Artificer Cheese?

[RagnaroksChosen]

Ok question for you guys i remember reading some where there is a way for an artificer to make a scroll or a potion to bring some one back from the dead (that's not Reincarnation or any thing like it).

Can any of you guys think of a way... one of our players died and we are trying to come up with ideas on a rez. we are 2nd level and have a 2nd level artificer with us. I believe he UMD check is decent as well. Any ideas or are we boned?

[Fixer]

2nd level characters? Make a new character.

You can't even make a scroll of reincarnate until artificer level 5.

[RagnaroksChosen]

2nd level characters? Make a new character.

You can't even make a scroll of reincarnate until artificer level 5.

I thought that had to do with UMD checks and i thought scrolls where 2nd level? I don't have my books near by.

[Eldan]

You can perhaps try to buy such a scroll, if you pool your money together and have your artificer cast it, that might work.

[kamikasei]

I thought that had to do with UMD checks and i thought scrolls where 2nd level? I don't have my books near by.

What do you mean by "scrolls are second level"? You have to be able to cast a spell to make a scroll of it. Artificers can "fake" it with a UMD check and can do so two levels early, but they can't make a scroll of gate at level one.

As mentioned, they (or any other UMD-using character) can attempt to cast a spell way above their level from a scroll if they can get a hold of one, but a) you're hardly likely to do so and b) you're not likely to succeed if you do.

I'm not sure what way to bring back a dead character that isn't any of raise dead, reincarnate or the like you might have heard of.

[Epinephrine]

At 2nd level we bought a scroll of gentle repose (a few uses) and dragged our dead companion along with us, as he was a dwarf, and would want to be buried in his homeland. As a bonus, the gentle repose would allow his family to raise him if they could. On the way to return his body, we leveled a bit, and found a staff that could restore him to life (which we did - probably the only party in RHoD to completely throw away the charges from a Staff of Life).

Of course, he was lower level and had been replaced by a new character at that point, so he thanked us profusely and went home, leaving the new character - but at least there was the option of rejoining and playing catch-up.

Generally, characters at that low a level are just scrapped. If the party pitches in, they can perhaps afford a raise pretty soon, but they're gimping their WBL substantially at that level. Rasing the dead isn't really an option financially until a few levels later, and as a more regular occurance not until they are into the truly heroic levels.


... one of our players died
I think you mean characters. I really hope that you mean characters :smallwink:

[RagnaroksChosen]

Hmm interesting ok.. well I didn't know about the two level thing that kinda puts a damper on it.. well thanks guys... If any one thinks of any thing else awesome..

[vampire2948]

Well, as people above said, you can't make the scroll of whatever to rez him at your level. But you could possibly get an NPC to do it?

I'd suggest using major creation spells to create the diamonds for use in the Raise Dead spell - but that wouldn't work, since that is a 5th level spell, and if you could do that, you could just Raise Dead yourself.

If you want to rez this player's character, you'll need to pool your gp and buy it from a church or whatever.

It is probably easiest to just make a new character. Or else tell him to come back as a Ghost / similar. There're some LA 0 variants, or low LA variants, somewhere...

Does the party have any means to raise him as an intelligent undead? Then he could go on gaining xp until you have the ability to raise him fully, or he might like being undead.

Also - you could try forcing a NPC cleric or something to do it.. the downside is that any cleric able to do that will be much higher level than you, and will therefore likely be able to defend themselves.
Perhaps try to steal the appropriate scroll or staff of life or something from somewhere?

Vampire2948,

[kamikasei]

That's entertainingly nefarious. Maybe they could ask a benevolent higher-level cleric to help them out, in exchange for some quest the church needs undertaken?

[Epinephrine]

There is always the option that someone wants him/her alive. That someone is willing to advance the money - a wealthy relative, who expects to be repaid - perhaps looking to invest in an adventuring party, or wanting something specific in return. Uncle so-and-so thought that young what'shis-name showed promise, and since the family needs to carry on its name as bold adventurers, is willing to advance dead what'shis-name the money. Just do the family proud, and pay the uncle back from your future loot. Maybe dedicate something to him.

A bit of DM fiat involved, but characters do have backstory, right? And sometimes, they may be related to other heroes, who have a vested interest in seeing heroic types mature to take on their burdens.

[PurinaDragonCho]

This just gave me an idea. In one of my games, if some mysterious, sinister-looking NPC showed up out of the blue and paid to have the character brought back, making cryptic comments about things that would happen in the future... my players would be freaked out. It would be hilarious.

And then, of course, they'd probably never see him again. ;)