Fan art of Jester casting Revivify on Caduceus, by Linda Lithén.[art 1]
Resurrection is the act of returning a character from death. In Critical Role, there have been several deaths of player characters which have caused the party to attempt resurrection rituals when possible.
The Fading Spirit[]
- → See also: FAQ#How would a character death be handled?
In Critical Role, certain powerful spells along the lines of Revivify and Resurrection are treated as a challenge. This means that players can undo death, but its success is determined by the player's capabilities as a spell caster and their character's attachment to their companions. Whenever a character does die, a resurrection can be attempted but it is a challenge. This means there is a possibility of failing in which case the resurrection fails, the soul is lost and the character is deemed permanently dead.
Death DC[]
When a creature is resurrected, a roll is made against a DC, which begins at 10. For each time the creature dies, their death DC is increased by 1.[2]
Rapid Resurrection[]
When a creature is targeted by the spell Revivify, the caster makes a spellcasting ability check against the target's death DC. On a success, the spell takes hold and the creature is resurrected. On a failure, the creature's death DC is increased by 1, and they can't be resurrected until they are resurrected by a spell with a casting time longer than one action.[2]
Resurrection Ritual[]
When a creature is targeted by a resurrection spell with a casting time longer than one action, such as Raise Dead or Resurrection, a ritual is initiated in which up to three creatures can contribute in order to call the creature's soul back to their body. The creature makes an ability check with a skill the DM deems appropriate for the action, against a DC that the DM also determines.[2]
For each successful check, the creature's death DC is lowered by 3 for this ritual. For each failure, it increases by 1 for this ritual. The DM makes the final roll against this DC. On a success, the creature is returned to life if its soul is willing. On a failure, the creature's soul is lost, and further resurrection rituals fail automatically.[2]
Only the strongest of magic can bypass this ritual, in the form the True Resurrection or Wish spells. These spells can also return to life a creature whose soul was lost from a failed ritual.[2]
Consecution[]
Special rules apply to consecuted individuals dying within range of a Luxon beacon. If the soul still remained within the beacon awaiting a rebirth, it would be plucked from the beacon via the spell and work as normal. If the soul had already been reborn, then there would be no soul to resurrect, and the spell fails.[3]
Notable character deaths[]
Campaign 1: Vox Machina[]
| Character Name | Episode | Killed By | Resurrected? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike Trickfoot | Pre-Stream ("The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06)) | Glabrezu | Yes, by Father Tristan | Slain by a critical hit as the glabrezu picked her up in its pincer-like hand and cut her in half.[4][5] |
| Grog Strongjaw | "The Temple Showdown" (1x11) | K'Varn | Yes, by Pike | Killed by a Death Ray from K'Varn.[6] Revivify succeeded. |
| Vex'ahlia | "The Sunken Tomb" (1x44) | Trap | Yes, by Kashaw Vesh | Killed by the trap placed on Purvan Suul's tomb which was unintentionally triggered by Percy.[7] Revivify succeeded. |
| Grog Strongjaw | "Best Laid Plans..." (1x50) | Craven Edge | Yes, by Pike | Soul swallowed by Craven Edge.[8] Revivify succeeded. |
| Theodore | "The Kill Box" (1x52) | Herd of Storms | Yes, by Pike | One of the Westruun civilians killed by the Herd of Storms. Raise Dead succeeded. |
| Percival de Rolo | "Cloak and Dagger" (1x68) | Anna Ripley | Yes, by Pike | Shot by Anna Ripley while he was unconscious.[9] Resurrection succeeded.[10] |
| Vex'ahlia | "Raishan" (1x80) | Raishan | Yes, by Pike | Revivify succeeded. |
| Scanlan Shorthalt | "Raishan" (1x80) | Raishan | Yes, by Pike | Frozen solid by Raishan's Cone of Cold. Revivify succeeded.[11] |
| Scanlan Shorthalt | "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) | Raishan | Yes, by Pike | Initial Revivify attempt failed;[12] resurrection ritual successful.[13] |
| Percival de Rolo | "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) | Raishan | Yes, by Pike | Gutted by Raishan. Revivify succeeded.[14] |
| Vax'ildan | "Tangled Depths" (1x88) | The Kraken | Yes, by Pike | Swallowed by the Kraken. Pike appeared in her astral form to perform the ritual. Raise Dead succeeded.[15] |
| Keyleth | "Taryon, My Wayward Son" (1x97) | Gravity | Yes, by Vex'ahlia | Plunged to her death over a 1000 foot cliff. Revivify cast by Vex'ahlia out of spell-storing coin provided by Taryon Darrington. |
| Vex'ahlia | "Race to the Tower" (1x102) | Vecna | Yes, by Pike | Instantly killed by Power Word Kill.[16] |
| Vax'ildan | "Race to the Tower" (1x102) | Vecna | No | Disintegrated by Vecna.[17] |
| Vax'ildan | "Dark Dealings" (1x112) | Artagan | No | Strangled out of curiosity by Artagan.[18] |
| Kaylie | "The Final Ascent" (1x113) | Vax'ildan | Yes, by Pike | Killed by Vax while dressed as a cultist.[19] |
