The phoenixfolk is a race native to the Runepath setting that predates the setting, itself, as general use, play-by-post. As you can see, this write-up was done for Starfinder. My upcoming question could skew this topic towards conversions, but I feel it belongs here because the race in question is homebrew. Are the lack proficiencies and a feat tree the only things that need changed during conversion?
A lot of the in-built features (eg Flight) would get pulled out and turned into heritages and ancestry feats, based on how the existing ancestries have been built.
Flight would likely end up as a heritage (strong wings) that gives some fall distance reduction with a later feat that turns it into gliding, then full flight as a higher level feat. There's been some discussion in other homebrew races that would have flight (including talk about what the Tengu might look like).
You'll need about 4 total heritages (where a heritage is more biological than societal) and a dozen or so feats that either build off that heritage or provide more societal bonuses (weapon training, etc).
What this means though is that you're likely not going to be able to both fly and have rebirth. They'd both end up as heritages and a player would only be able to select one. And yes, official races have ended up the same way.
Okay. I meant to post their base appearance(s) earlier. Perhaps, they can be worked into the heritages somehow because there are two or three variants available.
The working description of a flameblood phoenixfolk is below. Is 1st-level acquisition of phoenix fire (see below for simplicity) okay, or should it be higher-level?
Flameblood phoenixfolk:
You originally manifested on the Elemental Plane of Fire. Thus, your humanoid subtype is replaced by the elemental and fire subtypes. However, you still take a humanoid form.
In addition, you gain phoenix fire as a bonus feat at 1st-level and vestigial form as a bonus feat at 13th-level.
Phoenix Fire:
As a standard action, for a number of rounds equal to half their character level, a phoenixfolk can shroud themselves in flame, dealing an additional 1d3 points of fire damage with their melee attacks; once used, this ability can only be used again after a 10-minute rest. Alternatively, if the phoenixfolk is third level or higher, once for every three character levels they possess, they can toss this fire as a projectile which deals 1d3 points of fire damage. The phoenixfolk gain a unique weapon specialization with their phoenixfire at 3rd level, allowing them to add 1½ × their character level to their damage rolls for their launched phoenixfire (instead of just adding their character level, as usual). A phoenixfolk may only use one of these abilities per 10-minute rest.
Don't grant the feats automatically. They should just be available as an option with "requirements: flameblood heritage"
As for what the Phoenix Fire feat does...its too complicated. It does two things, which while related, squashes too much into a single feat as well as basically making the abilities work like Focus spells but not being focus spells (and the second ability is both per-day limited, per-ten-minutes limited and limited by using the earlier version of the ability).
Also, the bonus to damage rolls is huge. I think you meant that to be their proficiency on the attack roll (not bonus damage), in which case, its too high. Just state that they are "trained in attack rolls for this ability" and add a rider for improving the proficiency.
I'd make the first part (the 1d3 fire damage with melee attacks) either an always-on ability or an at-will cantrip. The second ability I would split off as a separate feat, remove the restriction on which of the two abilities can be used every ten minutes, and make it a focus spell (granting a standard focus pool and point).
The current flameblood phoenixfolk heritage is below. My one concern is the damage being too high for the last two feats.
Flameblood phoenixfolk
You originally manifested on the Elemental Plane of Fire. Thus, your humanoid subtype is replaced by the elemental and fire subtypes. However, you still take a humanoid form. You speak Primordial (Ignan) as well as Common.
In addition, your melee attacks deal an additional 1d4 points of fire damage, you gain access to the following ancestry feats: flamethrower at 1st-level, vestigial form at 13th-level, and vestigial legend at 17th-level.
Your phoenix fire may be thrown (distance) to deal 1d4 points of fire damage, and you’re trained in attack rolls for this ability. However, you add 1½ × your character level to those rolls, rather than the normal addition of just your character level.
13th-level
Vestigial form Feat 13
Prerequisite: Flameblood phoenixfolk heritage
You may assume the vestigial form of a phoenix created of fire that matches your feathers’ color(s) once per day for the remainder of the day. While in this form, you’re master in attack rolls, to which you add 1½ × your character level—rather than the normal addition of just your character level, with your bite, claw, and wing attacks, which deal 2d10 points of magical fire damage. On a critical hit, they deal and additional 2d4 points of burn damage immediately and 1d4+3 points of persistent burn damage.
You may assume the vestigial form of a phoenix created of fire that matches your feathers’ color(s) once per day for the remainder of the day. While in this form, you’re legendary in attack rolls, to which you add 1½ × your character level—rather than the normal addition of just your character level, with your bite, claw, and wing attacks, which deal 2d12 points of magical fire damage. On a critical hit, they deal and additional 2d6 points of burn damage immediately and 1d6+3 points of persistent burn damage.
If Paizo didn't have an edit timer, this would be going into the post above.
Thanks for the help thus far.
I just realized the heritage system, essentially, disallows the blanket strength flaw because it was, specifically, included to make their flight more realistic. As it stands, "Wingthrasher" is the only heritage that flaw makes sense for. Do you gather the system allows ancestries without flaws as well?
Does anything in the Ashblood's rebirth feat's description below ned reworded? The simple maths works out that two years on Runepath's world equal one Earth year.
After you’ve been slain, you revive after 1d4+1 days in a blaze of flame that deals 1d6 points of fire damage to everyone within 30 feet as long as, at least, your ashes remain, unless you’re revived by miracle, wish, or a method that revives outsiders. Once revived, you take -2 levels and a cumulative -2 penalty to strength, dexterity, and charisma for each time this ability triggers until those negative levels are removed. Additionally, you appear 6 years younger until those levels are removed for each time this ability triggers.
All reductions associated with this halve (-1 level and ability scores as well as 3 years of age) at 9th-level and disappear at 17th-level.
As it stands, "Wingthrasher" is the only heritage that flaw makes sense for. Do you gather the system allows ancestries without flaws as well?
I think its outside the norm, but I suppose you could set up each heritage to have its own specified flaw. *shrug*
TurkeySloth wrote:
Does anything in the Ashblood's rebirth feat's description below ned reworded? The simple maths works out that two years on Runepath's world equal one Earth year.
