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In the past I've often ran a cleric, and our team always just plays the low levels, retiring around level 5-6 and starting over then.

I have noticed however that I take revivify each time, and make sure I always have a diamond with me to revive someone, to the lengths of selling all my equipment if I have to.

However it also meant that at low levels I almost certainly cannot really do much in a fight, even at 4th level only able to use 2 level 2 spells a day for the "possiblity that I need to revive someone".

Further I notice that if we didn't have a cleric which has revivify prepared the DM would ever so slightly either nudge the balance to make sure people don't really die. (or people are content with rerolling a character anyways when they go on a suicide mission).

This left me in a place where I wonder: is revivify worth keeping a spare spell slot open for? Or even going to the lengths of getting the diamonds at level 3 and preparing it in the first place?

Is it a trap as decent play prevents deaths anyways, and there are other ways to revive someone using sidequests? (often much more easy than 300 gp). And in the single case I noticed that where deaths happened it was a tpk anyways with the bad guys "focus the healer".

paul23
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    I'm not sure if this can be answered objectively beyond the obvious "it's a trap if the play style of your group makes it a trap". – Erik Oct 21 '21 at 10:43
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    RE: "…I always have a diamond with me to revive someone, to the lengths of selling all my equipment if I have to." Not the question's crux, but I'm curious: Have you mentioned this monetary burden at the tables at which you play? You won't be revivifying yourself, after all. – Hey I Can Chan Oct 21 '21 at 10:45
  • @Erik well it feels like there are two points: either the dm makes it easy and you never need it and waste it. Or you talk to the dm when he asks "why don't you use your spells" - he understands and suddenly having revivify becomes compulsory as each corner is a death trap. – paul23 Oct 21 '21 at 10:47
  • @HeyICanChan well that's the point: they tell me "nah not needed, we never close to death anyways". but then I feel bad, I play a support character and I'm sure that one time I don't take revivify we have a sudden deaths. It also is one of the few unique things about clerics. – paul23 Oct 21 '21 at 10:49
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    Playing a cleric as a 'support character' is a trap you have already fallen into, revivify is just the most obvious example to you. – SeriousBri Oct 21 '21 at 11:06
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    I could answer it, and post a good answer, on a forum. But I don't see a way to post an objective answer with sources here. – Mołot Oct 21 '21 at 11:15
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    Given that you can't prepare it until level 5, which is when third level spells come on line, I am not sure what you are asking about here. This - even at 4th level only able to use 2 level 2 spells a day for the "possibility that I need to revive someone - is a bit confusing. You don't have revivify at level 4. Who else is in your party (what classes) and what level is everybody now? – KorvinStarmast Oct 21 '21 at 12:40
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    @Molot I've played a lot of cleric, I think I can post an answer but at the moment there is a lot about this question that isn't quite right; I'd like to see some clarification before we re open it. (I also agree that it would fit well on a forum) – KorvinStarmast Oct 21 '21 at 12:41
  • @KorvinStarmast the more direct question I suppose is "from what point is it worth it to prepare revivify? And what influences this (both mechanically as well as prepare to keep slots and materials open). – paul23 Oct 21 '21 at 12:47
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    Paul, in order to get your question reopened, it will need some editing; on the one hand you have offered a bounding of the problem, in that your games tend to end at level 6. That's good. But "is it worth it" is a fairly subjective call that is informed by what classes are in the party in this instance. And what races. (Half orcs, for example, get up for free once when at 0 HP. Zealot Barbarians are nortoriously hard to kill. And so on. If you are looking for a one size fits all answer, for any and all campaigns, even with the constraint, that may not fit the scope of the stack format. – KorvinStarmast Oct 21 '21 at 13:28
  • @SeriousBri That's a great point, and well said! But it kind of falls under the category of answering in the comments. – Gandalfmeansme Oct 21 '21 at 16:29
  • "urther I notice that if we didn't have a cleric which has revivify prepared the DM would ever so slightly either nudge the balance to make sure people don't really die" That quote would make for an interesting question related to this one. Maybe along the lines of "How should I deal with resurection spells in this case" or possibly "How to approach the GM with this issue" if you see this as hindering your fun. – 3C273 Oct 23 '21 at 20:01

1 Answers1

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At the level that you can first take it, the duo of holding onto a slot of your highest level "in case" and "selling all my equipment if I have to" are an incredible burden on a character.

I would recommend not preparing Revivify until you have both higher level slots, and the party as a whole has bought a diamond, or it is a trivial amount of money to your character and they are charitable.

It sounds like you have approached the D&D cleric like a healer class from an MMORPG (or similar style of game), where tough fights involve the enemies dealing damage that is multiple times the participants HP totals. That isn't the case in D&D, healing spells don't recover enough HP compared to the incoming damage, and are a rare enough resource, that in-combat healing is not worth it, outside of reviving someone at 0HP.

In D&D, it is much better to stop your allies from taking damage by ending the fight, than from reactively healing them. At 5th level you should be looking to use your 3rd level slots on spells like Spirit Guardians.

At higher levels revivify is better in terms of spell slots, material cost and casting time than any of the other spells that bring the dead back, with the downsides being the time from death requirement, and the intact body requirement it shares with Raise Dead.

Check the following with your DM before setting out, as I can imagine some might not like the interaction (see this question about it). It does still require you to "hold a slot", but not one of your highest level.

You can instead prepare Gentle Repose, and keep a 2nd level slot open for that. If anyone dies, you cast that instead, with the slot, and have 10 days (or any number of days, it is a costless ritual) to purchase a diamond (from their share?) and prepare revivify.

Caleth
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    I agree with that answer, but I do not see any proof, reference, experience, anything to back it up. – Mołot Oct 21 '21 at 11:52
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    @Mołot I've added links to demonstrate "better in terms of spell slots, material cost and casting time", and the text of Gentle Repose. Do you also need a reference for "2nd level spell is cheaper than 3rd level spell"? – Caleth Oct 21 '21 at 13:20
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    I'll suggest adding this link to support your Gentle Repose point - it's a Q&A from here that covers it in some detail. – KorvinStarmast Oct 21 '21 at 14:18
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    My take on molots comment was 'why do you recommend not preparing revivify and the party buying the diamond?' I know why, but there is nothing supporting it other than your opinion at the moment. – SeriousBri Oct 22 '21 at 07:10
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    @SeriousBri yea. I see no support for the general suggestion, not for any specific mechanical detail. – Mołot Oct 22 '21 at 07:48
  • This answer is getting better and better in terms of being right, but there is still nothing backing it up unfortunately. To back up your (correct) assertion about healing and damage you probably need to show some numbers or a link to somewhere that does all that stuff, or explain your experience. It still just reads as your opinion at the moment. – SeriousBri Oct 23 '21 at 10:57