History Main / SacrificialRevivalSpell

* One of the Forbidden Spells in ''OjamajoDoremi'' is bringing someone back from the dead, for the exact reason of it basically being a trade of lives.

-->--Azazel, ''{{SuperNatural}}''

* An amusing but but still touching instance of this occurs late in the Buu saga of ''{{Dragonball Z}}. The beyond ancient Old Supreme Kai gives up his life energy so Goku, as a dead man stuck in other world, can fight elsewhere/live normally again. His halo vanishes and the old kai, without pain or distress, gains one.

* An amusing but but still touching instance of this occurs late in the Buu saga of {{Dragonball Z}}. The beyond ancient Old Supreme Kai gives up his life energy so Goku, as a dead man stuck in other world, can fight elsewhere/live normally again. His halo vanishes and the old kai, without pain or distress, gains one.

[[folder:Card Games]]
* MagicTheGathering has Doomed Necromancer, which are sacrificed to bring back another card from the graveyard.
[[/folder]]

* In {{Thorgal}}, Thorgal is in a place with bright glowing strings all around him representing human lives. He will only get his life back if he cuts a single one, killing the person. He refuses, but Shaniah, the girl who'd followed him (and is desperately in love with him) cuts it herself. Thorgal gets back to life, but as they leave, she fades away, as it was her own lifeline she'd cut.

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

* DragonQuest: Kerplunk does this with everyone in your party that is dead. It also removes all of your MP so you can't just have your newly revived healer revive you so you can use it again.
* FinalFantasy 12 has the [[UselessUsefulSpell Revive Technick]], but you didn't get it until long after you got the basic Revive spell, and it was also on the market next to the more useful Arise Spell.

* Happens in the end of ''[[Franchise/DragonAge Dragon Age]]'' novel ''{{Asunder}}'', where [[spoiler:Wynne]] transfers her life energy to the fallen [[spoiler:Templar Evangeline]], resurrecting her but dying instead.

* In the first ''FullmetalAlchemist'' anime, [[spoiler:Ed is killed by Envy, then Alphonse transmutes his own life into Ed's, then Ed transmutes ''his'' life and body into Al's life and a new body for him, to boot. Alphose can't repeat the process after that because Ed gets stuck in a parallel universe]].

* In ShinMegamiTensei, the recarmdra spell .

* The caster must ''know'' the spell is necessarily going to kill them, or it's an UnintentionalSacrifice via magic.

A DarkerAndEdgier SubTrope of EquivalentExchange.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In {{Supernatural}}, [[spoiler: Dean]] trades his life to a Crossroads Demon in order to get [[spoiler: Sam]] back from the dead.
** [[spoiler: Dean's father]] also traded his own life to the crossroad's demon to save [[spoiler: Dean]].
[[/folder]]

* In Supernatural, once Dean traded his life to a Crossroads Demon in order to get Sam back from the dead.
** Dean's father also traded his own life to the crossroad's demon to save Dean.
* In {{Warehouse 13}}, there is a medallion called the Pheonix that when it's wearer dies from a fire or an explosion, they are reborn from the ashes and someone else nearby dies instead.

* Happens in the end of ''[[Franchise/DragonAge Dragon Age]]'' novel {{Asunder}}'', where [[spoiler:Wynne]] transfers her life energy to the fallen [[spoiler:Templar Evangeline]], resurrecting her but dying instead.

* MagicTheGathering has Doomed Necromancer, which are instantly discarded to bring back another card from the discarded pile.

* The sacrifice must be initiated by the caster, or it's BalancingDeathsBooks or TakeMeInstead

Can be part of a SelfSacrificeScheme. If the spell is not guaranteed to revive the target and fails, it's a StupidSacrifice. If the character asks another character to initiate the exchange, it's TakeMeInstead. If age is exchanged, it's CastFromLifespan.

Rarely used in VideoGames (with the possible exception cutscenes or some RogueLikes), since the stakes tend to be lower, considering that there are often [[TraumaInn some other ways]] of [[OnlyMostlyDead reviving party members]].

* The spell must ''necessarily'' kill the caster (or it's BalancingDeathsBooks), or it's CastFromHitPoints or CastFromLifeSpan.

* The revived character must have been [[DeaderThanDead dead]], not merely incapacitated, or it's a SenselessSacrifice.

Can be part of a SelfSacrificeScheme. If the spell is not guaranteed to revive the target and fails, it's a SenselessSacrifice. If the character asks another character to initiate the exchange, it's TakeMeInstead. If age is exchanged, it's CastFromLifespan.

Compare HolyIsNotSafe, BalancingDeathsBooks, HeroicSacrifice (for the non-magical form), CastFromHitPoints (for when the caster needn't necessarily die).

