Fenghuang 5.5e / 2024-Compatible Version

Large Celestial, Lawful Good

Armor Class 20
Hit Points 256
Speed 40 ft., fly 120 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +13, Wis +13, Cha +14
Skills Insight +13, Perception +13, Persuasion +14, Religion +11
Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Celestial, Draconic, Primordial; telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 17
Proficiency Bonus +6

Traits

Auspicious Presence. When a creature starts its turn within 60 feet of the Fenghuang and intends to make an attack before the start of its next turn, it must make a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature cannot make attacks until the start of its next turn unless it or an ally has taken damage from the Fenghuang since the end of the creature’s last turn. Creatures defending themselves, protecting innocents, or fighting a clearly monstrous threat have advantage on this saving throw.

Innate Spellcasting. The Fenghuang’s spellcasting ability is Charisma, spell save DC 22. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: detect evil and good, detect magic, thaumaturgy
3/day each: calm emotions, dispel magic, lesser restoration, zone of truth
1/day each: commune, greater restoration, hallow

Judge of False Rule. The Fenghuang has advantage on ability checks and saving throws against creatures that hold authority through fraud, oathbreaking, magical domination, or unlawful slaughter. Such creatures have disadvantage on Charisma checks made against the Fenghuang.

Magic Resistance. The Fenghuang has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Sacred Plumage. Whenever a creature within 10 feet of the Fenghuang hits it with a melee attack, the attacker takes 10 radiant damage unless it succeeds on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw.

Voice of Harmonious Command. The Fenghuang’s speech cannot be magically silenced. Creatures that understand any language understand the meaning of its words, though not necessarily their full implications.

Actions

Multiattack. The Fenghuang makes three attacks: one with its Beak and two with its Talons.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 piercing damage plus 14 radiant damage.

Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 slashing damage plus 10 radiant damage.

Radiant Wingbeat. Each creature of the Fenghuang’s choice within 30 feet must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails the save is also pushed up to 20 feet away and knocked prone.

Imperial Rebuke. One creature the Fenghuang can see within 120 feet must make a DC 22 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 54 psychic damage and cannot issue commands, use reactions, or cause another creature to make an attack until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and suffers no additional effect.

Song of Peaceful Dominion — Recharge 5–6. The Fenghuang sings a chord of celestial authority. Each creature of its choice within 120 feet must make a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is charmed by the Fenghuang for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature is incapacitated and its speed is 0 as it experiences a vision of the harm its violence has caused or prevented. The effect ends early for a creature if it takes damage. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this Fenghuang’s Song of Peaceful Dominion for 24 hours.

Bonus Actions

Crown of Five Colours. The Fenghuang chooses one creature it can see within 60 feet. Until the start of the Fenghuang’s next turn, that creature gains a +2 bonus to AC and saving throws, and it cannot be frightened.

Reactions

Feather of Reprieve. When a creature the Fenghuang can see within 60 feet would drop to 0 hit points, the Fenghuang causes the creature to drop to 1 hit point instead. The protected creature is surrounded by a brief halo of five-coloured light. The Fenghuang can use this reaction three times per day.

Legendary Actions

The Fenghuang can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below.

Move. The Fenghuang moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Revealing Gaze. One creature the Fenghuang can see within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 22 Charisma saving throw or be unable to benefit from invisibility, disguise, false identity, or magical concealment until the end of its next turn.

Talons. The Fenghuang makes one Talons attack.

Mandate Broken — Costs 2 Actions. One creature within 60 feet that commands allies must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or each creature currently following its orders may immediately move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks and is no longer compelled by fear, charm, or mundane command to continue fighting.

Notes

Use Auspicious Presence when the Fenghuang is actively opposing unjust violence, coercion, or illegitimate command. In a straightforward fight against demons, plague undead, raiders, or attackers who have already rejected its warning, the DM can ignore the attack hesitation clause to keep combat moving.

The Fenghuang should not punish all violence equally. It opposes violence that breaks sacred order: massacre, treachery, unlawful command, forced obedience, false judgement, and killing protected persons.

Fenghuang Pathfinder 1e / 3.5e-Compatible Version

CR 17
XP 102,400
LG Large outsider
Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, true seeing; Perception +31

Defense

AC 34, touch 17, flat-footed 26; +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +17 natural, –1 size
hp 287
Fort +17, Ref +20, Will +21
Defensive Abilities sacred plumage; DR 10/evil; Immune fire, poison; Resist electricity 10, sonic 10; SR 28

Offense

Speed 40 ft., fly 120 ft.
Melee bite +31, 2 talons +31
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks auspicious presence, imperial rebuke, radiant wingbeat, song of peaceful dominion
Spell-Like Abilities CL 17th; concentration +25; save DCs are Charisma-based.
Constant: true seeing
At will: detect magic, detect evil, detect chaos
3/day: calm emotions, dispel magic, lesser restoration, zone of truth
1/day: commune, greater restoration, hallow

Statistics

Str 26, Dex 25, Con 24, Int 21, Wis 25, Cha 27
Base Atk +20; CMB +29; CMD 47
Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Weapon Focus (talon)
Skills Diplomacy +31, Fly +28, Knowledge (history) +28, Knowledge (nobility) +28, Knowledge (planes) +28, Knowledge (religion) +28, Perception +31, Sense Motive +36, Spellcraft +28
Languages Celestial, Draconic, courtly mortal tongues; telepathy 120 ft.

