Credits

• Designed by discourage
• Cover Art: “a earthenware crucible brimming with green magical energy on a desk in a wizard’s laboratory, digital art”, by DALL-E
• Creature sizes in feet are from Role Player’s Respite, accessed April 2023, Your Guide to Sizes in D&D 5e

Version 0.1

 

 

The Crucible of Mutation

The Crucible of Mutation is crude earthenware crucible that would not look out of place in a foundry. The only aspect of the crucible that suggests that it is anything out of the ordinary is that occasionally it appears to be wreathed in a green glow when observed from the corner of the eye.

The crucible is a legendary wondrous magic item that does not require attunement. A character can focus on the item during a short rest, while being in physical contact with the item to learn the item’s properties, as well as how to use it.

The crucible is able to create new mutated life from the remains of deceased creatures.

Absorbing Bodies

If you hold the crucible to the body of a recently-deceased creature (within 1 hour of death) for 1 minute, the body is wreathed in green flames and disappears into the crucible. When contained within the crucible, the body is referred to as the essence of the absorbed body. It does not relate to the creature’s soul, which is unaffected by the crucible.

If the crucible is used to absorb the body of a creature created by the crucible, roll 2d6. If the roll is 10 or greater, the body is absorbed as normal. On a lower roll, the body disappears and you take 1d6 psychic damage for each challenge rating level of the creature (minimum of 1d6).

Essence Value

The challenge rating of a creature absorbed into the crucible is referred to as its essence value. Creatures with a challenge rating of less than 1 have an essence value of 1.

The crucible may contain a total essence value of 80. If you try to add creatures to the crucible that would cause the total essence to exceed 80, the attempt will fail.

Other Rules

When found, may contain the essence of one or more creatures, which is revealed by an identify spell.

If you try to aborb the body of a creature of the same species already contained by the crucible, the attempt will fail.

Creatures whose bodies return to their plane of existence upon death cannot be absorbed, other than on their home plane.

An essence in the crucible does not decay, and stays in the crucible until the crucible is used to create new life.

 

 

Creating New Life

To create new life using the crucible, you must pour magical or life energy into the crucible. Once this process has started, it is not possible to absorb bodies using the crucible until the life creation process, which may span multiple days, has concluded. The amount of magical energy required is measured in spell points (see below), and is equal to the total essence value multiplied by 10.

The spell points can be from spell slots of any level, from any number of casters, and may be contributed to the crucible over a number of days. Alternatively, characters can drain their own blood into the crucible, with 1hp worth of blood accounting for 2 spell points worth of energy. All characters that provide either spell energy or blood are referred to as contributing characters.

The creation process is limited by the highest character level of all the contributing characters, according to the Total Essence Value per Character level table below. Attempts by a character of insufficient level will fail, and all of the essence within the crucible will be lost.

There must be two or more creatures worth of essence in the crucible or crucible will not accept magical energy for the creation process.

Total Essence Value by Character Level

Total Essence Value	Character Level
2	1
4	2
6	3
8	4
10	5
12	6
15	7
20	8
25	9
30	10
35	11
40	12
45	13
50	14
55	15
60	16
65	17
70	18
75	19
80	20

Example

The crucible contains the essence of a goblin (CR1/2) and a wererat (CR2), giving a total essence value of 3 (the goblin’s CR1/2 counts as 1). So 3 x 10 = 30 spells point are required to create the new life. That requires 15 1st level spell slots, 10 2nd level spell slots, 6 3rd level spell slots, or 3 7th level spell slots. Or 15hp worth of a character’s blood.

For a total essence value of 3, the a character of level 2 is required to contribute to the ritual.

Spell Points

Spell points are an alternative spell mechanic detailed on page 288 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The spell point system provides a way of interchanging between spell slots of different level by converting back and forth into points according to the Spell Point Cost table below.

Spell Slot Point Value

Spell Slot	Point Value
1st	2
2nd	3
3rd	5
4th	6
5th	7
6th	9
7th	10
8th	11
9th	13

 

 

Outcome of the Creation Process

The outcome of the creation process depends on the highest character level of the contributing characters, the highest Mutator Skill (see below) of the contributing characters, and the total essence value.

You must roll a d100 four times, once for each of the outcome tables (anatomy, size, lifespan, and attitude). The highest mutation skill is added to each roll, as is the highest character level. The total essence value is subtracted from each roll.

The rolls on the outcome tables should be in the following order:

1. Anatomy
2. Size
3. Lifespan
4. Attitude

The roll on the attitude table must be the final role, and must only be rolled after the anatomy is finalised. Otherwise the players may deliberately weaken a creature that would have a vendetta against them.

