Evolve (Necromancy) Level 8

Range: Touch
Comp: V,S,M
Duration: Permanent
Casting time: 1 round
Area of effect: 1 animal
Save: Neg.

With this spell, a wizard can cause a normal animal to evolve and change into an intelligent, basically humanoid lifeform. By using evolve on multiple specimens and exerting patience, a wizard can potentially create an entire race of servant creatures.

The creature to be affected must be a normal, nonmagical animal. Small creatures are usually the target of the spell, but a normal animal of any size can be used. While mammals are the best subjects, the spell can be successfully performed on all sorts of creatures, including diverse animals as reptiles and insects. The spell does not work on plants. The animal receives a saving throw based on its it Hit Dice to avoid the effects of the spell; the saving throw is adjusted according to the creature's life order, as follows.

Life order/Adjustment
Mammal 0
Bird +1
Reptile +2
Amphibian +3
Fish +4
Arthropod +5
Other +6

If the animal makes its saving throw, nothing happens, but there is nothing to prevent the wizard from trying again. If the creature fails its saving throw, the animal begins to change; the exact change is left largely to the DM to determine, with the input of the player of the spellcaster.

First, the creature grows or shrinks, approaching human size.

Second, the creature approaches a human appearance. An animal with four limbs becomes one with two arms and two legs; one with a different number of limbs might have more arms, or in some cases, more legs. A legless animal subjected to the spell might grow limbs, but instead might simply acquire a more upright appearance. If the resulting creature has hands, these are basically human in appearance; the creature's face might also approach a human countenance, to some extent. A creature without hands develops some way to manipulate objects.

Third, the creature acquires an average Intelligence (8-10) and the ability to generate language. The being does not necessarily know anything, but has the ability to learn (some have the ability to communicate in the language of their creator; this seems to happen randomly).

Fourth, the creature becomes a being with 1d3 Hit Dice (depending mostly on its size and disposition). As with the change in size, the creature approaches human norm: a creature with less than 1 HD becomes a 1 HD creature, while one with more than 1 HD is reduced to 2 or 3 HD. A creature that starts with 1 HD might remain at that level, or might increase to 2 HD.

The creature's other statistics-such as Armor Class, movement rate, number of attacks, and damage-are dependent on the exact type of creature in question, its final size, and any other factors the DM includes. In general, these statistics gravitate toward human norm, though natural attacks should carry through. For example, a spider subjected to evolve might have a poison bite attack and the ability to make and move through webs; a dog used for the spell might have a bite attack and highly developed senses of hearing and smell; an evolved frog could hop, but must stay moist.

The evolved creature should not have magical abilities of any kind, nor should it typically advance in any character classes. As a general guideline, refer to the numerous humanoid or near-humanoid monsters that can be found in the Monstrous Manual accessory (see: aarakocra, bullywug, crabman, ettercap, gnoll, grippli, kenku, kuo-toa, lizard man, locathah, manscorpion, sahuagin, tabaxi, tako, and thrikreen). An evolved creature might develop unusual powers or abilities, but the DM should adjudicate the situations carefully.

The evolution of the subject takes place over a full day, beginning when the wizard is done casting the spell. During this time, it is wise to keep the creature in a secluded place, where it cannot harm itself, and where it can be observed, or possibly even comforted as it goes through such great changes. The creature's overall personality is affected greatly by this formative period, and while there are no guarantees as to its disposition, it is more likely to appreciate or admire an individual who at least appears to be caring and nurturing.

When the day of evolution is over, the creature is fully functional, able to survive and learn. An evolved creature can likely breed with others of its own kind, allowing the new species to proliferate. The change cannot be reversed once it is completed by any magic short of a full wish.

Besides the animal, certain material components are needed: a bit of organic material from the caster (such as hair or blood), a pearl worth at least 500 gp, and a miniature tool of any kind. The animal changes radically and the components are consumed during casting.