PaO shenanigans

[Calthropstu]

I asked this in the PF raw thread and the answer was an unequivacol "ask the gm."
So how would you as a gm rule this?
Person A casts polymorph any object to turn a pebble into a human. Then manifests true mindswitch into that human. Then manifests true mindswitch into person B.
The PaO ends. What is the end result?
Does person B die, triggering negative levels for person A? Does person B live on as an intelligent rock? And what about our hapless pebble person? Does it permanently retain its intelligence even though the spell generating it has ended? Or does the body it inhabits become a mindless husk? Or does it become a rock singer because I had to squeeze that pun in there?

[Feantar]

Let's see...

On the human body + soul resultant from PaO combo, I'd say it's as the result of a clone spell cast while the subject was alive. Living but inert.

On the pebble + human soul combo, I'd rule it's similar to flesh to stone. Not really dead, just mindless and inert. You could return to your original body with a combination of stone to flesh (become a living lump of flesh), intentionally fail your fort save and die, then get back into the clone losing a level (as clone spell).

Another way to handle this, is to consider the pebble inhabited by a soul, an instantaneous form of the Metamorphosis power's turning into an inanimate object. As an inanimate object, you lose all mobility. You retain your normal senses and your ability to speak. You can manifest a power if you make a Concentration check (DC 20 + power level). So you have a manifesting, talking (singing?) pebble.


By the way, I just realised that the only way to fix flesh to stone is stone to flesh or maybe break enchantment. Destroying the statue doesn't seem to release the soul. I always thought it did.

[RoboEmperor]

Person B becomes a non-sentient rock.
Person A doesn't lose levels until that rock is destroyed.
Person A's body drops dead, lifeless, and souless. The rock's body and "soul" only had 20minutes.

[Goaty14]

Person A now inhabits Person B's body.

Person B now has their soul trapped in a pebble (like trap the soul spell, except retains ability scores excluding wisdom)
Person B is now incapable of doing anything, except when magical effects permit otherwise (i.e giving the stone telepathy will allow Person B to "speak" as normal for their intelligence)

Personal keeps on going until the pebble is inevitably destroyed -- then he loses some levels.