Don't worry - be reincarnated!

[Vlos]

I have only ever been in one game where I was reincarnated and do not recall an game I GM'd where it was done.

In the game where I was reincarnated it was by a Earth Wyrm (a Dragon of the Earth - think super dragon size of mountains). Since we were on a mission for him and I died in his service, I was brought back as one of the chosen, or a young dragon and I didn't gain its HD.

Now this was a high level campaign so it wasn't that offsetting.

As a GM I sort of like the idea of using whats around, but if you can bring a dead body back to life, why can't you just raise the original body.

So the question is, is the spell 1) creating new body for the soul or 2) is it kicking out the spirit of another and placing it in, or 3) in the above is it giving life to a dead body and placing the soul in it?

Under 1) I would rule it similar to polymorph spell, just giving you the form and not graning the HD and such.

Under 2) I would think it would gain racial HD. Also if its this, the druid may have problems depending on their outlook as you are displacing a spirit to keep a spirit about.

Under 3) I would ask why not just raise the closest body which would probably be basically a raise dead.


Another option under 2) would be that it finds an unborn or still born baby and places the spirit/soul in that. This could cause some problems, but you could also play it up similar to the Startrek movie where Spock is reborn and his body grows quickly over time to return to its natural state/form/age.

Just some more input.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Oh, and BTW by the RAW the spell cannot bring back a creature that died of old age, so a rencarnated chain is not viable, unless they kill each other... hmmm, now there is a thought...

Oops. There's a reason I missed that, but if I explain, it'll be even more embarassing. >_>

There's no real balance reason for it, strange. You could kill yourself as soon as you reach those high years, and just get reincarnated. At that point, you probably wouldn't care, because even if you're a kobold, its better than being dead. Maybe in... um... however long it takes a kobold to get into old age you'll get a better form.

As for not applying LA becuase they won't be liked in cities, that's balancing abilities through roleplaying penalties, which is looked down upon in 3.XED, a definate "no no." By the rules, they get the +LA.

 

[Scharlata]

Thanx for all the input!

I've looked through the Manual of the Planes, the Planar Handbook, the Book of Vile Darkness and the Book of Exalted Deeds for any clues, but none so far...

Kind regards

 

[Zaister]

I'm the DM in the campaign in question - so thanks for all your input from me too.

I have ruled now that the player of the former gnome has a choice of two options: either play the character as 8th level now (5 levels of druid + 2 lizardfolk hit dice + 1 level adjustment), which, however, would mean, that she gets less XP for being higher level than everyone else and also that she has to wait until she has accumulated enough XP for 9th level before she can level up again. Probably not an option the player would want, especially as a spellcaster, but I wanted to offer this anyway.

The other option was: drop the monster hit dice including all attributes derived from them (i.e. BAB and saving throw bonusues, and skill points), but keep all other lizardfolk features (e.g. physical attribute bonuses, natural armor, natural attacks) and completely disregard the level advancement - she just got lucky. This way, the character might no longer be completely by the rules, but I seems to me to be the most playable solution. The player has agreed to go by this solution.

Regards,
Zaister.

 

[Scharlata]

I'm the DM in the campaign in question - so thanks for all your input from me too.

Welcome to the boards

 

[Owen K.C. Stephens]

Here is my take on it:
The spell creates/summons/whatever new body for the target of the spell.
Lose 1 level, or 1 HD if no levels or 2 CON points if at 1 level/HD.
Remove all racial stat modifiers based on the old form.
Remove all racial abilities based on the old form, including racial HD.
Adjust the HPs due to change in CON/HD
Leave any cultural ablities based on the old form, such as the Human bonus feat and Elvish weapon proficiencies.
Add all racial stat modifiers based on the new form
Add all racial abilities based on the new form. You do not gain skill points or cultural abilities.
Roll any added racial HD and adjust HPs based on the new CON score.
Add any LA based on the new body

This is pretty much exactly how I would run it. If I thought the LA was based heavily on things the new character doesn't get (cultural bonuses, for example) I would consider adjusting the LA, but I don't think that's the case for any option on the existing reincarnation chart.

If the character ended up with an adjusted level higher than his original level, I wouldn't let him level up until he'd made enough to go the extra levels. In other words a 4th level character who comes back as a 3rd level character with a +2 LA won't go up to 4th again until he has the exp to be 6th.

Play Well!
Owen K.C. Stephens

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Adding racial HD without subtracting additional class levels unambiguously violates the RAW. The spell description says precisely what the end HD total will be. This would also be a massive bonus to a fighter type character. (I die and lose one class level, but potentially gain 2 HD + 1 LA. Net effective level change of +2.)

Adding racial HD and subtracting additional class levels does not appear to be consistent with the spell description either. It is also a massive penalty against spellcasters.

If you simply ignore the racial HD and LA, you get a result that is simple and playable. If you apply the racial HD or LA, you get a result that is confusing and potentially unbalanced.

It is not logically necessary to apply all the standard character creation rules to a reincarnated creature.