Mechanical way to represent the angel and devil on the shoulder

[Nettlekid]

The very first D&D character idea that I ever had but never played was an Elan who had once been a human who wished to become a Paladin, but was rejected by the gods. He sought dark powers and made a bargain with a demon who laid claim to his soul and became a fearsome Blackguard, only to be frozen by wizards and revived years later as a weak and feeble shadow of a man. An order of Elan Psions gave him the chance to live a new life in a new body, and in rebuilding him as an Elan they implanted a voice of goodness within him to guide him from the sins of his past. The demon is still with him as well, but isn't sure if it still has claim to his soul, or if the soul is even the same one. So the character is True Neutral, while absentmindedly being Lawful Good or Chaotic Evil if he doesn't focus and the opposing forces in his mind take control.

This is mostly just roleplay stuff, which is fine, but I'd love if there was some mechanical way to play this out. Like with internal grafts, or some item (maybe refluffing Schism and Personality Parasite (on that note, can Schism be used more than once? Either by the main mind, or by the Schism manifesting Schism again?)) or something. It would be neat to have a mechanical effect from the cliche angel and devil on the shoulder.

[Grod_The_Giant]

What exactly do you want when you say "mechanical effect?"


If you could somehow pick up two familiars, or a familiar and a psycrystal, you could literally have things sitting on your shoulders and talking to you.
Complete Psionic has "host" feats, where you derive benefits from having some kind of psychic spirit sitting in your mind-- could be helpful.
A few levels of binder, perhaps-- bind contradictory vestiges and intentionally fail the saves against their influence?
Deformity (Madness) seems to fit the bill fluff wise, although it's both [evil] and [vile]. You can follow up with Reflexive Psychosis for more "I'm so crazy I get mechanical benefits" stuff.
Live My Nightmare from UA might also be vaguely fitting-- it's one of the Spelltouched feats.

[Jack_Simth]

Well, if you're playing a Sorcerer or Wizard, and Dragon Magazine is allowed, Dragon 280 has the Extra Familiar feat (page 62). Combine with Improved Familiar, and you can have a (minor) angel and a (minor) demon on your shoulders... eventually. Like, say, a Lantern Archon (CR 1, LG, quite suitable for your needs and fitting of being an Improved Familiar, although not on the explicit list) and a Quasit (CR 2, CE, on the explicit list).

[Nettlekid]

I meant more metaphorically, so that he just kind of has mood swings or just absentmindedly helps people or kicks puppies without really thinking about it. I didn't really want a literal creature on his shoulder, although if there was something like a parasite then that would work.

By mechanical way, I just meant having a feat or something that would actually suggest "He has mood swings" as opposed to just roleplaying it. Those Host feats are almost perfect, having Antagonist and Pacifist at the same time suggests being pulled in two different directions. So that works quite well. The only thing that would make it even better would be something almost exactly the same, but one flavored demonically and one flavored celestially. But I don't know if such things exist.

[Lonely Tylenol]

The Kalashtar race in Eberron Campaign Setting is very similar to an Elan, minus the agelessness, and also has a split mind (which can be VERY easily roleplayed into an effectively split personality).

[Nettlekid]

The Kalashtar race in Eberron Campaign Setting is very similar to an Elan, minus the agelessness, and also has a split mind (which can be VERY easily roleplayed into an effectively split personality).

That is pretty good, but the agelessness is kind of important for the character, as is the whole "rebuilding" thing. Otherwise it would fit very well. Similarly, the Synad with its threefold mind would be absolutely perfect if it could be reborn like an Elan, and was ageless.