Deathless / Spirit Character

[Firechanter]

I posted this in the RAW Questions thread first but apparently the topic will be too complex for that. ^^ So I would like to pose the question here for further discussion.

The idea is to create a player character that is rules-legal (or just minimal houseruling) that is... dead. I mean, a spirit, or Deathless, in the broad sense of "Non-Evil Undead".

Ideally the character should still have a full class / spellcasting progression.
I guess it would be thematically fitting if the PC was incorporeal, but it's also fine if this doesn't fly for balance reasons.
May be restricted in terms of wearing/using gear, but should still be able to manipulate physical objects, at least some time of the day.
Does not need to be able to engage in physical combat. We don't expect it to be invulnerable though, obviously.

Edit: Oh and it would be nice if the character could make a disguise check or something to appear as a normal living person for a limited time. ^^

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Our current build idea is Seeker Oracle with VMC Bard, Ancestor Mystery, Shadowbound Curse. Intended role is buffing, healing and traphandling.
(Yes I know Ancestor is mechanically poor, but it would fit the ghost theme)

So, keen to hear any suggestions ^^

[Feantar]

In case you're using 3.PF, you could use the Ghost template from Ghostwalk as a base. It turns one to an incorporeal outsider (a disembodied soul), not undead. Or, if you want a physical being, look at necropolitan then flip undead with deathless subtype.

I am mostly suggesting ghostwalk because it has feat chains for ghost characters that are pretty cool (although you might want to increase the # of frats per level, since the chains are pretty large).

There are also the unbodied (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-bestiary/unbodied/#:~:text=An%20unbodied%20can%20assume%20the,Disgui se%20Skills%20to%20deflect%20suspicion.), from dreamscarred press. Remove the psion casting and they make pretty convincing ghosts.

[Firechanter]

Hmmh, I dug out Ghostwalk and have flipped it through several times now, maybe I'mblind, but I can't find the Ghost template (or any other template). Only a couple of special classes. Could you give me a nudge to the right page?

[Darg]

BoED has the Sacred Watcher template on pages 182-4. It's a deathless incorporeal spirit. I don't know how pathfinder would handle the LA +5, but it's exactly what you are looking for.

[Kurald Galain]

Play a kitsune shaman spiritualist, stay permanently in fox form so you don't attract attention, and pretend the shaman's spirit companion phantom is your ghostly main character?

[Tzardok]

Play a kitsune shaman, stay permanently in fox form so you don't attract attention, and pretend the shaman's spirit companion is your ghostly main character?
Spirit companions aren't creatures on their own; they solely exist in the shaman's mind/soul.

Hmmh, I dug out Ghostwalk and have flipped it through several times now, maybe I'mblind, but I can't find the Ghost template (or any other template). Only a couple of special classes. Could you give me a nudge to the right page?

Page 163 is the template. Chapter 1 also should include everything about how ghosts work in Ghostwalk, but the template should include the bare basics.

[Kurald Galain]

Spirit companions aren't creatures on their own; they solely exist in the shaman's mind/soul.

Right, I meant to say spiritualist phantom, I got my classes confused.

Phantoms are incorporeal and doing it this way takes away zero class levels.

[Firechanter]

Thanks, got the template. Missed it among the monsters.
Yeah that might be a usable approach. I'll submit that to discussion.

FWIW, as I see it the "Manifest Fully" feat is worthless as it takes a standard action to manifest for 1 round... doesn't that mean that the body winks out exactly when the ghost's next turn comes around, so it never gets to actually _do_ something while manifested?
I consider this just a little bug though, we'd probably change that to allow a more liberal handling of manifestation. (sth like "CHA rounds" or whatever)

Or mb we'll just keep the regular build and handle it as "has been sent back from the dead by deity X"

Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a an ideal solution to enact exactly the idea we had in mind, but no worries, worst case we'll wing something.

[Rynjin]

The big question here is gonna be "how does your GM feel about 3rd party material?".

