Templates

Table SP-1: The Vampire Template Class

Vampire Template Class Features

All of the following are class features of the vampire template class.

Ability Score Changes: The ability score in question increases or decreases by the indicated amount. Ability score increases are unnamed bonuses that stack with all other bonuses. At 1st level, however, the ability score change is a -2 penalty to Constitution, which represents the physical trauma involved in starting along the path toward undeath. No spell or other effect can remove this penalty.

Blood Drain (Ex): Starting at 1st level, a vampire can attempt to bite a victim with his growing fangs and suck blood. If the vampire makes a successful grapple check and pins the foe, it sucks blood, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage each round that the pin is maintained. With each such successful attack, the vampire gains 1 temporary hit point.

When the vampire reaches 2nd level, his fangs are fully developed, though he has not yet perfected his technique for drawing blood. At this point, his blood drain attack deals 1 point of Constitution drain.

At 4th level, the vampire has mastered the art of drawing blood from a victim. His blood drain attack deals 1d4 points of Constitution drain, and he gains 5 temporary hit points with each successful blood drain.

Resistances (Ex): At 1st level, the vampire gains cold resistance 5 and electricity resistance 5. When he reaches 3rd level, each of these resistances increases to 10.

Spawn Slavery (Su): Typically, a vampire is created when another vampire kills its mortal body by draining all of its blood (see Create Spawn, below). A vampire created in this fashion is under influence of the master vampire's dominate ability, even if it is normally immune to mental control or mind-affecting effects. This control lasts until the master is destroyed. Vampires created through other circumstances (such as unholy rituals or strange, spontaneous magical effects) are not under this sort of control.

Spider Climb (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, the vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Vampire Bonus Feats: At 1st, 2nd, and 7th level, the vampire gains the feats indicated on Table SP-1, assuming that he doesn't already have them. If the vampire doesn't meet the prerequisites (if any) for a bonus feat, he gains the feat but cannot use it until he does meet the prerequisites.

Fortification (Ex): When the vampire reaches 2nd level, his internal organs begin to cease functioning as they become unnecessary to his altered metabolism. This process makes him less vulnerable to critical hits, sneak attacks, and other attacks that target a creature's vital spots. The vampire is treated as if he had the light fortification armor property active at all times. This ability gives him a 25% chance to turn a critical hit or sneak attack against him into a normal attack. If the vampire already has fortification from another source (such as a spell or magic item), use the better value.

At 5th level, this ability becomes moderate fortification (50% chance to turn a critical hit or sneak attack into a normal attack).

Vampire Skills: At 2nd level, a vampire gains a +2 racial bonus on Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. This bonus increases to +4 at 4th level, to +6 at 6th level, and to +8 at 8th level.

Coffin Sanctuary (Ex): Upon reaching 3rd level, a vampire chooses a coffin or similar small enclosed space as his primary resting place. Thereafter, if he is brought to -1 to -9 hit points (if living) or to 0 or fewer hit points (if undead) while outside the coffin, he is forced to assume gaseous form (see below) immediately and flee for his coffin so that he may heal. If the vampire cannot use his vampiric ability to assume gaseous form (for example, if he has expended all his daily uses of that ability), he cannot enter gaseous form under these circumstances and dies immediately.

Any damage dealt to the vampire after he is forced into gaseous form has no effect. If the duration of his gaseous form ability expires before he reaches his coffin, or more than 2 hours pass after he is forced into gaseous form in this way, the vampire must assume his normal form at his current location. In that case, he either begins to die (if he is a living vampire) or is destroyed (if he is an undead vampire). If he succeeds in reaching his coffin, he is helpless for 1 hour, after which he heals 1 hit point and the helplessness ends. A nonhelpless vampire resting in his coffin has fast healing 1.

A 5th-level or higher nonhelpless vampire resting in his coffin has fast healing 5.

Dominate (Su): At 3rd level, a vampire gains the ability to crush another creature's will just by looking into its eyes. This ability is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at him are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under his influence, as though via a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 5 feet and is usable once per day.

At 4th level, the vampire can use this ability three times per day at a range of 10 feet. At 5th level, his range increases to 30 feet. At 7th level, the vampire may use his dominate ability at will.

Gaseous Form (Su): Starting at 3rd level, a vampire can assume gaseous form as the spell (caster level 5th) once per day as a standard action. He can remain in gaseous form for up to 10 minutes. A gaseous vampire's fly speed is 20 feet.

