Gabriel Lightbringer, Master of Puppets (complete)

[phaedrusxy]

Version 3

System Used: D&D 3.5 and Homebrew

Character Purpose: This character was partially inspired by a recurring dream where I am a disembodied "psychic" spirit who possesses others to live, and has telekinetic powers. I've played various versions of characters that possess others to survive. This is just the latest incarnation.

Backstory

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Gabriel Lightbringer Jr. was the only son of a Palladin of Pelor, his father, and Anastasia Farseer, a cleric of Pelor. As their only child, he was quite spoiled by his parents. Although he's always been disposed to selfishness and cruelty, his parents had a hard time believing that their son could be "bad". So he found it quite easy to lie to them, trick them, etc, when he needed to cover up some "bad" thing he'd done.

He took his parents' excessive piety, obedience, and charity as weakness, foolishness, and naivety. However, he did learn the value of appearing good to the public eye from them. Their "irrational" faith and altruism was evidence to him that they were completely brain-washed by their church. He has never believed in the "goodness" of Pelor, or any other god. He was always sure that the gods had some selfish motives for wanting more followers, and as an adult he's convinced he's solved that mystery with his discovery of the power inherent in souls, and emotions. Indeed, he is as much an expert on souls as almost anyone, having learned to move his from one host body to another, and to extract the souls of others and sell them, or use them in the construction of magic items, or even... eat them.

Although his parents at times suspected his unsavory nature, as he got older (and became more and more corrupted) he became more and more adept at hiding it. Ultimately, they were convinced that their moral guidance had ultimately prevailed over his inherent selfishness, molding him into a decent and good man. His peers and teachers were not always as easily fooled, but over time any that he couldn't eventually win over have had unfortunate "accidents".

Gabriel was never a physically powerful man, and although what he lacked in physical attributes was more than made up for by his charisma and perceptiveness, he still often coveted those with stronger and more healthy physiques. As he aged and his own body began to fail, he became even more envious, and began researching magical ways with which to strengthen himself. The easiest way seemed to simply steal someone else's body, so he delved into forbidden secrets that allowed him to permanently steal the body of a younger and stronger adventurer (scrolls of Magic Jar + Imprison Possessor, or psionic equivalent). For some time, he kept his own frail body and the adventurer's trapped soul hidden in secret rooms beneath his home, and assumed a new identity. The adventurer was from a distant land, and that coupled with his dangerous occupation assured that no one ever came looking for him.

Although Gabriel is selfish, cruel, greedy, petty, ruthless, and very distrustful of religion, he is a consummate liar, and knows well the value of a good "public face". He has always strived to be a respected member of his community wherever he resides, publicly giving to charities, beggars, attending to his civic duties, making appropriate and often useful suggestions at town meetings and sometimes even holding minor public offices. Although he is almost completely amoral by most peoples' standards, he has always went to great lengths to appear on the surface to be an upstanding citizen and genuinely "nice guy".

In his "dirty dealings", he has always made it a priority to hide his own identity, and make sure there is someone he can easily blame for his crimes: a "second in command" who is actually a "scape goat", whom he himself will implicate when necessary, if the authorities get too close to his "business operations". Thus, his "operations" have always been conducted in secret, and he always maintained disguises when interacting with any of his associates in "unseemly business transactions". Most of the people who have worked for him in these types of things have never even suspected who their true employer was. These "transactions" can and do include every kind of horror imaginable, as long as some profit or personal power can be gained from it. He uses bribe, blackmail, kidnapping, and murder to keep authorities away from his operations, and increase his own wealth and political power.

Of course, things have changed somewhat with the loss of his physical form. Since he no longer has his own physical body, he is basically always "disguised". He maintains a "presence" in different major cities on the prime by enslaving and periodically possessing the heads of a few seemingly unconnected organized crime rings, and spy/assassin networks. He travels around in his raven familiar to "visit" them on occasion when he needs to take care of something himself. His existence isn't even suspected by most members of those organizations, only occasionally whispered about in fear in dark and secret places. Anyone who digs too deeply into these rumors usually quietly disappears.

Not having a physical body has also changed his perspective somewhat. He now looks at things over a longer term, and beyond the scope of the prime material plane, focusing more on the accumulation of immaterial power as opposed to wealth. Wealth can only get you so far. He's thus began "branching out" his operations into other planes, trafficking in souls, with the payments often in services and favors owed to him by devils and powerful political figures on the prime material and other planes.

