Raise Dead
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- 1 hour
- Range
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M (a diamond worth 500+ GP, which the spell consumes)
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Bard, Cleric, Paladin
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2024)
With a touch, you revive a dead creature if it has been dead no longer than 10 days and it wasn't Undead when it died.
The creature returns to life with 1 Hit Point. This spell also neutralizes any poisons that affected the creature at the time of death.
This spell closes all mortal wounds, but it doesn't restore missing body parts. If the creature is lacking body parts or organs integral for its survival—its head, for instance—the spell automatically fails.
Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target takes a -4 penalty to D20 Tests. Every time the target finishes a Long Rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it becomes 0.
2014 Rules
- Level & School
- 5th-level necromancy
- Casting Time
- 1 hour
- Range
- Touch
- Components
- V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 500 gp, which the spell consumes)
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Classes
- Bard, Cleric, Paladin
- Source
- Player's Handbook (2014)
You return a dead creature you touch to life, provided that it has been dead no longer than 10 days. If the creature's soul is both willing and at liberty to rejoin the body, the creature returns to life with 1 hit point.
This spell also neutralizes any poisons and cures nonmagical diseases that affected the creature at the time it died. This spell doesn't, however, remove magical diseases, curses, or similar effects; if these aren't first removed prior to casting the spell, they take effect when the creature returns to life. The spell can't return an undead creature to life.
This spell closes all mortal wounds, but it doesn't restore missing body parts. If the creature is lacking body parts or organs integral for its survival—its head, for instance—the spell automatically fails.
Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The target takes a −4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time the target finishes a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears.
Raise Dead 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Raise Dead popularity
How popular is Raise Dead? It is a seldom seen spell in the game, but is often chosen over other options when available. This spell could be a valuable addition for spellbooks.
- #3 picked level 5 Bard spell
- Top 25% of all level 5 spells
- Top 50% picked level 5 Cleric spell
- Bottom 50% of all 5e spells
- Bottom 50% picked level 5 Paladin spell
Read about how this popularity data is calculated.
Spells similar to Raise Dead
Revivify 3rd-level necromancy
It is a lower-level touch-based necromancy spell designed to return a recently deceased creature to life immediately.
Players prefer Revivify over Raise Dead
Resurrection 7th-level necromancy
Like Raise Dead, it restores a dead creature to life through a touch and has no ongoing duration.
Players prefer Resurrection over Raise Dead
True Resurrection 9th-level necromancy
Both spells provide instantaneous restoration of life by touch, while this higher-level version has far fewer restrictions.
Players prefer True Resurrection over Raise Dead
Clone 8th-level necromancy
Clone is another high-level necromancy option for restoring a character after death, although it requires preparation in advance.
Players prefer Clone over Raise Dead
Reincarnate 5th-level necromancy
This same-level necromancy spell also brings a dead creature back instantly with a touch, though it gives the creature a new body.
Players prefer Raise Dead over Reincarnate
Gentle Repose 2nd-level necromancy
Its touch range, necromantic school, and ten-day duration directly support preserving a body until a spell such as Raise Dead can be used.
Players prefer Raise Dead over Gentle Repose