Lingering Soul

Lingering Soul is a class or death alternative for a character persistent enough to stay in the material world, filled with "fear, anger, vengeance, or questions" that kept their spirits from embarking into the afterlife. This option was created by Matthew Mercer.

Description
This section is based on "The Lingering Soul - Class/Post-Death Option" at Dungeon Masters Guild.

When a character dies, following Lingering Soul option, they lose of their previous levels, proficiencies, feats, abilities connected with their former class, and suffer from the lack of armor and small amounts of hit points. At 1st level, they have 6 + their Constitution modifier of HPs, which grow each level by 1d6 + Con modifier. Character also has a number of hit dice equal to their level.

However, a Lingering Soul retains all languages they knew in life, as well as their racial benefits and abilities. They gain Lingering Soul levels equal to their previous level (minus one) and become proficient in Constitution saving throws and in three skills of their choosing: History, Investigation, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Religion, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth. A Lingering Soul is unable to multiclass.

Should a spell or resurrection be used on the body previously inhabited by a Lingering soul, the soul is immediately brought back, regaining all the original class levels it had before death, plus all of the extra levels achieved in their spirit form.

Spirit Binding
At 1st level, a Lingering Soul must be bound to an object or a creature within 150 feet radius, select it. If the target leaves the soul's radius, the soul is dragged along with it and is always aware of its location.

Should the object be destroyed or the creature slain, the soul immediately drops to 0 hit points and the bound severs. If regained consciousness with binding remaining severed, a Lingering Soul must immediately select a new target or be paralyzed.

Phantom Calling
At 1st level, a Lingering Soul chooses their ghost path from three options (Phantom Callings): poltergeist (Strength or Dexterity), wraith (Dexterity or Intelligence), or spirit guardian (Wisdom or Charisma). A Lingering Soul is defined by both abilities it had in life and undeath that are called "Aspects". Aspects of the soul influence its DC and attack rolls, while possessing a creature. The calling grants new features at 1st, 6th, 11th, and 15th levels.


 * Lingering Soul save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Aspect modifier
 * Aspect Attack modifier = proficiency bonus + Aspect modifier

Ghostly Form
A Lingering Soul possesses the traits identical to a ghost described in the Monster Manual 5e, except:


 * The soul gives off a cold glow equal to dim light for a 5 foot radius.
 * The soul cannot physically carry any objects or equipment, nor gain the benefits from consuing any object or substances that require ingestion.
 * The soul has no damage resistance against acid, fire, lightning, thunder, damage immunities against cold, necrotic, and condition immunities against charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed effects.
 * The soul falls at a rate of 60 feet per round, and do not suffer falling damage.
 * Should a Lingering Soul drop unconscious, their essence begins to fade, making death saving throws. Should a Lingering Soul fail three saving throws, their spirit withers away into the either and cannot be recovered or resurrected outside of the use of a Wish spell.

Possession
At 2nd level, a Lingering Soul discovers the ability to posses bodies of other creatures. The description is identical to possession of a ghost, beyond a number of exeptions. The Charisma DC save is based on the soul's proficiency and Aspect modifier (creature can willingly fail the saving throw, as well). When the soul entered a possessed body, it suffers damage equal half of any damage dealt to the host. While possessed, the creature is not incapacitated and can move freely, except where otherwise noted. The soul perceives the outside environment only through the sensory organs of its host and can telepathically communicate with them.

The Lingering Soul can take their action to force the possessed creature to Dodge, Dash in any direction of the soul's choice, or make a weapon attack against a target of the soul's choice, adding their Aspect modifier to the damage dealt.

On the top of its turn, the soul can exit the possessed body, retaining their actions.

Consume Enchantment
At 3rd level, a Lingering Soul can spent an hour to absorb an enchantment from any magical item (with exception decided by DM) and indefinetly bound it (and any attunement) to the Lingering Soul form, leaving the item inert. The soul can syphon maximum of five enchantments and only three of which are items that require attunement.

To consume a new enchantment beyond five, the soul must permanently discard an existing one. If the consumed itme is weapon, its attack bonus can be applied to any made by the soul or any attacks made the possessed creauture, using nonmagical weapon.

Ability improvement
At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th levels, the soul can improve one their ability scores by 2 or spread the value among two ability scores.

