Came up with this for the new Ultimate Origins Book. I would really love some feedback:

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Source: Generic

Sometimes confused with "Mind Control", Possession is a term used to describe the ability of some characters to take physical and mental control over another living being. Commonly, this power is employed by supernatural entities such as ghosts or demons. Unlike Mind Control, people with this power displace their own consciousness into a target body. The affected individual's actual consciousness is subsumed in favor of the more dominant mind or spirit.

A few examples from DC Comics are: Chay-Ara Reincarnates, Parallax Hosts, Spectre Hosts, Khufu Reincarnates, Eclipso Hosts, and Ion Hosts.

A few examples from Marvel Comics are Gravemoss, Malice, Mindmeld, Onslaught, Qareen, and the Shadow King,

If the Possessor has a Power or Spell that allows them to Possess another body, then it is easy to imagine how they begin play in a game with a host body. If the character possesses a Power or Spell of this nature, they have the ability to switch host bodies.

Not all Possessors have the ability to switch bodies, or even possess one in the first place. There are Spells and Powers that can force these types of characters into a host body. If a character does not have a power that would allow them to possess a host, and they are expelled, they are unable to possess another host body without outside aid.

Angels

In some settings, Angels do not appear on Earth in their own bodies. Optionally, they must possess someone of their own faith in games where the Angels of the Christian faith are not the only Angels. If this option is used, they cannot forcefully be expelled by anyone other then the host.





Demons

Comics, movies, novels, television, and even history is peppered with stories of Demonic possession.

Energy Beings

Some Energy Beings are not portrayed as having a body of their own. They are simply a being of pure energy. It is not a stretch to imagine some of these characters might have the ability to inhabit a host body.

Magic Beings

These characters are made up of sentient magical energy. They could have been created though continued use of magic in a single area, or various other means.

Psionic Beings

These are creatures of pure mental energy. They have no body of their own, but are sentient. Several examples of this can be found in popular mediums.

Undead

Ghosts, Liches, many games as well as many popular mediums feature this type of possession.



Typical Possessor

Physical Stats
These are the stats of the Host Body, enhanced by the Possessor.

Die Roll Rank
01-05 Gd 8
06-15 Ex 16
16-50 Rm 26
51-72 In 36
73-85 Am 46
86-00 Mn 63

Mental Stats
These are the actual mental

Die Roll Rank
01-05 Fb 1
06-10 Pr 3
11-20 Ty 5
21-40 Gd 8
41-60 Ex 16
61-80 Rm 26
81-96 In 36
97-00 Am 46
.
Any type of Physical Power, Spell, or Attack that does not specifically target the Possessor affects the host body. Should the Possessor be attacked by a Power or Spell that targets them directly, their Health Score is determined by adding Intuition + Reason + Psyche for the amount of Damage they can Sustain before being forced out of the host body.

Known Powers
· Angels
o Artifact Creation (Sword): Ex 16

· Demons
o Fire Generation: Gd 8

· Energy Beings
o Energy Emission: Of the same type of energy as the Energy Being
o Energy Control :Is an Optional Power (at the Cost of one of their initial Powers).

· Magic Beings:
o All Powers are considered to be Magical in nature per MG9 Power Simulation.
o Magic Beings can raise one Mental Stat by +1CS.

· Psionic Beings
o Psionic beings gain a +1CS bonus to their initial Psyche ability score.

· Undead
o Vampirism: Undead characters gain one of the various types of Vampirism powers.

Any non-mental/magical powers possessed by the character are that of the host body. Should they switch bodies again, they will loose all other powers.

Limitations:
· Spirit Vampirism completely destroys the Possessor. Psi-Vampirism destroys the self-image and reduces the Possessor to a mindless Poltergeist.
· Exorcism Spells or Powers can expel the Possessor from the host. The Possessor can attempt to resist based on their Psyche.
· Demons and Undead Possessors possess a Psychological Weakness; their Power is negated while they are within 10' of a religious symbol. If the symbol is that of a religion the Undead practiced while they were alive, they suffer Excellent damage. All holy symbols work on Demons. Unholy symbols of Dark Faith have the same effect on Angels.
· Holy Water Causes Ex 16 Damage to Undead or Demons. Unholy Water causes Ex 16 Damage to Angels.
· Energy Beings suffer +1CS additional damage from
· Possessors are venerable to Sprit Traps/Wards designed for their specific type.

