Enemies can take steps to make it more difficult for a character to be returned from the [[SRD:Dead|dead]]. Keeping the body prevents others from using ''[[SRD:Raise Dead|raise dead]] ''or ''[[SRD:Resurrection|resurrection]] ''to restore the slain character to life. Casting ''[[SRD:Trap the Soul|trap the soul]] ''prevents any sort of revivification unless the soul is first released.

A soul cannot be returned to life if it does not wish to be. A soul knows the name, alignment, and patron deity (if any) of the character attempting to revive it and may refuse to return on that basis.