BisectedBrioche
2007-06-24, 12:57 PM
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Protective Spirit (AKA: Guardian Spirits, Protector Ghosts)
This is an acquired template which can be applied to any creature with an intelligence score of 10 or higher and a good or neutral alignment.
A Guardian Spirit is created when a sapiant being is killed in an unpleasant manner (or had their body befouled after death). Rather than bearing a grudge or resentment towards the living they desire only to prevent other beings from sharing their fate. They will normally inhabit the area in which they died (e.g. level of a dungeon, section of a city or a small settlement). They appear as they did in life but have some sign of how they died (e.g. a wound), for this reason they keep themselves invisible in order to avoid frightening the people they are protecting. They will protect anyone regardless of alignment unless they believe that they intend to cause a death in the manner the spirit is trying to prevent.
They gain all the abilities and stat changes of the ghost template plus those listed below. Their alignment is always neutral good regardless of what it was in life. In addition they gain the following abilities;
Greater Invisibility (Sp) A guardian may make itself invisible at will while it manifests, it will usually do this to avoid frightening those it intends to protect.
Suggestion (Sp) Once per hour it may cast suggestion as per the spell as if it was cast by a spellcaster of a level equal to their HD.
Depending on how it died (and thus what type of deaths it intends to prevent) the ghost gains extra abilities (no more than two) to aid it. Below are some examples however the DM may wish to create their own variation for their campaign. The standard naming pattern for a subtype is "___ Spirit".
Unlucky Spirits
These are the ghosts of adventurers who were killed by traps. They try to destroy traps or at least warn anyone who could fall prey to them.
Warning Mark (Sp) The spirit may create a mark on a surface or in the air. It glows bright red (or another colour of the ghost's choice) and anyone who sees it or comes withing 30ft. of it gets a feeling of wariness about whatever it has been scribed to (the area if it was scribed in the air) and gains a +2 bonus to any attempts to avoid, detect, etc traps. A mark is suppressed (but not removed) by an antimagic field. A ghost may have no more than 4 active marks.
Vengeful Victim (Su) The ghost may freely suppress or reactivate the trap which killed them. They may not suppress it for longer than 5 hours and then they must rest for a further hour.
Judicial Spirits
Judicial Spirits are the ghosts of law enforcers who died on duty, the victim of a particularly violent murder or even repentant criminals who were executed for their crimes. They seek to prevent murders and assaults as well as help criminals who they believe have a chance of redeeming themselves.
Shield Other (Sp) As per the spell with a CL equal to the ghost's HD
Weakening Touch (Su) After succeeding on a touch attack the ghost may deal 1d6 strength damage to a target.
Starved Spirits
These are the ghosts of beings who starved to death in the wilderness. They will use their abilities to feed anyone who has no access to food or is otherwise at risk of starving.
Purify Food and Drink (Sp) As per the spell with a CL equal to the spirit's HD.
Create Food and Water (Sp) As per the spell with a CL equal to the spirit's HD.
Separated Spirits
The ghosts of creatures which have had their bodies turned into corporal undead. They seek to destroy undead to give those who have died a chance of resurrection and punish those who would show such disrespect to the dead.
Sanctify Corpse (Su) Once an hour the ghost may protect a corpse from being raised as an undead. Anyone attempting to raise a corpse so protected takes 1d6 wisdom damage and suffers a sudden feeling of immense guilt. This effect lasts as long as the corpse exists
Destroy undead (Su) Once per day the ghost may use its Malevolence ability on a corporal undead creature, after controlling it for 1d6 rounds it may destroy it instantly. If the corpse has been undead for 10 years or less it is returned to the state it was in and can be resurrected as if it was never undead.
Combat
Autoprotective Guardians will only enter combat against those they think will bring about a death in a way they intend to prevent (e.g. Separated Spirits will attack necromancers on sight).
If they think it will work they will manifest, switch off their invisibility and warn their enemy to mend their ways. If the enemy refuses or fails to convince the spirit that they will reform then the guardian will attack.
They prefer to end battles quickly. Above all else they will not do anything which could cause the death of an innocent person, especially in the way they seek to prevent.
In combat they will first try to use their malevolence to control their target (particularly against lone enemies) and force them towards a fitting death. If this fails then they will use their Frightful Moan and any other abilities which would give them an advantage then use their touch and gaze attacks to finish the job.
