Buy me a coffeeFrau Perchta, “The Winter’s Judicator”
“Meet Frau Perchta: The Belly-Slitting Christmas Witch Who Judges Your Holiday Chores!”
Frau Perchta’s form is a striking dichotomy that mirrors her dual nature. When benevolent, she appears as a radiant woman dressed in flowing white robes, with an ethereal glow that gives her a divine air. Her eyes are piercing but kind, and her presence is almost angelic. In her malevolent guise, she transforms into a hideous hag with a hunched back, a hooked iron nose, stringy gray hair, and jagged teeth. Her tattered black garments and gnarled wooden staff complete the image of a terrifying winter crone. Some accounts even describe her as having a swan-like or bird-like foot, a reminder of her mystical origins.
Behavior
Frau Perchta is both nurturing and punitive, rewarding virtue and industriousness while punishing laziness and immorality. She is obsessed with cleanliness and order, particularly during the Twelve Days of Christmas, when she prowls the Alpine villages. She inspects homes, spinning wheels, and household chores, ensuring that everything is in its proper place. For the virtuous, she leaves silver coins as a token of favor. For the lazy or disobedient, she delivers terrifying punishments, often involving disembowelment and stuffing the victim with straw or rocks. Despite her ruthlessness, her actions are seen as enforcing cosmic balance and morality.
Habitat
Frau Perchta is said to dwell in the high, misty peaks of the Alpine mountains, a remote and forbidding wilderness that suits her mysterious and otherworldly nature. She is most active in rural villages during the midwinter period, descending from her lofty home to inspect the lives of mortals. She travels with a retinue of ghostly beings or “Perchten,” spirits who assist her in her tasks.
Modus Operandi
Frau Perchta operates under a strict moral code. She enters homes during the night, often invisibly or unnoticed, and conducts a meticulous inspection. She checks for cleanliness and unfinished spinning work, which are symbols of discipline and responsibility. If she finds a household wanting, she punishes the offenders gruesomely. However, for those who meet her standards, she quietly leaves behind small tokens of silver or blessings for the coming year. Her actions are swift, decisive, and leave no room for negotiation, embodying the harsh but fair justice of nature and tradition.
Motivation
Frau Perchta’s ultimate goal is to maintain moral and cosmic order, particularly during the dark, liminal time of the winter solstice. Her scrutiny of domestic tasks reflects a deeper concern for societal values like hard work, discipline, and respect for tradition. By rewarding virtue and punishing vice, she reinforces the cultural importance of these virtues in the Alpine communities. Her brutal punishments, though horrifying, are a cautionary tale meant to deter laziness and immorality, ensuring harmony in both households and society.
Frau Perchta 5e
Frau Perchta Pathfinder
Frau Perchta
Medium Fey, Neutral Evil
Armor Class: 20 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 310 (40d10 + 80)
Speed: 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (+6) | 18 (+4) | 24 (+7) | 24 (+7) | 28 (+9) | 26 (+8) |
Saving Throws: Wisdom +15, Charisma +14, Constitution +12
Skills: Insight +15, Intimidation +14, Perception +15, Stealth +12, Arcana +14
Damage Resistances: Cold, Necrotic, Psychic
Damage Immunities: Poison, Nonmagical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 25
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Infernal, Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge Rating: 21 (33,000 XP)
TRAITS
Dual Nature. At the start of each of her turns, Frau Perchta manifests one of two aspects:
- Benevolent Aspect (1–3 on d6): Perchta’s actions focus on rewarding virtue and aiding allies. She gains the following benefits for the next 1 minute:
- Her movement speed increases by 10 feet.
- Creatures of her choice within 30 feet gain 10 temporary hit points.
- When she hits with an attack, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the end of its next turn.
- Punitive Aspect (4–6 on d6): Perchta’s focus shifts to punishment and terror. She gains the following benefits for the next 1 minute:
- Her attacks deal an additional 10 (3d6) necrotic damage.
- Creatures within 30 feet must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
- When a creature fails a saving throw against one of her spells, it takes an additional 15 (5d6) psychic damage.
Supernatural Awareness. Perchta can sense the alignment of creatures within 120 feet and can determine their moral choices within the last 24 hours. She can also sense creatures’ hidden weaknesses (e.g., creatures poisoned or cursed) within 60 feet.
