This spell is a more potent version of the cure light wounds spell (q.v.). Upon laying his or her hand upon a creature, the cleric causes from 3 to 17 (2d8 + 1) hit points of wound or other injury damage to the creature's body to be healed. This healing will affect only those creatures listed in the cure light wounds spell explanation. Cause serious wounds, the reverse of the spell, operates similarly to the cause light wounds spell, the victim having to be touched first, and if the touch is successful, it will inflict 3 to 17 hit points.