The Phoenix Adept (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Phoenix Adept (PEACH) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ertai Planeswalker
05-17-07, 02:29 AM The Phoenix Adept

Prerequisites:
Spellcasting: Able to cast at least 3 fire spells, one of which must be 3rd level or higher.
Special: Must perform the class’s Initiation Ritual, see below
Skill Points: 2 + Int modper level, all sor/wiz skills as class skills.
HD: D4

Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Initiation Ritual, Phoenix Essence, Final Strike
2 +1 +3 +1 +1 Domain Spell Acces, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
3 +1 +3 +1 +1 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
4 +2 +4 +1 +1 Grow Wings, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
5 +2 +4 +2 +2 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
6 +3 +5 +2 +2 Lesser Phoenix Lifeforce
7 +3 +5 +2 +2 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
8 +4 +6 +3 +3 Immolation, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
9 +4 +6 +3 +3 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class
0 +5 +7 +3 +3 Greater Phoenix Lifeforce, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class.

Initiation Ritual: In order to be able to take the first Phoenix Adept level, the character must undergo a special initiation ritual, which requires 24 hours of meditation and the use and consumption of various herbs. At the end of the ritual, an ankh must be drawn from ruby powder worth at least 5000Gp, and sprinkled with alchemist’s fire. In the ank’s circle, the character then commits suicide, after which she is immediatley raised as if by a Raise Dead spell which subsumes the materials used for the ritual. The character does not lose a level due to being raised because of her newly gained Phoenix Essence ability, but the ritual is very taxing nonetheless which results in a 5000Xp loss for the Phoenix Adept. Although this will not reduce the Phoenix Adept’s class levels/hit die, it does result in an additional 5000Xp that must be acquired before reaching 2nd level in the class.
Spellcasting: At every level except 1st and 6th, the Phoenix Adept improves her spellcasting as if she had gained another level in the class that allowed her to cast 3rd level fire spells.
Phoenix Essence: At 1st level. you have set your first but most important step towards becoming like the phoenix. You gain the fire subtype, and do not lose a level when you are brought back from the dead. (For example, with Raise Dead or Ressurection)
Final Strike: At first level, you gain the Final Strike [Fire] as a bonus feat, allowing you to simulate the Phoenix’s immolation ability.
Final Strike [Fire]
Prerequisites: Fire subtype
When you are killed (Reduced to -10hp or lower) your body explodes in a final strike – a blast of elemental destruction. Everything within 60ft. is subject to the effect. Your final strike deals 1D6 damage per Hit Die, up to a maximum of 20D6. Each creature in the area may make a Reflex save to halve the damage dealt. (DC = 10+ half your Hit Die + your constitution modifier) The blast also has a secondary effect, a big blast of light that deals 1D6 damage per 2 Hit Die, which can be negated by a second succesfull Reflex save.
Domain Spell Acces: At 2nd level, the Phoenix Adept may add all spells of the Fire and Healing domains to his spellcasting class’s spell list. If the Phoenix Adept is a wizard, this means she can now use scrolls with these spells and add it to and cast them from her spellbook. If the Phoenix Adept is a sorcerer, she may know select these spells as spells known, just like the other spells on her list. A Phoenix Adept always casts spells from these domains as arcane spells, just like her other spells.
Grow Wings: At 4th level, the Phoenix Adept grows a pair of fiery red feathered, bird-like wings, and can fly at a speed of 60ft. with good maneuverability.
Lesser Phoenix Lifeforce: Starting at 6th level, the Phoenix Adept’s Phoenix Essence gives her a chance to come back from the dead, just like a real Phoenix. Whenever the Phoenix Adept is killed (Reduced to -10 Hp or lower) she may make a fortitude save with the DC equal to her negative hitpoint total +10. (So the DC for a Phoenix Adept who is reduced to -35 hitpoints is 25) If she succeeds, she reforms 1D6+1 rounds later from the ashes in the square where she was slain, as if brought back from the dead with a Raise Dead spell. That means she comes back with 1 hitpoint per hitdie, and a 50% chance to lose each unused spell slot for the day. Normal poison and normal diseases are cured, but magical diseases and curses are not undone. Ability scores reduced to 0 are raised to 1.
Immolation: Starting at 8th level, as a standard action, you may voluntarily kill yourself (Your hitpoints become -10), activating your Final Strike ability. If you do, you automatically succeed on your fortitude save to reform.
Greater Phoenix Lifeforce: Starting at 10th level, you have mastered the Phoenix’s ressurecting abilities. Whenever you succed on your fortitude save to reform after death, you are brought back as if by a Ressurection spell instead of a Raise Dead spell, which means you return fully healed, cured of all poisons, diseases and ability loss and with no chance of losing prepared spells or unused spell slots for the day. Additionally, you do not automatically fail your fortitude save to reform if you roll a 1.