Bob couldn't save Alice in time to prevent her death. After mourning her loss, he discovers that he has a revival spell (possibly a UselessUsefulSpell) available to him. He uses it, and presto! [[BackFromTheDead She's alive again]]. But, suddenly Bob collapses and dies. It seems the spell required the user to sacrifice his life to bring back that of another.

In essence, it's a spell that sacrifices the caster's life to bring someone BackFromTheDead. It may be a DangerousForbiddenTechnique because of this sacrifice, thus tend to know that they're going to die if they cast it, meaning they either think it's worth it or they're crazy. When used in VideoGames (with the exception of cutscenes) the stakes don't tend to be as high, considering that there may be [[TraumaInn some other ways]] of [[OnlyMostlyDead reviving party members]].

For this [[{{Trope}} trope]] to apply, all of these conditions must be met:

* The revived character must have been [[DeaderThanDead dead]], not merely incapacitated, or it's a StupidSacrifice/SenselessSacrifice.

* The spell must ''necessarily'' kill the caster, or it's CastFromHitPoints or CastFromLifeSpan.

* The revived character must have been [[DeaderThanDead dead]], not merely incapacitated, or it's a StupidSacrifice

The sacrificed life ''must'' be that of the caster (otherwise it's simply BalancingDeathsBooks, and the recipient must be [[DeaderThanDead dead]] (or it's just CastFromHitPoints).

SelfSacrificeScheme

If the character asks another character to initiate the exchange, it's TakeMeInstead. If age is exchanged, it's CastFromLifespan.

* The revived character must have been [[DeaderThanDead dead]], not merely incapacitated.

Bob couldn't save Alice in time to prevent her death. After mourning her loss, he discovers he has a revival spell (possibly a UselessUsefulSpell) available to him. He uses it, and presto! [[BackFromTheDead She's alive again]]. But, suddenly Bob collapses and dies. It seems the spell required the user to sacrifice his life to bring back that of another.

Essentially, it's a spell that sacrifices the caster's life to bring someone BackFromTheDead. It may be a DangerousForbiddenTechnique because of this sacrifice, and so people tend to know that they're going to die if they cast it, meaning they either think it's worth it or they're crazy. When it's used in VideoGames (aside from in cutscenes) the stakes don't tend to be as high considering that there may be [[TraumaInn some other ways]] of [[OnlyMostlyDead reviving party members]].

HeroicSacrifice [[XMeetsY meets]] BalancingDeathsBooks [[XMeetsY meets]] CastFromHitPoints taken UpToEleven.

Bob couldn't save Alice in time to prevent her death. After mourning her loss, he discovers he has a revival spell available to him. He uses it, and presto! [[BackFromTheDead She's alive again]]. But, suddenly Bob collapses and dies. It seems the spell required the user to sacrifice his life to bring back that of another.

Compare BalancingDeathsBooks, HeroicSacrifice (for the non-magical form), CastFromHitPoints (for when the caster needn't necessarily die).

[[/folder]]




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The alien healing/torture machine in {{Babylon5}}. [[spoiler:Marcus Cole]] uses it to save Ivanova.

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''{{BIONICLE}}'': Matoro sacrifices his life with the help of the Mask of Life to revive Mata Nui and, in turn, the Matoran universe.



* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', [[TheChosenOne Colette]] gets a magic spell that allows her to revive her fallen teammates, but she is KO'ed after using the spell.


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The hivemind has gotten way too uptight about naming lately. It's a perfectly cromulent name. Have another hat.

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I'll launch it when I get back home

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Changed my mind: I still think the title is fine, but I'm feeling lumpish today, so I want you to make a case for treating this as a separate trope from BalancingDeathsBooks, before launch.

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I suggest Risky Revival Magic, if the tropes isn't always death of the caster (lots of examples where the characters state "That will kill you!" and yet the caster somehow pulls through.) If it's actual death, a lot of the video game KO examples don't really fit and it is essentially a form of Balancing Deaths Books.

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What? This totally doesn't make sense to lump in. It's one thing to try to trick Death into taking you instead, it's totally another to have a spell that kills the caster to revive someone else. The first is pretty much a plot- we have to go to the world of the dead to convince so and so to kill me instead. The second is a mechanic- I cast Recarmdra and fall down dead not due to the good grace of an entity, but because of how magic works.

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I'm inclined to agree with the above. BalancingDeathsBooks requires that the GrimReaper or other similar entity be involved. The current YKTTW requires that AppliedPhlebotinum and/or Functional Magic be employed.

