D&D: So Your Character Died — Here’s How They Can Get Better
Character death is little more than a speedbump in D&D, if you try a little. Here’s how to get over it and get back up.
If a peasant can get turned into a newt and get better, then it ought to be an easy thing for a stalwart adventurer to get better when they come down with a teeny little case of death. And you know, in 5.5E, it’s actually not as tricky as it sounds.
The veil that separates life and death is pretty thin, in D&D; here’s how you can tap dance from one side to the other. And not just “oh you were at 0 hp” but this gets you better from all the way dead. Mostly.
Revivify
Hitting 5th level is a big milestone for D&D characters. It’s when warriors get their first Extra Attack, when spellcasters get their 3rd level spells, and, if you have a Cleric or Druid in your party, the first time a character getting instantly killed, or failing that third death save isn’t an immediate character ending moment.
Because 3rd Level brings with it Revivify. This is the first ticket back available to most characters. Revivify is a great emergency panic button because it only takes a single action to cast. But it comes with a time limit—it only works on a creature that has been dead no longer than one minute. So ten rounds.
And you have to have a diamond worth at least 300 gp on hand. So stock up. Also, make sure you’re aafe—the creature coming back only has 1 hp, and you just spent 300+ gp bringing them back.
Get in the Cauldron
Don’t have a stock of diamonds handy? Well a much more economic method is the Cauldron of Rebirth. This Tiny pot is covered with scenes of heroes and can serve as a spellcasting focus. I mention this so you have an idea of just how small this pot is. It’s a cauldron light enough to be wielded in a single hand by a Warlock or Druid—and they aren’t famous for being brawny.
But this cauldron has other properties. It can brew up a potion of healing once every long rest; but more importantly, if you shove a corpse in there and cover it with 200 pounds of salt (about 10 gp worth), that creature comes back to life the next dawn as if by the Raise Dead spell. So they’ll be at full hit points and everything.
But first you have to fit a whole corpse into the pot. Better hope someone in your party has an axe.
True Resurrection
Or you can skip the whole ordeal together and pull out the True Resurrection spell. Or, more likely, pay someone for or otherwise find a scroll of it. This one is the iconic “we’re so back” spell. But it’s 9th level, and needs a diamond worth at least 25,000 gp. But it works in even there’s no body.
Did your Rogue get disintegrated? Lose your Bard after they tried to seduce that Sphere of Annihilation? True Resurrection can restore a creature to life even without a body, as long as they died within 200 years. They’ll come back at full health and with no revival sickness.
Friends in High Places
Of course, if you can’t cast those spells yourself, you can always get a friend to do it for you. Spells like Planar Ally, and magic items like a Ring of Djinni Summoning can help put you into contact with beings who can. But even without magic items, there are plenty of ways to contact otherworldly figures to beseech for aid—often at a price.
Beings like Solars and Planetars can help revive fallen comrades. If you can convince them you’re worthy, they might peel back the veil and let your friends back in.
Wish Different
Finally, there’s the ultimate in magical get out of death free cards, the Wish spell. For being the most powerful spell in the game, there sure are plenty of ways to get access to it. From Luck Bladess to Rings of Three Wishes to the Moon card from the Deck of Many Things to Efreeti Bottles, there are so many ways to gain access to the Wish Spell. And all it takes is one, and anyone abiding in Death’s crowded domain n is invited back. Just take care that your Wish is worded carefully enough to avoid a Monkey’s Paw type situation.
Stayin’ alive!
