Alteration [psionic*]
Cleric Version
Level Cleric 7
Components V, S
Casting Time 30 rounds
Range Touch
Area of Effect The caster and up to 5 willing creatures
Duration See description
Save nil
Magic-user Version
Level Magic-user 9
Components V, S
Casting Time 9 segments
Range Touch
Area of Effect The caster and up to 5 willing creatures
Duration See description
Save nil
The caster and a small group of creatures enter the astral plane using astral clones of themselves.
The caster and each creature touched enters a coma-like stasis and forms an astral clone which appears on the astral plane.
If the caster has visited the astral plane previously, they can choose any location of the plane they have personally visited, otherwise, the location will be determined at random.
On the astral plane, an astral clone appears as an exact physical duplicate of the creature.
The creature's body enters a stasis, similar to a coma, except that the effects of time do not imact the creature's body (and it does not breathe or require sustenance of any kind). The body has no knowledge of anything happening around it or to it (even if damaged).
This duplicate is connected to the physical body through an invisible, intangible silver cord (or life thread). This cord keeps the duplicate powered and brings the traveler’s psyche back to its body when the spell or ability is done.
With exception of the life thread, an astral clone is a duplicate of the original creature including all carried possessions, magic or mundane. Items consumed or spells cast by the astral clone will actually be consumed.
If a creature’s astral clone is “killed” or destroyed, the silver cord will return to the physical body and the creature will go into a coma for 1d4+1 days. They must also make a reverse Constitution System Save or die (ie. a high Constitution score means almost certain death; those without a Constitution score will have a 5% of dying).
Items obtained while in astral form can be brought back if they can be carried.
A silver cord cannot be affected except by special magic (if ever severed, the psyche is destroyed and original body dies immediately).
If the clone's original body is killed or destroyed, the clone winks out of existence (with anything carried). Items obtained while in clone form appear on the dead body.
An astral clone cannot enter the same plane as their original body (if they do so, the spell is ended and they return to their body).
Astral clones can access any of the Outer Planes by visiting the corresponding Silver Mirror in the astral plane.
Because of the nature of the plane and the types of inhabitants (dangerous), first-time travelers are encouraged to accompany those experienced with the plane and to travel with companions that possess the power to deal with hostile encounters.
While an astral clone cannot be affected by a dispel magic effect, astral clones cannot enter an area of anti-magic and if subjected to an anti-magic effect, will become stunned for 1 round and if the effect continues, the astral spell will fail, casting them back into their original body. If an astral clone is disjoined (Wizard's Disjunction), the astral spell will also fail.
Astral clones are considered extra-planar creatures when in any Outer Plane and can be affected by native inhabitants as such (protection from evil/good effects, dismissal effects, dispel evil/good effects, holy/unholy word, etc.). If an effect sends an extra-planar creature to it's home plane, the astral clone will be forced back into their original body and the astral spell ends for that recipient.
Duration. The astral clone lasts until the recipient desired to end the effect (as a complex activity requiring concentration), the clone is destroyed, or the recipient enters the plane where their body is located.
Considerations
Time works differently on the Astral plane.
Magic works differently in the astral and Outer planes. See Planes of Existence.