You know the scene. The corpse of the hero lies lifeless on a cold temple slab, his pale flesh lit by flickering orange candlelight. Meanwhile, the fate of the known world lies in the hands of the priests whose orations to their god represent the only chance to bring this chosen warrior back into the fray, to continue his fight against the forces of evil.
This scene doesn’t play out very well in Dungeons & Dragons. A single 9th level cleric comes along and casts the 5th level spell raise dead and within an hour the hero is brought back to life, with no chance of failure (meaning no tension or drama!).
Surely Melisandre has at least one 5th level spell slot? (Copyright HBO).
Perhaps, in recognition of how cheap and easy the process of resurrecting folk threatens to become in Dungeons & Dragons, the 5th edition designers fail to supply DMs with a “high priest” stat block. While the mage (who’s already a 9th level caster) is complemented with the archmage (an 18th level caster) the humble priest (5th level caster) has no higher equivalent in the Monster Manual. (Volo’s Guide to Monsters gives us the war priest, but, despite being a 9th spellcaster, raise dead doesn’t feature in their stat block).
This failure to deliver a high priest stat block is surely a deliberate decision by the 5e designers, to prevent players dragging their fallen buddies to the nearest temple for a quick fix every time a character dies.
Personally, I would actually like dragging my mate’s corpse to the nearest temple to be an option of extending a player’s life, just perhaps not a guaranteed one. While I’m also attracted to the idea that priests combining their entreaties in a consecrated temple could enable them to work powerful acts of faith that a lone cleric out in the wilderness would be unable to achieve. Such desperate attempts to invoke their gods’ powers should take priests much longer than casting their everyday spells, and not come with any guarantee of success.
From these desires (which were awakened by a specific scenario in my new adventure Candlekeep Murders: The Deadwinter Prophecy) I’ve come up with the following Temple Ritual spellcasting mechanics for when multiple clerics are able to team up.
Temple + pious friends = powerful swirly-cosmos magic. (Copyright WOTC).
Note: the mechanics are just for me to have a context for what might reasonably be possible using the 5e rules, and to create consistency in my game; but since players aren’t likely to use them they don’t really need to be painstakingly examined and tested. It’s enough to have an idea of what might be possible. Still I think these would prove fairly robust…
Temple Ritual Casting
By working in unison in a consecrated temple, multiple clerics (‘clergy’), in service to the same god, can combine their spellcasting level to cast spells of higher level than any one of them would usually be capable of casting. This process is called a ‘temple ritual’ and comes with a risk of failure.
To establish the clergy’s combined spellcasting level you can take the spellcasting level of the most powerful cleric (‘head priest’) as a base and then add half the spellcasting level of any additional clerics to the total, rounding any halves down at the end. A clergy may reach a maximum spellcasting level of twice that of the head priest.
Example: A priest (5th level spellcaster, see Monster Manual) can join forces with a second priest to become a 7.5th level spellcaster, rounded down to become a 7th level spellcasting ‘clergy’. This clergy can now cast 4th level spells, as a result of being a 7th level spellcaster.
When a clergy cast spells using the temple ritual mechanics, these rituals take 1 hour per level of the spell being cast, plus the spell’s usual casting time. Such ritual magic is exhausting to to perform and, if the ritual takes 4 hours or more, each cleric must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 8 + 4 for every hour above four that the ritual requires to perform, or gain a level of exhaustion (rising to two levels on a fail by 5).
In addition, as the clergy are beseeching their god to perform magic beyond the usual strength of their faith, they must succeed on a spellcasting group check or the ritual does not work. The DC of the group check is 10 + the level of the spell.
In the concrete example I’d like to create in my world, I want a priest (5th level caster) and 8 acolytes (1st level casters) to team up to form a spellcasting clergy of 9th level (or possibly two priests and three acolytes). Such a clergy can now cast the 5th level raise dead spell as a ritual that takes 5 hours.
Concluding Thoughts
As discussed, with no high priest stat block in 5e, using these mechanics we now have a way for humble priests to perform some of the services we might expect at a large temple. The fact that such spellcasting takes time and physical effort also justifies making it more expensive in your world (DMs might consider that expensive offerings need to be made as well, either to make the ritual possible, or to make it more likely to succeed).
It always felt weird to me that a high priest (if they existed!), with several high level spells slots to burn each day, could easily afford to give away all but free healing and even resurrection magic to kings and beggars alike. Now we’re solving the problem from the other side as it were, by empowering the priest stat block, which is fairly useless by itself.
A Murder Mystery Story
These mechanics came out of the necessity I had while penning my latest adventure Candlekeep Murders. According to the official Candlekeep Mysteries book, the highest level cleric in Candlekeep is Kei Tigersteel a priest. I wanted to imagine a scenario whereby an important, recently murdered, NPC could potentially be brought back to life by the raise dead spell, without having the raise dead spell on the table for every acolyte who dies along the way. I’m pretty pleased with the results and how this scenario (the possibility of resurrection) leads to the removal of the murder victim’s heart, as a resurrection prevention ploy (raise dead requires vital organs to be intact!). Anyway, you can check out the adventure on the DMs Guild…. Ed Greenwood is a fan!
