Manual of Bodily Health

- Category: Wondrous Item
- Rarity: Very Rare
This book contains health and nutrition tips, and its words are charged with magic. If you spend 48 hours over a period of 6 days or fewer studying the book's contents and practicing its guidelines, your Constitution increases by 2 , to a maximum of 30 . The manual then loses its magic but regains it in a century.
Tactical Applications
Combat Strategy: Permanently increases Constitution score and maximum, providing enhanced hit points, survivability, and Constitution-based abilities. One-time use item with permanent character enhancement.
Class Synergies:
- Any Class: Universal benefit for increased survivability and Constitution enhancement
- Frontline Combatants: Perfect for characters requiring enhanced durability and hit points
- Constitution-Based Builds: Essential for characters relying on Constitution for class features
- Survivability Specialists: Excellent for characters focused on endurance and resilience
Build Considerations: Single-use permanent enhancement requiring careful timing. Most valuable for characters wanting permanent Constitution improvement and survivability boosts.
Acquisition Methods
Crafting Requirements: Requires constitution magic, bodily enhancement enchantments, and vitality-infusing materials. Creation cost 50,000-100,000 gp and takes 6 months.
Common Sources:
- Ancient libraries and repositories of enhancement knowledge
- Treasure hoards of legendary fitness masters and vitality specialists
- Commission from master enchanters with bodily enhancement expertise
- Found in the collections of constitution researchers and health specialists
- Rewards from grateful organizations for completing epic health-related quests
Alternative Acquisition: Sometimes discovered in vitality sanctuaries or obtained through constitution-based trials.
Value & Trade
Estimated Value: 75,000-150,000 gp, considered extremely valuable due to permanent ability score enhancement.
Trade Considerations: Artifact-level rarity means most acquisitions involve epic quests or legendary achievements rather than purchase.
Character Integration
Roleplay Elements: Suggests dedication to physical perfection, health mastery, or completion of epic trials requiring bodily enhancement.
Character Concepts:
- Fitness master dedicated to physical perfection and bodily enhancement
- Character with legendary constitution and vitality achievements
- Health specialist with expertise in bodily improvement and vitality
- Survivor of epic trials requiring enhanced physical resilience
Adventure Hooks
The Vitality Quest: Epic journeys to locations where constitution enhancement becomes possible through legendary trials.
The Health Master: Encounters with legendary fitness experts who possess knowledge of bodily enhancement.
The Survival Trial: Extreme endurance challenges where enhanced constitution determines success or failure.
The Physical Perfection: Character development arcs focused on achieving legendary levels of bodily health.
Variants & Customization
Greater Manual of Bodily Health (Artifact): Enhanced constitution bonuses and additional vitality-based abilities.
Master's Health Manual (Legendary): Includes health expertise and bodily enhancement knowledge beyond ability scores.
Specialized Constitution Manual (Very Rare): Optimized for specific constitution-based abilities and health aspects.
Specialized Variants:
- Survivor's Manual: Enhanced for endurance and survival-based constitution applications
- Warrior's Health Manual: Optimized for combat durability and frontline constitution needs
- Vitality Master's Manual: Includes advanced health knowledge and bodily enhancement techniques
Lore & History
Origins: Written by ancient masters of bodily perfection who achieved legendary levels of physical health and vitality.
Historical Significance: These manuals enabled legendary heroes to achieve superhuman levels of constitution and bodily resilience.
Cultural Impact: Represent the pursuit of physical perfection and the mastery of bodily enhancement through magical study.
Magical Craft: Demonstrates ultimate understanding of constitution magic and the complex enchantments required for permanent enhancement.
Balancing Notes
Introduction Timing: Appropriate for levels 10-17 when permanent ability score enhancement becomes accessible and meaningful.
Campaign Impact: Provides significant permanent character enhancement balanced by extreme rarity and single-use limitation.
Permanent Enhancement: Single-use nature requires careful campaign integration and character development timing.
Encounter Design
Recommended Challenges:
- Epic quests where constitution enhancement rewards extraordinary achievements
- Survival scenarios where enhanced durability enables completion of impossible challenges
- Character development arcs focused on physical perfection and bodily mastery
- Legendary trials where constitution improvement represents growth and achievement
Tactical Adjustments: Enhanced constitution should be factored into long-term character capability assessments.
Related Items
Ability Enhancement Items: Other manuals and items that provide permanent ability score improvements.
Health Equipment:
- Items that enhance constitution-based abilities and physical resilience
- Equipment for health mastery and bodily enhancement
- Tools for achieving physical perfection and vitality improvement
Complementary Equipment: Items that benefit from enhanced constitution or work synergistically with increased durability.
Roleplay Opportunities
Physical Mastery: Characters achieve legendary levels of bodily health and constitution-based capabilities.
Health Expertise: Enhanced constitution creates opportunities for health consulting and vitality instruction.
Legendary Status: Permanent ability enhancement marks characters as individuals of extraordinary physical achievement.