Yes under the 2024 Cure Wounds text; no under the legacy 2014 text. The answer depends on the rules version and the wording of the particular spell or feature. There is no universal rule that all healing works—or fails—on undead.
What does Cure Wounds do to undead?
| Rules text | What it says | Result for undead |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Cure Wounds, identified as a 2024 Player’s Handbook spell | “A creature you touch regains a number of Hit Points equal to 2d8 plus your spellcasting ability modifier.” | The displayed text does not exclude undead, so it does not rule out healing them. D&D Beyond: Cure Wounds (2024) |
| Legacy 2014 Cure Wounds | “This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.” | It cannot heal an undead creature. D&D Beyond: Cure Wounds (legacy) |
Use the text for the edition your group is playing. Don’t apply the 2014 exclusion to the 2024 wording, or describe the 2024 spell as though it explicitly says “undead”: its listed target is a creature, and the displayed text contains no undead exception.
Do all healing spells and features work the same way?
No. Read the exact wording of the effect rather than assuming that a ruling for one spell applies to every form of healing. Some effects explicitly exclude undead. For example, the 5.1 SRD says the Life Domain’s Preserve Life feature can’t be used on an undead or a construct, and that the paladin’s Lay on Hands feature has no effect on undead and constructs. Those are exclusions in those features, not a general restriction on every healing effect. System Reference Document 5.1
- If the effect says it has no effect on undead, it does not heal them.
- If it names a target such as “a creature” and gives no undead exception, follow that text rather than adding one.
- If the wording or edition is unclear, confirm which rules your DM is using, including any optional material adopted by the table.
Does healing an undead creature bring it back to life?
No. Restoring Hit Points and returning a dead creature to life are separate rules situations. The 2014 Basic Rules state: “A creature that has died can’t regain hit points until magic such as the revivify spell has restored it to life.” Separately, the legacy Raise Dead spell says: “The spell can’t return an undead creature to life.” That restriction concerns returning an undead creature to life; it is not the same question as whether a living undead creature can regain Hit Points from a particular effect.
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