At 5th level, a vampire can assume gaseous form three times per day. At 7th level, he may become gaseous at will and remain in gaseous form indefinitely.

Slam: At 3rd level, the vampire gains a slam attack if he didn't already have one. If he is a Medium creature, his slam deals damage according to the following table.

Alternate Form (Su): At 4th level, a vampire can assume the shape of a bat or wolf as a standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell (caster level 12th), except that the vampire does not regain hit points for changing form, and he must choose from among the forms allowed for his level. While in his alternate form, the vampire loses his natural slam attack and dominate ability but gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of his new form. He can remain in his alternate form until he assumes another form or until the next sunrise, whichever comes first.

At 8th level, the vampire can also take the form of a dire bat or dire wolf.

Natural Armor Improvements: At 4th, 6th, and 8th level, the vampire's natural armor bonus increases by +2. A character that does not normally have a natural armor bonus (such as a human) is considered to have an initial natural armor bonus of +0 for the purpose of this ability. Thus, a human's natural armor bonus would increase to +2 at 4th level, to +4 at 6th level, and finally to +6 at 8th level.

Vampire Aversions: The vampire gains the classic aversions of his kind. He cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and cannot enter an area laced with it. Similarly, he recoils from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These items don't harm the vampire -- they merely keep him at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against that creature for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire at bay requires a standard action.

Most vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship. (A vampire that has a natural swim speed may freely cross running water and is quite comfortable in water of any kind). Vampires are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since such areas are by definition open to all.

Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world. Starting at 5th level, a vampire can call forth a rat swarm, a bat swarm, or 1d3 wolves as a standard action once per day. The creature or creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour.

At 7th level, the vampire can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves. The creatures arrive and serve as above.

Damage Reduction (Su): At 5th level, a vampire gains damage reduction 5/silver and magic. At 8th level, this protection increases to damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire's natural weapons (the slam attack, for a humanoid vampire) are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Sunlight & Water Vulnerability: A 5th-level or higher vampire exposed to direct sunlight is disoriented. While in this condition, he can take only a single move action or attack action in a round, and 3 full rounds of such exposure destroy it utterly. Similarly, immersing a typical vampire in running water robs it of one-fifth of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the fifth round of immersion. (A vampire with a natural swim speed is not harmed by immersion in running water.)

At 7th level, a vampire's flesh becomes even more vulnerable to sunlight and running water. Upon exposure to sunlight, he takes the above penalties and is destroyed utterly in the next round if he cannot escape. The round of immersion in water instead of one-fifth, and he is destroyed after at the end of the third round of exposure instead of the fifth round.

Fast Healing (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, a vampire heals 1 point of damage each round so long as he has at least 1 hit point, whether or not he is resting in his coffin. A living vampire reduced to fewer than 0 hp or an undead vampire reduced to 0 hit points is automatically forced into gaseous form (if he still has uses of that ability available) and must retreat to his coffin (see the Coffin Sanctuary, above).

At 8th level, a vampire's fast healing increases to 5.

Energy Drain (Su): When the vampire reaches 7th level, any living creature hit by his slam attack (or any other natural weapon he might possess) gains one negative level. For each negative level so bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. He can use his energy drain ability once per round.

At 8th level, the vampire's slam attack (or other natural attack) bestows 2 negative levels.

Undeath: Upon reaching 7th level, a vampire gains the undead type, with all of its normal benefits and drawbacks. He no longer has a Constitution score, and he loses any Constitution bonus or penalty on hit points, saving throws, or skills that he may previously have had. He uses either his Charisma modifier or his Constitution modifier (+0), whichever is better, for all skills, save DCs, and other quantities that previously incorporated his Constitution modifier. The vampire becomes immune to many attacks but is subject to turn or rebuke undead attempts and is immediately destroyed if brought to 0 or fewer hit points. All of his current and future Hit Dice increase to d12s. (Rather than rerolling all the character's Hit Dice, you can simply add 4 hit points for every d4 Hit Die the vampire previously had, 3 hit points for every d6 Hit Die, 2 for every d8, and 1 for every d10, if desired.) The vampire immediately becomes evil and subject to the special rules for staking a vampire through the heart.

A vampire cleric may become an ex-cleric if his deity does not accept evil clerics, but character can remedy this problem either by changing allegiance or by devoting himself to an evil cause or a source of evil divine power (selecting new domains if appropriate). A vampire cleric who could normally turn undead loses that ability but gains the ability to rebuke undead, and one who can spontaneously convert spells into cure spells now converts them into inflict spells.