Special Abilities

Auspicious Presence (Su). Creatures within 60 feet that attempt to make an attack must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or lose the attack action. Creatures fighting in clear self-defence, defending innocents, or resisting a clearly monstrous threat gain a +4 bonus on this save. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Imperial Rebuke (Su). As a standard action, the Fenghuang targets one creature within 120 feet. The target must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or take 15d6 points of nonlethal damage and be unable to command allies, use fear effects, or activate compulsion effects for 1 round. A creature that rules through fraud, oathbreaking, magical domination, or mass slaughter takes lethal damage instead. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Radiant Wingbeat (Su). As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, the Fenghuang beats its wings, dealing 12d6 points of sacred damage to chosen enemies within 30 feet and knocking them prone. A DC 27 Reflex save halves the damage and negates the prone effect. Sacred damage from this ability is supernatural energy and is not fire damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Sacred Plumage (Su). A creature that strikes the Fenghuang with a natural weapon or non-reach melee weapon takes 2d6 points of sacred damage. Evil creatures take 4d6 points instead.

Song of Peaceful Dominion (Su). Three times per day, the Fenghuang may sing as a full-round action. Creatures of its choice within 120 feet must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or become fascinated and unable to take hostile actions for 1 minute. Affected creatures receive a new save if attacked. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

True Seeing (Su). A Fenghuang continuously benefits from true seeing. This is already included in its spell-like abilities and senses.

Ecology

Environment sacred mountains, imperial courts, celestial gardens
Organization solitary
Treasure none, or sacred remains

Notes

For stricter 3.5e tables, treat “sacred damage” as divine supernatural damage. It is not fire damage and does not represent ordinary light or flame.

Fenghuang 3.0e

This immense bird of prey is over 100 feet long from the top of its multicolored crown to the tip of its finned, fishlike tail. Its wings span nearly 200 feet. It is covered in feathers of red, blue, green, orange, and yellow, while black and white stripes run the length of its body.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

Also known as the oriental phoenix, the feng huang is among the greatest of avian creatures. Fully aware of its beauty and power, the feng huang is self-centered and arrogant.

Although rarely encountered on the Material Plane, feng huang generally make their elaborate nests of spun gold and silver high atop massive ornamental trees in remote areas of other planes. Feng huang are not bothered by extreme temperatures or weather, so they can reside in nearly any environment.

Feng huang are herbivorous, feeding mostly on flowers and bamboo, and prefer to drink sweet beverages, such as fruit juices or honey-filled waters. They covet treasure, particularly gems.

Feng huang are extremely rare. A female feng huang lays only one egg each year, and each such egg has only 1% chance of hatching.

Much larger than the standard phoenix, a feng huang’s bill and neck are shorter in proportion to its body.

A feng huang can speak with any creature with a language, thanks to its tongue ability, and with any avian creature (even those without languages).

COMBAT

A feng huang prefers to avoid combat, but fights aggressively if provoked. It prefers to rely on its spell-like and supernatural abilities rather than resorting to melee combat.

Animate Fire (Su): As a standard action, a feng huang can transform a normal fire into an equivalently-sized fire elemental under its control. After 10 minutes, the elemental reverts to a normal fire.

Breath Weapon (Su): Once per round, 50-foot line, damage 3d10 fire, Reflex DC 27 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Control Flames (Su): As a standard action, a feng huang can pyrokinetically control the intensity or movements of one fire source. This functions exactly like the control flames psionic power, treating the feng huang as a 20th-level manifester for determining the power’s effects.

Control Temperature (Su): As a swift action, a feng huang can raise or lower the temperature by 10 degrees in a 100-foot-radius centered on itself. Subsequent uses of this ability stack, so it could, for example, raise the temperature by a total of 20 degrees after two rounds.

remove disease (Su): With the touch of its wings, a feng huang can remove any disease instantly, even those of a magical nature or requiring a caster level check (such as mummy rot).

Defensive Aura (Su): A feng huang has a +5 deflection bonus to Armor Class. This ability is always in effect.

Flame Storm (Su): Twice per day, a feng huang can unleash a deadly cloud of flame in a 20-foot-high, 15-foot-radius spread. Each creature in the area takes 40d6 points of fire damage (Reflex DC 27 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Melt Weapons (Ex): Any metal weapon that strikes a feng huang must succeed on a DC 27 Fortitude save or melt away into slag. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rebirth (Su): When a feng huang is reduced to 0 hp, it does not die. Instead, its body disappears in a flash of (harmless) flame and smoke, replaced by a jade-like egg. The egg hatches into a feng huang in 3d10 days, which then magically grows to maturity in one day.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will–dispel magic, invisibility, plane shift;

3/day–fire seeds (DC 21), fire shield, heat metal (DC 17), produce flame, pyrotechnics (DC 17);

1/day–incendiary cloud (DC 23), wall of fire.

Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

After 10 rounds of ritual and preparation– dismissal (DC 20), Dispel Evil (DC 19). Caster level 40th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

The following abilities are always active on the feng huang, as the spells (casterlevel 20th); detect evil, Detect Magic, protection from evil. They can be dispelled, but the feng huang can reactivate them as a free action.

Spit Flame (Su): As a standard action, a feng huang can spit two balls of fire to a range of x feet. This requires a ranged touch attack, and deals 2d10 points of fire damage on a successful hit.

tongues (Su): A feng huang can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level 20th). This ability is always active. It can also speak normally with any avians.

Originally appeared in Test of the Samurai (1989).