Post/Author/DateTime	Post
davethebrave371 04-24-06, 01:35 AM	They answered my question...only I realized I didn't phrase it clearly. 04/24/1006 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/ask) Q: Are undead and/or deathless considered dead for the purposes of resurrection spells? For example, could a 2600 year old lich (like Vol from the Eberron Campaign Setting) be resurrected normally, because she was made into a lich 2600 years ago, or would a 260th level cleric be required? --David A: Ah, if only it were that easy to defeat a lich, a creature of such great power! But no -- the PHB (pg. 272) description of resurrection states: “constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can’t be resurrected.” Still, I would like to meet that 260th level cleric. I meant, as in, after killing the lich. I'm sure those on this forum are familiar with the question...does undead count as dead for the purposes of res spells? But, again, I wasn't very clear. I still feel cool for getting picked.
DragonWatcher 04-24-06, 10:02 AM	I have always taken the passage that was quoted in your answer to mean that once something is made into an undead of any kind, you can no longer use that corpse to res them in any way. You would have to use a spell that doesn't require a corpse, or use a wish to create a "fresh" corpse. So, even after being defeated, you cannot "Raise Dead" on a lich. Now, the question is could you "True Ressurect" a lich?
davethebrave371 04-24-06, 03:47 PM	I have always taken the passage that was quoted in your answer to mean that once something is made into an undead of any kind, you can no longer use that corpse to res them in any way. You would have to use a spell that doesn't require a corpse, or use a wish to create a "fresh" corpse. So, even after being defeated, you cannot "Raise Dead" on a lich. Now, the question is could you "True Ressurect" a lich? I suppose, ironically, I didn't make my clarification clear either. Ha! :D I meant with the appropriate spell. So to cast aside all doubts, I do mean with true ressurection. However, since the rules don't make it clear what the corpse of a walking corpse counts as, as well as what kind of corpse the walking corpse counts as in the first place, even normal raise dead might work if you have the whole body. But again, we'll go with true ressurection for this example. The rules aren't clear, which begs a lot of questions about Vol. She has access to clerics (granted, only a handful, or perhaps even just one or two) with true ressurection, and likely with miracle. It was discussed in more detail here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=534590) a while back.
AvonRekaes 04-24-06, 08:10 PM	I'd say that, yeah, undead count as head. Vol is actively searched for a way back to life, so her dragonmark will work. She just can't, cause no mortal spell can reach her. (And even if gods were reachable in Eberron, none of them are 260th level clerics :P)
davethebrave371 04-25-06, 01:31 AM	I'd say that, yeah, undead count as head. Vol is actively searched for a way back to life, so her dragonmark will work. She just can't, cause no mortal spell can reach her. (And even if gods were reachable in Eberron, none of them are 260th level clerics :P) Well, house rules aside, official answers'd be nice. It's not just a Vol thing, it can affect things such as characters who become undead and then seek some sort of redemption. There is still no official word (though people argue on either side of the fence that technically there is, and both are equally valid-sounding), but it looks as though the rules are saying that since death and undeath are two different states, mechanically, the duration of undeath doesn't count for the purposes of the spell. Again, it's a rules question I've never seen an answer to, and I've Sage'd it, and now I've Ask Wizards'd it (albeit in a poorly worded fashion). I guess I'll have to wait and see if there's ever a Sage response.