A vampire sorcerer, wizard, or other character who has a familiar is shunned by that creature unless it is a bat or rat, but he can acquire one of those creatures to replace the previous familiar.

Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a 7th-level or higher vampire's energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see the Monster Manual) 1d4 days after burial. If the vampire instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains so enslaved until its master's destruction.

At any given time, a vampire may have enslaved spawn whose Hit Dice total no more than his own. Any spawn he creates that would exceed this limit can be created either as free-willed vampires or as vampire spawn, at the creator's option. If he chooses the latter option, he must immediately free one or more spawn of his choice until the total Hit Dice of his existing enslaved spawn would allow the addition of the desired new one. Once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again, except through magic such as control undead, rebuking attempts by evil clerics, and so on. An enslaved vampire may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a large number of lesser vampires in this fashion.

At 8th level, the vampire may have enslaved spawn whose Hit Dice total no more than twice his own Hit Dice.

Turn Resistance (Ex): At 8th level, a vampire gains turn resistance +4. He is treated as an undead 4 Hit Dice higher than his normal total for the purpose of turn, rebuke, command, or bolster attempts.

The Lich Template Class

Feared by mortal beings for their malign magic, their intelligence, and their willingness to embrace undeath for a chance to live forever, liches are evil beings of great power. Though the lich template can be applied to a character all at once to achieve an instantaneous transformation from living to undead, allowing an enemy spellcaster to progress slowly as a lich can be even more useful to a DM. In that way, the NPC can return to foil the PCs time and again before achieving her full potential as a lich. Likewise, an evil character pursuing lichdom can experience the process in slow steps while continuing to adventure with her allies, rather than gaining all the template's powers at once and immediately surpassing her comrades in terms of sheer power.

The lich template class has two special requirements. First, the base character must have the Craft Wondrous Item feat so that she can make a phylactery to hold her life force. The would-be lich must craft her phylactery over time, as described below. Second, she must be able to cast spells at a caster level of 11th or higher. It is this power, coupled with the knowledge of the process required, that allows the transformation to occur.

Table SP-12: The Lich Template Class

Lich Template Class Features

All of the following are class features of the lich template class.

Ability Score Changes: The indicated ability score increases or decreases by the amount noted. These changes are cumulative. At first, a would-be lich gains an intellectual understanding of the process necessary to become a lich (represented by the Intelligence increase at 1st level). Then she gains the intuitive understanding of what the process entails (represented by the Wisdom increase at 3rd level). Finally, she gains a surge of confidence as the process is completed (represented by the Charisma increase at 4th level).

Natural Armor Replacement: At each level of the lich template class, the character uses either her existing natural armor bonus or the value given in Table SP-12, whichever is greater. A character that does not normally have a natural armor bonus (such as a human) is considered to have an initial natural armor bonus of +0 for the purpose of this ability. Thus, a human's natural armor bonus would become +2 at 1st level, +3 at 2nd level, +4 at 3rd level, and +5 at 4th level.

For example, a bugbear normally has a +3 natural armor bonus. Thus, a bugbear wizard 11 who chose to become a lich would gain no benefit from this ability until she attained 3rd level in the template class, since only then does the natural armor bonus granted by the template surpass that granted by her race.

Any item or effect that provides an enhancement bonus to natural armor functions normally for a lich -- that is, its bonus is added to the lich's base natural armor bonus. Thus, an amulet of natural armor +2 would give a bugbear wizard 11/lich 1 a total natural armor bonus of +5 (+3 base for bugbear, +2 from the amulet). That same bugbear as a wizard 11/lich 4 would have a natural armor bonus of +7 (+5 from the template class and +2 from the amulet).

Lich Skills: At 1st level, a lich gains a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. This bonus increases to +4 at 2nd level, to +6 at 3rd level, and to +8 at 4th level.

Damaging Touch (Su): At 1st level, a lich's touch deals 1d6+5 points of negative energy damage to any living target. A Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Cha modifier) halves this damage. A lich who attacks with a natural weapon may deal this damage in addition to the normal damage for that attack. When the lich reaches 2nd level, the damage for her touch increases to 1d8+5 points.

Paralyzing Touch (Su): Any living creature hit by a lich's touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 lich's HD + lich's Cha modifier) or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. A lich who attacks with a natural weapon may deal this damage in addition to the normal damage for that attack. Remove paralysis or any effect that can remove a curse frees the victim, but the effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a successful DC 20 Spot check or DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.

