Source: Forgotten Realms Subclasses UA (28.01.2025)
Withstand the Horrors of Frigid Wastelands
Winter Walkers hone their craft in the bleak and frozen wilds of places like Icewind Dale. Rimed with ice, these ruthless Rangers hunt the monsters that haunt arctic wastelands, eventually becoming frigid terrors themselves.
More so than any other Rangers of Icewind Dale, Winter Walkers are known to be well versed in the paranormal phenomena specific to the realm, including the latent magic of fallen Netherese cities, endemic monsters like yetis and crag cats, and the rising threat of Underdark invaders. In exchange for their cold pragmatism, terrifying magic, and mastery of the region, these Winter Walkers are regarded with equal parts respect and fear.
Ten-Towns citizens say that it is Winter Walkers’ frequent exposure to malignant entities that gives them their fearsome powers. Many Reghed nomads, on the other hand, believe that nature spirits bestow Winter Walkers with a unique curse.
Level 3: Frigid Explorer
You gain the following benefits.
Frost Resistance. You have Resistance to Cold damage.
Polar Strikes. When you hit a creature with a weapon, you can deal an extra 1d4
Cold damage to the target, which can take this extra damage only once per turn. This extra damage
ignores Resistance to Cold damage. When you reach Ranger level 11, this extra damage increases to
1d6.
Level 3: Hunter's Rime
Ice rimes you and your prey, protecting you and slowing them. When you cast Hunter’s Mark, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to 1d10 plus your Ranger level.
Additionally, while a creature is marked by your Hunter’s Mark, it can’t take the Disengage action.
Level 3: Winter Walker Spells
When you reach a Ranger level specified in the Winter Walker Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.
Winter Walker Spells
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3 | Ice Knife |
| 5 | Pass Without Trace |
| 9 | Remove Curse |
| 13 | Ice Storm |
| 17 | Cone of Cold |
Level 7: Fortifying Soul
Your experience surviving harrowing environments allows you to bolster your allies in addition to
yourself. When you finish a Short Rest, you can choose a number of creatures you can see equal to
your Wisdom modifier (minimum of one). A chosen creature regains Hit Points equal to 1d10 plus
your Ranger level and has Advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the Frightened condition for
1 hour.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 11: Chilling Retribution
When a creature hits you with an attack roll, you can take a Reaction to force the creature to
make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target has the
Frightened condition until the end of your next turn. While Frightened, a target’s Speed is
reduced to 0 feet.
You can use this Reaction a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and
you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Level 15: Frozen Haunt
When you cast Hunter’s Mark, you can adopt a ghostly, snowy form. This form lasts until the spell ends, and while you are in this form, you gain the following benefits. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a level 4+ spell slot (no action required).
Frozen Soul: You have Immunity to Cold damage. When you first adopt this form
and at the start of each of your subsequent turns, each creature of your choice in a 15-foot
Emanation originating from you takes 2d4 Cold damage.
Partially Incorporeal: You have Immunity to the Grappled, Prone, and Restrained
conditions. You can move through creatures and objects as if they were Difficult Terrain, but you
take 1d10 Force damage if you end your turn inside a creature or an object. If the form ends while
you are inside a creature or an object, you are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space.