Little is known of the origins of the flesh craft, but the results of ancient masters of the art can be found in those areas where humanity and its ilk are but rarely seen – half-bestial monstrosities, flesh golems, and chimerical crosses between monsters.

From the perspective of the fleshcrafters, the living bodies of creatures can be improved upon or even redesigned entirely. It is said that those who seek out this art who cannot find a teacher instead petition or steal their powers from the Living Chasm.

The prime requisites for fleshcrafters is Intelligence (to master the arcane magics) and Constitution (to sense and understand the complexities of the living form). A fleshcrafter with Intelligence of 13 and Constitution of 11 receives a 5% bonus to earned experience, while having an Intelligence of 16 and a Constitution of 13 receives a 10% bonus.

Fleshcraft is an unusual form of magic with a few changes from standard spells. All fleshcraft spells require that the caster touch the target even if the spell normally has a range other than touch; the spell’s range is changed to touch when a fleshcrafter casts it. Spells that normally have multiple targets can only be cast on a single target – for example Hold Monster can only be cast in the single target version, and requires the fleshcrafter to touch the target. The effects of fleshcraft are not removable with a simple dispel magic spell – they can be reversed with spells such as heal, regenerate and limited wish however, or by another fleshcrafter casting the same spell on the target with the specific intent of removing the fleshcrafting – this is treated identically to casting dispel magic, including the chance of failure when trying to reverse the craftings of a higher level fleshcrafter.

Unlike most spellcasters, fleshcrafters do not have to prepare their spells each day. Instead, fleshcrafters only know a very limited number of applications of their art (spells) and can select from these spells when casting spells as they wish. Unlike wizards and most other casters of non-clerical magic, fleshcrafters cannot learn new spells except when indicated on the table above (fleshcrafter spells known).

For example: Gurathrex is a level 7 fleshcrafter. As such, he can cast 5 level 1 spells, 4 level 2 spells and 2 level 1 spells each day. He knows 3 level 1 spells, 2 level 2 spells and a single level 3 spell. Whenever he needs to cast a spell, he checks if he has any spellcastings of that level still available. If so, he can cast a spell of that level from the spells he knows.

Further, fleshcrafter spells can only be cast on living creatures, and even then with some limitations. Fleshcraft spells cannot be cast on creatures native to other planes of existence, on elementals, undead or ooze-type creatures (such as green slime and black puddings). The one exception to these rules is constructs made of flesh, which the fleshcrafter can manipulate as a living being.

At levels 6, 12 and 18 a fleshcrafter gains the “Unfamiliar Flesh” ability and can select one of the following types of creatures that he can then cast his spells on – either oozes, undead, or extraplanar creatures (or all three once he reaches level 18). In all cases the creatures must still be organic and fleshy – so a fleshcrafter could never successfully cast a spell on an elemental, a skeleton or an ooze composed of lava or a similar substance.

Level 1 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Cure Minor Wounds
• Hold Person
• Light Armour
• Natural Weapon
• Quills
• Resist Cold

Level 2 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Cure Disease
• Cure Light Wounds
• Haste
• Resist Fire
• Strength
• Water Breathing

Level 3 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Grace
• Greater Natural Weapon
• Infravision
• Major Armour
• Merge with Weapon
• Pain

Level 4 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Fly
• Cure Serious Wounds
• Hold Monster
• Polymorph Others
• Polymorph Self
• Toughness

Level 5 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Body of Spines
• Cure Critical Wounds
• Neutralize Poison
• Statue
• Unravel Flesh

 Level 6 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Craft Flesh Beast
• Lashing Tendrils
• Reincarnation
• Remove Face
• Stone To Flesh

Level 7 Fleshcrafter Spells

• Clone
• Heal
• Regenerate
• Shape Change

New Fleshcraft Spells – By Level

Cure Minor Wounds

• Level: Healer 1, Enchanter 3, Fleshcrafter 1
• Duration: Permanent
• Range: Touch

When cast, the healer touches one character or creature (or himself) and heals it of 1d4 hit points of damage. This spell cannot grant more hit points than the being’s normal maximum.

Cause minor wounds (the reverse of cure minor wounds) causes 1d4 hit points of damage to a being if the caster can touch the opponent.

Light Armour

• Level: Fleshcrafter 1
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell’s skin toughens into a rough natural armour similar to rhinoceros hide or heavy tree bark. This provides a bonus to Armour Class equivalent to wearing chain mail (AC 5).

Natural Weapon

• Level: Fleshcrafter 1
• Duration: 3 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell sprouts nasty natural weaponry made of bone and chitin and hard claw-like matter. Most fleshcrafters specialize in one sort of weapon – spurs from the elbows or wrists, massive teeth, horrible claws, and so on. Regardless of the form the weaponry takes, it provides the target with the ability to make physical attacks that deals the same damage as a sword (1d8 damage).

Quills

• Level: Fleshcrafter 1
• Duration: 1 round / level
• Range: 90′

For the duration of the spell, the caster can fling one long bony quill from his body at a target up to 90 feet away. The quills are treated as magical javelins, gaining +1 to hit and dealing 1d6 damage each (plus the caster’s Strength bonus).

Strength

• Level: Fleshcrafter 2
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell becomes much stronger. This increases his Strength bonus to hit and damage and opening doors by 1 (effectively increasing his Strength score to the required level to gain that bonus).