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The difference isn't that extreme. To illustrate:
1) Caster's friend dies. Finding that unacceptable, Caster enacts a ritual. Death shows up, rips out the Caster's soul, revives the dead friend.
2) Caster's friend dies. Finding that unacceptable, Caster enacts a ritual. Nothing shows up, Caster keels over dead and the friend is revived.
I just don't see that as two different tropes. Balancing Deaths Books is a broader trope (since it covers actual interactions with Death as an entity), and includes what this trope would be in several of its examples.

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^ Well, actually there isn't normally a ritual involved in 1. It tends to be a speech or an epic quest. Two, while they seem superficially similar, their narrative effects have almost nothing in common with how they actually play out. Three, while BalancingDeathsBooks is always one for one, this one tends to be one for multiple.

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bump

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Somebody make this a trope already!

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The OP Tropers/TorchicBlaziken hasn't edited this since 2011 so it is officially UpForGrabs if anyone wants to launch it.

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Compare HolyIsNotSafe.

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[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* This trope is the entire premise behind Cerberus a/k/a Tirell's Adobe Flash work "Trading With Ghosts." A feline mage uses her powers to enter the spirit world to recover her deceased daughter. However, magic that powerful demands a horrific price.

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End of markup

^ I agree. We don't have this ''exactly'', but it's already adequately covered by other tropes, even if they do come from slightly different directions.

Would the Returned in {{Warbreaker}} count as this? They can sacrifice their lives to heal one person, granted that person doesn't actually have to be dying {the one time we actually see this happen [[spoiler: Lightsong sacrifices himself to heal Susebron's severed tongue]] but they might be.

ASoulForASoul?

Mira does this to Dany's husband in ASongOfIceAndFire.

''Equivalent Exchange'' and ''Balancing Deaths Books'' don't fit the bill as well as ''Cast From Hit Points''. This seems to be a direct subtrope ''Cast From Hit Points'' where the cost is always all of your HP and the effect is always a dead person (or people) coming back to life.

I think just about every CCG has a creature with this ability. [[MagicTheGathering MTG]] has Doomed Necromancer.

I think this effect happens enough in this specific form that it warrants it's own trope, even though it borrows from a lot of other tropes.

The MMORPG in ''{{Yureka}}'' has the Sacrifice spell, which not only kills you but makes you lose levels and randomises your stats. And has a less than 100% success rate. However, one character manages to avoid AwesomeButImpractical by [[spoiler:using it on an NPC who loves her, causing him to enter an UnstoppableRage]].

How about "A death for a life"?

And about the description, this trope refers only to magical or supernatural means of revival, it is not cast from hit points as whatever method used for this trope is only a means of transport for the exchange of one life for another. Very much like equivalent exchange but focusing on the sacrifice of the user and much more emotional.

Does not count if there is a soul collecting entity, then it's Balancing Deaths Books.

How about I Give My Life To Bring Back Yours? Or since this is more about nakama's-just-been-killed emergency situations than depraved lover-resurrecting necromancy, how about I'll Die So You Don't Die On Me.

Toward the end of the ''{{Scryed}}'' anime, [[spoiler: Scherris Adjani finds and uses her "Eternal Devote" alter power on Ryuhou shortly after he's killed by BigBad Kyouji Mujo. His agony and gratitude upon seeing her deceased boost his power.]]

I believe that the backstory/legend of the Second Hand of Time in ''DNAngel'' featured this, but it's been a ''long'' time since I've seen/read it, so I forget the details.

An amusing but but still touching instance of this occurs late in the Buu saga of {{Dragonball Z}}. The beyond ancient Old Supreme Kai gives up his life energy so Goku, as a dead man stuck in other world, can fight elsewhere/live normally again. His halo vanishes and the old kai, without pain or distress, gains one.

FinalFantasy 12 has the Revive Technick, but [[UselessUsefulSpell you didn't get it until long after you got the basic Revive spell, and it was also on the market next to the more useful Arise Spell]].

Looks like it's been abandoned... Anyone want to take this over?

Also, I think the current title (Sacrificial Revive) gets the point across much better than any of the other suggestions so far.

Yep this title's the best, mind if I take care of this one?

If no one objects, I'm hijacking this one.

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In Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides the fountain of youth works by a ritual where two people drink the water and one is revived by taking the other's years.

(not sure if it works this way in the novel the film is Very Loosely based on)

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The supernatural example goes even further, because Dean's father also traded his own life to the crossroad's demon to save Dean. (Supernatural is also Live Action TV, not a Video Game)

In {{Warehouse 13}} (TV) There is a medallion called the Pheonix that when it's wearer dies from a fire or an explosion, they are reborn from the ashes and someone else nearby dies instead.

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^My bad. ^^If one of the people is dead, it works.

