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Icewind Dale: Creating your character
Your character will not be built in the usual fashion. This is a more in-depth process to (hopefully) bring out more of your character’s story and personality.
This process uses four main components. You’ll have a chance to consider all of the first three before determining your character. The 4th (Secrets) will come after you’ve decided. Components do not have to be used in order, and it will probably be most helpful to get as much information as you can before deciding on your character.
The four components are:
Rolling for base ability scores
Race and class decisions
Choosing story background
Create Character -
Secrets
Component 1: Rolling for Base Ability Scores
Option 1: (Dndbeyond) Roll six ability scores of 4d6, scratching lowest 1d6 on each.
Option 2: Roll eight ability scores (3d6), the lowest two totals are scratched.
These are not yet assigned to specific abilities.
Component 2: Race and Class Decisions
Social considerations on race and class: The Ten-Towns are a cultural backwater and, despite their dependence on outside trade, not particularly accepting of outsiders. Characters with races (or the outward appearance of races) other than human, dwarf, or halfling will probably encounter overt racism at some point.. Halflings and gnomes are likely to suffer what is intended as good-humored ribbing for their size, but is quickly and often escalated to full-on abuse. Because of general reverence, Dwarves don’t suffer the same. At the very bottom of this social order are orcs (Dalefolk don’t discern much between Orc and Half-orc) and tieflings.
If a character in a magical class makes their abilities known, they will be viewed with suspicion. By their magical nature, this includes Elves and their kin. As a general rule, the smaller the town, the more the racism and anti-magic sentiment.
Of course, exceptions exist, particularly when an individual has done twice as much as a "regular" human must do to prove themself. Despite the efforts to enforce law and order, someone who doesn’t fit in – for one reason or another – gets hanged pretty regularly.
Player Race Restrictions:
No Drow, Goliaths, or Genasi
No humanoid-animal/monster hybrid type races
Races are Either “Natives” or “Outsiders”
Frozenfar races are endemic to the area (with a 400 or more year history). Amongst humanoids, this includes Ulutiun (Ice Hunters) and Reghedmen (reg-ED-min) Barbarian Humans, Mountain Goliaths, Shield Dwarves of Mithral Hall origin, and Northern far-travelers like Snow Elves, Arctic Dwarves, and a few others.
Class restrictions:
Frozenfar: Restricted to one of five classes/subclasses listed in their description. There will be no multi-classing.
Outsider: No class restrictions.
Possessions:
In this campaign, characters start with only what is listed in race description, story hooks, and (possibly) in your secret. You do not start with “starting equipment” or “starting gold”. A large part of your initial challenge will be gathering enough goods to start adventuring in earnest.
Base Starting Equipment:
Set of cold weather clothing made of layers of woolen goods or hides, and furs. (For an added 3 pounds of layers, you can substitute this as Padded Armor for both AC and Stealth disadvantage). As this consists of multiple layers, you can layer down and be comfortable indoors. (i.e. common clothes are not required).
Additional starting equipment will become available through Frozenfar race description, character background, and (possibly) secrets.
Part of your story: You’re broke. What happened?
Outsider Races
Someone who is “from outside” (the Reghedjek often use “Fremmet” to mean both outside people and their language) refers to a race not endemic to the north, not the length of time an individual has lived in the north. An outsider can be a recent traveler fresh off the frozen boat or a fifth generation, born-and-bred Ten-Townie. The tribes of the north have a long memory.
An individual newcomer to the Frozenfar (regardless of race) is referred to, interchangeably, as a “fledgling”, “tenderfoot” (plural “tenderfoots”), “jackeroo”, or a variety of far less pleasant terms. For simplicity, tables will use “Fledgling”.
An outsider who is a seasoned veteran of the Frozenfar is referred to as an “Old (or ‘Cold’) Bird.” Particularly venerable individuals who have spent a great deal of their lives living outside any settlement are referred to with the adjective “wale”. As in, “That Wale Bird, Jensk, only comes to town twice a year”. For simplicity, tables will use “Old Bird”.
