Body Alteration

Presented below are several different ideas to help you incorporate beneficial body alterations into
your game and make your character stand out in a crowd. Aside from tattoos, all the modifications listed
here require the assistance of a professional to complete properly. Usually someone with the ability to cast
restoration. Attempting to make the following body modifications requires the creator spend 8
uninterrupted hours and make a Craft (body modification) or Heal check to complete the operation
successfully. See the description of each modification for its DC. Failing this check means the operation is
unsuccessful and exposes the subject to filth fever. (The subject still gets to make saving throws, as normal,
albeit at a -2 penalty). Unless otherwise noted, each procedure deals 1d6 points of damage per level or HD
of the character. This damage must be healed magically in order to keep the body from rejecting or healing
over the modification. If this damage is allowed to heal naturally over time, the subject loses the benefits
of the body modification when brought back to full health
Editor: The following are from dragon magazine #359 and thus are 2nd party material and needs to be the
subject of DM approval. Unlike many of the other things in this sub-handbook, Body Alterations just
requires a skill check to create.
Editor (Vow of Poverty): Well I can add grafts to my body all day long and thats just fine, what about
body alterations? As a DM, Im going to have to go with Kinda and here is why. If you have a graft,
and they only manage to save your toe, you can get a true resurrection and your grafts grow back. If
you have body modifications and go through the same process, they do not return. So why kinda?
Well, Some things are approved because they dont violate the vow, but on a case by case basis.
Simple weapons, for example. Adding Silver or Cold Iron caps to a monks fists should be acceptable.
(This would not be magical or masterwork, so therefore qualify as ordinary.) A simple blunt weapon
could be installed, like a club along your forearm. Your skin as a spellbook would work, and in fact be
more in line with the vow then a regular spellbook. A holy symbol under your skin should be just fine.
Armor is another story. VoP states You may wear simple clothes (usually just a homespun robe,
possibly also including a hat and sandals) with no magical properties. It doesnt state you cant have
armor, you just cant wear armor. So, in theory, if you are willing to have the armor UNDER your
skin, you should be fine. Now it can be any material you want it to be, but it cant be masterwork. That
means adamantine (that comes masterwork) is right out. Also, no spiked armor or armor razors. They
are both martial weapons and you can only use simple weapons.
The RAI of the matter is quite clear. None of this stuff should be allowed because it disrupts the
spirit of the Vow. I vow to live in poverty, except for my +3 Aurorum light armor inserts under my
flesh that totals in value 4,900 gp. Im not WEARING the armor, and it isnt masterwork, so its just
fine. By RAW, that would be allowed. By RAI, I would totally throw a rule book at the player. Of
course the VoPs armor bonus doesnt stack with it, so the whole point is moot.
Then again, maybe not. VoP is a crippling Feat that doesnt just screw the Player who takes it, but
the party he adventures with. By hamstringing yourself in this manner, you are holding everyone back.
As a DM, if a player wanted VoP, I would allow him to use such equipment technicalities to end run
the system. Its harsh enough. (Personally, Id only take the feat if a DM promised me that I could later
qualify for the Saint Template. Immunity to Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Petrifaction as well as the slew
of bonuses like fire resistance and fast healing would make it worth it. Barely.

