As I had my first death yesterday in a 1,5 year long campaign, I looked at the Raise Dead spell and the rules for getting back to life. As it is written, you loose one lv and is put half way between that lv and the next. So the lv 10 char (which was around 1000-1500 xp from lv 11) will be a lv 9 char and half way to lv 10. I guess its bad luck to get killed and raised just before you lv, but life is hard.
From those of you who dm, how do you handle death, raise dead and xp loss?
And as a player, will you take it as a man if you like the char, or will you often think he is broken now, and make up another instead?
I am considering to maybe let him keep his lv, but reduce the xp so it will take time to catch up, but its still a heavy xp loss. I think death should matter somehow. but it still feels like big punishment.
In my game, what I do is give the player one effective negative level that can not be fixed until they reach the next level-like they had been level drained, and can't cure it with a restoration spell. That basically gives them -1 to attack rolls, skill checks, savings throws etc. and they lose one of their highest level spells. Once they reach the next level...everything reverts to normal.
For me, it saves the headaches of experience point calculation for differing level PCs, and for the players, they are not down one level for most of the campaign. It is also easier bookkeeping for them. I feel that this makes a real consequence for player death, but one that can be overcome if you are patient enough to wait one level.
Here are my (confusing) house rules on raise dead and resurrections:
-such a spell may only be cast 4 times during the year (the solstices and equinoxes
-it requires a number of participant casters=to the level of spell being used (ex: raise dead=5 casters while true ress=9)
-one of these must be a willing cleric with the death domain who is of a high enough level to cast the spell requested
-another must be a willing cleric with the healing domain who is also of a high enough level to cast the spell requested
-there are no material components but the ritual requires the sacrifice of a willing outsider with 2xas many HD as the spellbeing cast, also with an alignment up to one step separated from the creature being resurrected
-upon returning to life the character must make a fortitude or will save equal to 25-1/4th the healing clerics level-the level of the spell cast (ex: 20th level cleric casting true ress has a DC of 11)
-if the save is failed then that character loses one level and is placed in the midpoint of the new weaker level exp-wise
magic items or spells may not affect the saves (you cant use an ammy or will or cloak of resistance to gain bonuses)
If a player decides to make a new char they must make them at -1 their former characters level, or if a new player joins they get in at the parties level.
I let it stand as written. The penalties for death are harsh. The costs of "getting over it" can be harsher. Think of it this way, the character is getting a majorly miraculous benefit from the party cleric or from a paid priest in a city capable of pulling off the spell. The character is paying his "karmic debt" to that deity with a portion of the life being salvaged. It's his "price tag" for getting the benny of coming back to life. He has another chance to pursue his path. Who knows, maybe he'll become impressed with the power, benevolence, persistence (whatever) of that deity and convert...If not, no big deal, the character obviously had a "destiny" to fulfill and the level loss is part of that destiny.
I'm with lawgiver here. The penalties for returning from the dead should be harsh. When you return from beyond the veil you should be less than you were simply to reflect the toll that being dead has taken on your mortal soul.
I'm also a bit confused when DMs rave on about raising the dead being too easy. First of all, the cleric needs to be 9th-level before he can cast raise dead. That's pretty steep. If you are using the normal rules for NPC levels, about one community in every 10 (or more) should have a 9th-level cleric, and clerics above 12th-level should be incredibly rare.
Then there is the cost involved in raising someone. 5,000 gp in diamonds is nothing to sneeze at, and if you are going to an NPC it becomes much more expensive (6,000 gp +). If 5,000 gp worth of diamonds is easy to come by in your campaign, perhaps its the economics of your campaign world rather than the resurrecting spells you need be looking at/re-evaluating? Maybe you are the one at fault for dishing out so much treasure?
One of the biggest problems DMs seem to have with these spells is that they think that they are way too powerful. Bringing someone back from the dead. Impossible! (Or at least really, really hard). Why is that so? If that's the case you should put limitations on all the high-level spells that are in the book. I mean teleporting across vast distances, or polymorphing someone into a toad, or creating a wall of invisible nigh-indestructable force. All of those bend the laws of reality just as much as raising the dead.
I don't have a problem with people being stingy with resurrection in a low-magic campaign world. If casting spells above 3rd-level requires contacting supernatural demons, or there aren't any gods, the lack of resurrection magic is perfectly understandable. But in a normal campaign world where wizards are throwing fireballs around and dragons are destroying kingdomes, why be stingy with regards to resurrection. It doesn't make any sense with me.
Might go for a little mix here. If the character was between 1% - 50% from next lv, they'll loose a lv and end at half way between that lv and and next. But if they were at 51%-99% to next lv, they will loose a lv, but get 75% into that lv.
Will also use the energy drain part until they get enough xp to lv up again, since it will save some hassle.
I use it as written. Possibly as a consequence, my players have never used Raise Dead or Resurrection - if they can't afford a True Resurrection then they let the character stay dead.
here's how i do it. high level clerics IMC are rare, and only found in big cities, of which there are only 5 or 6. you also have to bring 200,000 gp, and this includes 1,000 gp/level of the victim in diamonds.
the process takes 24 hours, and when the victim is raised, he loses a level AND a con point permanently. he starts off with xp equal to the beginning of his new level, and cannot get it back with greater restoration.
I'm with lawgiver here. The penalties for returning from the dead should be harsh.
In theory, I agree. I think that the reason that I made the changes that I did are the large number of high level spells that are "save or die." Its so easy to have one bad die roll kill a character, even when the players are working well together and not making any real mistakes. I guess I just feel for them in those situations. Of course, I also completly understand your position as well.
The problem is not that XP level loss is harsh but that it is unfair - depending on you current XP total you can lose much more/less than somebody else. Change the level loss to be a flat 500 times your current level. That averages it out.
I also do the "you get one negative level" until that XP is gained back. Much easier than recalculating your character back to the previous level.
As for the "my character is ruined", I require a replacement character to be the same level as the dead character.
IMC, the high level clerics are rare and resurrection spells are expensive - 10,000 gp + 1,000/lvl. With every death there is a permanent constitution point loss. This keeps the penalties harsh enough in my opinion. I don't personally like the whole xp loss under any circumstances. I understand the theory behind it but it doesn't make me agree in the supposed justice of the system. I do like the negative level suggestion - that seems much more reasonable and easier to manage (for both DM & player).
I usually DM (over 90% of the time) but when I play, I'm very attached to my characters. I like them to have the opportunity to be raised (even if this is difficult) - I hate the whole idea of a replacement character and the break of continuity/rapport the introduction of a new character brings. This is probably because our games are pretty high in role-playing and development of deep rich characters with complex motivations and histories. I put alot of energy into inventing and developing a character - it's more than just a bunch of stats to me. Character concepts can't just be changed like an old shirt!...okay...rant over...taking deep breaths now...;)