Sith alchemy / Legends Force alchemy , better known as Sith alchemy , was a science that referred to a number of areas under the Sith . It encompassed any power or technique which used the Dark side of the Force to permanently alter an item or living being . It is rejected by the Jedi as an act of treason against the Force ' s will . History . While the Sith species practiced Sith alchemy long before the Exiles arrived on Korriban , it was the Exiles who perfected it , one of their best being Sorzus Syn , using the knowledge to create the Leviathans that they acquired during the Hundred - Year Darkness . Sith alchemy was primarily used to enhance the strength of weapons and armor ( such as the famous Sith sword s ) , or to genetically engineer and enhance alien species , making them more dangerous and easier to control by the Sith Lords . More sinisterly , Sith alchemy was capable of waking the dead in servitude to the Sith . Korriban zombie s , and possibly Sith undead , were creations of this branch of the art . They are also known , in the Sith language , as the Isaiwinokka Hoyakut - the reanimated dead . One of the many applications of Sith Alchemy was the art of creating nefarious toxins , such as Sith poison . Naga Sadow wrote many texts concerning the art of Sith alchemy . These were studied by Seviss Vaa , whose experiments were responsible for the Behemoth from the World Below . Certain xenobiologists suspected that the predators of Yavin 8 and the native Melodie s may have been products of Sith alchemy . While he was on Yavin 4 , the Sith Lord Exar Kun used alchemy to create terrifying creatures twisted by the dark side ' s influence . Around this time , the Sorcerer of Tund Karnak Tetsu practiced Sith alchemy . Darth Plagueis was a master of this dark art . Plagueis ' apprentice , Darth Sidious , later wrote a book about Sith alchemy entitled " The Creation of Monsters " , and was responsible for the creation of such monstrosities as Shadow Droid s and chrysalis beasts . He claimed that Darth Vader was partially an alchemical creation . Darth Sidious may have also utilized the mask ability to hide his true , corrupted features . The Prophet of the Dark Side Cronal was referred to as Sidious ' " monster - maker " , and was responsible for the creation of such sithspawn as Gorc and Pic through the dark art of Sith Alchemy . Cronal also created a specialized helmet that , when used , would amplify his dark side powers to an astounding degree , as well as allowing him to draw on the force abilities of other force - sensitives called the Pawns . During the time of the Galactic Civil War , the Sith spirit Valik Kodank taught the Dark Jedi Thaum Rystra how to utilize Sith alchemy . Rystra used his knowledge of the subject to carry out investigations inside the Room of Change in the Temple of Pain , and he experimented on the pirates Blaschowwa , Kamtis Bonai , Vobin Sobos and Desvin Tor ' thal . The One Sith featured Sith Alchemy heavily in their plans . Darth Maladi used Sith Alchemy in combination with Vong Shaping to create the Vongspawn virus and set off the Sith – Imperial War . In the Second Imperial Civil War Vul Isen used Sith Alchemy , aided by knowledge provided by Darth Wyyrlok , to create an aquatic form of Leviathan to hunt down the people of Dac . Many creatures altered by Sith alchemy were able to see in complete darkness , although they could not distinguish colors .