Cult of the Wendigo (Cultist)
It's Arctic Week, and that means that today's Best in Class will be positively frigid. As luck would have it, when we made the cultist class last year, and later released a whole book of new cults for it, there were still some gaps in what kinds of cults were available, and a cult devoted to one of the most awesome terrors of the frozen north, the wendigos, never quite made the cut. Today presents an excellent opportunity to rectify that situation, and so I present the Cult of the Wendigo.
New Cult
Cult of the Wendigo
Wendigos are ancient and primordial evils that stalk the frozen places of the earth. Spirits of primordial hunger and greed, they consume endlessly, and are never satiated, always hunting for more flesh, even though they know it will never fill the void within them that constantly drives them forward. Although most fear and loathe these dreaded hunters of the icy tundras, there are those who see them as the ultimate hunter and predator spirits. They wrap themselves in the cold much as the wendigos do, and engage in horrific cannibalistic blood orgies.
Alignment: Members of the Cult of the Wendigo cannot be lawful or good.
Restricted Spells: Members of the Cult of the Wendigo cannot cast spells with the fire descriptor.
Channeled Energy: Members of the Cult of the Wendigo do not channel positive or negative energy, but channel arctic gales, instead. The cultist’s channel energy inflicts cold damage to all creatures, living or undead, in the affected area. Creatures are entitled to a Fortitude save, rather than a Will save, for half damage.
Sacrifice: Blood or Profane.
Hexes: Members of the Cult of the Wendigo can select from the following hexes.
Cannibalistic Desire (Sp): As a standard action, the cultist can point at a single intelligent creature within 60 feet and instill in that creature cannibalistic desires. The creature must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the cultist's class level + the cultist's Charisma modifier) or be overcome with a desire to consume the flesh of his own race. For a number of days equal to the cultist's class level, whenever the target has a reasonable chance to consume the flesh of another creature of his race (such as encountering the corpse of a member of his race, or being alone with a member of his race that he could easily overpower and kill), the target must succeed on a secondary Will save (at the same DC; the target gains a +4 bonus on the saving throw if pursuing the opportunity is risky or dangerous, including attempting to consume flesh from a corpse during combat) or be compelled to do its best to consume the meat in question. If the creature succeeds on one of these secondary saving throws, he is immune to this effect for one hour, and if he succeeds on three consecutive secondary saving throws, he is completely freed of all cannibalistic desires. A creature that succeeds on its initial saving throw to resist this effect is immune to this hex for one week.
Frostbringer (Su): As a standard action, the cultist can create an aura of wintry chill that emanates out from his body, cooling the area around him. He reduces the temperature within 60 feet of him by 2° F per class level. Additionally, at any time while this ability is active, he can increase or decrease the wind speed in this area by 10 miles per hour, to a maximum adjustment of 20 miles per hour from what the wind speed in the area would otherwise be.
Heart of Ice (Su): The cultist gains an amount of cold resistance equal to 1/2 his cultist level. Additionally, he is immune to nonlethal damage caused by starvation or thirst.
Snowstalker (Su): The cultist can see perfectly through fog, hail, mists, snow, and similar impediments to vision. Additionally, as a full-round action, he can cause the color to drain from his body, leaving him an incredibly pale white, and granting him a +8 racial bonus on Stealth checks made in areas of ice or snow.
Wendigo Howl (Su): Three times per day, as a standard action, the cultist can unleash a spine-tingling howl. All foes within 60 feet must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the cultist's class level + the cultist's Charisma modifier) or be shaken for 1 minute. Creatures that fail their saving throw by 10 or more are frightened, instead. The howl is audible up to one mile away with a DC 0 Perception check. This is a mind-affecting sonic emotion and fear effect.
Wendigo Step (Secret of the First Circle) (Su): At 1st level, the cultist learns to move with great speed over ice and snow. The cultist ignores difficult terrain caused by ice and snow, and suffer no ill effects for moving over such terrain. Additionally, up to three times per day, the cultist can cast expeditious retreat as a spell-like ability. If the cultist uses this ability while in an environment of cold temperatures (less than 40° F), he can cast this spell-like ability as a swift action, rather than a standard action.
Hunger of the Wendigo (Secret of the Second Circle) (Su): Beginning at 9th level, the cultist learns how to gain power from consuming the body parts of his enemies. By devouring the heart, eyes, or tongue of an Intelligent creature (a full-round action), the cultist gains a +4 enhancement bonus to whichever ability score was that creature's highest. This bonus lasts for 1 hour. The consumed body part must be relatively fresh: if taken from a living creature, it must have been no more than 1 day per cultist level since the organ was harvested, and if taken from a corpse, it must have been no more than 1 day per cultist level since the creature died.
Ride the Wind (Secret of the Third Circle) (Sp): Beginning at 17th level, the cultist learns how to walk on the arctic winds, like the wendigo. He can activate this ability as a standard action, and it functions as wind walk, except that only the cultist is affected. He can use this ability for a total of 10 minutes per class level each day, which must be spent in 10-minute increments.
Ascension (Su): At 20th level, when the cultist becomes an outsider, he gains the cold subtype. Additionally, he becomes immune to fear and gains regeneration 5, which can only be overcome by fire damage. Finally, he gains a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect maneuverability.