Build

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Gabriel Lightbringer

Magic-blooded Spellscale Conduit of the Lower Planes* (Acheron) 10/Mindbender 1/Stranger with the Burning Eyes 4
Hand of Dumathoin (cleric domains for easy reference)

*Used class skill list from the Tome Warlock

Ability Scores

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racial adjustments (+4 cha, -2 wis and con)
32 pt buy with aging to venerable (w/items)

Str  2 (8-6age) (25 in troll)
Dex  4 (10-6age) (12 in troll)
Con  5 (12-2race-6age+1template) (22 in troll)
Int 17 +3 (13+3age+1template)
Wis 13 +1 (9+3age+1template)
Cha 32 +11 (18+4race+3age+3levels+4enh)

HD: 10d6+5d4 (48 80 hit points)(130 168 in troll, assuming it's hit points were supercharged also)(UrukHai HP 297)
Saving Throws: F +16 (6+[7con+3res), R +8 (4+1dex+3res)), W +17 (13+1wis+3res))
AC: 25 (10base+10armor-1size+1dex -1flaw-1trait+6nat+1defl)
Initiative: +13 (+5nerveskitter +5primalinst +1dex +2trait)
BAB/Grapple: +11/+18
Attacks: 2 claws at +17 (1d6+7) and bite +12 (1d6+3), Rend for 2d6+10
Telekinetic thrust (range 130 feet): 13 orcish shotputs +27 (8d6+5 dmg, average 50)(20/x3 crit)(buffed with Greater Magic Weapon and Greater Mighty Wallop)

Feats
Still Spell (race), Obtain Familiar (1), Silent Spell (3), Devour the Soul (bonus fiend/monst/creation) (4), Essence Gourmand (bonus fiend feat) (5th), Mindsight (6), Frightful Presence (bonus from Dominion sphere), Greater Teleport (8), Imperious Command (9), Versatile Spellcaster (12), Reach Spell (Metamagic Storm), Fell Frighten (15)


Skills: Bluff +16 (5), Conc +? (9), Know (rel) +17 (9+3wis+5comp), Know (arc&eng, geog, hist, nob&roy, Local, Nature, Planes, arcana) +4 (1), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6 (1), diplom +23(4cc), Spellcraft +8(5r+3int), UMD +12(1), Intimidate +38(17), Gather Information +13(0), Disguise +11/13(0), Sense Motive +8(5), Craft (stone) +?(+2 bonus from template), Survival +? (+2 from template)

Skill Tricks: Collector of Stories: +5 on knowledge checks to ID creatures
Never Outnumbered: Can affect all within 10' with intimidate/demoralize attempt (+Imperious Command makes them cower for 1 round, then be shaken for 1 more round)

Conduit Spheres (level listed in custom spheres is level of SLA, gained at the same level a wizard would gain a spell of that level)
Force (took 3 times for Expert access, so all these are at will)

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Special: You gain a +1 deflection bonus to armor class.

   * 1 Inertial Armor (4+1/2lvls armor bonus)
    * 2 Concussion Blast: Deal 1d6/lvl force damage to target creature or object (medium range), reduce by 1d6 to affect another target within 15'. Save: no, SR: Yes. Ignores cover and concealment, no attack roll needed.
    * 3 Fly
    * 4 Control Body
    * 5 Telekinesis
    * 6 Wall of Force
    * 7 Forcecage
    * 8 Telekinetic Sphere: Mobile force globe encapsulates creature and moves it.
    * 9  Implosion

Dominion

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Special ability: You gain Frightful Presence (Draconomicon) as a bonus feat.

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FRIGHTFUL PRESENCE [GENERAL]

Like a dragon, your mere presence can terrify those around you.

Prerequisites: Cha 15, Intimidate 9 ranks.

Benefit: You gain the use of the frightful presence ability. Whenever you attack or charge, all opponents within a radius of 30 feet who have fewer levels or Hit Dice than you become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1d6 + your Cha modifier.

The effect is negated by a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Cha modifier). A successful save indicates that the opponent is immune to your frightful presence for 24 hours.

This ability can’t affect creatures with an Intelligence of 3 or lower, nor does it have any effect on dragons.

