D&D 5E What is dead may... not be dead

[FormerlyHemlock]

Bottom line is that in D&D, no player will ever be truly surprised if a major NPC returns from beyond death. Details of method don't matter.

(Also, you might want to change the thread title if you want to retain any chance at all of surprising your players in the slightest degree.)

 

[jaelis]

Some form of resurrection magic seems simplest. But if the idea is for him never to have died, then illusion magic would work. Or you can pull a Tale of Two Cities and just say the guy found a body double.

 

[n0nym]

Depends on HOW he was executed.

I haven't told the PCs yet, so I can go for what suits me the most.

He was the head of a thieves' guild, so he's probably been hanged or decapitated. Burned at the stake is also a possibility.

Feign death would work if he had been hanged, but it requires the collusion of the hangman. Maybe he drank a potion of Feign death that takes a while to take effect and the hangman used a special kind of knot.

True polymorph has the same problem as Polymorph, it reverts on death. :/

just say the guy found a body double.

That might actually be the easiest solution. Especially since the campaign is pretty low magic.

 

[The_Gneech]

Or like Ulrich from Dragonslayer?

Reborn like a phoenix from his own ashes!

-The Gneech

 

[discosoc]

You could have him actually have been executed and then someone casts Raise Dead.

Your comment just totally inspired me to create some kind of secret order that resurrects dead convicts for use in [insert nefarious purpose here]. They somehow blackmail them, or possibly disfigure the face beyond recognition, etc, and yeah... fun times.

Thank you.,

 

[surfarcher]

There are plenty of "easy" ways to come back from the dead. How about these spells...

• Clone
• Raise Dead
• Wish

A creative DM can use any of these (or scrolls, rings, whatever with those effects) to achieve what you want and have a lot of fun doing so!

 

[Nevaroth]

A feign death spell could very well work, and may be the best option. You would just have to make sure that the body remains intact (If the execution requires cutting his head off, well then your in a real pickle there). You could also have a powerful cleric cast the true resurrection spell on the NPC. However such spells are very costly. Therefore the NPC who is being revived would have to be important enough in your world that someone would use such high resources to bring him back.

Illusions could also work. The person being executed could turn out to be an inanimate object transformed to look like a living person. Or just have a wizard cast a high level illusion on the entire execution stand and play out a fake execution. Problem with this is some people could discern that it is just an illusion (with a successful dc check).

 

[AkaKageWarrior]

I haven't told the PCs yet, so I can go for what suits me the most.

That makes it so much easier!
Thieves' Guild? There should be some arcane trickster around for some illusions.
And have him hanged, without the PCs getting too close a look at it.
Illusory rope? A piece of wood behind his neck so it doesn't break?

If he's burned... potion of fire resistance, mighty illusory flames, then misty step out of the fire...

Bottom line is that in D&D, no player will ever be truly surprised if a major NPC returns from beyond death. Details of method don't matter.

This.

 

[Charles Rampant]

He comes back as a revenant? Always fun. Or maybe he did actually die, but the Gods refuse to touch his soul, so he is able to remain in the material plane as a ghost, but one with full agency, faculties, and access to gooby DM powers?

Otherwise, yeah, Raise Dead. I've had fun mentioning to my players that the enemy army commanders get that cast on them a lot, and it really took the wind out of their sails with regards the 'let's just assassinate the enemy general and win the siege instantly' plan.

 

[n0nym]

Otherwise, yeah, Raise Dead. I've had fun mentioning to my players that the enemy army commanders get that cast on them a lot, and it really took the wind out of their sails with regards the 'let's just assassinate the enemy general and win the siege instantly' plan.

My players also have a tendency to do that. I'll keep that in mind for later in the campaign. ^^

Btw I had not thought about the Clone spell or the body double. That's awesome ! It reminds me of the movie The Prestige.