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^what I was saying is I don't know if the rule exists in the book or was made up for the movie. I've never read the book but I do know the movie is only loosely based on the book. In fact the film's credits say "Inspired by the novel"

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A variation of this occurs in Pokemon, where there's a move, Healing Wish, which causes the user to faint, and fully heals the pokemon that comes in to replace it. The new pokemon can't have been fainted (the pokemon equivalent of temporary death), but it can be right on the border. (that's why I called it a variation)

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Does the spell have to sacrifice '''the caster's''' life? Like in ''PushingDaisies'', Ned can bring anything back from death for 60 seconds with no harm done - but if it's more than 60 seconds then (a) they're back permanantly and (b) a life force of "equal value" has to go; in the case of humans, another nearby human life. But specifically not Ned's life.

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Also in ''{{Naruto}}'', Pain's resurrection technique revived a whole village, but killed him, although it's implied that he died because of chakra exhaustion.

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The alien healing/torture machine in {{Babylon5}}. [[spoiler:Marcus Cole]] uses it to save Ivanova.

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To clear up some questions, WordOfGod says that it requres the user to sacrifice ''his own'' life, not someone elses.

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This used as a cop-out ending in Disney's film of ''TheBlackCauldron''. This does not happen in the book where the character who throws himself into the cauldron to break the enchantment (who is the not same character who does this in the film) stays dead.

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Randomsurfer: If it's broadened to "somebody (not necessarily the caster has to die for the resurrection to work" it's pretty much already covered by EquivalentExchange

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OK, hijack away. I don't care if you hijack it.

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{{Thorgal}}: Thorgal is in a place with bright glowing strings all around him representing human lives. He will only get his life back if he cuts a single one, killing the person. He refuses, but Shaniah, the girl who'd followed him (and is desperately in love with him) cuts it herself. Thorgal gets back to life, but as they leave, she fades away, as it was her own lifeline she'd cut.

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FinalFantasyV has the [[MegaManning Blue Magic]] Fusion, which gives the caster's remaining HP to its target, then the caster dies.

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In WorldOfWarcraft, the paladin spell Divine Intervention makes an ally invulnerable for a time, but kills the paladin.

It's not a resurrection, but I think it counts...

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* VampireDiaries has [[spoiler: John Gilbert]] sacrifice himself so a spell can ring [[spoiler: Elena]] back from the dead.

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^^ That's just CastFromHitPoints to a high degree. Heck, this trope might be a SubTrope.

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^ Good notice. Definitely related to CastFromHitPoints.

* In FinalFantasyXII, the "Revive" Technick (not to be confused with "Raise" magic) revives one party member to full health/MP/status, the only cost being that the caster (regardless of status) is KO in the process.

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Averted in ''{{Paul}},'' when [[spoiler: Paul survives reviving Graeme from his previously fatal gunshot wound, despite having indicated earlier that trying something like that could kill him in return.]]

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^ NotAnExample. He himself said only that it "could" kill him, meaning that it's just a risk, not a requirement.

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When the LegionOfSuperHeroes brought Lightning Lad back to life, it was at the cost that someone would have to die channelling the [[LightningCanDoAnything reviving lightning]]. It turned out to be [[CListFodder Proty]], Chameleon Boy's pet.

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I believe this was referenced in XMen at the end of "Dark Phoenix" saga -- Phoenix said she could revive Jean but only by taking the life energy from someone else. However, she didn't have to take it all from ''one'' person -- she agreed to take a small amount from everyone instead.

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* Happens in the end of ''Franchise/DragonAge'' novel ''Literature/{{Asunder}}'', where [[spoiler:Wynne]] transfers her life energy to the fallen Templar Evangeline, resurrecting her but dying instead.

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Related to HeroicSacrifice

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''{{Series/Merlin}}'' could be a variation of a sort, though an ultimate aversion. Usually the revival spell-the water from the Lake of Avalon in the Cup of Life-doesn't kill specifically the caster. However, Merlin decided to sacrifice himself when his mother got sick as the one chosen to die. He was all set to sacrifice himself for Arthur until Gaius showed up first at the Isle of the Blessed and then Nimueh was taken instead. Not sure it'd fit, but I thought I'd see.

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''{{Smallville}}'': For a while Chloe had a HealingPower. The first time she used it she was declared dead by doctors, but [[IGotBetter eventually recovered]]. Another time her heart stopped for 18 hours.

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.

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So is anyone going to launch this one? It's over one and a half years old now.

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Don't exaggerate. It's only 1 year 4 months and 8 days old.

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''{{BIONICLE}}'': Matoro sacrifices his life with the help of the Mask of Life to revive Mata Nui and, in turn, the Matoran universe.

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^^ OK, I'll come around again in two months. :D

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Related: CastFromHitPoints

I'm uncertain about the current title because it sounds like "the caster knew it would kill them and it did" but many of the examples are more of the form "it could have killed the caster and they took a chance" or "it almost killed the caster". I think SacrificialRevive covers a lot more of these.

