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Bodily Possession

Source Pathfinder #28: The Infernal Syndrome pg. 59
A fiend possesses a creature's body not only to torture its victim, but to torment the possessed creature's loved ones. More often than not, a fiend aggressively inhabits a host, but sometimes a misguided mortal might call a fiend into his body in search of otherworldly power. This rarely works to the mortal's advantage, as bodily possession is essentially an abduction of one's self. Occasionally fiends might grant a taste of power in order to bribe the mortal into compliance with its own wishes and punish actions deviating from their desires, but few fiends possess victims for any other reason than absolute control.

Defile Body (3 PP)

Expression physical (automatic)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial
The possessing fiend, when displeased, can cause physical harm to the target. This damage manifests in a number of ways, from searing pain to limbs physically wrenched in agonizing ways. Each fiend delivers this damage in a different way, but the damage done always bypasses any damage reduction, resistance, or immunity to damage that the host might possess. If the host fails to resist this ability, it takes 1d6 points of damage for every 2 Hit Dice the fiend possesses. If it makes the Fotitude save, the painful spasms only sicken the host for 1 round.

Elusive Presence (3 Or 1 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 35)
Duraiton 1 hour or instantaneous
Saving Throw none
A fiend may use this action to hide itself from detect spells or to pass through a magic circle against evil or the effects of a forbiddance spell. The fiend must make a Will save equal to 10 + the caster level of the spell + the caster's relevant ability modifier. If it succeeds, the spell only detects the host and in no way hinders or reveals the fiend. If the fiend fails, though, the spells treat the host as if it were the fiend, providing information or barring the host as such.

Alternatively, a fiend may spend an additional possession point as a swift action when activating any other possession action to make that action elusive. This supresses that possession action's expression, increasing the DC to notice the effect by +10.

Fiendish Manifestation (3 PP)

Expression physical (automatic)
Duration 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
The possessing fiend causes its host to undergo a terrible change. Any creature subject to the alter appearance action must succeed on a Will save. If the host fails, the possessing fiend manifests a hint of its presence, perhaps in the form of glowing eyes, an inhuman growl, a ghastly stench, or spontaneous bleeding. This manifestation is obvious to anyone looking at the host. As long as the manifestation persists, the host creature suffers a –2 penalty on all Charisma-based checks.

Subversive (3 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 45)
Duration 1 hour/HD or until completed
Saving Throw Will negates
Some possessing fiends wish to remain hidden, even from their victims. To do so, a fiend and its host make opposed Wisdom checks. If the host succeeds, it is aware that some force beyond itself is manipulating it. If the fiend succeeds, it may communicate a simple idea to its host via telepathy, as per the spell suggestion. Alternatively, it may prevent its host from acknowledging a possession action it uses in the next round, even if such has a blatant visual effect—the host simply has no memory of having done anything out of the ordinary. This ability automatically activates the elusive presence ability and cannot be made further elusive through the use of elusive presence. This ability is a mind-affecting effect.

Alter Mood (5 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 25)
Duration 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
The possessing fiend twists positive moods and feelings toward a foul temperament. A fiend using this action forces its host to make a Will save or experience despondent or depressive emotions. A host affected by this ability becomes sickened for the duration of the effect. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Fiendish Force (5 PP)

Expression physical (automatic)
Duration 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
The possessing fiend causes its host to rise into the air, manifesting a degree of its malign control over its victim's body. This effect is similar to the spell levitate, which the fiend has complete control over and may end at will. The host may make a Will save to resist this effect.

Read Thoughts (5 PP)

Expression spiritual (DC 25)
Duration concentration, up to 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
The possessing fiend taps into the mind of the creature it possesses. Like the spell detect thoughts, a fiend may peruse the surface thoughts of the host. Unlike the spell, a fiend automatically skips the first and second round results and immediately reads the target it possesses if the host fails a Will save.

