Magic Jar

Necromantic [possession, psionic*]

• • Level Magic-user 5

  • Components V, S, M

  • Casting Time 1 round

  • Range 10-ft. per caster level

  • Area of Effect See description

  • Duration See description

  • Save See description

This spell allows the caster to possess other creatures.

• When the caster casts the spell, the caster's spirit or soul (essence) is transferred into the material component (receptacle).

• The caster's physical body enters a cataleptic state as per the feign death spell.

• Once the caster's essence is in the receptacle, the caster can detect any life force (living creatures) within the spell range of the receptacle. This detection is not blocked by physical barriers although it does not operate through planar boundries (unless the magic is part of a special ability and described as working across such boundries).

• While distance of other living creatures from the receptacle is known, nothing else is known about the life forces detected.

• On any ensuing round, the caster's essence can attempt to possess a selected living creature in range of the receptacle as a complex activity.

• Only living creatures with an Intelligence score of 1 or higher (Intelligence Rating is equal to Animal or better) can be possessed by this spell, attempts to possess a mindless creature fail automatically.

Possess Creature. (complex) A caster whose essence resides in the receptacle can target a living creature within range of the spell. The target must make an adjusted (see the table) Wisdom save vs. Spell or become possessed by the caster (save negates the possession attempt). The duration is permanent until the target makes a successful saving throw. After the initial save, the interval to the next save attempt is based on the difference in combined Intelligence and Wisdom, caster versus target (a negative value means the target has a higher combined Intelligence and Wisdom score than the caster).

• If the target succeeds a saving throw, the caster's essence is sent back to the receptacle if it is within range. If the receptacle is not within range, the caster's essence is trapped in the target's body, but can continue to attempt to possess the target (the caster cannot change targets if the caster's essence is not within the receptacle). The subsequent possession attempts follow the saving throw interval in reverse.

• If the possessed body is killed/destroyed, the caster's essence is forced back into the receptacle if it is within range. If the receptacle is not within range, the caster's essence is destroyed.

• If the receptacle is destroyed, the caster's essence is destroyed.

• If the caster's cataleptic body is destroyed, the caster's essence is unharmed, but the caster cannot return to their original body.

Possession Effects

• When possessing a creature, the caster retains their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability scores.

• The body retains it's original Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores. 

• The caster can use natural functions of the body as per the polymorph self spell with the exception of senses. The caster gains all of the creature's "natural" senses (due to form), such as night vision, scent, or echolocation. The caster loses any senses of their original form.

• The body gains the caster's maximum hit points (assuming the body is unharmed) adjusted by the body's Constitution score or Enhanced Hit Dice (with respect to hit points only). When a caster's essence returns to the receptacle, all physical damage is removed and, if the caster possesses a new body, assuming the new body is unharmed, the caster will have maximum hit points. 

• If the caster possesses a damaged body, the caster (the body) will be damaged to the same ratio as the possessed body. For example, if the caster possesses a creature that had a maximum of 10 hit points but was wounded to 8 hit points, the caster would have 80% of their current maximum. If the caster's original body was damaged prior to possessing a creature, that damage does not follow the caster's essence (unless related to a curse or similar effect).

• The caster can control the body instinctually, able to attack with natural weapons without penalty but does not gain any new weapon proficiencies.

• If the possessed creature has the ability to speak, the caster can speak through the form, but only in a language known to the caster.

• If a possessed creatures has humanoid shaped limbs (hands) and can speak, the caster can use the form to cast spells (subject to the availability of material components as required).

• Any magical effects on the target prior to possession continue to operate.

• Magical effects taking effect subsequent to possession, unless solely physical in nature (e.g. the strength spell), will leave the target, following the caster's essence, if the caster's essence leaves the target's body.

Dealing with Possession Magic

• Other than a successful saving throw on behalf of the target, there are several methods to protect against possession.

• A protection from evil/good effect, if cast prior to possession, will make those protected by it not susceptible to possession (the attempt will automatically fail).

• An exorcise spell is effective at forcing the caster from the body of the possessed.

• A dispel evil/good spell targets the possessed creature's body, the caster will be forced out of the body of the possessed.

• A scroll of possession warding will make those within it's confines immune to possession attempts and will suppress the essence of a possessing caster while the possessed creature is within it's confines. The possessing caster's essence will be "unconcious" and cannot return to it's receptacle, being trapped in the host's body while within the confines of the ward.

• If the caster of the magic jar attempts to possess a creature with magic resistance, one resistance check is allowed. If successful (the possession is resisted), no future possession attempts can be made against that creature. If the resistance fails, no further magic resistance checks are necessary when attempting to possess the creature using that instance of the spell (or ability).

• Possession magic cannot be suppressed or ended by a dispel magic effect.

• Once possession occurs, possession magic cannot be suppressed or ended by a protection from evil/good effect. If a receptacle is within the confines of a protection from evil/good 10-ft. radius effect, the receptacle cannot be accessed by the caster's essence (it is treated as if out of range).

Material Components. A large gem (value varies based on type) or a large crystal. The component is not consumed in the casting of the spell and is often put into a setting for jewelry. Cost/Scarcity. A large crystal costs 100 g.p./Rare.

Known Substitutions. None.