If they're fine with Spheres of Power, the Unbodied (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/unbodied) Wraith (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/wraith) is exactly what you're looking for.

If not, for a ghostly character specifically, Spiritualist is probably your best bet. The Phantom has its own mind and actions, so you could roleplay it as your "main" character" while the actual Spiritualist is more like his sidekick.

[Firechanter]

The big question here is gonna be "how does your GM feel about 3rd party material?".

That depends mostly on how much material has to be read. :smalltongue:
A similar catch-22 also precludes the use of Occult Adventures material.

[Rynjin]

That depends mostly on how much material has to be read. :smalltongue:
A similar catch-22 also precludes the use of Occult Adventures material.

Hm. Yeah, GM unwilling to read published material is a big issue. XD

[Clause]

you can use the SAINT template from BoED, can be taked from a prestige class in the same book too (risen martyr)

savage species has the emancipated spaw class

and in a source i dont remember, has the spectral mage template

[SangoProduction]

There are remarkably a large list of options, using Spheres of Power.
The most straightforward, lowest investment, of these is simply taking one level of Wraith, with the Unbodied archetype. Boom, you've no longer got a corporeal form.
Now, possession as a whole uses a frack ton of words to say very little of much sense. But not the point in you taking the class.
What you care about is simply "Wraith Form" (which will be permanent under Unbodied).
Wraith Form (Su)
At 1st level, for a number of rounds per day equal to his class level plus his casting ability modifier, the wraith may gain the incorporeal subtype, with the following modifications:

The wraith takes half damage from non-magic weapons.
The wraith cannot make weapon or natural weapon attacks while in wraith form unless he uses a weapon with the ghost touch special ability.
Effects originating from corporeal sources that do not deal damage have a 20% chance to fail against the wraith instead of the normal 50%. Force effect are not subject to this failure chance.
The wraith retains all worn equipment not exceeding his maximum load as well as the benefits from any magic items that grant a continuous effect, but gains no benefit from physical armor or shields.
The wraith uses normal movement speeds (treat moving through solid objects as ground movement).
When not on or in a solid or liquid, the wraith falls slowly and may glide, moving with a speed of 30 feet with maneuverability (perfect), but falling 1 foot for every 5 feet traveled (unless possessing a fly speed).
Activating this ability is a move action and ending it is a free action. He may not activate this ability if carrying a load greater than his maximum load. Should the wraith become corporeal while in a solid object, he is immediately shunted to the nearest empty space, taking 1d6 untyped damage per 5 feet traveled.

At 1st level, the unbodied is permanently locked in wraith form. If the unbodied ends his turn neither possessing a creature or object, nor manifested in his physical body, he takes 1 point of nonlethal damage. This increases to 2 points at 5th character level, 3 points at 10th character level, 4 points at 15th character level. This damage cannot be healed by any means other than by time spent possessing a creature or object and bypasses immunity and resistance to nonlethal damage. Nonlethal damage from this ability cannot be reduced or redirected. While possessing a creature or his refuge object (see the object ride wraith haunt), this damage heals at the rate of 1 point per minute. While possessing any other object, they heal at a rate of 1 point per hour. The unbodied does not need to eat, drink, or sleep, and gains no further bonuses or penalties from aging, though still dies permanently when his maximum age is reached. The unbodied can speak in his normal voice while in his refuge object.

An unbodied whose damage taken from this ability exceeds his maximum hit points automatically returns to his refuge object (if within 100 feet + 10 feet per class level) or else discorporates, becoming a mindless haunt occupying his space. This haunt attempts to possess any creature (or his refuge object) that enters his space. If successful, the unbodied is restored to his normal function. While in haunt form, the unbodied recovers all spell points after 8 hours of not attempting to possess an unwilling creature (they cannot make such an attempt if out of spell points).

[Firechanter]

Yeah, this does indeed look like it checks all the boxes. I'll bring it forward for discussion. We only need the single level so the rest of the SoP wouldn't need to be read. ^^