Vile Gout (5 PP)

Expression physical (automatic)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates, Reflex half
The possessing fiend causes a blast of unnatural force to explode from its host's body. This takes the form of a 15-foot cone of acid, fire, cold, or sonic energy—typically mixed with bodily fluids or unnatural expulsions—that deals 1d6 points of damage for every 2 Hit Dice the fiend possesses. The host may make a Will save to negate this effect. Those within the area of the gout can make a Reflex save to take half damage.

Read Memories (7 PP)

Expression spiritual
Duration instantaneous or 1 round/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
A possessing fiend can use this action to learn more about its host's past experiences. Fiends using this action essentially ask a question of a host's mind, forcing the host to make a Will save. If the fiend succeeds, it gains the answer to its question if the host possesses such information. Alternatively, a fiend might merely seek painful memories or vague details pertinent to an event, location, or individual. If the host fails its save, the painful memories stagger him for 1 round per HD of the possessing fiend.

Drain Host (7 PP)

Expression physical (Perception DC 10)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitue negates
The possessing fiend decreases its host's ability scores. If the host fails to resist this ability, it takes 1d4 points of ability damage to an ability score chosen by the fiend. A fiend cannot reduce a single ability score below 1 by using this ability. Typically, a fiend uses this ability to punish unfavorable actions its host takes.

Empower Host (7 PP)

Expression physical (Perception DC 20)
Duration 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless)
The possessing fiend enhances its host's prowess by granting a +2 profane bonus to one of its host's ability scores chosen by the fiend. A host can resist this benefit by making a Will save. A possessing fiend may grant this bonus multiple times to either the same or different abilities (additional profane bonuses to the same ability stack when granted by a possessing fiend). Typically, these bonuses also cause some subtle side effect, such as writhing veins rising from one's muscles or a subtly forked tongue. These expressions of fiendish influence have no additional effect and are only noticeable to those who closely examine the host.

Dominate Body (9 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 15)
Duration 1 round/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
The possessing fiend takes control over its host's body and actions. If the host fails to resist this ability, the fiend can direct the creature to attack, cast spells, or otherwise perform any other action so desired. Every round, a dominated host may attempt an additional Will save to break the fiend's control. A fiend cannot dominate a creature more than 4 Hit Dice higher than itself. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Erase Memories (9 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 35)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates
This powerful ability allows a possessing fiend to selectively alter a host's memories. When using this action, a fiend can manipulate the memories experienced by the host as per the spell modify memory. The host may make a Will save to avoid this effect. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Make Pact (9 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 35)
Duration see below
Saving Throw none
A possessing fiend and its host constantly struggle for mastery of the body they both possess. Sometimes, though, these two opposing spirits reach an accord, coming to at least a temporary understanding and degree of shared control. In such cases, a fiend and its host may agree to a pact. Both parties must agree to the terms of a pact, usually taking the form of an arrangement where the host allows the fiend to perform some act without his resistance and the fiend allows the host freedom to undertake some act without its interference. This effect takes the form of two geas/quest effects, both affecting the same body but under different terms—one stated by the host and one by the fiend. The host and fiend decide in advance in which order their goals will be pursued. As this arrangement must be voluntary, no save is required. This is not a spell effect and cannot be removed by spells that normally affect geas/quest; rather, the fiendish or mortal personality compels the body to a certain stated course. When both parties have completed their goals, the pact ends. Fiends typically attempt to mislead or confuse their host with the terms or weight of their side of a pact, but so long as the host agrees to a pact and the stated goals of the pact remain the same, the host cannot renege due to specifics. A pact does not necessarily represent cooperation between a fiend and its host, however, as some fiends use this action as a contract in order to ensure the host fulfills obligations.

Transfer Spell-Like Ability (9 PP)

Expression Physical (Perception DC 30)
Duration 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless)
The possessing fiend grants its host a taste of its unnatural powers. The fiend imbues its host with the ability to utilize one of its spell-like abilities (chosen by the fiend) for the ability's duration. Utilizing this spell-like ability is a standard action for the host, but is treated as being used by the fiend for the purposes of determining caster level and save DCs. A host might be able to utilize this ability multiple times, but cannot use it more times per day than the fiend itself could. Typically a fiend uses this action as a way to endear the host to its presence or as a way to show the greater power of its fiendish ways.

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