Combat Modifications
Combat modifications take two general forms, Weapon and armor. Due to the painful nature of both these
operations and the potential of social stigma, most who undergo these procedures wait until they can afford
to use high-quality magical weapons or materials. Not that most lawful or good civilized places frown upon
combat mods and characters with them invite extra scrutiny from law enforcement.
Weapons: A fighter might choose to have a punch dagger permanently emerging from the skin above his
wrist or a monk might elect to install silver and cold iron caps on her knuckles (Which cost as silver or
cold iron gauntlets). Weapon combat mods cost double the weapons non-magical cost (include
masterwork and special material costs, but not costs for any magical enhancement). Only light and
one-handed weapons can be attached, and only to the subjects arms. Weapons attached in this way are
used normally as manufactured weapon attacks. Implated weapons themselves function normally,
although the wielder cannot use them two handed. Weapon combat mods cannot be disarmed or
dropped (but they can be sundered normally) and they are always considered drawn. Attaching a
 bludgeoning weapon has a craft (body modification) or Heal DC of 20. A piercing weapon is DC 25,
while a slashing weapons DC is 30.
Editor: The Illithid weapon graft is vastly superior, except for the fact that the illithid graft also removes
the use of your hand and gives you a -4 to will saves. Since it is implanted, it does not act as a
natural weapon, but it also doesnt take up your hand as far as holding items. An implanted weapon
becomes held but is still restricted in use, depending on your number of attacks.
Editor (Monks): The implications is that you can put silver or cold iron caps on a monks knuckles for
the cost of a pair of gauntlets. So if you make it masterwork, you can add EB and WSAs to your
monks fists directly. Since the rules dont state this is using up your hands held slot, you can also
wield a second weapon as well. The preferred weapon would be a pair of ward cestus. Since the
metal caps would directly modify your unarmed strike, and the ward cestus adds to your unarmed
strike, you could seriously start to stack some WSAs. Alas, the EBs would not stack.
Armor: Much less common is the permanent application of armor, in which the crafter magically burns and
warps flesh to adhere small steel plates. A character wishing to gird himself in this manner gains an
armor bonus up to +8, at a cost of 300 gp and 5 pounds of encumbrance per point of armor bonus.
Armor combat mod has a maximum Dex bonus of 9 minus the armor bonus, an armor check penalty
equal to the armor bonus (Masterwork reduces this penalty by 1 as normal) and an arcane spell failure
chance of 5% per point of armor bonus. Up to +3 armor bonus counts as light armor and allows normal
speed, an armor bonus of +4 to +6 counts as medium armor, and an armor bonus of +7 or +8 counts as
heavy armor. This armor can be spiked, constructed from special materials, and made magical, all for
the normal costs of such treatments. Remove an armor combat mod deals 1d6 points of damage per
level or HD of the character and renders the plates useless. Characters choosing this modification may
not wear any other armor, although they may still use shields. Attaching light armor requires a DC 20
craft (body modifications) or Heal check. Medium armor has a DC of 25, while heavy armors DC is
30.
Editor: Armor is a poor choice to have implanted. The problem is that sometimes you want to take the
armor off, like when you sleep. This might be a better choice for constructs and undead then living
creatures. That said, half-weight will get the weight of heavy armor down to light so you can sleep in
your own skin. But there is no real advantage to doing this. The implanted armor has no real benefit
over normal armor, except one. By RAW you cannot wear other armor with it, but it doesnt state
that it occupies the body slot. Therefore you could armor up and then wear robes and other clothing
over it. I highly recommend Aurorum plates, because being sundered would suck.
Editor (Monks): Alas, monks cannot use armor so they cannot use this or can they? Technically the
cost of the armor is UP TO +8 Armor bonus. So why not make +0 armor? It would have a Max Dex
of 9, no ACP, and only cost as much as it cost to make it masterwork. Alas, it also says anything up
to +3 is light armor, which would include +0. But if your DM is kind, he may allow a monk to put
very light metal plates under just enough of his skin to enchant it with EBs and ASAs and still allow
it to count as No armor.
Editor (Warforged): okay, for most people, this sucks. Once you make it medium armor, the fatigue will
set in and what have you. The Adamantine Skin graft is the alternative, and cost wise, the graft is
better. I would still prefer this because of the versatility of materials and enchantment. Also, I can
get this and use it with other grafts. I am not limited to using only construct grafts if I take the
adamantine skin. Also, adamantine skin states explicitly that you cannot use it with robes. This only
states that it doesnt work with armor. Robes are okay with Armor Combat Modifications. The
scales start to tip in favor of this over the skin.

Living Spellbook
The skincaster feat allows a wizard to tattoo new spells directly onto her skin, instead of her spellbook.
Unlike the tattoo Magic feat, the wizard must still prepare spells scribed in this manner as normal. If an
opponent attempts to use erase on your tattooed spells, you are allowed a Fortitude save to resist. In order
to gain the benefits of this procedure, you must take the skincaster feat. Scribing spells onto your flesh
requires a DC 10 craft (Body modification) or heal check.
Editor: So how much room does it take up? What happens when you get to 20th level and have a thousand
spells on your skin? What if you dont have access to a mirror, can you not see the spells on your
back, and therefore cannot memorize them? This is another case of Wonderful Idea, poor logistics.
Editor (House rule): So heres my take on it. Each spell is but a few characters, but in order to save on
space, you re-use the same words. So it isnt enough to be able to read a spellbook, you need to know
the special magical shorthand as it were. In fact, you might look more like an ever expanding
arcane crossword puzzle to someone else. Thats why you need the feat, so not only can you scribe it,
but understand it. To anyone else without the feat, its meaningless gibberish, although a knowledge
check Arcana should be able to tell you what it is. You just wont be able to use the spells.
Editor (Skinning): Okay, lets do this. What happens if I am a skincaster, find someone else with
skincasting spell tattoos, kill him, skin him, and keep his skin nice and fresh? Can I use his skin to
memorize spells? I hate to say it, but yes. As long as you have the feat, the skin of another skincaster
should work just fine. Nobody else would be able to, but you would just apply the normal rules of
capturing a spellbook and there you go
Editor (Campaign Setting): So what happens if you make this mandatory? Get rid of the need for the feat,
make it so everyone uses this instead. Maybe require they take Magic tattoo instead of Scribe Scroll.
Well, as a campaign setting, it would be a bit of a limit on arcane spellcasters, but work very well
thematically in settings where supplies for inks and paper were rather rare. A wizard could go out and
gather the required materials until he had enough gold pieces of material to put a spell on his
skin. Very primitive. Since Magic Tattoo only goes up to third level spells, you would also be limiting
the arcane spells that can be stored for later use. If you wanted to make a low level campaign where
arcane spellcasters were very rustic, this could be the default.

