Possessed Objects
A fiend can possess a magical or mundane object of at least Tiny size but no larger than Huge. An item that is held, worn, or carried by a character uses its owner’s Wisdom saving throw
modifier to resist possession. An unattended magic item
gains a saving throw as if a spell were being cast upon it. In
either of these cases, the Will save DC is 10 + 1/2 fiend’s HD
+ fiend’s Cha modifier. A possession attempt automatically
succeeds against an unattended, nonmagical item.
A fiend that successfully possesses an object becomes a
part of that object. While so joined, the fiend can see and
hear to a distance of 60 feet from the object, but it can’t
use Darkvision or blindsight, even if it ordinarily has these
abilities. It remains vulnerable to spells that affect outsiders,
extraplanar creatures, or evil creatures, as well as mind-affecting spells and abilities.
Physical attacks and most spells (such as fireball) don’t affect
the fiend, though they might affect the object. Damaging the
object does not harm the possessing fiend, and if the object
is destroyed, the fiend simply assumes its incorporeal form
and can choose a new host object or creature.
A fiend can attempt to hide its presence within a possessed
object in order to pass through barriers, such as a magic circle
against evil or a forbiddance effect, or to escape detection by
means of spells such as detect evil. To determine its success, use
the same rules as you would for a fiend hiding in a creature.
If the spell in question ordinarily detects or targets only
creatures, the fiend gains a +8 bonus on its
Stealth check because it is within an object.
A fiend can also possess a quantity of substance that has no
fixed shape (such as a pool of water or a dust cloud) or is part
of a larger object (such as a section of wall). The maximum amount of substance that a fiend can possess in this manner
is an area or a volume no larger than 10 feet on a side.
A fi end might choose to possess an item as the first step
toward possessing a character. The possessing fiend gets a
bonus on attempts to possess a creature that carries, holds, or wears an item that it already possesses. For each consecutive day the possessed item was worn, held, or carried by the
target before the possession attempt, the DC for the target’s
Will save increases by 1 (maximum increase +10).
A fiend possessing an object can take one of four roles
with respect to its victim: controller, corrupter, enhancer, or
watcher. These roles are defined below. The fiend can switch
from one to another as a free action.
Controller: The possessing fiend can control the movement
of any object with moving parts, such as a wagon, clock, or
crossbow. For example, a possessing fiend can make a wagon
steer toward a pedestrian on a street or roll out of a stable
with no horse pulling it, cause a clock to run slow (or even
backward), or make a crossbow cock and fire (but not aim or
load itself). Possessed objects with wheels or legs cannot move
faster than the fiend could move in its corporeal form.
A possessing fiend with at least 80 HP and a Charisma
score of 17 can force even an object with no moving parts
(such as a table or a statue) to animate. The possessed object
functions as an animated object. However, no fiend
can control an animated object that has a Challenge Rating
higher than its own.
Corrupter: A fiend in the role of corrupter causes the
object it possesses to radiate an evil aura of a magnitude equal
to its own. Nothing about the object’s appearance suggests that it is possessed. Anyone touching the possessed object must succeed on a Wisdom save (DC 10 + 1/2 fi end’s CR + fiend’s Cha modifier) or be affected as if by a bestow curse spell
. However, the subject does not necessarily know he is cursed or that the effect came from the item. The curse lasts until removed with a spell, even if the fiend vacates the
possessed object. A particularly crafty corrupter fiend might
possess a small fountain to bestow its curse on anyone who
touches or drinks the water. Similarly, a corrupter might
possess a patch of ground, thereby delivering the curse to
anyone who walks over it.
Enhancer: In the role of enhancer, a fiend can enhance
a Tiny or larger weapon or suit of armor as if it were magic
simply by possessing it. The fiend can duplicate magic item
powers worth 2,000 gp per CR it possesses. For example,
a hezrou (Cr 8) could possess a longsword and bestow up to
16,000 gp worth of powers on it, causing it to function as a +3
longsword, a +1 unholy longsword, or any other magic longsword
whose combined properties are valued at up to 16,000 gp. A
fiend possessing a suit of magic armor or a magic weapon
can increase the item’s powers by the same gold piece value.
The fiend is in control of the powers it bestows upon the
item, and it can take them away as a free action if the creature
using the item does not act in a manner that the fiend favours.
The object loses all powers bestowed by the possession when
the fiend leaves it.
Despite the fiend’s ability to duplicate the abilities of magic
items, a nonmagical possessed item doesn’t actually become
magical. Detect magic does not reveal an aura, but detect evil does.
In addition, smart characters might notice that the possessed
item behaves strangely or has an unusual appearance. For
example, a magic weapon that isn’t of masterwork quality is a tip-off that its power stems from an unusual source. In addition, a character who succeeds on a DC 25 Investigation check while
examining the item notes some peculiar feature about it.
