Base Class: Ranger
Phoenixwardens are rangers who use their magical connection with nature to form an enduring bond with a phoenix. This bond allows the ranger to summon the phoenix to their side and to share in its power.
Phoenix Companion
3rd-Level Phoenixwarden Feature
As an action, you can magically summon the phoenix that is bound to you. It appears in an unoccupied space of your choice within 30 feet of you.
The phoenix is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the accompanying Phoenix Companion stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. Whenever you summon the phoenix, you can determine the cosmetic characteristics of the phoenix, such as any visible effect of its Fiery Essence; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.
In combat, the phoenix shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the phoenix can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
The phoenix remains until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to summon the phoenix again, or until you die. Anything the phoenix was wearing or carrying is left behind when the phoenix vanishes.
Once you summon the phoenix, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to summon it.
Phoenix Companion
Medium Elemental
Armor Class 14 + PB (natural armor)
Hit Points 5 + five times your ranger level (the phoenix has a number of Hit Dice [d10s] equal to your ranger level)
Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft.
Saving Throws Wis +1 plus PB, Cha +2 plus PB
Damage Immunities Fire
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Ignan
Challenge — Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus
Fire Form. While summoned, the phoenix can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. With a touch, the phoenix can also ignite flammable objects that aren't worn or carried (no action required).
Illumination. The phoenix sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet.
Actions
Fiery Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 plus PB to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 plus PB piercing damage plus 1d6 fire damage.
Conflagration. At Will Spell: The phoenix ignites the soul within, self-destructing to cause damage to all creatures within a 60 ft. radius. All creatures within the radius must make a DEX saving throw (DC13). If a failed save, the creature takes fire damage equal to the phoenix's current HP, and half as much on a successful save. The phoenix immediately dies following the effects of this spell, and the owner must make a 1d20 roll (DC10) to keep their bond strong. If the DC is failed, the owner loses their ability to summon and communicate with the phoenix for 1d6 days.
Phoenix Companion
You establish a soul connection with your phoenix.
Fiery Gift
3rd-Level Phoenixwarden Feature
The bond you share with your phoenix creates a connection to fire, granting you understanding and empowering your presence. You gain the following benefits:
Control Flames. You learn the control flames cantrip, which is a ranger spell for you.
Phoenix's Cry. You learn to speak, read, and write Ignan or one other language of your choice.
Bond of Flame
7th-Level Phoenixwarden Feature
Having been tempered by fire and heat, the bond you share with your phoenix intensifies, protecting you and stoking the phoenix’s fury. When you summon your phoenix, it now flies at speeds of up to 60 feet.
In addition, while your phoenix is summoned, you and the phoenix gain the following benefits:
Phoenix Mount. The phoenix grows to Large size. Reflecting your special bond, you can use the phoenix as a mount if your size is Medium or smaller. While you are riding your phoenix, it can only go up to a flying speed of 60 feet.
Improved Talons. The phoenix’s Fiery Talons attack deals an extra 1d6 piercing and fire damage.
Enkindle. You gain resistance to all fire damage.
Phoenix's Inferno
11th-Level Phoenixwarden Feature
As an action, you can extend a 30-foot cone of damaging flames or cause your phoenix to extend it. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
This damage increases to 10d6 when you reach 15th level in this class.
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher to use it again.
Perfected Bond
15th-Level Phoenixwarden Feature
Your bond to your phoenix reaches the pinnacle of its power. While your phoenix is summoned, you and the phoenix gain the following benefits:
Pinnacle Talons. The phoenix’s Fiery Talons attack deals an extra 1d6 piercing and fire damage (for a total of 2d6 extra damage).
Huge Phoenix. The phoenix grows to Huge size. When you ride your phoenix, its flying speed is no longer restricted by Bond of Flame. Your phoenix can now carry 1 person at a flying speed of 120 feet, 2 people at a flying speed of 60 feet, or 3 people at a flying speed of 40 feet.
Blazing Kinship. When either you or the phoenix makes a saving throw while you’re within 30 feet of each other, you can use your reaction to give yourself or the phoenix advantage to that saving throw instance. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
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Posted Jun 27, 2022Thank you so much! I really appreciate that! :) I recently got Fizban's and was inspired by the Drakewarden subclass for Rangers. I'd seen similar homebrew subclasses, but always felt like something was missing or not quite right and got OP very quickly. Tried to balance this to be similar to Drakewarden, while still giving it some flare to make it its own thing since unlike Drakewarden, this specializes solely in fire damage/resistance rather than having that versatility to choose. One of my players has always been super interested in phoenix's and really wanted one as a beast companion, so I took a couple of days to throw the concept together. This is my first actual homebrew subclass, so I'm sure there's some tweaking to be done as I experiment with it in my own campaigns, but for now I think it works decently lol.
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Posted Jun 27, 2022i like this quite a bit. its well written seems balanced and could be a lot of fun