Do you allow resurrection-type magic in your campaign?

[Numion]

I allow as per PHB. My players don't usually want their characters raised after the second or third time anyway.

As for the campaign world consequences .. people have to be willing to be resurrected. So resurrections aren't a solution to 'collateral damage', because the peasant who got in the blast radius of the fireball meant for the BBEG might not want to come back. Surely many peasants would find afterlife much better than their everyday toiling? For the peasants family .. he'll still be dead.

In similar way you can explain every other "why wasn't the king / lord / BBEG just resurrected?" question. Who's to say they didn't find afterlife a better place? As an added bonus .. maybe they really were resurrected.

Taken to extreme this would lead to stupidness (If I don't report to this temple every 30 days, cast true rezz on me - insurance, or capturing all your enemies instead of killing, to prevent resurrection). However in my games it's worked very well. Players are still really pissed when their characters die. Thats enough for me

 

[Chronosome]

The modifications in my old (now kaput) campaign were:

[font=&quot]Raise Dead/Resurrection/True Resurrection[/font][font=&quot]:[/font][font=&quot] The nature of death and dying varies from standard campaigns—there is no level or Constitution loss associated with being raised from the dead. But the people and creatures of Velharon and its world may only be raised three times—ever. Upon its third death, the soul is too weary to return to the world and seeks its final rest. In all other respects these spells function normally.

[/font]For a new game (depending on my players' input) I may go with that or lift the "Pact of Three" restriction. I think level loss is too severe penalty for dying, so I'm thinking of house ruling "lose two points in an abiliity score of your choosing" instead.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I don't allow it for anyone at anytime, anywhere for any reason - ever.

NPCs don't get it, PCs don't get it and gods don't get it. You die, you die. No exceptions.

I'm very clear with my players on this and have been for about 20 years now.

I find it solves a lot more problems than it causes. The problem for a campaign with raise dead is greater with raising dead NPCs than it is for PCs being raised, actually.

But among PCs, a heightened level of respect is given to combat and all reckless activity. Players take the whole thing a lot more seriously when there is no mulligan.

I will fudge at times behind a screen to save players who would otherwise buy the farm when it's not their "fault" (read: it is usually *my* fault for overpowering the encounter). At other times, especially in the big fights which are central to the challenge, roll em open on the table. Tension goes up considerably then.

It's very much a matter of personal style in your gaming circle. But I tried the "only available if you sacrifice an artifact level item as a spell component" and have tried various levels of difficulty in obtaining the spell over the course of time.

I found that players resent the "maybe, but not for YOU" more when they think it's available - you just are not going to give THEM a shot at it.

As a "no exceptions ever" rule, it causes less problems metagaming wise and has its intended effect at the table.

Hardcore has its own problems but comes with its own virtues too. Having tried it both ways, I prefer it.

YMMV - and in this case, it evidently does

 

[Bigwilly]

Modified rules with strings

I have reduced the penalty for getting raised to a mere 1000 xp and a negative level which can be restored. This is based on some alternative rules I found on-line. However, you still need to find someone to raise you and if it's not the party cleric, then the temple is going to require a service from the raised PC.

Bigwilly

 

[Li Shenron]

Yes, as per the PHB. It isn't exactly easy anyway, what with the cost and the need for it to be in diamonds. It isn't as bad as, y'know, being dead, but it hardly makes the PCs fearless.

Finally someone mentioned the COST!

I haven't felt any need to ban resurrection spells from my campaign. First of all I have to say that usually my own adventures have quite a low mortality rate but when it happens that a PC die usually
(1) the players have spent all their money in magic equipment and don't want to sell it to raise the dead
(2) death of a comrade it's still a good cliche' in a story
(3) players already have their next characters in mind before the previous die

But I agree that if someone has found that in their own game it happens too often to resurrect, then some limitations may be needed.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

The problem is:

D&D is lethal.

Death is common.

That about sums it up for me!

A possible problem I can see is death magic - it becomes a whole world of hurt worse in a game with no raise dead/etc.

I'd either make those 'plot device only' spells or would consider having them drop people to -1 HP instead of killing them... It's not a very satisfying way to have all the hard work put into a character gone from a single and often arbitary feeling dice roll.


I don't think losing a level is a light price to pay. In the campaigns I've played in, where getting bought back from the dead is easily accesable, a lost level will take several months of sessions to gain back. That's not exactly a 'throw them around like confetti' type of spell? Generally, I've only seen players raise characters that they really liked... Although I've not got to the point where True Resurection was freely available.

