Disembodied 2: Talents and Feats for the character who won't call It quits

A couple months ago, I posted a different sort of approach to handling player character (or even major NPC) deaths with the Disembodied Template. This post expands on that concept with a talent tree and feats. (Finally.)

As with the previous post in this series, all text is presented under the Open Game License and may be reproduced under the terms detailed in it. Copyright Steve Miller 2015.

DISEMBODIED TALENTS AND FEATS
As previously mentioned, Disembodied characters continue to earn XP and gain levels. As such, they may gain new talents, and they certainly gain new feats. Here are some talents available only to the Disembodied, as well as feats they may choose from.


THE DISEMBODIED TALENT TREE
Characters with the Disembodied template may select one of these talents in place of any provided by their class when they gain a level.

Affect Electronics and Electrical Devices: With a full round action and a successful Will save (DC12), you can cause an electrical appliance or electronic devices to turn off or malfunction--such as give strange readings, emit bursts of static and so on--or you can cause electrical lights in a room to dim or switch off. You can continue to effect the device until you choose not to. You may perform other simple actions, such as moving about, while controlling the device.
Prerequisite: Disembodied Template

Solid Form: With a successful Will save (DC22), you can cause yourself to manifest a physical form that roughly resembles your original body. You may also manifest a solid form that doesn't appear like you did in life, but it is more difficult. With a Will save of DC24, you may appear different enough that those who knew you in life won't recognize you, but you are still the same sex and race that you were originally. With a DC25, you may change everything about your apperance. With a DC28, you appear like specific person or creature, although those personally familiar with what you are imitating receive Spot checks (DC12) to realize something isn't "quite right."
You have all the same ability scores you had in life, and once again have access to all the skills and feats you once possessed, no matter what form you adopt. Anything that effects living, corporeal beings now effects you, except for Mind-Affecting spells and spell-like abilities. You only have 13 hit points, however, and your form will dissolve into a fine mist that quickly disperses if you are reduced to 0 hit points.
You can cause your solid form do dissolve voluntarily with a full-round action. You may attempt to assume a different solid form after a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom bonus have passed.
If you attempt to manifest a solid form and fail, of if your solid form is destroyed, as opposed to you voluntarily dispersed, you cannot attempt to manifest another solid form for a number of days equal to your Intelligence bonus subtracted from 20.
Note: When you are in a solid form, you cannot use any of the talents or abilities gained from the Disembodied template. You are, essentially, a mortal, living being once again.
Prerequisite; Disemboided Template, Telekinesis Minor Power Feat

Speed of Thought: With a full round action and a sucessful Will save (DC18), you can instantly transport yourself to the location of someone you have previously met. The Will save is made with a +4 bonus if it's someone you have an emotional attachment to.
Prerequisite: Disembodied Template

DISEMBODIED FEATS
Here are a list of feats from the OGL d20 Modern SRD that characters may choose whenever they gain a feat, or in place of a bonus feat provided by class advancement. They are considered part of the Disembodied feat group.

Alertness, Animal Affinity, Attentive, Cautious, Confident, Creative, Deceptive, Educated, Focused, Gearhead, Guide, Iron Will, Meticulous, Nimble, Studious, Track, Trustworthy
.
NEW FEAT
The following feat is part of NUELOW's evolving d20 Superpowers system (featured in many of our rpg/comics hybrid books, and posts on this blog). It gives access to the Telekinesis talent tree, but it is also part of the Disembodied feat group.

Telekinesis [Disembodied, Minor Power]
You move objects with nothing but the power of your mind and the force of your will.
Benefit: You may move or manipulate objects that you would be able to carry or handle with one hand. The difficulty depends on the action you wish to perform, and the weight of the object.
To use Telekinesis, you focus on the object or creature you wish to effect and roll a Will save with a base DC8.
Objects and creatures can be moved horizontally or vertically, at a speed of up to 10 feet per round. Objects and creatures can be hurled at targets, but this is one of several factors that
The following cumulative modifiers apply, depending on what you are attempting to do. (These are just sample actions.)

+2: Objects weighing between 0.5 and 5 pounds
+4: Objects weighing between 5 and 10 pounds
+8: Objects weighing between 10 and 15 pounds
+12: Objects weighing between 15 and 20 pounds
+20: Objects weighing between 20 and 25 pounds
+2: Turn a switch on and off, turn a key in a lock, write a short message in sloppy penmanship
+4: Accurately press more than two keys or buttons in a round, insert a key in a lock
+8: Type a message at 15 words per minute, write a message in your handwriting
+12: Operate a complex piece of equipment (+24 if it usually requires two hands)
+2: If the object is out of your physical reach
+4: If the object is 5-10 feet away
+8: If the object is 10-15 feet away
+16: If the object is 15-20 feet away
+24: If the object is 20-25 feet away
+32: If the object is more than 25 feet away, but within clear line of sight (with the naked eye).
+40: If the object is at all obscured or so distant it's hard to see with the naked eye.
+2: Throwing an object at a target to deal 1d3 points of damage (also requires attack roll)
+4: Throwing an object at a target to deal 1d6 points of damage (also requires attack roll)
+8: Throwing an object at a target to deal 2d6+1 points of damage (also requires attack roll)
+12: Throwing an object at a target to deal 2d8+2  points of damage (also requires attack roll)
+16: Throwing an object at a target to deal 3d8+4 points of damage (also requires attack roll)