The transition from fledgling to Old Bird is a subjective one, and may take anywhere from three to twenty years or possibly never – depending on how impressively and quickly one adapts to the ways of life in the north.
If you choose an outsider race, whether you are a fledgling or Old Bird will be influenced by the background story you develop.
Outsider bonuses:
It takes a hardy soul to come to the far north. Add 1 to your CON. You will have additional ability bonuses available through choosing character hooks and secrets
Base Advantages: All Old Birds will have:
A working knowledge of races, history, geography, religion, and politics of the far north.
Conditional proficiency bonus and nature or religion checks while in the Frozenfar, and/or in regard to Frozenfar matters.
Part of your story: What brought you to the Dale? How long have you been here?
Frozenfar Races
*Ice Tieflings* are included in this category because they’re a new race with arctic advantages, but it is not a race with any known connection to the Icewind Dale. No one in the Dale seems to have seen or even heard of a tiefling with these characteristics before. For the purpose of building your background, you will be considered an “outsider”. This race must choose (or create) a background story for Outsider: Fledgling.
Base Advantages: All Frozenfar races will have:
A working knowledge of races, history, geography, religion, and politics of the far north.
Conditional proficiency bonus and nature or religion checks while in the Frozenfar, and/or in regard to Frozenfar matters.
Frozenfar Races and Class Options
These races come with many advantages, particularly while adventuring in the arctic, but with those advantages come less freedom in choosing class and race options. If you choose a Frozenfar race, many of the character options have already been determined for you. These are listed in the race description and are mandatory if you choose that race. In addition, there is one “weakness” for each race that is mandatory.
Race description terms:
“Bonus” - this is in addition to all other racial or class adjustments
“Required” - this is a racial or class adjustment that must be made, replacing another option or choice
“Weakness” - sad trombone.
Shield (Mountain) Dwarf of Clan Battlehammer
Appearance: No variation from PHB description.
Social Considerations: Dwarves are well-known commodities in the north. You won’t suffer any widespread difficulties based on your race.
Background: You have most likely spent your life so far in the Dwarven Valley mining, creating wares, or traveling to the Ten-Towns to trade. Or, maybe you’ve lived in the Dwarf town of Bremen, doing any number of trades. You are one of the few clan members who remained in the area after most returned to Mithral Hall fifteen years ago.
Bonus Ability Increases: Increase CON by 1
Bonus Feat: Alert
Bonus Arctic Survival Advantages
You have advantage on all checks in an avalanche.
Choose one of the following:
You do not consider any snowy, icy surfaces, or arctic terrain as difficult terrain
Your hearing and vision in blizzards has double range (200’/60’) AND You have a spell modifier advantage in saving throws while casting spells in blizzards.
You have advantage in survival checks while navigating in a blizzard and while mountaineering
Weakness: -1 WIS
Bonus Language: Undercommon
Starting equipment: Crampons, miner’s pick
Other: Visiting Buernor’s “Temple” in the Dwarven Valley for one hour will leave you inspired.
Required Classes, Subclasses, and Other:
Artificer: Armorer
Cleric: Forge Domain
Monk: Way of the Shadow (reduces initial gp by half)
Paladin: Oath of Glory
Rogue: Swashbuckler
Snow Elf (Wood)
Snow Elf (Wood)
Appearance: Your pale skin may have a light blue tint. Hair is generally white although occasionally may be pale blue. Your eyes are deep blue, green, or violet. Your ears are smaller than most elves. You are also slightly shorter (2-3 inches) on average than your Wood Elf cousins.
Social considerations: Your kind is often talked about in the Ten-towns, but rarely seen. You will be considered a curiosity there. Locals will be ruthlessly inquisitive about you and your origins and exploits. Others will harbor secret (or not-so-secret) suspicion or resentment.