My favorite alternative was to steal Fate Points from WRFP - start with some number - if you 'die' then you spend one to have a miraculous escape and turn up unconcious/lost/whatever. Earn more from completing world shaking quests. Figure they've got lots of dramatic potential and fit the genre really well, YMMV.

Like others have said - permenant crits could also work. Found them particularly satisfying in Cyberpunk style games - where it pushes people towards weirdo mechanical replacements rather than turning them into a derranged 1 legged 1 armed 'hop' fighter.

The worst example was when I heard of players resorting to suicide tactics because they could be raised later with little penaly. (The level loss is a small price to pay for taking out a major villian with ease in a suicide attack.) Of course this style of play is okay for some groups who aren't concerned with story, but I prefer a slightly more "believable" campaign world.

Amazing how things look from a different perspective.

I can see where you're coming from with that view of it. And I see it could be a total game killer, particularly depending on how the players arrived at the decision. If it's out of frustration, then it probably is. Likewise if it's an idea the DM finds abhorrent.

But, I think it's a pretty cool idea - shows some inventiveness, risk taking and a willingness to explore their abilities. Personally, if a whole party did it, I'd say it was time for a few sessions adventuring in the afterlife... or possibly wake up with 'everything gone wrong' (tm). Think it could be a lot of fun. Could really add to the story - depending on how the DM handled it.


My 2 cents: I don't think believable and high level Dnd gel very well. To me the default higher level game is closer to Superheroes than Realistic fantasy... It's all about the wuxia powers!

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Finally someone mentioned the COST!

I haven't felt any need to ban resurrection spells from my campaign. First of all I have to say that usually my own adventures have quite a low mortality rate but when it happens that a PC die usually
(1) the players have spent all their money in magic equipment and don't want to sell it to raise the dead
(2) death of a comrade it's still a good cliche' in a story
(3) players already have their next characters in mind before the previous die

But I agree that if someone has found that in their own game it happens too often to resurrect, then some limitations may be needed.

Completely forgot about the cost... and it really isn't that cheap.

I've found (3) to be a pretty common reason why resurrections don't happen... use (1) and (2) to justify it

 

[reanjr]

no strings drop another quarter in the slot and raise Merric's Mage. What Fred is dead and you're out raise spells, and too far to city. Merric roll up a new mage. poof . Game on.
My question for those who outlaw raises. How mean are you in combat? Do you take out the fighter with rot grubs because he dug through the garbage to get that last gp. If merric fumbles three times in a roll and the orc nat 20 him three tims does the orc do a jig as Merric's tank clanks to the ground at -11.

IMC, resurrection is a case-by-case thing. I don't think any of my players have ever been brought back from the dead. I do not TRY to kill my players. If something comes up where they have -9 HP and they lose that last HP before the initiative of their buddy moving there to bandage them (or cure them), I'll let it slide. And if a Heal check fails at -9, I'll usually allow the continuing ministrations of the healer keep them alive if not stabalized.

But I do use Crit-20-Hit kills. And those'll drop 'em dead quicker than... something really quick. That's a decapitation or heart stabbing or skull crushing in action.

I'm usually fairly harsh in combat, unless I unintentionally put them up against something too powerful and they don't really have an "out." Then I might cut a few of the BBEG's HP or have him do something not particularly useful (use an action that more shows he's cool and powerful than one that actually drops a player).

And I usually pit the PCs up against something about 2 CRs higher (1 CR higher at lower levels like 1st and 2nd) than the average party level. There's a couple of reasons for this, primarily that I am not a min/maxer or powergamer and alot of my players are, so creating a challenge for them is tough for me in a straight-up fight. But I also like the added challenge and lethality of it. It makes the combat more exciting.

I actually have had to come up with standardized rules for what occurs after PC death due to the large number I get in my campaigns.

 

[Zappo]

I haven't felt any need to ban resurrection spells from my campaign. First of all I have to say that usually my own adventures have quite a low mortality rate but when it happens that a PC die usually
(1) the players have spent all their money in magic equipment and don't want to sell it to raise the dead
(2) death of a comrade it's still a good cliche' in a story
(3) players already have their next characters in mind before the previous die

Yes, that about sums it up for me, too. Most deaths result in a new character, even if raise dead is available, because of those three reasons.

 

[Li Shenron]

Yes, as per the PHB. It isn't exactly easy anyway, what with the cost and the need for it to be in diamonds. It isn't as bad as, y'know, being dead, but it hardly makes the PCs fearless.

Also, Zappo points out an interesting extra fact in the material component.

If you really play as the PHB says you may be going a long way before collecting the required diamonds. We know that 99% of the gaming groups don't keep track of exactly which components you are using, but just the cost, but if a group decides to pay attention to this detail, resurrection would be far more uncommon.