Bringing other back to life: The "mundane" way.

[Condé]

Is there any non-spellcaster way to resurrect/raise dead/reincarnate/whatever your fellow party memebrs?

Spirit Shaman at level 11 has Recall Spirit. Like raise dead, for free, no level lost, once per week. Not bad. Sadly it is on a spellcasting class.

Alter-self/polymorph into some outsiders and using Assume Supernatural Ability or Metamorphic Transfer can do the trick too. But I think the lowest creature with that kind of spell as supernatural ability is 6 so you'll need Metamorphosis/Polymorph (Or Reserves of Strength feat on alter self but we don't talk about this) and except you are a Thrall of Juiblex, you are going to need to be a spellcaster I believe.

EDIT: Can't find the creature who can do that so I might be wrong here. (My memory is failing me, once again)

So... Any Prestige Class giving a supernatural or spell-like ability to get your friends back to work?

[Rebel7284]

EDIT: Can't find the creature who can do that so I might be wrong here. (My memory is failing me, once again)


You are likely thinking of Movanic Deva.
SLA 1/day - raise dead
It is an SLA though, so harder to get than SU abilities


Do items count? Contingent Spells?

Intelligent Magic Items can have this ability:

Item can use true resurrection on wielder, once per month +200,000 gp

Notably, an Item Familiar can also pick this up.

Spellstiched template can be used to give any undead character SLAs up to 6th level. Need to find a spellcaster willing to apply it. Technically available at level 1.

There is always "ritual magic", but that doesn't really have rules as such.

[Paragon]

You could use a Planar Shepherd's Planar Bubble ability to emulate the Heroic Domains of Ysgard in which a slain creature comes back to life the next morning.

[Jack_Simth]

Is there any non-spellcaster way to resurrect/raise dead/reincarnate/whatever your fellow party memebrs?

Spirit Shaman at level 11 has Recall Spirit. Like raise dead, for free, no level lost, once per week. Not bad. Sadly it is on a spellcasting class.

Alter-self/polymorph into some outsiders and using Assume Supernatural Ability or Metamorphic Transfer can do the trick too. But I think the lowest creature with that kind of spell as supernatural ability is 6 so you'll need Metamorphosis/Polymorph (Or Reserves of Strength feat on alter self but we don't talk about this) and except you are a Thrall of Juiblex, you are going to need to be a spellcaster I believe.

EDIT: Can't find the creature who can do that so I might be wrong here. (My memory is failing me, once again)

So... Any Prestige Class giving a supernatural or spell-like ability to get your friends back to work?

Is Pathfinder content OK? If the Ultimate Mercy (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/ultimate-mercy/) feat is on the table (although technically paladins are spellcasters, so for it to a be a non-spellcaster method, you'll either need an Archetype to remove the casting such as Tempered Champion or Warrior of the Holy Light), or get the requirements done by way of getting Lay On Hands and Mercy by a non-paladin route).

A rogue (or anyone else with UMD) can use wands, scrolls, or staves, and those can include Reincarnate, Raise Dead, Last Breath, Revivify, and so on. Probably breaks the spirit of what you want, though, as this still requires a caster in the mix somewhere (just, you know, not in the party).

A Psion(Egoist) can get Psionic Revivify. Probably breaks the spirit of what you want, though, as manifesting is very casting-adjacent.

[Chronos]

The Healer eventually gets True Resurrection as a spell-like ability, but again, it's a casting class.

[Rebel7284]

Oh, I just remembered this.

http://web.archive.org/web/20090218080723/http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drfe/20080428

Requires level 21, but Eternal Hero has Continual Resurrection.

Also, Telflamar Shadowlord, Jade Phoenix Mage, and Sand Shaper all have class features that may allow them to come back from the dead.

Ghosts have Rejuvenation (Su)

Typically, these methods require your party members to take these specific feats/classes/templates, but they are non-spell methods.

If you want to be really cheesy. Heartfire Fanner -> Inspired Fight -> Share your Epic Destiny Feat with your party. You may need to keep singing till dawn though.

You may also be able to share some of those class features via the Fusion Power or similar effects.

Ability Rip may even allow you to share Rejuvenation, but you would need to find a way for a ghost to count as a living creature.

[Condé]

Paladin's Divine Spirit ACF can cast Revivify... But you need to be level 20.


Is there a spell or an ability to resurrect a character as an undead without the player losing control of their character?

[spectralphoenix]

Paladin's Divine Spirit ACF can cast Revivify... But you need to be level 20.


Is there a spell or an ability to resurrect a character as an undead without the player losing control of their character?

Player losing control of their character is sort of a DM call more than a rules thing, but becoming a Necropolitan ought to work.

[Tzardok]

Are you open to 3rd party stuff? The d20 adaptation of WoW includes as a technological device the "Goblin Jumper Cable", which can with a successful Use Technological Device check revive anyone who hasn't been dead for longer than 10 minutes.