For example, if the highest mutator skill is 51, the highest character level 13, and the total essence value within the crucible is 24 the d100 roll modifier would be 51 + 13 - 24 = 40.

Mutator Skill

Each contributing character has a mutator skill. When a character first starts using the crucible, their mutator skill is 0.

Each time new life is created there is chance that a contributing character’s mutator skill improves by 1d4, provided that the total essence value for the creation is greater than the minimum to progress for the character’s current mutator skill, as set out in the mutator skill progress table, and any one of the four outcome roles give a failure as per their respective tables.

The mutator skill of a character cannot exceed 100.

Mutator Skill Progress

Mutator Skill	Minimum total essence value
0-20	1
21-40	8
41-60	15
61-80	22
81-100	30

Anatomy Table

The Anatomy Table is where Game Master and Player creativity really come to the fore. The following definitions are useful for interpreting the table.

Unformed Mass the created creature is an ooze. The stat block is included below - a number of the stats are calculated from the outcome of the size table, as denoted with a (?). The Game Master may wish to add additional traits, resistances, actions, etc by reference to other oozes, particularly if they expect the attitude role to be a failure. Alternatively the Game Master may wish to select an already-defined ooze such as a Black Pudding, Ochre Jelly or Gray Ooze. The color of should be unformed mass should be determined by rolling on the colors table.

B = Baseline the outcome of the Baseline column determines which of the essences within the crucible is the baseline for the creation. Where the table shows Lowest, this means that the baseline essence is the essence in the crucible with the lowest essence value. If there are multiple essences in the crucible with equal essence value, the baseline essence is determined at random from amongst the lowest.

R = Random in respect of ability scores (INT, WIS and CHA) this means the ability of score of one of the essences, selected at random. In respect of the other columns this means a random aspect of one of the essesences. In practice, preparing the random tables from which to do a random roll may be too onerous, in which case the Game Master should choose the outcome.

L = Lowest means the lowest of all the essences in the crucible.

H = Highest means the highest of all the essences in the crucible.

C = Choice means the character with the highest mutator skill decides which aspects of the essences to include. Where this is preceded by a number, this is the number aspects they may include, otherwise the character may choose to include any and all aspects.

 

 

Anatomy

The anatomy of the created creature defaults to the baseline. Additional anatomical features are then added on or swapped in based on the outcome of the anatomy column.

For example, the chimera from Greek mythology is a fire-breathing lion with the head of a goat protruding from its back and a tail ending in a snake’s head. If the chimera was created by the Crucible, the baseline creature would be the lion. It then had three additional features from other essences: the head of a goat; the lungs of a red dragon; and the head of a snake. It would then be the Game Master’s creativity that would substitude the snakes head for the lion’s tail.

The anatomy will add to (or change) the statistics of the creature. These include the following statistics:

• Armor Class
• Speeds
• Skills
• Vulnerabilities, Resistances & Immunities
• Senses
• Languages
• Special Traits
• Action & Reactions

Some examples of where the anatomy provides a modification to the creature statistics are listed below.

Additional Statistics

The additional aspects column refers to those aspects of creature that are not linked to the anatomy of the essences, and provides an opportunity for the player to add these aspects into the created creature. These include:

• Skills
• Vulnerabilities, Resistances & Immunities
• Senses
• Languages
• Special Traits
• Action & Reactions

Whether a creature’s action is anatomically linked is at the discretion of the Game Master.

Examples:

• the Couatl’s Change Shape action (MM p.43)
• the Darkmantle’s Darkness Aura action (MM p.46)
• the Chasme’s Magic Resistance special trait (MM p. 57)
• the Marilith’s Teleport action (MM p.61)
• the Dryad’s Speak with Beasts and Plants special trait (MM p.121)

Links between anatomy and statistics

• Eyes - eyes of a creature with darkvision would confer darkvision
• Nose - a panther’s nose would confer the panther’s Keen Smell special trait
• Limbs - confer movement speed
• Hands / Feet / Paws - a brown bear’s paws would confer a climbing speed
• Claws / Talons - confer relevant attack
• Mouth / Beak / Mandibles - confer bite attack
• Feathers / Fur / Scales / Carapace - confers the armor class of the creature and may confer resistance to physcial damage types such as fire, cold, piercing, etc (but not damage types like psychic or necrotic)
• Horns / Tusks / Antlers - confer attack
• Tail - a scorpion’s tail would confer the ability to make the scorpion’s Sting attack
• Ears - a bat’s ears would confer blindsight 60 ft., and the bat’s Echolocation special trait
• Tongue - a banderhobb’s tongue would confer the banderhobb’s tongue attack
• Glands - confer the ability to make a poisoned bite attack, and may confer poison resistance

 

 

• Lungs - confer a breath weapon
• Wings - confer a flying speed
• Gills - confer the ability to breathe underwater
• Head - confers the benefit of eyes, ears, mouth, nose, voice and horns (where applicable)
• Voice - the voice of a cloaker would confir the clocker’s Moan action, the voices of humanoids confer the ability to speak a language
• Torso - confers (or alters) the armor class of the creature

Random Anatomy

The Game Master may wish to prepare their own random tables for randomly determining the anatomy to include. Alternatively, the table below may prove useful.

