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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mercucio" data-source="post: 1578628" data-attributes="member: 7928">Hi All.Changing the way returning from the dead works in my campaign and want to solict ideas, suggestions, and even criticisms (so long as they are constructive).The basic premise of these changes is that it is much easier to restore to life a dead creature whose soul is still on the same plane than it is to recall a soul from the afterlife. Secondly, I find the idea that you can just kind of whistle up the dead (even if they are willing) from the afterlife with a 5th level spell creates a somewhat cavalier attitude toward dying. I'm hoping these changes will discourage that attitude.CHANGES1. A deceased creature's soul typically lingers on the mortal plane for at least day.2. Raise dead becomes a 7th level cleric spell, loses the material component and now costs 1000xp.3. Resurrection becomes a 9th level cleric spell, loses the material component, and costs 2000xp.4. True resurrection is removed from the cleric list entirely, and now becomes an option of the miracle spell.5. The following spells, life-keeping and revivify, are added.LIFEKEEPINGNecromancyLevel: Brd 3, Clr 2, Drd 3, Pal 4, Rgr 4, Sor/Wiz 4Components: V, S, FCasting Time: 1 minuteRange: TouchTarget: Corpse touchedDuration: 1 hour/caster levelSaving Throw: NoSpell Resistance: NoBy invoking this spell a caster may keep a recently departed soul from passing on to the afterlife. If cast within 24 hours of death the subject's soul remains tethered to it’s body. If the body is healed of enough damage to bring it above -10 hp flesh and soul can be reunited through the use of a revivify spell, restoring the subject to life. If the subject of this spell was slain by death magic, or there is grevious damage to the corpse (multiple limbs or vital organs destroyed) this spell fails.Note: This spell does not prevent decay. A separate spell (gentle repose) must be used to prevent a corpse from decaying. Failure to do so can result in permanent ability drain as determined by the Dungeon Master.REVIVIFYNecromancyLevel: Brd 6, Clr 5, Drd 6, Sor/Wiz 7Components: V, S, XPCasting Time: 1 hourRange: TouchArea: Dead creature touchedDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: None; see textSpell Resistance: Yes (harmless)You restore life to recently deceased creature. You can revivify a creature that has been dead for no longer than 24 hours. Time spent under the effects of a life-keeping spell does not count against this limit. In addition, the subject’s soul must be free and willing to return. If the subject’s soul is not willing to return, the spell does not work; therefore, a subject that wants to return receives no saving throw.Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The subject of the spell loses one level (or 1 Hit Die) when it is raised, just as if it had lost a level or a Hit Die to an energy-draining creature. If the subject is 1st level, it loses 1 points of Constitution instead (if this would reduce its Con to 0 or less, it can’t be raised). This level/HD loss or Constitution loss cannot be repaired by any means. A character who died with spells prepared loses all prepared spells. A spellcasting creature that doesn’t prepare spells (such as a sorcerer) loses all unused spell slot as if it had been used to cast a spell.A revivified creature has a number of hit points equal to its current Hit Dice. Any ability scores damaged to 0 are raised to 1. Normal poison and normal disease are cured in the process of revivifying the subject, but magical diseases and curses are not undone. While the spell closes mortal wounds and repairs lethal damage of most kinds, the body of the creature to be raised must be whole. Otherwise, missing parts are still missing when the creature is brought back to life. None of the dead creature’s equipment or possessions are affected in any way by this spell.A creature who has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect can’t be raised by this spell. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can’t be raised. The spell cannot bring back a creature that has died of old age.XP Cost: 500xp.</blockquote>

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