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^ Then we've got bad examples.

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hm?

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Tactics Ogre Let us Cling Together: one of the spells from hell gate qualifies.

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how so?

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What if the spell requires a willing sacrifice but not the necessarily caster's?

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@randomsurfer: This YKTTW is now 1 year, 8 months, and 10 days old. Can it be launched yet?


* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', [[TheChosenOne Colette]] gets a magic spell that allows her to revive her fallen teammates, but she is KO'ed after using the spell.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', there is a Monk archetype that focuses on using ones own Ki energy to fuel healing magics, harming oneself in the process. At 20th level, said monk can sacrifice his own life to revive all his allies as per the ''True Resurrection'' spell. Taken UpToEleven, as in a world where DeathIsCheap, this technique not only kills the user beyond the power of mortal or ''deity'' magic, but also eliminates all memories any other person has, and erases all written records of his/her existence.

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The hivemind has gotten way too uptight about naming lately. It's a perfectly cromulent name. Have another hat.

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I'll launch it when I get back home

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Changed my mind: I still think the title is fine, but I'm feeling lumpish today, so I want you to make a case for treating this as a separate trope from BalancingDeathsBooks, before launch.

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I suggest Risky Revival Magic, if the tropes isn't always death of the caster (lots of examples where the characters state "That will kill you!" and yet the caster somehow pulls through.) If it's actual death, a lot of the video game KO examples don't really fit and it is essentially a form of Balancing Deaths Books.

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What? This totally doesn't make sense to lump in. It's one thing to try to trick Death into taking you instead, it's totally another to have a spell that kills the caster to revive someone else. The first is pretty much a plot- we have to go to the world of the dead to convince so and so to kill me instead. The second is a mechanic- I cast Recarmdra and fall down dead not due to the good grace of an entity, but because of how magic works.

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I'm inclined to agree with the above. BalancingDeathsBooks requires that the GrimReaper or other similar entity be involved. The current YKTTW requires that AppliedPhlebotinum and/or Functional Magic be employed.

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The difference isn't that extreme. To illustrate:
1) Caster's friend dies. Finding that unacceptable, Caster enacts a ritual. Death shows up, rips out the Caster's soul, revives the dead friend.
2) Caster's friend dies. Finding that unacceptable, Caster enacts a ritual. Nothing shows up, Caster keels over dead and the friend is revived.
I just don't see that as two different tropes. Balancing Deaths Books is a broader trope (since it covers actual interactions with Death as an entity), and includes what this trope would be in several of its examples.

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^ Well, actually there isn't normally a ritual involved in 1. It tends to be a speech or an epic quest. Two, while they seem superficially similar, their narrative effects have almost nothing in common with how they actually play out. Three, while BalancingDeathsBooks is always one for one, this one tends to be one for multiple.

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bump

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Somebody make this a trope already!

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The OP Tropers/TorchicBlaziken hasn't edited this since 2011 so it is officially UpForGrabs if anyone wants to launch it.

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Compare HolyIsNotSafe.

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[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* This trope is the entire premise behind Cerberus a/k/a Tirell's Adobe Flash work "Trading With Ghosts." A feline mage uses her powers to enter the spirit world to recover her deceased daughter. However, magic that powerful demands a horrific price.

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Bob couldn't save Alice in time to prevent her death. After mourning her loss, he discovers he has a revival spell available to him. He uses it, and presto! She's alive again. But, suddenly Bob collapses and dies. It seems the spell required the user to sacrifice his life to bring back that of another.

Essentially, it's a spell that sacrifices your life to bring someone BackFromTheDead. It may be a DangerousForbiddenTechnique because of this sacrifice, and so people tend to know that they're going to die if they cast it, meaning they either think it's worth it or they're crazy. When it's used in VideoGames (aside from in cutscenes) the stakes don't tend to be as high considering that there may be [[TraumaInn some other ways]] of [[OnlyMostlyDead reviving party members]].

Compare BalancingDeathsBooks, HeroicSacrifice, CastFromHitPoints

Examples:

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
*

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

ShinMegamiTensei: The recarmdra spell.

Is this specifically a Video Game Trope?

No, it just lacks examples from other media.

* In ''{{Naruto}}'', Lady Chiyo uses a secret jutsu to revive Gaara, but at the cost of her own life.

At least a couple of times on ''{{Supernatural}}''. Once Dean traded his life to a CrossroadsDemon in order to get Sam back from the dead. Another time Bobby had lost a poker game with another demon, where the stakes were years of life; Dean played that demon to try to get it back. The first thing he did after getting his chips was cash out half in order to get Bobby's years back (thus losing years himself), trusting his own poker skills to win enough to stay alive.