(Uses per day in parenthesis)

   1. Charm, Psionic (8xday)
   2.  Read Thoughts (7xday)
   3.  Mental Turmoil (6xday))
   4. Dominate, Psionic (5xday)
   5. Stygian Dominion: Assume control over the body of a mindless undead creature. (CPsi) (4xday)
   6. Magic Jar (3xday)
   7. Crisis of Life (2xday))
   8. Mind Seed (1xday)
   9. Mind Switch, True

Terror

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Special: Gain Intimidate as a class skill, and may make an Intimidate check to Demoralize Opponent as a free action once a round.

Level - Benefits

    * 1 - cause fear (8xday)
    * 2 - scare (7xday)
    * 3 - halt undead (6xday)
    * 4 - fear (5xday)
    * 5 - phantasmal killer (4xday)
    * 6 - symbol of fear (3xday)
    * 7 - eyebite (2xday)
    * 8 - fear, Quickened (1xday)
    * 9 - weird
    * 9 - wail of the banshee

Spells known (per day) (casts as an 11th level sorcerer with a CL of 15)

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0th (6): Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation, Launch Item, Caltrops, Ghost Sound, Message
1st (9): Silent Image, Nerveskitter, Grease, Lesser Orb of Acid, Mount, (Magic Missile 3xday)
2nd (9): Glitterdust, Alter Self, Kelgore's Grave Mist, Wings of Cover, Ghoul Glyph
3rd (9): Dispel Magic, Shrink Item, Greater Mighty Wallop, Nondetection, (Primal Instinct 1xday, Fireball 3xday, 10d6, DC14), Anticipate Teleportation (1xday)
4th (8): Celerity, Solid Fog, (Freedom of Movement 2xday, Major Resistance 1xday), Venom Bolt
5th (6): (Teleport 2xday)(Investiture of the Orthon 2xday) (Permanency 1xday) , Lesser Spell Matrix, Ghost Storm
6th (2) (useable with Versatile Spellcaster or Metamagic only)(0 known)

Protection Domain Spells (may spontaneously cast 14 spell levels per day from this list, plus has the Supernatural Ward ability)
Sanctuary: Opponents can’t attack you, and you can’t attack.
Shield Other F: You take half of subject’s damage.
Protection from Energy: Absorb 12 points/level of damage from one kind of energy.
Spell Immunity: Subject is immune to one spell per four levels.
Spell Resistance: Subject gains SR 12 + level.
Antimagic Field: Negates magic within 10 ft.
Repulsion: Creatures can’t approach you.
Mind Blank: Subject is immune to mental/emotional magic and scrying.
Prismatic Sphere: As prismatic wall, but surrounds on all sides.

check here for spell ideas

Used 0/3 charges from MM Rod of Extend and 1/3 from Lesser MM Rod of Chain

Non-core Spell Descriptions

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No Light (BoVD): 20' radius area of magical darkness that creatures with darkvision can see through.
Launch Item: "Throw" fine-sized item up to medium range with no range penalty.
Caltrops: Creates caltrops in 5 squares within short range, and they get a +4 to hit (ignores armor, shield, deflection, +2 AC if wearing shoes or armor).
Wings of Cover: Immediate action, gain total cover till start of next turn.
Nerveskitter (SC): Immediate action +5 to initiative
Lesser Orb of Acid (SC): 5d8 acid damage, short range.
Kelgore's Grave Mist(PHB2): medium range, 20' radius, 20' high cloud does 1d6 cold/rnd and fatigues. No save, SR to resist fatigue. Lasts 1 rnd/lvl.
Primal Instinct (Dragon Magic, 3rd level): +5 competence bonus on initiative and Survival checks that lasts for 24 hours. +5 Competence to one knowledge skill with Dragonblood subtype.
Investiture of the Orthon

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Domains (from Hand template)
Cavern, Knowledge, Dwarf, or Protection (1 chosen at the beginning of each day). Can cast 14 spell levels from the chosen domain spontaneously.

Hand's Influence: Any dwarf who interacts with you will automatically sense that you are a Hand with a DC 5 Knowledge (Religion) check. Dwarves begin no worse than friendly toward you, and at 12th level, dwarven clerics, favored souls, paladins, and the like begin as helpful.

Hand's Affinity: Dumathoin has many allies. You gain the indicated bonus (+4) on interaction skill checks (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive, etc.) made against dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes, stone giants, creatures with the Earth subtype, and nagas. (The latter is because of Dumathoin's relationship with Parrafaire.)

