Soul-powered magic

[Gnoman]

Is there any official, semiofficial, or good homebrew for using souls as ingredients for magic or item crafting (such as Full Metal Alchemist Philosopher's Stones)? I'm working on codifying my campaign setting (which is between games, and I want to do less on-the-fly worldbuilding this time around), and this was something that was mentioned but in the background. I certainly can just write something, but there's no point if somebody else already made what I'm looking for.

[Darkweave31]

Possibly Magic of Incarnum?

[Red Fel]

Magic of Incarnum deals with using "soul-stuff" and the fundamental energies of things to bring tangible forms into existence. Specifically, Necrocarnum involves perverse use of soul-stuff.

As I recall, there are ways to use a soul that has been stolen (e.g. through Thinaun weaponry) or otherwise obtained (e.g. through demonic contracts) as a material component in spellcasting. I think the mechanics are in BoVD. It's not all that impressive, though - it basically lets you offset xp costs and things like that.

If you want really powerful effects, you're basically going to have to homebrew spells or artifacts. Generally speaking, souls don't do all that much mechanically in D&D.

[Forrestfire]

If I remember correctly, the Book of Vile Darkness has a soul as equal to 10 exp worth of substitution when crafting.

[Seclora]

Book of Vile Darkness has rules on Sacrifices. You might want to start your search there. I know at least one of the rules they mentioned was using Sacrifices for crafting XP.

I'd also check the Fiendish Codex I & II, as well as Champions of Ruin, that's where a lot of the rules for 3.5 Evil ended up.

[Gnoman]

Book of Vile Darkness

Looks like I'll be rolling my own. Thanks anyway.

[Yogibear41]

If I remember correctly, the Book of Vile Darkness has a soul as equal to 10 exp worth of substitution when crafting.


I know it could potentially break the rules, but I think a soul even a level 1 commoners soul should be worth ALOT more than 10 xp.

[Alent]

I know it could potentially break the rules, but I think a soul even a level 1 commoners soul should be worth ALOT more than 10 xp.

Agreed... At the very least have it multiply by victim hitdice.

[Ravens_cry]

Golem making is this in a way, as you entrap an elemental spirit (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/golem.htm) into providing the base elan vital. Oddly enough, D&D considers this fine and dandy as far as alignment is concerned.