An enemy you can’t see is much harder to detect, and to vanquish. Since early editions of D&D, certain creatures, such as ghosts, demons, and some devils have had powers of possessing inanimate objects or creatures who can’t resist them. In some editions, this ability has been extended to some Angels as well, which can be cool, but needs some limits, otherwise why wouldn’t you just have a Paladin running around constantly possessed by an Angel (unless that’s how you get Paladins, maybe? Hmm, thought for another post). This is often done by particularly powerful creatures to get through loopholes in spells. Maybe Forbiddance wards don’t work on them this way, or maybe there’s a blanket ban on demons and angels interfering bodily in the mortal realms (but if I’m using someone else’s body that’s totes okay, riiiight?) While this can benefit the host body, they’re not in charge, and there needs to be some kind of drawback to avoid it being over-used. Usually, the possessor’s powers are curtailed or limited, meaning they need to manifest fully in order to use them. This means the host body is a little more vulnerable, even if the possessor isn’t a slouch even without their powers. One neat trick to steal is to have an identifiable signature- like black eyes when the demon isn’t concentrating on hiding, or is surprised. This gives the rest of the world a chance to spot the oddity- even if that’s just a roll against a Disguise check, it means that your PCs have a chance. Plus, seeing the dawning recognition on their face when a trusted NPC’s eyes change colour is a wondrous item! (Originally posted on Game Masters Stash on 12 December 2018) Categories All Comments are closed.
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