Death occurs whenever a character's health drops to zero. The character then becomes a corpse and the player can no longer control him or her. The player can still use chat features, map travel, and camera control. Additionally, a player whose character is dead can lock the camera to another party member's point of view by clicking that party member's name on the Party List. Among other things, this allows a player to guide a living party member via his compass.
Drops are still allocated to dead players if they are within range.
Party members can resurrect a party member. Transition over an area boundary and cinematics resurrect and teleport the whole party; this allows a player to be run without worrying about survival.
In areas with resurrection shrines, the whole party will be resurrected on a wipe (after a short delay). If the resurrection shrine has a priest, then he must be alive for the party to be resurrected. If an area does not have a resurrection shrine, the party must return to the most recently visited outpost after a wipe. All PvE missions, and several PvP arenas, lack resurrection shrines.
Death results in a 15% death penalty for the player, except in the following situations:
- In the tutorial stage of Pre-Searing Ascalon
- When Vengeance or Unyielding Aura ends
- If killed by a crusher in Sorrow's Furnace
- In "kill count" arenas such as the The Crag and in Alliance Battles
- If killed again right after being resurrected while skills are still recharging.
Avoiding death can earn you the Survivor title.