Optional Limitation
· Some Possessors alter the appearance of the Host body (like Malice from Marvel Comics). Since the greatest advantage a Possessor has is no one being able to detect them in the Host Body, Players who choose to take this limitation gain the Intimidation Talent for free. Malice possession in the Marvel Universe is a prime example of this.

As a note, this only an example. Players should create their own unique look if they choose this option.

Effects of a Possessor on a New Host Body

Stat Bonus
Fighting +1CS
Agility +1CS
Strength +1CS
Endurance +1CS

there a movie i watched that dealt in the switch bodies scenario, Skeleton key i think it was called. it was thru voodoo magic. it was interesting

I like this. It's something I'd use in a campaign.

I'm writing a superhero novel in the little bit of spare time I have.
This origin could save me a lot of time when rolling up a couple of the characters.

Really like this

check out this film as well for a great version

The Fallen


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edit

Also what is your proposed mechanism for possessing someone, and that person fighting back?

how about this

Voluntary possession - if the possessee (sp? lets call them 'the occupied' from now on!) volunteers to be possessed, the possessor gains a +3 CS to their possession power for the roll

feat roll rules apply Vs the Occupied 'Psyche' stat, with columns shifts for suitable skill and powers (Iron will, Berserker, Resist Domination etc.)


White Roll = Next attempt at possession of this target is at -1CS

green Roll = Possessor has control for 1d10 minutes, but can not force the occupied to commit 'out of character actions'

Yellow Roll = Possessor has control for 1d10 hours, may force the occupied to commit out of character actions for 1d10 minutes in that period

Red roll = Permanent possession,may force the occupied to commit out of character actions for 1d10 hours every day



NOTE - forcing the occupied to commit out of character actions is a karma loss action for 'hero' characters (so making a bad guy give evidence against his own gang would be a karma loss action! )

what do you think? Im now getting a campaign idea based on supers get their powers from being possessed, has any one played
Better Angels , is that the same concept?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2014 11:35PM by NikMak.

Excellent concept. You could also add in as a power stunt or maybe another power entirely where they dont just share a body but actually swtich bodies like Corpsetaker from the Dresden Files. I use the power on you and I take your body and you get mine. Allowing people with the power to live for centuries and escape death at the last minute by switching with their would be killer.

@ Warlock: very nice!

another power stunt:-

"knowledge of the occupied"

-3 CS from the possession power, or the possessors Psyche (whichever is higher) as a feat roll Vs the occupied 'Psyche' stat, with columns shifts for suitable skill and powers (Iron will, Berserker, Resist Domination etc.)

white roll = miss, you know nothing that the occupied knows, other than from external sources

Green = you get basic knowledge of self and immediate family and colleagues (names, genders, significant markers like a job, hobby or a disability etc.)

Yellow = you have very good knowledge of the occupied, like a close family member or spouse. You can easily mimic them whilst in control of their body

Red = 99% Gestalt - you know everything they know, including passwords, phone numbers and all other information, apart from one single item of information as chosen by the occupied or GM... there is always that one give away detail to trip up the possessor!

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Im not sure how long the possessor keeps this info once they exist the host body... any ideas?

You could make it so they need to make a Reason or Psyche roll to try and recall any specific piece of knowlegde with the difficulty based on what knowledge the category falls into. You want to remember the password to their secret wall safe after leaving their body you'd need to not only have rolled a Red result to begin with but would need a Red result to call up that information again. Want to remember if they met an aquaintance at their birthday party or in a coffee shop might only be Green. But regardless you'd have had to have rolled high enough to begin with in order to recall it. In other words if you only rolled Yellow initially then no roll will get you the access code to the Batcave.

Alternately you could make it easier by saying that anything equal to or less than the initial roll would be shift down one. So if you rolled a Red and wanted the code later you'd only have to roll a yellow. Yellow would be Green and so on.

@ warlock, both good suggestions, either works well