| Cassandra de Rolo | "The Final Ascent" (1x113) | Vex'ahlia | Yes, by Pike | Killed by Vex while dressed as a cultist.[20] |
| Velora Vessar | "Vecna, the Ascended" (1x114) | Keyleth | Yes, by Kashaw Vesh | Killed by Keyleth's Sunburst while being used as a humanoid shield by Vecna.[21] |
| Vax'ildan | "The Chapter Closes" (1x115) | - | No | Returned to the service of the Raven Queen after imprisoning Vecna.[22] |
| Lieve'tel Toluse | "The Search For Bob" (Sx45) | Corrupted Empyrean | Yes, by Pike | Killed in "The Search For Grog" (Sx42). Raise Dead succeeded.[23] |
| Vex'ahlia | "Dalen's Closet" (Sx47) | Sylas Briarwood | Yes, by Pike | Drowned the night before her wedding. Revivify succeeded.[24] |
Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein[]
| Character Name | Episode | Killed By | Resurrected? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mollymauk Tealeaf | "Found & Lost" (2x26) | Lorenzo | No | Resurrection discussed, but not pursued. The body was later resurrected by Cree with the help of the Somnovem as Lucien. |
| Caduceus Clay | "Duplicity" (2x55) | Nott | Yes, by Jester | Accidentally killed by an explosive arrow. Revivify succeeded.[25] |
| Nott the Brave | "Dark Bargains" (2x83) | Halas | Yes, by Jester | Killed by Power Word Kill trap after failing to check for traps. Revivify succeeded.[26] |
| Fjord | "Dark Waters" (2x98) | Deep scion | Yes, by Caduceus | Uk'otoa sent deep scions and sea spawn to regain the Cloven Crystal.[27] Revivify succeeded.[28] |
| Orly Skiffback | "Dark Waters" (2x98) | Deep scion | Yes, by Jester | Uk'otoa sent deep scions and sea spawn to regain the Cloven Crystal.[29] Revivify succeeded.[30] |
| Lucien | Around fifty days prior to "The Chase Begins" (2x112) | Lorenzo | Yes, by Cree | After hearing of Mollymauk's death, Cree went to the "vacated" body to bring back Lucien. Resurrection was likely used.[31] |
| Luc Brenatto | "Between a Ball and a Hot Place" (2x129) | Fire Elemental | Yes, by Caduceus | Slain in an area attack by a rampaging fire elemental.[32] Revivify succeeded.[33] |
| Jester Lavorre | "Long May He Reign" (2x140) | Lucien | Yes, by Caduceus | Slain by Lucien's clawed wing attack.[34] Revivify succeeded.[35] |
| Caleb Widogast | "Long May He Reign" (2x140) | Lucien | Yes, by Jester | Slain by Lucien's clawed wing attack.[36] Revivify succeeded.[37] |
| Mollymauk Tealeaf | "Long May He Reign" (2x140) | The Mighty Nein | Partially, by Caleb/Caduceus | After Lucien fell, Caleb's Raise Dead, cast through his Transmuter's Stone, initially failed to restore Molly's soul to the body.[38] Caduceus successfully used Divine Intervention to allow a second attempt, which then succeeded.[39] However, the resurrected tiefling ended up developing an entirely new identity instead of being restored as Molly. |
Campaign 3: Bells Hells[]
| Character Name | Episode | Killed By | Resurrected? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bertrand Bell | "The Trail and the Toll" (3x03) | Dugger | No | Dugger stabbed him, and the fighter's friends lacked the time and resources to resurrect him.[40] |
| Orym | "Blood and Dust" (3x33) | Otohan Thull | Yes | Revivified by Fearne Calloway.[41] |
| Fearne Calloway | "Blood and Dust" (3x33) | Otohan Thull | Yes | Revivified by Fresh Cut Grass.[42] |
| Laudna | "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) | Otohan Thull | Yes | Raise Dead performed by Pike Trickfoot.[43] |
| Deanna Leimert | About a year before "Far From The Others" (3x52) | A large creature | Yes | Probably True Resurrection performed by a cleric of the Dawnfather.[44] |
| Bor'Dor Dog'Son | "A Haunted Past" (3x63) | Laudna | No | Laudna knocked him unconscious with Hunger of the Shadow[45] and inflicted the final failed death save with Wither and Bloom.[46] |
| Ashton Greymoore | "The Promise and the Price" (3x77) | Absorbing the shard of Rau'Shan | Yes | Ashton's body exploded in a thousand pieces but was immediately put back together thanks to the Ring of Temporal Salvation. |
| Chetney Pock O'Pea | "True Heroism" (3x91) | Otohan Thull | Yes | Chetney was slain in one round by Thull and immediately Revivified by Fresh Cut Grass |
| Fresh Cut Grass | "True Heroism" (3x91) | Self-destruction | No | To save the party from total annihilation by Otohan Thull, Fresh Cut Grass cast Guiding Bolt into their own chest and exploded, killing both Thull and himself. |
Trivia[]
- During the Age of Arcanum the ritual to cast True Resurrection was forbidden, according to Patia Por'co, who remarked that one of the reasons she tried it was because death had a new owner.[47] It is possible that, before the Raven Queen's ascension, her predecessor was against the kind of magic that would take souls away from his domain, even if it was through legitimate methods, since he benefited claiming the dead.[48]
- During the apogee solstice of 843 PD, resurrection spells started to fail,[49] and although part of the reason is the shifting of the ley lines,[50] it is unknown if it is also connected to the fact that the gods are distancing themselves from Exandria, fearing Predathos.
