If I am possessing someone via magic jar and am impersonating said person in their daily life (so as to keep from arousing suspicions from my victim's acquaintances) while my machinations reach completion, what mechanic do I use (if any) to keep people from realizing there is something amiss? Bluff? Disguise? And against what? Sense Motive? Or is it something else entirely? Is the fact that I have their actual body make it so convincing that no checks ever need be made?
How is a situation like this MEANT to be handled? How might YOU handle it?
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Once you have the body, I'd say your disguise is convincing enough to fool all but the closest of the victim's compatriots - I'm talking known since kindergarten, trusted and learned mentor, or soulmate type closeness. In those cases, I'd say Bluff (to respond in the way the victim normally would, or whathaveyou) vs. Sense Motive, but even then a failed Bluff check might not immediately reveal the treachery - it might take several failed checks or an active trap on the suspicious person's part to figure you out (but each failed Bluff check would give subsequent bonuses to Sense Motive for being suspicious later).
Is the fact that I have their actual body make it so convincing that no checks ever need be made?
No, you're still likely not acting like they would be.
I would believe it should be sense motive against bluff, with normal mitigations for doing things that the possessed person in question wouldn't do, etc.
-James
In that case, might you allow for a fairly hefty circumstance bonus? If not, would you allow a bonus if I spent time studying the victim well in advance or was already otherwise familiar with his habits/daily routines?
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I'd just simplify it down a bit. A cursory examination of the possessed body wouldn't reveal much. Only the people who've had an opportunity to learn how the character thinks and moves will have anything to roll.
I'd go with one perception roll a day, with an additional roll if the possessor has the body do anything out of character.
If the creature hadn't spent time studying the victim and/or wasn't familiar with his habits/daily routines, then I'd be giving the players checks left and right. "He skips his morning ritual of pinching every barmaid in sight, and orders a glass of milk -- which he wouldn't do since he hates anything without alcohol in it."
No, only by studying the target prior to possession could you hope to pull it off as that person.
Opposed sense motive/bluff seems appropriate to me as well.
If you just took the body to wear and weren't trying to act like the character, I'd make it perception vs disguise and give you a + 10 or more bonus.