[Satinavian]

If the whole group is undead, they can be spellstiched with (if they have enough wisdom) Revive Undead.

[Silva Stormrage]

Paladin's Divine Spirit ACF can cast Revivify... But you need to be level 20.


Is there a spell or an ability to resurrect a character as an undead without the player losing control of their character?

Most forms of undead that apply templates don't cause the player to lose control of their PC. If the template doesn't have LA: - the player remains in control of their character with the adjusted LA applied to their ECL. Even for undead who start out enthralled such as vampire if you can command the master vampire they can simply release their thrall and the PC gets their character again.

[Condé]

Most forms of undead that apply templates don't cause the player to lose control of their PC. If the template doesn't have LA: - the player remains in control of their character with the adjusted LA applied to their ECL. Even for undead who start out enthralled such as vampire if you can command the master vampire they can simply release their thrall and the PC gets their character again.

What about Animate Dead spell and such then? Let's say you do not have a spell to resurrect your friend and decide to cast Animate Dead instead. Do their character become an NPC or do they keep the control of their character... Undead... And having to obey you...?

[icefractal]

Skeletons and Zombies are mindless, which IIRC means not playable, and also they have LA -. So Animate Dead wouldn't create playable undead.

Create Undead could, but that doesn't give you control over them. There is Rebuke to control them, which would in most groups be considered PVP, same as using Dominate Person.


Whether an undead created from a person is that person, such as for purposes of being a PC, is an interesting question, which AFAIK doesn't have a concrete answer.

Certain types (Liches, Ghosts) are described as truly being that person - in most published settings, anyway. But I don't consider the mere presence of a template to mean it's inherently the same person - an Effigy isn't, for example. So undead like Ghouls and Vampires are ambiguous.

Personally, I'd say that any non-template undead, or templates where you lose all the class levels, are at the least strong indications it's not the same person.

[Rebel7284]

While there are some playable undead races, Necropolitan is really the only good one. No racial HD. No LA. A short-lived XP hit when you first take it, but like they say, experience is a river and you catch up pretty fast.

[Condé]

While there are some playable undead races, Necropolitan is really the only good one. No racial HD. No LA. A short-lived XP hit when you first take it, but like they say, experience is a river and you catch up pretty fast.

In this context it doesn't help, since you have to be alive to acquire that template. My question was about bringing a character to life as an undead... If that makes sense.

But I agree, Necropolitan is the less painful way to become undead.

[Satinavian]

In this context it doesn't help, since you have to be alive to acquire that template. My question was about bringing a character to life as an undead... If that makes sense.

But I agree, Necropolitan is the less painful way to become undead.
As said above, that is what "Revive Undead" is for. Which you can get as SLA from a template basically for just gold even on non-spellcaster characters if they have enough wisdom.

[Gruftzwerg]

Are custom made magic items ok?^^

Drow House Insignia: Sanctum Spell - Last Breath

Last Breath is normally a 4th lvl druid spell and the insignia only allows a maximum of 3rd lvl spells.
Sanctum Spell decreases the spell's level by 1 when cast outside the sanctum. This would technically make such an item possible.

The insignia can be used by anyone. Last Breath must be used immediately within one round, but otherwise doesn't have any major drawbacks. (no CON/LVL loss).

[Remuko]

As said above, that is what "Revive Undead" is for. Which you can get as SLA from a template basically for just gold even on non-spellcaster characters if they have enough wisdom.

i dont think you're understanding what they're saying. theyre not talking about reviving a character who is already undead. theyre talking about a living PC, who died, and bringing them back as an undead character in lieu of normal resurrection. revive undead brings back a destroyed undead. the person wants to bring back a living PC who died, as a form of undead until they can be brought back to living status (or they choose to remain undead)

[Satinavian]

That is why you preemtively convert your whole group to necropolitan or whatever. And then you can get SLA abilities to revive them without any cost during adventure. And as often as you need.

[Condé]

Side note: I have seen, and not only in this thread, some people recommending the Spellstitched template...
Have you seen how expensive it is?

I am actually surprised I could not find any creature with a revive/raise dead equivalent as a Su ability. It seems it is is only available through spell-like abilities, which is a shame since this is the only thing you cannot get, I believe.

Bringing people back to life without being a spellcaster seems really hard to achieve.

[Gruftzwerg]

Bringing people back to life without being a spellcaster seems really hard to achieve.

You can always buy it as a service in a town.

[MinimanMidget]

Who needs prestige classes? You can do it with a feat! If you have the Mark of Healing, Dragonmark Visionary gives you Revivify with no material components. If it has to be tied to a prestige class for some reason, Dragonmark Heir will help you make your way through the feat chain, earlier than you normally can.

[Satinavian]

Side note: I have seen, and not only in this thread, some people recommending the Spellstitched template...
Have you seen how expensive it is?Sure, but you get a lot of cool stuff. Well worth it and i have used it myself last time i played an undead cleric.