GRAFTS
CHAPTER 9
Illus. by D. Crabapple
Aboleth Grafts Aboleths typically apply grafts to creatures that they have already transformed with their mucus, or to creatures that they have created, such as skum. An aboleth graft applied to any other creature dries up and withers over the course of 1d4+1 days, falling off at the end of this period. At this point, a regenerate spell is required to restore the original body part, or a new graft can be applied. Amphibious Skin: This invasive graft can only be applied to a creature with the aquatic subtype. It replaces the grafted creature’s skin entirely with a thick membrane. The grafted creature gains the amphibious special quality, allowing it to breathe both air and water. Graft Flesh (aboleth), creator must be an aboleth; Price 30,000 gp. Inksac: An inksac is normally placed inside a creature’s abdomen; a vent protrudes just beyond the surface of the creature’s skin above each hip. Once per minute as a free action, the creature can emit a cloud of jet-black ink in a spread with a radius of twice the creature’s natural reach. This cloud provides concealment to all creatures in the area. Even creatures that can normally see in such conditions (such as with darkvision or low-light vision) are affected by concealment when in a cloud of ink. Only a daylight spell (or a higher-level light spell) can allow creatures in the area to see. The ink cloud does not form unless the creature is in water; on land it just spews out as a big inky mess. Graft Flesh (aboleth), creator must be an aboleth; Price 9,000 gp. A troll with an Mucus Projector: This graft aboleth graft consists of a large, fleshy sac with a tubelike extension. It is typically grafted onto a creature’s back so the tube can extend up over a shoulder. A creature with a mucus projector can activate it once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. When activated, it contracts violently and sprays a thin stream of aboleth mucus out of the tube. The creature must make a ranged touch attack to strike its intended target, which must be within 30 feet. On a hit, the target must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 grafted creature’s HD + grafted creature’s Con modifier) or begin to transform as if struck by an aboleth’s slime (see page 8 of the Monster Manual). A mucus projector works equally well on the surface or underwater. Graft Flesh (aboleth), creator must be an aboleth; Price 36,000 gp. Waterjet: This long, thin tube is normally grafted onto a creature’s back. The grafted creature can use this graft once per minute while swimming to double its normal swim speed for 1 round. Graft Flesh (aboleth), creator must be an aboleth; Price 2,500 gp.
THE ABERRATION HUNTER
Aberrations, more than other creatures, are naturally drawn to the practice of grafting new body parts to living creatures. Some aberrations do so to enhance their own strengths or shore up their weaknesses, while others focus on thralls and slaves gathered from “lesser” races and use grafts as ways to “improve” their minions. Aboleths, beholders, and illithids are well known practitioners of these arts, and numerous examples of grafts developed by these races can be found in Fiend Folio. This section presents several more grafts developed by these races, along with those used by other aberrations such as avolakias (Monster Manual II page 28), ethergaunts (Fiend Folio page 64), silthilars, and even creatures from the Far Realm such as the kaorti. Grafts have no statistics of their own. A graft might enhance some ability or characteristic of the creature it’s attached to, or it might grant the creature some new ability. The effects of grafts are extraordinary abilities, meaning that they do not fail to function in an antimagic field or similar area. However, they must be created much like magic items are. The creation process includes the act of applying the graft to the creature it is meant for. A character with the Graft Flesh feat (see the sidebar) can create and apply grafts. The creator must be in a quiet and comfortable setting, most commonly an alchemical laboratory but in some cases an evil temple or similar locale. He needs a supply of materials, which involves taking flesh from another creature of the appropriate kind. The cost for the materials is subsumed in the cost of creating the graft. Creating a graft costs half the given market price. If spells are included in the prerequisites for making the graft, the creator must have prepared the spells to be cast, must know the spells (in the case of a sorcerer or bard), or must have access to spell-like abilities that duplicate the spells. The creator need not provide any material components or focuses the spells require, nor are any XP costs inherent in a prerequisite spell incurred in the creation of the graft. The act of working on the graft expends the spells from the creator’s currently prepared spells, just as if they had been cast. Even if magic was used in its creation, a graft does not radiate magic once completed, it does not count against a creature’s limit for magic items worn, it does not have a caster level, and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to salvage as treasure. It does count against the treasure value of the creature with the graft, which means that creatures with grafts are still appropriate challenges for their normal CR, but they have reduced treasure.
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