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Well, but, say, Enlarge Person. It's Transmutation. As are all polymorph effects, and spells that alter strength (and therefore muscle mass)? Weight is directly a physical property of the creature in question. Whereas there aren't really necromancy spells in the system that achieve a similar effect.

That said, I think the strongest argument in your favor is for the spells that are (A) not temporary (it is a permanent natural-ist change encouraged by magical energies and not a temporary magical effect) and (B) not a drastic change of the creature itself but a nudge towards one of its basic functions. But that latter condition collapses when you consider that those spells work regardless of whether the target has eaten in a week and sometimes have instantaneous effects.

Might I also interject that you are perhaps a little biased towards Necromancy as a school, Fuzzy Necromancer?

In either case, we are mostly arguing semantics. I just thought it was an odd school choice.

Phennehp's Fabulous Slimming is fine as it is. And in a system where Healing Spells are Necromancy rather than Conjuration (which I can totally see), Permanent Poundage fits. But I still think that temporary effects that alter the physical features of a creature fall under transmutation.

Necrotic cysts are undead growths, if I'm not wrong, from Libris Mortis? And not living material at all.

I don't feel like Transmutation is a "dump category." It's about changing one thing to another, as opposed to getting something new or invoking an elemental force of the universe or shielding against things. It's certainly one of the more diverse schools, in terms of game mechanics, though.

I never thought about it that way but you kinda have a point.

Depends on the reference your using, from other sources I've read it can also be seen in the absorbtion aspect also

I still contend that necromancy in DnD is the art of life and death. Opposites go together, and the "black magic" connotation comes mostly from 3.5 bastardizations of the school (Cause Fear rightfully belongs in enchantment, not necromancy).

Ray of Frost and Fireball are both evocations. Spells to summon evil lemures and good celestial dire badgers are both conjuration, as are magics that bring forth air elementals and earth elementals. Emotion (hope) and emotion (despair) are both enchantment. Why should necromancy be quartered off as the School of Vague Ickyness and most of its balancing aspects be shunted off into conjuration?


As for fat, it's the body's way of storing caloric energy. That sounds a lot like vital force to me, or at least something closely related.

Wait a sex here.

Positive energy is not the mystery of conciousness/supernatural force of goodness.

Mindless creatures like vermin and oozes are healed by positive energy.

There is a name for the supernatural force of goodness. It's good-aligned or holy energy. It's found in celestials and spells like Protection from Evil and Holy Smite.


That said, you are making a pretty strong case, but I still lean towards necromancy rather than transmutation. Transmutation is fine and good for broad, general changes, like proportional increase in total size, or turning one type of matter into another, but necromancy is the proper domain for more subtle manipulations of organic tissue. Horrid Wilting dehydrates and dessicates, turning a living body into a shriveled substance like parchment, but it is necromancy, not transmutation.

HEY. I've revamped the core system. It's crunchier now, which may mean more mathematics, but I also think it now more accurately conforms to my rigorous requirements for realism.

(You know, until someone casts a single spell.)


A Brief Overview of Caloric Science:
In general, people have a base metabolic rate of somewhere between 1500 and 2000 calories a day, which they need to consume to maintain their weight even if they're not getting any exercise. That "base rate" goes up for very heavy people, especially very muscular people-- muscle takes a lot of energy to maintain. Exercise "burns" calories--
There are all sorts of other factors at play here, including the fluctuation of your base metabolism based on eating habits, crash dieting, subcutaneous versus adipose fat, et cetera, but it doesn't pay to get too crazy about that stuff. At the end of the day, the number that matters is 3500: The number of calories it takes, on average, to gain or lose a single pound of fat tissue. This can happen over any number of days-- so a little snacking here or there really adds up.



Core Weight Gain Systems:

Food management
Every character gains three statistics: their caloric Metabolism, Intake and Bank.
Metabolism represents the amount of food the character must eat every day, on average, to maintain their weight. It is equal to their Strength score x 100 (average 1000) plus a modifier dependent on their race (SRD racial modifiers-- Humans +500, Elves +100, Half-Elves +300, Half-Orcs +600, Gnomes +200, Dwarves +400, Halflings +800).
In any one scene or encounter, a character can consume up to half their base metabolism in calories before beginning to feel the effects of fullness. They can continue to consume food, but may begin to feel nauseous, and are considered encumbered (if they are encumbered due to equipment or bodyweight, they are now one stage more encumbered than they were), and must make a saving throw DC 16 or be nauseated until the end of the encounter.
If a character consumes twice their full caloric requirements in one sitting, encounter or scene, they are considered stuffed. A stuffed character must remain inactive as they digest. They become a stage more encumbered than they previously were. In addition, in any round where they engage in brisk physical activity such as making a physical skill check, attack roll or prompts an immediate fortitude save (DC 1 cool to avoid vomiting up the meal.
If a character consumes twice their full metabolic requirements in one sitting (a true gastrointestinal feat), they must make a fortitude save (DC 20) to avoid rupturing their stomach. After that, any round in which they consume additional food provokes another saving throw, the DC increasing by two each time.