If the roll on the table is not applicable, for example the creature does not have a tail, roll again.

d100	Anatomy
1-5	Torso / Body
6-10	Feathers / Fur / Scales / Carapace
11-15	Quills / Spines / Spikes
16-20	Limbs
21-25	Hands / Feet / Paws
26-30	Claws / Talons
31-35	Mouth / Beak / Mandibles
36-40	Horns / Tusks / Antlers
41-45	Wings
46-50	Tail
51-55	Ears
56-60	Tongue
61-65	Glands
66-70	Lungs / Gills
71-75	Voice
76-80	Eyes
81-85	Head
86-100	Player chooses part of anatomy

Aesthetic Changes

In addition to the anatomy of the creature that determines the rules for the created creature, the Game Master or player may wish to add some aesthetic changes at random. For outcomes referencing a color, roll on the colors table.

d100	Outcome
1-20	Change color
21-35	Additional horns
36-50	Slimy surface
51-65	Add stripes of a color
66-80	Add spots of a color
81-90	Hairy
91-100	Obnoxious smell

Colors

d100	Color
1-3	red
4-6	blue
7-9	green
10-12	yellow
13-15	purple
16-18	pink
19-21	orange
22-24	brown
25-27	black
28-30	white
31-33	gray
34-36	gold
37-39	silver
40-42	bronze
43-45	navy blue
46-48	sky blue
49-51	lime green
52-54	teal
55-57	indigo
58-60	magenta
61-63	violet
64-66	khaki
67-69	salmon
70-72	crimson
73-75	lavender
76-78	plum
79-81	blue violet
82-84	olive
85-87	cyan
88-90	maroon
91-93	beige
94-96	peach
97-99	amber
100	roll again

Creature Type

The created creature type is an ooze if the roll on the anatomy table is the lowest. The creature type is as the baseline creature for the second lowest roll on the anatomy table. Otherwise the creature type is monstrosity unless all the essences are of the same creature type, in which case the creature type is as of the essences.

 

 

Size Table

The size table determines the size of the creature in size categories relative to the size of the baseline creature (as determined by the Anatomy Table).

Roll	Failure	Size category
0 or lower	Yes	-5
1-10	Yes	-4
11-20	Yes	-3
21-30	Yes	-2
31-40	Yes	-1
41-90	No	0
91-140	No	1
141-180	No	2
181-200	No	3
201-210	No	4
211 or higher	No	5

The outcome of the size of the creature determines its strength, dexterity, constitution, hit dice and minimum armor class (a higher armor class may be determined by the anatomy table), according to the tables below.

Determining Physical Attributes

Size	STR	DEX	CON
Tiny	1d6	3d4+8	1d6+7
Small	3d6+1	3d4+7	2d4+8
Medium	3d6+4	3d4+6	3d4+7
Large	6d4+4	1d10+8	3d4+9
Huge	5d3+10	1d8+7	4d4+8
Gargantuan	6d2+12	1d6+6	3d4+14

Determining Hitpoints and Hit Dice

Size	Hit Dice Size	Number of Hit Dice
Tiny	d4	1d3
Small	d6	1d4+1
Medium	d8	2d6
Large	d10	3d6
Huge	d12	4d6
Gargantuan	d20	5d6+1

For example, if the creature is Large, first roll 3d6. The outcome is 12, so the creature has 12 d10 hit dice. To get the creature’s constitution roll 3d4+9. The outcome is 17, so the creature’s constitution is 17 and its constitution modifier is +3, which is then multiplied by the number of hit dice to give +36. The creature has 12d10 + 36 hit points.

Minimum AC

Size	Minimum AC
Tiny	10
Small	11
Medium	12
Large	13
Huge	14
Gargantuan	15

Size Chart

For reference, the size chart is included below.

