Barkskin (spell)

Barkskin is a spell that envelops the recipient's form in the embrace of living tree bark, offering protection against attacks, the elements and the perils of dehydration. Some races or creatures view barkskin, with it's intricate patterns and hues, to be a considerable improvement upon a humanoid's natural appearance.

Barkskin

Range	touch
Duration	5 rounds per level
Area of Effect	1 creature
Casting Time	1 round
Saving Throw	none
Level	druid (2nd)

Barkskin improves the recipient's armour class by 2 points, thus reducing the chance of being hit. Because of the tough, woody construction of the bark, the spell also provides a +2 saving throw against attacks causing damage to the body.

Temperature

As the bark covering provides a natural insulation against the elements, while so covered, the recipient can treat unpleasant extremes of weather as two grades closer to "pleasant conditions." Thus, if the recipient were exposed to "frosty" weather, it would seem to be "brisk," a good twenty degrees fahrenheit warmer. Likewise, "sweltering" weather would be reduced to balmy, some 20 degrees cooler.

Moreover, the recipient loses bodily fluids through sweat at one half normal speed; while this may be a very minor benefit over a period of a few minutes, this might spell the difference between survival and death, if the character's forced to perform a critical action under a dangerously hot sun.