Background:
Snow Elves mostly travel the northern ice fields and protruding mountain tops in small groups, hunting and occasionally wandering into towns bordering the great glaciers for trade. Larger communities may live together temporarily inside ice caves, but as these caves shift size or disappear with the movement of the glaciers, so do the communities. There is one known Snow Elf city - Sheha Alari. Ninety miles away from the Dale, the acient city inhabits a spring-warmed valley perpetually carved out from the massive icefield around it.
Masters of stealth in their environment, Snow Elves aren’t seen by outsiders unless they choose to be seen. Aside from an elaborate hunting jargon communicated in sign language, you are understood by speakers of Elvish. You’re the incredibly rare Snow Elf who not only visited a northern town, but chose to stick around. What brought you here?
Required Racial Ability Increase: Increase your DEX by 1.
Bonus Proficiency: Survival
Bonus Spells:
At Level 1: Ray of Frost cantrip
Bonus Arctic Survival advantages:
You have resistance against cold damage, and you do not suffer the effects of extreme cold.
You do not consider any snowy, icy surfaces, or arctic terrain as difficult terrain.
Choose two of the following:
You have advantage on all checks in an avalanche.
Your hearing and vision in blizzards has double range (200’/60’) AND You have a spell modifier advantage in saving throws while casting spells in blizzards.
You have advantage in survival checks while navigating in a blizzard and while mountaineering
Weakness: Fire Vulnerability. You take double fire damage when it applies.
Starting Equipment: Traveler’s Clothes made of durable white silk twill (subs for Cold weather clothing)
Required Classes, Subclasses, and Other:
Fighter: Arcane Archer
Sorcerer: Wild Magic
Ranger: Beastmaster (arctic companions only)/Natural Explorer: Arctic
Rogue: Soulknife
Wizard: Bladesinging
Human, Variant: Reghedman
Appearance: You are tall for a human, possibly reaching seven feet in height. You are blue-eyed and fair-haired, with hair of blond, red, or light brown hues. Height: 6’+1d12”
Social considerations: Reghedmen of the Elk clan share an uneasy alliance with Dalefolk, but there is still an undercurrent of distrust in both directions.
Background: The Reghedmen are migratory hunters, who follow herds of reindeer across the frozen tundra. They lived in deerskin tents and crafted goods of wood and whalebone You are most likely from the Tribe of the Elk and are (or were) a worshiper of Tempus, those who serve him, or his allies. Most of your tribe is so concerned with day-to-day survival, that they typically pay little heed to the evil forces gathering on the fringes of Icewind Dale.
Required Ability Score Increase: Increase STR and CON by 1
Bonus Proficiency: Survival
Required Racial Feat: Savage Attacker OR War Caster
Bonus Arctic Survival advantages:
Choose two of the following:
You have advantage on all checks in an avalanche.
Your hearing and vision in blizzards has double range (200’/60’) AND You have a spell modifier advantage in saving throws while casting spells in blizzards.
