Are Reborn Technically Undead? Unraveling the Mystery of the Reborn Lineage in D&D

The question of whether Reborn are technically undead in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a common source of confusion, often arising from their unique nature as beings brought back from the brink of death. The direct and concise answer is: No, Reborn are not technically undead. Despite their connection to death and often unsettling appearances, they belong to a distinct lineage rather than being classified as undead creatures. This distinction has significant mechanical implications within the game, affecting how they interact with spells, abilities, and other game mechanics that specifically target undead.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion stems from the fact that Reborn are often imperfectly resurrected individuals. They’ve cheated death, but not in the way that typically creates undead. Unlike skeletons, zombies, or ghosts, which are animated by negative energy or spectral remnants, Reborn have a soul tethered to a past life and a body pieced back together, sometimes in unusual ways. This gives them a unique set of abilities and limitations that differ significantly from traditional undead. Their appearance can range from someone with a pallid complexion to a literal skeleton, further blurring the lines for some players.

The Crucial Difference: Lineage vs. Undead

It is critical to understand the difference between a lineage and a creature type like undead in D&D. A lineage, like Reborn, is a subtype of race. It’s a specific origin or transformation that changes a character, but it does not fundamentally alter their creature type. A Dwarf can become a Reborn, just like an Elf or a Human, and they still retain their initial creature type (i.e. humanoid). Undead, on the other hand, are a distinct creature type that includes creatures such as zombies, vampires, and ghouls.

The key distinction lies in the mechanics. For example, a Cleric’s Turn Undead ability will affect zombies and skeletons but has no effect on Reborn. Similarly, effects targeting undead creatures like spells or special abilities that deal extra damage to undead will not harm a Reborn. This makes Reborn a very different experience than playing an actual undead character.

Unique Characteristics of the Reborn Lineage

Reborn also come with distinctive traits and mechanics that set them apart from undead:

• Memories of Past Lives: Reborn retain fragments of their previous lives, giving them access to knowledge and skills from their past existence. This aspect is not found in undead.
• Physiological Differences: While they might not need to eat, sleep, drink or breath, they still experience effects from these processes, such as poison. This difference marks a huge deviation from undead and provides some unique game-play situations.
• No Sleep Required: They do not require sleep, but they need a period of inactivity to refresh abilities and spells. This is different from both living creatures and undead.

Impact on Gameplay

The fact that Reborn are not undead has numerous gameplay implications:

• Resistances and Immunities: They are not vulnerable to undead-specific effects.
• Healing: Reborn can benefit from healing spells and abilities that affect living creatures.
• Stealth: They can be harder to detect when interacting with factions who typically hunt undead.
• Roleplaying: This differentiation encourages unique roleplaying opportunities, as Reborn grapple with their past and their strange new existence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Reborn

To further clarify the nature of Reborn, here are 15 frequently asked questions:

Reborn & Undead

1. Can a Reborn be targeted by Turn Undead? No, Reborn are not considered undead and are not affected by Turn Undead or similar abilities that target undead.
2. Do effects that harm undead also affect Reborn? No, damage bonuses, spells, or other effects specifically designed to harm undead do not affect Reborn.

Reborn & Physiology

3. Do Reborn need to eat, drink, or breathe? No, they do not need to, but if they choose to, they are subjected to related effects such as poison.
4. Can Reborn be affected by poison? Yes, while they don’t need to breathe, they are still susceptible to poisons if they consume them or inhale them as a gas.
5. Do Reborn need to sleep? No, they do not need to sleep, but they can still take a long rest in 4 hours spent in an inactive state.
6. Can Reborn contract diseases? Yes, they can contract diseases. While they are resistant to some negative effects, diseases can still affect them.

Reborn & Appearance

7. Can a Reborn be a skeleton? Yes, a Reborn can appear in a variety of forms, including a skeleton.
8. Do Reborn have Darkvision? If your original race had darkvision, you lose it as a reborn.
9. Why might a Reborn turn black? Unlike an actual reborn baby doll, a reborn player character’s changing in color is not a normal occurrence. As it stands, this is unexplained in the D&D mechanics, and may be best explained by you and your DM, or left unexplained.

Reborn & Warforged

10. What is the difference between Warforged and Reborn? Warforged are constructs with sentience but no soul bound to a past life, whereas Reborn have a soul that’s tied to a previous life and have memories of it.
11. Do Warforged eyes glow? Yes, Warforged typically have glowing eyes, while Reborn do not, unless their previous race possessed this trait.
12. Are Warforged considered undead? No, Warforged are considered constructs.

Reborn & Other

13. Is Reborn a race or a lineage? Reborn is a lineage, not a race, meaning they can be the result of a transformation from any other race.
14. Can any race become Reborn? Yes, any race can become a Reborn.
15. Can Reborn be exhausted? Yes, Reborn are subject to exhaustion and can become exhausted. While they do not need sleep to remove the exhaustion, they still need to take a long rest to remove the exhaustion.

Conclusion: A Unique Existence

In conclusion, the Reborn lineage is a fascinating and distinct concept in D&D. While their ties to death might initially cause confusion, it’s crucial to remember that Reborn are not technically undead. They are imperfectly resurrected beings with a unique set of mechanics, abilities, and roleplaying opportunities that set them apart from traditional undead creatures. By understanding the distinction between lineages and creature types, players can make the most of their Reborn characters and enjoy a unique and compelling gaming experience.