The reason I ask is that if it's not specifically a video game trope, I think it's already covered by BalancingDeathsBooks and EquivalentExchange.

does it count if you protect someone by transfering the damage into you, like the "shadow sacrifices" i Clamp's X ?

This happens twice in a row in OneOverZero, mutually between two characters.

* In smallville zatana uses a spell to resurrect her father for the rpcie of a another´s life

* In ''{{Persona 3}}'', [[spoiler: Chihiro revives Junpei after he was shot by Strega, at the cost of her own life.]]

* In the first ''FullmetalAlchemist'' anime, [[spoiler:Ed is killed by Envy, then Alphonse transmutes his own life into Ed's, then Ed transmutes ''his'' life and body into Al's life and a new body for him, to boot. Alphose can't repeat the process after that because Ed gets stuck in a parallel universe]].

@Paul A: This sounds like a ''specific skill'' with BalancingDeathsBooks as its side effect. Sounds like a clear SubTrope to me, and the examples don't overlap all that much.

That being said, Koveras, FullmetalAlchemist is a case of [[TropeNamer Equivalent Exchange]].

And since we already have a different trope ''called'' TakeMeInstead, this one NeedsABetterTitle.

In ''YuYuHakusho,'' this was Kurama's reason for stealing the Forlorn Hope, a magic mirror that grants any wish, but kills the user to do so. He was going to use it to save his terminally ill mother. Yusuke prevents this by joining him in the wish, so the Forlorn Hope takes half of their lives to save her.

SacrificePoweredResurrection, perhaps?

Would ''HarryPotter'' count, since he was protected from being killed by Voldemort because [[spoiler: his mother died protecting him.]]

^ No.

For titles, maybe FatalRevive?

I think this could be a legitimate subtrope of EquivalentExchange. TakeMeInstead requires that death be an actual person you can bargain with. These examples don't. EquivalentExchange covers all cases of magic trading one thing for another thing of the same value. This would be a subtrope.

This seems a bit too specific to be its own trope.

* One of the Forbidden Spells in ''OjamajoDoremi'' is bringing someone back from the dead, for the exact reason of it basically being a trade of lives.

CastFromHitPoints?

I suppose it's really a [[{{Troperithmetic}} combination]] of CastFromHitPoints EquivalentExchange BalancingDeathsBooks. With crossover with EmpathicHealer, TakeMeInstead and CastFromLifespan. All in all I think it's too close to lots of other tropes.

^ I agree. We don't have this ''exactly'', but it's already adequately covered by other tropes, even if they do come from slightly different directions.

Would the Returned in {{Warbreaker}} count as this? They can sacrifice their lives to heal one person, granted that person doesn't actually have to be dying {the one time we actually see this happen [[spoiler: Lightsong sacrifices himself to heal Susebron's severed tongue]] but they might be.

ASoulForASoul?

Mira does this to Dany's husband in ASongOfIceAndFire.

''Equivalent Exchange'' and ''Balancing Deaths Books'' don't fit the bill as well as ''Cast From Hit Points''. This seems to be a direct subtrope ''Cast From Hit Points'' where the cost is always all of your HP and the effect is always a dead person (or people) coming back to life.

I think just about every CCG has a creature with this ability. [[MagicTheGathering MTG]] has Doomed Necromancer.

I think this effect happens enough in this specific form that it warrants it's own trope, even though it borrows from a lot of other tropes.

The MMORPG in ''{{Yureka}}'' has the Sacrifice spell, which not only kills you but makes you lose levels and randomises your stats. And has a less than 100% success rate. However, one character manages to avoid AwesomeButImpractical by [[spoiler:using it on an NPC who loves her, causing him to enter an UnstoppableRage]].

How about "A death for a life"?

And about the description, this trope refers only to magical or supernatural means of revival, it is not cast from hit points as whatever method used for this trope is only a means of transport for the exchange of one life for another. Very much like equivalent exchange but focusing on the sacrifice of the user and much more emotional.

Does not count if there is a soul collecting entity, then it's Balancing Deaths Books.

How about I Give My Life To Bring Back Yours? Or since this is more about nakama's-just-been-killed emergency situations than depraved lover-resurrecting necromancy, how about I'll Die So You Don't Die On Me.

Toward the end of the ''{{Scryed}}'' anime, [[spoiler: Scherris Adjani finds and uses her "Eternal Devote" alter power on Ryuhou shortly after he's killed by BigBad Kyouji Mujo. His agony and gratitude upon seeing her deceased boost his power.]]

I believe that the backstory/legend of the Second Hand of Time in ''DNAngel'' featured this, but it's been a ''long'' time since I've seen/read it, so I forget the details.

