[3.5] Ghostly Advice

[Gandariel]

Hi everyone, in the campaign i'm playing in i'm a recently dead Sorcerer (13th level, if it matters).

I died in the last session, and the GM proposed me (plot reasons) to be revived as a Lich. I looked over it, and found the Ghost much more fun and asked him to get that.

He agreed, so next session (which will be in a few weeks, so no pressure) i'll get back as a Ghost of a 12th level sorcerer. (the template gives +2 CR, and the rest of the party is level 14)

While i do find awesome the idea of being a ghost, i'd have a few enquiries:

I can be seen normally, right?
When i'm NOT manifesting, can i use my ghost powers? (telekinesis, the sight thing)
When i'm not manifesting, can i talk to people or interact with them in any fashion?
What action does it take to manifest? how long does that last?
Can i manifest while, for example, i am passing through a wall?
Can i pass through walls while manifesting?
Can i ever cast touch spells? ( even while manifesting)

How about items? i know i get back what i had in life plus 2d4 items i cared about.
What if i want more than that though? will i ever be able to switch my gear? or upgrade it at least? are there rules for that?

Also, i was told i'll likely have to travel through a few planes in the future. How does that affect my ghostlyness?

Thank you in advance, and sorry for the mass of questions

[Kelb_Panthera]

Unless your DM is making a houseruling, you have a level adjustment of +5.

CR is only used for determining how dangerous a creature is. It doesn't interact with character progression at all.

Unless you're manifesting, you're entirely on the ethereal plane and you're a corporeal presence there. No one on the material can see or hear you, and you cannot interact with the material plane in anyway except to observe what's going on around you. Even that's limited to 30ft in all directions for both vision and hearing.

Manifesting is a standard action (any SU ability that doesn't otherwise list an action to activate defaults to a standard action) and it puts you partially on the material plane as an incorporeal presence there. You simultaneously maintain your corporeal presence on the ethereal.

While manifest you can move through solid objects as long as they're no deeper than your own fighting space, barring certain magical effects. Note that's objects, not creatures. You can still move into solid objects that are too thick to move through, but you cannot move any deeper than your fighting space into the object.

You can pass through creatures completely unimpeded regardless of their size barring certain magical effects.

An incorporeal creature can deliver incorporeal touch attacks freely, but normal touch attacks are impossible against non-ethereal targets.

The various ghost abilites, except for malevolence, work equally well on ethereal or material targets as long as the ghost is manifest but only effect ethereal targets when he is not. The same goes for spells.

The easiest way to handle equipment is to find a way to get it placed on the ethereal. Then you can simply pick it up and use it normally without it interfering with any of your abilities as a ghost or special concerns.

If this is not possible, then you can take the ghostly grasp feat from libris mortis to physically interact with things on the material. Note that if you're wearing corporeal gear by using this feat, it will limit your ability to pass through solid objects on the material.

The last resort is to buy ghost-touch arms and armor, but being a sorcerer this option isn't particularly useful.

Passing through any planar portal should put you fully and corporeally on that plane.

[Gavinfoxx]

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1118.0

You should totally read that!

[limejuicepowder]

1) Explaining manifesting should answer a lot of your questions. When a ghost is not manifested, they exist entirely on the ethereal plane. This means they can observe what happens on the material one, since the ethereal perfectly overlaps it, but they cannot interact with it in any way (great way to spy btw, since I'm pretty sure the ghost can even hear what happens on the material plane, but there's no way that I know of that the ghost could be detected). Powers are freely available, they are just only effect the plane the ghost is on at the time.

A non-manifested ghost cannot be effected by anything on material plane, unless it caries the force descriptor. For example, a ghost in the radius of a forceball (fireball converted to force damage) would be hurt by it - note though that the material caster would have no way to know the ghost was there.

Even if the ghost uses a force effect, they still cannot effect the material place, as force effects extend to the ethereal from the material, but not vice-versa.

When a ghost manifests (if it doesn't say it's a standard action), they are now partially on the material plane. They can now be seen, be effected, and create effects on the material plane. Due to being incorporeal, non-magically effects/attacks targeting the ghost (or just existing in the ghost's space) fail to effect the ghost 100% of the time. Magical effects/attacks fail 50% of the time. However, ghost's spells and effects do not have the chance of failure, including touch spells.

Note that they still have a fly speed, and being incorporeal they can move through solid objects as they please. A manifested ghost still exists on the ethereal plane, so they could theoretically be attacked in both planes at the same time.

2) Ghostly items are a whole 'nother can of worms, since the ghost description contradicts itself rather badly. In one section they say the ghost maintains it's appearance and 2d4 of their items, but in another it says that if a ghost's real-world item is moved, it fades away (angering the ghost). Since I can't imagine your body was left completely untouched, including your wealth of items, according to the second rule you should be naked (literally). Work something out with your DM that seems reasonable to both of you.

As far as new items go, they have to have the ghostly enchantment, allow incorporeal creatures to use them. Ghostly weapons and armor are easily enough, but I'm not so sure about ghostly wands, scrolls, and wondrous items (which is what a sorc would be interested in). Again, work something out with your DM.

3) I have no idea how a ghost would interact with other planes, and I don't think there are RAW rules for it either. I would rule something like this: the ghost can go to other planes as easily as material creatures can, assuming the mode of transportation can effect them (plane shift, etc). Once there, use the normal manifestation rules. However, if the ghost demanifests, they return to the ethereal plane and cannot go back to the plane they were on without another plane shifting method.

Edit: Not only was I too slow, it looks like I got a couple of things wrong. Ignore me :)

[Kelb_Panthera]

@limejuice: MM page 315 says supernatural abilities require a standard action to activate unless otherwise noted. Manifestation has no activation note, therefore it's a standard action to activate.

You got a little dyslexic on your explanation of force effects. Force effects extend from the material to the ethereal but not vice-versa. You also forgot, though so did I, to mention that some abjurations explicitly effect the ethereal plane when cast on the material.

[limejuicepowder]

@limejuice: MM page 315 says supernatural abilities require a standard action to activate unless otherwise noted. Manifestation has no activation note, therefore it's a standard action to activate.

You got a little dyslexic on your explanation of force effects. Force effects extend from the material to the ethereal but not vice-versa. You also forgot, though so did I, to mention that some abjurations explicitly effect the ethereal plane when cast on the material.

I think I said both of those things...."if it doesn't say it's a standard action,"
and "force effects extend to the ethereal from the material," (i.e., source is the material and it also effects the ethereal).

Yes I was a little unclear on both.

[Gandariel]

Thanks for all the replies =)

Another question: How can a ghost be spotted while NOT manifesting?
true seeing?

[Kelb_Panthera]

Thanks for all the replies =)

Another question: How can a ghost be spotted while NOT manifesting?
true seeing?
True seeing works. See invisibility does it too. Certain other spells that change your vision can do it if they've got the transdimensional spell metamagic applied to them.

[Mato]

Ghostly Grab from Ghostwalk allows you, the ghost, to use any mundane object as you deem fit while manifested.

To paint a picture. Think of the movie Ghost. Little mental effort and you can pick up pennies or better yet, Wands of murderous fun. Just remember newly acquired items used in this manner remain corporeal, when you unmanifest or move into an object they can't follow with you.