OK, we had some new ideas over on the World Building boards, and I've made some revisions. What do you think?

Fleshwrought Racial Traits
  • Abilities score modifications vary as shown below.
  • Medium: As Medium creatures, Fleshwrought have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Fleshwrought base speed is 30 feet.
  • Living Construct: Fleshwrought have the benefits and penalties associated with the Living Construct subtype. However, Fleshwrought are not immune to poison, paralysis, fatigue, and exhaustion.
  • Electricity Resistance 15
  • Diseased Mind: Because of the ravages of the Weeping, a Fleshwrought’s mind is exceedingly confused and warped. This makes it difficult for spellcasters to affect Fleshwrought with mind-affecting magic, granting the Fleshwrought a +2 racial bonus to saves against Mind-Affecting spells and effects.
  • Electric Affinity: Due to the arcane processes surrounding its creation, a Fleshwrought reacts differently to electricity than other creatures. Additionally, when subject to an attack or effect that deals electricity damage, a Fleshwrought gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class as a result of the increased energy. This bonus does not apply if the Fleshwrought is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. This bonus lasts for 2d6 rounds.
  • Fleshwrought have a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate checks due to their grotesque appearance. However, they take a -4 penalty to any Charisma checks or Charisma-based skill checks with the exception of Intimidate checks.
  • Fleshwrought have a +10 racial bonus to Craft (surgery) checks made to replace parts of their body. Fleshwrought are created with a certain level of innate skill at this replacement, and they body actively tries to aid the process.
  • Body Part Replacement – Because Fleshwrought are composed of decay-prone parts of the bodies of deceased plague victims, they must occasionally replace parts of their body with newly-harvest limbs and organs. A Fleshwrought must replace at least one body part every 5 days or suffer from decreased physical prowess as their tissue decays. For every 5 days the Fleshwrought goes without replacement, it suffers a -2 penalty to its Strength and Dexterity scores.

    The replacement of a body part is a relatively delicate process, requiring 1 day to complete for every 5 days since last replacement. Body parts are replaced using the Craft (surgery) skill. The DC to replace a body part after 5 days is 15. This DC increases by 2 after 5 days, and again after every subsequent 5-day period, representing the increased damage to the Fleshwrought’s body from decay. For example, a Fleshwrought attempting to replace an arm 6 days after its last replacement would require 2 days and a successful DC 17 Craft (surgery) check to replace the arm.

    Fleshwrought can only use parts of plague victims or Plaguetouched for this replacement. Also, players do not need to specify which body part they are replacing, as it is assumed that the Fleshwrought prioritizes the process and rotates its replacements.
  • Favored Class: Fighter
  • Level Adjustment: +0


Fleshwrought Ability Modifiers – Roll 1d6 to randomly determine the composition of the Fleshwrought.
  • +2 Strength, -2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma – Composed of assorted body parts, including the limbs of large, muscular humanoids, a Fleshwrought of this composition is strong, but has a scrambled mind and a subdued personality.
  • +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom – Composed largely of the bodies of heavy-set humanoids, a Fleshwrought of this composition can take a lot of physical punishment, but is not very alert or creative.
  • +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma – Composed of the limbs of slight, agile humanoids, a Fleshwrought of this composition is quick and nimble, but somewhat rash.


OK, a few notes. First, I left the favored class as Fighter because that seems like a better catch-all than Barbarian, and Fleshwrought weren't created with the intent of using them in battle (at least, that's what I've gathered from people's comments). Second, I used Craft (surgery) because there was no other Craft subset that fit, and the Profession rules are more appropriate for determining amount of money made over time, not the success or failure of a specific attempt (although, a character with Profession (surgeon) or Profession (ridiculously creepy mad scientist) could have a decent business doing part replacement for Fleshwrought). Third, I'm keeping the living construct subtype despite having removed many of the features, merely because I think that any other type would be inappropriate for the flavor of the race. Really, this race blurs the lines between Undead and Constructs, but deciding on the specific flavor will hopefully solve that problem.

So, to summarize, the Fleshwrought have electricity resistance, a bonus to saves against Mind-Affecting stuff, some skill bonuses, and some neat immunities. As a tradeoff, they have to replace their body parts relatively frequently or suffer serious penalties, they have net ability score penalties, and they suck at social interaction. I think that these balance out, making them OK as a LA +0 race. Hopefully people on the boards will agree.

What do you think?

Mephibosheth