Equipment and Wealth

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The Traveler's Toothpick (custom Runestaff)

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This tiny staff looks more like a wand than a staff, but its pint size is deceptive for it holds the key to unlocking the usage of several powerful spells for its wielder.

It contains the following spells, each useable a number of times noted below:
3rd: Primal Instinct (1xday, 3x3x100=900), Anticipate Teleportation (1xday, 3x3x100=900)
4th: Major Resistance (+3 saves, 24 hrs)(1xday, 4x4x100)
5th: Permanency (1xday, 5x5x200=5000), Investiture of the Orthon (2xday, 5000)

Total cost: 13400 gp

Rainment of the Four

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Gloves of the starry sky 1,100 gp (+2 Dex, 4000): Emit light; 3/day spontaneously cast magic missile
Goggles of the golden sun 4,000 gp: Immune to blindness, dazzling; 3/day spontaneously cast fireball (DC 14, 10d6 dmg)
Periapt of the sullen sea 6,000 gp: Hold breath 12 hours; 2/day spontaneously cast freedom of movement
Belt of the wide earth 8,000 gp: Carrying capacity doubled; 2/day spontaneously cast teleport

The belt is intelligent (Int and Cha 12, Wis 10) and can cast Cure Moderate Wounds 3xday (2d8+3) (+7500 gp)

all 4 pieces: Resistance to cold 5, electricity 5, and fire 5; 1/day commune (4 questions)

Other stuff

• Spell Component Pouch (3) (15 gp)
• 2 scrolls each of Unseen Servant and Comprehend Languages (100 gp)
• Thinaun Ring of Arming 5000
  (This ring serves as his "token" which means that it will travel with him auto-magically when he changes bodies, and it is also enchanted to grant him +4 to charisma 16000)
• ten red-hot boulders (3,600 lbs each), shrunken down to <1 lb each (these are 22 cubic feet when unshrunk, so a bit under 3 feet in diameter)
• 22 cubic feet of water, shrunk in 10 different "squares"
• a large stone cone that is four inches thick, 6 feet across at the bottom, and 10 feet tall, which he shrinks and wears as a pointy. cloth wizard's hat. It weighs 3600 lbs when unshrunk, has 60 hit points per 5' section and hardness 8. He "crafted" this himself with judicious use of Lesser Orbs of Acid.
• 40,000 lbs of lava... shrunk down into eleven 1 lb blocks with the consistency of cloth (should only be a bit bigger than the solid rock)
• Wands of Omen of Peril (750 gp, 2 charges used)
• Wands of Lesser Vigor (750 gp)
• Lesser Metamagic Rod of Chain Spell (14000 gp) (2/3 daily uses left)
• MM Rod of Extend Spell (11000 gp) (1/3 daily uses left)
• Eternal Wand of Heroics (4600 gp)
• Enveloping Pit (3600)

Permanent Effects 7150
    Alarm (500 xp + 25 gp), Clone (4500 gp), Private Sanctum (2500 xp + 1125 gp), Forbiddance (1500 gp)

Gabriel's hidden clone lair

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He keeps a clone of his original body when it was middle aged in a secret underground lair. It is guarded by a horde of mindless undead he animated long ago. The hidden lair is below the dirt floor of a small cave in the middle of nowhere, but the chamber itself has no entrances at all to the surface. Inside the sanctum, there is a Permanent Alarm spell on the area around the clone. The entire area also has Forbiddance and a permanent Private Sanctum cast inside it.

There is a small underground cubbyhole (fits 1 tiny creature) that acts as an entry chamber. It has no permanent connections to the surface, but it is possible to stab or dig a hole down to it from the cave floor above the hidden chamber, if you know where it is. A tiny or smaller creature could then enter the main chamber via a tiny lead door. The cubbyhole itself is not included in the Forbiddance or Private Sanctum effects. He returns occasionally to cast Gentle Repose on it from a scroll.

Invisible Arcane Sight, See Invisible, and Darkvision (3800 XP)

Metamagic Storm (Reach Spell): 5000 gp

Misc non-magical gear

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13 orcish shotputs (2d6 dmg, 20/x3 crit, bludgeoning ranged weapon)

Torchbug paste (2 bladders, crafted for 16.67 total, CScoundrel p120, both in potion belt)
Splash weapon, ranged touch attack, 10' range increment. Targets in square and adjacent squares are affected as if by Faerie Fire for 1 hour. Not magical. Can be washed off as a full round action with at least 1 gallon of water.

