D&D 5E (2014) [5e] Spell - Reincarnate - Can the "piece" be harvested BEFORE I die?

[billd91]

I'm also a bit disappointed that raise dead is cheaper than reincarnate. Those costs should be reversed, in my estimation. Though, I suppose, the potential to have a more whole/less maimed, if different, body could be of some value.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I like reincarnate because it leads to interesting stories. It's way cooler than animate dead. Disintegrate destroys your whole body so there's nothing left of the body, it does not specifically nullify other spells, IMO. But, as a DM, if I allowed this, I'd use this trick for (an)enemies. Maybe a powerful nemesis is owed a favour by a druid and said druid has a piece of that person's body in the event the PCs kill him. Or, at the very least, an enemy discovers this is possible and takes precautions.

 

[gargoyleking]

Also, keep in mind that not everybody has a druid in their hip pocket. BBEG's included. Besides, this is something that should simply be left up to to the DM to decide. It could make for an interesting plot device, (including bringing back a particularly intriguing enemy character.)

 

[5ekyu]

RAW, not part of a dead body blows the missing tooth...


But...

At 3rd level, get yourself killed and your cleric friend to use Revivify inside a minute. Do this during downtime. Costs like 300 gold in dismonds.

While dead, have him lop off a bit for keeping.

Now after being revived you have a piece of you that was "from a dead body" for later reincarnate.

I cannot see that as not RAW.

To me, this us much less about the wording of disintegrate as it is the odds that you cannot get the body back. If the party has to run after your character is fallen and cant get to you or knows thry have a bit in the closet they don't have to risk to get the body.

Personally, unless I wanna come up with lore, I am likely in my game to waive the dead body part and allow a live part to be ok.

 

[Blue]

As a DM, I'd definitely allow this if the player was up for it. What a cool story! And really, if my game generates cool stories that get told by my players to others that's a win in my book. Plus the player has to deal with the fact that their character has been reincarnated into another body which is another big thing. To quote Professor Hulk: "I see this as an Absolute Win."

Really, a player willing to come back (which keeps their character arc going and such) instead of making a new character is always good for me as a DM. Having them come back in a way with so many long term repercussions is fantastic.

As a side note, while it wouldn't stop me either way, I think the RAW about being part of a dead body is ambiguous if the body needs to be dead before a part is taken, or if a part of a body that is now dead is all that is needed. So with no definitive reading it's up to a DM Ruling. (I kind of can't picture why a DM would say no to it for most campaigns, though some gritty ones I can picture it.)

 

[gargoyleking]

Only reason I can see to say no is if the players get the idea to just start mutitilating their characters to have a piece available for ressurecting. Defeats the spirit of Rule of Cool.

 

[MarkB]

At 3rd level, get yourself killed and your cleric friend to use Revivify inside a minute. Do this during downtime. Costs like 300 gold in dismonds.

While dead, have him lop off a bit for keeping.

Now after being revived you have a piece of you that was "from a dead body" for later reincarnate.

I cannot see that as not RAW.

What about the time constraint? Do you need to renew your 'insurance policy' once every 10 days?

 

[gargoyleking]

What about the time constraint? Do you need to renew your 'insurance policy' once every 10 days?

At this point, we're really getting into individual DM discretion territory. Also, probably some alignment issues. Depending on the characters involved.

 

[DND_Reborn]

What about the time constraint? Do you need to renew your 'insurance policy' once every 10 days?

I would imagine so.

 

[Greenfield]

We've always played that the "piece" had to have been part of you when you died.

Consider though: Does Disintegrate take your gear as well? This has varied through editions and I honestly can't recall that detail from 5th.

If there's stuff remaining, look through the clothing for a bloodstain. It will be there if the character took any other damage in the fight. Their blood, on their person at the time of their death would qualify, wouldn't it?

As for Reincarnate v Disintegrate: I'm kind of a rules guy. In earlier editions Reincarnate and Resurrection would both create a new body, and the revived person suffered some penalties. True Resurrection restored them to life without penalties.

So, to me, if it says True Res' it means True Res'. (Yeah, I know the "penalties" thing isn't clear or overtly meaningful in 5e and may not be there at all, but it's the fine line that differentiates the spells.)