Can Durkon "supercharge" himself?

[gellerche]

So Durkon's surrounded by dozens of low-level grunts that he can feed off of easily. I didn't see anything in srd20 on this, but if he gluts himself off of them - I mean, drinks the blood of dozens, is there some ability that he can perform? Like a Vampiric Feat or something?

[Zach J.]

Unfortunately no.

[Zherog]

For each round he drained blood from a target, he would gain 5 temporary hit points. And unlike most times the rules give out temp hp, these actually never expire.


Blood Drain (Ex)

A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points.

[NerdyKris]

It is highly unlikely that he can do this mid battle against an army. And even if he does it after, most of the blood will have spilled out by the time he got to them. And I don't think anyone is going to let Durkon sit there and drink blood for 5 hours.

[Gift Jeraff]

HYPERCHARGE THE CHARACTERS (http://youtu.be/7id1XVU0y7c)

[Muenster Man]

HYPERCHARGE THE CHARACTERS (http://youtu.be/7id1XVU0y7c)

Your post was so good, it would be worthy of breaking this thread :smallbiggrin:

[allenw]

He could get a boatload of temporary hit points, though.

[NerdyKris]

He could get a boatload of temporary hit points, though.

Like I said though, only if Rich ignores common sense in favor of being a munchkin. They're in a battle. It's unlikely Durkon can risk drinking for a full round, being 1/2 of the melee strength on the team right now.

On top of that, the blood is draining from the bodies. And any left inside would lack all pressure and possibly already be coagulating by the time he could drink more than one or two after the battle ends.

[EnragedFilia]

Now if it was an easy battle of this size, he could simply dominate a few dozen targets and keep them alive to drain afterwards. The real problem with attempting something like that in this situation is that he has better things to do with his and his thralls' actions.

[Reddish Mage]

Like I said though, only if Rich ignores common sense in favor of being a munchkin. They're in a battle. It's unlikely Durkon can risk drinking for a full round, being 1/2 of the melee strength on the team right now.

On top of that, the blood is draining from the bodies. And any left inside would lack all pressure and possibly already be coagulating by the time he could drink more than one or two after the battle ends.

So in other words, only if Rich wants to complete break with the pacing and the seriousness of their predicament with a one off joke. Problem becomes, how does Durkon lose those hp and wouldn't that ability have the potential to be a problem down the road?

[JSSheridan]

This isn't Hellsing, so we're not going to see him pulling out reality breaking abilities like Alucard.

[Taelas]

Temporary hit points do not stack. They are from the same source, and are not unnamed bonuses.

[Sir_Leorik]

Temporary hit points do not stack. They are from the same source, and are not unnamed bonuses.

Is that the case in 3.X? I know it is in 4E, but a brief glance at the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/injuryandDeath.htm#temporaryHitPoints) doesn't mention it.

[EnragedFilia]

As far as I can tell, the (very brief) treatment that the SRD gives of temporary hit points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/injuryandDeath.htm#temporaryHitPoints) doesn't mention stacking behavior at all, although it would be reasonable to treat them like ability score or AC bonuses and decide that nothing from "the same source" should stack. On the other hand, however, the description of the bodyfeeder (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/weapons.htm#bodyfeeder) weapon trait (which I would not have expected to be considered psionic but that just shows what DDO will teach you) specifically describes exactly how the resulting temporary hit points don't stack, which could be seen to indicate that by contrast normal temporary hit points work differently somehow. And of course the general rules for ability score drain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#abilityDrain) don't specify that the resulting temporary hit points don't stack but do specify a maximum duration of 1 hour "unless otherwise specified in the creature’s description". Furthermore, even if temporary hit points are presumed to use the "same sources never stack" rule like ability score or skill bonuses, the hit points from drinking from one creature and the hit points from drinking from another creature could be considered to have "different sources" insofar as the blood itself is from different sources.

The upshot to all this is that the stacking behavior of temporary hit points would probably be a very tempting topic for a munchkin and/or rules lawyer to argue about.

[Snails]

The upshot to all this is that the stacking behavior of temporary hit points would probably be a very tempting topic for a munchkin and/or rules lawyer to argue about.

That is certain.

For purposes of "the same source", two different creatures providing blood is not two sources -- the source is the named ability itself that provides the temporary hit points.

I admit there is ambiguity with regard to temporary hit points, but the reason is not because multiple creatures are involved, just as drinking two different copies of the same/similar potion is not two sources.

[Chronos]

It's also not a resource he's really short on, anyway. Between his armor, damage reduction, and fast healing, it's already going to be quite hard to take him down via HP damage.