When launching an object at a target, the range increment is 5xWis bonus. The hurled object or creature suffers half the amount of damage as the target upon impact (round up). If the attack is unsuccessful, damage is still rolled and applied to the object or creature thrown.
Unwilling living targets of as successful Telekinesis use  receive Will saves (DC10+Your Wis bonus) to resist.
If the power is to be maintained, a new check must be rolled every round, with adjustments made to modifiers as needed, such as if you are levitating an object away from your location.

Disembodied: For the character who won't call it quits

This character template is designed to reflect the way spirits are handled in most comic books, movies, and fiction, as opposed to the standard OGL d20 and OGL Modern games. It will be further fleshed out with a couple feats and a talent tree in a future post.

   (For the record, the primary characters being modeled here are DC Comics' Deadman and Holyoke/Gerona's Duke of Darkness.)

   It, and related material, is fully compatible with the superpower rules and alternate magic systems presented in NUELOW Games books like Madden's Boys, Mystery Woman of the Jungle, and The Curse of Egypt.
   All text is this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with it. Copyright 2015 Steve Miller.

Click here for more art by Rhaokja

DISEMBODIED TEMPLATE

Death isn't the end for this character's fight. Whether through divine or demonic intervention, or pure stubborness, the character's bodiless spirit remains in the world, continuing to pursue the goals it had in life.

   To acquire this template, the character must die--drop below -10 hp, or whatever threshold for character death is used in the campaign in question. The character is then modified as follows:

   Size and Type: Size technically remains the same as base creature, but there is nothing present but formless, substanceless spiritual energy. Creature type changes to Spirit. The character is neither undead nor living, but exists in an in-between state.

   Hit Dice: As base creature. (Hit points are generally meaningless for the Disembodied, but there are certain talents they can gain where they matter, so they should still be kept track of as the character gains levels.)

   Speed: As base creature.

   Armor Class/Defense Rating: As base creature, but the character is impervious to harm from all sources and weapons, save those coming from gods or certain rare and powerful artifacts.

   Attack/Full Attack Bonus: As base creature.

   Special Attacks: Disembodied characters can perform the following attacks with a full round action.

        Possess (Su): Take control of a living body. The Disembodied must make a successful touch attack. The targeted host receives a Will save vs. the Disembodied character's Wisdom attribute + 5. If the Disembodied successfully takes over the target, he or she now has full control of his or her body. The target's Strength, Constitution scores are unchanged, but the Intelligence and Wisdom scores are those of the Disembodied, as are all class- and level-dependent abilities. The Dexterity score becomes half of the combined Dexterity score of the target and the Disembodied's Dexterity score in life. The Charisma scores becomes half of the combined Charisma score of the target and the Disembodied. None of the target's class abilities, skills, feats, or knowledge is available to the Disembodied. 

   Only one Disembodied can possess a living being at a time. If a second Disembodied attempts to possess someone that is already "host" to a disembodied, it will seem as if an invisible wall is keeping the second Disembodied from entering the target.

   If the possessed body takes damage, the Disembodied must roll a Will save (DC15+damage suffered) or be ejected. If a host dies while the Disembodied is possessing him or her, the Disembodied must roll a Will save (DC30) or suffer the fate of death (permanent this time) as well.

   The Disembodied can end a possession at will, with a standard action.

   A character that is "host" to a Disembodied has no recollection of events while possessed.

   Special Qualities: Disembodied characters have the following special qualities

        Formless (Su): The Disembodied exist as pure psychic/spiritual energy. They may appear to     themselves as they did in life, but they have no actual form or substance. No barriers in the physical world can prevent entry, except those specifically prepared with magical rituals that ward off spirits.

        Invisible (Su): The character cannot be seen by any means, except by creatures who can see spirits, such as gods and cats.

        Damage Reduction (Su): All damage suffered by a Disembodied is reduced to 0, except for very specific and powerful artifacts, or spells and weapons wielded by gods.

   Abilities: The Disembodied has no Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution scores. However, there are some situations where the physical attributes that the Disembodied had in life can matter--such as the Dexterity score when possessing one of the living--so the old character sheet should still be retained. 

   Skills: All skills are retained and may be improved according to class and level advancement.

   Feats and Talent Trees: All feats and talents are retained. This template gives access to the Disembodied Spirit talent tree and feat.

   Terrain: Any, usually same as base creature.

   Organization/Allegience: Solitary/Same as base creature

   Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +2

   Advancement: By character class.

   

  

   Click here for Part Two of the "Disembodied" rules.