How to Bring Your Beloved Sims Back from the Brink in The Sims 4
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So, your Sim kicked the bucket? Don’t despair! Death in The Sims 4, while often dramatic, isn’t always the end of the story. There are several ways to bring your virtual buddy back to life, ranging from pleading with the Grim Reaper to whipping up a gourmet meal fit for the gods (or, well, ghosts). The method you choose will depend on your skills, available expansions, and how quickly you need that Sim back in action. Let’s dive into the specifics of each method.
The Many Paths to Resurrection
Pleading with the Grim Reaper
This is often the first and most readily available option. When a Sim dies, the Grim Reaper arrives to escort them to the great beyond. Immediately click on the Grim Reaper with another Sim and select the “Plead for Life” option. The success of your plea depends on several factors, including the pleading Sim’s relationship with the deceased, their mood, and even a bit of random chance. A Sim who is charming, in good spirits, and closely related to the deceased has a higher chance of success. Be prepared for a potential rejection, though – the Grim Reaper is a busy guy!
The Ambrosia Recipe: A Culinary Miracle
For Sims with a flair for the culinary arts, Ambrosia is the ultimate resurrection dish. This gourmet meal requires a high Cooking and Gardening skill. To cook Ambrosia, you’ll need three key ingredients:
- Angelfish: These can be caught by fishing, typically at locations with a high fishing skill requirement.
- Death Flower: This elusive flower can be obtained in several ways. You can reach level five in the Gardening skill and graft plants, or by purchasing it at the Potion Shop in the Realm of Magic DLC. You can also find it by using the cheat: Open the cheat console (Ctrl + Shift + C), type
bb.showhiddenobjects, and search for “Death Flower” in Build/Buy mode. - Potion of Youth: This potion can be purchased with 1,500 Aspiration Points.
Once you have all the ingredients, navigate to the “Cook gourmet meal” option on the refrigerator or a stove and select “Cook Ambrosia.” Prepare the Ambrosia, invite the ghost of the deceased Sim into the household, and offer them the meal. They’ll take a bite, and poof, back to the land of the living!
The Dedeathify Spell (Realm of Magic Expansion)
If you own The Sims 4: Realm of Magic, you have access to a powerful spell called Dedeathify. Sims who are spellcasters can learn this spell and use it to bring ghosts back to life. This method bypasses the need for rare ingredients or successful pleas, making it a reliable option for players with magical aspirations. Just be sure your Sim has a high enough magical skill and the spell learned.
The Book of Life (Writing Skill & Aspiration Reward)
For Sims with a passion for writing, the Book of Life offers another path to immortality (or at least, resurrection). First, the writer Sim must complete the Bestselling Author aspiration. Once completed they will receive the reward trait, Poetic Justice. This allows them to write the Book of Life. A Sim must then write about (and essentially bind to) the Sim they want to protect. Later, if the Sim dies, the author can summon the ghost of the Sim who died to give them back their life by reading the completed Book of Life to them.
Move Objects Cheat: A Risky Maneuver
This method is a bit unconventional and might feel like cheating (because, well, it is), but it can work in a pinch. Use it with caution, as it can sometimes lead to unexpected game behavior.
- Open the cheat console by pressing Ctrl + Shift + C.
- Type
testingcheats trueand press Enter. - Type
moveobjects onand press Enter. - When the Grim Reaper appears, click on him and press the Delete key.
- Click on the dead Sim and press the Delete key.
The Sim’s icon should now have a crosshair on it, indicating that they are no longer considered a Sim by the game. Be cautious, as this method doesn’t truly revive the Sim; it essentially creates a new, blank Sim with the same appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Reviving Sims
1. Can I revive a Sim who died of old age using the Death Flower?
Yes, you can give the Grim Reaper a Death Flower in exchange for a Sim’s life even if they died of old age. However, be aware that if aging is enabled, the resurrected Sim may die of old age again relatively soon. The article extract suggests about 24 hours later.
2. What happens if my last Sim dies?
In The Sims 4, if all Teen or older Sims in a household die, any remaining children, toddlers, and babies will be taken by social services. You’ll then be taken back to the neighborhood map to choose or create a new household.
3. How do I get a ghost Sim to appear after they die?
After a Sim dies, another Sim can pick up their gravestone or urn and bring it back home. Place the gravestone or urn on your lot and choose the “Strengthen Connection to the Physical World” interaction. The ghost will eventually appear, usually at night, allowing you to interact with them.
4. Can I move a ghost Sim into my household?
Yes, you can move a ghost Sim into your household. First, you need to build a high relationship with the ghost. Once you have a high enough relationship, an option will appear allowing you to “Ask to Move In“. It’s best to have their urn or tombstone on the lot, as their ghost will appear more frequently.
5. Where can I find a Death Flower without cheating?
You can obtain the Death Flower by reaching level five in the Gardening skill and grafting plants. You can also purchase it at the Potion Shop in the Realm of Magic DLC if you own that expansion.
6. How do I find out how my Sim died?
If the Sim was playable and has other playable relatives, you can look at one of their family trees. The family tree usually indicates the cause of death. Alternatively, you can observe the ghost’s color and animations. For example, a ghost leaving puddles might have died from drowning.
7. Does the Dedeathify spell always work?
The Dedeathify spell from the Realm of Magic expansion is generally reliable, provided your Sim has a high enough magical skill and has learned the spell. However, like all interactions in The Sims, there’s always a small chance of failure, especially if the Sim’s magical skills are not fully developed.
8. What is the command to make a Sim give birth immediately?
The command to make a Sim immediately go into labor is sims.add_buff buff_pregnancy_inlabor. This requires enabling testing cheats first (type testingcheats true in the cheat console).
9. Can elder Sims get pregnant?
Female Sims cannot get pregnant once they are Elders or if they have 5 or fewer days left as an adult. However, male Elder Sims can still impregnate adult female Sims.
10. Can I change a Sim’s lifespan?
Yes, you can change a Sim’s lifespan within The Sims 4. This can be done by navigating to the Game Options Menu, located under the Gameplay tab, and adjusting the Lifespan settings.
11. What does the Potion of Youth do?
The Potion of Youth resets a Sim’s age progress, effectively making them younger and extending their lifespan. It costs 1,500 Aspiration Points and is a straightforward way to avoid aging.
12. How do I restart The Sims 4 without losing progress?
When you press Alt + F4, the game will prompt you to save before exiting. Click the “Save and Exit” option to save your progress and exit the game without losing data.
13. What happens if I throw away a dead Sim’s urn or tombstone?
If you throw away a departed Sim’s urn or tombstone, they will be stuck as ghosts and become unplayable. It’s essential to keep the urn or tombstone if you want to interact with the Sim’s ghost or attempt to bring them back to life.
14. If I revive a Sim, will they remember their previous life?
Yes, when you revive a Sim using methods like Ambrosia or the Dedeathify spell, they will retain their memories, relationships, skills, and personality from their previous life. They essentially pick up where they left off.
15. Can you only revive a Sim if you have their grave?
No, you don’t need the grave to plead with the Grim Reaper, use the Dedeathify spell, or use the Book of Life to revive a Sim. You can still bring a ghost back to life! However, for other methods, such as strengthening their connection to the physical world, their urn/tombstone is required.
Hopefully, with these strategies and answers, you are more than prepared to bring back your favorite Sims from the clutches of the Grim Reaper! Remember to experiment and find the method that best suits your gameplay style. For more on the intersection of games and learning, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.