I have a player who wants to be a ghost. Normally I'd say no, but it seems time to let the party excersise some of its desires so they stay happy. However, it came to our attention that a ghost gains "one to three" of the special abilities listed. They have a base LA of +5. Would gaining more than one ability raise it? By how much? It doesn't say 1d3, which would tick the player off since his abilities are up to chance, but even if it did, the LA question remains.
Also, he wants to become a Master of the Unseen Hand (complete warrior) using his telekinesis ability, and use that to do telekinetic two-weapon fighting. I don't happen to own a Complete Warrior, so I haven't had a chacne to check on their abilities, but I don't think that two weapon fighting is normally capable with telekinesis. Does anyone have a Complete Warrior to look through and see if they get something allowing this? Should I go ahead and allow him to do it, since the MotUH focuses on nothing BUT telekinesis?
Also, the character wants to make ghosts simply incorporeal, like just about every other "spiritual" undead, rather than ethereal/manifesting/incorporeal. Thought I'd throw that out on the board, too, and just see what people had to say.
The first thing you should do is ask the party whether they think allowing a ghost character is a good idea. Keeping one player happy is fine, but alienating the other players by doing it is disaster. If you put it to a party vote and remain completely impartial and fair in the proceedings, then the player shouldn't have a problem that his idea has been rejected (sit down and explain what you're doing and why to the player before the actual vote).
As far as the rules go, you should disallow any class, feat, etc. you don't have access to. I never allow something I can't look up myself at a later date (this is why I have certain limitations with what books are used in my campaign). Be flexible though, and if the player can provide you with a copy of the Complete Warrior take it and read through the prestige class. To give you the shorthand version, the player can make two-weapon fighting attacks when using the full attack telekinesis ability, which a master of the unseen hand gains at 3rd level.
If you're going to allow the ghost PC, don't allow him to be just incorporeal. The player is doing that to avoid certain spells and abilities that can harm him, and does not want to have to manifest (which I think takes up a move action, but doesn't specify). It also doesn't say so, but I would have his character make Concentration checks to stay manifested after a certain number of minutes (possibly equal to his Charisma modifier). Then he would have to stay ethereal for the length of time he was manifested (I know that sounds evil, but ghosts have weaknesses to.
About weaknesses, you and he will have to decide where his body is. You will also have to decide what measures will lay the ghost PC to rest. Remember that undead are destroyed on 0 hit points and that the ghost can be turned or rebuked by clercis and paladins. This may change his mind about wanting to play an undead (not to mention all the magic items he wont be able to use).
If you can pick up Libris Mortis and the Ghostwalk book, which has a ghost class and lots of rules for ghosts that would annoy the player, but make your life a hell of a lot easier.
About the LA. The number of abilities does not increase this under the normal rules. Since your player would probably pick three abilities (another reason he wants to avoid the manifestation ability since he has to take it, limiting his other number of abilities too two) I would increase the LA by one per additional ability and his CR by 1 per two additional abilities. That seems the fairest option.
Why not use one of the two ghost classes presented in the ghostwalk campain setting? Those two classes are really well ballanced and keep the whole ghost feel. Plus the campian setting is full of feats and spell that are ghost tylored.
All of the other players are aware of his intents and are ok with it- I'm letting them all flex their imaginations a bit, and am surprised, and happy, that they are mostly gravitating towards "normal" races. I'm letting them play an "evil" campaign, which they think will be great fun and easy/easier because of the lack of morals. They'll quickly find it's much harder to get along in an evil culture, however.
Actually, being simply incorporeal would still have the inconvenience of requiring ghost touch abilities. But, instead of being able to have at least some things taken to him on the Ethereal Plane, everything would have to be ghost touch. I think he'd rather be Ethereal, then. And, he wouldn't have the safety of the Ethereal Plane to fall back on when needed. Also, a ghost does get some equipment with it on the Ethereal Plane when it forms.
Undead are destroyed at 0 hp, yes, but ghosts usually return unless they have been laid to rest. Unfortunately, that's 2d4 days of waiting for the rest of the party- 2d4 days they may not always have. And, if he fails the level check, then I assume that means he is gone for good.
He also picked up on the fact that many ghosts wander freely, rather than being tied to specific location. Still, he'll need a "respawn point" in case he is ever destroyed, and that might be a good distance away.
I don't own the Complete Warrior, but my players own several copies, and I have looked over it many times and have used it for quite a while now. I don't approve everything in there, and I do say no to player suggestions frequently. They moan, but I'm I just can't allow awakened dire ape barbarians as PCs.
Ah, but does a ghost that is simply incorporeal get any equipment? Wraiths, shadows, and spectres get no treasure or equipment because they are not formed on the ethereal plane. If you remove the ethereal plane from the equation how does he get to keep any magic items? Even if he has items, he should certainly not get the same amount of magic items or treasure as his companions. Remember, that if he dies when he's 7th level (let's say), the rest of the PCs will be 12th level (because of the LA difference).