Revivify spell in DnD 5E explained

What is Revivify?

Revivify (PHB, p. 272) is a 3rd level necromancy spell, which is available natively to Artificers, Clerics, and Paladins. It requires a vocal, somatic, and material component with the latter being 300 GP of diamonds, which will be consumed by the spell. It takes an action to cast and allows you to restore a corpse you touch back to life with one hit point, as long as the creature died within the last minute. This spell can’t revive a creature that has died of old age and it doesn’t restore missing body parts, so it wouldn’t work on a headless corpse, for example.

Is Revivify a good spell?

Revivify is an excellent spell as it’s the earliest, and cheapest, resurrection magic available in 5E. Depending on the party and the amount of loot they earn, from 5th level onwards this spell can make dying permanently extremely difficult. This is even more true as levels increase, with the value of a 3rd level slot and 300 GP being relatively less to the point that they can be easily rationed for just-in-case scenarios. With certain items, such as a ring of spell storing or a spell gem, a party could even have a precast Revivify set aside or handed to a PC that couldn’t normally cast it.

The main limitations of Revivify are the time limit, which can be mitigated by the Gentle Repose spell, and that it can’t restore body parts or an entire body. This can make death against creatures with access to magic like disintegrate or a world where being able to reliably find or purchase such an amount of diamonds particularly deadly unless the party adjusts.

How can you get Revivify?

If you like the sound of tackling your entire party’s sneezing fit at once, fear not! Here is a list of how you can grab this spell:

• Artificer, Cleric, and Paladin- All of these classes get Revivify on their spell list.
• Druid and Ranger – These classes get Revivify added to their spell lists by the Optional Class Features in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
• Circle of Wildfire (Druid Subclass) – These pyromaniac Druids get access to Revivify as an always-prepared spell from 5th level thanks to their Circle Spells feature.
• Divine Soul (Sorcerer Subclass) – This subclass allows a Sorcerer to choose Cleric spells, which can include Revivify from 5th level onwards. They can also use Metamagic to enhance the spell, such as casting it on two creatures within reach with Twinned Spell or using it at a distance with Distant Spell.
• Life Domain (Cleric Subclass) – These healing-centric Clerics get Revivify as an always-prepared spell thanks to their Domain Spells feature.
• Grave Domain (Cleric Subclass) – Similar to their Life cousins above, these Clerics also get Revivify as a Domain Spell.
• Celestial (Warlock Subclass) – From 5th level this Warlock can choose to learn Revivify thanks to their Extended Spell List feature. Though their Pact Magic is a double-edged sword, helping guarantee a spell slot is available by refreshing on a short rest, but losing out on power as Revivify won’t scale with their spell slots due to its lack of upcasting.

How to roleplay the Revivify spell

Need some help roleplaying the Revivify spell? Here are some examples to help you out:

• Amidst the carnage of a fierce battle against a dragon, Thoren the dwarf paladin sees his friend Aelar, the elf ranger, fall under the beast’s fiery breath. With a desperate prayer to his deity, Thoren rushes to his fallen comrade’s side and casts Revivify. His hands glow with a brilliant light, which flows into Aelar’s lifeless body. A gasp escapes Aelar’s lips as his eyes flutter open, brought back from the brink by the divine intervention.
• In the depths of an ancient, trap-ridden tomb, the party’s rogue, Sariel, is caught by a deadly dart trap. Her body goes limp, the poison acting swiftly. Idris, the dragonborn cleric, bellows a defiant roar, invoking the power of his god to cast Revivify. A radiant energy seeps into Sariel’s body, cleansing the poison and reviving her. With a cough, she awakens, the warmth of life returned to her once again.
• During a daunting sea voyage, the ship’s helmsman, a brave halfling named Tilly, is swept overboard by a monstrous wave. By the time the crew manages to recover her, Tilly’s life has slipped away. The ship’s resident druid, an elf named Arannis, places a hand over her still heart, invoking the power of nature and casting Revivify. A surge of life energy, mirroring the rhythm of the tides, flows into Tilly, jump-starting her heart and returning the light to her eyes.
• In a frantic chase through a city’s roofted skyline, the party’s monk, Kai, misjudges a jump and plummets to the cobblestones below. The party’s bard, Liora, rushes to his side, her lute strumming a desperate melody as she casts Revivify. The music forms a tangible energy, which pulses into Kai’s body, mending his broken bones and jolting him back to consciousness.
• In the heated climax of a duel with a treacherous rival, the party’s fighter, Erevan, suffers a mortal blow. As Erevan’s life ebbs away, Caelen the human sorcerer, channels the wild, unpredictable energy of his magic to cast Revivify. The magic surges into Erevan, sparking a light in his eyes as he is wrenched back from the clutches of death, ready to finish the fight.

Hopefully, this article was informative and helped keep that reckless or unlucky party member around. If you’re interested in this spell for your next Artificer build, then check out our Artificer 5E guide, or If you’re interested in researching other spells then check out our DnD 5E spells section, Good luck out there adventurers, until next time, remember to stock up on diamonds!