Can you uncover the killer before they discover the Vault of Secrets? Read more!
One For World Builders?
Got a world-building friend? If you think they might enjoy the solutions these mechanics provide then please hit your preferred share button below… cheers!
keith
What I used to do in AD&D was use the resurrection guide showing the % chance of success. I would pretty much allow any 4th level or higher cleric and ANY Paladin ‘attempt’ it in a holy frame of mind or beseeching their deity. then I would start adding modifiers, such as does their deity normally bring back people ‘whole’ from the dead’. Does this player worship the deity. Does the cleric have any casting implements above what they normally use such as vestments, relics, candles and such. All of these would add/subtract to the charts success rate, they were all usually 3-10% depending on how I ruled it as each time would be different.
I would then have either the cleric roll the success chance and that would determine if it worked. Usually, unless there were a lot of bad modifiers or a super bad roll the attempt would work.
BUT, I would also have the player roll % and then this number would after success, be subtracted from the chart for success for the next time.
So, if the first time raised from the dead had a 93% chance of success and cleric rolled a 93 or less, then it worked but the player would then roll a % and I would not tell them what it was for but I would make a note that whatever they rolled was to be used as a negative modifier if it ever happened again. so, if the player rolled a 03 then probably not a big deal next time, but if they rolled a 89, then the next time would most likely fail and their soul would go directly to a hell.
This gave the opportunity for the party to then go through a quest and go to hell to retrieve them if they wished.
I remember once we had a Chaotic evil rogue(yeah, I hate having those types but sometimes it is OK) who died and the original resurrection failed and the rogues soul went to Elysium?(the one where everything is perfectly lawful and ordered). I kept having him be able to contact the party(about once a session) begging them to rescue him from the hell he was in. They declined and the game continued and that player rolled up a new character. NOT a CE rogue.
Another thing I would do, would be to have the cleric/paladin doing the resurrection be absolutely worthless for the next 1-10 days as they recovered.
I like your thoughts on the temple priests doing it, but I usually don’t go into it that deep. I just say, ‘yep, they can do it but its gonna cost ya a bunch of moola!!’. I don’t remember how much, but it would usually break a party that had been getting good loot rolls and sometimes leave them in debt to the temple which of course would trigger another plot line.
duncan
Thanks Keith…. I really like the idea of a player’s resurrection percentage chance going down the more often they get resurrected.
We usually apply a permanent -2 Con penalty to resurrected characters. But i like your idea better in a way… although might combine both.
Regarding your last point, that’s where there’s a bit of disconnect for me…. a high level cleric could perform this service very cheaply, and if they were lawful good, wouldn’t they be basically compelled to do? My little system here assumes, like the Monster Manual, that high level priests aren’t at all common, and that a whole clergy and a lot of time are required for high level casting…. thus giving a reason for that whole lotta moolah being charged!
Ben
What do you think of lay-members contributing? I’m thinking of the cultists of Kali in Temple of Doom—surely they were contributing something. Assuming they even have a “caster level,” it would take 32 of them (at CR 1/8) to add a enough caster levels to High Priest Mola Ram, allowing him to cast Death Ward before ripping out the heart of his next sacrifice. That sounds about right. Well done!
duncan
I would usually only consider contributors who have a caster level, and the acolyte serves our purpose here as it is a level 1 caster. However, you could assign a devoted ‘cultist’ a value as you say….
Rick Coen
My world has a “congregation” effect, instead of a clergy effect. Otherwise, we’re fairly close in concept – if not power. Most “priests” in my world are “lay priests” with *maybe* Magic Initiate (Cleric)! However, they are skilled in directing the prayers and faith of their congregations. A Village priest can (skill check) pull off level 1 spells when the whole village is together. A Town priest, with roughly 10 times the congregation, can get up to 2nd level spells. The provincial capital’s Temple can perform level 3 spells during a “High Ceremony” – removing curses, curing disease, breaking enchantments, or protecting the consecrated grounds of the Temple [aka spirit guardians] for a short time. A Town can sometimes craft weak “divine” magic items, while the Temple can also craft some stronger items (like a Periapt of Wound Closure). [Normal potions of Healing are a herbalist or alchemist item, but more powerful potions are Temple items.]
This way the party – which has no cleric, just a bard – has access to some cleric-specific healing, if they are willing to travel. But Raising the Dead would only be *maybe* possible for the High Priest, in the Kingdom’s High Temple, with everyone in the city praying for the outcome. Basically, *maybe* the King or a favored legendary hero. Low level adventurers? nope. Powerful rich nobles… not unless they are beloved of the people!
Interestingly, this “congregation effect” also empowers Cults in my world. Get enough like-minded people together with fanatical belief in something, and you really *can* change the world (as much as 1st level spells, anyway). The PCs have had to deal with cultists (and last night, some goblins) that have a single use of Shield, or Heroism, or Cure Wounds, having been empowered as “champions” by a small fanatic congregation of “true believers”!
