Level: Sorcerer 2, Wizard 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You draw material from the Plane of Shadow to cause your hands and forearms to elongate and change shape into featureless claws of inky blackness.
When you cast this spell, your hands become shadowy claws. Starting on your next action, you can use the claws to make unarmed attacks as if they were natural weapons. (You attack with one claw and can use the other claw for an off-hand attack. If you have multiple attacks, you use them normally when attacking with the claws.) Attacks with the claws are melee touch attacks. Each claw deals 1d8 points of cold damage. If you grapple an opponent, you deal claw damage with each successful grapple check, and the grappled target is under the effect of a slow spell for as long as you maintain the grapple. An opponent that makes a successful Fortitude save is not slowed, and it cannot be slowed by this casting of claws of darkness.
You can extend the claws up to 6 feet, which gives you a natural reach of 10 feet, or retract them as a free action.
When the spell is in effect, you cannot cast spells with components other than verbal ones, nor can you carry items with your hands. Any magic items worn on your hands are temporarily absorbed and cease functioning while the spell is active.
Source: Spell Compendium, page 47. In that publication, these were listed in the 3rd level sorcerer/wizard illusion school spell list, but the actual spell description Level entry states that the spell is 2nd level for both classes. Because the descriptive text has precedent over the spell list, the spell has been moved to 2nd level in both the sorcerer and wizard spell lists on A35.