Poltergeist

"Don't Poltergeists hate the living?"

"Makes 'em perfect Evil Minions."

"Yeah, unless you happen to be the living."

Poltergeist is an acquired template that can be added to any giant, or 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 Poltergeist retains all the special attacks of the base creature, although those relying on physical contact do not affect nonethereal creatures. The Poltergeist also gains the following special attacks as described below. The save DC against a special attack is equal to 10 + ½ Poltergeists HD + Poltergeists Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.

Manifestation (Su): Every Poltergeist has this ability. A Poltergeist dwells on the Ethereal Plane and, as an ethereal creature, it cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When a Poltergeist manifests, it partly enters the Material Plane and becomes visible but incorporeal on the Material Plane. A manifested Poltergeist 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 Poltergeist can pass through solid objects at will, and its own attacks pass through armor. A manifested Poltergeist always moves silently. A manifested Poltergeist can strike with its special attacks. A manifested Poltergeist remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where is it not incorporeal. A manifested Poltergeist can be attacked by opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane. The Poltergeists incorporeality helps protect it from foes on the Material Plane, but not from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

When a spellcasting Poltergeist 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 Poltergeist 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 Poltergeists touch spells don’t work on nonethereal targets.

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

Telekinesis (Su): The Poltergeist can cause a terrifying near miss with a telekinetically thrown object as a as a standard action. All living creatures within a 30-foot spread must succeed on a Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. Alternatively the Poltergeist can use this as the Telekinesis spell as a standard action (caster level 12th or equal to the ghost’s HD, whichever is higher). When a Poltergeist uses this power, it must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again.

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

Turn Resistance (Ex): Poltergeists gain +2 Turn Resistance.

Greater Invisibility (Su): A Poltergeist remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the Poltergeist can suppress or resume it as a free action.

Saves: Unchanged.

Abilities: Same as the base creature, except that the ghost has no Constitution score, it's Intelligence score drops by -4, 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, gang (2-4), or mob (7-12).

Challenge Rating: +2

Treasure: None.

Alignment: Always Lawful Evil.

Advancement: Unchanged.

Level Adjustment: +5