Ghost possession and casting spells?

Question

Recently our DM threw a ghost at us, it was fun, someone got possessed (our druid) but she unleashed all her most powerful spells on us. Okay, no biggy, it was LoL and awesome and we won so meh.

But then I went to read the rules because our DM had some difficulty figuring out when it took its turn in combat and stuff (question in a question here).

Since a ghost doesn't gain access to the creature's class features does that mean also no spellcasting? To me it seems like spellcasting is a class feature, just like danger sense is a class feature to a Barbarian, am I correct?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

But then I went to read the rules because our DM had some difficulty figuring out when it took its turn in combat and stuff

RAW - On the Ghost's turn. Doing the turn on the possessed character's turn could grant the ghost an unintended extra turn in the action economy. Moreover, there is no reason to think that the possession would change the initiative order.

Since a ghost doesn't gain access to the creature's class features does that mean also no spellcasting? To me it seems like spellcasting is a class feature, just like danger sense is a class feature to a Barbarian, am I correct?

Any spell granted by class is a class feature. Spells that are granted by race are racial abilities. So using a spell slot is class feature, and the Ghost, RAW, can't do it.

That said, it is the DM's game, and he makes the rules for the table -- he can houserule otherwise.

Answer 2

Yes, spellcasting is a class feature. All of the various spellcasting classes gain the Spellcasting feature, which describes the DC their spells have, spell slots, etc.

So this means that you are correct, the ghost should not have been able to cast your druid's spells.

Answer 3

In addition to J.A. Streich's correct answer, saying that the ghost can't use spell slots, I'd like to make a few more notes.

Racial Spells

The ability says that

It otherwise uses the possessed target's statistics, but doesn't gain access to the target's knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.

I would argue that using a spell from a racial ability is using the target's "knowledge", and that therefore the ghost shouldn't be able to cast those either. Another DM might argue that racial abilities are inborn, and that the ghost should be able to use those, the same as it is able to walk while possessing a creature with legs or fly while possessing a creature with wings.

Initiative and Turns

The ability also says that

the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. The ghost now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target of awareness.

So, the target still gets its turn, but it is incapacitated and therefore cannot take any actions or reactions.

The ghost would then control the character on the ghost's turn, which is still on the same unchanged initiative. This further implies that the ghost can't take any actions using the character's body on the same turn as it uses an action to possess the body. It must wait a whole round, giving the possessed character's allies each a turn to try and do something about it.

It might still be able to move after possessing the body if it hasn't already moved on the turn, however, which could be bad if there is some dangerous terrain in the area.