Ethereal Doppelganger[
Prerequisites:-At least 4 levels of
Greater Doppelganger-Must have spent at least 24 hours in a row in the Ethereal Plane.
HD:d8
| Level | Bab | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature |
| 1 | +1 | + 0 | +2 | +2 | Assume Identity, Plane Shift, Ethereal Sanctum, Adapt +1 |
| 2 | +2 | + 0 | +3 | +3 | Brain Lock, Improved Sanctum, Adapt +2 |
| 3 | +3 | + 1 | +3 | +3 | Mind Wipe, Fast Healing, Adapt +3 |
| 4 | +4 | + 1 | +4 | +4 | Versatile Skin, Improved Sanctum, Adapt +4 |
| 5 | +5 | + 1 | +4 | +4 | Abduct, Ah, Another Piece For My Collection, Adapt +5 |
| 6 | +6 | + 2 | +5 | +5 | Mass Brain Lock, Improved Sanctum, Adapt +6 |
| 7 | +7 | + 2 | +5 | +5 | Just Gone, Adapt +7 |
| 8 | +8 | + 2 | +6 | +6 | Double Walker, Improved Sanctum Adapt +8 |
Skills: 8+int modifier per level. All skills are class skills for the Ethereal Doppelganger
Proficiencies:none.
Features:Assume Identity:An ethereal doppelganger can copy another creature's mind, memories and personality. It cannot Assume the identity of a creature with more HD(actual HD, not counting any modifiers like enervation or bardic music or whatever) than its Ethereal doppelganger levels+Greater Doppelganger levels. This process requires 1 hour of unbroken physical contact. The target may attempt a Will save with DC 10+1/2 HD+Int mod, if that is successful, the process is negated and the ethereal doppelganger must begin anew. A willing creature can choose to fail the saving throw. If the target's CR is equal or lower to your Ethereal Doppelganger level they get no saving throw tough.
After copying the target creature's identity, the ethereal doppelganger may choose to assume that creature's form with its Copycat ability (rather than just a generic member of its species), and does so with 100% accuracy, possessing the victim's memories, abilities and personality, though the doppelganger still possesses its original alignment (this includes all Ex, Su and natural abilities, but not ability scores, HP, base saves, the doppelganger can use either its own skill points or those of the victim, whichever's better at the time, it must rest to recover spells in the case of spellcasters and similar). Spells, items and effects keyed to the worn identity treat the doppelganger as if it were the original creature (eg. if the doppelganger assumed the identity of a creature who had been designated as an allowed user of a phase door at casting time, it would be able to use the phase door as if it were that creature). When making a Bluff or Disguise check to impersonate the creature the Doppelganger's racial bonuses are doubled, though this does not stack with the bonus from reading minds. Using Copycat in this manner does not expend a daily use of the ability.
Note this doesn't hurt the original creature in the slightest, the ethereal doppelganger is merely replicating its target. The Ethereal Doppelganger can have a maximum of 3 identities consumed at once, +1 per 6HD. If it would gain an identity in excess of this amount, it must "forget" an existing identity in order to learn the new one.
While using Assume Identity, the Doppelganger retains its own darkvision, plus any DR, fast healing and SR it may have. If the ethereal doppelganger commits an act that runs counter to its new identity's personality, it is immediately forced back into its natural form for 1d10 rounds.
Assume Identity replaces the Greater Doppelganger's Consume Identity ability. The ethereal Doppelganger has grown to an higher state where eating brains for power isn't aceptable anymore. Any Greater Doppelganger abilities that benefited Consume Identity will benefit Assume Identity as well. In the case of Consume Exotic Identity, the Ethereal Doppelganger gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls, skill checks, and the DCs of its abilities against the chosen creature type.
Ethereal Sanctumt: The Ethereal Doppelganger starts the development of a building somewhere in the Ethereal Plane where it can rest and plot, up to 100 square feet per HD. This includes the stablishment of connections, contracts and wards to secure and supply the Ethereal Sanctum, meaning it allows for the confortable existence of one normal humanoid-sized creature per HD whitout risk of random attacks or exterior divinations detecting it, altough it is still vulnerable to anyone specifically hunting for the Ethereal Doppelganger itself should it let itself be seen in its original form by others.