Frost Aura. Perchta emanates an aura of cold that extends 30 feet from her. All creatures within this radius must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) cold damage and have their speed reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn. Creatures immune to cold damage are unaffected.
Judge of Souls. Once per day, Perchta can use her action to cast Geas (DC 20 Wisdom saving throw) on a creature within 30 feet, without requiring any material components. If the target is already cursed by her, it suffers disadvantage on the saving throw.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Perchta makes three attacks: two with her Iron Claws and one with her Staff of Justice.
- Iron Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 6) slashing damage.
- Staff of Justice. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be restrained by ethereal vines for 1 minute. A restrained creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
Gift of Silver. Perchta tosses a coin to a creature within 30 feet. If the creature catches it, they gain 15 temporary hit points and advantage on saving throws until the end of their next turn.
Disemboweling Curse (Recharge 5–6). Perchta curses a creature she can see within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 36 (8d8) necrotic damage, and become cursed for 1 hour. While cursed, the creature has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws and takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The curse can only be removed with Remove Curse or Greater Restoration.
Winter’s Wrath (Recharge 5–6). Perchta summons a sudden blizzard, turning a 30-foot radius within 60 feet of her into difficult terrain. Each creature within the radius must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 28 (8d6) cold damage and fall prone.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Frau Perchta can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Frau Perchta regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
- Blizzard’s Call. Perchta conjures a swirling blizzard around her, forcing all creatures within 20 feet of her to make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) cold damage and be knocked prone.
- Frozen Strike. Perchta makes one attack with her Iron Claws.
- Teleport (Costs 2 Actions). Perchta magically teleports up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space she can see.
SPELLS (Prepared)
Frau Perchta is an 18th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks).
- At-Will (Innate Spells):
- Frostbite (Evocation)
- Thaumaturgy (Transmutation)
- Detect Evil and Good (Divination)
- 1st–3rd Level (4 Slots/Day):
- Ice Knife (Evocation)
- Command (Enchantment)
- Hold Person (Enchantment)
- Mirror Image (Illusion)
- Counterspell (Abjuration)
- Sleet Storm (Conjuration)
- 4th–6th Level (3 Slots/Day):
- Ice Storm (Evocation)
- Phantasmal Killer (Illusion)
- Wall of Ice (Evocation)
- Circle of Death (Necromancy)
- 7th–9th Level (2 Slots/Day):
- Finger of Death (Necromancy)
- Plane Shift (Conjuration)
- Control Weather (Transmutation)
- Storm of Vengeance (Conjuration)
TACTICS
Frau Perchta’s approach to combat is calculated and manipulative, reflecting her dual nature as both a punisher and a rewarder. She typically begins fights by using her Frost Aura to weaken foes and then uses Dual Nature to choose the Punitive Aspect if she is dealing with the wicked or the Benevolent Aspect if she wishes to manipulate and control.
- Opening Moves: She will often use Winter’s Wrath to debilitate enemies and follow up with Disemboweling Curse or Finger of Death to target weaker foes or those who have offended her. If the enemies are too dangerous, she will rely on Wall of Ice to separate combatants and Teleport to gain a more favorable position.
- Control & Manipulation: When she has a moment, she uses Gift of Silver to strengthen allies or charm a potential target, allowing her to manipulate situations without direct conflict.
- Tactical Retreat: If wounded or outnumbered, Frau Perchta will use Teleport to retreat and regroup. She will call upon Blizzard’s Call to slow her enemies, freezing the battlefield in her favor.
Her Judge of Souls ability will also shape her decisions in combat, allowing her to target those with the greatest moral failings and punish them with Geas, locking them into servitude. If she is facing enemies she deems worthy of judgment, she may use Gaze of Judgement to weaken their will and force them into submission.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
The area within 10 miles of Frau Perchta’s presence is twisted by her influence:
- Perpetual Winter: The region is locked in a perpetual winter, with blizzards and heavy snow covering the land. Visibility is reduced to 60 feet in daylight, and all creatures in the area suffer disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight.
- Moral Taint: Creatures who have committed heinous acts or have dark alignments are drawn to the area, lured by her influence. These creatures often experience dreams of Perchta, urging them to seek her out or face her wrath.
