Summary
Coming back from the dead is a subject that’s almost certain to come up in the course of any lengthyDungeons & Dragonscampaign, but it can often be a contentious one.DnDisn’t shy about supporting the resurrection of party members, baking in several different possibilities depending on how and when a character dies. That doesn’t always mean resurrection is trivial, especially for a low-level party, but it’s a route that’s generally feasible to pursue in a campaign that’s sticking to the rules as written.
That being said,DnDrules are explicitly intended to be guidelines rather than inalienable law, and there are plenty of cases where a dungeon master might want to ban player characters coming back from the dead altogether. It’s the kind of choice that’s best to establishbefore starting a campaign, as the DM and the party need to be on the same page when dealing with something so monumental. In some campaigns, getting rid of resurrection can be the best move, but it’s not the right fit for every game table.
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Pros Of Letting Player Characters Resurrect In D&D
Character Storytelling Gets A Chance To Shine
The biggest pro of letting player characters resurrect inDnDis simply that it’s something many players enjoy, andDnDis ultimately about having a good timeat the game table. In modernDnDplay,it’s common to invest significant time, effort, and emotion into telling a character-based story. Having that cut off by an untimely death with no way to bring the character back into the narrative can be frustrating, and rolling up a replacement could leave a player less connected to the campaign than before.
There’s also the fact thatDnD5e is fundamentally heroic fantasy, where daring feats of strength and powerful magical displays show off the capability of an adventuring party that can overcome virtually any odds. It’s certainly possible to take the system in different directions, butheroic fantasy is what it does best, and resurrection fits nicely into that picture. The fear of permanent death could discourage players from taking interesting risks and pushing their characters to their limits, potentially muting the impact of the party and leading to fewer memorable moments.
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Allowing player characters to come back from the dead additionally offers a little more wiggle room when it comes to encounter balance. Perfectly honed fights that consistently challenge parties but never result in deaths that feel unfair can be hard to get right every time, especially for inexperienced DMs.Removing the finality of death can actually lead to more challenging games in some cases, where DMs truly test the party’s mettle while feeling less nervous about accidentally ruining the fun.
Cons Of Player Characters Coming Back From The Dead
Adventuring Can Benefit From Real Stakes
At the same time, stakes are still important in even the most heroicDnDcampaigns, andit’s hard to always make the stakes feel real when death is little more than an inconvenience. If death doesn’t matter much, the only consistently unrecoverable threat is a total party kill, andTPKs shouldn’t feel like they’re on the linein every fight. Making death permanent can keep players on their toes even when facing minor challenges, pushing them to think strategically and develop the instincts and wits that naturally befit a successful adventuring party.
Permanent death is still more or less possible inDnD’s rules through a number of specific circumstances that fully destroy a player character’s physical body and tether to reality, with the only recovery option being the powerful, rare, and potentially dangerous spellwish.
In aDnDcampaign that’s more focused on survival, making death permanent helps offset the system’s tendency toward heroic fantasy for a more appropriate tone. In some cases, it can also work for parties invested in character storytelling, asdeath can add layers of meaning and emotion to the party’s journey. If the players enjoy coming up with character concepts, rolling up new characters more frequently offers a chance to flex those creative muscles, and it can be fun to see a party’s dynamic shift as new figures come into the mix.
Resurrection In D&D Can Come With Strings Attached
Challenges & Consequences Add An Extra Layer
There’s no rule that aDnDcampaign has to stick to either extreme regarding player character resurrection, and exploring the options in between can lead to interesting possibilities. House rules that make resurrection more difficult thanDnD’s prescribed methods maintain some of the weight of death while keeping the door open for continued character storytelling.Seeing a party go through hell to bring back their fallen comrade can make for a fantastic narrative experience, even if it takes things off track from the main thrust of the plot.
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Exploring the possibilities of involved character resurrection opens a lot of interesting avenues. The party might need to complete some kind of Herculean task to achieve their goal, testing their strengths and forging a bond that’s stronger than ever. In a darker campaign,resurrection might be something that takes away as much as it gives, forcing the party to make sacrifices or bringing back the deceased adventurer in a radically changed way. In a system that acknowledges plenty of dark magic, the opportunities here are virtually limitless.
The popularDnDlive play seriesCritical Roleuses house rules for resurrection that make it more challenging, which works well in a dramatic narrative experience.
Although there’s ultimately no right or wrong answer when it comes to resurrection inDnD, it’s worth taking the time to consider the possibilities seriously. Taking that option out of players' hands on a whim could make a campaign fall apart, while a group that wants a grittier style of play might be energized by the threat of permanent death. There’s certainly a reason whyDungeons & Dragonsgives player characters options to come back from the dead by default, but it doesn’t mean that other approaches aren’t interesting in their own right.
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop game originally invented in 1974 by Ernest Gary Gygax and David Arneson. The fantasy role-playing game brings together players for a campaign with various components, including abilities, races, character classes, monsters, and treasures. The game has drastically expanded since the ’70s, with numerous updated box sets and expansions.