You have advantage in survival checks while navigating in a blizzard and while mountaineering
Other: Bonus Favored Enemy: Orcs. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track Orcs, as well as on Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
Weakness: -1 CHA
Bonus Language: Reghedjek
Additional starting equipment: Snowshoes, handaxe. Optional: arctic hide armor (sub for cold weather clothes)
Required Classes, Subclasses, and Other:
Barbarian: Totem Warrior (Corresponding with Tribe - Elk, Tiger, Wolf, or Bear)
Bard: College of Swords
Ranger: Monster Slayer/Natural Explorer: Arctic
Rogue: Assassin
Shaman (Druid): Circle of the Shepherd
Human, Variant: Ulutiuns (Ice Hunters)
Appearance: Ulutiuns have dark, light brown or yellowish skin, dark hair, and dark brown eyes. You are short for a human and tend to have flat facial features, with tiny noses. You are not able to grow much facial hair. You have short and thick legs with stubby fingers and toes. This tends to make you slower and less dexterous than other humans, but this is compensated by greater fortitude and strength. Height: 5’2 + 1d10”
Social considerations: Perception of Ice Hunters among Dalefolk runs the gamut from idealization, to sanctimonious pity, to outright hatred. Among all of the Native Frozenfar races, they interact with Dalefolk the most. It’s very common to see at least two or three Ice Hunters in a town, on any given day. Intermarriage with Outsiders is not uncommon and these families tend to live in a town more often than in an Ulutian coastal village. Background: You were most likely a fisher and hunter on the coast. Flowing with the ice, your food, clothing, and goods almost all derive from fish, seals, walrus, or whales. If you can’t travel by dogsled or khyek, you go by snowshoe. A venerated deity to you is Ulutiu but you primarily revere the great animal spirits that serve him. You have only a single name, e.g. Nutaaq, Mauja, Chu.
Required Ability Score Increase: Increase STR and CON by 1
Bonus Ability Score Increase: Increase WIS by 1
Bonus Language: Uluik
Required Proficiency: Survival
Bonus Racial Feat: Tough
Bonus Arctic Survival advantages:
Once per day, your rate of travel overland or on mountains (on foot, snowshoes, or dogsled) is doubled, for a burst of up to 10 minutes, without exhaustion. No other actions are allowed during this.
Choose two of the following:
You have advantage on all checks in an avalanche.
Your hearing and vision in blizzards has double range (200’/60’) AND You have a spell modifier advantage in saving throws while casting spells in blizzards.
You have advantage in survival checks while navigating in a blizzard and while mountaineering
Additional starting equipment: Snowshoes, Atlatl (treat as spear: versatile 1d8, range 60/120). Optional: arctic hide armor (sub for cold weather clothes)
Weakness: -1 DEX
Required Classes, Subclasses, and Other:
Fighter: Champion
Ranger: Hunter/Natural Explorer Arctic
Rogue: Scout
Shaman (Druid): Circle of the Moon
Iceguardian (Warlock): The Celestial
Tiefling, Ice (Variant Feral)
Appearance: Your skin and hair pale white and your eyes glow a pale pink. Your tail is shorter than most tieflings, and cannot have any prehensile abilities.
Social Considerations: You’ll find life in the Ten towns extremely unwelcoming. Most locals will treat you with suspicion and disdain. Not only are you a tiefling, but you’re an unknown variety. This appears particularly suspicious given recent events. Although a word of an act of heroism may spread fast and help your standing, you will probably always be seen as less than equal. There are others who might seek to learn more about your, possibly unique, abilities and will aim to study you in one fashion or another – be it ethically or deadly.
Background: This race is included in “Natives” for consistency's sake, but no one in the Dale has seen your kind around before - including you. You know little of your background. You were not raised by tieflings.
This race must choose (or create) a background for an Outsider: Fledgling
Bonus Ability Increase: Increase your DEX by 1
Bonus Feat: There will be one added in Secrets
Bonus Arctic Survival advantages:
You have resistance against cold damage, and you do not suffer the effects of extreme cold. (Replaces Hellish resistance. Required.)
Choose two of the following:
You have advantage on all checks in an avalanche
Your hearing and vision in blizzards has double range (200’/60’) AND You have a spell modifier advantage in saving throws while casting spells in blizzards.
You have advantage in survival checks while navigating in a blizzard and while mountaineering
Required Spells:
Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the frost fingers spell once per day as a 2nd-level spell. This trait replaces the hellish rebuke spell of the Infernal Legacy trait.
Weakness: -1 CHA
Starting Equipment: Traveler’s clothes
Required Classes, Subclasses, and Other:
Cleric: Nature Domain
Fighter: Rune Knight
Rogue: Arcane Trickster
Sorcerer: Storm Sorcery
Warlock: Great Old One
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