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Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Starfinder RPG

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Possession / Possession Actions

Possesed Locations

Source Pathfinder #28: The Infernal Syndrome pg. 63
A fiend can nestle itself within a location in order to taint the place with evil and potentially corrupt or assault a number of targets. Fiends possessing places generally choose locations already welcoming of evil, or mundane sites with little worry for matters otherworldly. A fiend possess a distinct, roughly spherical space based on its Hit Dice. This location might be as simple as a single room in a building, or an entire castle. An imp spy might possess the town's well, while a maralith might influence an entire demon-tainted grove. While in possession of a location, a fiend can perform a small number of actions, usually in the interest of finding a suitable creature for bodily possession. Some fiends possess their lairs as a way to maintain awareness throughout an area and more easily enslave interlopers and minions.

A fiend in possession of a location can perform the following possession actions. Unless otherwise specified, these actions take a full-round action. While possessing a location, a fiend sees everything within the area it possesses, using its own senses. It perceives areas outside of this space as if it were a viewer standing at any edge of its possessed area. Often a possessed area exhibits unusual characteristics, such as strange temperature shifts, eerie noises, or noxious scents. Even when these effects are not present, a creature can detect something strange about the location by utilizing spells like detect evil.

Seed Area (5 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 30)
Duration 1 hour
Saving Throw none
A fiend possessing a location weakens the willpower of those within its area, allowing an easier path to bodily possession. Upon using this ability, a fiend subtly invades the mind of a creature within the location it inhabits. After 5 minutes, if the same creature has remained within the possessed area, the target takes a –2 penalty on Will saves made to resist attempts by that fiend to possess its body. This effect last for 24 hours. The target does not receive a saving throw against this effect.

Read Inhabitants (7 PP)

Expression spiritual (Sense Motive DC 15)
Duration concentration, up to 1 minute/HD
Saving Throw Will negates
A fiend can tap into the mind of creatures in the area it possesses. This action mimics the spell detect thoughts with a caster level equal to the fiend's Hit Dice. The targets of this action can attempt Will saves throw to resist this effect.

Dominion (Variable PP)

Expression physical (Perception DC 20)
Duration see below
Saving Throw see below
A fiend possessing a location can manipulate the area it controls to terrifying ends. At will, the fiend can make use of any of the following spell-like abilities to affect creatures within the area it possesses. It can “cast” these spell-like abilities from any physical point within the area of its possessed location.

0 (1 PP)—dancing lights, ghost sound, open/close, prestidigitation, whispering wind
1st (3 PP)—animate rope, grease, hold portal, hypnotism, obscuring mist, sleep, silent image, unseen servant
2nd (5 PP)—command undead, darkness, gust of wind, magic mouth, make whole, misdirection, phantom trap, shatter, sound burst
3rd (7 PP)—dispel magic, major image, nondetection, suggestion

In every case, the caster level for these spell-like abilities equals the possessing fiend's Hit Dice and the cost in possession points equals 1 + the spell's level. None of these effects, regardless of its potential range or space, extends beyond the space of the fiend's possession.