Reincarnate?!?

[banzai]

Last night we continued a grand story arc in which a giant was helping us to carry an enlarged (plot item) cauldron. He gladly assisted us after a rousing game of “You guess my riddle or me get to smash you!” He carried the burdensome cauldron for us several miles until it came time to go our separate ways. As we waived goodbye to our newest friend, a demon-orc party attacked him (one that had been following us for about a week). We rushed back as quickly as we could to aid him, but sadly he fell in battle towards the end of combat.

My character is a (Neutral/Good) Shaman who slayed as many orcs in battle as he could to try and avenge our giant friend. Now I am silently pondering, should I try to Reincarnate our NPC friend (I lack the proper spells to resurrect him). How do you think the giant would react to all of this magic? Would the giant be simply more at peace to pass on? How would he react if his new body were completely different (since giants would be a 1% chance with the DM’s Choice)? Lastly, have you had any adventures in which you used a Reincarnate spell on a NPC?

[Tehnar]

Your DM should make a new table for creatures of the giant type if you want to use reincarnate on a giant. the table in PHB is for humanoid characters.

I used reincarnate once on my characters animal companion, a fleshraker which turned him into a boar, which I later awakened. Dino the boar sadly didnt see much application, since his former master promptly lost his life along with the rest of his compatriots. But he still lurks around somewhere.

[random11]

PCs usually have three levels of reaction to death: NPCs, close NPC, and other PCs.

NPC death - "well, nothing we can do, at least he is now happy in the <name your afterlife>
Close friend or family NPC - raise if possible, mourn if not. Either way, use as vengeance plot hook.
Other PC - Cross to the other side of the continent with a rotting corpse to find someone that will raise him.

The giant, with all the respect, belongs to the first group.

Besides, if your DM has a sense of irony, he will reincarnate him as a demon-orc. I know I would have...

[Shademan]

have i ever told you about the brave crab?
he looked like any other crab, only he was slightly larger (still a tiny creature) and tougher. he had, what was it? 5 levels in dwarven defender?

he could stop a horde of bull-rushing orcs alone. he even killed a orc cheiftan before he got his normal body back.
WITH HIS CLAWS!

reincarnate is a VERY funny spell. use it, i say!

[Telonius]

Most amusing use of reincarnate I've seen: our party Warforged had been complaining that he's never been able to enjoy a good beer like the "fleshers" do. So, of course, when he gets killed, we roll for reincarnation. It comes up dwarf. I'm fairly certain he drank an entire tavern's worth of beer that evening.

[SoD]

Hmm, well, once I reincarnated our CE evil goliath barbarian...into an elf.

[Epinephrine]

Reincarnate is such an odd spell. It feels like russian roulette - our party is in the process of hauling an NPCs body back to his clan (fallen dwarf, died fighting at our side), using gentle repose the whole way. We debated a reincarnation, but since he could come back as a non-dwarf (which would make him uncomfortable) and possibly some odd goblinoid or something (ack!) we figured it's better to bring him back home.

Here's a question though; you must be willing to return, right? A dwarf who hates orcs and goblins wouldn't want to return as one. It says that "when the body is ready, the subject is reincarnated" - could the subject choose thus after the roll is made for the type of being?

[Jasdoif]

Here's a question though; you must be willing to return, right? A dwarf who hates orcs and goblins wouldn't want to return as one. It says that "when the body is ready, the subject is reincarnated" - could the subject choose thus after the roll is made for the type of being?

You only know the name, alignment, and patron deity (if applicable) of whoever is trying to return you to life. You don't even necessarily know that they're using reincarnate when you choose (although if you know the person is a druid, it's a fair guess).

[mostlyharmful]

Reincarnate is by far and away my favorite raise spell, I've often debated instituting a Reincarnation Only houserule just to cut down the revolving door feel, lets people continue playing favoured PCs while keeping a risk (a controlled one thanks to the screen).

That being said Nothing beats a random roll look on a players face though. I've got a whole set of random tables for my version, Race, Sex, Ethnicity, Dominant Hand and Other (that one's fun) Maybe add in a double roll on the random NPC characteristics table in the DMG,

"All PCs raised in the Spirit of Gygax, this establishment takes no responsibilities for randomly generated weirdness"

[Dannoth]

Do not ressurect/reincarnate NPCs .... at all .... ever

Over population sucks.

Imagine if every time a King died some smart @$$ cleric rezzed him. Just let them die.

[Hectonkhyres]

Do not ressurect/reincarnate NPCs .... at all .... ever

Over population sucks.

Imagine if every time a King died some smart @$$ cleric rezzed him. Just let them die.

Well, abuse it and whatever Anubis-analog will either ban it himself or possibly start exacting some sort of horrible, horrible cost to revival. Think Full Metal Alchemist here.

Yes, your king comes back... looking like Jeff Goldblum after he came out of the telepod that last time. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I personally want to see a goliath frenzied-berserker reincarnated into a kobold. Scariest thing ever.

[CASTLEMIKE]

I'd Reincarnate the giant in that campaign. It's nice having some BBGGs in game to balance out some of the BBEGs.

