How to cure an Undead

[Captain_K]

What method would one use to "save" and undead... unwillingly created undead... how do you get them back to life?

UnCreate Undead (reverse of create undead) should create a simple corpse. Or just destroy the undead now you have a body...

Then raise or resurrect?

Atonement?

Then person is back to life without badness staining the soul?

[Go0gleplex]

Raise Dead cast upon an undead destroys them instantly per the book.

Resurrect if you want them back in the same body. Reincarnation if just wanting them back to life in some manner.

Wish and Alter Reality could also be used but with far more risk to the caster.

[serleran]

It may depend on age of corpse. In this case, perhaps a fell spirit has animated the dead into whatever form they are, sort of like a possession. In this type of situation, maybe dispel evil or holy word can work.

Forgotten Realms had "undeath to death" which would instantly destroy any undead so something like that has precedence.

For the more recently created, it may also depend on how one views the transformation -- for example, a vampire is said to be cursed so removing that state may require a remove curse. Failure may not prevent restoration (another very useful spell in this discussion), but may cause a cannibal to be created (who then may become a ghoul at death...)

Simplest option is already mentioned but this is an area where the creativity can really expand out. Or, you can also rule, easily, that undead cannot be "cured" and must be ridden.

[Go0gleplex]

Funny you mention that Serl. I just ran across a manga yesterday where the Hero is killed by a curse from the Demon Lord. Rather, not so much killed as cursed with undead status so he is effectively a zombie (which makes touching his holy avenger, saintess fiance, and dealing with healing/holy magic a literal pain). So they have to hunt down the Demon Lord and kill him to break the curse since his unholy power cancels the Saintess' miracles (holy power).

For involuntary undead created from living beings who were not actually killed or dead at the time of their turning.

[Captain_K]

I have a group of priests who lost their way... their spiritual leader (the head priest aka abbot) was corrupted by demons and he become undead (Heccava of a sort).. one of my players, when they started their research on what to do to beat this undead brotherhood in their keep with unhallow and desecrate, wondered on the use of Atonement and trying to save them... that got me wondering and making this post.

I love the idea of creativity and "off label" use of a spell.. pick the spell that is close, cast it with divine power, prayer and focused intent and "miraculous things" might just happen... not quite per the spell.

We just had that issue with the restoration of artificial aging... no spell specifically mentions age restoration, but its logical that undead or unnatural aging could or should be restored by such a spell.

Thanks for the great insight...