Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GrumpyWizard 01-23-08, 08:21 AM	Abstract: a ghost enters a host body, and it is attacked. Is the damage inflicted on the body or the ghost, or both? Malvolence(su). Was it called that? I think so... anyway, the ability of a ghost to merge into a person and take over their body. The mechanics of it get me puzzling. It states in the Monster Manual that it is like the spell Magic Jar, but without a receptacle. So far, so good. But then I start wondering: suppose I have this ghost take over one of my player's bodies, and they proceed to attack it. Its hit point total drops below 1, but above -10. Is the ghost then destroyed for the moment? (I know it might come back due to rejuvenation, that's not what this is about, so don't bug me with it :P ) Or is only the body damaged, and will the ghost only be expelled at hp -10? And the body? I reckon if the ghost is destroyed at 0 hp the owner's spirit will come back and be (staggered or) dying. The problem is that the description for the Magic Jar spell assumes a living spirit, in which case it will only die or return to the receptacle when the host body dies. But here the spirit is undead. And one more thing: while the ghost is in the body, is the combination then powered by negative energy, like the ghost was? Or by positive energy, like the original body/owner combination?
GrumpyWizard 01-23-08, 09:38 AM	I just conversed with a friend, and we agreed that physical damage goes to the body. We also concluded that the body+ghost combination would be powered by negative energy. What seemed counter-intuitive to me was the implication this gives, that holy water will damage the body but not the ghost, and a cure spell would damage the ghost while healing the body... But that's just our interpretation. I think this goes beyond the rules anyway. It's more of a philosophical issue how you handle it in the end.
mvincent 01-23-08, 12:26 PM	Malvolence(su). Was it called that?Yessuppose I have this ghost take over one of my player's bodies, and they proceed to attack it. Its hit point total drops below 1, but above -10. Is the ghost then destroyed for the moment?No. The ghost is basically unaffected. It is the player's body that is taking the damage.Or is only the body damaged, and will the ghost only be expelled at hp -10?YupAnd the body?Deadwhile the ghost is in the body, is the combination then powered by negative energy, like the ghost was?No Or by positive energy, like the original body/owner combination?Yes. Check out the Magic Jar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicJar.htm) description for more information.
eamon 01-24-08, 02:59 AM	Think of the ghost as a hidden puppet-master: Irrespective of the nature of the ghost, the body is basically unchanged, and thus affected by everything just as if it weren't possessed (with the exception of those few effects which specifically target possession). There's no complex negative energy powering, no means of getting at the ghost by means of holy water. You can't target the ghost at all with most effects (on neither material nor ethereal plane, should that matter).
GrumpyWizard 01-24-08, 08:51 AM	Hmmm... I see. Then I did it wrong in my campaign yesterday. Ah well, let's just say it works differently in my world ;) . Thanks for the feedback!
eamon 01-28-08, 03:58 AM	Hmmm... I see. Then I did it wrong in my campaign yesterday. Ah well, let's just say it works differently in my world ;) . Thanks for the feedback! A world should sometimes just work "differently". It keeps things from being stale. It's supposed to be fanastic after all ;-). Good gaming!