Grace

• Level: Fleshcrafter 3
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target becomes much more agile, gaining a +2 bonus on saving throws against Breath Attacks, increasing his Dexterity bonus to AC and missile attacks by 1 (and effectively increasing his Dexterity to the level required to gain this bonus), and increasing movement rates by 50%.

Greater Natural Weapon

• Level: Fleshcrafter 3
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell sprouts nasty natural weaponry (like the weaponry formed by the level 1 Natural Weaponry spell). The target gains the ability to make a Claw / Claw / Bite attack dealing 1d8 / 1d8 / 2d6 damage (plus applicable Strength bonuses).

Major Armour

• Level: Fleshcrafter 3
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell’s skin toughens into a heavy and rough natural armour similar to scarred and pitted rhinoceros hide. This provides a bonus to Armour Class equivalent to wearing Plate Mail +1 (AC 2).

Merge with Weapon

• Level: Fleshcrafter 3
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell has their weapon in hand merge completely with their wielding hand & arm in a disgusting amalgamation of weapon and flesh and bone. In this form, the weapon cannot be disarmed, and the wielder gains a +2 bonus to hit with it, as well as a +1 bonus to damage.

Pain

• Level: Fleshcrafter 3, Necromancer 3
• Duration: 1 round / level
• Range: 120′

When this spell is cast, targeted creatures are struck down by massive pain, reducing them to crippled movement (1/6 of normal) and reducing all attack and damage rolls and armour class by 5, and rendering spellcasting impossible. Undead, constructs and similar creatures are unaffected by this spell. This spell affects 1d6 creatures, but if directly targeted at a single target, the saving throw is attempted at a -2 penalty.

Toughness

• Level: Fleshcrafter 4
• Duration: 2 turns / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell gains 1 additional hit point per hit die and a +2 bonus on saving throws against poison. He ignores any penalties that would otherwise be applied due to pain or injuries.

Body of Spines

• Level: Fleshcrafter 5
• Duration: 1 turn / level
• Range: Touch

The target of this spell sprouts mighty spines (through his armour or clothing, if applicable – although it does no damage to magical armour or clothing in the process) that can be used as a weapon as well as providing a potent defense. Any opponent striking the target with a natural weapon (or bare hands or similar attacks) must save vs spells with every attack to avoid taking 1d8+3 damage.

Further, the target gains the ability to use the spines as an extra natural attack. If the target has less than 2 claw attacks per round (such as someone with a single claw or bite attack, or someone wielding a sword), he can strike with the spines in his legs or arms as an additional attack each round with a +3 bonus, dealing 1d8+3 (plus applicable Strength bonuses if any) damage.

Unravel Flesh

• Level: Fleshcrafter 5
• Duration: Permanent
• Range: Touch

The touched target’s flesh unravels from his body, tearing skin away, then baring the target’s skeletal structure in one horrible unwinding motion. The target dies instantly unless he makes a successful save vs Death.

Craft Flesh Beast

• Level: Fleshcrafter 6
• Duration: Permanent
• Range: 20 foot radius

The caster magically assembles the fresh corpses in a 20 foot radius into a massive semi-living construct of flesh, bone and sinew. The spell only works with corpses less than an hour dead, and a maximum of 2 hit dice of creatures per level of the caster.

The resulting flesh beast has hit dice equal to one half of the total hit dice of the dead assembled in the casting, bristles with natural weaponry and follows the orders of the spellcaster. It will rot away slowly – while this has no effect on it’s ability to function until it is completely lost, it will begin to rot and smell and leave chunks of itself behind as it approaches it’s final days. A flesh beast will last for one week per hit die.

Even though it is not alive, fleshcrafter spells will always work on a flesh beast. Further, a flesh beast always fails its saving throws against fleshcrafter spells.

A fleshcrafter can maintain a maximum of twice his level in hit dice of flesh beasts at a time. If he tries to make more, the older ones will unravel as the new ones are made. See the creature section of this volume for stats on flesh beasts.

Lashing Tendrils

• Level: Fleshcrafter 6
• Duration: 1 round per level
• Range: 5′ per 3 levels

Once this spell is cast, the caster sprouts sinewy lashing tentacles or tendrils that reach out from his body to a radius of 5 feet per 3 levels of the caster (rounding down). Anyone within this range must make a saving throw vs paralysis every round in order to move or attack. On the caster’s initiative, everyone within the zone of the tentacles takes 1d10 damage.

Opponents may attack the tendrils – they have an AC of 6 and hit points equal to half those of the caster.

Remove Face

• Level: Fleshcrafter 6
• Duration: 1 turn / level
• Range: Touch

With this spell and a touch, the spellcaster wipes away all vestiges of the target’s face – sealing eyes, ears, mouth and nose shut. Unless the target makes a successful save vs spells, for the duration of the spell they are blind, deaf and mute and cannot consume potions or other food or drink. The membrane formed over the mouth does not prevent breathing however.

This post compiles all the fleshcrafter posts into a single entry for ease of use. The fleshcrafter was written for my upcoming release – Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts. In the meantime, to help get me to the point of releasing this tome of alternate magics, check out Dyson’s Delves, a collection of maps, adventures and dungeons from this blog.