Alternate Reincarnation Tables?

[ptolemy18]

Does anyone use alternative tables for the "Reincarnation" spell? It seems like an obvious idea that druids from different areas would be able to resurrect people into different forms, but (maybe just 'cause it's such an obvious idea) I've never seen any alternate resurrection tables provided with any supplements.

I have to say that I prefer the 3.0 rules for Reincarnation, as well -- it's more fun to have a PC (possibly) transformed into some kind of animal or monster than to have them always transformed into a humanoid, like in 3.5. Obviously it leaves things much more open to chance -- it's pretty good to turn into a Centaur or a Sprite and pretty bad to turn into, say, a Badger or something -- but I like the added "weirdness factor."

Here's an alternate resurrection table I came up with for my EGYPTIAN ADVENTURES/AFRICAN ADVENTURES campaign I'm running...

1-3 Badger
4-9 Crocodile
10-13 Hippopotamus
14-17 Boar
18-25 Serpopard
26-28 Dryad (I guess they could be a palm-tree Dryad or something)
29-32 Vulture
33-42 River Spirit Folk
43-46 Asari (Green-Skinned) Gnome
47-48 Falcon (Eagle)
49-58 Gnome
59-78 Human
79-80 Leopard
81-82 Owl
83-85 Ngoloko (African half-orc from AFRICAN ADVENTURES)
86-88 Gnoll
89-90 Troglodyte
91-96 Hyena
97-99 Large Poisonous Snake (Viper)
100 -- player's choice

I tried to replace a humanoid with a humanoid, and an animal with an animal, and to use the same CRs as the creatures in the 3.0 table (though it's not 100% -- the Serpopard is an animal, and it replaced the Centaur, which has hands and can wield weapons, cast spells, etc.). Actually, my table is a little stingierr than the 3.0 table, since Gnolls and Troglodytes aren't as powerful as Sprites and Pixies (well, depending on what you're going for, I guess).

Has anyone else made tables like this?

Jason

 

[Delemental]

The only useful thing I have to contribute to this thread is to point out that you probably meant "Reincarnation", not "Resurrection".

That being said, while I've never seen any other alternate Reincarnation tables, it seems a good idea if your campaign setting is unique enough to justify it. After all, in an all-underwater campaign "badger" or "centaur" isn't a good result...

 

[BWP]

You mean Reincarnation, right?

The only suggestion I have is that you make sure that the players understand in advance whatever changes you make to the spell. I know the players in my game would dislike intensely any spell that would make it extremely difficult for them to continue participating meaningfully in the game, e.g., by being turned into a rodent.

 

[ptolemy18]

You mean Reincarnation, right?

D'oh!!! I fixed it...

Actually, in general, I'm curious how many people still use the 3.0 Reincarnation tables, where you can be changed into a talking animal & stuff. Reincarnation is one of the really cool unpredictable spells, since it can give you a huge permanent ability boost (or penalty) by changing you into a different form... and, as with practically any rules situation, I prefer the weirder of the two tables.

Jason

 

[Starglim]

There are a couple of ideas that I'd like to try sometime:

• Different type and CR lists: In 3.5 reincarnation must return you as a creature of the same type. Therefore lists for different types (aberrations, monstrous humanoids, fey) are needed. For many types, the CR of creatures varies so much that it would be better to have low/medium/high CR reincarnation lists. Some gods may choose to return you as a type not your own ..
  
• Karmic Reincarnation: You roll on a table that runs from say -50 to 150, with a modifier depending on your alignment at the time of death. Low results are animals and vermin, negative results are things like ghouls and dretch, high results are minor celestials.