Effigy

An effigy is an envious undead that hates living creatures and lusts after the life energy they possess. It seeks to possess a living creature and take over its life, but it cannot maintain its usurped body for long. Eventually the fires of its own raw hatred literally immolate the body it has possessed.

An effigy appears as a translucent humanoid shape composed of multicolored flame. Its eyes glow white within the flickering fires of its insubstantial body, but it has no other discernible facial features.

Combat

An effigy seeks to join its undead force with the body of a living host, which it then burns out from within. It need not be joined with a body to attack, but it often keeps its most recent body’s ashes animated within its fiery heart.

Energy Drain (Su): Any living creature struck by an effigy’s incorporeal touch attack must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC 26) or gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the effigy heals 5 points of damage. If the amount of healing is more than the damage the creature has taken, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. If the negative level has not been removed (with a spell such as restoration) before 24 hours have passed, the afflicted opponent must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 26) to remove it. Failure means the opponent’s level (or Hit Dice) is reduced by one.

Infuse (Su): When an effigy hits a humanoid or monstrous humanoid that is no more than two size categories larger than itself with its incorporeal touch attack, the opponent must make a successful Will save (DC 26) or become infused with the effigy’s spirit. The effects of infusion on the opponent are similar to those of a magic jar spell, except as noted here. Upon infusion, the effigy gains control of the infused creature. While infused, it uses the body’s physical ability scores but its own mental ability scores. It also uses whatever attack forms the subject has available. Such attacks still do 2d6 points of additional fire damage, but they do not bestow negative levels.

An infused effigy automatically deals fire damage and inflicts energy drain on its host body each round. The subject dies upon reaching –⁠10 hit points or dropping below 1st level. At that point, the body becomes a flaming corpse.

Each round after infusion occurs, the subject must make an opposed Wisdom check against the effigy. Success casts the effigy out, forcing it to retreat 30 feet. Thereafter, it may not attempt to infuse the same target again for 1 round per point of difference between the check results. A failed save leaves the effigy in control of the body. If an effigy is turned while infused in a host, it abandons the body to flee.

Source: Monster Manual II, page 89. This creature’s statistics block has been updated to version 3.5 as given in the D&D® V.3.5 Accessory Update for Monster Manual II.