My annual Christmassy homebrew before going out for vacation
Krampus (Inquisitor Archetype)
Alters deity, alignment, proficiency with light and medium armor, domain;
Replaces domain, monster lore, cunning initiative, detect alignment, stalwart, exploit weakness, teamwork feat of 15th level
In the depths of winter’s chill, when the winds howl and the snow consumes all beneath its frozen grip, there are whispers of a figure far darker than the cold itself. The Krampus, a creature born of both myth and dread, stalks the world in search of those who have strayed too far from the path of righteousness. No longer a mere legend, the Krampus has become a living force of retribution, a being whose very presence chills the bones and strikes fear into the hearts of the wicked.
A Krampus Inquisitor is an embodiment of harsh justice, clad in chains that are not just armor but a manifestation of its brutal nature. With these chains, it hunts those who have committed evil, using its spiked weapon to tear down transgressors with calculated precision.
These inquisitors are cold and unyielding, carrying with them an aura of frigid power. They stride through snowy terrain with ease, leaving no trace behind except the lingering scent of their quarry’s evil deeds. The very environment bends to their will—where others falter in the snow, they move unhindered, as though born of the blizzard itself.
A Krampus Inquisitor’s connection to its icy domain is absolute, not merely as a power but as a way of life. They grow chains that become part of their body, unbreakable and ever-present, and as they grow in power, these chains only become more deadly. Their spiked chain is a weapon of terrible skill, able to grapple and crush their enemies with merciless efficiency. And when a foe falls into their grasp, it is not simply defeat they face, but regression into something far worse than death—a life lost to the ravages of time, never to be the same again.
With an uncanny ability to track the evil among us, a Krampus Inquisitor is always watching, always hunting, and always waiting for the moment when they can deliver cold, final judgment. Only those who walk the righteous path need not fear, but for all others—there is no escape from the Krampus’ chains.
Prerequisites: A krampus must be Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, or Neutral Evil and worship a deity with punishment as one of its areas of concern.
This alters deity and alignment.
Chain Armor (Ex): Krampus literally grows chains on himself. This chains grant it a +4 armor bonus, but are not treated as armor for the purpose of arcane spell failure, armor check penalties, maximum Dexterity, weight, or proficiency. At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the armor bonus increase by +1. Because this chains are part of his body cannot be damaged or removed but can be enhanced as if a normal armor.
This replaces proficiency with light and medium armor.
Lethal Chains (Ex): At 1st level, a krampus gains proficiency with the spiked chain, as well as Chain Mastery as a bonus feat without the need to meet its prerequisites. He can additionally use his Wisdom score in place of his Dexterity for combat feats that have Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain) as a prerequisite.
At 7th level, a krampus attacks with the spiked chain gains the grab ability. If krampus grapple a foe with its chain, the foe gains the grappled condition, but krampus does not. Krampus can grapple only one creature at a time with its chain.
At 16th level, krampus can still make attacks with his spiked chain even while a creature is grappled in it. Doing so imposes a –4 penalty on krampus’s attack rolls, but causes both the grappled creature and the target to suffer an additional 4d6 points of bludgeoning damage with each successful hit.
This replaces domain.
Naughty Scent (Su): At 1st level, a krampus gains the scent ability, but only with respect to creatures with the evil alignment. Creatures of evil alignment with 5 or more HD count as having a strong scent. Creatures with the evil subtype or with evil alignment and 11 or more HD count as having an overpowering scent.
This replaces monster lore.
Snow Stride (Ex): At 2nd level, a krampus suffers no movement or skill penalties for moving in snowy or icy terrain or weather conditions and can walk across snow crusts or thin ice without breaking through. He also ignores difficult terrain and movement penalties caused by snow and ice, can move across icy surfaces without penalty, and does not need to make Acrobatics checks to run or charge on ice.
Starting at 8th level, a krampus can see perfectly well in stormy and snowy conditions, including in blizzards, regardless of whether they are natural or supernatural (like a
sleet storm spell), and does not take penalties on Perception checks when in snowy or blizzard conditions, as well as concealment due to ice or snow.
This replaces detect alignment.
Winter Endurance (Ex): At 2nd level, a krampus ignores the effects of a cold climate as if using
endure elements. He is also immune to being dazzled. At 4th level he gains resistance to cold 10. At 7th level he gains resistance to cold 20. At 11th level he gains resistance to cold 30. At 20th level he gains immunity to cold.
This replaces cunning initiative.
Dragging Lash (Ex): Starting at 11th level, if krampus grapple a foe with his spiked chain, he can immediately attempt a drag check without provoking attack of opportunity. If krampus wins the check, he draws the foe automatically into an adjacent square, regardless of the total check result.
This replaces stalwart.
Capture (Su): Starting at 14th level, krampus carries a large bag. If used by any creature other than its krampus, the container functions as a mundane sack. If krampus begins his turn grappling an adjacent creature of his size or smaller, he can stuff the target into his bag as a move action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. This use of the bad conduce to an extradimensional space similar of a bag of holding with the difference that the air is magically constantly renewed (a creature is never in danger of suffocating). At 15th level a creature stuffed into this bag is subjected to Krampus’s regression ability (see below). A creature in the bag can try to cut its way free with any light slashing weapon. The bag has AC 10 + ½ the krampus’s level + his Wisdom modifier, hardness equal to his Wisdom modifier, hit points equal to his class level x 4 and automatically heal 5 hit points at the start of krampus turn. If a creature reduce the bag to 0 hit points, the automatic heal is deactivate but krampus can repair the bag as a move that does not provokes attacks of opportunity, restoring the bag to its maximum hit points and reactivating the automatic heal. Until then, any creature stuffed into the bag is still subjected to the regression ability but can escape with a move action that provokes an attack of opportunity from krampus.
The bag has other special qualities while in krampus’s possession. The weight of creatures in the bag doesn’t count against krampus’s carrying capacity. Up to 2 creatures of the same size of krampus can fit in the bag at a time, for every size below this the number double (3, 8, 16, etc.) If krampus’s bag is lost or destroyed, he can create a new bag with a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The bag is tied up to the chains that adorn krampus, so it doesn't need to use a hand to hold it.
This replaces exploit weakness.
Regression (Su): Starting at 15th level, each round a creature begins its turn stuffed into krampus’s bag, it must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw DC 10 + ½ the krampus’s level + his Wisdom modifier or be regressed back to its childhood. The creature is affected in size as if via
reduce person (even if his not humanoid), but none of the target’s gear changes size. This effect persists for 24 hours, after which the target regains its original size. A creature which is a child or currently under the effects of regression cannot be further affected by this ability. This is a curse effect (equivalent caster level equal to krampus level for the purpose of
break enchantment).
This replaces the teamwork feat of 15th level.
