The Revivify DND spell is one of the few resurrection spells in Dungeons and Dragons.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know to master this spell.
We’ll cover the spell stats, strategies, and “secret” use cases. You’ll also get the answers to the most commonly asked questions about Revivify.
Revivify Spell Stats
First things first, here is the stat block of the Revivify spell:
| Spell Level | Casting Time | Range | Components | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 1 action | Touch | V, S, M | Instant |
This should get you started.
But if you want a deep dive into the spell and lots of ideas about how to use it, keep reading.
What Is the Revivify Spell in DND?
Revivify is a 3rd-level spell in Dungeons & Dragons that allows you to bring a creature back to life with 1 hit point.
The spell has a casting time of one action and a range of touch.
The material component required is a diamond worth 300 gold pieces, which is consumed upon casting.
The spell must be cast within 1 minute of the creature’s death.
And, it does not restore missing body parts or remove conditions like exhaustion.
Mechanics of Revivify: How It Works
Let’s talk about how the Revivify DND Spell works during gameplay.
Casting Time and Components
Revivify is unique in that it has a quick casting time of just one action.
This makes it incredibly useful in high-stakes situations where every second counts.
The spell requires verbal, somatic, and material components—the material being diamonds worth 300 gold pieces, which the spell consumes upon casting.
Who Can Use Revivify
The spell is primarily available to Clerics, but Paladins who reach a certain level can also add it to their repertoire.
Here’s a simple table outlining when different classes gain access to the Revivify spell:
| Class | Level at Which Revivify is Available |
|---|---|
| Artificer | 9th Level (3rd-level spell) |
| Cleric | 5th Level (3rd-level spell) |
| Paladin | 9th Level (3rd-level spell) |
If you follow the rules in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, Druids and Rangers can also learn the Revivify DND Spell.
This makes it a versatile option for parties with different class compositions.
Range and Targets
The spell has a range of touch, meaning you must be within arm’s reach of the deceased creature.
The target can be any creature that has died within the last minute, making timing crucial for the spell’s success.
What Happens If It Fails
Failure is a relative term with Revivify.
The spell doesn’t have an inherent failure rate, but if you don’t cast it within the 1-minute window, or if the required material components are missing, the spell won’t work.
Time Limitations
Revivify is time-sensitive and must be cast within 1 minute of the creature’s death.
This makes it less versatile than other resurrection spells but also quicker to cast.
Strategic Uses of Revivify
In this section, I’ll share my favorite strategic uses of Revivify.
In-Combat Revival
Revivify is most effective when used in the heat of battle.
It allows a fallen ally to rejoin the fight almost immediately, potentially turning the tide in your favor.
Resource Management
Using Revivify is a calculated risk.
The 300-gold diamond is a hefty price, but it could mean the difference between victory and defeat. Always weigh the costs and benefits before casting.
Synergy with Other Spells
Revivify can be followed up with healing spells like Cure Wounds or Healing Word to bolster the revived creature’s hit points, making it combat-ready in no time.
Preemptive Casting
In high-stakes battles, having a Cleric or Paladin hold their action to cast Revivify can be a lifesaver, literally.
This strategy ensures that fallen allies are brought back to life as quickly as possible.
Combo with Gentle Repose
Gentle Repose extends the time limit for Revivify.
Casting Gentle Repose on a corpse gives you more time to gather the necessary components for Revivify.
Revivify Chain
In a party with multiple Clerics or Paladins, you can create a Revivify chain.
If one caster falls, another can immediately revive them, maintaining the chain. Sidenote: This may severely frustrate your DM, so tread carefully.
Revivify and Teleport
If a party member dies in a location that makes it difficult to reach them within a minute, using Teleport to get to the body quickly can be a game-changer.
After all, you wouldn’t be casting Revivify if it wasn’t a literal life-and-death situation.
Revivify as a Bargaining Chip
The promise of resurrection can be used as a powerful bargaining chip in negotiations, especially when dealing with beings afraid of death.
In fact, the more afraid they are, the more power you have in your negotiations using this spell.
Revivify in Stealth Missions
In missions where stealth is key, Revivify can be a backup plan. If a party member is killed silently, they can be revived without alerting enemies.