Size	Space	Squeezing space	Carrying capacity
Tiny	2.5 by 2.5 feet	<2.5 by 2.5 feet	Str x 7.5
Small	5 by 5 feet	2.5 by 2.5 feet	Str x 15
Medium	5 by 5 feet	5 by 5 feet	Str x 15
Large	10 by 10 feet	5 by 5 feet	Str x 30
Huge	15 by 15 feet	10 by 10 feet	Str x 60
Gargantuan	20 by 20 feet (or larger)	15 by 15 feet	Str x 120

 

 

Size in Feet

The below table was prepared by Role Player’s Respite (see Your Guide to Sizes in D&D 5e)

Size Category	Approximate Size in Feet
Tiny	less than 2
Small	2-4
Medium	4-8
Large	8-15
Huge	15-30
Gargantuan	more than 30

Challenge Rating of the Created Creature

The challenge rating of the created creature is determined by the hit points, by reference to teh Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table on p.274 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Lifespan Table

The lifespan table determines the lifespan of the created creature, as well as the lifespan of its descendents.

If the Mating pair outcome is higher than zero, you may choose to roll a d100 to see if a mating pair is created.

Roll	Failure	Lifespan	Mating pair
1-20	Yes	1 hour	0%
21-40	Yes	1 day	0%
41-60	Yes	1 week	0%
61-80	No	1 month	0%
81-100	No	6 months	0%
101-120	No	1 year	10%
121-140	No	5 years	20%
141-160	No	10 years	40%
161-180	No	50 years	60%
181-200	No	100 years	80%
201 or higher	No	Unaging	100%

Attitude Table

The attitude table determines the attitude of the created creature towards the highest-mutator-skill contributing character. The detail of the attitude outcome is included below the table. You immediately knows the attitude of the creature once the creation has occured.

Roll	Failure	Outcome
0 or lower	Yes	Vendetta
1-20	Yes	Attacks
21-40	No	Suspicious
41-80	No	Neutral
81-110	No	Friend
111-140	No	Ally
141 or higher	No	Soul-bound

Vendetta the creature will stop at nothing to kill you, your friends, your family, anyone you’ve ever met, and the inhabitants of any place you’ve ever visited (it will gain instinctive knowledge of such). The creature has immunity to enchantment magic.

Attacks the creature attacks you immediately.

Suspicious the creature is deeply suspicious of you, as if you smell of a predator or prey. It will attack on minor provocation, otherwise it will wander off.

Neutral the creature has a neutral attitude towards you and is likely to wander off.

Friend the creature will follow you around each day on a roll of 2 or higher on a d10, otherwise it will wander off. In any combat encounter the creature will act to defend you on a 6 or higher on a d10, otherwise it will only defend itself.

Ally the creature will follow you and try to defend you. If it can understand you it will obey instructions

Soul-bound the creature is so attuned to you that it follows your every command unto death. You are able to instruct the creature telepathically at any distance and across planes without expending an action or bonus action, and you are able to perceive through the creature’s senses at will.

 

 

Appendix - Variant Rules and Design Notes

Variant Rules

Below are a couple of variant rules to help modify the crucible to fit your game.

Control Token

When the creature is created, a control token is created with it. The control token is a small piece of one of the bodies originally absorbed by the crucible such as a claw, a tooth or an eye. The creature’s attitude, as determined by the Attibute Table, is specifically to the bearer of the token. This makes it possible to transfer the control of a soul-bound creature to another party member, and (if you can survive long enough to do so), transfer the creature’s vendetta to an enemy. The attitude stays with you until the control token is on the person of another humanoid.

Faster Progress

Your mutator skill increases whether there is a failure outcome or not.

Slower Progress

Your mutator skill only progresses at for each creation if you roll higher than your mutator skill on a d100.

Body Collector

The crucible is able to hold an unlimited number of essences. The character using the crucible determines which essences to use in a creation process. The relationship between total essence value and character level still applies.

AI image generators

It’s likely that as AI image generators evolve it should be possible to feed the names of the essences into an AI image generator and the AI determine the created anatomy rather than using the anatomy table. At the date of writing, experiments with DALL-E have proved inadequate.

Design Notes

An All-party item

It is an important design decision to make this an all-party item, as it will take a fair bit of game time to use, and if it is just the pet project of one player, that may be frustrating to the other players. Below are a couple of the deliberate design decisions to encourage this to be an all-party item:

• Allowing all characters to contribute, either in spell points or blood
• Making the mutator skill advancement random (i.e. 1d4) encourages all players in the party to be contributing characters, as there is a greater chance that the party as a whole advances, and each party members should want to have the highest mutator skill so that they have a chance of getting a soul-bound creation

What stops the item being overpowered

A fair bit (but perhaps not enough) thought has gone into the design of the item to stop it being overpowered. The key features that stop the item creating an army for the bearer are:

• The bearer must collect bodies of recently-killed creatures - given the timescale involved this means that the creature was probably being killed by the bearer, potentially at great difficultly to themselves
• The rate of creation is limited by the number of spell points used
• There is a chance that the created life might be hostile
• There is a chance that the created life dies quickly

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