Fleshcurdle

2nd-level transmutation (sorcerer, warlock, wizard)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (scrap of pickled flesh)

Duration: 1 minute

You warp the flesh of a target creature within range, discoloring it and causing it to become misshapen and impairing its function. When you cast this spell, you must choose one of three types of effects to inflict on the target— movement, attacks, or defense. A target that succeeds on a Constitution saving throw only suffers from this spell for 1 round.

• Attacks. One of the creature’s natural attacks suffers a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls.
• Defense. The creature’s natural armor bonus decreases by 2 (to a minimum bonus of +0).
• Movement. One of the creature’s movement speeds (chosen by you) is halved.

Most undead are susceptible to fleshcurdle, but amorphous creatures and creatures without flesh are immune (such as elementals, oozes, plants, gaseous or incorporeal creatures, and skeletons).

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a higher level spell slot, you force the target to make an one additional saving throw, incurring a second effect on a failure (to a maximum of 3 saving throws). Spells of the polymorph subschool form the core of the magic of changing that causes most of the mutations in a fantasy campaign. However, magic can also be a gateway to more pseudo-scientific processes that power the evolutionary engine, such as toxic chemicals and radiation.