Jug of Shapesand, to cover anything I forgot
Price: 100 gp
Weight: 12 lbs
(Sandstorm p. 102)

3 Tanglefoot bags (50 gp, crafted)

WBL is 110,000 gp for 13th level, he has 1348 gp left

Current Ongoing Effects:
Primal Instinct (24 hrs), Major Resistance (24hrs), Nondetection (Extended via MM Rod, 26 hrs), Inertial Armor (constantly recast), Anticipate Teleportation (24 hrs), Invisible Arcane Sight (Permanent), See Invisible (Permanent on raven), Darkvision (Permanent on raven), Magic Jar (supernatural ability, permanent, currently possessing a troll hunter), Mindsight, Resistance to cold 5, electricity 5, and fire 5, Immune to Compulsion effects, blindness, and dazzling; Chained-Reach Greater Mighty Wallop (on 13 orcish shotputs), Chained Greater Magic Weapon on 13 orcish shotputs (CL20, from Arkesh), Freedom of Movement (130 minutes)

In troll body: Darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision, regeneration 5 (fire and acid), scent

Other Class abilities:
Magic Jar (Su, at will, DC 27, not subject to spell resistance), Firewall of the Soul, Explosive Reaction

Tactics/Roles
-Blasting: Fly + Telekinesis, Concussion Blast (at will), Lesser Orb of Acid, Magic Missile (3xday), shrunk items (+Telekinesis), Fireball (2xday)
-Fear: Swift action Demoralize + Imperious Command + Never Outnumbered to cower all within 10' for 1 round; coupled with Frightful Presence (also can use Fear and other SLAs from the Terror Sphere)
-Infiltration/stealth: Steal a body (or hide inside his belt), teleport at will, Charm, Dominate, Read Thoughts, etc
-Detection: magic jar senses, mindsight,darkvision, arcane sight, see invisible
-Battlefield control: Silent Image, Grease, Glitterdust, Kelgore's Grave Mist, Solid Fog, Control Body, Forcecage, Wall of Force, Telekinesis
-Defenses (available): Resist Energy, Wings of Cover, Resistance to cold 5, electricity 5, and fire 5; Immune to Compulsion effects, shrunken "hat" (AMF defense), Freedom of Movement

Max (raven familiar)

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Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice:   13 (22 hit points)(did not count master's Con, as he doesn't have a body)
Initiative:   +2
Speed:   10 ft. (2 squares), fly 40 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +7 Nat), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Attack:
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will + 14
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Spot +9, Listen +7, Hide +10, Move Silently +2, otherwise as master
Feats:  Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Special Abilities: Improved Evasion, Deliver Touch Spells, Share Spells, Alertness, Empathic Link, Speak Language (common), Speak with Master, Speak with Animals of its kind, Spell Resistance (18), Scry on Familiar 1xday

[sirpercival]

Alright, this stuff looks really really cool -- but can you summarize how this actually works? Tracking link chains is confusing me lol.

Are you getting sorc casting or psionics? Which type of petitioner are you, Acheron?

[phaedrusxy]

Alright, this stuff looks really really cool -- but can you summarize how this actually works? Tracking link chains is confusing me lol.

Are you getting sorc casting or psionics? Which type of petitioner are you, Acheron?

Sorry yeah, still working on it, and haven't had much time since I first hashed it out. I'm still debating about the petitioner type, actually. Was thinking Acheron for the +10 to Intimidate, and because it fits his personality and Spheres, but an energy immunity would be nice...

The base class is kind of like a combo of warlock and sorcerer. He'll gain the powers from the Force Sphere/mantle (which I'm going to customize a bit still) at will, since I'm going to take it 3 times for Expert access. He'll be able to use the powers from his other two spheres only a few times per day each. At the 10th level of the base class, he also gains casting as a 6th level sorcerer, and then progresses that for 3 more levels using his prestige classes. I'm going to go ahead and keep it arcane I guess, since converting it fully to psionics would be a pain in the ass. So the psi-powers will actually be Spell-like abilities. I'll continue to hash it out. Let me know if you have any objections or ideas.

