Transmute Bone to Steel (Wizard Spell)

A wizard casting this spell makes any object made of bone, including a skeleton, as strong as steel. The spell may be cast only upon dead, inanimate bones; after they have been transmuted, the bones may now be animated by the usual means. Despite their increased strength, the bones do not change in appearance, and they retain their original weight. Bone objects make all future saving throws as if they were hard metal (DMG, page 39). Transmuted skeletons now have AC 3 and take half the usual damage from physical attacks. However, these skeletons still take normal damage from holy water and magical attacks and are also subject to spells affecting metal (transmute metal to wood or heat metal) and the attacks of creatures that especially affect metal, such as rust monsters.
The reverse of this spell, transmute steel to bone, weakens any metal by making it as brittle as dry bone (altering all saving throws appropri­ately). Each non-living recipient of this spell (in­cluding iron golems) must make an item saving throw vs. disintegration. If failed, the former metal item makes all future saves as if it were fashioned from bone. Metal armor loses its effec­tiveness, becoming AC 7. Whenever a successful hit is made by or upon the item, the transmuted object must make a save vs. crushing blow to remain intact and functional. Magical items weakened by this spell remain magical, with any bonuses applied to their saving throws. Weapons affected by this spell inflict -2 points per die of damage (and must save to avoid breakage when­ever they hit a target). Physical attacks against transmuted metal creatures inflict +2 points per die of damage.
The material components (for both versions of the spell) are steel filings and powdered bone.
Notes: Uncommon for necromancers; otherwise, very rare.
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Book of Necromancers
Category:Spells
Category:Reversible Spells
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium