[Hey, I'm so glad you picked me up. I'm going to borrow this for a few years okay?]
The Possessor Item class is intended to provide all the level appropriate power for a character who is an item that either possesses people or cooperates with people if they are nice (or outclassed). That means that you have to be an item, probably a magical item, to take the class. But also, the DM should be aware if you are an Intelligent Item under the DMG rules, that's a bunch of extra power that wasn't included, and it's a lot like handing the Possessor Item player an intelligent item to let them do both. A valid thing to do is to just let the player choose a non magical weapon or ring or whatever and then give them the appropriate number of class levels for your campaign without worrying about how the item took the first level of Possessor Item in the first place. You can say a Wizard cursed the blade or something, whatever.
Possessor Items can be built a lot of different ways, so your important stats probably depend a lot on how you build. You can also choose to not do any possessing and just help people along. The only constant is you probably want a decent Charisma because it governs your possession saves and also if you choose not to do that helps you convince people to be your friend and work with you.
Hit Die: d4
Base Attack Bonus: Good.
Good Saving Throws: All Good Saves
Skill Points: 6+Int
Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana, Geography, Dungeoneering), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)
| Level: | Abilities: |
| 1: | Attributes and Mind, Possession, Resist Removal, Glint of Light, Magical Nature |
| 2: | Craft Self |
| 3: | |
| 4: | Extra Ability |
| 5: | |
| 6: | |
| 7: | Extra Ability |
| 8: | Self Telekinesis |
| 9: | |
| 10: | Extra Ability |
| 11: | |
| 12: | Additional Magical Nature |
| 13: | Extra Ability |
| 14: | |
| 15: | |
| 16: | Extra Ability |
| 17: | |
| 18: | |
| 19: | Extra Ability |
| 20: | Create Body |
Attributes and Mind (Ex): A Possessor Item has a Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma score. You generate it the same way you would any other character in your game. If it's a PC, use whatever rules exist for the PCs. If it's an NPC, use what you would have used for making a creature NPC in this case.
A Possessor Item also has a mind, so it does things like remember past events, have thoughts, and perceive it's surroundings. The default perception for a Possessor Item when not being equipped to a creature is simply touch. It knows what it's touching. It does however perceive using the senses of any creature that it has used Possession on successfully, or that is currently equipping it, here meaning if they use the item for it's intended purpose or wear it on themselves.
The Item also has a number of HD, an HP score that uses their d4 HD and their con mod, and a hardness equal to twice their levels in Possessor Item. This makes higher level Possessor Items much harder then normal items to break, although low level items might in fact be very fragile. A Possessor Item that loses all it's HP becomes a regular item which is a lot like dying. But so long as the item isn't destroyed, it can be repaired with a Make Whole spell or a bunch of craft checks from a suitably impressive (5 CR higher then the Possessor Item) creature with some skill in crafting. A repaired Possessor Item is back to the old them, a lot like being brought back to life.
A Possessor Item cannot equip items itself to benefit from their effects.
Possession (Su): A Possessed Item can possess creatures that willingly pick it up, hold it, or equip it. If a Possessor Item knife gets thrown into someone's chest, it can't use Possession. But if they pull the knife out of their chest with their hand, then it can use Possession. A ring forced onto a finger or slipped onto a sleeping figure's hand cannot use Possession, but if someone puts the ring on themselves it can. This is NOT considered a [mind effecting] or [compulsion] effect because the willingness to take up the item bypasses those immunities and protections. However, mindless creatures cannot be possessed because they do not willingly do anything.
Activating Possession can be done as an immediate action and the Possessor Item is never considered flat footed for this purpose. Whenever activated, the creature must make a Will Save DC 10+1/2 the levels in Possessor Item+Charisma modifier or else be possessed. Unlike normal saving throws, this is covert and the creature is completely unaware of the attempt or that anything happened if they succeed on the save. If they succeed on the save DC by more then 10 points however, they do become immediately aware of the nature of the item and that it attempted to possess them. This Possession can be reattempted on subsequent turns so long as the creature meets the qualifications. If it drops the item, then it is no longer willingly holding or equipping it, but if it just keeps wearing the ring you can try as many times as you would like.
A Possessor Item can use the senses of a creature they have not yet possessed to look around and decide to wait, possibly acting later when the creature goes to sleep!
On a failed Will save the Possessor Item successfully possesses the creature, with a lot of effects. Firstly it activates the Resist Removal feature. Secondly, the creature becomes instantly aware of the item's nature as a Possessor Item, both that it can and has possessed them, and any Magical Natures the Possessor Item has, as well as any other magical effects the item has.
If you use slots or item limits, a Possessor Item that successfully uses Possession takes up a slot or item limit displacing another item of their choice. A Possessor Item should only ever be able to Possess one creature at a time. It's possible that if there are some cases where creatures somehow occupy the same body that Possession might expand to all the creatures in a single body.
