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Borrowed Life (3.5e Spell)

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Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk)
Date Created: 9/27/2016
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Borrowed Life
Necromancy (Summoning) [Force]
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 2, Cleric 3, Blackguard 4, Druid 3
Components: V, S, XP, see text
Casting time: 2d4+2 rounds
Range: 5 feet
[[SRD:Aiming a Spell (Spell Descriptor)|]]: Creature specified
Duration: 1d4+1 days, plus 1d2 per caster level
Saving Throw: Will Negates (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes


This spell is a primitive form of resurrection, infusing the body with necromantic force and calling the person's spirit back. If they don't want to be raised, they can use a Will save to negate the effect.

This spell only works on humanoid, monstrous humanoid, animal, magical beast and giant creatures, and the HD of the creature in question cannot exceed the caster's caster level. The creature can have been dead no more than a day; Beyond that point, the body is too decayed for this spell to function properly (It instead raises them as a medium Zombie that dies at the end of the spell's duration).

If these conditions are not met, the spell fails completely. When raised, the creature has HP equal to the number of HP the caster sacrificed in the casting of the spell, up to their original maximum. A creature so raised in this manner counts as Undead for the purposes of spells and effects, in addition to their original types and subtypes; They cannot be healed by any means, suffer a -4 penalty to Strength, Constitution, Dexterity and Charisma, and all of their movement speeds are reduced by half, to a minimum of 5 feet; However, they gain a Deflection bonus to AC equal to 1 + 1/2 the caster's CL fr the duration of the spell. Finally, the DM divides the amount of HP the caster sacrificed upon casting the spell by how many days of duration the spell has (Rounding down), secretly recording this, and each day, the pseudo-zombie looses the listed amount of HP, losing the rest at the end of the final day. For the duration of the spell, the creature speaks only Celestial (If good), Abyssal (If Chaotic Evil), Infernal (If Lawful Evil), Ignan (If the Fire Subtype), Aquan (if the Water subtype), Auran (If the Air subtype), or Terran (If the Earth subtype), unless Tongues or a similar spell is cast on them. (Those that fit multiple categories can choose which language to use; Those that don't fall into a category speak their racial language (Elven for Elves, etc. and Common for Humans.)

Once the pseudo-zombie dies a second time, the spell cannot be used on them by the same caster for 3d4 days, and of course, the 1-day-since-death rule still applies. If the spell's target receives a Raise Dead or similar spell before the spell is over, the spell ends and the character can avoid losing a level/Constitution/XP by succeeding on a successful Fortitude save vs. the spell used to return them fully to life (The subject uses their reduced Con score for this save), with a bonus on the save equal to +1 per remaining day of duration of the Borrowed Life, and takes a penalty equal to -1 for each day they've already spent as a pseudo-zombie.


Special: As part of the casting, the caster must sacrifice his own blood, dealing 1d4 damage to himself per HD of the creature to be raised. The blood must fall on or otherwise end up on the target creature (Can be done with a ranged touch attack). If this damage would reduce the caster to -1 or fewer HP, this occurs AND the spell only lasts 1d4+1 rounds.


XP Cost: 1d4+1 XP per HD of the creature to be raised.



Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewClass Ability ComponentsSpellsCleric
Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewClass Ability ComponentsSpellsBlackguard
Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewClass Ability ComponentsSpellsDruid
Back to Main Page3.5e HomebrewClass Ability ComponentsSpellsSorcerer/Wizard