Greywander
2019-09-11, 12:11 AM
I'm working on a subrace for a broader undead race that is a sort of ghost-type undead. In order to try and keep it balanced for PC use, I've allowed some of the cooler ghost powers, like flying and going through walls, but placed some restrictions on them. The first restriction is that they can't use or carry items while incorporeal (so no weapons, no armor, no material components for spells, etc). The second is that they have to stay within 60 feet (too far? too short?) of a particular item (their discount phylactery) or they start taking damage every round until they get back within range.
Naturally, since they can't carry items, but have to stay close to this particular item, it creates a bit of a quandary for them. Fortunately, I have also provided a solution: The can possess a corpse, object, or willing/unwilling creature in order to regain their physicality. This prevents them from using their cool ghost powers (flying, going through walls), but lets them pick up and use items again, including the item they have to stay close to. Of course, a party member could also carry this item, allowing them to remain incorporeal all the time, but they still can't use items or go very far away.
I'm trying to get the exact possession mechanic hammered out without making it too complex. Unfortunately, it's still kind of a complex ability. I was hoping to get some feedback on how I could clean this up and streamline it, as well as finding and fixing potential loopholes or exploits. Balance concerns will be noted, and might influence the final design, but until I'm able to do some playtesting I kind of have to accept that this will be nearly impossible to balance perfectly anyway.
Here's my current text for the possession mechanic:
Possession. You are able to regain physicality by taking possession of a host. As an action, you can possess the corpses of humanoids, objects, or living creatures, both willing and unwilling. When a host you are possessing takes damage, you take the same amount of damage. Corpses and objects are immune to poison and psychic damage, but psychic damage will damage you directly.
When you possess the corpse of a humanoid, that corpse gains a number of hit points equal to your current hit points. The corpse cannot be healed in any way, and the body becomes unfit for possession if its hit points are reduced to 0, forcing you out if you are still possessing that body. While possessing a corpse, you use that creature’s size and movement, but otherwise retain your own statistics.
You can possess a human-shaped object, like a scarecrow or suit of armor. That object has it’s hit points and natural AC determined by the DM, but pages 246-247 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide can be used to determine these statistics. You use your own movement speed while possessing this object. The object can be healed with the mending cantrip, regaining 2d6 hit points. You don’t regain hit points when mending is cast on the object. If the object’s hit points are reduced to 0, you are forced out of the object and unable to possess it until it has been repaired.
You can also possess objects that don’t have a humanoid shape. Unlike above, you use that objects movement speed, if it has one. If the object is some kind of machine, you may be able to manipulate its mechanisms. If the object would normally have a proficiency associated with it, such as a tool or weapon proficiency, you need that proficiency to manipulate it effectively.
You can attempt to possess an unwilling creature. Make an attack roll, and on a hit, the target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be possessed by you for 1d4 rounds. The target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, forcing you out on a success. While possessing an unwilling creature, you can control it, but you don’t have access to any of it’s special abilities like spells or class features.
A willing creature can allow you to inhabit their body. While a willing creature is hosting you, you get one turn to share each round, but you can choose to take it on your turn or your host’s turn. You and your host share all your abilities and class features, allowing the two of you to do anything that one of you can do. You can each concentrate on a spell at the same time, and you each get your own reaction every round, although this reaction can only be used for your own abilities. While a willing creature is hosting you, you may decide to dominate that creature, wresting control of it for yourself alone. Or, that creature may decide it is no longer willing to host you. In either case, the host must make a Charisma saving throw, and can make a saving throw at the end of each of its turns, as with an unwilling host.
I know balance is kind of out the window with a character like this, but I'm excited to test this out. I think it will be really fun to play, and despite the cool ghost powers it will actually be more fun to possess a bunch of stuff rather than staying incorporeal all the time.
Naturally, since they can't carry items, but have to stay close to this particular item, it creates a bit of a quandary for them. Fortunately, I have also provided a solution: The can possess a corpse, object, or willing/unwilling creature in order to regain their physicality. This prevents them from using their cool ghost powers (flying, going through walls), but lets them pick up and use items again, including the item they have to stay close to. Of course, a party member could also carry this item, allowing them to remain incorporeal all the time, but they still can't use items or go very far away.
I'm trying to get the exact possession mechanic hammered out without making it too complex. Unfortunately, it's still kind of a complex ability. I was hoping to get some feedback on how I could clean this up and streamline it, as well as finding and fixing potential loopholes or exploits. Balance concerns will be noted, and might influence the final design, but until I'm able to do some playtesting I kind of have to accept that this will be nearly impossible to balance perfectly anyway.
Here's my current text for the possession mechanic:
Possession. You are able to regain physicality by taking possession of a host. As an action, you can possess the corpses of humanoids, objects, or living creatures, both willing and unwilling. When a host you are possessing takes damage, you take the same amount of damage. Corpses and objects are immune to poison and psychic damage, but psychic damage will damage you directly.
When you possess the corpse of a humanoid, that corpse gains a number of hit points equal to your current hit points. The corpse cannot be healed in any way, and the body becomes unfit for possession if its hit points are reduced to 0, forcing you out if you are still possessing that body. While possessing a corpse, you use that creature’s size and movement, but otherwise retain your own statistics.
You can possess a human-shaped object, like a scarecrow or suit of armor. That object has it’s hit points and natural AC determined by the DM, but pages 246-247 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide can be used to determine these statistics. You use your own movement speed while possessing this object. The object can be healed with the mending cantrip, regaining 2d6 hit points. You don’t regain hit points when mending is cast on the object. If the object’s hit points are reduced to 0, you are forced out of the object and unable to possess it until it has been repaired.
You can also possess objects that don’t have a humanoid shape. Unlike above, you use that objects movement speed, if it has one. If the object is some kind of machine, you may be able to manipulate its mechanisms. If the object would normally have a proficiency associated with it, such as a tool or weapon proficiency, you need that proficiency to manipulate it effectively.
You can attempt to possess an unwilling creature. Make an attack roll, and on a hit, the target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be possessed by you for 1d4 rounds. The target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, forcing you out on a success. While possessing an unwilling creature, you can control it, but you don’t have access to any of it’s special abilities like spells or class features.
A willing creature can allow you to inhabit their body. While a willing creature is hosting you, you get one turn to share each round, but you can choose to take it on your turn or your host’s turn. You and your host share all your abilities and class features, allowing the two of you to do anything that one of you can do. You can each concentrate on a spell at the same time, and you each get your own reaction every round, although this reaction can only be used for your own abilities. While a willing creature is hosting you, you may decide to dominate that creature, wresting control of it for yourself alone. Or, that creature may decide it is no longer willing to host you. In either case, the host must make a Charisma saving throw, and can make a saving throw at the end of each of its turns, as with an unwilling host.
I know balance is kind of out the window with a character like this, but I'm excited to test this out. I think it will be really fun to play, and despite the cool ghost powers it will actually be more fun to possess a bunch of stuff rather than staying incorporeal all the time.