[Taelas]

As far as I can tell, the (very brief) treatment that the SRD gives of temporary hit points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/injuryandDeath.htm#temporaryHitPoints) doesn't mention stacking behavior at all, although it would be reasonable to treat them like ability score or AC bonuses and decide that nothing from "the same source" should stack. On the other hand, however, the description of the bodyfeeder (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/weapons.htm#bodyfeeder) weapon trait (which I would not have expected to be considered psionic but that just shows what DDO will teach you) specifically describes exactly how the resulting temporary hit points don't stack, which could be seen to indicate that by contrast normal temporary hit points work differently somehow. And of course the general rules for ability score drain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#abilityDrain) don't specify that the resulting temporary hit points don't stack but do specify a maximum duration of 1 hour "unless otherwise specified in the creature’s description". Furthermore, even if temporary hit points are presumed to use the "same sources never stack" rule like ability score or skill bonuses, the hit points from drinking from one creature and the hit points from drinking from another creature could be considered to have "different sources" insofar as the blood itself is from different sources.

The upshot to all this is that the stacking behavior of temporary hit points would probably be a very tempting topic for a munchkin and/or rules lawyer to argue about.

The stacking rules do not work only for ability scores or skill bonuses. It also works on, for example, enhancement bonuses. If you use a +1 arrow with a +1 longbow, you only add +1 to hit and damage, not +2.

As for Bodyfeeder, it is simply stating that you keep whichever temporary hit points bonus is higher.

Admittedly it is an extrapolation based on how similar effects are ruled, not actual RAW. I should have noted that in my original post.

[Lamech]

Durkon can get huge quantities of HPs. Now if he could get some sort of vampiric feat that allowed him to cast from HP... but he won't get any stronger, just tougher.

[Scow2]

The stacking rules do not work only for ability scores or skill bonuses. It also works on, for example, enhancement bonuses. If you use a +1 arrow with a +1 longbow, you only add +1 to hit and damage, not +2.

As for Bodyfeeder, it is simply stating that you keep whichever temporary hit points bonus is higher.

Admittedly it is an extrapolation based on how similar effects are ruled, not actual RAW. I should have noted that in my original post.

Stacking rules only apply to bonuses to rolls and AC (Which is essentially a roll you're always taking 10 on). Temporary HP are not a bonus.

Bodyfeeder is an exception to the rule.

[2.5 cats]

At this point, temporary hit point are irrelevant. Between his Damage Reduction and Fast Healing Durkon won't be taking any damage until something heavier shows up.

[Taelas]

Stacking rules only apply to bonuses to rolls and AC (Which is essentially a roll you're always taking 10 on). Temporary HP are not a bonus.

Bodyfeeder is an exception to the rule.

Uh. No.

Ability score increases, for one thing. They are not rolls, but gauntlets of ogre power and a belt of giant strength do not stack.

Temporary HP are not any different.

[Aldrakan]

From the wording of the ability it certainly sounds like it stacks. It seems a bit weird that they would say he gains five on each attack if what they actually meant was he can have up to five temporary hit points but can refresh them with each drain. I wouldn't put too much faith in what it means "by the rules" when that clashes with the intuitive reading of the specific rule being discussed.

But as others have said, all this does is help Durkon stay alive, and Durkon isn't really in danger anyway. Unless something one shots him or dispels his protection, even if something overpowers his dr and fast healing he can just go gaseous.

[Ubab]

Directly from D&D 3.5 FAQ (https://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Main35FAQv06302008.zip), page 113 of the pdf.


Do temporary hit points from two applications of the
same effect stack? What about from different effects? If I
have temporary hit points from multiple sources, how
should I apply damage?
Temporary hit points from two applications of the same
effect don’t stack; instead, the highest number of temporary hit
points applies in place of all others. Temporary hit points from
different sources stack, but you must keep track of them
separately.
...
This also applies to temporary hit points gained from
energy drain and similar special abilities. Each successful
attack counts as one application of the effect (meaning that an
attack that bestows 2 or more negative levels still counts as
only one application of the effect). For example, a wight gains
5 temporary hit points each time it bestows a negative level
with its slam attack. If it bestows another negative level while it
has 2 temporary hit points remaining from the first attack, the
new temporary hit points would replace the old ones.
Temporary hit points are “first-in, first-out.” Damage
should be taken off the oldest temporary-hit-point-granting
effect first; when that effect is exhausted, apply damage to the
next oldest effect. For this reason, you must track each supply
of temporary hit points separately

And, over all this, Durkon has no need to any Temporary Hit Point, he has the Fast Healing and Damage Reduction.