D&D General Reincarnate is and has always been, weird.

[Tonguez]

I do like that the spell can create ghouls, wraiths, spectres and mummies, that ought to be the standard.

Personally, I hate the spell and ban it along with Wish. If you want to do the reincarnation fantasy then you must go full full Orpheus and make a descent to the Underworld, charm/beat Death (eg wrestle him like Hercules), find the spirit, convince it to return and face more trials to escape

 

[Krachek]

It’s a wonderful tool to add fantasy and role play opportunities in the game.
The result should be to add fun and challenges not to turn into grotesque situation.

 

[Alzrius]

A lot of D&D cosmologically has you be born, live, die, then go to an afterlife. Sometimes you are turned into an outsider in the afterlife.

Then boom, instant adult reincarnation spell. Are you taking over an existing body with your soul? Are you creating a new random body on the spot?

And it does not really fit Celtic or Hindu reincarnation, it is its own thing and now tied heavily into D&D druidism.

It apparently happens often enough for at least some psionicists to be particularly cognizant of it, hence the incarnation awareness power in the AD&D 2E Complete Psionics Handbook, which made you aware of a creature's past lives.

 

[aco175]

I cannot recall the last time we used this. Might have been in 2e days. I do recall some rather silly things happening and some feeling being hurt with some rolls.

A little surprised that it is still in 5e. I must be spell-blind to it.