While attempting to outfit a character with feats, I found myself wanting to make sure it had darkvision. The easiest way to do that, that I could find, was through the Abyssal Heritor feats in Fiendish Codex I, specifically "Eyes of the Abyss." However, I didn't think it was appropriate for my character to have demonic ancestry, especially since I am using a much more ghostly-themed concept.
The entry for Abyssal Heritor feats states that besides Abyssal heritor feats, "other heritor feats corresponding to planes other than the Abyss might certainly exist." Well, the Ethereal plane is certainly another plane, and who wouldn't like a bit of a ghost's abilities without having to be fully undead and take levels in the Ghost savage progression? I, for one,
like having a body!
Spectral Heritor Feats:[spoiler]
The boundary between this life and the next is tenuous at best, and is crossed by residents of both sides regularly. Mortals pass away every day, and every corner of the planet has its stories about the restless spirits of the dead. Some people claim to be mediums, capable of speaking with the deceased, and in rare cases being possessed by them. Some people are merely unlucky enough to tread too close to the haunted grounds of a tormented spectre, and some adventurers' quests bring them directly to the Ethereal Plane. In some cases, direct interaction with spirits leaves an indelible mark upon a being's soul, and can change them fundamentally. In other cases, people come to within an inch of becoming one of these spirits themselves, or simply have some ability to mimic the abilities of a ghost. Whatever the reason, possessors of Spectral heritor feats become more like the incorporeal beings that they share a connection with.
Being a Spectral heritor does not make a character evil, nor does it make them undead; however, their connection with the undead means they are detected as both alive and undead by powers such as Deathwatch, Lifesense, or Detect Undead (In the case of the Detect Undead spell, the strength of the character's aura treats their effective hit dice as equal to the number of Spectral heritor feats they possess). Characters of any alignment can select Spectral heritor feats, as ghosts can be of any alignment; however, evil characters tend to spend more time in the presence of undead, and are thus more likely to possess Spectral heritor feats.
Most Spectral heritor feats increase in power as the character gains more of them, leaving behind their mortal life for a more phantasmal one. However, selecting Spectral heritor feats is not without its drawbacks. The act of moving closer to the grave leaves a mark on the possessor's soul, which manifests noticeably when dealing with the matters of mortals. Each feat will list a penalty (usually to some skill or set of skills) specific to the feat, some of which growing more dire even as their benefit grows stronger.
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Ethereal Skin [Spectral Heritor]Your body resonates slightly more with the Ethereal Realm than the Material.
Benefit: Your Deflection bonus to AC improves by 1. This improvement increases by 1 for every two Spectral heritor feats you possess. If you do not have a deflection bonus to AC, assume your deflection bonus is +0.
Special: Your body is in continual flux between corporeality and incorporeality, which can alter your effective weight somewhat, making it more difficult to balance. You take a -2 penalty on Balance checks.
Unsubstatial Sustenance [Spectral Heritor]Your body becomes less reliant on physical requirements to survive, as it draws material from the Ethereal Plane to sustain itself.
Prerequisite: Any one other Spectral Heritor feat
Benefit: For every 2 Spectral heritor feats you possess, you may select one form of sustenance (Breathing, Eating/drinking, or Sleeping) that you no longer require in order to survive.
Special: Though not everyone will immediately notice that you aren't breathing, something about you just seems
wrong. You take a -2 penalty to Disguise checks per foregone form of sustenance. You may decide to not select more actions to forego at every 2 feats if you so desire, but you may not reverse this decision once it is made.
Eyes of the Grave [Spectral Heritor]The veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is lifted just a little bit.
Prerequisite: Any one other Spectral Heritor feat.
Benefit: You gain darkvision out to a range of 10 feet, plus 10 feet for each Spectral Heritor feat you possess (including this one).
Special: Gaining this ability makes your eyes glow slightly, which is disconcerting and distracting to those with whom you interact. This effect manifests as a -2 penalty on Diplomacy checks.
Unyielding Mind [Spectral Heritor]The whispers in your mind keep your resolve steady and harder to manipulate, as you become more single-minded in your desires and goals.
Prerequisite: Cha 15
Benefit: You gain a +2 to saves versus mind-affecting effects, plus 1 for every Spectral Heritor feats you possess (including this one). If you possess four Spectral Heritor feats, you become immune to one type of mind-affecting effect (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, or morale effects). If you possess six Spectral Heritor feats, you may choose to become immune to any or all mind-affecting effects.
Special: The whispers you hear may strengthen your resolve, but they can be distracting when you try to focus on the task at hand. You take a -2 penalty on concentration checks, increasing the penalty by one for every further Spectral Heritor feat you possess.
Frightful Moan [Spectral Heritor]You have learned to emit a blood-chilling moan that can stop even the bravest in their tracks.
Prerequisite: Cha 15, Any two other Spectral Heritor feats
Benefit: You can emit a frightful moan as a standard action once per day per two Spectral Heritor feats you possess. All living creatures within a 30-foot spread must succeed on a Will save or become panicked for 1d4 rounds. This is a Supernatural, sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. A creature that successfully saves against this cannot be affected by the character's frightful moan for 24 hours.
Special: Emitting the moan requires a constant build up of sonic energy on your part throughout the day, which dulls your sense of hearing as it resonates in your body. This causes you to take a -2 penalty on Listen checks.
Ghostly Grasp [Spectral Heritor]By reaching out with your willpower, you can manipulate objects beyond your normal reach.
Prerequisite: Cha 15
Benefit: You may use Mage Hand as a supernatural ability twice per day per Spectral Heritor feat you possess. If you have four or more Spectral Heritor feats, treat this as Greater Mage Hand. Your effective caster level equals the number of Spectral Heritor feats you possess.
Special: Since you start relying more on your willpower to manipulate objects, you lose some of the dexterity in your hands. This manifests as a -2 penalty to either Disable Device, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand checks; you must choose one of these skills to take the penalty on upon gaining this feat, and once this decision is made, it cannot be undone.