Hello, I have a question bout Ythian elder and Mental Projection.
Mental Projection (Su) A yithian elder can cast major mind swapOA on creatures in other times and places, even if the target creature is of a different race. Before using this ability, it must first spend a week building a special device—a collection of reflective surfaces held in position with a lattice of rods— and succeed at a DC 35 Craft (sculpture) check. A yithian elder can usually gather the necessary materials with ease. This device serves as a focus in place of the spell’s normal material component.
The yithian elder can focus on its device once per day, selecting a specific location and era before entering a trance and sending its mind through time. It can use detect thoughts to locate the minds of sentient creatures in this targeted time and place. Contacted creatures have a vague sense of an otherworldly presence in their minds, even if they succeed at the Will save, but don’t know its source. If the yithian elder successfully detects a sentient mind and finds it acceptable, it can target that creature with major mind swapOA. The target falls unconscious for 2d12 hours as both minds transition through space and time to their new bodies. A successful DC 29 Will saving throw prevents this unconsciousness and exchange.
Unless the yithian elder has swapped minds with another yithian, both creatures are initially unfamiliar with the bodies they inhabit. For the first 24 hours after regaining consciousness, both take a –4 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls and all Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. The mental faculties of both creatures remain intact, but the yithian elder takes a –4 penalty on Charisma-based skill checks when interacting with members of its new body’s race.
To reverse the process, the yithian elder must use its new body to create another mirror-and-rod device and return its mind to its own body. The other mind receives a new saving throw to resist the process. If either the yithian elder’s body or that of its host is slain while the minds are swapped, the surviving mind remains trapped in its current body.
1/ Does the ythian elder need the detect thoughts spell-like ability and the major mind swap magic to use with success mental projection, is it right ?
PFS Legal Mind Swap, Major
Source Occult Adventures pg. 176
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level psychic 9
Casting
Casting Time 1 minute
Components V, S, M (diamonds worth 10,000 gp)
Effect
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one creature of your same race
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
Description
The spell functions as mind swap, except as noted above. In addition, after 24 hours, instead of using each other’s hit points, you each revert to your original hit points, modified by your new Constitution modifiers. This spell can be reversed only with miracle, wish, or another major mind swap.
2/So the ythian elder and the target has the hit points from their original body, is it right ?
3/does the target have access to the abilities from the body of ythian elder ?
4/ does the ythian elder have still access to the abilities from the ancient body ?
thanks to your future answer.
1. The language of the mental projection text suggests that, yes, the device's user casts detect thoughts through the device, not that the device provides detect thoughts itself. Similarly, the device is a focus for major mind swap; it doesn't provide the spell itself. The user must use their own detect thoughts and major mind swap; the device simply alters the range (in spacetime) of their effects.
2. For the first twenty-four hours, they use the new body's hit points. After that, they use their original body's hit points as calculated by the new body's Constitution modifier.
3. Only "natural" and "automatic" abilities (whatever that means). Spells and extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities are not usable:
The body retains its Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, hit points, natural abilities, and automatic abilities. A body with extra limbs doesn’t allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal. You can’t activate the body’s extraordinary or supernatural abilities, nor can you cast any of its spells or spell-like abilities.
4. Only mental abilities, which would likely include all (or nearly all) spell-like abilities and any supernatural abilities that don't involve physical action/aren't form-dependent:
You keep your Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, level, class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, alignment, and mental abilities.
if a new body has regeneration and/or immunities or specific defenses, the new host keeps this abilities or not in his new body ?
Regeneration, immunity, damage reduction, and other passive defensive abilities are generally either extraordinary or supernatural . . . but on the other hand, they're automatic and don't require activation. I think they're meant to work so long as they're a function of the body itself and not of the mind that used to occupy it.