Plane Shift: the Ethereal Doppelganger can use Plane Shift as a SLA 1/day per 4 HD. If he uses this ability to return to its Ethereal Hideout (or send others there), it spends no uses and always arrives precisely on-target. Save DC 10+1/2 HD+Int mod.
Ethereal Adapt: The doppelganger gains a bonus to his ability scores equal to his class level, which can be divided among his ability scores in any way he wishes, though if he applies bonuses from Adapt, Ethereal Adapt and/or Greater Adapt to the same stat then they do not stack. He may reassign the bonuses from Adapt,Ethereal Adapt and Greater Adapt as a single swift action.
Brain Lock: At 2nd level as a standard action, an ethereal doppelganger can lock away the higher mind of an opponent up to 20 feet per HD away, provided both are on the same plane and the ethereal doppelganger has line of sight to its subject. A successful Will save with DC 10+1/2+Int mod negates the attempt. Failure leaves the subject mentally paralyzed. A brain-locked creature is not stunned, so attackers get no special advantage against it and it retains its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), but otherwise the victim cannot take actions. Brain-locked creatures flying automatically drop to the ground. Brain-lock lasts 1 round per HD, but the Greater Doppelganger can dismiss the effect earlier as an immediate action. If an opponent fails three saves in a row against Mind Lock, they're left unable to act until the ethereal doppelganger wills them free or they receive a Remove Curse or similar.
Improved Sanctum: The Ethereal Doppelganger keeps expanding its Ethereal Hideout At 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th level pick one of the following options.
Showroom-Filled with trophies of past adventures, refined art pieces, grandious statues and lavish furniture, this 1000 square feet addition is meant to impress visitors. The Ethereal Doppelganger gains a racial bonus on all Cha-based skills while inside this room equal to it Ethereal Doppelganger level+1/2 other levels, and can seek to forge a contract with any creature it brings here, even enemies, as a fullround action 1/day. If they fail a Will saving throw with DC 10+HD+Int mod, they accept for the Ethereal Doppelganger to use Assume Identity on them, and then they'll peacefull remain in the Ethereal Sanctum for up to one month while the Ethereal Doppelganger advances its own agenda. The Ethereal Doppelganger may try to renew the contract after 1 month is up, but the target gets a cumulative +1 bonus on its Will save for each extra month. The Ethereal Doppelganger is also responsible for the safety of its “guest“. It must make sure of its security and confort and then take them to an open, safe location of their choice when the contract is up. Should any harm come to them before that, the Ethereal Doppelganger automatically loses the respective Assume Identity and all benefits of the Showroom for 1 year and 1 day as it builds back its reputation.
Vault-An heavily armored room with up to 1000 square feet, well stocked with equipment of all kinds and cheap ressuplying contracts. The vault starts with 10% of your WBL worth of nonmagic items, alchemical items and/or potions of your choice. Each day your contacts restock it up to 1% of your WBL. If you try to sell any of your vault's contents, the contracts will be nulled forever and merchant guild agents sent after your head. This includes others trying to sell vault items you supplied to them, so you have to take care who you share it with.
Prison-A cold, dark set of corridors and cells up to 1000 square feet with reinforced gates, runed shackles, binded guardians and all other material needed to keep all manner of creatures confined. If you bring a creature whose CR isn't bigger than yours and it is mind-locked (either before or after entering the prison), they aren't geting out unless you let them to, even if they have teleportation, freedom of movement or similar. However the prison also increases the defiance of any victims-they no longer fail saving throws in a natural 1 and actually gain a +1 cumulative bonus on all saves each day they spend in it. Those bonus are lost as soon as the creatures are let free. If you let someone inside your sanctum under your trust and they try to take actions against you, they're automatically sent to the prison by the binded guardians.
Shop-A colourful space with 1000 cubic feet where select merchants from the ethereal plane buy and sell whitout questions. Here you can buy any magic items at 90% and sell at 60% of their usual market place. If you have a prison, you can sell sentient prisioners for an amount of GP equal to their CR squared *100 GP. Either way this shop cannot sell or buy more than 30% of your WBL each day.
