Echo

CR 6 (2,400 xp)

CE Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal)
Init +4, Senses Blindsight 60ft., Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
Aura Frightful Presence (30 ft., DC 16)

AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+3 deflection, +4 Dex)
hp 45 (6d10+12)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities Incorporeal, Natural Invisibility
Weaknesses Sunlight Powerlessness

Speed Fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee 2 claws +10  touch (1d6 plus) or slam +10 touch (1d6)
Special Attacks Possession, Sneak Attack +1d6 (claws only)

Str -, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 16
Base Atk +6, CMB +10, CMD 24
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will
Skills Bluff +12, Diplomacy +9, Intimidate +9, Fly +10, Knowledge (Planes) +11, Perception +10, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +13
Languages Common, any two (Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal)

Environment Any
Organization Solitary
Treasure None; Standard (if in possession of a host)

Mimicry (Su): An echo that succeeds on a Bluff check DC 15 can mimic any creature’s voice and speech—even if they do not know the meaning of the words.  If they succeed on a Bluff check DC 20 they can mimic the physical appearance of a creature in any reflective surface and alter this reflection to their desires.  A success gives the echo a +5 bonus to Intimidate the creature being mimicked.

Possession (Su): An echo that hits a living creature with both claw attacks in the same round automatically grapples its opponent and can attempt to pour its disembodied soul into the creature’s body through any open orifice.  This is a full-round action that draws an attack of opportunity.  The victim must make a Will save DC 16 or the echo usurps the victim’s body having complete control over it physically while retaining its own Int, Wis and Cha.  A Protection from Evil or other similar ward prevents possession and a successful Will save prevents the victim from being possessed by the same echo for 24 hours.  The echo has full access to all of the host’s defensive and offensive abilities save for spellcasting and spell-like abilities.  As long as the echo occupies the body, it knows (and can speak) the languages known by the victim and basic information about the victim’s identity and personality, yet has none of the victim’s specific memories or knowledge.  An echo may attempt to escape a host’s body at any time—doing so is a full-round action that draws an attack of opportunity and the echo may not attempt to possess that victim again for 24 hours.  The echo and host are dazed for 1 round but otherwise unharmed.  Damage done to a possessed host harms the echo as if it were damaged directly and if a host is slain before the echo manages to escape then it is destroyed.  A host killed while under the effect of possession can be restored normally using a Raise Dead or other similar magic.

Natural Invisibility (Ex):This ability is constant—an echo remains invisible at all times, even when attacking.  As this ability is inherent, it is not subject to the Invisibility Purge spell.  Against foes that cannot pinpoint it, the echo gains a +10 bonus on Stealth checks when moving, or a +20 when standing still—these bonuses are not included in the statistics above.

Sunlight Powerlessness (Ex): An echo is utterly powerless in bright light or natural sunlight and flees from it. An echo caught in such light cannot attack and can take only a single move or attack action. An echo that is possessing a creature’s body is not harmed by sunlight, but if it is struck by a Sunbeam or Sunray spell while possessing a creature, the echo is driven out of its host automatically.


If seen properly an echo resembles a shadowy, ghost-like form of an extraplanar outsider such as an angel, azata, archon, demon or devil.  Usually this creature is only seen through flickers in reflective surfaces and heard in eerie whispers of haunting sounds where it uses such distortions and images to frighten its victims. An echo gets its name from those few, lucky souls who have managed to escape their grasp and only recall hearing their words repeated to them in their own voice.

Contrary to popular belief, echoes are not undead creatures but are, in fact, the disembodied souls of outsiders who have been stripped of their physical bodies but their souls left intact.  As an outsider’s body and soul are essentially one and the same, this causes great mental and emotional trauma to the creature—essentially driving it mad.  No one knows for certain how, or why, this process is performed but it is believed to be the ultimate punishment for those creatures who have committed such heinous acts for which death and total destruction are seen to be “too kind”.   This loss of physical body and the subsequent madness causes the echo to search out substitute bodies to inhabit so that they can feel “whole” once again—even for just a short time.

Author's Note: This is a creature concept I thought might be interesting and decided to play around with it and see if I could make it viable.  I haven't had the opportunity to playtest it yet so any feedback is appreciated.

Additional Ratings
Balance:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 7 Votes )
Utility:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 8 Votes )
Clarity:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 7 Votes )