- Weakened Magic: Divine magic is suppressed within the region. Clerics and paladins experience disadvantage on concentration checks, and spells of the Healing and Restoration schools have a 50% chance of failing.
Lore:
Frau Perchta is a creature of both compassion and cruelty. Once a fey spirit of winter and fertility, she has long since evolved into a vengeful force of nature, punishing those who fall into greed, gluttony, or moral decay. Yet, she is not without mercy for the virtuous, rewarding them with blessings or safety in times of need. Her duality makes her a fearsome force in the material world, as her actions are unpredictable and all-encompassing. Those who cross her path often find themselves torn between her offers of salvation and her cold, unyielding judgment.
Frau Perchta
Dark, black hair hangs from the scalp of this woman with an iron beak for a nose. Clothes made of rough spun wool cling to her gigantic frame.
CR 20
Medium Fey (Cold, Evil), Neutral Evil
XP: 409,600
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Type: Fey (Cold, Evil)
Initiative: +10
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Perception +28
AC: 38 (Touch 25, Flat-footed 33)
HP: 320 (32d8 + 160)
Fort: +18, Ref: +16, Will: +22
Defensive Abilities: Evasion, Energy Resistance (Cold 20), DR 5/Good
Resistances: Cold, Necrotic, and Psychic Damage 10, Poison 10
Immunities: Disease, Mind-Affecting Effects, Paralysis, Poison, Sleep
Weaknesses: Vulnerable to Fire Damage (x1.5)
Speed: 40 ft., Fly 40 ft. (Perfect Maneuverability)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 (+9) | 22 (+6) | 26 (+8) | 24 (+7) | 30 (+10) | 28 (+9) |
Skills: Acrobatics +25, Diplomacy +25, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (Arcana) +27, Knowledge (Local) +23, Knowledge (Planes) +25, Perception +28, Stealth +25, Spellcraft +28, Survival +26
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Infernal, Draconic, Celestial, Telepathy 120 ft.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Dual Nature (Su): At the start of each of her turns, Frau Perchta shifts between two aspects:
- Benevolent Aspect (1–3 on a d6):
- Perchta’s attacks heal the target for 10 hit points on a successful hit.
- Allies within 30 ft. gain +2 to AC and attack rolls for 1 round.
- Creatures of her choice within 30 ft. gain 10 temporary hit points.
- Creatures hit by her attacks must succeed at a DC 25 Will saving throw or be charmed for 1 round.
- Punitive Aspect (4–6 on a d6):
- Her attacks deal an additional 2d6 necrotic damage.
- Creatures within 30 ft. of her must succeed at a DC 25 Will saving throw or be frightened for 1 round.
- All creatures hit by her attacks suffer an additional 1d6 points of psychic damage.
- Frau Perchta gains 5 temporary hit points per attack.
Frozen Aura (Su): Any creature within 30 feet of Frau Perchta must make a DC 25 Fortitude save at the start of its turn or take 3d6 cold damage and have its movement speed reduced by 10 feet until the beginning of its next turn.
Judge of Souls (Su): Once per day, Frau Perchta can cast Geas on any creature she can see within 60 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 27 Will save or fall under her influence for 24 hours. If the target fails the saving throw, it suffers 2d6 points of damage per day until the geas is fulfilled or removed.
Fey Resistance (Su): Frau Perchta is immune to all charm, compulsion, and fear effects, as well as any magic that would attempt to alter her form or identity.
Winter’s Judgment (Su): Frau Perchta’s judgment affects not only the soul but the body. Once per round, after making a successful attack, she can use Winter’s Judgment. The target takes an additional 2d6 points of cold damage, and the target must make a DC 25 Fortitude save or be slowed for 1 round.
Shapechanger (Su): Frau Perchta can change her form into that of a beautiful, regal woman adorned in a flowing gown or a terrifying hag-like figure with twisted limbs, fanged teeth, and clawed hands. Changing forms takes 1 standard action, and she may retain this form for up to 1 hour.
ACTIONS
Multiattack: Frau Perchta makes three attacks: two with her Iron Claws and one with her Staff of Justice.
- Iron Claws (Melee Weapon Attack): +21 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d8 + 9) slashing damage.
