Borrowed Life, Greater (3.5e Spell)
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| Necromancy (Summoning) [Evil] | |
| Level: | Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Cleric 5, Druid 5 |
|---|---|
| Components: | V, S, XP, see text |
| Casting time: | 2d4+2 rounds |
| Range: | 5 feet |
| Target: | One humanoid, monstrous humanoid, giant, animal or magical beast. |
| Duration: | 2d4+1 days, plus 1 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, animating it, and calling the person's spirit back to possess the body. If they don't want to be raised, they can use a Will save to negate the spell, but not the caster's sacrifice (See Special).
This spell functions exactly as Borrowed Life, except as noted here.
The creature can have been dead no more than 1 day per 2 caster levels; Beyond that point, the body is too decayed for this spell to function properly (It instead raises them as a Ghoul that dies at the end of the spell's duration). If these conditions are not met, the spell fails completely.
A creature so raised in this manner counts as Undead for the purposes of spells and effects (Including being Turned/Rebuked), in addition to their original types and subtypes; They cannot be healed by any means except their newfound Blood Drain ability (See below), suffer a -2 penalty to Constitution, Charisma, attack rolls and skill checks; However, they gain a Deflection bonus to AC equal to 1 + 1/2 the caster's CL for the duration of the spell. The creature raised has 10 HP per point of Con the caster sacrificed upon casting (See Special).
If they had spells, they lose any they had prepared/remaining for the day, but can regain them normally; However, when they cast a spell, there is a percentage chance that the spell will fail equal to 5% per spell level, in addition to arcane spell failure from armor, if applicable. The creature loses 1d8+2 HP each day, until the last day of the spell, upon which it loses any remaining HP.
Unlike with pseudo-zombies raised by Borrowed Life, the pseudo-vampires created by the improved versions can heal themselves. The creature gains a +4 bonus on Grapple checks. The subject of this spell can suck blood from a living victim with its newfound fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the pseudo-vampire regains 5 HP per point of Con damage inflicted.
This allows the Pseudo-Vampire to stay alive longer than the lesser version of the spell allowed, and while gruesome, it allows the caster to regain sacrificed vitality over time while the pseudo-vampire drains vitality from others to sustain itself.
Once the pseudo-zombie dies again at the end of the spell, the spell cannot be used on them by the same caster for 3d4 days, and of course, the 1-day-per-caster-level-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.
Special: As part of the casting, the caster must sacrifice his own blood, dealing 1 Con damage to himself per HD of the creature to be raised (If the caster is immune to ability damage, the spell fails, but the XP is still lost). This ability damage cannot be healed by any means as long as the spell is active. 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 0 Con, this occurs (In addition to the XP loss) AND the spell only lasts 2d4+1 rounds. The creature raised has 10 HP per point of Con sacrificed. Each day, when the pseudo-zombie loses 1d8+2 HP, one point of the Con damage the caster took upon casting becomes eligible to be healed, via rest or spells, but the rest remains unavailable until the next day or the spell ends.
XP Cost: 1d6+2x10 XP per HD of the creature to be raised.
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| Article Balance | Very High + |
| Author | Zhenra-Khal + |
| Component | V +, S +, XP + and see text + |
| Descriptor | Evil + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Spell + |
| Level | Sorcerer/Wizard 4 +, Cleric 5 + and Druid 5 + |
| Range | Other + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| School | Necromancy + |
| Subschool | Summoning + |
| Summary | Temporarily raises one creature from the dead as a pseudo-vampire using the caster's own life force. + |
| Title | Borrowed Life, Greater + |