An amusing but but still touching instance of this occurs late in the Buu saga of {{Dragonball Z}}. The beyond ancient Old Supreme Kai gives up his life energy so Goku, as a dead man stuck in other world, can fight elsewhere/live normally again. His halo vanishes and the old kai, without pain or distress, gains one.

FinalFantasy 12 has the Revive Technick, but [[UselessUsefulSpell you didn't get it until long after you got the basic Revive spell, and it was also on the market next to the more useful Arise Spell]].

Looks like it's been abandoned... Anyone want to take this over?

Also, I think the current title (Sacrificial Revive) gets the point across much better than any of the other suggestions so far.

Yep this title's the best, mind if I take care of this one?

If no one objects, I'm hijacking this one.

In Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides the fountain of youth works by a ritual where two people drink the water and one is revived by taking the other's years.

(not sure if it works this way in the novel the film is Very Loosely based on)

The supernatural example goes even further, because Dean's father also traded his own life to the crossroad's demon to save Dean. (Supernatural is also Live Action TV, not a Video Game)

In {{Warehouse 13}} (TV) There is a medallion called the Pheonix that when it's wearer dies from a fire or an explosion, they are reborn from the ashes and someone else nearby dies instead.

^My bad. ^^If one of the people is dead, it works.

^what I was saying is I don't know if the rule exists in the book or was made up for the movie. I've never read the book but I do know the movie is only loosely based on the book. In fact the film's credits say "Inspired by the novel"

A variation of this occurs in Pokemon, where there's a move, Healing Wish, which causes the user to faint, and fully heals the pokemon that comes in to replace it. The new pokemon can't have been fainted (the pokemon equivalent of temporary death), but it can be right on the border. (that's why I called it a variation)

Does the spell have to sacrifice '''the caster's''' life? Like in ''PushingDaisies'', Ned can bring anything back from death for 60 seconds with no harm done - but if it's more than 60 seconds then (a) they're back permanantly and (b) a life force of "equal value" has to go; in the case of humans, another nearby human life. But specifically not Ned's life.

Also in ''{{Naruto}}'', Pain's resurrection technique revived a whole village, but killed him, although it's implied that he died because of chakra exhaustion.

The alien healing/torture machine in {{Babylon5}}. [[spoiler:Marcus Cole]] uses it to save Ivanova.

To clear up some questions, WordOfGod says that it requres the user to sacrifice ''his own'' life, not someone elses.

This used as a cop-out ending in Disney's film of ''TheBlackCauldron''. This does not happen in the book where the character who throws himself into the cauldron to break the enchantment (who is the not same character who does this in the film) stays dead.

Randomsurfer: If it's broadened to "somebody (not necessarily the caster has to die for the resurrection to work" it's pretty much already covered by EquivalentExchange

OK, hijack away. I don't care if you hijack it.

{{Thorgal}}: Thorgal is in a place with bright glowing strings all around him representing human lives. He will only get his life back if he cuts a single one, killing the person. He refuses, but Shaniah, the girl who'd followed him (and is desperately in love with him) cuts it herself. Thorgal gets back to life, but as they leave, she fades away, as it was her own lifeline she'd cut.

FinalFantasyV has the [[MegaManning Blue Magic]] Fusion, which gives the caster's remaining HP to its target, then the caster dies.

In WorldOfWarcraft, the paladin spell Divine Intervention makes an ally invulnerable for a time, but kills the paladin.

It's not a resurrection, but I think it counts...

* VampireDiaries has [[spoiler: John Gilbert]] sacrifice himself so a spell can ring [[spoiler: Elena]] back from the dead.

^^ That's just CastFromHitPoints to a high degree. Heck, this trope might be a SubTrope.

^ Good notice. Definitely related to CastFromHitPoints.

* In FinalFantasyXII, the "Revive" Technick (not to be confused with "Raise" magic) revives one party member to full health/MP/status, the only cost being that the caster (regardless of status) is KO in the process.

Averted in ''{{Paul}},'' when [[spoiler: Paul survives reviving Graeme from his previously fatal gunshot wound, despite having indicated earlier that trying something like that could kill him in return.]]

^ NotAnExample. He himself said only that it "could" kill him, meaning that it's just a risk, not a requirement.

When the LegionOfSuperHeroes brought Lightning Lad back to life, it was at the cost that someone would have to die channelling the [[LightningCanDoAnything reviving lightning]]. It turned out to be [[CListFodder Proty]], Chameleon Boy's pet.

I believe this was referenced in XMen at the end of "Dark Phoenix" saga -- Phoenix said she could revive Jean but only by taking the life energy from someone else. However, she didn't have to take it all from ''one'' person -- she agreed to take a small amount from everyone instead.

