What happens to an Outsider when you kill it?

[Menexenus]

What happens to a (non-Native) Outsider when you kill it?

I know that they can't be raised when they are killed, except by Wishes and the like. Is the dead Outsider's soul just annihilated? Does it matter whether it is killed on its home plane or elsewhere? Does it matter whether the Outsider is fighting willingly or unwillingly (like as the result of a Gate spell)?

I don't know if this is a remnant from 2nd edition, but I vaguely recall that when an Outsider is killed on the Prime Material plane it cannot return for 100 years. (Or is that just for demi-gods like Iuz?)

Can anyone help me out here? Thanks in advance.

 

[blargney the second]

There are two cases:
1) The outsider is summoned. It goes *poof* and is unharmed on its native plane.
2) The outsider is called/gated/actually there. In that case, this bit from the outsider type applies:

"Unlike most other living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be."

 

[Tiberius]

Well, it depends, both by outsider type and by which books you're using.

By the default rules, outsiders die and have their essence merge with their plane of origin, or some such. In any event, they can't be raised, save by wish or miracle. Spell Compendium added Revive Outsider to the cleric list, acting like Raise Dead for them.

As far as I know, for the vast majority of outsiders this has not changed. The Fiendish Codices have altered things somewhat. Demons now, when slain anywhere but on the Abyss, return to the spawning pools of the plane to be reconstituted into a new demon, and probably demoted. If slain on the Abyss, they are truly dead as above. I think it takes the 100 years to reform, or something along those lines. Devils function similarly, but instead they immediately reappear in the Hells (and are more probably demoted). Devils certainly remember the cause of their demotion, while it's questionable for demons.

This does not apply to creatures summoned with Conjuration (Summoning) spells, as the summoned creatures aren't truly present; just present in some idealized form.

 

[Menexenus]

As far as I know, for the vast majority of outsiders this has not changed. The Fiendish Codices have altered things somewhat. Demons now, when slain anywhere but on the Abyss, return to the spawning pools of the plane to be reconstituted into a new demon, and probably demoted. If slain on the Abyss, they are truly dead as above. I think it takes the 100 years to reform, or something along those lines. Devils function similarly, but instead they immediately reappear in the Hells (and are more probably demoted). Devils certainly remember the cause of their demotion, while it's questionable for demons.

Thanks but how about celestials? What happens if you kill an archon or an eladrin operating on the Prime Material? Do they return home and reform in a demoted state? Are they forbidden to return for 100 years? Or are they simply annihilated? (Or something else entirely.)

I'm interested in homebrew ideas as well as RAW.

Thanks.

 

[Goblyn]

Thanks but how about celestials? What happens if you kill an archon or an eladrin operating on the Prime Material? Do they return home and reform in a demoted state? Are they forbidden to return for 100 years? Or are they simply annihilated? (Or something else entirely.)

I'm interested in homebrew ideas as well as RAW.

Thanks.

I would imagine that it would be reasonable for the same to be true, regardless of where exactly(planewise) the outsider is from.

 

[Vorput]

Thanks but how about celestials? What happens if you kill an archon or an eladrin operating on the Prime Material? Do they return home and reform in a demoted state? Are they forbidden to return for 100 years? Or are they simply annihilated? (Or something else entirely.)

I'm interested in homebrew ideas as well as RAW.

Thanks.

I've always ruled that if you die on the material plane- you're dead. It makes demons, devils, and celestials a lot more wary of biting off more than they can chew- yet while the risks are greater, so also are the rewards (temptation, elimination, redemption, etc. of human souls).

It also makes spellcasters capable of casting planar binding spells a lot more potent- as outsiders have a reason to fear being called, and subsequently eliminated. Now, in my campaigns- its very very difficult for celestials/demons to make it to the material plane- and each side closely watches the other if they unilaterally decide to enter it. Spellcasters capable of gating them in become a very sought commodity- and astral projection (and astral bodies) see a lot of use as well.

My idea's are largely based on Sepulchrave's story hour, which has a lot of discussion on such concepts. I recomend reading it if you have the time, both for the ideas on summoning- and because it's such a great story hour
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=58227&page=1&pp=40

Vorp

 

[Tiberius]

Thanks but how about celestials? What happens if you kill an archon or an eladrin operating on the Prime Material? Do they return home and reform in a demoted state? Are they forbidden to return for 100 years? Or are they simply annihilated? (Or something else entirely.)

I'm interested in homebrew ideas as well as RAW.

Thanks.

As far as the rules are concerned, the celestials don't get any special privileges in this regard to my knowledge. It's possible that the Book of Exalted Deeds says something about it, but I don't recall seeing it there. There have been no Celestial Codices to go into detail on the celestial consequences of death, so it's up to the DM. I happen to like the idea of the fiends being a nigh-unstoppable wave of dissolution barely held back by the efforts of all-too-mortal celestials at great cost, so I don't alter the consequences of their destruction.