diff --git a/src/app/browser.coffee b/src/app/browser.coffee
index 16d0536bc2..910b9ab2e1 100644
--- a/src/app/browser.coffee
+++ b/src/app/browser.coffee
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ setupGrowlNotifications = (model) ->
   user.on 'set', 'items.*', (item, after, before) ->
     if item in ['armor','weapon','shield','head'] and parseInt(after) < parseInt(before)
       item = 'helm' if item is 'head' # don't want to day "lost a head"
-      statsNotification "<i class='icon-death'></i> You died! Lost GP and #{item}.", "death"
+      statsNotification "<i class='icon-death'></i> Respawn!", "death"
 
   user.on 'set', 'stats.lvl', (captures, args) ->
     if captures > args
diff --git a/src/app/character.coffee b/src/app/character.coffee
index edecd2d889..9734c916a0 100644
--- a/src/app/character.coffee
+++ b/src/app/character.coffee
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ module.exports.app = (appExports, model) ->
     user.set 'stats.hp', 50
     user.set 'stats.exp', 0
     user.set 'stats.gp', 0
+    user.incr 'stats.lvl', -1 if user.get('stats.lvl') > 1
 
     ## Lose a random item
     loseThisItem = false
diff --git a/views/app/alerts.html b/views/app/alerts.html
index 761d4ef558..d94914f93f 100644
--- a/views/app/alerts.html
+++ b/views/app/alerts.html
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
             <h4>5/10/2013</h4>
             <ul>
-                <li>Less harsh death: Used to be you lose everything, now you lose all GP & one random gear piece. We're working on a <a _target='blank' href="https://trello.com/card/death-mechanic/50e5d3684fe3a7266b0036d6/204">really cool death mechanic here.</a>, but this is a stop-gap so people don't lose heart presently.</li>
+                <li>Less harsh death: Used to be you lose everything, now you lose GP & one random gear piece, 1 level. We're working on a <a _target='blank' href="https://trello.com/card/death-mechanic/50e5d3684fe3a7266b0036d6/204">really cool death mechanic here.</a>, but this is a stop-gap so people don't lose heart presently.</li>
                 <li>Chat messages: can delete your own message, fix the duplicate messages issue.</li>
             </ul>
 
diff --git a/views/app/modals.html b/views/app/modals.html
index a2428526a9..a82b1bbef5 100644
--- a/views/app/modals.html
+++ b/views/app/modals.html
@@ -10,11 +10,25 @@
     <!-- Game Over Modal -->
     <div style="{#unless lt(_user.stats.hp,1)}display:none;{/}">
         <app:modals:modal noDismiss=true modalId='dead-modal'>
-            <figure class="notification-character">
-                <img src="/img/sprites/dead.png">
-            </figure>
-            <h3 class="notification-message">You died! Game Over.</h3>
-            <a x-bind=click:revive class="btn btn-danger btn-large notification-action">Continue</a>
+            <div class='row-fluid'>
+                <div class='span4'>
+                    <figure class="notification-character">
+                        <img src="/img/sprites/dead.png">
+                    </figure>
+                </div>
+                <div class='span8'>
+                    <h2>You Died!</h2>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+            <div class='row-fluid'>
+                <div class='span4'>
+                    <p><a x-bind=click:revive class="btn btn-danger btn-large notification-action">Continue</a></p>
+                </div>
+                <div class='span8'>
+                    <p>You've lost your GP, 1 level and 1 random item. Be sure to complete your dailies to prevent this from happening again!</p>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+
         </app:modals:modal>
     </div>