[Collin152]

I'd Reincarnate the giant in that campaign. It's nice having some BBGGs in game to balance out some of the BBEGs.

Big Burly Good Guys?

[Trizap]

I dunno what Reincarnate is like, but it sounds pretty funny and could be used for comedy (perhaps a joke in a comic?)

[monty]

Of course, if you roll a 00 on the reincarnate table, all kinds of fun stuff can happen (squirrel barbarian!).

[Dr Bwaa]

Reincarnate is a great spell. I absolutely vote to use it early and often :)

[SoD]

Also good if you hate several different races: if your gnomish friend dies, and you reincarnate him...if he comes back as a goblin, or an elf, or a dwarf, or an orc...kill him. Then rereincarnate him.

''What?! Another dwarf?! Goddamnit!'' *splorch*

[Madmal]

Also good if you hate several different races: if your gnomish friend dies, and you reincarnate him...if he comes back as a goblin, or an elf, or a dwarf, or an orc...kill him. Then rereincarnate him.

''What?! Another dwarf?! Goddamnit!'' *splorch*

I'm just going to say:

"Every misuse of Reincarnation gives a Marut it's purpose"

[John Campbell]

I'm just sad that they nerfed the reincarnate table in 3E. In the better editions, there was a pretty good chance that you'd end up as a badger or something. It was endless hilarity. Now it takes 00s and a cruel DM.

We once had a reincarnate result in an elf... but it was the paladin's special mount that was the reincarnate target. He really meant, "Please, Paladine, would you resurrect my faithful steed," but that isn't what he said. So he no longer had a horse; he had a squire. Another time we ended up with a squirrel wizard, who, once he got the hang of casting with his paws, decided he liked that form better.

[Triaxx]

Reincarnate is even better if you apply the odd/even rule. Odds turn up male, even's female. That leads to infinite hilarity. Die a male Half-orc, rise a female kobold.

Something tells me while the giant might appreciate the thought, he might NOT enjoy the results.

[Triaxx]

Reincarnate is even better if you apply the odd/even rule. Odds turn up male, even's female. That leads to infinite hilarity. Die a male Half-orc, rise a female kobold.

Something tells me while the giant might appreciate the thought, he might NOT enjoy the results.

[Triaxx]

Reincarnate is even better if you apply the odd/even rule. Odds turn up male, even's female. That leads to infinite hilarity. Die a male Half-orc, rise a female kobold.

Something tells me while the giant might appreciate the thought, he might NOT enjoy the results.

[Lorien077]

If you got the opportunity, by all means reincarnate. Its loads of fun, and if you have any vested interest in this NPC at all its completely worth it.
We ended up reincarnating random NPCs who died for various reasons, and for some bizarre reason we ended up turning it into a game show. The druid casting the spell summoned a wheel to spin (flavor only) and the djinni wizard was acting as a lovely assistant. We got some crazy results.

[Accersitus]

My group had a lot of fun when my paladin
got reincarnated as a goblin. Thankfully
the DM decided that the aura of good made sure
that it didn't take very hard diplomacy checks to
move around in civilized lands.
This made sure that we had hours of fun
role playing some of the weirder situations
without me having to make a new character.

[FlyMolo]

Do not ressurect/reincarnate NPCs .... at all .... ever

Over population sucks.

Imagine if every time a King died some smart @$$ cleric rezzed him. Just let them die.

Age limits and Maruts. CR 15, totally spooky inevitables. So hardcore.

[CthulhuM]

Age limits and Maruts. CR 15, totally spooky inevitables. So hardcore.

Actually, age limits don't apply to reincarnate. Yes, you can't reincarnate someone who has died of old age, but the spell specifically creates a "young adult" body for them. Do it regularly (i.e. every 30 years or so) and you're effectively immortal.

In any event, by far the most fun to be had with reincarnate involves using it on native outsiders. Our DM made up a table that included such interesting forms as manes, formians, lantern archons, quasits, imps, vargouilles, minor xorn and yeth hounds. And that wasn't even the DM's choice option...

[Shademan]

hey, Banzai! you must tell us what happened to the giant?
did you reincarnate him or what?

[banzai]

hey, Banzai! you must tell us what happened to the giant?
did you reincarnate him or what?

Well as of right now I plan to try to reincarnate the Giant. I will have to work a little with the DM since he is not a fan of "The Big Revolving Door in the Sky." I am also low on diamond dust, thus I will need to substitute some other precious materials for the components. I have even offered to substitute some of my character's xp as part of the components; just to make sure the spell works.

Hopefully we will game next week. I will be sure to let everyone know the results.

[senrath]

Wait, why diamond dust? Reincarnate states that it's material cost consists of "rare oils and unguents worth a total of at least 1,000 gp."

[banzai]

Wait, why diamond dust? Reincarnate states that it's material cost consists of "rare oils and unguents worth a total of at least 1,000 gp."

My mistake. That being said, I do not have many possesions as a Shaman except the gold and fems I have picked up along my adventures. There is also the possibility that the giant (who has a large sack of goodies) might have something of value to cast the spell.