Can Devils be Resurrected?

[Othesemo]

One of my players was recently offered a Faustian Pact. In exchange for his immortal soul, he would be given a libram of ineffable damnation, as well as a personal squad of Nessian War Hounds (which was thrown in during bargaining). Since he intends to become a lich, he's strongly considering it. However- he has a pressing concern. If he died, and went to hell, would it be possible to resurrect him? I'm currently placed in the rare situation of having no idea what the answer is. Having glanced through the Fiendish Codex 2, I can't find anything. So, would it be possible to resurrect him?

[Mystic Muse]

If you can't find a rule for it, the decision falls to you. Personally, I'd say he can only come back if the being allows him to.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Depending on the definition of "exchanging his immortal soul" means he can comeback, but he will always go back to whatever plane the fiend is from. Or that he owns the soul literally and can decide whether or not it can come back or not.

[Aidan305]

A rather good reference here would be the webcomic Darken (http://darkencomic.com/) where the protagonist sold his soul to Mephistopholes for power and, after dying, was returned to Darken as the champion of that particular Archdevil, forced to serve and do his bidding. In essence, the devil owns him and can do what he like with him, phylactery or no.

There's a reason why Faustian pacts are always a bad idea.

[Dr.Epic]

I'd say no. If he offered him his soul, then wouldn't it be the same as a soul bind.

[KillianHawkeye]

Outsiders can be brought back to life with a true ressurection spell. I think there may also be a version of normal ressurection or raise dead that works only on Outsiders in one of the Fiendish Codices.

[Othesemo]

Outsiders can be brought back to life with a true ressurection spell. I think there may also be a version of normal ressurection or raise dead that works only on Outsiders in one of the Fiendish Codices.

In this case, he doesn't want to be resurrected as a devil. He wants to know if his mortal form can be resurrected after his immortal soul is turned into a devil.

[KillianHawkeye]

In this case, he doesn't want to be resurrected as a devil. He wants to know if his mortal form can be resurrected after his immortal soul is turned into a devil.

His what now? :smallconfused:

Maybe you get get permanently polymorphed into a mortal creature after you become an Outsider. I dunno.

[RedWarrior0]

Well, first of all, the character proper, for all intents and purposes, fails to exist once he's been tortured into lemure form. Secondly, this is only mentioned in passing, but the bottom right corner of the FC II page 24 says that no, they can't be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected.

[hamishspence]

Spell Compendium has Revive Outsider.

[Quietus]

In general, no. Once you've sold your soul, it is essentially no longer just an energy-form of yourself, it is the literal property of a fiend. That fiend owns it, and can decide what happens to it. The fiend has the right to say "No, you can't be resurrected" - or, I would even say, "I don't care that you don't want to go back, you have no say in it!" and forcing an unwilling return to life. If said fiend can render you down into experience and/or gold, they can certainly give the finger to anyone trying to spend some diamonds to get you back.

[Cicciograna]

I'd say that this is possible...for the right price.
I think that it's always possibile to bargain with devils, provided that they end up with the biggest net gain from the deal. Your player wants to be resurrected? Not a problem, provided he pays an exaggerate price: said price could be the souls of his best friends, lovers, rulers or the like. You know, something which could soothe the devils' sorrow for the loss of...ah...such a valuable asset as your player's soul.

[CTrees]

Well, the RAW has already been stated, but my thinking was: normal means of resurrection only work if the soul is willing to come back. If you've sold your soul to a devil, the devil gets to make all decisions regarding said soul. Thus, the question the spells ask becomes, "is the fiend willing to let the soul return to its original body," as the soul passes on the "willing: y/n?" to its possessor. Therefore, the answer is likely "no," except in cases where it would amuse the owning devil.

That's how I'd rule it as a DM, anyway.

EDIT: One could have a lot of fun by having either the fiend or an agent thereof appear before the character attempting the resurrection and attempting to make a deal to allow it :smallamused:

[RedWarrior0]

Yeah, it is totally like a devil to make three bargains with people as soul-for-a-soul, unless the character in question is at the point where his soul is more potent than three souls of ordinary schmucks.

The main way I can see him being able to avoid having his humanity (or whatever race he is) tortured out of him, aside from a certain P-word, is to get Bel/the Dark Eight to purchase the character's soul in exchange for significant services rendered in the Blood War.