How I Claimed the Phoenix Heart in Divinity: Original Sin 2

I still remember the first time I wandered into that quiet little forest clearing on Reaper’s Coast. I thought I had found just another ornate brazier, and let me tell you, I was not ready for the chaos that followed. The Tongue of Flame sat there, all mysterious and flickering, waiting for someone curious enough to say hello. That curiosity eventually led me to the Phoenix Heart, one of the most rewarding side-quest prizes in Divinity: Original Sin 2.

The quest is called 'A Trial For All Seasons,' and it begins when you speak to the Tongue of Flame at coordinates X: 448, Y: 341 on Reaper’s Coast. When I first chatted with the brazier, it offered me a riddle instead of small talk:

Winter shudders with ice and snow. Autumn rumbles, the sky lit aglow. Summer burns, air fiery as a hearth. Spring quenches, with bloody rebirth.

Around the brazier stand four statues: the Hero of Winter, the Hero of Autumn, the Hero of Summer, and the Hero of Spring. The clever part is that you need to create the right elemental reaction in front of each one. I spent a good while fumbling with spell combos before the statues finally shimmered awake.

Here is how I solved each one:

• ❄️ Hero of Winter: Create an ice surface. I used Hail Strike, but you can also make water first with Rain or a water balloon, then freeze it with Global Cooling.

• ⚡ Hero of Autumn: This one is a little extra. You need an electrified cloud. First create water, then hit it with fire to make a steam cloud, then electrify that cloud with something like Dazing Bolt.

• 🔥 Hero of Summer: A plain fire surface will not cut it—I learned that the hard way. You need a fire cloud. Use Vaporize on a fire surface, or Laser Ray.

• 🩸 Hero of Spring: Blood is the answer. If you have an elf, Flesh Sacrifice does the job instantly. Otherwise, Raining Blood or a quick smack on a party member will provide the surface.

The moment I completed the final step, the Tongue of Flame congratulated me and immediately changed the mood. No more riddles, no more polite brazier chit-chat. Four Challengers emerged from the statues, all primed for battle.

This fight is no walk in the park. Each Challenger is level 14 and immune to the element that woke them. The statues themselves also buff the Challengers at the end of every turn, so the pressure ramps up fast. I had to pay close attention to which defense was weaker on each enemy.

Challenger	Immunity	Lower Defense	Best Approach
Winter	Water	Physical Armor	Physical damage like swords, bows, Necromancer spells
Autumn	Air	Physical Armor	Physical damage, avoid Aerothurge
Summer	Fire	Magic Armor	Elemental damage from Water, Earth, or Air
Spring	Earth	Magic Armor	Magic damage, avoid Geomancer or poison

I made sure my party was stocked with healing items and spells before kicking things off. The Challengers love to throw around Frozen, Burning, and Stunned, and if you cannot remove those effects, your team will be sitting ducks. Healing spells that cleanse status effects saved my run more than once.

Once the dust settled and all four Challengers were down, I spoke to the Tongue of Flame again. A chest materialized nearby with gold, high-value items, and the prize I had come for: the Phoenix Heart.

Here is the kicker: only an elf can learn a spell by consuming flesh. If any other race eats the Phoenix Heart, they will just end up Diseased and very disappointed. If I did not have an elf in my party, I could use the Mask of the Shapeshifter to assume an elf form and still learn the spell.

The Phoenix Heart grants the Pyrokinetic skill Flaming Tongues. When used, it creates a fiery aura around the user for three turns. If an enemy walks into that aura, flames lash out, deal fire damage, and create a fire surface at their feet. I even teleported enemies into the radius just to watch the flames do their thing. It scales with Intelligence and Pyrokinetic skill, so it feels right at home on a fire-focused build.

Even in 2026, this side quest remains one of my favorite memories from Reaper’s Coast. By the time I left that forest, I was bruised, a little singed, and absolutely thrilled. The Phoenix Heart is one of those rewards that makes every failed attempt in Divinity: Original Sin 2 feel worth it. If you are roaming Reaper’s Coast and spot a chatty brazier, do yourself a favor and take the trial seriously.