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Ghost Syrup is a powerful Necrotoxin that makes the victim permanently incorporeal. This is obviously useful for many spellcasting characters and affordable by level 6 (judging by the rule that PCs should never own items worth more than half their total wealth).

A thing of note is that this poison does not kill the target. Any types and subtypes are kept, the target is not undead. No level drain immunity, Constitution is still important, etc. Technically they still need to eat and breathe, so while the poison won't directly kill, side effects still can. However, all this is out of topic for the purposes of this question.

The main problem is that such a character gets no spectral items to use, and pretty much everybody needs those. Even classes that rely the least on items, such as most prepared casters, need various wands and scrolls, a Headband of Favorite Mental Stat, etc. At the very least, every sentient creature probably wants to cover their body in clothes.

If possible, I'd like to hear about options that are available at level 6 and below for the purposes of E6 campaigns, but higher-level solutions are also OK.

Although playing such a character would certainly need DM approval, homebrew is not considered a valid answer.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ If somebody finds an option that I have missed and posts it as a valid answer, this answer will be bountied. \$\endgroup\$ May 17, 2021 at 15:51

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Amulet of Grasping Souls

At 21,000 gp, this is "the" solution. We can interact with the surroundings, but there is still no Strength score for any purpose other than carrying items.

We can remove it and stop being able to interact. RAW, the surroundings cannot interact with us, which can be good or bad depending on the situation.

This seems to be the only option that does not require explicit DM approval.

Looting

Ghosts have NPC gear, and this gear is incorporeal:

When a ghost is created, it retains incorporeal “copies” of any items that it particularly valued in life (provided the originals are not in another creature’s possession)

Giving the ghost a good beating will probably mean that I can loot their items and create a nice plot hook when the spectral dude tries to get it back. What a twist, a ghostly ghostbuster who hunts ghosts to take their possessions!

Ghost Touch

As per normal rules, Ghost Touch enchantment makes an item both corporeal and incorporeal at the same time. There are three problems:

  1. Ghost Touch weapons are considerably more expensive. With GM approval, I could apply Ghost Touch to a Gauntlet and use it to hold non-Ghost Touch weapons or books or whatever; however, does not solve a problem with objects that must be worn, nor held. Still, this can save a considerable sum of money.

  2. Ghost Touch armour is prohibitively expensive. Of course, I could place e.g. an enhancement bonus to Intelligence to my +1 Ghost Touch Full Plate, but this item will cost (17,500+36,000)*1.5=80,250 gp. This is just too much. Also, this specific ability is tied to the Headband slot, and GMs are, for some unknown reason, specifically warned against allowing custom items that move them.

  3. RAW, other items can't be enchanted with Ghost Touch. There is an item called ghost touch collar in The Third Riddle, a retired PFS scenario. However, it is "an ancient Osiriani magic item that restrains incorporeal creatures", not something that gives them additional abilities.

Crafting

I presume that incorporeality does not prohibit crafting (although getting incorporeal materials could get tricky!), and that any equipment crafted by an incorporeal creature is incorporeal, too. However, I have yet to see a table where crafting works exactly as written with no house rules and no limits. There is always at least an unspoken agreement that you don't (ab)use crafting to its full potential.

Ask your GM how exactly it works, if at all.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ @Fering I looked at this, but, sadly, it is not RAW that you can use a Gauntlet to grasp other items. As a GM, I would allow using a Ghost Touch Gauntlet to hold a weapon. It would be no different than a using normal Ghost Touch weapon. But: 1) It is not RAW 2) I would not allow it for fine manipulations and many other non-weapon items 3) This does not solve problems related to other item types \$\endgroup\$ May 17, 2021 at 19:11
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Baskakov_Dmitriy All heavy armors come with gauntlets, and those are used with all weapons and shields, so while there is no specific rules that state this situation, it is said that ghost touch counts as both, which means it should be allowed to function otherwise normally for both. \$\endgroup\$
    – Fering
    May 17, 2021 at 19:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Fering Well, again, it sounds logical enough to me. However, having used metal gauntlets in real life, I can testify that they are ill-suited for anything but holding weapons. You can e.g. mount a horse or bear a standard, but not tie a knot or turn over a book page without damaging the said book. \$\endgroup\$ May 17, 2021 at 19:48
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Fering I have added the part about using a gauntlet to grasp non-Ghost Touch weapons to my answer. \$\endgroup\$ May 17, 2021 at 19:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ I've worn chainmail gauntlets before, and they're not that bad overall for grasping things. You aren't going to be repairing wristwatches or picking locks with them on, but you can certainly perform a variety of more mundane tasks, like opening doors, uncorking a potion, or eating a sandwich. Plus, you could always swap the metal gauntlets for leather, which definitely allow for finer manipulation. \$\endgroup\$ May 18, 2021 at 15:17

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