Flame Archon
May the fires within me burn for righteousness.
For the flame of hope is ever rekindled,
and the pyre of courage burns on,
and the blaze of intellect spreads outward,
and the inferno of passion overcomes all.
Let the light of my burning spirit be as a lantern to all who are in darkness.
--Ancient Prayer, origin unknown
Flame archons are the incarnations of the fires of the spirit, if the word "incarnations" can be applied to creatures with so little body. Physically, they resemble small flames, as might be found on candles. Like all archons, they fight tirelessly for justice, but rather than confront evil directly, flame archons prefer to teach and inspire.
| Size/Type: | Tiny Outsider ( Good, Law, Fire ) |
| Hit Dice: | 3d8 (13 hp) |
| Initiative: | 7 |
| Speed: | fly 60 ft. (perfect) |
| Armor Class: | 19 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 16 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | 3/-9 |
| Attack: | Slam +1 melee (1d6 fire) or ray +8 ranged (4d6 fire) |
| Full Attack: | Slam +1 melee (1d6 fire) or ray +8 ranged (4d6 fire) |
| Space/Reach: | 2½ ft./0 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Fire Cone |
| Special Qualities: | Illumination; Heavenfire; Aura of Hope; Aura of Courage; DR 10/evil&magic; Tongues (continuous); Aura of Passion; Dwell in the Heart; Fire Transport; Purity of Purpose; Kindle; Spell-like Abilities; Immunities; Vulnerability to Cold |
| Saves: | Fort +3 , Ref +6 , Will +5 |
| Abilities: | Str 2, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 11, Cha 17 |
| Skills: | Diplomacy +9, Disguise (as part of a mundane fire): +11, Gather Information +9, Hide +3, Intimidate +1, Knowledge(history) +9, Knowledge(religion) +9, Knowledge(the planes) +9, Listen +6, Perform(oratory) +9 , Search +9, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6 |
| Feats: | Improved Initiative; Iron Will |
| Environment: | Wherever they are needed |
| Organization: | Solitary (but often accompany humanoids) |
| Challenge Rating: | 3 |
| Treasure: | None |
| Alignment: | Always Lawful Good |
| Advancement: | By class level |
| Level Adjustment: | +3 |
Illumination(su): A Flame Archon's body always glows, providing illumination comparable to a candle. This takes effect even in magical darkness. The light causes a -10 penalty to hide checks, but grants a +10 bonus to disguise checks to resemble a natural fire. Flame archons only use this disguise at dire necessity.
Heavenfire(su): Whenever a Flame Archon creates fire or enables others to create fire, that fire qualifies as good for bypassing damage reduction and ignores fire resistance or immunity from creatures with the evil descriptor.
Aura of Courage/Hope(su): Allies within 60 ft of a Flame Archon gain a +8 morale bonus on saves against fear and despair. Any ally already suffering from a fear or despair effect who comes within the aura gets a fresh save attempt.
Aura of Passion(su): Allies within 60 ft of a Flame Archon gain their choice of a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls or +2d6 fire damage. This stacks with any other morale boosts the flame archon grants (via class levels or similar).
Dwell in the Heart(su): As a move action, a flame archon can enter a good, willing, living, adjacent creature. Leaving is also a move action. While inside, the archon can no longer move or attack independently (he still gets actions normally, they are just very constrained), but the host gains certain advantage:
- The archon and the host can communicate telepathically.
- The host may use the archon's skill modifiers in place of his own if they are higher.
- The host gains the Smite Evil ability of a paladin of his hit dice. If he already has paladin levels, they stack (so a single-classed paladin would smite as a paladin of twice his level).
- The host becomes immune to fear, despair, and fire
If the host dies or commits an evil act, the flame archon is cast out and is stunned for one round.
Fire Transport(su): A flame archon may teleport to any place he knows on whatever plane he is on or the material, celestial or elemental fire plane. If he has a host, the destination may also be one the host knows, and the host plus up to six creatures he is touching go with the archon. Creatures transported this way seem to appear and disappear in a burst of flame.
Purity of Purpose(ex): Flame archons understand that devotion to a cause is not devotion to associated rules and restrictions. They may take classes that require a chaotic or nonlawful alignment.
Kindle(su): If a host wishes, a flame archon can transform the host into another flame archon. The host's body in incinerated, and the host loses one level as if by death and resurrection as a portion of his soul is burned to power the transformation. The host loses all physical aspects of his former race, and gains one level of flame archon (see Flame Archons as a Class). If this brings the host's strength score under 1, it is set to 1.
Spell-like Abilities(su): at will: detect good, detect evil, freedom of movement, endure elements, atonement; 3/day: heal. If atonement has an xp cost, the cost is payed by the recipient (who is intuitively aware of this and must consent or the spell fails). A flame archon counts as a cleric of all good deities for this purpose.
Fire Cone(su): A flame archon can create a cone of fire 30 ft long that does 3d6 damage. A reflex save (dc 13, con based) halves this damage.
Immunities (ex): Flame archons are immune to fire, electricity, piercing, slashing, fear, despair, and petrification
Vulnerability to Cold(ex): Flame archons take double damage from cold.
Flame Archons as a Class:
| Level | Hit Dice | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Skill | CR | Special |
|---|
| 1 | 1d8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | (8 + int) x 4 | 1/2 | Fly 30ft (perfect); at will detect evil, detect good; str -8; immunities; vulnerability to cold; illumination |
| 2 | 1d8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | Dex +2; Int +2; Cha +2; Heavenfire; Fire Ray 2d6; Fire Bash; Aura of Hope; Aura of Courage |
| 3 | 2d8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 + int | 1 | natural armor +2; Fly 60ft (perfect); DR 10/evil&magic; Tongues |
| 4 | 2d8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | 2 | Dex +2; Int +2; Cha +2; Fire Ray 4d6; Fire Cone; Aura of Passion |
| 5 | 3d8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 + int | 2 | natural armor +2; Dwell in the Heart; at will: freedom of movement |
| 6 | 3d8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | 3 | Dex +2; Int +2; Cha +2; Fire Transport; at will: endure elements, atonement(*); 3/day: heal; Purity of Purpose; Kindle |
Class Skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Listen, Perform (any), Search, Sense Motive, Spot
Favored Class: bard
Edit: This is my own idea -- no outside source. It was pointed out to me that the other entries were LA:0. I realize that makes for nice playing, but it doesn't really fit this monster, which by its theme demands high-level powers and few hit dice.