Level Up (A5E) Question about Reincarnate

[noodohs]

The A5e spell has different wording from the O5e spell in such a way that makes me curious if you don't actually have to pick a new heritage. Specifically, it says, "You return the target to life, provided the target’s soul is willing and able to return to its body. If you only have a piece of the target, the spell reforms a new adult body for the soul to inhabit... The target’s heritage traits change according to its new form." In O5e, you just get a new body regardless, but here, I kinda read it as you only get a new body if you only have a piece of the original body. Otherwise, it says the target returns to its body, which would, in my mind, suggest that it returns to its original body (unless you only have a piece instead of the whole body). But this would also make this kinda OP for a 5th level spell, with the only difference between it and Resurrection being that you have to have the whole body to keep the same heritage. Any thoughts on this? Some more clarity might be handy.

 

[xiphumor]

The A5e spell has different wording from the O5e spell in such a way that makes me curious if you don't actually have to pick a new heritage. Specifically, it says, "You return the target to life, provided the target’s soul is willing and able to return to its body. If you only have a piece of the target, the spell reforms a new adult body for the soul to inhabit... The target’s heritage traits change according to its new form." In O5e, you just get a new body regardless, but here, I kinda read it as you only get a new body if you only have a piece of the original body. Otherwise, it says the target returns to its body, which would, in my mind, suggest that it returns to its original body (unless you only have a piece instead of the whole body). But this would also make this kinda OP for a 5th level spell, with the only difference between it and Resurrection being that you have to have the whole body to keep the same heritage. Any thoughts on this? Some more clarity might be handy.

I mean, the fun of Reincarnate is that you get a new heritage, so I would honestly just interpret the spell in any way that supports that result.

 

[noodohs]

Fun is subjective. What is clear is that they intentionally changed the wording here. In O5e, it's quite clear that you always roll for a new body; here, it is implied that only when you get a new body do you get a new heritage and you only get a new body if the original body is not available. I don't care one way or another, but the additional parameters have made the intent less clear than before and it would be nice to know what the intention was.

 

[Morrus]

To me, at least, this is clear. If you have the body you return to it. If you don't a new body is formed.

1. "You return the target to life, provided the target’s soul is willing and able to return to its body."
2. "If you only have a piece of the target, the spell reforms a new adult body for the soul to inhabit... The target’s heritage traits change according to its new form. The Narrator chooses the form of the new body, or rolls on Table: Reincarnation."

 

[Steampunkette]

1) Reincarnate in A5e has a limit of 10 days. Resurrection is 100 years.
2) Reincarnate doesn't care if you died of old age or any other cause, Resurrection does.
3) Reincarnate does not cure disease or poison, or fatigue, or anything else. It -just- brings you back to life.

Now I'd argue that if you have to make a new form it isn't poisoned/diseased/fatigued/whatever... but the old one still is. Also it brings you back to life, but doesn't say it brings you to full HP. Or any HP. So I think 0hp but Stabilized is 100% fair, there...

Plus, y'know, a level of fatigue from reaching 0hp.

 

[noodohs]

That is also how I read it, but since it is different from O5e (and earlier editions?) and that is what my group all thinks of when they think of the spell, I was hoping to make sure. Thanks!