PHOENIXBORN

Phoenixborn are a preternatural oddity that break the normal NPC phoenixborn not only have an opinion about the way the
cycle of life ... and make no excuses for it. Nature can offer no world should be run, but feel that they are in a position to rule it.
explanation for their existence. Even the most exhaustive These phoenixborn often perceive each other as the only credible
research into their divine origins is steeped in obscure lore and threat to their respective long term ideologies. On the other
secrets. What can be said about the phoenixborn is that they quite hand, many phoenixborn do not share such lofty ambitions and
simply refuse to die. Indeed, the members of this prestige class actively seek adventure instead. For these phoenixborn, their will
seemingly resurrect themselves with nothing more than a “force to live is translated into a desire for life experience, taking
of will”. Once fully realized, a phoenixborn who chooses a extensive advantage of their abilities and setting new standards
prudent life over a careless one can become an unstoppable for reckless abandon. In either case, the presence of phoenixborn
power, unless kept in check. emotes an almost tangible sense of self-righteousness.
Keeping a phoenixborn in check is not easy. With the ability to Hit Die: d8.
delay their own resurrection by years, albeit after typically losing
a level, phoenixborn can cheat old age, existing through the ages Requirements
as their long term machinations unfold over decades. The divine To qualify to become a phoenixborn, a character must fulfill all
gifts that empower the phoenixborn seem to herald from a time the following criteria.
before known existence, when creatures were more resilient. As Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks.
such, the abilities of phoenixborn are tenuous at best. If a Spells: Ability to cast 1st-level divine spells.
character loses every level of the phoenixborn prestige class, it Feats: Die Hard, Endurance, Great Fortitude.
can never become a phoenixborn again. Special: The candidate must have died in combat, but not
Phoenixborn are devote in their beliefs, and therefore a large before earning enough experience points to advance a level.
number begin as clerics. But even the most rudimentary divine
spellcaster can become a phoenixborn, so long as their will to live Class Skills
is paramount. In truth, nobody can really “earn” the right to The phoenixborn’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
become a phoenixborn. This prestige class is the commingling of are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate
happenstance and conviction. The bard, berserker, monk, rogue, (Cha), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis),
sorcerer, warrior, and wizard all lack the prerequisite divine Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis). See Chapter
spellcasting abilities, and are therefore forced to multiclass before 4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.
they can qualify for the phoenixborn. Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