At 2nd level, the duration of this effect increases to 1d4 minutes. At 3rd level, the duration increases to 1d4 hours. At 4th level, the effect is permanent until removed.

Resistances (Ex): At 1st level, a lich gains resistance to cold 5 and electricity 5. Each of these resistances increases to 10 at 2nd level and to 20 at 3rd level.

Damage Reduction (Su): At 2nd level, a lich gains damage reduction 5/bludgeoning and magic. Her natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Her damage reduction increases to 10/bludgeoning and magic at 3rd level and to 15/bludgeoning and magic at 4th level.

Fear Aura (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a lich is shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Any creature in a 10-foot radius that looks at her must make a Will save if it is within 10 feet of her and has fewer than 5 HD. Failure means the creature is affected as though by a fear spell (caster level equals lich's character level). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich's aura for 24 hours. The lich can negate the effect of her aura by concealing all of her withered flesh and hiding her glowing eyes, usually by means of clothing that covers her entire body coupled with some sort of deep cowled cloak or visored helmet.

The radius of this effect expands to 30 feet at 3rd level and to 60 feet at 4th level.

Fortification (Ex): When a lich attains 2nd level, her internal organs begin to shut down as she continues her metamorphosis into an undead creature and starts to transfer her life energy into her phylactery. Thus, she is treated as if she had the light fortification armor property (25% chance for any critical hit or sneak attack against her to become a normal attack). If she has any version of the fortification special ability from another source (such as a spell or magic item), use the better value. At 3rd level, she is treated as if she had moderate fortification (50% chance for any critical hit or sneak attack against her to become a normal attack).

Phylactery: To complete her transformation to a lich, the character must create a phylactery using the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The phylactery is crafted in three stages, and the lich transfers a bit more of her life force to it at each stage. It does not, however, grant her any of the normal benefits of a phylactery until it is fully completed.

Paying the cost of each stage of its construction is a prerequisite for the corresponding level in the lich template class. Thus, to take the 2nd level in this class, the lich must invest 40,000 gp and 1,600 XP in her phylactery. She must spend the same amount again to take the 3rd level, and once again to take the 4th level (for a total investment of 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP). She can complete the phylactery early if she wishes, though doing so does not grant her any additional abilities until she takes the appropriate levels in the template class.

For the purpose of determining item saving throws, the phylactery has a caster level equal to that of the lich at the time she completed the most recent stage of work. For example, if a human wizard 11/lich 1 crafts the first stage of her phylactery, it is caster level 11th. She gains three more wizard levels before finishing the second stage of construction, giving it caster level 14th. At that point, she takes the 2nd level of the template class. She then takes one more level of wizard and completes the phylactery, which is thereafter caster level 15th.

The most common physical form for a phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is a Tiny object with 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40. Other kinds of phylacteries can also exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.

Once the phylactery has been completed, the lich can avoid permanent destruction as long as her phylactery survives. If she dies or is destroyed, she reappears 1d10 days after her old body's death. She gains her new physical form by grafting her undead spirit to a humanoid corpse, mindless undead, or some weak-minded creature within a few miles of her phylactery. The new body has all the abilities and powers of her old one, though any items she used to carry are lost (probably taken by those who slew her old body). Likewise, any spells or effects bound to her old body with permanency do not spontaneously appear on her new one. Most liches who recover from death spend a year or more tracking down their items and learning more about their attackers, and it is not unusual for a lich to wait decades before exacting her revenge.

If the phylactery is destroyed while the lich is still active in a body, her undead life force automatically joins that body. She takes no penalties of any kind for that joining, but without a phylactery, she cannot recover if her body is subsequently destroyed. She may create a new phylactery to replace a lost one if she has the time and resources to do so.

Turn Resistance (Ex): At 4th level, a lich gains +4 turn resistance. She is treated as an undead with 4 more Hit Dice than she actually has for the purpose of turn, rebuke, command, or bolster attempts.

Immunities (Ex): A 4th-level lich is immune to cold, electricity, and polymorph, though she can still use polymorph effects on herself.

Undeath: Upon reaching 4th level, the lich becomes fully undead. Her type changes to undead, and she gains all the normal benefits and drawbacks that go with that type. She no longer has a Constitution score, so she loses any Constitution bonus or penalty to hit points, saving throws, and skills. She also becomes immune to many attacks (including critical hits and sneak attacks, rendering her fortification ability redundant), but she is subject to turn and rebuke attempts and is immediately destroyed if brought to 0 or fewer hit points (though her phylactery prevents "permanent" destruction). All of her Hit Dice (current and future) increase to d12s. (Rather than rerolling all her Hit Dice, just add 4 hit points for every d4 she previously had, 3 hp for every d6, 2 hp for every d8, and 1 hp for every d10.) In addition, her alignment immediately changes to evil if it was not already.

A lich cleric becomes an ex-cleric at this time if her deity does not allow evil clerics. However, she can remedy this situation either by offering her allegiance to a god that does accept evil clerics or by devoting herself to an evil cause or a source of evil divine power (selecting new domains if appropriate). A lich cleric who could previously turn undead loses that ability but gains the ability to rebuke undead. Likewise, a lich cleric who could previously spontaneously cast cure spells can now do so with inflict spells.

Upon gaining the undead template, a lich sorcerer or wizard is shunned by her familiar unless it is a bat or rat, but she can acquire a bat or rat familiar to replace her previous one in the usual way.

The Ghost

Ghosts are the spectral remains of dead creatures that stubbornly refuse to leave the world of the living. Though many adventurers are stubborn, they are no more likely to return as ghosts than normal people are -- perhaps because adventurers often have access to raise dead and therefore expect to be brought back to life eventually. Nevertheless, an occasional adventurer does force herself into an undead state through sheer willpower when the life force leaves her body. Like all ghosts, such an adventurer must have a strong reason for persisting in an undead form. Thus, a player wishing to play a ghost character should consult with the DM to develop a suitable reason for the ghost's existence and determine appropriate circumstances under which she can rest in peace.

"Ghost" is an acquired template usually gained upon an intelligent creature's death. Such a creature can advance in the ghost template class and develop her powers slowly if desired.

Table SP-15: The Ghost Template Class

Ghost Template Class Features

All of the following are class features of the ghost template class.

Ethereal (Ex): A ghost is an ethereal creature. On the Ethereal Plane, she is solid and uses the same natural armor bonus on the Ethereal Plane as she did when she was alive. Furthermore, she can interact normally with other creatures on that plane, and her attacks and spells function normally against them.

Like all ethereal creatures, a ghost is invisible to and cannot interact with creatures on the Material Plane, nor can material creatures harm her (but see manifestation, below). If somehow bodily transported to the Material Plane (with a plane shift or gate spell, for example) she can physically interact with other material creatures because she is solid, but she cannot manifest or return to the Ethereal Plane without magic.

A ghost is native to both the Ethereal and the Material Planes, so she is not considered extraplanar when on either of those planes.

Fly (Ex): On the Ethereal Plane, a ghost has a fly speed of 30 feet, with perfect maneuverability, though she can also move at same rate she did while alive. A manifested ghost flies as an incorporeal creature with a speed of 30 feet (again with perfect maneuverability).

Ghostly Equipment (Ex): A ghost normally appears with ethereal copies of the equipment and other items she carried when she died. This equipment works normally on the Ethereal Plane, but like all ethereal items, it passes harmlessly through material objects or creatures. A ghost with a ethereal magic weapon can manifest and attack with it, though her attacks are subject to a 50% incorporeal miss chance unless the weapon has the ghost touch property. This phenomenon works much like a creature on the Material Plane trying to attack an incorporeal creature with a magical weapon. These ethereal copies of the original items fade away if separated from the ghost or if the ghost is laid to rest.

The original material items that the ghost carried in life remain behind, just as her physical remains do. If another creature seizes one of the originals, the ethereal copy fades away. This loss invariably angers the ghost, who stops at nothing to return the item to its original resting place. A canny ghost character arranges to have her original possessions hidden in a place where they will not be disturbed, so that she can use her ethereal equipment indefinitely.

Ghost Skills: At 1st level, a ghost gains a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Search, and Spot checks. This bonus increases to +4 at 3rd level, to +6 at 4th level, and to +8 at 5th level.

Manifestation (Su): A ghost on the Ethereal Plane can partially enter the Material Plane at will. Doing so which makes her visible to creatures on the Material Plane, though she remains incorporeal with respect to them. However, she also remains partially on the Ethereal Plane, where she is not incorporeal. Opponents on either the Material Plane or the Ethereal Plane can attack a manifested ghost. The ghost's incorporeality helps to protect her from foes on the Material Plane because of the 50% incorporeal miss chance that applies to attacks from such creatures, but she has no such protection from foes on the Ethereal Plane.