What do you guys think of this class? Is it too weak? Too strong?
Loth
05-17-07, 10:44 AM I like it is very good. I think well balanced... May be the save of the secondary effect of final strike should be a fortitude save or make just one save and who fails take the secondary effect.

In my games I don't see to much problem leting the players back easy from dead..
After all is strong but the loss of 2 spell caster levels and XP loss are a good sacrifice to this power.
Ertai Planeswalker
05-18-07, 08:51 AM I like it is very good. I think well balanced... May be the save of the secondary effect of final strike should be a fortitude save or make just one save and who fails take the secondary effect.
The final strike ability is literally the feat from Savage Species. Since that was printed by wizards it's presumably balanced (I'm sure the co board disagrees with that statement) so why reinvent the wheel?

PS: Other elements use other saving throws, the fire one just happens to have it secondary save a ref save as well.

In my games I don't see to much problem leting the players back easy from dead..
After all is strong but the loss of 2 spell caster levels and XP loss are a good sacrifice to this power.
I thought so too. I mean, even a 10th level adept is not unkillable. If it does not die voluntarily it will still have to save in order to reform.

Some people i play with consider it overpowered. Apparently, there's some prc out there that has the 'do not lose a level when raised' as it's 10th level capstone ability. I have no idea what it does besides that, a friend of mine compared my class to it. I'd really like some more opinions on this one.
Ertai Planeswalker
05-24-07, 05:19 AM And this thread rises from the ashes...
Ertai Planeswalker
05-25-07, 06:32 AM 99 views and 1 reply. :weep:

Is this class just so perfectly designed that no comment can do it justice? Or is there some other reason no one answers? Is the layout wrong?
Peregrine_Wolf
05-26-07, 04:37 PM I think it's pretty intersting, but from the little bit I read, the Final Strike sounds like the character could just run into a fight and cut his throat.....KABOOM!.....then come back to life and repeat.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ertai Planeswalker 05-17-07, 02:29 AM	The Phoenix Adept Prerequisites: Spellcasting: Able to cast at least 3 fire spells, one of which must be 3rd level or higher. Special: Must perform the class’s Initiation Ritual, see below Skill Points: 2 + Int modper level, all sor/wiz skills as class skills. HD: D4 Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Initiation Ritual, Phoenix Essence, Final Strike 2 +1 +3 +1 +1 Domain Spell Acces, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 3 +1 +3 +1 +1 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 4 +2 +4 +1 +1 Grow Wings, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 5 +2 +4 +2 +2 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 6 +3 +5 +2 +2 Lesser Phoenix Lifeforce 7 +3 +5 +2 +2 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 8 +4 +6 +3 +3 Immolation, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 9 +4 +6 +3 +3 +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class 0 +5 +7 +3 +3 Greater Phoenix Lifeforce, +1 spellcasterlevel of existing class. Initiation Ritual: In order to be able to take the first Phoenix Adept level, the character must undergo a special initiation ritual, which requires 24 hours of meditation and the use and consumption of various herbs. At the end of the ritual, an ankh must be drawn from ruby powder worth at least 5000Gp, and sprinkled with alchemist’s fire. In the ank’s circle, the character then commits suicide, after which she is immediatley raised as if by a Raise Dead spell which subsumes the materials used for the ritual. The character does not lose a level due to being raised because of her newly gained Phoenix Essence ability, but the ritual is very taxing nonetheless which results in a 5000Xp loss for the Phoenix Adept. Although this will not reduce the Phoenix Adept’s class levels/hit die, it does result in an additional 5000Xp that must be acquired before reaching 2nd level in the class. Spellcasting: At every level except 1st and 6th, the Phoenix Adept improves her spellcasting as if she had gained another level in the class that allowed her to cast 3rd level fire spells. Phoenix Essence: At 1st level. you have set your first but most important step towards becoming like the phoenix. You gain the fire subtype, and do not lose a level when you are brought back from the dead. (For example, with Raise Dead or Ressurection) Final Strike: At first level, you gain the Final Strike [Fire] as a bonus feat, allowing you to simulate the Phoenix’s immolation ability. Final Strike [Fire] Prerequisites: Fire subtype When you are killed (Reduced to -10hp or lower) your body explodes in a final strike – a blast of elemental destruction. Everything within 60ft. is subject to the effect. Your final strike deals 1D6 damage per Hit Die, up to a maximum of 20D6. Each creature in the area may make a Reflex save to halve the damage dealt. (DC = 10+ half your Hit Die + your constitution modifier) The blast also has a secondary effect, a big blast of light that deals 1D6 damage per 2 Hit Die, which can be negated by a second succesfull Reflex save. Domain Spell Acces: At 2nd level, the Phoenix Adept may add all spells of the Fire and Healing domains to his spellcasting class’s spell list. If the Phoenix Adept is a wizard, this means she can now use scrolls with these spells and add it to and cast them from her spellbook. If the Phoenix Adept is a sorcerer, she may know select these spells as spells known, just like the other spells on her list. A Phoenix Adept always casts spells from these domains as arcane spells, just like her other spells. Grow Wings: At 4th level, the Phoenix Adept grows a pair of fiery red feathered, bird-like wings, and can fly at a speed of 60ft. with good maneuverability. Lesser Phoenix Lifeforce: Starting at 6th level, the Phoenix Adept’s Phoenix Essence gives her a chance to come back from the dead, just like a real Phoenix. Whenever the Phoenix Adept is killed (Reduced to -10 Hp or lower) she may make a fortitude save with the DC equal to her negative hitpoint total +10. (So the DC for a Phoenix Adept who is reduced to -35 hitpoints is 25) If she succeeds, she reforms 1D6+1 rounds later from the ashes in the square where she was slain, as if brought back from the dead with a Raise Dead spell. That means she comes back with 1 hitpoint per hitdie, and a 50% chance to lose each unused spell slot for the day. Normal poison and normal diseases are cured, but magical diseases and curses are not undone. Ability scores reduced to 0 are raised to 1. Immolation: Starting at 8th level, as a standard action, you may voluntarily kill yourself (Your hitpoints become -10), activating your Final Strike ability. If you do, you automatically succeed on your fortitude save to reform. Greater Phoenix Lifeforce: Starting at 10th level, you have mastered the Phoenix’s ressurecting abilities. Whenever you succed on your fortitude save to reform after death, you are brought back as if by a Ressurection spell instead of a Raise Dead spell, which means you return fully healed, cured of all poisons, diseases and ability loss and with no chance of losing prepared spells or unused spell slots for the day. Additionally, you do not automatically fail your fortitude save to reform if you roll a 1. What do you guys think of this class? Is it too weak? Too strong?
Loth 05-17-07, 10:44 AM	I like it is very good. I think well balanced... May be the save of the secondary effect of final strike should be a fortitude save or make just one save and who fails take the secondary effect. In my games I don't see to much problem leting the players back easy from dead.. After all is strong but the loss of 2 spell caster levels and XP loss are a good sacrifice to this power.
Ertai Planeswalker 05-18-07, 08:51 AM	I like it is very good. I think well balanced... May be the save of the secondary effect of final strike should be a fortitude save or make just one save and who fails take the secondary effect. The final strike ability is literally the feat from Savage Species. Since that was printed by wizards it's presumably balanced (I'm sure the co board disagrees with that statement) so why reinvent the wheel? PS: Other elements use other saving throws, the fire one just happens to have it secondary save a ref save as well. In my games I don't see to much problem leting the players back easy from dead.. After all is strong but the loss of 2 spell caster levels and XP loss are a good sacrifice to this power. I thought so too. I mean, even a 10th level adept is not unkillable. If it does not die voluntarily it will still have to save in order to reform. Some people i play with consider it overpowered. Apparently, there's some prc out there that has the 'do not lose a level when raised' as it's 10th level capstone ability. I have no idea what it does besides that, a friend of mine compared my class to it. I'd really like some more opinions on this one.
Ertai Planeswalker 05-24-07, 05:19 AM	And this thread rises from the ashes...
Ertai Planeswalker 05-25-07, 06:32 AM	99 views and 1 reply. :weep: Is this class just so perfectly designed that no comment can do it justice? Or is there some other reason no one answers? Is the layout wrong?
Peregrine_Wolf 05-26-07, 04:37 PM	I think it's pretty intersting, but from the little bit I read, the Final Strike sounds like the character could just run into a fight and cut his throat.....KABOOM!.....then come back to life and repeat.