RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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So when you come back from the dead, you get 1 or 2 permanent negative levels, depending on the method of return. These can be removed by a restoration or greater restoration spell. The restoration spell indicates that "This spell cannot be used to dispel more than one permanent negative level possessed by a target in a 1-week period." and it has a material component of 1000 gp in diamond dust if used for a permanent negative level. Greater restoration costs 5000 in diamond dust and can remove all permanent negative levels.
Since restoration is a 4th level cleric spell, and the most comon way to come back from the dead at mid levels is the raise dead spell (5th level, 5000 gp material component), and gives you 2 negative levles, doesn't that mean that you can simply pay 6000 gp instead and have only 1 negative level?
By the time you can use a ressurection spell, (7th level, 10000 gp cost), it's even more trivial to pay the 11000 gp and come back with no negative levels. Sure, you use up a 4th level spell slot also, but it seems odd to me that the only real penalty for coming back from the dead can be so quickly (1 minute casting time on restoration) be removed or halved.
Is there supposed to be (or should there be) a rule that negative levels gained from returning fromt the dead can only be removed after 1 week?
Is there supposed to be (or should there be) a rule that negative levels gained from returning fromt the dead can only be removed after 1 week?
I don't think so. I think it works properly the way it's written. I just suffered two character deaths in my RotR campaign. It was immediately after a trip to Magnamar where most available cash was blown on upgraded goodies. All four party members (including looting the pockets of the dead) had to fork out to pay for two castings of raise dead and two castings of restoration. If it weren't for the treasure taken off the bodies of the enemy, it wouldn't have worked. We were within a couple hundred gp of not doing the job.
My point is this: we can't afford two more restoration spells right now. We barely could afford these. Death isn't something everyone budgets for. It's entirely possible for a party to be able to scrape up 5k for the raising but not have another 1k for removing the negative level. In that case, they have to go adventuring in an extra nerfed stated for a while to scrape up the loot.
If you've got the cash, you walk around with one negative level as the result of your untimely demise. If you spent your cash on goodies, you either stay weak for a while or - get this - you suffer financial setback even worse and sell off something!
I think the designed solution is elegant.
I do think it's interesting that it's cheaper component-wise to use Raise Dead and Greater Restoration than it is to use Resurrection and normal Restoration, for the same result.
I do think it's interesting that it's cheaper component-wise to use Raise Dead and Greater Restoration than it is to use Resurrection and normal Restoration, for the same result.
Makes sense though. Raise dead is great...once your back in town and can rest to get over it, or if you've died recently. Die the fight right before the BBEG, or the trip back to where a cleric can bring you back takes a while, and Resurrection is the ticket.
why?
Raise dead brings you back with hit points equal to your level, and a 50% chance of losing any given spell slot. Resurrection brings you back at full hit points, fixes up uyour ailments, and doesn't cause the loss of any spell slots. Plus, Resurrection can bring you back from some circumstances Raise Dead can't.