At 3rd level as a standard action successful melee touch attack, the ethereal doppelganger can wipe all memory of its existence from an opponent's mind. If they were fighting the target still retains an instinctual feeling the Ethereal Doppelganger is an enemy. Any new memories that creature forms of the ethereal doppelganger in the next minute will quickly vanish as well. This offers no saving throw.
Fast Healing: At 3rd level the Ethereal Doppelganger gains fast healing equal to ½ its HD.
Versatile Skin: At 4th level the Ethereal Doppelganger's shapeshifting abilities have evolved to a point its body can instantly adapt to incoming attacks. It gains DR/silver equal to its HD and SR equal to 11+HD, which may be raised or droped at any moment as a free action, even if it isn't its turn. In addition while in its natural form it can, as a swift action, reshape its hands into claws (dealing slashing damage) or spikes (dealing piercing damage), replacing its natural slam attacks. The spikes/claws retain any benefits the slams had, including the Greater Doppelganger's Powerful Fists.
Abduct: at 4th level when using Plane Shift on an unwilling target, you can bring yourself along with them if they fail their saving throw.
Ah, Another Piece For My Collection: Ethereal Doppelgangers are quite fond of magic items. At 5th level 1/round the Ethereal Doppelganger may attempt a disarm as a free action whitout provoking attacks of opportunity whenever it hits an opponent in melee, and if it suceeds the Ethereal Doppelganger can automatically equip the disarmed item. The Ethereal Doppelganger adds its Int mod to the disarm rolls, and can even attempt to snatch well-secured items such as rings, bracelets and armor, whitout any penalty on the disarm rolls.
Mass Brain Lock: At 6th level as a fullround action the Ethereal Doppelganger can attempt to use Brain Lock in a number of targets up to its Int mod, but if it does so, it cannot use either Brain Lock version for 1d4 rounds.
Just Gone:Always interesting how even when it seems like you've managed to pin down a Doppelganger, they just vanish whitout a trace. At 7th level the Ethereal Doppelganger's Plane Shift can no longer be blocked by Dimensional Lock and other planar-blocking effects as long as it's teleporting back to its Ethereal Sanctum. In addition 1/day per 7 HD the Ethereal Doppelganger may use its Plane Shift as an immediate action, and any and all divinations now fail to trail the Ethereal Doppelganger back to its Ethereal Sanctum.
Double Walker: At 8th level, once per day per 5 HD the Ethereal Doppelganger can instantly Assume Identity of a creature whitin view as an immediate action, instantly turning in them as well (the target must still be valid). The victim is allowed a save as normal, but even if they suceed the Ethereal Doppelganger can keep the form for 1 minute. Either way this is particularly disturbing for the target. They take a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, damage rolls, ability checks, saves and skill checks against the Ethereal Doppelganger while it takes their form. In addition the Ethereal Doppelganger's Assume Identity can affect victims of maximum HD equal to its own HD -3. If the Greater Weaver of lies is later gained, its Assume Identity can now affect victims of a maximum HD equal to its own HD -2 instead.
CommentsAnd that's the third Doppelganger iteration from MM II. They like to relax in the ethereal plane and despite being marked as LE are actually pretty relaxed dudes, even asking permission before copying their victims and just erasing their minds if they refuse. Even if you try to backstab them they'll be happy with just selling you in slavery.
Assume Identity replaces Consume Identity and ends your brain-eating days. You also get your personal ethereal fortress that gets upgraded, some fast healing, DR and SR, plane shift, and the powerful brain lock and mind wipe to erase the memeories of anyone who happens to catch a glimpse of your true nature.
As a whole I focused more on the "mystery" aspect of the doppelganger, the one that messes with people's minds and then is gone whitout a trace. The capstone I saved until now is for all the "Oh crap I'm fighting myself" effect you can inflict on enemies.
You'll also notice that taking all of the doppelganger and prc levels makes for a full 20 levels build.
So if you want to play an even greater double walker, the ethereal doppelganger's for you!
