Haunt

"Don't these things possess people for their own purposes?"

"Lies! We have never taken people against their will!"

"We?"

"Dammit I'm made again!"

Haunt is an acquired template that can be added to any aberration, giant, humanoid, or monstrous humanoid. The creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) must have a Charisma score of at least 6.

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate the creature’s base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. It gains the incorporeal subtype. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice: All current and future Hit Dice become d12s.

Speed: Ghosts have a fly speed of 30 feet, unless the base creature has a higher fly speed, with perfect maneuverability.

Armor Class: Natural armor is the same as the base creature’s but applies only to ethereal encounters. When the ghost manifests (see below), its natural armor bonus is +0, but it gains a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma modifier or +1, whichever is higher.

Attacks: A ghost retains all the attacks of the base creature, although those relying on physical contact do not affect creatures that are not ethereal.

Damage: Against ethereal creatures, a ghost uses the base creature’s damage values. Against nonethereal creatures, the ghost usually cannot deal physical damage at all but can use its special attacks, if any, when it manifests (see below).

Special Attacks: A Haunt retains all the special attacks of the base creature, although those relying on physical contact do not affect nonethereal creatures. The Haunt also gains the following special attacks as described below. The save DC against a special attack is equal to 10 + ½ ghost’s HD + Haunt’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.

Draining Touch (Su): A Haunt that hits a living target with its incorporeal touch attack drains 1d4 points from it's opponents Dexterity. On each such successful attack, the Haunt heals 5 points of damage to itself. Against ethereal opponents, it adds its Strength modifier to attack rolls only. Against nonethereal opponents, it adds its Dexterity modifier to attack rolls only.

Malevolence (Su): Once it's Draining Touch reduces an opponents Dex to 0 or less, an ethereal Haunt can merge its body with a creature on the Material Plane as a Free Action. This ability is similar to a magic jar spell (caster level 10th or the Haunt’s Hit Dice, whichever is higher), except that it does not require a receptacle. To use this ability, the Haunt must be manifested and it must try move into the target’s space; moving into the target’s space to use the malevolence ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Manifestation (Su): Every Haunt has this ability. A Haunt dwells on the Ethereal Plane and, as an ethereal creature, it cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When a Haunt manifests, it partly enters the Material Plane and becomes visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. A manifested Haunt can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, silver or magic weapons, or spells, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. A manifested Haunt can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. A manifested Haunt always moves silently. A manifested Haunt can strike with its touch attack. A manifested Haunt remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal. A manifested Haunt can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The Haunt’s incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

When a spellcasting Haunt is not manifested and is on the Ethereal Plane, its spells cannot affect targets on the Material Plane, but they work normally against ethereal targets. When a spellcasting Haunt manifests, its spells continue to affect ethereal targets and can affect targets on the Material Plane normally unless the spells rely on touch. A manifested Haunt’s touch spells don’t work on nonethereal targets.

A Haunt has two home planes, the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. It is not considered extraplanar when on either of these planes.

Special Qualities: A Haunt has all the special qualities of the base creature as well as those described below.

Rejuvenation (Su): In most cases, it’s difficult to destroy a Haunt through simple combat: The "destroyed" spirit will often restore itself in 2d4 days. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. A Haunt that would otherwise be destroyed returns to the area of it's death with a successful level check (1d20 + Haunt's HD) against DC 16. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a Haunt is to let it achieve it's goals.

Turn Immunity (Ex): Haunts cannot be Turned or Rebuked.

Tied to Area (Ex): Unless it has possessed a body a Haunt cannot move further than 60 yards from where it died. If it's possessed body is destroyed, it cannot then move more than 60 yards from that location.

Fire Vulnerability: Despite being incorporeal, Haunts take full damage from fire

Saves: Unchanged.

Abilities: Same as the base creature, except that the ghost has no Constitution score, and its Charisma score increases by +4.

Skills: Ghosts have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.

Feats: Unchanged.

Environment: Any, often as base creature.

Organization: Solitary.

Challenge Rating: +2

Treasure: None.

Alignment: Any.

Advancement: Unchanged.

Level Adjustment: +5