RimWorld is a deeply immersive colony simulation game where players guide a group of survivors through harsh environments, brutal combat, and complex interpersonal relationships. But sometimes, your favorite colonist dies due to an unfortunate raid, a stray bullet, or even food poisoning at the worst moment. If you’ve ever felt the sting of losing a beloved pawn, you’re not alone. That’s where the RimWorld Dev Mode resurrect function comes into play. This tool allows players to bring their fallen colonists back to life, making it a useful mechanic for testing, modding, or even just undoing a tragic mistake. Understanding how to use Dev Mode to resurrect colonists can save you time, frustration, and emotional heartache.
What Is Dev Mode in RimWorld?
Understanding Developer Mode
Developer Mode, or Dev Mode, is a set of tools built into RimWorld that enables players to manipulate almost every aspect of the game. It’s mostly intended for mod developers and testers, but regular players often use it to fix bugs, adjust values, or run experiments.
Dev Mode allows you to do things like:
- Spawn items, animals, or pawns
- Advance time instantly
- Trigger events like raids or weather changes
- Heal or resurrect pawns
- Unlock research or complete quests
These powerful features can significantly change the gameplay, which is why they’re disabled by default in standard mode. Activating it is simple, and using it to resurrect characters takes only a few clicks once you’re familiar with the interface.
How to Enable Dev Mode
Activating Developer Tools
Before you can resurrect anyone, you need to turn on Dev Mode. Here’s how:
- Go to the main menu or pause the game
- Click on the Options menu
- Scroll down until you find the Development Mode checkbox
- Check the box to enable Dev Mode
Once it’s activated, you’ll see several new buttons appear at the top of the screen, including options like Open debug actions menu, God mode, and more. These are your tools for controlling almost everything in the game, including resurrecting pawns.
Resurrecting Colonists in RimWorld
Step-by-Step Resurrection Guide
If your colonist has recently died and you want to bring them back, here’s the step-by-step method using Dev Mode:
- Click on the dead colonist’s corpse in the game world.
- With the corpse selected, click the Open debug actions menu button at the top of the screen (it looks like a gear).
- Type or scroll to find the action labeledResurrectorResurrect (full).
- Select that action while the corpse is selected.
- The pawn should instantly come back to life and return to a standing position.
Understanding the Differences Between Resurrect Options
There are two main resurrection options you’ll encounter in Dev Mode:
- Resurrect– This revives the pawn but may leave them with injuries or negative conditions such as brain damage or missing limbs, depending on the condition of the body before resurrection.
- Resurrect (full)– This option revives the pawn and completely heals them. All scars, missing parts, and injuries are removed. It’s essentially a perfect restoration.
Choose based on whether you want a lore-friendly resurrection with consequences or a clean reset.
After Resurrection: Managing Side Effects
Healing and Restoring Colonists
Sometimes, a resurrected pawn may come back with various issues like dementia, frailty, or chronic pain. You can address these with additional Dev Mode tools:
- Use the Heal all action to remove all injuries
- Replace missing body parts using Add Hediff to simulate bionics or natural regrowth
- Adjust mood, needs, or backstories as needed to match your roleplay goals
It’s also important to remember that resurrected pawns might suffer from the Resurrection Psychosis condition a special mental break state that can result from resurrection serum use or unnatural revival. You can remove it manually via Dev Mode by editing the pawn’s health conditions.
When to Use Resurrection in RimWorld
Situational Uses
While some players prefer a purely organic playthrough where death is final, others view RimWorld more as a storytelling sandbox. Here are some situations where resurrection can enhance the gameplay experience:
- A colonist with unique backstory or skills dies unfairly due to RNG or glitch
- You want to simulate science-fiction revival or cloning scenarios
- You’re developing a mod or testing mechanics and need consistent pawns
- You’re playing with permadeath turned off and want to fix a bad moment
Remember that RimWorld is designed to be modded and personalized. If bringing back your favorite pawn makes the story more fun for you, there’s no wrong way to play.
Common Issues with Dev Mode Resurrection
Troubleshooting Resurrection Glitches
Resurrecting pawns can sometimes lead to bugs or inconsistencies, especially if the body has decayed too much or if multiple pawns were selected. Here are a few issues and fixes:
- Pawn won’t resurrect: Ensure you’re selecting the correct corpse and that it hasn’t decomposed. If it’s a skeleton, resurrection may not work.
- Pawn comes back hostile: Occasionally, resurrected pawns may not recognize faction alignment. Use Dev Mode to set their faction back to your colony.
- Missing inventory or apparel: Inventory is not always restored. You may need to respawn gear or manually equip items again.
Resurrection vs. In-Game Resurrection Mechanisms
Luciferium, Resurrector Mech Serum, and Beyond
RimWorld does have in-game ways to revive characters without Dev Mode. The most notable is theResurrector Mech Serum, a rare item that automatically brings a colonist back to life if used quickly after death. It has drawbacks, including possible permanent brain damage or mood penalties.
Using Dev Mode is essentially a shortcut to this process, giving you greater control without the rarity or expense. But some players prefer the thrill of searching for resurrection items through quests or traders, adding another layer of challenge.
Ethical and Storytelling Considerations
Balancing Difficulty and Narrative
Using Dev Mode to resurrect colonists can drastically alter the difficulty curve of RimWorld. For players looking for a hardcore experience, it might feel like cheating. But for narrative-driven players or those creating custom scenarios, resurrection can be an essential storytelling device. Imagine a pawn brought back from death as a bionic soldier or a prophet with mysterious powers it’s all up to your imagination.
If you’re playing with friends or streaming the game, consider communicating how and why you’re using resurrection. Transparency keeps expectations aligned and helps viewers or participants understand your narrative vision.
The RimWorld Dev Mode resurrect function is a powerful tool that can completely change the course of your colony’s story. Whether you’re trying to recover from a disaster, breathe life back into a favorite character, or run experiments with immortal colonists, knowing how to use Dev Mode for resurrection gives you ultimate control. Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility or at least, the potential for resurrection psychosis. Use wisely, and let the storytelling begin anew.