Suspended animation Suspended animation was a necromancy spell that allowed one willing creature to enter a sleep - like state where bodily functions were so slow they became undetectable for extended periods of time . However , one or more priests of the same alignment had to maintain the spell , forgoing casting of all other spells and temporarily sapping their vitality . Effects . The state of " suspended animation " was very similar to a deep sleep wherein the body was limp and unresponsive with no measurable heart rate , breathing , or other processes of life . The subject did not require food or water but would die if deprived of oxygen . In addition , mental and physical illness were prevented from progressing and poison s , curses , lycanthropy , mummy rot and " geas " afflictions had no effect on the recipient while " suspended " so cures could be attempted . The subject also recovered an amount of health equivalent to a " cure minor wounds " for each month spent in " suspended animation " . However , the subject was completely helpless and could be killed by a single well - placed strike . The lowest level priest able to cast this spell could put a subject under for two weeks . More experienced casters could extend this to months , or even two years and beyond . However , the caster was required to maintain concentration on keeping the spell active which meant casting no other spells . The maintaining priest could eat , sleep , and do other things , but the spell was a constant drain and it weakened the priest ' s constitution on a weekly basis . To prevent excessive debilitation or death , the maintaining priest could attempt to transfer the spell burden to another priest of the same alignment . If the attempt failed , it took an additional toll on his or her constitution and required eight hours of recovery time before another attempt was possible . If successful , the burden of maintaining the spell was transferred to the second priest while the first could take bedrest for a few hours to restore his or her constitution . Whether the transfer was successful or not , the brief interruption in the continuity of concentration caused the " suspended " subject to lose an amount of health equivalent to an " inflict minor wounds " . Awakening the sleeper from " suspended animation " could be done by the maintaining priest any time he or she was in the subject ' s presence . The caster could also choose a stimulus condition that would awaken the subject , such as hearing a word or phrase , reaching a particular temperature threshold , being exposed to sunlight or moonlight , receiving a kiss from a half - orc princess , etc . If the maintaining priest died or for some reason could not awaken the subject , another priest of the same deity could do it . When awakened in the prescribed manner , the sleeper recovered their full faculties and movement in one minute . If the subject was attacked with non - lethal damage ( say a rat decided to take a bite ) , then the sleeper had a chance each minute of the attack to emerge from " suspended animation " . Awakening in this manner made the recipient sluggish and confused for up to an hour but allowed him or her to take at least some action . Components . In addition to verbal and somatic components , this spell required a rare herb that needed special preparation costing at least 200 gp and taking up to 3 days to complete .