealing 3d8 thunder damage in a 10 foot sphere and knocking all creatures back 5 ft. All creatures within range make a DEX saving throw. On a successful save, creatures take half damage and aren't knocked back.

Uthinn’s Slam

When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can expend a Hǫfuð die to slam your weapon downward and cause an explosion of hardened ice spikes in a 15 ft line in front of you, adding the value Hǫfuð die to the damage of the melee portion of the attack. All creatures in the line make a DEX saving throw. On a failure, they take additional cold damage from the spikes equal to your Hǫfuð die.

Veins of Ice

You can use your bonus action to expend a Hǫfuð die and chill the flowing blood in a wounded ally within 5 ft., cauterizing their wounds. The ally gains hit points equal to the number rolled on your Hǫfuð die plus your CON modifier.

Through the Realms

Once per short or long rest, you can use an action to open the Bifrost directly behind a creature 20 ft. and charge at them, knocking them into the Bifrost with a savage blow. The target takes 1d12 + your strength modifier as bludgeoning damage and makes a contested STR check against you. On a failed save the creature is knocked into the Bifrost, traveling through it at extreme speeds. The creature is banished and considered Incapacitated until the start of its next turn. At the start of the creature's turn, they are rapidly ejected from the Bifrost and crashed into the ground at a random unoccupied space within 10 ft. of you. They take 5d12 bludgeoning damage upon landing.

Strengthened Hǫfuð

At 10th level, your Hǫfuð dice turn into d10s. At 18th level, they turn into d12s.

Unending Assault

Starting at 15th level, when you roll initiative and have no Hǫfuð dice remaining, you regain one Hǫfuð die.

Bifrost Ascension

Starting at 18th level, your Hǫfuð dice turn into d12s. Additionally, you become one with the Bifrost, allowing you to manipulate it with ease mid combat. You can use an action to expend a Hǫfuð die and travel through the Bifrost up to 120 ft. anywhere you can see.