Dark Phoenix (CR 15)

This immense bird seems to be made of living black and purple flame. It spreads its wings and gives vent to a musical cry as it takes to the air. 

XP 51,200

NE Gargantuan magical beast (fire)

Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect magic, detect poison, low-light vision, see invisibility; Perception +37

Aura shroud of hellfire (20 ft., 4d6 hellfire, DC 25)

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +14 natural, –4 size)

hp 210 (20d10+100); regeneration 10 (cold or good)

Fort +17, Ref +19, Will +14

Defensive Abilities self-resurrection; DR 15/good; Immune fire SR 26

Weaknesses vulnerable to cold

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (good)

Melee 2 talons +24 (2d6+8/19–20 plus 1d6 hellfire) and bite +24 (2d8+8 plus 1d6 hellfire)

Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th)

   Constant—detect magic, detect poison, see invisibility

   At will—continual flame, cure critical wounds, greater dispel magic, remove curse, wall of fire

   3/day—fire storm (DC 24), greater restoration, heal, mass cure critical wounds, quickened wall of fire

STATISTICS

Str 27, Dex 25, Con 20, Int 23, Wis 22, Cha 22

Base Atk +20; CMB +32; CMD 50

Feats Blinding Critical, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Critical(talon), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, 

Quicken Spell-Like Ability (wall of fire)

Skills Acrobatics +30, Diplomacy +26, Fly +28,Intimidate +26, Knowledge (nature plus any one other) +26, Perception +37, Sense Motive 

+26;Racial Modifiers +8 Perception

Languages Auran, Celestial, Common, Ignan

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Self-Resurrection (Su) 

A slain dark phoenix remains dead for only 1d4 rounds unless its body is completely destroyed by an effect such as disintegrate. Otherwise, a fully healed dark phoenix emerges from the remains 1d4 rounds after death, as if brought back to life via resurrection. The dark phoenix gains 1 permanent negative level when this occurs, although most use greater restoration to remove this negative level as soon as possible. A dark phoenix can self-resurrect only once per year. If a dark phoenix dies a second time before that year passes, its death is permanent. A dark phoenix that dies within the area of a desecrate spell cannot self-resurrect until the desecrate effect ends, at which point the dark phoenix immediately resurrects. A dark phoenix brought back to life by other means never gains negative levels as a result. 

Shroud of Hellfire (Su) 

A dark phoenix can cause its feathers to burst into hellfire as a free action. As long as its feathers are burning, it inflicts an additional 1d6 points of hellfire damage with each natural attack, and any creature within reach (20 feet for most dark phoenixes) must make a DC 25 Reflex save each round to avoid taking 4d6 points of hellfire damage at the start of its turn. Half the damage is fire damage, but the other half results directly from unholy power and is therefore not subject to being reduced by resistance to fire-based attacks. A creature that attacks the dark phoenix with natural or non-reach melee weapons takes 1d6 points of hellfire damage (no save) with each successful hit. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

ECOLOGY

Environment warm deserts and hills; the Plane of Hell

Organization solitary

Treasure none

The dark phoenix is the evil counterpart of the legendary bird of fire. While it can be found in the most remote parts of the desert, it also can be found in the deep recesses of Hell. Like their counterparts, these birds are known to be great scholars, and many villainous seekers of rare lore search out particular dark phoenixes for advice. Yet, like the phoenix, it is the dark phoenix's ability to rebirth itself from its own dead body for which the creature is best known.

The dark phoenix is a malevolent creature, aiding those who do evil only a whim and actively harming those who do good.