Could someone willfully choose to become a ghost? How? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Could someone willfully choose to become a ghost? How? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JulesCARV
05-19-07, 07:28 PM Choosing undeath usually means becoming a lich, necropolitan, or vampire (of course, in the case of vampires, it might or might not be a choice). What about ghosts, though? I don't have Libris Mortis or Ghostwalk, so I don't really know if this question has already been covered, but what does it take to come back as a ghost? Obviously, anyone with 6+ charisma can come back as a ghost through happenstance and accident, if they have unfinished business, but is there some necromantic way that a character who wants to come back as a ghost could ensure (or at least make it likely) that it happens?
Rechan
05-19-07, 09:21 PM I'm not sure about your answer, but you forgot something else: Ghoul.

While those who are turned into ghouls don't retain their class abilities, you can advance in a class once you become a ghoul.

There's also the Bone and Corpse templates in Book of Vile Darkness which are basically "Intelligent skeleton" template and "Intelligent zombie" template that lets you retain class abilities. The poor man's lich - no powers except undeath.
Thomar_of_Uointer
05-19-07, 11:22 PM Like most undead, the presence of a ghost is semi-directly up to the DM (most have reasons for being, but can also be animated). However, the description does note that ghosts become undead due to restlessness, or "unfinished business". You could willfully furnish yourself with some impossible task and then commit suicide, but if someone could willfully become a ghost it would have become notable. You also run the risk of being put to rest by accident or because you become obsessed with it (something most ghosts usually are).

Have you seen the Casper movie that came out a decade back? The villain kills herself to break into a vault, but it backfires when she actually does what she killed herself to do and gets put to rest.

Anyways, like all monster races, it's up to your DM.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JulesCARV 05-19-07, 07:28 PM	Choosing undeath usually means becoming a lich, necropolitan, or vampire (of course, in the case of vampires, it might or might not be a choice). What about ghosts, though? I don't have Libris Mortis or Ghostwalk, so I don't really know if this question has already been covered, but what does it take to come back as a ghost? Obviously, anyone with 6+ charisma can come back as a ghost through happenstance and accident, if they have unfinished business, but is there some necromantic way that a character who wants to come back as a ghost could ensure (or at least make it likely) that it happens?
Rechan 05-19-07, 09:21 PM	I'm not sure about your answer, but you forgot something else: Ghoul. While those who are turned into ghouls don't retain their class abilities, you can advance in a class once you become a ghoul. There's also the Bone and Corpse templates in Book of Vile Darkness which are basically "Intelligent skeleton" template and "Intelligent zombie" template that lets you retain class abilities. The poor man's lich - no powers except undeath.
Thomar_of_Uointer 05-19-07, 11:22 PM	Like most undead, the presence of a ghost is semi-directly up to the DM (most have reasons for being, but can also be animated). However, the description does note that ghosts become undead due to restlessness, or "unfinished business". You could willfully furnish yourself with some impossible task and then commit suicide, but if someone could willfully become a ghost it would have become notable. You also run the risk of being put to rest by accident or because you become obsessed with it (something most ghosts usually are). Have you seen the Casper movie that came out a decade back? The villain kills herself to break into a vault, but it backfires when she actually does what she killed herself to do and gets put to rest. Anyways, like all monster races, it's up to your DM.