[phaedrusxy]

Crap... I can't meet the skill prereqs of Mindbender as a Conduit. Why the hell doesn't this class have some more class skills? Now I need to find a 1 level filler for 11th level before I can qualify for SwtBE... I guess I could just stick in a level of sorcerer, but that seems kind of lame...

Or I could just eat the cross-class costs, I guess. Hmm... or take Able Learner... That would let me do it.

OK... since I'm basically making this crap up, anyway, I'm going to just say cross-class costs the same as class skills. Because fuck all that book keeping. I do that in games I run anyway. Alternatively, we'll change the class skills of Conduit to be the ones listed for the Tome Warlock instead, which I was originally going to use instead of Conduit, but thought retaining some of the sorcerer spellcasting would be easier on me converting the character and maintaining his role in the party.

[Tshern]

This was one of the reasons I snatched Able learner as well. The other function of it is decent as well, helps me to fuel Knowledge devotion.

[ShadowViper]

Or save all the hassle and build a Pathfinder character. 

[phaedrusxy]

I ditched Obtain Familiar for Able Learner. What a pain... It basically came down to: Is a familiar as good as Mindsight? And the answer was no...

Of course, now I also don't have Mother Cyst. So I need a different way to enslave a bunch of minions... I guess I could just use Charm/Dominate, but that's going to be more of a house of cards in the long run.

[sirpercival]

Don't worry about Able Learner, just change the class skills to the Tome Warlock.  That's fine.

[phaedrusxy]

Thanks.

Another question: I took Devourer of Souls and Essence Gourmand mostly for flavor reasons. Is it OK if I say that he can eat the soul of the body he currently possesses? I mean, if I was using the actual spell Magic Jar, their soul would be trapped in the receptacle, and I could certainly eat it from there. Since their body counts as the receptacle when I use the Magic Jar supernatural ability, I think this should still work.

Also, I'd like to say his ring that he uses as his token (the little item that travels with him when he switches bodies)  is made of Thinuan purely for flavor reasons. It won't affect anything mechanically, but it makes a lot of sense for how the class works, I think.

[sirpercival]

All of that is fine

[sirpercival]

Arkesh pulls a small ceramic figurine from the pouch and hands it to Gabriel.  "I believe you can make use of this."  She smirks slightly.

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Idol of Projection
Three times per day, the idol can be activated by expending a prepared Magic Jar, or an equivalent spell slot, or SLA use or supernatural ability use of Magic Jar. Activating the idol is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

When activated, the idol projects a body made of force, in the shape of a glowing, featureless Medium-sized humanoid.  The body has a Dexterity of 10, a speed of 30 feet, and a Strength score of 10 + the activator's Charisma modifier.  The activator can spend a swift action every round to control the projection's actions as an additional body.

The projection can make a single slam attack as a natural attack dealing 1d6 + Str force damage; it has a base attack bonus equal to the activator's character level.  Alternatively, the projection can cast spells which do not have verbal components (the projection does not need to supply material components with a value of 1 gp or less), using the activator's spells known/prepared and spell slots (i.e., the projection can only cast spells the activator has access to, and any spell the projection casts counts against the activator's spells per day).

The projection is made of the same substance as a wall of force, and has the same vulnerabilities and immunities that a wall of force does.  However, it is easily visible unless steps are taken to hide it.  The projection lasts for 5 minutes (or until it is destroyed, whichever comes first) before disappearing.

[phaedrusxy]

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Holy shit... 

So... does casting spells through it include Spell-like Abilities? Gabriel has quite a few of those now.

After studying the figurine for a few moments, its nature becoming evident to him, Gabriel looks at Arkesh with (nearly) unabashed appreciation. "I thank you greatly. This is an item truly suited to my abilities. Have no doubt I will use it to rain ruin down upon your enemies with impunity."

[sirpercival]

Yep. 

[phaedrusxy]

So... I think I'm pretty much done tweaking this, unless I decide on something else to spend money on. I modified his Spheres pretty extensively from what they first were, and have a mix of psi powers and spells in there. They all fit the themes of the sphere they're in though, and are gained at the normal level a straight-level wizard or psion would get them (or later). If you have a problem with any, let me know. I assumed that Mind Switch could qualify as Magic Jar for PrC prereqs. Of course, since this is all heavily modified, we can just change it, if we want...

I do have a couple of questions, though. Since the target of Mind Switch is "You and one other creature", I should be able to cast/manifest it on my familiar instead of me, right? So that means I could have my familiar take over a body. That could be handy...

