Resurrection

A
Support

Resurrection is a Support spell. Support spells strengthen, protect, or buff allies.

See all Support spells →
 spell that brings the dead back whole, mending wounds and
restoring health

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

See all Healing spells →
 after death.

2024 Rules
Level & School
7th-level necromancy
Casting Time
1 hour
Range
Touch
Components
V, S, M (a diamond worth 1,000+ GP, which the spell consumes)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard, Cleric

With a touch, you revive a dead creature that has been dead for no more than a century, didn't die of old age, and wasn't Undead when it died.

The creature returns to life with all its Hit Points. This spell also neutralizes any poisons that affected the creature at the time of death. This spell closes all mortal wounds and restores any missing body parts.

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.

Casting this spell to revive a creature that has been dead for 365 days or longer taxes you. Until you finish a Long Rest, you can't cast spells again, and you have Disadvantage on D20 Tests.

2014 Rules
Level & School
7th-level necromancy
Casting Time
1 hour
Range
Touch
Components
V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Bard, Cleric

You touch a dead creature that has been dead for no more than a century, that didn't die of old age, and that isn't undead. If its soul is free and willing, the target returns to life with all its hit points.

This spell neutralizes any poisons and cures normal diseases afflicting the creature when it died. It doesn't, however, remove magical diseases, curses, and the like; if such effects aren't removed prior to casting the spell, they afflict the target on its return to life.

This spell closes all mortal wounds and restores any missing body parts.

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.

Casting this spell to restore life to a creature that has been dead for one year or longer taxes you greatly. Until you finish a long rest, you can't cast spells again, and you have disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.

Resurrection 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

It no longer cures normal diseases. The poison rider is narrower: it only neutralizes poisons that affected the creature at the time of death. The post-resurrection penalty now applies to D20 Tests instead of just attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks, and the post-cost drawback now gives Disadvantage on D20 Tests.

Spells similar to Resurrection

  • Raise Dead 5th-level necromancy

    It's the lower-level version that also restores a dead creature to life and removes death's lingering effects, making it the most direct mechanical relative.

  • Revivify 3rd-level necromancy

    This is the emergency, lower-level resurrection that brings someone back with a touch, sharing the same core purpose but with much tighter time and power limits.

  • True Resurrection 9th-level necromancy

    As the ultimate form of bringing the dead back, it mirrors Resurrection's intent and restrictions but at a higher power tier and broader scope.

  • Regenerate 7th-level transmutation

    Though not a straight resurrection, it is a same-level restorative spell that heals severe wounds and can restore lost body parts, matching Resurrection's recovery aspects.

  • Reincarnate 5th-level necromancy

    This alternative revival option also returns a dead creature to life with effects on the body, making it a functionally similar way to fix death's consequences.