From LSWiki

Contents 1 Bonding Requirements 2 Known Abilities 2.1 Petting the familiar 2.2 Attribute Modifications 2.3 Specialty Bonuses 2.3.1 Tier 1 2.3.2 Tier 2 2.3.3 Tier 3 2.3.4 Tier 4 2.3.5 Tier 5 2.3.6 Tier 6 2.4 Charms 2.5 Additional Bonuses and Powers 2.5.1 Traits granted

Bonding Requirements

"Resilient form" and "fiery spirit" - it appears that some combination of Courage, Resilience, Steadiness, and possibly Pain Tolerance meets the first requirement. Discipline and Tenacity may be other alternatives, but were not required (bonded at zero skill in one case). A large amount of Fire Affinity sufficed for the second requirement, although Twilight has stated there are other means of satisfying that. Phaethon are the obvious choice for bonding this familiar easily, although there are certainly many other combinations that can work just as well.

NB: judging from the Empathic Bonds Book, it seems very likely that this familiar favors the Fire Affinity skill with respect to bond strength improvement. It may be worthwhile to specialize it to a high degree.

Known Abilities

The majestic phoenix is an enchanted avian beast that can be found in Darkhold's dungeon, or possibly other places. It is a ferocious combatant with its deadly beak and claws, and it has wings made of fire, with which it can also attack. It breathes air, and the flames surrounding its body emit significant light. The phoenix is magificently agile and tough, with a large amount of resistance to mundane damage, and when struck it inflicts fire damage on contact. It has a carnivorous diet.

NB: the light emitted by the phoenix can be a significant downside for a character with any degree of light sensitivity.

Petting the familiar

You pet Tempest with your bony right hand.
Your bony right hand is singed by contact with Tempest's orange fire, though 
you are largely unaffected by the attack.

This inflicts a small amount of fire damage on contact. Note that with enough fire affinity, this stops applying damage, although it does still exercise the fire affinity skill for training purposes.

Attribute Modifications

The phoenix familiar grants its consort a large bonus to constitution and charisma.

Specialty Bonuses

Bonus specialty degrees and access are provided as follows:

Tier 1

• Fire Affinity
• Biofeedback
• Recuperation
• Regeneration
• Stamina

Tier 2

• Anatomy
• Diagnosis
• First Aid
• Pyromancy
• Empathy

Tier 3

• Channeling
• Sky Fieldcraft

Tier 4

• Homeopathy
• Intimidation

Tier 5

• Courage

At "very healthy" bond strength, the first tier bonus specialties are increased to 2.

Tier 6

• Supernal Durability NB: a bonus spec is granted at "very healthy" bond strength, but 2 access is available immediately on bonding

At "robust" bond strength, all of the second tier bonus specialties are increased to 2.

At "resilient" bond strength, all of the third tier bonus specialties are increased to 2

Charms

• Urge

Shortly after:

• Call
• Send

At "somewhat frail" bond strength:

• Kinsee

At "fairly healthy" bond strength:

• Convert spell points into Elemental Fire resource energy
• Renew, a self-only healing effect; be aware this charm costs 50 Elemental Fire resource energy rather than spell points

At "robust" bond strength:

• The ability to summon a fire spirit. To do this, concentrate on summoning a fire spirit.

Additional Bonuses and Powers

At "fairly healthy" bond strength, a new attack maneuver called "Gout of White-Hot Flame" is granted. The attack requires elemental fire energy obtained by the Convert charm, also granted at the same tier.

Traits granted

At "fairly healthy" bond strength, the consort is granted the Luminescence trait, which grows with bond strength. Be aware that for a character with any degree of light sensitivity, this is a significant liability rather than a benefit.