Also, do I get a second set of actions with the force projection body from that idol? Or do I have to use mine to control it (plus the swift to keep it activated)?

Edit: Oh yeah, and if we ever do that dream combat... what the hell is Gabriel going to look like? And what stats will he use? His "old man" stats? That's what I'm guessing. 

[sirpercival]

All sounds fine.  We COULD use Mind Switch as a prereq... but I would suggest Magic Jar simply because it gives you other senses.  People can be protected from Divination and Telepathy, so that would block True Sight and Mindsight... but Magic Jar gives you necromantic senses. 

Essentially, the force body takes its own set of actions which you control with a swift action.  So your actions are (Gabriel's actions - swift action) + force body action.

[phaedrusxy]

Yeah, I agree. Changed the Sphere to grant Magic Jar instead of Mind Switch.

[phaedrusxy]

I have a few questions for you SirP, and at least one is a bit of an odd one...

1) What happens if Gabriel uses Magic Jar through the energy being created by his new toy? Does the energy being possess the target, or does Gabriel himself? If that's not something Gabriel would know, we could say he tried it out on his familiar during the days of waiting for the attack.

2) Does the Share Spells ability of a familiar work for Spell-like Abilities?

3) If Gabriel actually casts Magic Jar, and targets the body he is currently inhabiting, he should be able to share the spell with his familiar, right? Would that then let the familiar co-inhabit the body? Could Gabriel then move his own soul to another body via his supernatural Magic Jar, leaving the familiar in the first one?

My actions will depend on the answers to these questions. Sorry for not asking them sooner. I just came up with an idea. 

If all of this works as I think it should, I'll have the familiar inhabit the troll, Gabriel will move into his sentient belt, and then have the energy being put on the belt. Then he'll have the energy being teleport to the "frontlines", where Gabriel will then immediately use his Magic Jar ability through it to possess one of the invading enemies. Then he'll consume his new host's soul, learning everything that it knows, which should give us quite a bit more insight into the invaders plans. Then he can either just teleport back, or unleash some hell first, and then return to the group.

No matter the answers to my questions, I still plan for his first actions to be trying to possess one of the invaders and eat their soul for "recon". The exact method I use might change a bit is all.

[sirpercival]

Lol I LOVE the way you think

1) Gabriel possesses it, he's the one casting and it uses his spell slots.  The force puppet is just that, a puppet.

2) I think so, yes, as long as the SLA casting is legal to be shared.

3) I'm...not sure.  Let me think about this one and get back to you.

[sirpercival]

OK, so my answer for #2 is wrong.  You can't share SLA's with your familiar.

For #3, yes you can bring your familiar in with you (the rules are very ambiguous about this, so I'm just going to rule in your favor ).  However, your plan has 2 holes (possibly).  If you cast another MJ, you end the first one and your familiar is dumped back to the raven body (which I think happens when you move to the belt).  Also, if you move more than 5 feet away, the familiar loses the benefit and goes back to its own body.

What are the mechanics for consuming?  I looked at your feats but they don't actually go into any detail.  Do you have a link?

[phaedrusxy]

OK, so my answer for #2 is wrong.  You can't share SLA's with your familiar.

For #3, yes you can bring your familiar in with you (the rules are very ambiguous about this, so I'm just going to rule in your favor ).  However, your plan has 2 holes (possibly).  If you cast another MJ, you end the first one and your familiar is dumped back to the raven body (which I think happens when you move to the belt).  Also, if you move more than 5 feet away, the familiar loses the benefit and goes back to its own body.

What are the mechanics for consuming?  I looked at your feats but they don't actually go into any detail.  Do you have a link?

Very reasonable. I can still possess things via the energy being, which is the most important part of my plan, anyway.

The rules for those feats are in those links in their entirety. Any ambiguity we'll just have to resolve for ourselves, I think. It is possible there might be a thread clarifying them on the gaming den's website, but I doubt it. Probably no one in the history of the Tome rules ever took them before, much less actually used them.. 

I'm going to go ahead with my plan. You can determine how to resolve the Essence Gourmand feat and let me know.

We should also probably clarify Gabriel's relationship with this troll... since he no longer has a permanent dominate effect via Mother Cyst on it. I guess the most reasonable thing is to re-Dominate it every few days. He can cast that 4xday, which should be enough.