Protective Spirit (AKA: Guardian Spirits, Protector Ghosts)
This is an acquired template which can be applied to any creature with an intelligence score of 10 or higher and a good or neutral alignment.
A Guardian Spirit is created when a sapiant being is killed in an unpleasant manner (or had their body befouled after death). Rather than bearing a grudge or resentment towards the living they desire only to prevent other beings from sharing their fate. They will normally inhabit the area in which they died (e.g. level of a dungeon, section of a city or a small settlement). They appear as they did in life but have some sign of how they died (e.g. a wound), for this reason they keep themselves invisible in order to avoid frightening the people they are protecting. They will protect anyone regardless of alignment unless they believe that they intend to cause a death in the manner the spirit is trying to prevent.
They gain all the abilities and stat changes of the ghost template plus those listed below. Their alignment is always neutral good regardless of what it was in life. In addition they gain the following abilities;
Greater Invisibility (Sp) A guardian may make itself invisible at will while it manifests, it will usually do this to avoid frightening those it intends to protect.
Suggestion (Sp) Once per hour it may cast suggestion as per the spell as if it was cast by a spellcaster of a level equal to their HD.
Depending on how it died (and thus what type of deaths it intends to prevent) the ghost gains extra abilities (no more than two) to aid it. Below are some examples however the DM may wish to create their own variation for their campaign. The standard naming pattern for a subtype is "___ Spirit".
Unlucky Spirits
These are the ghosts of adventurers who were killed by traps. They try to destroy traps or at least warn anyone who could fall prey to them.
Warning Mark (Sp) The spirit may create a mark on a surface or in the air. It glows bright red (or another colour of the ghost's choice) and anyone who sees it or comes withing 30ft. of it gets a feeling of wariness about whatever it has been scribed to (the area if it was scribed in the air) and gains a +2 bonus to any attempts to avoid, detect, etc traps. A mark is suppressed (but not removed) by an antimagic field. A ghost may have no more than 4 active marks.
Vengeful Victim (Su) The ghost may freely suppress or reactivate the trap which killed them. They may not suppress it for longer than 5 hours and then they must rest for a further hour.
Judicial Spirits
Judicial Spirits are the ghosts of law enforcers who died on duty, the victim of a particularly violent murder or even repentant criminals who were executed for their crimes. They seek to prevent murders and assaults as well as help criminals who they believe have a chance of redeeming themselves.
Shield Other (Sp) As per the spell with a CL equal to the ghost's HD
Weakening Touch (Su) After succeeding on a touch attack the ghost may deal 1d6 strength damage to a target.
Starved Spirits
These are the ghosts of beings who starved to death in the wilderness. They will use their abilities to feed anyone who has no access to food or is otherwise at risk of starving.
Purify Food and Drink (Sp) As per the spell with a CL equal to the spirit's HD.
Create Food and Water (Sp) As per the spell with a CL equal to the spirit's HD.
Separated Spirits
The ghosts of creatures which have had their bodies turned into corporal undead. They seek to destroy undead to give those who have died a chance of resurrection and punish those who would show such disrespect to the dead.
Sanctify Corpse (Su) Once an hour the ghost may protect a corpse from being raised as an undead. Anyone attempting to raise a corpse so protected takes 1d6 wisdom damage and suffers a sudden feeling of immense guilt. This effect lasts as long as the corpse exists
Destroy undead (Su) Once per day the ghost may use its Malevolence ability on a corporal undead creature, after controlling it for 1d6 rounds it may destroy it instantly. If the corpse has been undead for 10 years or less it is returned to the state it was in and can be resurrected as if it was never undead.
Combat
Autoprotective Guardians will only enter combat against those they think will bring about a death in a way they intend to prevent (e.g. Separated Spirits will attack necromancers on sight).
If they think it will work they will manifest, switch off their invisibility and warn their enemy to mend their ways. If the enemy refuses or fails to convince the spirit that they will reform then the guardian will attack.
They prefer to end battles quickly. Above all else they will not do anything which could cause the death of an innocent person, especially in the way they seek to prevent.
In combat they will first try to use their malevolence to control their target (particularly against lone enemies) and force them towards a fitting death. If this fails then they will use their Frightful Moan and any other abilities which would give them an advantage then use their touch and gaze attacks to finish the job.