Reincarnate

A
Utility

Reincarnate is a Utility spell. Utility spells solve problems outside of combat or provide unique situational advantages.

See all Utility spells →
 spell of
restorative healing

Reincarnate is a Healing spell. Healing spells restore hit points and bring characters back to life.

See all Healing spells →
 that returns a recently dead humanoid to life in a new body, often as a different species.

2024 Rules
Level & School
5th-level necromancy
Casting Time
1 hour
Range
Touch
Components
V, S, M (rare oils worth 1,000+ GP, which the spell consumes)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Druid
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

You touch a dead Humanoid or a piece of one. If the creature has been dead no longer than 10 days, the spell forms a new body for it and calls the soul to enter that body. Roll 1d10 and consult the table below to determine the body's species, or the DM chooses another playable species.

1d10 Species
1 Aasimar
2 Dragonborn
3 Dwarf
4 Elf
5 Gnome
6 Goliath
7 Halfling
8 Human
9 Orc
10 Tiefling

The reincarnated creature makes any choices that a species' description offers, and the creature recalls its former life. It retains the capabilities it had in its original form, except it loses the traits of its previous species and gains the traits of its new one.

2014 Rules
Level & School
5th-level transmutation
Casting Time
1 hour
Range
Touch
Components
V, S, M (rare oils and unguents worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Druid
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

You touch a dead humanoid or a piece of a dead humanoid. Provided that the creature has been dead no longer than 10 days, the spell forms a new adult body for it and then calls the soul to enter that body. If the target's soul isn't free or willing to do so, the spell fails.

The magic fashions a new body for the creature to inhabit, which likely causes the creature's race to change. The DM rolls a d100 and consults the following table to determine what form the creature takes when restored to life, or the DM chooses a form.

Reincarnate Races

d100 Race
1-4 Dragonborn
5-13 dwarf (hill)
14-21 dwarf (mountain)
22-25 elf (drow)
26-34 elf (high)
35-42 elf (wood)
43-46 gnome (forest)
47-52 gnome (rock)
53-56 Half-elf
57-60 Half-orc
61-68 halfling (lightfoot)
69-76 halfling (stout)
77-96 Human
97-0 Tiefling

The reincarnated creature recalls its former life and experiences. It retains the capabilities it had in its original form, except it exchanges its original race for the new one and changes its racial traits accordingly.

Reincarnate 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

School changed to necromancy. The random result is now 1d10 species instead of d100 with subraces; the table now includes aasimar, goliath, and orc, and the DM can choose another playable species. It now uses species traits instead of race traits.

Reincarnate popularity

How popular is Reincarnate? 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.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated.

Spells similar to Reincarnate