Embedded Holy Symbol

Some especially fanatical clerics have their holy symbols surgically implanted just beneath the outer layer
of skin on their hands, arms, chests, or faces. Such implants raise the skin showing in perfect relief the
symbol beneath, Such a holy symbol must be made from metal (usually silver) and costs 100 gp. Clerics
who choose this path sometimes report their symbols ache any time they start to stray from their chosen
alignments. Embedding a holy symbol requires a DC 15 craft (body modifications) or heal check.
Editor: Well, the big issue is, what else can you put in the holy symbol? Technically any magic item that is
also a holy symbol can be put under your skin and doesnt take up a body slot, yet is always at the
ready. The Reliquary Holy symbol comes to mind. Other holy symbols occupy a body slot.
Technically it would have to be implanted in the body slot its made for. Otherwise it counts as an
extra Body Slot (see below). As for the symbol aching in times of starting to stray, I would
recommend you use the phylactery of faithfulness, and have it occupy the head slot. Although,
considering the magic item is only 1,000 gp, and it has such a minor effect, Id let it slide and have it
work without costing a body slot. After all, it really is just DM, remind me when Im about to screw
up.

Extra Body Slot

Although viewed as extreme by many, body modification is occasionally used to give a character access to
an additional magic item body slot. A small wondrous item (no larger than a dagger) is inserted into an
incision as far from other body slots as possible, generally beneath the ribs or along the thigh. The item
functions normally, even if another item already occupies the normal body slot. This procedure, however,
has grave drawbacks, as the overlapping and conflicting magical fields stress the body and reduce the
subjects Constitution score by 2 points for as long as the item remains within the characters body. Only
rings, rods, and wondrous items crafted specifically for this purpose can be used. They cost x1.5 times the
normal price. Removing an item from an extra body slot requires a procedure that deals 1d6 points of mage
per level or HD of the character. Implanting an extra body slot requires a DC 30 craft (body modifications)
or Heal check.
Editor: Poorly thought out. My main question is, what if I have no other magic items? Lets say I implant a
magic ring in my ass. What if I am not wearing any magic rings? No magical fields to conflict, so I
shouldnt take a 2 point hit to my con, right? Or is it a 2 point con hit even if Im naked, just because I
have a ring in my ass. For the sake of clarity, I would say you just lose 2 points of Con. It keeps the
math simple. As it stands, I can think of a few magic items I would use this for, but not many.
Editor (Rods): What? You hold rods. Rods do not occupy a body slot. There should be no conflict. I dont
get this. Furthermore some rods are weapons, so can I use my rod as a weapon? (No, not that rod. Get
your mind out of the gutter.) I think you should ignore rod because you can have an unlimited number
of held items (assuming you have enough ways to wield them), so they shouldnt interfer if you have
 them implanted. However, by RAW, its x1.5 and 2 points of con. So if you want a silent metamagic
rod up your ass, just in case, I suppose I might. I still dont understand how it interfers, however.
Editor (Limits): So how many? Do I only have one extra body slot, or a thousand? I believe that the way
this reads, the only upward limit is your con. If you have 5, you are -10 con.

Skin Pockets
Instead of swallowing or otherwise concealing contraband, brave, desperate, or merely eccentric characters
might elect to create a skin pocket: A spot where the outer layer of skin is flayed, blister-like, from the flesh
beneath it but left intact save for a small opening. This cavity can hold anything up to the size of a dagger.
Magical healing closes this pocket with a thin layer of skin, leaving only a swollen patch of flesh capable of
escaping all but the most careful scrutiny (granting a +6 bonus to slight of hand checks made to conceal the
items). Accessing the pocket requires 1 point of slashing damage. Creating a skin pocket deals the standard
1 point of damage per level or HD of the character and requires a DC 20 Craft (body modifications) or Heal
check. Reusing the same skin pocket reduces the total creation damage by 1 (to a minimum of 1).
Editor: So I assume that if you put a magic item in here, in order for it to take effect, it has to be an extra
body slot, otherwise its just storage. Of course the obvious choice is a bag of holding or better, a
portable hole. Since neither take up a body slot, they are not subject to being in a extra body slot. Its
up to the DM if he will allow you to just reach in, or if you need take it out and open it. I personally
would make a custom portable hole that used the handy haversack feature where the item you want
most is always on top.

