[Cainehill]

One problem with the phoenix is that it _will_ cast Shock Wave and kill itself when Immolation is just as viable a spell, and much better in that it's immune to fire.

So in a sense, a phoenix geared to air might be better, if you're planning to, mmm, waste a turn casting magic to become immune to lightning. Or if you're wearing a ring of tamed lightning.

Fire/Air combined makes a very nice phoenix; adding earth makes it even sweeter ( some armor spells, magma bolts, summon earthpower, bladewind, and higher level magma eruption are all very nice ). It's late here, but I think there was another path I had success adding to the phoenix as a third path....