Weight Gain

Gaining Weight:

A character's caloric intake is simply a running tally of how much they've eaten that day. When the character rests, it is compared to their daily metabolic requirements . Whether they have a caloric surplus or deficit, the difference is added to their calorie bank.
Physical activity subtracts from the character's intake for the day as he or she burns calories. In general, a consecutive hour of strenuous activity burns 500 calories (half for smaller races) plus a modifier determined by your weight class.
Any night when a character rests with 3500 or more calories in their calorie bank, they gain a pound-from-fat and the 3500 vanishes from their bank. This repeats as many times as it is able.
Pounds-from-fat count count against the character's total encumbrance as though they were carrying an object of half that weight.

Weight Classes:

A character's base weight is the base listed in the SRD for their race. Each point of strength or constitution above 8 increases their weight by 10. So, for example, a human female barbarian with 18 strength weighs 195 pounds, pure muscle. Characters may start with enough pounds-from-fat to put them at 25% body fat.
Whenever a character gains weight, there is the possibility that this sends them into a new weight class, as measured below.

Underweight - Bodyfat accounts for 0-20% of the character's total weight.
The character receives a +2 bonus on escape artist checks and receives a +2 bonus to constitution checks involving endurance. -2 penalty to swim checks, -2 penalty to saving throws related to extreme cold.

Average - Bodyfat accounts for 21-30%
No mechanical effect.

Overweight - Bodyfat acounts for 31-30% of total weight.
-2 to escape artist checks, -2 to constitution checks, +2 to swim, base metabolism increases by 200.
Nonmagical armor fits poorly and must be custom-tailored to receive the full bonus. Magic armor resizes to fit its wearer.

Pick an ability from below upon becoming overweight. You lose this ability if your weight score drops:
-Throw Your Weight Around: +2 damage on all melee attack rolls from your increased leverage.
-Extra Padding: You gain the toughness feat (+3 HP) and DR 5/Slashing and Piercing.
-Insulated: You gain resistance cold and fire 5.
-Growing Boy/Girl: Increase your base metabolism by 200.

Obese - Bodyfat accounts for 31-50% of total weight.
-4 to escape artist checks, -4 to constitution checks, +4 to swim, Base metabolism increases by 400.
Powerful build - Whenever the character is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check , they are treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous . The character is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size can affect them. The character can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty.
Pick an ability from below upon becoming Obese. You lose this score if your weight class decreases.
-Sumo Style: You gain a size-appropriate slam attack at their highest base attack bonus and a +4 bonus on grapple and trip attempts. If you already had a slam attack, treat it as one size higher.
-More Cushion: You gain the improved toughness feat (+1 HP per HD).
-Buddha Belly: Once per day, you or one of your companions can reroll one die roll.
-Pack It Away: Increase your base metabolism by 400.

Supersize - Bodyfat accounts for 51-70% of total weight.
-8 to escape artist checks. -8 to constitution checks. +8 to swim checks, 3 bonus HP, an additional bonus HP per hit die, Powerful build. Base metabolism increases by 600.
Pick an ability from below upon becoming Supersize. You lose this ability if your weight class decreases:
-In a China Shop: You gain a slam attack appropriate to your size and the trample ability. If you already had a slam attack, treat it as one size higher.
-Blubbery Armor: You are fortified against sneak attacks and critical hits.
-Double Chin: You may wear a second magical amulet, necklace or broach.
-Gluttony: Increase your base metabolism by 600.

Massive - Bodyfat accounts for 71-80% of total weight.
-16 to escape artist checks, constitution checks. +16 to swim checks, 6 bonus HP, two additional HP per hit die, Powerful build. Base metabolism increases by 800.
Gains the Stomp PSI-like ability at will as an extraordinary attack as a swift action.

Beyond - To be discovered!





CHARACTER TRAITS (Available at Character Generation)

Chubby: You start with pounds-from-fat that account for 31% of your total body weight (rounded up), pushing you into the "overweight" category.

Hollow Leg: Nobody knows where you put everything you eat! You can consume 500 more calories in a sitting before you begin to feel the effects of overeating.

Busty (Female only): +4 bonus on charisma checks when dealing with people susceptible to this sort of thing.

Bottom Heavy: +4 bonus to resist bull rush and trip attempts.