- It is also possible that, now that the Champion of Ravens is imprisoned, it's more difficult for souls to leave and/or return to Exandria, since the celestial warrior is supposed to help guide them.
References[]
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 215.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 119.
- ↑ See Matt's tweet.
- ↑ This pre-stream plot point was discussed during a Q&A. See "Attack on the Duergar Warcamp" (1x04) at 3:45:58.
- ↑ See "The Story of Vox Machina" (Sx06) at 16:59.
- ↑ See "The Temple Showdown" (1x11) at 4:01:56.
- ↑ See "The Sunken Tomb" (1x44) at 4:23:12.
- ↑ See "Best Laid Plans..." (1x50) from 29:50 through 43:16.
- ↑ See "Cloak and Dagger" (1x68) from 4:10:19 through 4:12:11.
- ↑ See "Passed Through Fire" (1x69) at 1:19:27.
- ↑ See "Raishan" (1x80) at 2:37:25.
- ↑ See "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) at 2:25:06.
- ↑ See "Loose Ends" (1x84) at 0:39:40.
- ↑ See "The Deceiver's Stand" (1x83) at 2:44:33.
- ↑ See "Curious Tides" (1x89) at 0:43:33. Matt requested a diamond worth 500 gp, which is the component required for Raise Dead.
- ↑ See "Race to the Tower" (1x102) at 3:15:22.
- ↑ See "Race to the Tower" (1x102) at 3:33:18.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) from 3:44:23 through 3:46:46.
- ↑ See "The Final Ascent" (1x113) at 4:38:25.
- ↑ See "The Final Ascent" (1x113) at 4:38:25.
- ↑ See "Vecna, the Ascended" (1x114) at 01:02:37.
- ↑ See "The Chapter Closes" (1x115) at 01:41:35.
- ↑ See "The Search For Bob" (Sx45) at 0:34:23.
- ↑ See "Dalen's Closet" (Sx47) at 2:28:51.
- ↑ See "Duplicity" (2x55) from 4:04:00 through 4:04:33.
- ↑ See "Dark Bargains" (2x83) from 3:19:20 through 3:20:55.
- ↑ See "Dark Waters" (2x98) at 4:43:28.
- ↑ See "High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99) at 0:15:50.
- ↑ See "Dark Waters" (2x98) at 4:47:09.
- ↑ See "High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99) at 0:18:08.
- ↑ See "Ice and Fire" (2x121) at 0:49:57.
- ↑ See "Between a Ball and a Hot Place" (2x129) from 1:47:18 through 1:48:58.
- ↑ See "Between a Ball and a Hot Place" (2x129) at 2:40:36.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) at 2:21:41.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) at 2:40:46.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) at 3:17:53.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) at 3:51:58.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) from 4:05:59 through 4:16:36.
- ↑ See "Long May He Reign" (2x140) at 4:25:28.
- ↑ See "On the Trail of a Killer" (3x04) at 0:31:45.
- ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 1:04:20.
- ↑ See "What Dreams May Come" (3x34) at 0:35:01.
- ↑ See "A Dark Balance" (3x38) at 0:37:19.
- ↑ See "Far From The Others" (3x52) at 1:29:09.
- ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63) at 2:53:11.
- ↑ See "A Haunted Past" (3x63) at 3:03:38.
- ↑ See "Blood and Shadow" (E3x03) at 3:33:29.
- ↑ See "Duskmeadow" (1x57) from 57:06 through 58:56.
- ↑ See "Hope Within History" (3x55) at 0:40:51.
- ↑ See "4-Sided Dive: Why, Matthew?! Why?" (4SDx15) at 0:06:34.
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Jester casting Revivify on Caduceus, by Linda Lithén (source). Used with permission.