I like your rule ideas though for clergy, something I’ll keep in mind (read: probably steal). I haven’t put mechanics to my thought; maybe something along your lines, but more diffuse?
[And a shout-out to Ben’s Indiana Jones idea, which closely follows my congregation idea!]
duncan
Hi Rick, that sounds like very coherent world building, and I love the idea of the whole community having to come together to power a resurrection – the heroes really have to behave like heroes if they expect to be brought back from the dead, and be conscious of their public image.
Julie Y
When it comes to PC resurrection, I think the question to ask is, which is more fun for the players: suspense about whether resurrection will work, leading to a greater sense of stakes if a PC goes down, or safeguarding against being forced to abandon a character that you want to keep playing? The answer is going to vary from table to table, and it’s important to know which way your own group leans. A good thing to talk about in your session 0.
Sadly, I feel like players of both viewpoints too often look down on those who hold the opposite opinion.
duncan
“Sadly, I feel like players of both viewpoints too often look down on those who hold the opposite opinion.” I think you’re probably right Julie. And that could be probably said of other differences in viewpoints too!
Good point about handling resurrection in a session 0, or at least before the situation arises, so PCs know death is more likely (or not) to be final in your campaign.
D.
Ps. Sorry that I never got around to replying earlier… I must have missed your comment at the time.
Jason
Here is how I handle resurrection at my table, inspired in part by Matt Mercer, but with a few more penalties to explain why priests and clerics don’t just go around resurrecting every person who dies:
Certain spells (Raise Dead, for example) can bring a character back from the dead, but success is never guaranteed. The deceased person’s soul and spirit have separated from their body and must be magically reunited; a process that is both complex and costly. The person casting the resurrection spell must sacrifice a bit of their own spirit energy in order to tether the soul back to its body and then “jump start” the body to reinvigorate it.
Casting any resurrection spell with a casting time greater than 1 Action triggers a Resurrection Skill Challenge which must be overcome in order to return the character to life. This represents the character’s party members, friends, or loved ones calling out to the deceased player’s soul and enticing it to return to the mortal realm, while the spell caster works at “stitching” the soul back to the body using a bit of their own spirit.
To begin, set the target difficulty for this skill challenge at DC 10. A minimum of 3 skill checks must be made by players and loved ones to set the final DC, though they may make more than 3 attempts if they wish. A successful skill check lowers the DC by 1d4, while a failure raises the DC by 1. The skill checks to be used are chosen by the players performing them (with DM approval) and must be relevant to the deceased player in some way, such as using a Perform check to play the dead player’s favorite song, or a Persuasion check to call out in prayer and plead to the character’s god for their release. These skill checks must be roleplayed to be effective, and are made at a base DC 12, but may be higher or lower based on how relevant or well-roleplayed the DM considers the attempt, including the possibility of gaining advantage/disadvantage on the check). Hero points may not be employed during a Resurrection Skill Challenge, although Bardic Inspiration may apply with DM approval. No skill check may be repeated, although the same player may employ more than one attempt using a different skill each time.
Once the final DC has been set by factoring in the success/failure rolls, a final roll is made by the person casting the resurrection spell. This roll is a d20 plus the caster’s spellcasting modifier, made against the target DC. On a success, the player’s soul (if willing) returns to its body and the character returns to life. If the roll fails, the player’s soul remains in the afterlife permanently. Only the most powerful of magic, such as a True Resurrection spell or a Wish, may grant another attempt at bringing the character back.
Each time a character dies, they incur a penalty to any future resurrection DCs of +1d4. This penalty stacks on subsequent deaths, making future resurrections increasingly difficult as their spirit becomes more and more fractured.
Being returned from the dead is a grueling ordeal. The character suffers from “resurrection sickness”, imposing 4 levels of exhaustion. The character also loses 1 point of either CON or CHA permanently (player’s choice), representing the gradual degradation and fracturing of the character’s body and spirit.
For the caster of such life restoring spells, resurrecting a creature that has been dead for more than a minute is very taxing, requiring the sacrifice of a portion of their own spirit. They suffer half the normal effects of resurrection sickness (2 exhaustion, in addition to the loss of 1 CON or CHA). Until the caster finishes a Long Rest, they are also unable to cast spells higher than 5th level.
In the case of resurrection spells with a casting time of 1 Action or less (such as Revivify), no Resurrection Skill Challenge is required. The caster of the spell makes a Rapid Resurrection check, rolling a d20 and adding their spellcasting modifier. The DC is 10, increased by any penalties the character may have gained from previous resurrection attempts. Hero Points and Bardic Inspiration may be applied to this roll. On a failure, the character’s soul is not lost, but the attempt fails and increases any further Resurrection check DCs by +1. On success, there is no loss of CON or CHA to the caster or the target, but both characters gain 1 level of exhaustion.
duncan
Hi Jason, seems like a good system if you want to make a cool mini-story out of the resurrection process!
The cost to the caster also means DMs can justify charging players LOTS of gold from their local priest too… who presumably has a very low con or cha score if they’ve been in the game too long 🤣