Watcher: A possessing fiend in the role of watcher can
see and hear out to 120 feet as long as the possessed object
remains stationary.
Intelligent Items and Demonic Possession
Demons sometimes possess intelligent magic items, but more
often, they simply masquerade as intelligent items. Few tricks
make a demon happier than allowing a paladin to think she’s
just discovered a magic, intelligent sword that she can use to
fight evil, then watching her face when she later discovers that
her weapon is the home of a creature she has sworn to fight.
A demon possessing a magic item has control over the
magic of the item and can turn it on or off at will. The demon
might also be able to provide additional enhancements for
the item as an enhancer, or even use some of its own powers
through the object.
Exorcism
Possessing demons are tricky creatures. They know they occupy
a position both secure and vulnerable while possessing a creature or object. However, their chaotic nature makes
discovery almost a forgone conclusion given time, so most
demons rarely grow too comfortable in any host’s body.
Once discovered, those who can deal with such matters
are inevitably summoned, and rather than go gently, most
demons would fight attempts to drive them from a prized
host. Removing an unwilling demon from a creature or
object can be accomplished in but a few ways. Some individuals specialize in such matters. The
are quite accomplished at
driving possessing fiends from their hosts. Unfortunately,
these individuals are constantly seeking new signs of
possession at the behest of their churches, and far too few
of them exist to help as many possession victims as tend to
crop up.
That said, spellcasters have a few weapons at their disposal
to help deal with these unruly fiends. A few spells, in particular, come in handy when a possessed creature or object
is encountered.
Banishment, dispel magic, and dispel good and evil can all
drive a demon from its host’s body. In these cases, despite
a lack of line of effect, the caster can force a possessing fiend to succeed on a Wisdom save. If it fails, it is not necessarily forced back to its home plane, however. Instead, the incorporeal form of the possessing fiend is driven out of
the host and back to the fiend’s own body. A fiend driven
out in this method can immediately attempt to find its
former host however, so this method typically requires a
quick protection from evil spell cast on the former victim to
prevent repossession.
If protection from evil is cast on a possessed creature before
a demon is driven out, it suppresses the fiend’s ability to
influence its host for the duration of the spell—the fiend is
essentially unable to do anything except leave the host. This
is often enough of a solution to drive a demon from the host’s
body. Many lack the patience to wait even the short amount
of time it takes for the spell to wear off.
Skill Checks on Demonic Possession
When a character makes a successful
skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including the information from lower DCs.
DC 10: Fiends can possess creatures and force them to do
their will. The motivations of these possessing fiends is as varied
as the demons themselves. Evil creatures are more susceptible
to possession, but no one is really safe.
DC 15: Fiends can also possess objects, although they usually
do so to get to people. When a fiend possesses you, it can use you
as a puppet, but sometimes it just lurks in your body, whispering
dark ideas or waiting for the right moment to take control.
DC 20: Fiends that have possessed you still have a body, but
they keep it hidden away somewhere safe. The part of the fiend
that possesses someone is a sort of apparition version of the
demon. Some fiends can warp your body when they possess
you, eventually twisting you into their own physical form and
permanently taking over your body.
DC 25: The apparition version of a possessing fiend is incorporeal and able to move to and from the Ethereal Plane as it pleases. While moving about incorporeally, a fiend’s body is
vulnerable to attack, if you can find it.
DC 30: If you can trap a possessing fiend’s incorporeal body
outside the host, you can destroy it, although you need the same
kind of magic and weapons to do so as you would if fighting a
ghost or shadow. If you attack the fiend’s body, it can instantly
return to its corporeal form, although this means it has to leave
its possessed victim.
Fiendish Characteristics
When a character gains demonic characteristics — either from
possession by a transformer demon or by some other means —
certain mechanical benefits or drawbacks might come with his
altered limbs. The exact mechanics are up to the DM, but the
following table provides a few suggestions.
A character might gain a benefit and no drawback, or a draw-
back and no benefit, or both a benefit and a drawback (provided that they don’t conflict) from a single transformation. Various combinations of effects are recommended for multiple transformations. PCs should not aspire to possession by a transformer demon, since such a creature can kill them fairly easily, given
time. But the acquisition of benefits and drawbacks can make
the fight against transformation that much more interesting.
| Affected Body
Part |
Benefit |
Drawback |
| Claw/Arm/Hand |
Unarmed Damage Bonus |
Dexterity -1 |
| All Upper Limbs |
Strength Bonus |
Dexterity -1 |
| Torso |
Natural Armour Bonus |
-5 penalty to all Healing Spells |
| Legs/Lower Body |
Speed Bonus |
Speed Penalty |
| Head |
One Spell-like Ability |
Charisma -1 |
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