(PF) Fun with True Mind Switch

[facelessminion]

So, due to shenanegins, my character has been able to get ahold of the corpse of a rather powerful daemon, and has a gem of True Mindswitch, as per the dreamscarred psionics version. The daemons ability scores, and general awesome nature, have me rather badly wanting to co-opt it.

The question is this: what is the most reliable way to bring the daemon's body back to life so it can be swapped? Would anyone be able to think of something that would restore a body to life without returning the soul, to avoid any saves altogether?

Thusfar I am thinking a properly worded wish would do the job, but I would prefer a method that is less fiddly.

[Zweisteine]

First, be absolutely certain that the daemon you have is a viable target for True Mind Switch.

Can you bring the daemon back to life at all? Don't forget that only top-tier spells can do that to outsiders...

I'm not quite sure how those greater spells (outside True Resurrection) go about reviving outsiders, but I think it's safe to assume that you could bring it back in an unconscious state (or close enough that another party member with a readied action could knock it out).

From there, you have the problem of getting it to surrender its body.

The best course of action I can think of is to take control of it (unless it's immune). Dominate Monster seems to be the best (possible only) option. Just cast it until it fails its save. Mind Fog could help with that.


The real problem will be deciding whether to keep the daemon alive in your body or not. One way, it could become a liability or a dangerous (i.e. recurring) enemy, the other way, you lose two levels.

[Erik Vale]

... You wish to become a Daemon?
I want you to carefully reconsider whether you want to jump in the body of a creature that is known to exist only to devour souls and destroy everything, and as such is universally hated, by everything in existence other than other daemons, with them not even being particularly friendly.

Just making sure we're on the same page.

[Jack_Simth]

Dominate Monster, order it to fail the save, then kill your original clay and fetch yourself a couple of Restoration spells. Alternately, use Enervation very carefully to reduce the target to only a very small number of effective hit dice, then proceed with the above.

[facelessminion]

... You wish to become a Daemon?
I want you to carefully reconsider whether you want to jump in the body of a creature that is known to exist only to devour souls and destroy everything, and as such is universally hated, by everything in existence other than other daemons, with them not even being particularly friendly.

Just making sure we're on the same page.

Very much on the same page, yes. Mind you, the character already has some ways to avoid detection, but still.

As far as the resurrection though, I am wondering if there are any ways to revive the body without even worrying about saves. At the moment, I have a silly wombo-combo that I feel would be feasible, but would like verification on... Psychic Reformation is available for this, to swap around the class levels:

1. The Undead Sorcerer bloodline allows you to cause mind effecting powers to affect former humanoids.
2. Use Polymorph Any Object to change the daemon into a human zombie.
3. Mind switch, then ride out the Polymorph duration, at which point one dies temporarily, as the zombie is changed back into a corpse
4. Ally uses True Resurrection

It seems a bit convoluted, but would guaruntee that the target didn't have any chance to resist.


EDIT: In retrospect, I suppose that just flat out using Polymorph Any Object to transform the corpse into a (very temporarily) live humanoid would be simpler,

[Jack_Simth]

EDIT: In retrospect, I suppose that just flat out using Polymorph Any Object to transform the corpse into a (very temporarily) live humanoid would be simpler,
...especially as you can't do templates (like Zombies) with PaO in 3.5, and PF apparently lacks the ability to do anything of the undead type with shape changing magics.

[MonochromeTiger]

...especially as you can't do templates (like Zombies) with PaO in 3.5, and PF apparently lacks the ability to do anything of the undead type with shape changing magics.

actually, http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/u/undead-anatomy-i lets a wizard or sorcerer take an undead form similar to how beast shape lets them take an animal one. or perhaps I'm misunderstanding you, entirely possible, really tired.

[Jack_Simth]

actually, http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/u/undead-anatomy-i lets a wizard or sorcerer take an undead form similar to how beast shape lets them take an animal one. or perhaps I'm misunderstanding you, entirely possible, really tired.

No, you're right; I missed that one. Still, nothing I've seen in the Pathfinder line seems to grant you the ability to do that to other critters, which is what you'd need here.

[Segev]

It wouldn't be permanent, but Magic Jar can let you take over even an undead body.

[CSeiberlin]

If my memory isn't faulty there is a HD limit with True Mind switch equal to caster level. Assuming it's in a powerstone if the daemon has more than 17 HD it's a no go (very likely if it had class levels).

On the fluff side of things there are two major issues. Hrm...maybe three. The first is the target of the resurrection 'knows' the alignment of the caster of the resurrection spell and may choose to refuse the rezz (pretty sure both those are in the rules or discussion somewhere). There might be other resurrection fluff out there that the DM can easily grandfather in if nothing else. However, it probably would not get a choice if 'wished' back to life.

As a side note most beefy otherplaners have some sort of teleport SLA so you'll want to lockdown the local area before rezzing.

The second may be fluff used in your campaign but it's been a D&D standard so it can be easily grandfathered in if not official paizo.... when a lower play demon\devil\etc dies off of it's homeplane its spirit goes back to hell and is exiled from visiting the Prime for a set period of time. The daemon may not be dead (and no longer a valid target despite having its husk). If you really want a daemon chassis your best bet would probably be to capture it alive.

If killed on it's homeplane it is 'dead dead' rather than mostly dead.... but if your DM is a bit of theological metaphysician he could still block a rezz on the basis that daemons (and other personifications of sin, virtue, or other traits) have no souls and are not valid targets as spirits that are recycled back into the essence of their homeplane (no afterlife no rezz;-). Probably best to just capture a live target.

Anyway, third issue is most if not all lower plane manifesting spirits have a 'boss' (unless it's the top tier of the food chain). Pretty standard trope...the boss will have a claim on its slave. If a mortal soul happens to be the current inhabitant of its slave... very easy story hook for a DM to tell a tragic story with the fate of your PC as the punchline. Might be a cool story but odds should be very good the character will be taking a handbasket somewhere straight out of the campaign.

I'd probably look for a bbeg at the end of an adventure (not campaign) and try for a capture. Especially bbeg's that are tough solos... their stats are almost always inflated (avoid caster bbeg....a nice Warduke type boss would be perfect).