Once possession has been established, the Possessor Item can allow the possessed creature to take any actions the creature wants and not interfere in the normal movement. In fact, if the creature has a CR 3 or more higher then the Possessor Item the creature can always take any actions they want except those that would be prohibited by Resist Removal.
Additionally, the Possessor Item can either replace the creatures ability scores with it's own or provide it's own ability modifier as an enhancement bonus to the creature's ability scores. They can only do one of these at a time but the decision is made separately between each score. Changing ability scores or allowing actions is a non action that should just always be whatever the Possessor Item wants in any situation. They can also replace the Possessed creature's BAB with their own. They cannot provide a bonus to BAB.
A Possessed Creature gains two extra immediate actions per round beyond what they normally would have and so does a Possessor Item that is Possessing a creature.
The Possessor Item can, when possessing a creature who's CR is no more then 2 higher then it's own, choose to use any of that creatures actions to do things that it can't do without a body, like cast spells, or use maneuvers, or walk around. When doing so, the appropriate action of the Possessed creature and the Possessor Item for that turn are used at the same time and Possessed creature does a thing, possibly including a thing it wouldn't otherwise be able to do like cast a spell.
This type of joint action is also possible for higher CR creatures, however, they gain full knowledge of what the joint action would be and then can reject it, retaining their own actions if they wish.
Possession is broken if the Possessed Creature has no contact with the Possessor Item and it cannot be said to be carrier or equipped either. The Possessor Item can use an immediate action to stop possession as well.
Also the Possessor Item and the Possessed Creature can have private mind conversations with each other whenever they want in case you want to rail against the cruel world that has led to you losing your body and/or whine about how a more powerful creature never lets you out to play.
Also Also: Mind Affecting spells that target a possessed creature target the Possessor Item and the Possessed Creature. If the spell effects both or neither, then it doesn't matter, but if it affects only one, then it suddenly might matter a lot whether the Possessed Creature has is above the Possessor Item's CR control or not. The Possessor Item is considered a valid target if the Possessed Creature is.
Resist Removal (Su): A Possessed creature is [Cursed] to maintain control over the Possessor Item. Such a creature cannot willingly set aside, put down, take off, throw away, destroy, or otherwise remove the object from their person. They must always do their best to resist Disarms and Sunder, and in fact, the Possessor Item ADDs it's own BAB and Charisma Modifier to the DC or opposed check for any Sunder or Disarm attempt over and above what the creature is capable of.
Any effect that would remove a Curse temporarily halts the Possession and turns off this ability for one minute. During that time, a creature that wants to put down the object or destroy it can do so.
Glint of Light (Su): A Possessor Item that is not currently possessing any creature can cause itself to stand out from a pile of treasure or be more likely to be found if hidden. This is either on or off, and effects all creatures. Any creature within 50ft or Line of Sight of the Possessor Item must make a Will Save DC 10+1/2 levels in Possessor Item+Cha modifier. On a successfully save, nothing happens, including the creatures are unaware of the saving throw at all. On a failed save, the creature is drawn to the Possessor Item's hiding place or towards it's location first before any other treasure. This doesn't cause people to walk into traps or ignore attackers or steal from others they had no intention to steal from. It only causes people who were already planning on looting to focus their looting first on the Possessor Item.
Magical Nature (Su): At level 1 a Possessor Item chooses a Magical Nature. This defines the kinds of actions and abilities they can use or provide to their wielder. These abilities always require the Possessor Item to use another creature's body to activate. Importantly, the Possessor Item has these abilities, so Possessed Creatures cannot use these to qualify for anything with prerequisites.
Sorcerer: The Possessor Item has the spells known and per day and caster level of a Kaelik Sorcerer equal to levels in Item Possessor, but every spell has a somatic component that cannot be removed. You use your Charisma as normal for a Sorcerer for all spellcasting related attribute stuff.
Rogue: Attacks with the Possessor Item get bonus sneak attack damage equal to the amount a Rogue of the same level would have. Additionally the Possessed Creature can use the Possessor Item's skill ranks in place of their own for any skill when it comes up. Also if you take the Weapon Finesse feat, Possessed Creatures can use Dex for attack rolls as if they had the feat.
Healer: The Possessor Item grants Regeneration 3 bypassed by something relatively prevalent to a Possessed Creature and has the spells per day and caster level of the Healer class of the same level as the levels in Item Possessor. Unlike everything other Possessor Item, this type of item can use the Possessed Creature's actions to cast spells even when the Possessed Creature can't or doesn't even have those actions. It still uses the creatures standard action to cast spells and still needs to be possessing the creature. This selection is only available to rings and circlets. You use your Charisma modifier as a SAD spellcasting stat for all your spellcasting stuff.
Initiator: The Possessor Item has the maneuver refresh, known, and prepared of a Warblade, Sword Sage, or Crusader, or possibly some other class like them. This is only available to weapons. If a manuever offers a save, the save is 10+1/2 your Item Possessor Levels+your Charisma Modifier.
At level 12 a Possessor Item gets a second Magical Nature.
