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Pathfinder

Compendium

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  1. Home pathfinder
  2. Bestiary
  3. Poltergeist
  4. Source: Free Basic Rules
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↓ Attributes

Poltergeist

(+1 Deflection, +1 Dex)

A Poltergeist is an angry spirit that forms from the soul of a Creature that, for whatever reason, becomes unable to leave the site of its death. Sometimes, this might be due to an unfinished task—other times, it might be due to a powerful necromantic effect. Desecrating a grave site by building a structure over the body below is the most common method of accidentally creating a Poltergeist. The Poltergeist experiences great trauma over its condition; this trauma twists its psyche to evil and fosters an overall hatred of the living expressed in outbursts of rage. A Poltergeist is bound to a specific place, usually a building, room, or recognizable area (a section of a cemetery, a stretch of lonely road, and so on). This place typically corresponds to its place of death or the resting place of its mortal remains.

Special Abilities

Frightener (Su) Once per minute as a standard Action, a Poltergeist can temporarily drop its Natural Invisibility , revealing itself to be a skeletal, ghost-like Humanoid . All creatures within 30 feet when a Poltergeist uses this ability must make a DC 14 Will save to avoid becoming frightened for 1d4 rounds. The Poltergeist then resumes its Invisibility at the end of its turn as a free Action. A Creature that successfully saves is immune to the Fear Effect of that Poltergeist for 24 hours. If the poltergeist's Natural Invisibility Is negated via other methods, it cannot use this ability. Likewise, those that can see invisible creatures are immune to this special attack. This is a mind-affecting Fear Effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Rejuvenation (Su) When a Poltergeist is destroyed, it only remains destroyed for 2d4 days. After this time, the Undead Spirit reforms where it was destroyed, fully healed. The only way to permanently destroy a Poltergeist is to determine the reason for its existence and set right whatever prevents it from resting in peace. The exact means varies with each spirit and may require a Good Deal of research, and should be created specifically for each different Poltergeist or group of poltergeists by the GM.

Site Bound (Ex) A Poltergeist cannot travel more than 120 feet from the point at which it was created or formed.

Telekinesis (Su) A Poltergeist has no method of attacking apart from Telekinesis. This ability functions as the spell Telekinesis , with a CL equal to the poltergeist's Hit Dice (CL 3rd for most poltergeists). A typical Poltergeist has a ranged Attack Roll of +3 when using Telekinesis to hurl objects or creatures, and can use the ability on objects or creatures of up to 75 pounds. If a Poltergeist attempts to hurl a Creature with this ability, that Creature can resist the effect with a successful DC 12 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Show Attribute List

Attributes

Poltergeist

CR 2

  • XP

    600
  • LE Medium undead (incorporeal)

  • Init

    +1;

    Senses

    darkvision 60 ft.;Perception +9

  • DEFENSE

  • AC

    12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 deflection, +1 Dex)

  • hp

    16(3d8+3)

  • Fort

    +2,

    Ref

    +2,

    Will

    +4

  • Defensive Abilities

    incorporeal, natural invisibility, rejuvenation;

    Immunities

    undead traits;

  • OFFENSE

  • Speed

    fly 20 ft. (perfect)

  • Special Attacks

    Frightener( DC 14);

  • Spell-Like Abilities

    (CL —; )

  • STATISTICS

  • Str

    —,

    Dex

    13,

    Con

    —,

    Int

    5,

    Wis

    12,

    Cha

    12

  • Base Atk

    +2;

    CMB

    3;

    CMD

    14

  • Feats

    Ability Focus (fear), Alertness,

  • Skills

    Fly +9 Perception +9 Sense Motive +3

  • Languages

    Common

  • SQ

    site bound

  • ECOLOGY

  • Environment

    any

  • Organization

    solitary or haunting (2–7)

  • Treasure

    incidental

  • Special Abilities

  • Rejuvenation (Su)

    When a poltergeist is destroyed, it only remains destroyed for 2d4 (2d4) days. After this time, the undead spirit reforms where it was destroyed, fully healed. The only way to permanently destroy a poltergeist is to determine the reason for its existence and set right whatever prevents it from resting in peace. The exact means varies with each spirit and may require a good deal of research, and should be created specifically for each different poltergeist or group of poltergeists by the GM.

    Site Bound (Ex)

    A poltergeist cannot travel more than 120 feet from the point at which it was created or formed.

    Telekinesis (Su)

    A poltergeist has no method of attacking apart from telekinesis. This ability functions as the spell telekinesis, with a CL equal to the poltergeist's Hit Dice (CL 3rd for most poltergeists). A typical poltergeist has a ranged attack roll of +3 when using telekinesis to hurl objects or creatures, and can use the ability on objects or creatures of up to 75 pounds. If a poltergeist attempts to hurl a creature with this ability, that creature can resist the effect with a successful DC 12 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based.

    Darkvision (Ex or Su)

    A creature with darkvision can see in total darkness, usually to a range of 60 feet. Within this range, the creature can see as clearly as a sighted creature could see in an area of bright light. Darkvision is black and white only but otherwise like normal sight.

    Incorporeal (Ex)

    An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it takes only half damage from a corporeal source. Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature (except for channel energy). Force spells and effects, such as from a magic missile, affect an incorporeal creature normally. An incorporeal creature has no natural armor bonus, but it has a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma bonus (always at least +1, even if the creature’s Charisma score does not normally provide a bonus). An incorporeal creature can enter or pass through solid objects, but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior, and so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larger than its own. It can sense the presence of creatures or objects within a square adjacent to its current location, but enemies have total concealment (50% miss chance) from an incorporeal creature that is inside an object. In order to see beyond the object it is in and attack normally, the incorporeal creature must emerge. An incorporeal creature inside an object has total cover, but when it attacks a creature outside the object it only has cover, so a creature outside with a readied action could strike at it as it attacks. An incorporeal creature cannot pass through a force effect. An incorporeal creature’s attacks pass through (ignore) natural armor, armor, and shields, although deflection bonuses and force effects (such as mage armor) work normally against it. Incorporeal creatures pass through and operate in water as easily as they do in air. Incorporeal creatures can’t fall or take falling damage. They can’t perform trip or grapple combat maneuvers, nor can they be tripped or grappled. In fact, they can’t take any physical actions that would move or manipulate an opponent or its equipment, nor are they subject to such actions. Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do not set off traps that are triggered by weight. An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Perception checks if it doesn’t wish to be. It has no Strength score, so its Dexterity modifier applies to its melee attacks, ranged attacks, and CMB. Nonvisual senses, such as blindsight and scent, are either ineffective or only partly effective with regard to incorporeal creatures. Incorporeal creatures have an innate sense of direction and can move at full speed even when they cannot see.

    Natural Invisibility (Ex or Su)

    This ability is constant—the creature remains invisible at all times, even when attacking. As this ability is inherent, it is not subject to the invisibility purge spell.

    Undead Traits (Traits)

    Undead are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms), paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless). Undead are not subject to ability drain, energy drain, or nonlethal damage. Undead are immune to damage or penalties to their physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects. Undead are not at risk of death from massive damage.
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