DCC Greyhawk Spell - Raise Dead

So let’s talk about Raise Dead.

The Core DCC rules say ‘don’t do it’ … except there’s a black pool in the Shudder Mountains that can do it, there are patron spells like Kith of the Hydra (page 334 DCC Core Rulebook) … there are exceptions.

So D&D and especially AD&D have a long relationship with Raise Dead.  Newer editions like 3^rd edition created roadblocks to using such a spell with expensive material components but back in the B/X D&D and AD&D days the only limitation was that Raise Dead only worked for a few days after they died, the body had to be reasonably intact, and you needed to find a caster of 9^th frickin’ level which was it’s own problem.

I think that Raise Dead should be a possibility in my Greyhawk campaign – but it’s not like popping down the pharmacy for a 5000 gp prescription (eg. 3rd or 5th edition D&D) and you are good.  There should be … dire consequences.

For the raised person, they might not come back all the same – the DCC adventure The Grave Pool has side effects, let’s take a bit of that. 

For the caster, there should also be consequences for upending the natural order of things – usually, according to the core rules, it is a permanent reduction of Luck.  So what if we put that as a cost for the Cleric?  That means they won’t be using Raise Dead on Bob the Farmer down the street (even if Bob is friends with a 9^th level caster), but the cleric might use it for their dear friend and paladin Sir Palantis, fallen in battle while on a perilous quest with them.  But still, the cost should be dear.

Here's my take on it.  Thoughts?  Drop me a note to archadethered@gmail.com

 

Raise Dead

Level: Cleric 5 Range: Touch Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 1 hour Save: Usually none (see below)

This spell can call forth the spirit of a recently deceased creature, dead no longer than 1 day per level of the cleric.  Their body must be reasonably intact, and any impairments or missing limbs will still exist when they are raised.  This spell has a heavy cost for both the caster and the raised subject.  If used on recently raised undead, it can be used against them if they fail a Will save vs. spell check.

1-19   Failure, and for daring such an act the Cleric suffers a permanent loss of 1d3 Luck.

20-21  The cleric calls back a deceased soul, if they are willing to return – they are revived with 1 hit point and all Abilities temporarily reduced to 3 each which would recover as normal (DCC Core Rules X), but they must also make a Luck check, and if they fail they have not returned entirely as they were – roll 1d6: (!) The raised person is not the same, roll randomly for a new alignment; (2) Their soul only partially came back they are distant and distracted, permanently reduce their Personality by 1d3 points; (3) they are tainted by death and can be harmed by holy water and turn unholy checks; (4) their body has been corrupted, suffer 1d3 minor corruption effects; (5) they are haunted by nightmares and sleepless nights from their ordeal they only heal 1 hit point per day from full bed rest and none while adventuring; (6) They will never truly heal from their wounds that caused their death, lose 1 point of Stamina permanently.      The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses 1d3 points of Luck permanently if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 2d3 Luck.

22-25  As 20-21, but if the raised person fails their Luck check they just lose 1 point of Stamina Permanently.  They also have all six of their abilities reduced by 1d8 points of temporary damage that can recover as normal – if any ability is reduced below 3 in this manner they are feeble and bedridden until that ability is healed to 3 or more.  The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses 1 point of Luck permanently if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 1d3 Luck.

26-27  As 22-25 but the raised person no longer need to make a Luck check.  All six of their Abilities suffer 1d6 points of temporary damage that can recover as normal – if any ability is reduced below 3 in this manner they are feeble and bedridden until their Ability is healed to 3 or more.  The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses no Luck if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 1 Luck.

28-29  As 26-27 but the raised person is affected with all six of their Abilities suffer 1d4 points of temporary damage that can recover as normal – if any ability is reduced below 3 in this manner they are feeble and bedridden until their Ability is raised to 3 or more.  The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses no Luck if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 1 Luck.

30-35  As 28-29 but the raised person is affected with all six of their Abilities suffer 1d3 points of temporary damage that can recover as normal – if any ability is reduced below 3 in this manner they are feeble and bedridden until their Ability is raised to 3 or more.  The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses no Luck if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 1 Luck.

36-37  As 30-35 but the raised person is affected with all six of their Abilities suffer 1 point of temporary damage that can recover as normal – if any ability is reduced below 3 in this manner they are feeble and bedridden until their Ability is raised to 3 or more.  The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses no Luck if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 1 Luck.

38+    As 33-37 but the raised person has no Ability damage and can function as normal.  The cleric, for daring to interfere in the natural order of things loses no Luck if the raised person was of the same alignment or worshipped the same god, otherwise they lose 1 Luck.