The Phoenixborn
Base Fort Ref Will
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Spark of the phoenix 1/day, –
blaze of rebirth 1/week
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Spiritual fire +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Spark of the phoenix 2/day –
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Divine fury +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Spark of the phoenix 3/day, –
blaze of rebirth 2/week
6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Fire and ash +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Spark of the phoenix 4/day –
8th +6 +6 +2 +6 Resilient spirit +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
9th +6 +6 +3 +6 Spark of the phoenix 5/day, –
blaze of rebirth 3/week
10th +7 +7 +3 +7 Phoenix egg +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the phoenixborn prestige description on page 296 of the Player’s Handbook. This one-time
class. event heralds the beginning of the phoenixborn prestige class
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Phoenixborn gain no (prompting new hit points, skill points, and potentially a level-
proficiency in any weapon, armor, or shield. dependant feat or ability score increase) and can either happen
Spells per Day: Phoenixborn continue training in divine instantaneously, right after the moment of death, or one or more
magic as well as their devout pursuits. Thus, when a new even- rounds later (but no more than 10 years after the moment of
numbered phoenixborn level is gained, the character gains new death).
spells per day as if also gaining a level in a divine spellcasting class Thereafter, a phoenixborn may come back to life as the raise
to which the character belonged before adding the prestige class. dead spell once per week, but with the following exceptions. If
The phoenixborn does not, however, gain any other benefit a the phoenixborn comes back to life instantaneously, then the
character of that class would have gained. This essentially means character does not lose one level (or 1 Hit Dice) and continues
that the character adds the level of phoenixborn to the level of their actions normally. In addition, a column of divine fire roars
some other divine spellcasting class the character has, then out of the phoenixborn’s body towards the creature primarily
determines spells per day and caster level accordingly. responsible for their death, as the flame strike spell. Caster level
If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class equals the phoenixborn’s character level. See the spell description
before becoming a phoenixborn, a decision must be made as to on page 231 of the Player’s Handbook. If the phoenixborn comes
which class each level of phoenixborn will be added for the back to life one or more rounds later, then the character loses one
purpose of determining spells per day. level (or 1 Hit Dice) as the claws of entropy take hold on their
Blaze of Rebirth (Su): Beginning at 1st level, a phoenixborn is soul. The phoenixborn cannot have been dead for longer than 1
brought back to life as the true resurrection spell. See the spell day per level of phoenixborn. Coming back to life takes place
 wherever the phoenixborn’s body is located. For all remaining Spiritual Fire (Su): At 2nd level, a phoenixborn who loses
effects of raise dead, see the spell description on page 268 of the more than 50% of their normal hit points in one encounter is
Player’s Handbook. immediately wreathed in flame, as the fire shield (warm shield)
While a phoenixborn is dead, but before using their blaze of spell. Caster level equals the phoenixborn’s character level. See
rebirth ability, no time passes for the character. Therefore, the spell description on page 230 of the Player’s Handbook. The
additional uses of this or any ability cannot be accumulated while effect lasts until the phoenixborn gains more than 50% of their
dead. The phoenixborn can, however, specify exactly when to normal hit points and for a number of rounds equal to 3 + their
activate blaze of rebirth again. If blaze of rebirth cannot be used at Constitution modifier thereafter. The effect can also be
that time, for whatever reason, it activates the moment it can. If suppressed at will.
that moment never comes, then the phoenixborn dies at the end Divine Fury (Su): At 4th level, the spiritual fire ability of a
of the maximum duration within which blaze of rebirth can be phoenixborn inflicts divine damage instead of fire damage.
activated. Fire and Ash (Su): At 6th level, a phoenixborn comes back to
At 5th level, and again at 9th level, the phoenixborn may use life as the resurrection spell (instead of raise dead) whenever using
blaze of rebirth one additional time per week. If a phoenixborn the blaze of rebirth ability. The same exceptions apply to losing a
died after using blaze of rebirth the allotted number times per level (or Hit Dice), but the character can have been dead for 10
week, then a raise dead or resurrection spell must be cast normally years per level of phoenixborn. Coming back to life takes place
to bring their soul back from the dead. A phoenixborn who died wherever most of the phoenixborn’s remains are located (if any).
after using blaze of rebirth the allotted number times per week For all remaining effects of resurrection, see the spell description
cannot wait for the next week to use blaze of rebirth again. At on page 272 of the Player’s Handbook.
least one activation of this ability must remain unused. In addition, the flame strike spell-effect is cast as if augmented
A character that loses every level of the phoenixborn prestige by the Empower Spell feat (see page 93 of the Player’s Handbook).
class, due to being brought back from the dead, can never become Resilient Spirit (Su): At 8th level, a phoenixborn becomes
a phoenixborn again. Not even a wish spell can restore this immune to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain,
potential. and negative energy effects.
Spark of the Phoenix (Su): Once per day, a phoenixborn can Phoenix Egg (Su): At 10th level, a phoenixborn is brought
cast any prepared cure spell on their own wounds as if augmented back to life as the true resurrection spell (instead of resurrection)
by the Quicken Spell feat (see page 98 of the Player’s Handbook), whenever using the blaze of rebirth ability. The character can
as an immediate action. These cure spells do not use up higher- have been dead for 10 years per level of phoenixborn (maximum
level spell slots. If a phoenixborn gains their spells per day from 100 years). Coming back to life takes place wherever the
the cleric spellcasting class, then spark of the phoenix may also be phoenixborn was last alive and that still exists. For example, if a
used to spontaneously cast cure spells, but as a swift action on phoenixborn died in a cave that has since been filled in, it no
their turn, rather than an immediate action. A full-round action is longer exists. The phoenixborn would be resurrected presumably
normally required to spontaneously cast a metamagic cure spell at the mouth of such a cave. For all remaining effects of true
(see Spontaneous Casting and Metamagic Feats on page 88 of the resurrection, see the spell description on page 276 of the Player’s
Player’s Handbook). Handbook.
At 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter (5th, 7th, and 9th), In addition, the flame strike spell-effect is cast as if augmented
the phoenixborn may use spark of the phoenix one additional by both the Empower Spell feat and Maximize Spell feat (see
time per day. pages 93 and 97 of the Player’s Handbook).

The phoenixborn was last modified 14 March 2005. Copyright © Richard Hughes and Kolja Raven Liquette 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.
(Email: rico@satx.rr.com) or (Email: sonofapreacherman@wakinglands.com)