A manifested ghost can attack with a ghost power (see below) that requires a touch attack or with a ghost touch weapon (see ghostly equipment, below). Spells cast by a manifested ghost affect both ethereal and material targets normally, except for those that rely on touch, which work only on ethereal targets.

Undeath: A ghost is the undead spirit of a slain person. Thus, at 1st level, her type changes to "undead (augmented humanoid)," and she gains all the normal benefits and drawbacks that go with that type. She no longer has a Constitution score, so she loses any Constitution bonus or penalty to hit points, saving throws, and skill checks, though she uses her Charisma score for Concentration checks. She also becomes immune to many attacks (including critical hits and sneak attacks), but she is subject to turn or rebuke undead attempts and is immediately destroyed if brought to 0 or fewer hit points (but see Rejuvenation, below). All of her Hit Dice (current and future) increase to d12s. (Rather than rerolling all her Hit Dice, just add 4 hp for every d4 she previously had, 3 hp for every d6, 2 hp for every d8, and 1 hp for every d10).

Familiars and animal companions have the normal reaction to the character's death. If such a companion encounters her as a ghost, it feels uncomfortable around her and refuses to continue its former association with her.

Ability Score Changes: The indicated ability score increases or decreases by the amount noted. These changes are cumulative.

Lesser Ghost Power (Su): At 2nd level, a ghost gains one of the following ghost powers. Unless otherwise stated, the DC is 10 + 1/2 ghost's HD + ghost's Cha modifier.

Corrupting Touch (Su): If a ghost with this ability hits a living target with her incorporeal touch attack, she deals 1d6 points of damage. Against an ethereal opponent, she adds her Strength modifier to her attack and damage rolls when using this attack. Against a material opponent, she adds her Dexterity modifier to her attack rolls only.

Frightful Moan (Su): A ghost with this ability can emit a frightful moan as a standard action. Each living creature within a 30-foot spread must succeed on a Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This ability is a sonic, necromantic, mind-affecting, fear effect. A creature that successfully saves against the moan cannot be affected by the same ghost's moan for 24 hours.

Telekinesis (Su): A ghost with this ability can use telekinesis as a standard action (caster level 12th or equal to the ghost's HD, whichever is higher). Each time she uses this power, she must wait 1d4 rounds before doing so again.

Turn Resistance (Ex): At 2nd level, a ghost gains +2 turn resistance. When she reaches 4th level, her turn resistance increases to +4.

Rejuvenation (Su): At 3rd level, a ghost becomes stubbornly attached to its new existence, so it is difficult to get rid of her permanently. Destruction in combat simply allows her a DC 16 level check. Success means that she reforms in 2d4 days with all of the ethereal equipment she had when she was "destroyed." As a rule, the only way to get rid of a ghost permanently is to determine the reason for her existence and set right whatever prevents her from resting in peace. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, the player and DM should discuss what keeps the ghost from staying dead and what circumstances would allow her to rest in peace before the character enters play.

Greater Ghost Power (Su): At 4th level, the ghost can choose one ghost power from the following list or two from the Lesser Ghost Powers list.

Corrupting Gaze (Su): A ghost with this power can blast living beings with a glance at a range of up to 30 feet. Any creature that meet the ghost's gaze must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 2d10 points of damage and 1d4 points of Charisma damage.

Draining Touch (Su): If a ghost with this ability hits a living target with her incorporeal touch attack, she deals 1d4 points of ability drain to any one ability score she selects. With each such successful attack, she heals 5 points of damage to herself. Against an ethereal opponent, she adds her Strength modifier to her attack and damage rolls when using this attack. Against a material opponent, she adds her Dexterity modifier to her attack rolls only.

Horrific Appearance (Su): Any living creature within 60 feet that views a ghost with this ability must succeed on a Fortitude save or immediately take 1d4 points of Strength damage, 1d4 points of Dexterity damage, and 1d4 points of Constitution damage. A creature that successfully saves against this effect cannot be affected by the same ghost's horrific appearance for 24 hours.

Malevolence (Su): Once per round, an ethereal ghost who has this power can merge her body with that of a creature on the Material Plane. This effect is similar to that of a magic jar spell (caster level 10th or the ghost's Hit Dice, whichever is higher), except that no receptacle is required. To use this ability, the ghost must be manifested, and she must try to move into the target's space, but doing so does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save (DC 15 + the ghost's Cha modifier). A creature that successfully saves is immune to that same ghost's malevolence for 24 hours, and the ghost cannot enter the target's space. If the save fails, the ghost vanishes into the target's body.

Glenn Butcher / knight