The last thing you want is to save a fellow player character, and then be surrounded by an Ork army.
Revivify and Contingency
Pairing Revivify with a Contingency spell can create an automatic revival system, although this requires high-level magic and careful planning.
And I definitely recommend insightfully plotting out your game plan before combat.
Is Revivify Worth It? (Pros and Cons)
For most parties, the pros of Revivify tend to outweigh its cons, making it a spell well worth considering in your magical arsenal.
To better understand its value, let’s break down the pros and cons across various dimensions.
Material Costs: A Double-Edged Sword
- Pros: The ability to bring a fallen comrade back to life is priceless for many adventuring parties. In the grand scheme of a campaign, 300 gold pieces can seem like a small price to pay for a second chance at life.
- Cons: For lower-level parties, gathering 300 gold pieces for a single diamond can be a daunting task. This financial burden can sometimes force parties to make difficult choices about resource allocation.
Verdict: While the material cost is significant, the potential benefits often justify the expenditure, especially when the stakes are high.
Strategic Value: A Game-Changer or a Gamble?
- Pros: The quick casting time of Revivify makes it an invaluable asset in combat. Being able to revive a fallen ally in the heat of battle can dramatically shift the odds in your favor.
- Cons: The spell’s one-minute time limit can be stressful, forcing players to make quick decisions that might not always be the best in hindsight.
Verdict: Despite the pressure it can add, the strategic value of Revivify is hard to deny. It offers a tactical advantage that can be a game-changer in many scenarios.
Ethical and Narrative Implications: A Layer of Complexity
- Pros: Revivify adds depth to the game by introducing ethical dilemmas and narrative twists. The spell can be used for various purposes, such as reviving a fallen enemy for interrogation or fulfilling a heroic prophecy.
- Cons: The ethical questions that come with using Revivify can sometimes lead to party conflicts or moral quandaries that not all players may enjoy.
Verdict: The ethical and narrative layers that Revivify adds to the game often enrich the role-playing experience, although they may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Limitations: A Necessary Evil?
- Pros: The limitations of Revivify add a layer of challenge and urgency to the game, making successful revivals all the more rewarding.
- Cons: The spell’s limitations, such as the inability to restore lost limbs or remove conditions like exhaustion, can make it less versatile compared to other resurrection spells.
Verdict: While Revivify has its limitations, they often serve to heighten the drama and challenge of the game, making successful uses of the spell feel like true victories.
Check out this video on the Revivify DND Spell:
DM Ideas for Using Revivify in a DND Campaign
Here are 30 creative ideas for DMs who want to incorporate the Revivify DND spell into a one-shot adventure or campaign:
- Time-Limited Quest: Create a quest where players must find a diamond within a set time to use Revivify on a fallen ally or important NPC.
- Soul Bargain: Have a deity or other powerful being offer to provide the diamond component in exchange for a future favor.
- Moral Dilemma: Place the party in a situation where they must choose between using their only diamond to revive an ally or an important NPC.
- Diamond Heist: Design a mini-adventure where the party must steal a diamond from a heavily guarded location to use for Revivify.
- Cursed Revival: The revived character comes back with a minor curse that leads to a new quest to remove it.
- Sacrificial Ritual: Introduce a ritual that can replace the diamond component but requires a significant non-material sacrifice.
- Ghostly Interactions: Allow the fallen character’s ghost to interact with the party for a short period before Revivify is cast.
- Deity’s Test: The deity of the cleric or paladin casting Revivify poses a riddle or challenge that must be solved for the spell to work.
- Revive the Villain: Give the party the option to revive a defeated villain for interrogation or to face justice.
- Alternative Components: Introduce rare magical herbs or artifacts that can be used as a substitute for the diamond.
- Debt to Society: The revived character owes a debt to a local temple or guild that provided the diamond.
- Linked Lives: The characters who participate in the Revivify spell share a magical bond, with unique benefits and drawbacks.
- Fading Memory: The revived character loses a specific memory, leading to a quest to recover it.
- Soul Swap: The spell accidentally swaps the souls of two characters, leading to a quest to reverse the effects.
- Divine Intervention: A deity intervenes during the casting, altering the spell’s effects in an unexpected way.