Feats
This is the section of Body Alteration feats. There arent many, and two are not from dragon magazine.
However they are included for the sake of completeness.

SKINCASTER FEAT
You copy all spells directly to your skin instead of a spellbook.
Prerequisites: Prepares spells from a spellbook.
Benefit: You use your own body as a spellbook and need only be able to read your skin in order to prepare
spells. Transferring a spell to your skin costs 100 gp per spell level of the spell.
Editor: An alternative to this feat is to make it one or the other. You can be a skincaster, but then you cant
use normal spellbooks, or you can use spellbooks, but not skincasting. That way this becomes less of a
feat tax on something that really is just thematic and carries with it very little in the way to tactical
advantage. I mean, as an ACF you can give up your familiar and put spells directly into your brain, and
the ACF doesnt cost you a feat. As it stands, I cannot think of a single PC wizard who would waste a
feat on being able to put spells on your skin. Just be a sorcerer and be done with it.

TATTOO MAGIC [ITEM CREATION]

- LORDS OF DARKNESS (3.0)
- RACES OF FAERUN (3.0)
You can create tattoos that store spells.
Prerequisite: Craft (calligraphy) or Craft (painting) skill, spellcaster level 3rd+.
Benefit: You can create single-use magic tattoos. You can create a tattoo of any spell of 3rd level or lower
that you know and that targets a creature or creatures. Creating a tattoo takes 1 hour, and it must be
inked onto a creature with a corporeal body. When you create a tattoo, you set the caster level. The
caster level must be sufficient to cast the spell in question and no higher than your own level. The base
price of a tattoo is its (spell level x its caster level x 50 gp). To create a tattoo, you must spend 1/25 of
this base price in XP and use up raw materials costing half this base price. When you create a tattoo,
you make any choices that you would normally make when casting the spell. The bearer of the tattoo is
the only one who can activate it and is always the target of the spell. Activating a tattoo requires the
creature to touch the tattoo with either hand (the hand does not need to be empty). Activating a tattoo is
a standard action that does not draw an attack of opportunity. Any tattoo that stores a spell with a
costly material component or an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs
derived from the base price, you must expend the material component or pay the XP when creating the
tattoo. Normally a magic tattoo uses a magic item space on the creatures body. For example, a creature
 with a tattoo on one of its hands could not gain the benefits from a magic glove on that hand. Likewise,
a creature with a magic tattoo on its back does not receive the benefits of a magic cloak, cape, or
mantle. In effect, the magic tattoo is always the first item worn on that part of the body, negating the
effects of all other items. A tattoo can be created that does not use a magic item space, but the base
price of such a tattoo is double the normal value. A magic tattoo can be erased with an erase spell as if
it were magic writing. Failing to erase the tattoo does not activate it. When a tattoo is activated, the ink
pattern or design vanishes from the bearers skin.
Editor: This is not from dragon magazine, but included because it belongs here. As a way to sneak scrolls
past people, it might be useful, except that a detect magic is going to make you light up like a
Christmas tree. For many reason, scribe scroll is just better. However, as I said above, it could make a
weird campaign setting if this replaced scribe scroll. One does have to remember that the effective
level of a spell does not increase with metamagic. So it is possible to create a 9th level tattoo with a
3rd level spell that has +6 levels of metamagic stacked on top of it.

SCRIBE TATTOO [ITEM CREATION]

- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
You can create psionic tattoos, which store powers within their designs.
Prerequisite: Manifester level 3rd.
Benefit: This is not from dragon magazine, but included because it belongs here. You can create a psionic
tattoo of any power of 3rd level or lower that you know and that targets one or more creatures.
Scribing a psionic tattoo takes one day. When you create a psionic tattoo, you set the manifester level.
The manifester level must be sufficient to manifest the power in question and no higher than your own
level. The base price of a psionic tattoo is its (power level v its manifester level x 50 gp). To scribe a
tattoo, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials (special inks, masterwork
needles, and so on) costing one-half of this base price. When you create a psionic tattoo, you make any
choices that you would normally make when manifesting the power. When its wearer physically
activates the tattoo, the wearer is the target of the power. Any psionic tattoo that stores a power with an
XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you
must pay the XP when creating the tattoo.
Editor: Unlike the Tattoo Magic feat, this apparently doesnt take up a body slot, which is nice. However, I
dont play with psionics, so I have no idea if this is good or not.