I have been wanting to DM a DnD Ghost game about the players being siblings or ghouls, but haven’t been able to find the time or roleplay with anyone. Your creative map is what I would use if I had my own game going.
The game either takes place at the place of a Ritual or at the Abbey itself, protecting Papa and the Ministry with abilities, powers and presence!
OMG! Thats such a cool idea!
Feel free to use my map for it! But also can I play👀😩?
I still have the editable map in Inkarnate if you have new ideas specific for DnD. That, and I'm also slowly making the inside of the buildings if you want to use those too.
My half-ghost swashbuckler rogue/astral sorcerer that I play in our western campaign. She does do a magic anime girl transformation, and her cat is named after Karl Marx.
“I’ve seen people possessed before, but this was odd. He let it take control. The ghost in his body flipped through a book, and cast dispel magic on the darkness before them. After it was done, it let him return into himself. He was tired, yes, but it allowed him back into control. What kind of ghost does that? What kind of person lets a ghost do that?” - Rivanna Eclum, townsfolk
Welcome to spooky month! I’ve been working on a ghost-possessed human character... (so that I can effectively play two characters at once) I thought I should share what I’ve been working on since we’ve figured out our mostly finalized version. It just needs some play testing. Without further ado, the ‘race’ details are under the cut!
“Race” Details
Second Life
You will have two character sheets of equal level. Roll two Full stats, assign as if two characters. The Race for your Human is a Variant Human without the Ability Score Increase (plus the additional features you gain from this race), the Race for your Ghost is set as the following. You only have access to one set of class features determined by who is in charge of the body at the time.
The Ghost’s hit points are Fixed according to their Class Hit Point Average + Constitution Modifier + level. Once you assign the sets, you will use the Human’s Constitution, Strength and Dexterity for the Ghost’s sheet.
Physical and Elemental damage goes to Human half’s hit points. Necrotic, Radiant and Psychic goes to Ghost half’s hit points.
Failing a saving throw on Destroy Undead automatically detracts your Ghostly Hit Points. During low levels (1-6), the Ghost is unconscious and hit points auto goes to 0. If your ghost half is reduced to 0 hit points, the ghost must make (un)death saving throws. Mid-level (7-14), your ghostly half takes 10d10 in damage. During high levels (15-20) 14d10 damage.
Healing spells still work on your ghostly half. When receiving healing you can put the healed hit points to whichever half you choose.
Your human half has vulnerability to spells and effects that affect Undead, and your creature type appears as Undead to spells. Your ghost half appears visible to True Sight and Ethereal Vision.
Ghostly Manifestations
Sensations of profound sadness, loneliness, and unfulfilled yearning emanate in areas you linger in. Strange sounds or unnatural silences create an unsettling atmosphere. Cold spots settle in rooms that have roaring fires. A choking stench might seep into the area, inanimate Objects might move of their own accord, and corpses might rise from the grave. The ghost has no control over these manifestations; they simply occur. Any of these effects can occur around you to DM Discretion. Suggested play-style: If you linger in a place or around a certain set of people for a prolonged period, roll a d100. You have a 25% chance of one of these effects occurring
Death’s Reminder
Attacks with similarity to what caused your ghostly half’s death have advantage unless your ghostly half is unconscious or expelled. (DM discretion. Discuss the cause of your ghostly half’s death before hand, and what attacks would cause this effect.)
Your human half gets tired much quicker than normal due to the stress of constant possession, and is more susceptible to Exhaustion than average humans. Suggested play-style: You have Disadvantage on checks related to exhaustion, or the Difficulty Class is higher for you.
Unconsciousness
If one of them goes unconscious, the other is pushed to the front. If unconscious due to damage, the one unconscious must still make death saves. If the Ghost fails their death saves, the human is no longer possessed, and your character acts as a normal Variant Human. If the Human half dies, the ghost is expelled and you will need to get to making a new character!
Traits
Ghostly Possession
As a random once per short or long rest feature, your ghost takes control of your Human half’s body. Your Human half is Incapacitated but aware, and your Alignment and Personality, Intelligence, Charisma and Wisdom switch to the ghost’s, and you can only use the Ghost’s class features and proficiency, unable to use your Human’s class features. (aka, switch to your Ghost Sheet) Both halves of your pair can telepathically communicate with each other, no matter which one is in control
(Alternate style: As a Long Rest feature, your ghost can choose to take control of your human half’s body, non-randomly.)
The ghost can end possession as a bonus action, (which lets your human half have control and they can’t restart it as per feature requirement) with a Contested Wisdom check, no matter if the other character wants to be in control or not. When you are in Combat, instead of a Contested Wisdom check, you can end the possession as a bonus action at will but gain +1 level of exhaustion.
This feature automatically ends if your ghost hits 0 hit points, are affected by Destroy Undead or Dispel Evil and Good and other similar spells.
Ability Score Switch
Instead of a race Ability Score Increase, your Ghostly Possession allows you to change your Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom.
Withering Touch
When the Ghost is in possession of the body, you know the Chill Touch Cantrip, as a melee touch attack. You can cast it at will twice a day.
Age
Your human half ages slightly faster. Your ghost half is Undead, and can not age.
Alignment
Humans and Ghosts tend toward no particular alignment. You choose one Alignment for both halves.
Size
Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
When the Ghost is in possession of the body, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Ghostly Resistance
Both the Human and Ghost have Necrotic resistance.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common, one other language, and one language that your Ghost knew in life.
Alternate Version
Instead of having two sheets, you act as a multi-classed character. Your human half is your level one class. You roll two stat sets, switching your Alignment, Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence when you activate your Ghostly Possession. You have one additional proficiency from your Ghost half. You roll the Hit Points, splitting the die between your Human and Ghost halves according to their multi-classed levels. You can use both class features.
Additional alternate features and effects (scrapped from my version due to avoiding getting too OP):
A) Your Ghostly half have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened. You must make separate saving throws for your Human half.
B) Used to working in tandem, if your ghostly half is separated from your human half while both are conscious, you must use your action or bonus action to request your ghostly half to perform an action or bonus action. Otherwise, they will take the Dodge or Help action. You otherwise do not have access to their class features. (Using this option means the ghost can be pushed out of the body from Turn Undead, Dispel Evil and Good, and other spells)
This is my own spin on a playable Ghost class. The idea behind the Forgotten Soul is that when you died, for whatever reason, death broke. You find yourself still here, but simultaneously dead in your grave, with the ability to lose your corporeal state from time to time. You can die again, but it's anyone's guess what will happen to you when you do. Most importantly, you have the ability to use your ghostly nature (3 to choose from!) to your advantage in combat.
Writing this class also gave me an opportunity to play around with the Icelandic language, which I think is absolutely beautiful and feels good when combined with ghostly concepts. Many of the class features have Icelandic names and corresponding (rough) English translations for those of you who aren't so familiar with Eth and Thorn.
Download the Forgotten Soul PDF.
Note: This class is still in beta. Feel free to playtest and let me know your thoughts.