Pervade the Fallen
At 5th level, a Lingering Soul is able to possess a dead creature within 5 feet of them for 1 minute, automatically failling their saving throw. When revived, the body starts their turn prone, has the speed equal to the speed of the soul, and has 1 HP. When reduced to 0 HP or when the time expires, the body is destroyed and cannot be possessed again.

Unseen Passenger
At 5th level, a Lingering Soul can attempt to covertly possess a creature with successful Dexterity (Stealth) check contested by the targets's Wisdom (Perception) and successful Charisma check. Whenever the host is forced to do anything against their intentions, they can make a Wisdom (Insight) check against the Lingering Soul DC. On a success, they aware of the possession.

Obfuscate
At 7th level, when a Lingering Soul hit by an attacker who they can see, the soul can take their reaction to halve the damage, becoming incorporeal. When the damage is already halved, the soul can reduce it to a quarter.

Xenoglossia
At 9th level, while possessing a creature, a Lingering Soul can force them to say or yell a short phrase twenty-five words or less, using the Charisma score and any other skills of the soul. If the host is casting a spell that uses verbal components, the soul can use their reaction to try to force them to fumble the incantation. The host must make a Constitution saving throw against the Lingering Soul DC. On failure, the spell fails, the spell slot is expended, and the possession immediately ends.

Supernal Body
At 10th level, a Lingering Soul gains a fly speed equal to their speed and can cast Invisibility on themselves with no material components (2/day).

Piercing Chill
At 13th level, while a possessed creature attempts an attack, a Lingering Soul can take a reaction, expanding their chill and freezing the vitals, to give their host disadvantage.

Ghastly Visage
At 14th level, as an action, once short or long rest a Lingering Soul can choose any number of creatures within 30 feet of them. If they see their ghastly form, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of their next turn, able to use an action every subsequent turn to extend the duration on the frightened creatures for the next round. This effect ends if the creature ends its turn out of line sight of the Lingering Soul. If the creature succeeds on their saving throw, they cannot be affected again.

Eternal Spirit
At 17th level, a Linger Soul becomes found new roots in the Material Plane, no longer being affected by Spirit Binding feature, freely wandering the world, and, failing its third death saving throw, instead only vanishing for 24 hours, slumbering on the Ethereal Plane. The soul then appears at the spot where they fell, rested as if they completed a long rest. The Lingering Soul suffers -4 modifier for all their attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. The penalty reduced by 1 with every finished long rest until it disappears. If the area where the soul has returned is under the effect of a Hallow spell, the spirit is instead scattered and lost forever in the Ethereal Plane.

Ravage Soul
At 18th level, while possessing a creature, a Lingering Soul can take an action to gain a complete control over the body. Until the end of the soul's turn, the controlled creature only can take or obtain from the actions it was allowed. During this turn, the soul can also cause them to spend their reaction, but this requires the soul to use their own reaction as well. Each time the fully possessed body takes damage, it makes a new Charisma saving throw. If the succeeds, the possession ends.

Piercing Chill
At 20th level, while possession a creature who is neither undead nor a construct, once per short or long rest a Lingering Soul can force the host to make a Constitution saving throw. On failure, it 12d10 necrotic damage, and half as much on a success. If the creature was brought under 50 HP by this ability, it dies.

Behind the scenes
Contemplating possession rules for ghosts, Matt thought it'd be fun for a player to have this ability, but that would be weird for a living person to do. Then he had a conversation with someone about variations of death beyond just dying, if a character has unfinished business as part of the narrative. If a character's whole life is bent around revenge or a specific goal, and they happen to die in a D&D game, and the players are playing very strict rules about death, that can be very disappointing and lackluster for that player. Since there are ghosts and spirits and poltergeists, why couldn't we have that as a player option? Matt wrote notes on his phone over months, and finally on an airplane flight coming back from a convention, he just sat there and "brain spewed" it on the page.

As for subclasses, Matt was thinking about various directions a spirit could go. He definitely wanted a wraith (a darker more life-hungry spirit), for players with an evil or more cruel character. Perhaps part of their journey is trying to resist the temptation to go down that dark path. A poltergeist doesn't rely entirely on possession for its abilities; someone among ethereal beings who can manipulate objects, wear armor, use weapons, and be more melee-based as a spirit. And spirit guardian is inspired by the cleric spell of the same name, a protective or supportive spirit.