Resurrection
- Level: 7
- School: Necromancy
- Class: Bard, Cleric
- Casting Time: 1 hour
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (a diamond worth 1,000+ GP, which the spell consumes)
- Duration: Instantaneous
With a touch, you revive a dead creature that has been dead for no more than a century, didn't die of old age, and wasn't Undead when it died. The creature returns to life with all its Hit Points. This spell also neutralizes any poisons that affected the creature at the time of death. This spell closes all mortal wounds and restores any missing body parts. Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target takes a -4 penalty to D20 Tests. Every time the target finishes a Long Rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it becomes 0 . Casting this spell to revive a creature that has been dead for 365 days or longer taxes you. Until you finish a Long Rest, you can't cast spells again, and you have Disadvantage on D20 Tests.
Tactical Usage
Premium Resurrection Option. Resurrection provides superior revival capabilities with extended time windows up to a century and complete restoration including missing body parts.
Full Recovery Benefits. Unlike lower-level resurrection spells, targets return with all hit points and complete physical restoration, eliminating the vulnerability period.
Extended Time Window. The century-long revival window enables resurrection of historically significant figures or characters dead for extended periods.
Spell Combinations
Safety Preparation. Combining with protective magic creates secure environments for the vulnerable hour-long casting process.
Historical Research. Pairing with divination magic helps identify and locate historically significant targets for revival purposes.
Recovery Enhancement. Following with additional restoration magic addresses any conditions or effects not covered by the resurrection.
Material Component Details
Significant Diamond Investment. The 1,000+ gold piece diamond represents substantial resource commitment for premium resurrection capabilities.
Component Consumption. The consumed diamond makes each casting expensive, requiring careful consideration of resurrection priorities and resource management.
Quality Considerations. Higher-value diamonds might provide enhanced resurrection success or reduced revival complications for extremely old revivals.
Creator Notes
High-Level Death Management. Resurrection provides powerful revival capabilities appropriate for high-level characters and important historical figures.
Campaign Impact Tool. The spell enables revival of significant NPCs, historical figures, or characters whose return dramatically affects ongoing stories.
Resource Investment Balance. The material cost and caster taxation prevent casual resurrection while maintaining accessibility for important character revival.
Environmental Interactions
Secure Casting Environment. The hour-long casting time requires defendable positions where interruption risks are minimal during the complex revival process.
Historical Context. Reviving century-old figures requires consideration of cultural, political, and social changes that have occurred during their absence.
Body Integrity Independence. Unlike lower-level resurrection spells, missing body parts don't prevent revival and are restored during the process.
Common Rulings & Clarifications
Century Time Limit. Creatures dead for up to 100 years can be revived, providing extended but finite opportunities for historical resurrection.
Death Type Exclusions. Natural death from old age cannot be reversed, nor can creatures that were undead when they died.
Complete Restoration. All hit points are restored, missing body parts regrow, and poisons are neutralized during the revival process.
Caster Taxation. Reviving creatures dead for 365+ days prevents further spellcasting and imposes disadvantage until a long rest.
Alternative Applications
Historical Investigation. Reviving witnesses to ancient events, crimes, or mysteries provides unprecedented access to firsthand historical accounts.
Political Restoration. Returning important leaders, rulers, or diplomatic figures can resolve succession crises or restore legitimate authority.
Knowledge Recovery. Accessing information, skills, or secrets held by deceased experts, scholars, or specialists from earlier eras.
Related Spells
Resurrection Magic Progression. Revivify offers immediate but limited revival, Raise Dead provides mid-level capabilities, while True Resurrection offers ultimate power.
Death Prevention. Death Ward and similar spells prevent the need for resurrection, while healing magic addresses damage before death.
Restoration Magic. The spell automatically provides many restoration benefits but doesn't address all possible conditions or magical effects.
Scaling Analysis
High-Level Standard. Resurrection serves as the premium revival option for high-level characters, providing comprehensive restoration capabilities.
Historical Significance. The extended time window enables resurrection of characters and NPCs from earlier campaign periods or historical events.
Resource Scaling. The 1,000 gold cost becomes manageable for high-level characters while remaining significant enough to prevent casual use.
Narrative Flavor
Miraculous Revival. The spell should emphasize the extraordinary nature of complete restoration with dramatic signs of returning life and vigor.
Time Bridge. Reviving century-old figures offers opportunities for exploring cultural change, historical perspective, and temporal displacement themes.
Divine Intervention. The magic should reflect the profound power required to restore complete life across such extended time periods and physical damage.