Craft Self (Ex): A Possessor Item of level 2 or greater has the ability to, as long as it has a Possessed body to craft with, spend time Crafting on itself as if it had the feat and any spells necessary to add any effect, which does whatever you normally let magical crafting do in your games (double WBL, double WBL at moderate XP cost, get earlier access to some abilities, simply customize to always have the ability you want, ect.)
Additionally, regardless of what you left Crafting do, this also gives the Possessor Item the Alternative Item Bonus Progression for attribute gains as an enhancement bonus to it's own attributes.
Extra Ability: At level 4 and every three levels after that a Possessor Item can choose one Extra Ability from the below list that it meets the prerequisites for.
Sight (Ex): An eye can be opened somewhere on the Possessor Item allowing it to see. This gives a Possessed Creature immunity to flanking, but more importantly, allows the Possessor Item to see when not Possessing or equipped. It looks super creepy though and creatures will notice if the eye is open. The eye can be closed to look like a normal item. It sees with Darkvision 60ft as well as normal creature vision.
Deceptive Aura (Su): A Possessor Item can hide or falsify it's magical aura, presenting whatever impression it wants, and can lie on identify checks. Roll spellcraft for anything detecting magic or casting identify opposed by the Possessor Item's Bluff. If the spellcraft wins they get true information, and detect that it was attempting to be hidden somehow. If the bluff wins, they get whatever information the Possessor Item wants to send. The Possessor Item can of course choose not to hide of fake it's aura, and then no opposed roll is required and the detector/caster is not aware of any possibility of deceit. They can also change their superficial physical appearnce in ways that are disguising but have no mechanical effect like changing damage dice or being a different kind of item.
Dropped (Su): A Possessor Item with this ability can cause themselves to be lost, forgotten, or dropped by a Possessed Creature or former Possessed Creature. This can be done mid combat to make them possibly die or to drop the item into a river, or just passively cause them to not think very often about the treasure they left in a vault. Importantly, this can be activated with an immediate action from the Possessor Item alone, without sharing actions, and there is no saving throw. It even works on creatures of much higher CR then the Possessor Item, in case the Item wishes to escape such an owner.
Group Healer (Su): A Possessor Item with the Healer Magical Nature can provide its bonus to any creature touching it in addition to the Possessed Creature, and further, can cast any touch range spell on the Healer list through the Item including being able to cast it on multiple targets should they all be touching the Item simultaneously.
Spontaneous Healer (Su): A Possessor Item with the Healer Magical Nature can spontaneously convert any prepared spell into a Cure, Mass Cure, or Heal spell of a spell level 1 higher then the spell slot so long as the spell is on the Healer spell list.
Item Caster (Su): A Possessor Item with the Sorcerer Magical Nature can cast any spell it knows by expending a spell slot and spending 15 minutes casting the spell to create the effect. This is extremely overt and anyone watching can make a Spellcraft check DC 15+spell level to know exactly what is happening. However, this can be done by the item without any somatic components and without a Possessed Creature, so it's still very useful sometimes.
Quickened Casting (Su): A Possessor Item with the Sorcerer Magical Nature can cast any Personal Range spell or any Touch Range spell that is cast on the Possessed Creature as an immediate action, provided it is a spell two levels lower then the highest spell level they can cast.
Split Item (Su): A Possessor Item with the Rogue Magical Nature can be split by a Possessed Creature to be used two or more handed or thrown multiple times in a round with all the same magical bonuses from being a magical weapon and with all the same bonuses from its Rogue Magical Nature applying on each weapon separately. Functionally this is one of the only ways to effectively throw a Possessor Item without losing the Possession, since you never throw the entire item, just endless splitting copies.
Covert Item (Su): A Possessor Item with the Rogue Magical Nature can be absorbed by the Possessed Creature, effectively rendering it undetectable and untargetable. This is an Immediate Action, as is coming back out. Both actions cause tremendous pain to the Possessed Creature which has no mechanical effect, and anyway, you might not let it have a choice.
Distant Slash (Su): A Possessor Item with the Initiator Magical Nature can project a Maneuver that is uses through it's Possessed Creature out to 60ft to target a distant target, including any attack damage that would go with it.
Prepared Initiator (Su): A Possessor Item with the Initiator Magical Nature can completely change all it's prepared maneuvers and prepare any empty slots as if it were completely resetting the encounter once per encounter as an immediate action.
Self Telekinesis (Sp): At level 8 a Possessor Item that is not currently possessing a creature can use Telekinesis on itself only to move around. This doesn't give it any additional senses or allow it to interact with things far away, it simply allows the Possessor Item to move if it's in a place it doesn't like, including by Violently Thrusting to make attack rolls if it wants to eventually escape a stone room or something.
Create Body (Ex): At level 20 the Possessor Item no longer needs another person. Instead it can simply create a body that looks like whatever it wants so long as it is Medium sized, and has the attributes of the Possessor Item. Then it can Possess that body, which it always succeeds on and puppet it around without resistance using it's abilities through that body.