Drifting embers and ash fell like snow, joining inches of grey powder already piled upon the ground. The rogue shook the cinders from her greyed hair, eyes fixed forward as the armored fighter stood faithfully at her side, sword and shield at the ready. Sweat beaded upon their brows and beneath the brim of the wizard's floppy hat, but the cleric was focused. He grasped his symbol as he glared at the vast bird in the center of the devastation. Perched atop a crumbling wall, its ragged body was covered in soot-blackened feathers and a pair of eyes, set in a round face, blazed with fury. Gaping wounds in its body revealed bones around a core of guttering flame. Jealously clutched in one of its claws was a large egg - that of an unborn phoenix.
Illustration by SethMonster
This was an idea I had rather suddenly a while back that I have been sitting on until I could get some art for - as most of my original ideas are. I wanted to twist the idea of a phoenix - traditionally a creature of endless rebirth and through that life - into one of undeath. This gave me a very solid baseline to work with, so much of the design for the ashfall phoenix came from taking a baseline phoenix and twisting it towards necromancy. Whereas a phoenix is associated with fire, the ashfall phoenix is associated with the remains and aftermath of a fire - primarily ash and cinders. Smoke is also more heavily associated with the ashfall phoenix, featuring in its smoke vision and cinder shroud. This shroud of smoke and swirling cinders replaces the traditional shroud of flames that a phoenix possesses and carries that dark energy that the ashfall phoenix has twisted itself with, represented through the negative energy damage. Instead of the self-resurrection of a normal phoenix, the ashfall phoenix has a lich-like ability of rejuvenation. Instead of a phylactery, the ashfall phoenix must bind its soul to an unhatched phoenix egg, supplanting the limitless potential inside to grant it a twisted immortality. Killing an ashfall phoenix likely means that it will come back in search of vengeance, petty creatures that they are, if the players haven't already been slain by its collapse. This ability doesn't have any comparison to the phoenix, but whereas phoenixes are sometimes symbolically tied to the sun, I liked the idea for this ability being the equivalent of a dying star - hence the name.
Outside of these abilities, the ashfall phoenix is a creature that can mix it up in melee with its energy draining beak and feats such as Flyby Attack. Its Blinding Critical feat is meant to represent ash and cinders being cast in the eyes of its target. It also wields powerful magic with a focus on necromantic and fire-themed spells that it supports with feats to make its spells more effective such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability and Sickening Spell-Like Ability. Its constant spells are based on those already possessed by the baseline phoenix as aside from abilities that didn't fit the theme, I didn't want it to lose its traditional abilities.
Pathfinder 1e:
The only real difference that the ashfall phoenix that the 2e version has in comparison to the 1e version is its Flight of Falling Ash. This ability provides movement, utility with the sickened condition it can inflict, and some damage, but it ends up being a choice between using that or casting one of the phoenix's spells. These spells are the other big change as the different systems don't share the same spells. The test for the ashfall phoenix went splendidly and it didn't end up needing any changes, aside from an adjustment to the max drained value its abilities could inflict.
Pathfinder 2e:
Blue's D&D 5e:
ENCOUNTER HOOKS
That's All Yolks: The heroes are approached by a phoenix that has been weakened from its recent resurrection who asks them to track down a monster that stole her egg. She informs them that the abomination slew and then took off with her unborn for what she believes to be a dark ritual. She is correct as her assailant was an ashfall phoenix whose previous soul egg was broken. It stole her egg to bind its soul to it before it can be slain again. The heroes must track down this villain before it completes the ritual as failing to do so means that the ashfall phoenix has a new soul egg to perversely extend its existence. If they are quick enough, the heroes might arrive in the midst of the ritual and fight over the egg with the ashfall phoenix.
Wings of Fury: While on a journey, the heroes come across a burned out husk of a village, the ground laden with ash. Before they have long to consider the sight before them, they are beset by an ashfall phoenix. Once a protector of the village, it fell to a powerful fiend and became fearful of a permanent death. It became an ashfall phoenix but grew paranoid, believing that the village might turn against it for failing to protect them in that single instance. Before they could do so, it wiped out the entire village but now suspects that any passing through its land are seeking its death. As such, it savagely descends upon the intruders.
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Have a monstrous Monday!
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