History Main / SlidingScaleOfUndeadRegeneration

* David's friend Jack is this in AnAmericanWerewolfInLondon, and will continue to decay until he is released by the death of the original werewolf.

* ''DeathBecomesHer'': after imbibing an eternal youth and immortality potion, a person stays alive and can heal whatever a normal person could. But they can't die. Which two of the protagonists have just done, so they continuously accumulate injuries and suffer slight rotting, making them Type 2 .

* Brook of [[One Piece]] is a tough example. Similarly to the Arcanum example down in the Video Games section, he took a single-shot resurrection ability. However, it worked much later than desirable, so his flesh rotted off, leaving him a skeleton, thus classifying him as undead... probably. Since then, he survived over fifty years without losing any parts, on an abandoned ship, without eating. He can apparently heal his broken bones... with milk, but is apparently sure he can't regrow his hair if he ever loses it, which he miraculously kept on his skinless skull. So... Type IV, probably.

* Brook of [[One Piece]] is a tough example. Similarly to the Arcanum example down in the Video Games section, he took a single-shot resurrection ability. However, it worked much later than desirable, so his flesh rotted off, leaving him a skeleton, thus classifying him as undead... probably. Since then, he survived over fifty years without losing any parts, on an abandoned ship, without eating. He can apparently heal his broken bones... with milk, but is apparently sure he can't regrow his hair if he ever loses it, which he miraculously kept on his skinless skull. So... Type IV, probably.

[[folder:Manga & Anime]]
* ''{{Sankarea}}'': Rea the {{moe}} zombie girl (yes, really) is Type 1, with the rotting slowed by consuming hydrangea, part of the drug that made her into one... and staying in a room with the AC turned up.
* {{Gungrave}}: "Beyond The Grave" is a Type III. Unless he receives new supplies of blood daily, his body rots and falls to pieces. The blood also has to match whatever type he was when he was alive [[spoiler: which is revealed in the sequel to the videogame that he has to receive it from [[MoralityPet Mika]], the only character whose blood type matches his.]]

[[folder:MMORPG]]
* The Forsaken in ''WorldOfWarcraft'' are type 3 - they obviously rot and movement causes the flesh on their joints to peel off, resulting in their iconic look. But they regain health and can heal rapidly by consuming "compatible" flesh.
** Death Knights get healing and no rotting after the minor decay that occurred before they were raised... unless they're Forsaken death knights.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
* ''CallOfCthulhu''. Zombies created using the ''Gray Binding'' spell are type 1's.
** Zombies created using the ''Create Zombie'' spell are type 2's, until their caster dies, at which point they become Type 1.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Videogames]]

* Vampires in BuffyTheVampireSlayer and {{Angel}} are Type 4, having enhanced healing combined with a distinct lack of rotting. Though one must wonder, if a vampire turned enough people, would he run out of blood to turn people? After all, with a non-beating heart they shouldn't be producing more blood.

* {{Gungrave}}: "Beyond The Grave" is a Type III. Unless he receives new supplies of blood daily, his body rots and falls to pieces.

* The Necromorphs of ''DeadSpace'' generally fall under "no healing, no rotting", but the Hunter (artificially created by Dr. Mercer) is completely invincible thanks to its high-speed regeneration abilities.

* In a short story by Ursula LeGuin, the bite of a certain fly will grant you immortality. After a few centuries' worth of accumulated injuries, you're basically a limbless, faceless torso. Quite a bit longer, and your carbon is compressed into a diamond (which may still be aware).

* '''No healing, and progressive rotting.''' Usually the sad lot of [[ZombieApocalypse Zombies]], this set up means that even without human intervention, every zombie will eventually becoming a moaning pile of bones.
* '''No healing, but no rotting.''' Much more dangerous for humans, this means that unless dealt with, every zombie can last forever in this less than glamorous form of {{immortality}}. TheMummy and his ilk are like this as well. [[InvincibleMinorMinion Skeletons]] and liches have a form of this where they can [[PullingThemselvesTogether reassemble themselves]].
* '''Healing, but progressive rotting.''' Rare, this set up means the undead decays but can repair injury. This is usually the case of the TechnicallyLivingZombie, who is a human that will eventually die, but until then can heal some wounds.
* '''Healing, and no rotting.''' The (un)Holy Grail of undead healing. This is usually reserved for the "freshest" and more powerful undead, like [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]]. Provided enough blood, they can heal any injury, except possibly those made by holy artifacts or sunlight.

** Death Knights get healing and no rotting after the minor decay that occurred before they were raised...unless they're Forsaken death knights.

** Those brought back to life by the Arkenpliers, on the other hand, don't seem to rot at all, and may even be able to heal.
* The undead race in [[DanAndMabsFurryAdventures DMFA]] get the "no rot, no healing" version. They tend to gradually lose flesh to injuries, but since they're magically animated this is mostly a cosmetic issue. They can also stick severed limbs back in place, and get prosthetic limbs if they lose the originals.

** Zombies created using the ''Create Zombie'' spell are type 2's, until their caster dies, at which point they become Type 1.

* The feral ghouls in ''{{Fallout}} 3'' are irradiated humans, not undead, but there are some known as "Glowing Ones" who can send out a flash of radiation--this injures normal humans, but heals any feral ghouls it touches.

It's worth noting that "No Rotting" includes preserving muscles, bones and ligaments ''despite'' everyday wear and tear. This is often implied of many perpetual motion zombies said to never die. Another variant is just how ''much'' and how "neatly" the healing is. Some undead just have enough healing to patch themselves up over a long period, leaving massive and ugly cancerous scars. Others have a full on HealingFactor that leaves no scaring.

However, this is never strong enough to bring them back to life, just back to "fresh corpse". Also note note that no matter how powerful an undead's healing ability, it ''always'' of the "[[ScaleOfScientificSins blasphemy against nature]]" variety so ReviveKillsZombie.

** Those brought back to life by the Arkenpliers, on the other hand, don't seem to rot at all, and my even be able to heal.

* Uncroaked units in ''{{Erfworld}}'' can heal damage between turns, but progressively rot. The more experienced the croakamancer, and the more care is put into their creation, the more slowly they rot. Interestingly, they can still gain levels.

* '''No healing, no rotting, but can reassemble themselves.'''

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