* Happens in the end of ''Franchise/DragonAge'' novel ''Literature/{{Asunder}}'', where [[spoiler:Wynne]] transfers her life energy to the fallen Templar Evangeline, resurrecting her but dying instead.

Related to HeroicSacrifice

''{{Series/Merlin}}'' could be a variation of a sort, though an ultimate aversion. Usually the revival spell-the water from the Lake of Avalon in the Cup of Life-doesn't kill specifically the caster. However, Merlin decided to sacrifice himself when his mother got sick as the one chosen to die. He was all set to sacrifice himself for Arthur until Gaius showed up first at the Isle of the Blessed and then Nimueh was taken instead. Not sure it'd fit, but I thought I'd see.

''{{Smallville}}'': For a while Chloe had a HealingPower. The first time she used it she was declared dead by doctors, but [[IGotBetter eventually recovered]]. Another time her heart stopped for 18 hours.

.

So is anyone going to launch this one? It's over one and a half years old now.

Don't exaggerate. It's only 1 year 4 months and 8 days old.

''{{BIONICLE}}'': Matoro sacrifices his life with the help of the Mask of Life to revive Mata Nui and, in turn, the Matoran universe.

^^ OK, I'll come around again in two months. :D

Related: CastFromHitPoints

I'm uncertain about the current title because it sounds like "the caster knew it would kill them and it did" but many of the examples are more of the form "it could have killed the caster and they took a chance" or "it almost killed the caster". I think SacrificialRevive covers a lot more of these.

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^ Then we've got bad examples.

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hm?

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Tactics Ogre Let us Cling Together: one of the spells from hell gate qualifies.

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how so?

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What if the spell requires a willing sacrifice but not the necessarily caster's?

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@randomsurfer: This YKTTW is now 1 year, 8 months, and 10 days old. Can it be launched yet?


* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', [[TheChosenOne Colette]] gets a magic spell that allows her to revive her fallen teammates, but she is KO'ed after using the spell.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', there is a Monk archetype that focuses on using ones own Ki energy to fuel healing magics, harming oneself in the process. At 20th level, said monk can sacrifice his own life to revive all his allies as per the ''True Resurrection'' spell. Taken UpToEleven, as in a world where DeathIsCheap, this technique not only kills the user beyond the power of mortal or ''deity'' magic, but also eliminates all memories any other person has, and erases all written records of his/her existence.

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The hivemind has gotten way too uptight about naming lately. It's a perfectly cromulent name. Have another hat.

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I'll launch it when I get back home

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Changed my mind: I still think the title is fine, but I'm feeling lumpish today, so I want you to make a case for treating this as a separate trope from BalancingDeathsBooks, before launch.

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I suggest Risky Revival Magic, if the tropes isn't always death of the caster (lots of examples where the characters state "That will kill you!" and yet the caster somehow pulls through.) If it's actual death, a lot of the video game KO examples don't really fit and it is essentially a form of Balancing Deaths Books.

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What? This totally doesn't make sense to lump in. It's one thing to try to trick Death into taking you instead, it's totally another to have a spell that kills the caster to revive someone else. The first is pretty much a plot- we have to go to the world of the dead to convince so and so to kill me instead. The second is a mechanic- I cast Recarmdra and fall down dead not due to the good grace of an entity, but because of how magic works.

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I'm inclined to agree with the above. BalancingDeathsBooks requires that the GrimReaper or other similar entity be involved. The current YKTTW requires that AppliedPhlebotinum and/or Functional Magic be employed.

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The difference isn't that extreme. To illustrate:
1) Caster's friend dies. Finding that unacceptable, Caster enacts a ritual. Death shows up, rips out the Caster's soul, revives the dead friend.
2) Caster's friend dies. Finding that unacceptable, Caster enacts a ritual. Nothing shows up, Caster keels over dead and the friend is revived.
I just don't see that as two different tropes. Balancing Deaths Books is a broader trope (since it covers actual interactions with Death as an entity), and includes what this trope would be in several of its examples.

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^ Well, actually there isn't normally a ritual involved in 1. It tends to be a speech or an epic quest. Two, while they seem superficially similar, their narrative effects have almost nothing in common with how they actually play out. Three, while BalancingDeathsBooks is always one for one, this one tends to be one for multiple.

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bump

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Somebody make this a trope already!

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The OP Tropers/TorchicBlaziken hasn't edited this since 2011 so it is officially UpForGrabs if anyone wants to launch it.

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Compare HolyIsNotSafe.

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[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* This trope is the entire premise behind Cerberus a/k/a Tirell's Adobe Flash work "Trading With Ghosts." A feline mage uses her powers to enter the spirit world to recover her deceased daughter. However, magic that powerful demands a horrific price.

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