Specifically an alternate to divine bond. The general idea of the alternate (Rimeknight) class is an elemental themed warrior.
Here's the class for context and reference
The idea to choose ice came to me after I read a thread about a fire-themed version of the same idea. I think most of the class came out with pretty fair tradeoffs, but Divine Bond continues to be the odd one for me. Here's the text for the Rimeknight's version:
Manifest Elements (su): At level 5 the Rimeknight is able to manifest the power of ice physically. She must choose one of the following options to show this manifestation.
She may enhance any weapon in her hand as a standard action for one minute per level. These minutes need not be consecutive. Any weapon subject to this manifestation can gain either piercing, slashing, or blugeoning damage for the duration that it is held by the Rimeknight, in addition to any damage types it normally possesses. While Manifest elements is in effect, the weapon subject to it gains a +1 enhancement bonus and the Frost special property. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: Anarchic, Anchoring, Axiomatic, Ghost Touch, Glorious (DC as Icy Grasp -4), Icy Burst, Impact, Keen, Ominous, and Thawing.
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the manifestation are determined when the manifestation is first formed and cannot be changed until the manifestation is formed again. The elemental manifestation imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the Rimeknight but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the Rimeknight. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A Rimeknight can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.
If a weapon under the effects of this manifestation is destroyed, the Rimeknight loses the use of this ability for 30 days. During this 30-day period, the Rimeknight takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Alternatively, the Rimeknight may call upon the forces of the planes to grant her an ally in her cause. She gains the service of a powerful Ice elemental whose abilities grow as hers do. The link that binds them varies in its nature between individual Rimeknights, but all of them share the following effects.
The elemental can manifest in either their standard serpentine form, or in a quadrupedal form. This form can be changed once at the beginning of each day. Elementals in a quadrupedal form are treated as an Exotic Mount with any two of the following: 2 claws, bite, gore, hoof, slam, tail slap, or talons, while standard forms may gain any combination of three from that list.
When the Rimeknight first summons this elemental, it takes the form of a Medium Ice Elemental, and it gains a +4 to one stat, and +2 to another of the players choosing as an increase over the creature presented in the bestiary. This elemental then gains an additional +2 to two stats of the players choosing every four levels thereafter. In addition, it grows in size to large at 7th level, and speaks any languages the Rimeknight does, in addition to Aquan if it gains an Int of 6 or more. This elemental otherwise functions as the monster presented in the Bestiary 2, and it’s other abilities advance each level as a creature with the Outsider type.
Once per day, as a full-round action a Rimeknight may magically call her Elemental to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the Rimeknight's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the Rimeknight. A Rimeknight can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
If this elemental is banished, or dies in combat the Rimeknight loses the use of this ability for 30 days. During this 30-day period, the Rimeknight takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.[/wall o'text]
While it seems to me that the weapon enhancement option is fairly well balanced with the base paladin version, the Elemental Companion is uncertain to me. On the one hand, the Rimeknight trades out spells with no specific replacement, but on the other hand, the compsnion is notably more powerful than an AC. So, my question is: Does this archetype as a whole seem like a fair balance in power tradeoffs with the Paladin, and if not, how best can I alter it to do so?
Regarding the weapon: the normal paladin variant gives a +1 enhancement. Your version gives +1 enhancement and Frost.
Please forgive any spelling or gramatical slip-ups, my computer is... indisposed ATM and i'm posting from elsewhere. I know about the automatic frost enhancement, and while I don't believe the extra d6 of damage would be overpowering, I am open to removing it.
EDIT: When my computer is working again anyway. For now,I am going to have to be content with taking notes on what is recommended.
Perhaps at level you can give the character the choice of +1 OR the frost enhancement. Alternately, the class loses some other class feature to have both.
Frost for free as an alternative would work. though I would need to add a note that a +1 needs to be on the weapon before adding others to keep in line with the normal enhancement rules.
Any thoughts on the "animal" companion half? It is the part of the class I'm most unsure of in regards to a fair tradeoff.
As a player, I would not want to personally go through advancing this elemental at every level.
As a GM, I worry that this elemental's full BAB and d10 hit die are going to become OP very quickly. I feel like you might need to make a custom chart for elemental progression. It is a real pain in the ass but it may be the only way to do the elemental companion.
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I would recommend treating the elemental as an animal companion with a few bonuses, like the normal paladin does. Specify that it has to be an animal native to cold climates (polar bear, snow leopard, wolf, elk, etc). To start give it cold resistance 10, snow vision, and Int 6. Then at level 11 cold resist 20 and icewalk and make it count as a magical beast for purposes of spells and effects, and at level 15 give it cold resist 30 (or the cold subtype) and ice glide.
I would recommend treating the elemental as an animal companion with a few bonuses, like the normal paladin does. Specify that it has to be an animal native to cold climates (polar bear, snow leopard, wolf, elk, etc). To start give it cold resistance 10, snow vision, and Int 6. Then at level 11 cold resist 20 and icewalk and make it count as a magical beast for purposes of spells and effects, and at level 15 give it cold resist 30 (or the cold subtype) and ice glide.
I like this idea. It certainly would be simpler, as Excaliberproxy pointed out, the current option is too complex for most peoples liking, including mine. My only gripe would be the limited choices this would leave, but it might be better to keep the class feature similar to the base option.
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It's more choices than serpentine vs quadrupedal. It's also more choice than the usual paladin's mount suggests (horse, pony, camel).
Possible companions include aurochs, bear, big cat (eg siberian tiger), dog (eg husky), elk, llama, moose, wolf, wolfhound, dolphin, octopus, orca, shark, squid. And while they don't list them as such, the small cat and bird categories really should have cold-climate species (snow leopards and many owls).
That's pretty thematically and mechanically diverse - though it does mean you have to wait two levels to ride your companion (unless you use the 3pp riding elk).
Kind of necro-y but I've updated the google doc as my computer is finally back in action. I've implemented the suggestions from Normalguy, and I have a new question: Since I would like Chilling Presence to function for ranged attacks as well would an effective way to do it simply be to add a line stating: "This Aura also affects any foes being targeted by the Rimeknights Frostbite Blade ability."?