Undead + Raise Dead

[Morrow]

Please refresh my memory. Biff the stable boy gets killed and turned into a corporeal undead, maybe a zombie or ghoul. Jimmy the cleric comes along and smashes the undead monstrosity with his mace. Assuming that the body is in reasonably good repair can Jimmy cast raise dead and get back his true love, Biff the stable boy? Or is becoming a flesh eating creature of the night considered a death effect and Jimmy will need to find someone who can cast resurection? Or can you just not come back after a career as a zombie?

Morrow

 

[Nail]

Raise Dead Level: Clr 5
......A creature who has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect can’t be raised by this spell.

Resurrection Level: Clr 7
.....You can resurrect someone killed by a death effect or someone who has been turned into an undead creature and then destroyed.

Clear?

 

[Nail]

......BTW: the Ghostwalk campaign setting does this a bit differently, IIRC.

 

[Morrow]

Ha! Crystal. How'd I miss that? Thanks Nail.

Morrow

 

[Steve Jung]

Just to add something else, reincarnate won't work either.

 

[werk]

Just to add something else, reincarnate won't work either.

Since you brought it up...isn't it weird that a spell called reincarnate doesn't work on people who die of old age? Isn't that what reincarnation is all about?

SRD: A creature that has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect can’t be returned to life by this spell. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can’t be reincarnated. The spell cannot bring back a creature who has died of old age.

 

[VorpalStare]

Since you brought it up...isn't it weird that a spell called reincarnate doesn't work on people who die of old age? Isn't that what reincarnation is all about?

SRD: A creature that has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect can’t be returned to life by this spell. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can’t be reincarnated. The spell cannot bring back a creature who has died of old age.

Especially since the spell is an effective cure for old age:

From the PHB p. 270:

The magic of the spell creates an entirely new young adult body for the soul to inhabit from the natural elements at hand.

Be sure to include special instructions for your druid buddy in your living will.

 

[Sil]

Contrary to popular belief, you cant die of old age. Old age can do things that cause you to die, but not kill you directly.

Just one more argument for legalizing euthanasia...

 

[Nail]

Ooooooo....I think we'd all best ignore that last sentence. This is a D&D gaming community, after all. Politics, etc are not discussed here. Thanks!

 

[LordSkull]

I guess you are susposed to hit them with the reincarnate spell BEFORE they actually die of the effects of old age. A death bed rebirth as it were.