If you look up the definition for an Object, it specifies that it is “a nonliving, distinct thing” — such as a corpse.
However, the definition of Creature does not say it must be living. So, a corpse is both a creature and an object.
There are even creatures that have never been living — such as constructs — and thus are also objects.
There’s no rule that says dead creatures can’t take action. You’ll usually become Unconscious first, but instant death effects including massive damage bypass that. So you can just keep playing.
This was clearer in 3.5, where it actually had an entry for the Dead condition which did not say you couldn’t take actions.
There’s no rule saying a dog can’t play!
Dogs aren’t a playable race so they can’t have class levels. But there is no rule saying dogs can’t learn languages. And they can be Sidekicks, but that’s more a rule specifically designed to allow them to play. There’s also no rule saying they can’t wield weapons. One-handed and two-handed weapons both require hands to use, but there aren’t actually any weapons listed as one-handed.
That’s on the same level as disintegrate making you able to play a sentient pile of dust.
I think nonliving creatures may be more specific versions of objects then, since I couldn’t find any reference of creatures not being considered objects (because who would even say that, it should be obvious if you use your brain), but it also means that if a spell or ability only allows you to target or create objects and has no specification in regards to creatures, undead and constructs are valid targets by RAW.
undead and constructs are valid targets by RAW.
I mean, if you follow the logic, undead are “animated corpses” and constructs are “animated objects”, sooo… Sure, the “Rule of Cool” wins my vote on this.
There is some gray area as to when a corpse is a corpse or just mostly dead. They aren’t an object until they are all dead.
I know it’s a joke, but I’d say “mostly dead” is just when you roll death saves.
Nah it’s an arbitrary window determined by your DM’s level of patience
Some DMs have the luck of a whole table of patients. 😉
I’d say it’s quite clear by RAW that once your third death save-fail happens your very much dead-dead. The DM is allowed to change any RAW of course (as this is RAW too), but without those changes it’s very much not arbitrary.
That’s dying. Bleeding out. It’s not even necessarily truly unconscious (even if it is Unconscious).
Bro, first wall of force and now this? I need to sub to this community lol
I touch myself
oh so that’s what elves do in the other 4 hours of the long rest
Whatever floats your boat man.
That’s going to require a LOT of touching.
Okay. I’ll admit: I don’t get it.
Floating a boat generally requires liquid. A LOT of liquid.
Ah. Yes. Good point. Guess they’ll have to work overtime.
Is a ghost a creature? Can you put a ghost in a body and touch it to count?
I mean… since the spell does not say that undead are excluded from revivification, you could very well just do that if you get your hands on the ghost in time.
As per the 2024 rules update (which I have beef with but am using here to make my point) :
Resurrection
Level 7 Necromancy (Bard, Cleric)
Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Components: V, S, M (a diamond worth 1,000+ GP, which the spell consumes) Duration: Instantaneous
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.
I cast Resurrection on the lich BBEG. In 5e Resurrection no longer states that the soul must be willing to return in order for it to work, and there’s no save, so it should just work if I’m able to touch him. Takes an hour to cast but we’re not worried about that right now.
Does it resurrect him properly? New mortal flesh, soul stuffed into it, meaning he is now no longer immortal and loses most of his legendary actions, and the phylactery becomes inert because it’s no longer containing a soul? Extending from this, is a proper resurrection just a “get out of undeath free” card and if so why don’t we see it used on every undead? It specifies and wasn’t Undead when it died but I think most Undead go from Living to Dead to Undead in that order, liches included.
Does it just instantly dust him, like throwing a Phoenix Down at an undead does in Final Fantasy?
This used to be a solved problem, but between 2014 and 2024 they changed the wording on Resurrection from
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.
to, now:
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.
There must be a reason why this was changed. I need answers.
It’s a bit weird, but DMG page 24 (though I’m talking 2014 here) specifies that generally an unwilling soul can’t be forced back into the body. So unless a spell specifies otherwise, this would not work.
Because of how this spell is worded, assuming the Lich got killed at least once while being a Lich means he’ll be unable to be targeted by this either way because he was undead when he died.
Interesting questions
In terms of going from living to dead to undead, no solid answer there. Some Lich creation stories have them dieing, some don’t.
An undead creature simply isn’t dead. It has an animating force that is not life, but it’s not dead. Both the 2014 and 2024 rules specify a dead creature, but an undead is not dead.
Now let’s saying we ignored that, yeah I think all that would happen. Every undead would be pretty difficult, casting 7th spells is hard and it’s only cleric and bard. It would end up being a magical logistics problem more than anything.
They took out the willing part as it was stifling creative uses of spells from what I recall, one of the interviews/ads for the new books.
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This reminds me of the necromancers are slavers discourse.
Howso?
The argument was that its done without the consent of the deceased.
Hm. Then I don’t see the connection to this meme. Maybe I’m just stupid though.
The whole corpses as objects
Ah I see. But farfetched, but I get it.