- Staff of Justice (Melee Weapon Attack): +23 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 35 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage. If the target is struck by the staff, it must succeed at a DC 25 Reflex save or become restrained for 1d4 rounds by magical vines or chains, as the staff channels Perchta’s judgment.
Disemboweling Curse (Su): Frau Perchta targets one creature within 60 feet and curses it with her judgment. The target must make a DC 25 Fortitude save or take 4d6 necrotic damage and suffer an ongoing curse that weakens them. For 1 hour, the cursed target suffers -2 to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, as well as all attack rolls.
Winter’s Wrath (Su, Recharge 5-6): Frau Perchta creates a blast of icy wind in a 30-foot radius. All creatures within this radius must make a DC 25 Reflex save or take 6d6 cold damage, fall prone, and suffer 1d4 rounds of the slowed condition.
SPELL-LIKE ABILITIES (CL 18th)
Frau Perchta can use the following spells as spell-like abilities. She can use each spell-like ability once per day unless stated otherwise.
- At-Will:
- Frostbite (Cold damage, single target, 1d6 + 1 cold damage)
- Thaumaturgy (Produces a variety of minor magical effects)
- Detect Evil and Good (Divination, 1 minute)
- 1st–3rd Level Spells (5/day):
- Ice Knife (Deals cold damage to target and to others nearby)
- Hold Person (Paralyzes a humanoid for 1 round)
- Counterspell (Negates an opponent’s spell)
- 4th–6th Level Spells (4/day):
- Ice Storm (Deals cold and bludgeoning damage in a 20-foot radius)
- Phantasmal Killer (Creates a nightmare that damages a target with fear)
- Wall of Ice (Blocks movement, creating a physical barrier)
- 7th–9th Level Spells (2/day):
- Finger of Death (Deals massive necrotic damage to a target)
- Plane Shift (Teleports herself and others to another plane)
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Frau Perchta can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Frau Perchta regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
- Blizzard’s Call (Costs 2 Actions): Frau Perchta summons a blizzard in a 20-foot radius. All creatures within range must make a DC 25 Reflex save or take 5d6 cold damage and be knocked prone.
- Frozen Strike (Costs 1 Action): Frau Perchta makes one attack with her Iron Claws.
- Teleport (Costs 3 Actions): Frau Perchta teleports up to 60 feet to a location she can see.
TACTICS
Frau Perchta is a cunning and manipulative foe, preferring to exploit her enemies’ weaknesses rather than directly overpower them. Her Dual Nature allows her to adapt her tactics depending on the nature of her foes. She may begin the battle with the Punitive Aspect, seeking to overwhelm enemies with fear and pain, or the Benevolent Aspect to manipulate others into aiding her cause.
- Opening Moves: If enemies are clustered or weak-willed, Frau Perchta will often begin with Winter’s Wrath to debilitate her enemies and keep them off-balance. She will follow up with Disemboweling Curse or Winter’s Judgment to damage and hinder opponents.
- Control the Battlefield: She will use Teleport to reposition herself as needed, maintaining control over the fight. If allies are nearby, she will shift to the Benevolent Aspect, strengthening their resolve while manipulating the enemies into a vulnerable position.
- Closing Moves: When victory is certain, she may call upon Finger of Death to eliminate powerful enemies and assert her dominance over the battle.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
The area within 10 miles of Frau Perchta’s lair experiences the following effects:
- Frost on the Ground: The land is always covered with a thin layer of frost. Food becomes scarce, and crops wither, making the area difficult to sustain life.
- Chilling Winds: Winds whip through the area, carrying an icy cold that never dissipates. The winds reduce visibility, impose a -2 penalty to Stealth checks, and cause all creatures within to take 1d6 cold damage each round unless they take shelter.
- Cursed Dreams: Creatures who sleep within the area often experience disturbing dreams, which can cause fatigue, mental strain, and nightmares. All creatures suffer a -2 penalty to Will saves against fear or mind-affecting effects.
LORE
Frau Perchta is both revered and feared. Once a deity of winter and fertility, her spirit evolved over the centuries into an entity of vengeance. She is a cruel arbiter of fate, enforcing her twisted sense of justice on those who fail to meet her standards. Though she is not inherently malevolent in all things, her judgment is often harsh, her punishments lethal.