- Haunted Diamond: The diamond used for Revivify is haunted, and the party must deal with the restless spirit.
- Elemental Resurrection: The revived character gains a temporary elemental power, like fire breath or water walking.
- Two Souls, One Body: Revivify merges the soul of the deceased with another creature, creating a hybrid character.
- Revive & Betray: An NPC revived by the party betrays them, leading to new conflicts and challenges.
- Soul Fragment: The revived character’s soul is incomplete, and a quest is needed to find the missing piece.
- Rival Resurrection: Another party is also seeking the diamond for their own Revivify spell, creating a race against time.
- Memory Lane: The revived character relives a past life experience, adding new skills or knowledge.
- Celestial or Infernal Pact: The revived character is offered a pact by a celestial or infernal being as they return to life.
- Resurrection Sickness: The revived character suffers from a temporary ailment that can only be cured through a quest.
- Karmic Balance: The universe demands a life for a life; another character or NPC will die soon.
- Echoes of the Past: The revived character starts seeing echoes of the past or future.
- Soul Auction: The characters must win their ally’s soul back in an otherworldly auction.
- Dimensional Shift: The revived character returns from a different dimension, bringing back strange items or knowledge.
- Reincarnation Twist: The spell partially fails, reviving the character in a new body.
- Temporal Anomaly: The revived character is slightly out of sync with time, experiencing brief glimpses of the future or past.
Common Asked Questions About Revivify
Since I want this to be the most comprehensive guide that exists on the Revivify DND spell, I couldn’t end it without going over some last-minute FAQs.
Does Revivify Get Rid of Exhaustion?
No, Revivify does not remove conditions like exhaustion.
When a creature is brought back to life using this spell, it returns with only 1 hit point and all other conditions intact.
If the creature was suffering from exhaustion before death, that condition will persist.
It’s crucial for the party to be aware of this answer, as additional healing and restoration spells may be needed immediately after using Revivify.
Can a Soul Refuse Revivify?
Yes, a soul can refuse to return to its body.
While the mechanics of the spell don’t explicitly state this, the lore of Dungeons & Dragons supports the idea that a soul has free will. This decision is often left to role-playing and the Dungeon Master’s discretion.
It can lead to interesting narrative twists, especially if the soul has a reason to stay in the afterlife or fears returning to its mortal coil.
Does Revivify Restore Health?
Revivify brings a creature back to life with only 1 hit point.
So, no, it does not restore health.
The revived creature is extremely vulnerable and can easily be knocked out or killed again if not healed further.
It’s advisable to follow up a successful Revivify with additional healing spells like Cure Wounds or Healing Word to ensure the creature’s continued survival in combat or hazardous situations.
If one of the party possesses a healing potion, that will work, too.
Can Revivify Work on Older Corpses?
Revivify is time-sensitive and must be cast within 1 minute of the creature’s death.
This makes it ineffective on older corpses.
If more time has passed, other spells like Raise Dead or Resurrection are more appropriate options.
The urgency of Revivify’s time constraint often adds a layer of tension and drama to the gameplay, making each second count.
Does It Work on Non-Humans?
Yes, Revivify works on non-human creatures as long as they have a soul.
The spell’s description states that it can target a creature, which includes humanoids, beasts, and even some types of monstrosities.
What Book Is the Revivify Spell In?
The Revivify spell can be found in the Player’s Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons.
It’s a core spell, making it widely accessible for players who own or have access to this rulebook.
As mentioned earlier, you’ll also find this spell mentioned in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
You can get either book on the official Wizards of the Coast website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, and many local bookstores.
Final Thoughts: Revivify DND Spell
Revivify is more than just a spell; it’s a narrative device, a strategic tool, and an ethical dilemma rolled into one.
It’s the epitome of what makes Dungeons & Dragons a game of limitless possibilities.
Read This Next:
- Bless Spell DND (Stats, Mechanics, & Ultimate Guide)
- Banishment DND Spell (Stats, Mechanics, & Ultimate Guide)
- Can You Counterspell a Counterspell in DND? (SOLVED)
- Magic Missile in DND (Stats, Mechanics, & Ultimate Guide)
Sources
DND Player’s Handbook
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
Personal Experience