Ghost*
Spectral remnants of intelligent beings who cannot rest easily in their graves
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game
| Armor Class | 20 (m) |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 10* (+9) |
| Number Appearing | 1 |
| Attacks | 1 touch/1 gaze |
| Damage | 1d8 + special |
| Movement | 30' |
| Save As | Fighter: 10 |
| Morale | 10 |
| XP | 1390 |
| Treasure Type | E, N, O |
Ghosts are the spectral remnants of intelligent beings who, for one reason or another, cannot rest easily in their graves. A ghost normally resembles the form it had in life, but sometimes the spiritual form is altered. For instance, the ghost of someone who believed he or she was evil might look a bit demonic. Because they are incorporeal, ghosts may be hit only by magical weapons.
Special Abilities
Fear: Seeing a ghost is so terrible that the victim must save vs. Spells or flee for 2d6 rounds. A character or creature who successfully saves vs. a given ghost’s fear attack may not be so affected by that ghost again, but of course may still be affected by another.
Touch: A ghost that hits a living target with its touch attack does 1d8 points of damage, and at the same time regenerates the same number of hit points. In addition, the victim loses 1 Constitution point. Elves and dwarves (and other long-lived creatures such as dragons) are allowed a saving throw vs. Death Ray to resist this effect, which must be rolled on each hit. Characters who lose Constitution appear to have aged. If a ghost is fighting a living creature which does not have a Constitution score, the GM should assign whatever score he or she sees fit.
Constitution Loss: Lost Constitution can be regained at a rate of one point per casting of restoration; nothing else (except a wish) can restore Constitution lost to a ghost. If a character’s Constitution falls to 0, he or she dies permanently and cannot be raised (but still may be reincarnated).
Telekinesis: Once per turn, a ghost can use telekinesis (as the spell) as if it were a 10th level Magic-User.
Possession: Instead of attacking, a ghost may attempt to possess a living creature. This ability is similar to a magic jar spell (as if cast by a 10th level Magic-User), except that it does not require a receptacle. To use this ability, the ghost must be able to move into the target (so it is possible to outrun it). The target can resist the attack with a successful save vs. Spells. A creature that successfully saves is immune to being possessed by that ghost for 24 hours. If the save fails, the ghost enters the target’s body and controls it; control may be maintained until the ghost chooses to leave the victim’s body, or until it is driven out by means of a remove curse spell. While it is possessing a living creature, a ghost may not use any of its special abilities.
Incorporeal: Because they are incorporeal, ghosts may be hit only by magical weapons.
Other Sources
OSRIC
| Armor Class | 0 when manifest/special |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 10+4 |
| Number Encountered | 1 |
| Attacks | 1 |
| Damage | Special |
| Move | 90-ft hovering |
| Alignment | Any evil |
| Intelligence | High |
| XP | 8/4200 +14/hp |
| Treasure Type | 1d10×1,000 cp (5%); 2d6×1,000 sp (30%); 1d6×1,000 ep (25%); 2d4×1,000 gp (25%); 2d6 gems (15%); 1d6 jewellery (20%); 1d3-1 scrolls (30%); 1d8 potions (40%); 1d4-1 any other magic items (25%) |
| Size | Man-sized |
| Frequency | Very Rare |
| Lair | 25% |
Ghosts are the spiritual remains of extremely evil humans who have been denied the ordinarily inexorable movement of their souls to the outer planes of existence after discarding their mortal shell. This sundering of their metaphysical essence creates a foul thing, roaming dark and desolate places, existing in both the æthereal plane and the prime material, seeking to slake a thirst that can never be sated. This exigent need for living essences is what drives these spirits into contact with mortals.
Special Abilities
Fear: Merely beholding the awfulness of the ghost requires a saving throw vs magic. Failure causes the viewer to flee in panic (for 2d8 turns) and initiates a weaker form of the ghost’s wither attack—which ages the victim 3d6 years as the ghost feasts on the life of the victim. Clerics level 7 or greater can ignore this effect, as they have a better understanding of how to ward off such metaphysical forces, while other intelligences with 9 or more hit dice or levels gain a +3 to their saves.
Æthereal Form: Until the ghost manifests itself physically, it is immune to all attacks, spell or no, unless the attacker has a method to become æthereal. Even if the spell caster is in this state, ghosts are still immune to many forms of spells, though no sage has recorded what those magics might be. Magical weapons used in an æthereal state against a ghost typically have to strike against AC 7 or 8.
Magic Jar: Any creature within 180-ft is threatened by the being’s magic jar ability, as per the spell.
Manifest Form: If magic jar fails, then the ghost will manifest itself, taking on an ectoplasmic quality. Specially forged “pure” metals, especially silver, can cause half-damage to a ghost while it is manifested in this fashion, and magic weapons can affect it normally—in either case the attacker must hit AC 0. Spells still cannot affect it in this state unless the caster is æthereal.
Wither: The manifest state allows the ghost to strike victims physically, with the full power of their withering attack—causing the victim to age 7d6 years per successful attack, no save possible. Victims who exceed their allotted lifespan are forever dead, with only a wish capable of reversing this end.