Clone (spell)

Clone was a necromancy spell that created a clone of a human, demihuman, or humanoid creature. Following the Spellplague it became a ritual, but after the Second Sundering it returned to being a necromantic spell.
==Effect==
The clone spell effectively created an exact duplicate of a human, demihuman, or humanoid in mind and body from a chunk of their flesh, taking around 2 to 8 months to fully mature. This process could be done regardless of whether the original creature was still alive or had died in the interceding time. This duplicate possessed all the same memories, personality traits, and abilities they had at the time at which the chunk of flesh was taken, though obviously lacked any of their possessions and soul. Any memories, knowledge, or abilities that the original creature obtained afterwards would not be present.
Originally this spell was designed as such that the duplicate was active at the same time as the original creature. Both would be inherently aware of the other's existence and desire their respective destruction. If they could not accomplish this, either the clone or original creature were likely to go insane and kill themselves, though the majority of the time it was the clone that this occurred to.
Later iterations of the spell in the late–14 century DR reworked the functionality of the spell entirely. Instead of having the clone be active at the same time, the clone was a lifeless vessel that remained inert until the original creature's soul (if willing) could inhabit it. Until then the clone needed to be preserved within a special vessel to prevent it from rotting. The transference of soul would occur immediately upon the original creature's death, though if the original creature was already dead, then their soul would immediately transfer to the clone upon its reaching full maturity. If the original creature had died from natural causes, soul transference would not occur. Once the transfer occurred the original's remains would become inert, unable to be raised from the dead or resurrected by any means.
After the Second Sundering the clone spell changed further. Clones took only 120 days to mature and casters found that they were capable of creating clones that looked like the original creature when it was younger.
==Components==
In addition to somatic and verbal components, casting clone required material components. Over the years some of the material components varied, but a key component was always a chunk of flesh from the creature to be cloned. This chunk of flesh usually had to be of a volume of and didn't need to be fresh for the spell to work. Other parts of a creature, such as its hair or nails, could not be substituted.
Later iterations of the spell required a specially prepared, appropriately sized vessel for the clone to be housed within as they developed and to keep them preserved until needed,In 1 and 2 edition the spell was accompanied in the Player's Handbook by a note stating that, if the DM so desired, the spell might require that "...some means of storing and preserving the sample must be devised and maintained." In later editions this was codified with the requirement of a vessel. which could be considered a necessary spell focus. The cost of an appropriate vessel could range from 500 gold pieces to as much as 2000 or 5000 gp. This vessel could be anything, ranging from a crystal container filled with seawater, to a coffin, a huge urn, or even a mud-filled cyst in the ground. Regardless of what form the vessel took, it had to be filled with an alchemical solution, though one could substitute residuum.
The ritual version of clone specifically required the vessel to be made of crystal and for seawater to be poured into the vessel, then mixed with the alchemical solution for a period of 1 hour. The Second Sundering version of clone additionally required a diamond that was worth at least 1000 gp.
==History==
The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist Dethed in and was originally known as Dethed's clone.
Sometime after the , Halaster Blackcloak used clone to fake his own death (for the first time). He infected the clone with leprosy and left it to die where patrols from Waterdeep would discover it.
==Appendix==
===See Also===
* Improved cloning
===Notes===
===Appearances===
===Gallery===
Clone W&S.PNG|The spellcaster Mordenkainen admires his clone.
===References===
Category:Necromancy spells
Category:Universal (province)
Category:Inventives
Category:Variations
Category:Dethed's spells
Category:Wizard spells