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BobVosh
2011-02-16, 05:43 AM
This is probably going to be RAI as I doubt RAW specifically mentions this. Is an animal willing for raise dead to work?

If you want the specifics its on the Roc King in the Age of Worms campaign. Need to get a feather. :D

On a side note they have no way of knowing what condition they were in when brought back, right? I wanted to bring it back after cutting it's limbs off so it couldn't fight us lol.

Eurus
2011-02-16, 05:50 AM
...Uh. Why? I'm not familiar with the creature/campaign in question, but if it's unintelligent enough to count as an animal (since I'm fairly sure that any animal of int 3 or higher is by definition a magical beast), why do you want to chop off its limbs and rezz it?

Actually, come to think of it, I don't think you can raise a limbless corpse. Some resurrection spells require the body to be reasonably intact, others fully heal it - not really a middle ground there.

BobVosh
2011-02-16, 06:07 AM
While the spell closes mortal wounds and repairs lethal damage of most kinds, the body of the creature to be raised must be whole. Otherwise, missing parts are still missing when the creature is brought back to life. None of the dead creature's equipment or possessions are affected in any way by this spell.

And I need to pluck a feather from it while it is till alive. For stupid druids I have begun to loathe.

Eurus
2011-02-16, 06:12 AM
While the spell closes mortal wounds and repairs lethal damage of most kinds, the body of the creature to be raised must be whole. Otherwise, missing parts are still missing when the creature is brought back to life. None of the dead creature's equipment or possessions are affected in any way by this spell.

And I need to pluck a feather from it while it is till alive. For stupid druids I have begun to loathe.

Well, I suppose that would technically be following the letter of the request. Better hope that they don't figure out what you did, though. :smalltongue:

BobVosh
2011-02-16, 06:45 AM
Well, I suppose that would technically be following the letter of the request. Better hope that they don't figure out what you did, though. :smalltongue:

It was dead when I got there! Stupid clerics with undead artifact hands >=|

caden_varn
2011-02-16, 06:59 AM
I thought that the subject of the raise was aware of the general circumstances of the situation, so they could make an informed choice of whether to come back. If I were DMing the situation, I would probably rule that the bird was aware of it's limbless situation, which probably won't make it terribly keen to come back...

Sounds like a DMs call situation to me basically.

Skaven
2011-02-16, 07:09 AM
They know their state and your motivation. As a DM I don't think it would be willing.

BobVosh
2011-02-16, 07:31 AM
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/raiseDead.htm

You restore life to a deceased creature. You can raise a creature that has been dead for no longer than one day per caster level. In addition, the subject’s soul must be free and willing to return. If the subject’s soul is not willing to return, the spell does not work; therefore, a subject that wants to return receives no saving throw.

Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The subject of the spell loses one level (or 1 Hit Die) when it is raised, just as if it had lost a level or a Hit Die to an energy-draining creature. If the subject is 1st level, it loses 2 points of Constitution instead (if this would reduce its Con to 0 or less, it can’t be raised). This level/HD loss or Constitution loss cannot be repaired by any means. A character who died with spells prepared has a 50% chance of losing any given spell upon being raised, in addition to losing spells for losing a level. A spellcasting creature that doesn’t prepare spells (such as a sorcerer) has a 50% chance of losing any given unused spell slot as if it had been used to cast a spell, in addition to losing spell slots for losing a level.

A raised creature has a number of hit points equal to its current Hit Dice. Any ability scores damaged to 0 are raised to 1. Normal poison and normal disease are cured in the process of raising the subject, but magical diseases and curses are not undone. While the spell closes mortal wounds and repairs lethal damage of most kinds, the body of the creature to be raised must be whole. Otherwise, missing parts are still missing when the creature is brought back to life. None of the dead creature’s equipment or possessions are affected in any way by this spell.

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

Diamonds worth a total of least 5,000 gp.
Spoiled for length. I always thought you knew the cleric's alignment and deity for raising, however I don't see either there. In fact I don't see where it says anything like that. Is it in the PHB but not OGL for SRD for some reason?

Chilingsworth
2011-02-16, 08:06 AM
umm... when you raise dead, don't you leave the creature with a measily 1hp/hit die? Couldn't you just nonlethal it into unconciousness?

Basically, instead of amputating its limbs (and ROAYALY piss off the druids,) Have your cleric cast the Raise Dead, and have everyone else in the party ready actions to coup de gras for nonlethal damage (or just to hit it as hard as possible for nonlethal damage if your DM wont let you coup de grs for nonlethal.)

Actually, my group is just finishing up that adventure. We didn't try the plan I just mentioned, so I'm not certain what will happen if you try it.

KillianHawkeye
2011-02-16, 02:54 PM
I always thought you knew the cleric's alignment and deity for raising, however I don't see either there. In fact I don't see where it says anything like that. Is it in the PHB but not OGL for SRD for some reason?

It's not in the spell description, but in the general section on magic. Page 171 of the PHB or here. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm#bringingBacktheDead)


A soul cannot be returned to life if it does not wish to be. A soul knows the name, alignment, and patron deity (if any) of the character attempting to revive it and may refuse to return on that basis.

Note that the PHB version of raise dead does make a reference to page 171 when mentioning that the target must be willing to return.

erikun
2011-02-16, 03:03 PM
I would highly doubt that most animals are interested in returning from the dead. Animals are not exactly the most motivated creatures on the planet, but most will likely be aware of how they died (generally slowly and painfully) and are not likely to willingly return to that state. It is rather difficult to explain to an animal that it will come back whole and uninjured, even without the whole being-dead complication.

Animals with some reason for coming back - mothers with cubs or trained animals loyal to others - are probably far more likely to respond to a Raise Dead spell. I would think that anything else would not. Of course, it is entirely up to the DM if it works or not.

BobVosh
2011-02-16, 07:03 PM
umm... when you raise dead, don't you leave the creature with a measily 1hp/hit die? Couldn't you just nonlethal it into unconciousness?

Basically, instead of amputating its limbs (and ROAYALY piss off the druids,) Have your cleric cast the Raise Dead, and have everyone else in the party ready actions to coup de gras for nonlethal damage (or just to hit it as hard as possible for nonlethal damage if your DM wont let you coup de grs for nonlethal.)

Actually, my group is just finishing up that adventure. We didn't try the plan I just mentioned, so I'm not certain what will happen if you try it.

We solved it another way, but then I just became curious what playgrounders thought about animals accepting a raise dead.

So in that vein: Lets say it was any animal like a turtle you had since level 4 and he died due to being close you and meteor swarmed. Would he accept a raise?

KillianHawkeye
2011-02-16, 07:26 PM
He's probably enjoying life in turtle heaven. Maybe if he was trained to come when called, but otherwise I'd say he stays where he is.