Being Negative

[TheLooker]

What are some really powerful negative energy spells, such as maybe ones that do damage based on level (1d6/level)? Anything that does major damage and is necromancy or negative energy would probably work. Thanks!

[NikitaDarkstar]

Divine or Arcane?

[metabolicjosh]

None like that sadly.
Just Twin Repeat a Arcane fusion with a Twin Repeated Maximized Enerversion.

just one of those is 32 negative levels

[Ravens_cry]

1d6 per level actually pretty weak unless you can enough CL or other boosts as almost everything will get more than 1d6 hit points per level.
Enervation is a nice spell.
No save, just a ranged touch attack that provides a stacking debuff that makes everything that does have a save that much better.
Enough of that and you can kill a cleric with phantasmal killer.
Edit:^ Yeek! I think I just drooped a level just reading that!

[Togath]

Harm(10 damage/level), or other inflict wounds spells could be useful, negative energy damage is also useful for fighting enemies with high elemental resists, as very few things are immune to it(other then constructs and undead)

[eggs]

Necrotic skull bomb has some fun options. Area Enervation (though it comes with a save).

[Flickerdart]

The best thing about AoE negative energy damage is that if you take Tomb-Tainted Soul or are undead yourself, casting it on top of yourself heals you as it kills your enemies.

[Elric VIII]

Perhaps you'd like Lord of the Uttercold?

It requires Energy Substitution: Cold as a prerequisite and is a +0 metamagic. What it does is allows you to turn any spell with the [cold] descriptor into a half cold, half negative energy spell.

From here just apply the generic optimization for Evocation/Conjuration and you have some good negative energy being thrown around.

[nedz]

Fell Drain Fireball is a level 5 spell which will grant a negative level to anyone who takes damage. Countered by Evasion or Protection from Fire. Obviously this can be applied to any AoE.

Fell Drain Magic Missile is a level 3 spell which will grant a negative level to up to 5 targets. Countered by Shield or the related broach.

Fell Drain Acid Splash is a level 2 spell which will grant a negative level to to 1 target, even if they have SR. Countered by Resist Acid etc.

Note I am not bothering about the actual damage with any of these.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Perhaps you'd like Lord of the Uttercold?

It requires Energy Substitution: Cold as a prerequisite and is a +0 metamagic. What it does is allows you to turn any spell with the [cold] descriptor into a half cold, half negative energy spell.

From here just apply the generic optimization for Evocation/Conjuration and you have some good negative energy being thrown around.

Now you just made me think of a slightly silly villain - a Practical Metamagic Warmage Elemental Savant (Water), who turns pretty much all of his spells into Uttercold spells.

My PCs are going to love you.

[Wookie-ranger]

Perhaps you'd like Lord of the Uttercold?

It requires Energy Substitution: Cold as a prerequisite and is a +0 metamagic. What it does is allows you to turn any spell with the [cold] descriptor into a half cold, half negative energy spell.

From here just apply the generic optimization for Evocation/Conjuration and you have some good negative energy being thrown around.

Utter cold works great for a Necromancer Style of play.
Skellies are immune to cold and get healed by negative energy. Area spells (wall of X, Fire ball,...) work great that way, heal your minions and damage the opposition, whats not to like!


Also:
Look into 'Black sand' from Sand Storm Page, 111. Area of magic sand that creates darkness and does Negative energy damage (only 1d4 though, but that per round).
It is both a cleric spell (Cleric 3, sand 2) and a naturally occurring phenomenon. By RAW any the sand from the spell disappears after the duration expires, but any creature that is killed by it also turns into black sand since the black sand from the creature is not the one created by the spell it should remain after the spell is over. Make as much sand as you want. Prepare to dodge some books though.
If your DM does not let you create infinite amounts of sand (which it says on Page 20, so it is RAW) you can make it permanent with permanency.:smallbiggrin:

It is also VERY unclear how much sand creates the darkness effect (or the damage). It could be as little as one grain. That is a lot of permanent darkness effects in very small packages.
Want to buff up your archers? Glue a grain on the tip of each one. If the arrow gets stuck in the person (are there any rules for that?) then they take 1d4 damage per round.
Are you undead or Tomb-tainted? Swallow a few grains for permanent instant heal!
Your undead don't have an intestine? no problem, drill a few hole in their bones and fill them up. As a bonus, upon death (ie, breaking the bones) they create darkness and possibly splash some sand on the attacker.
Again, wear a helmet that is book proof.

I think Black Sand is broken, or at least very very close to it. But hey, if your DM allows it..... :smallbiggrin:

[TheLooker]

All of these ideas are great (including the watery villain), thanks! But if I were to apply say empower and energize to a damage dealing spell, say, fireball, for instance, would it do 22d6? (15d6 for empower + 50% which is 7d6 for energize)

[Korivan]

I believe this one comes from the book of vile deeds and is an evil spell. "Avasculate". Sorry if wrong name but it drains half the targets HP and if they fail a save it stuns them. Great to hit a raging barbarian twice then use emotion:calm.

[metabolicjosh]

IF you use sub then empower at say level 8 that is 4d's of negative energy.
So Yes you are correct.

[Ravens_cry]

Harm(10 damage/level), or other inflict wounds spells could be useful, negative energy damage is also useful for fighting enemies with high elemental resists, as very few things are immune to it(other then constructs and undead)
Harm does good damage, 10 damage per level will drop many squishy things of equal level, but it's a melee. You really don't want to be that close to the furball if you can avoid it.
Inflict does . . .really inadequate damage.

[The Dark Fiddler]

All of these ideas are great (including the watery villain), thanks! But if I were to apply say empower and energize to a damage dealing spell, say, fireball, for instance, would it do 22d6? (15d6 for empower + 50% which is 7d6 for energize)

The +50% comes after you roll the damage.

[nedz]

Harm does good damage, 10 damage per level will drop many squishy things of equal level, but it's a melee. You really don't want to be that close to the furball if you can avoid it.
Inflict does . . .really inadequate damage.

Its a touch spell sure, but if you can't do those at range: your not trying.