Ash Phoenix

Large undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 15
Hit Points 105 (14d10 + 28)
Speed 0 ft., fly 90 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	20 (+5)	15 (+2)	8 (–1)	14 (+2)	9 (–1)

Saving Throws Wis +5
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +8
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages —
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• False Appearance. While the ash phoenix hovers and remains motionless, except for drifting on air currents, it is indistinguishable from a normal cloud of ash and smoke.
• Rejuvenation. If the ash phoenix’s birth site hasn’t been purified by holy rites, a destroyed ash phoenix gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hp and becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of its birth site.
• Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the ash phoenix can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
• Wind Weakness. While in an area of strong wind (at least 20 miles per hour), the ash phoenix has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The ash phoenix makes two ash talon attacks. If both attacks hit the same target, the phoenix plunges its beak into the target, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The ash phoenix regains hp equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.
• Ash Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
• Ash Storm (Recharge 5–6). The ash phoenix furiously beats its wings, throwing clinging ash into a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 28 (8d6) necrotic damage and is blinded until the end of its next turn. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t blinded.

ABOUT

A massive raptor made of ash and shadow screeches as it dives, its eyes like glowing coals. Impossibly, it stops its dive mere feet from the ground, and its powerful wings whip up ash that carries the chill of the grave.

Ash phoenixes are the animated ashes of mass funerary pyres, which seek the eradication of all life around their birth pyres.

Cremated Birth. For an ash phoenix to be created, a group of humanoids must be burned in a mass pyre in an area tainted with necrotic energy, and the blood of a magical avian, such as an august rooster (see page 33) or firebird (Tome of Beasts, p. 201), must be mixed into the pyre as it smolders. Necromancers often follow the armies of warring nations in secret, with the blood of a magical bird in hand, for the chance to create such powerful undead. Unfortunately for the necromancers who create them, ash phoenixes are nearly impossible to control, often leaving the creator as the phoenix’s first victim.

Disturbed Souls. The creation of the ash phoenix disrupts the natural passage of souls into the afterlife, infusing the phoenix with the angry spirits. The presence of these spirits gives the ash phoenix some level of intelligence but also drives it to seek vengeance against all living creatures. Ash phoenixes never stray more than a few miles from their birthplace and are reborn in those same ashes each time they are slain. To end an ash phoenix’s reign in a region, the original site where it was created must be purified and the souls properly put to rest, usually through performing burial rites and casting the hallow spell at the site.

Undead Nature. The ash phoenix doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.