XP monster

[necron lord]

The greatest fear for a player is to lose XP. This is why am opening a thread put in specificly for those ideas. I mean really, other than dying, loseing the level you worked so hard to gain can be really devestating. This homebrew design of yours can be a spell, a monster, perhaps a special ability, anything as long as it Drains XP in some way.

[Machete]

XP or Experience Points are gained from experiencing things and learning.

Therefore a memory erasing monster would probably be the best angle. A special ability with a Will Save that would take either a percentage or a fixed amount of XP away on a successful attack depending on exactly what you are looking for in this ability.
Perhaps something that clouds the mind to go with it would mean -1 skill rank in a random skill on teh failure of a Will Save.

[Malachite]

It would have to be quite weak though - the potential needs to be there to cause fear, but if you actually end up taking off too much before it gets taken down, the player who's just lost a hard-worked-for level is going to be pretty pissed at you...

[Iituem]

What about a monster that does 1d8 XP damage instead of HP damage?

For best effect... a parasite that does 1d8 XP damage a day, can only be removed with a successful Heal check (DC 20) and possibly even confers a (limited) benefit. I might suggest an unnamed +1 to Will saves, if it's draining up psychic energy or somesuch.

[magic8BALL]

1d8 XP isnt that much...

it would take around 3 months for a level 2 PC to be drained to level 1 (give or take the XP the PC had when he/she was infected). The point is, in 3 months of solid adventuring in the wild, at 10% chance of encounter per hour, a PC will level up 12 times... in a more standard setting, leveling up 4-6 times is more likely, and in any case, most PC's would earn more than 1d8 XP on any given day.

I like Machete's idea, the monster sucks memories out of you head, draining... I dont know... its HDd12 XP (give the d12 a use!), a will save negates... and every level it drain, it gains a HD! call it... "The Experiance Leech"... undead... yes.. yes...

"It reaches out its bony hand, and you see a beam of light shoot from it's victoms forehead into the stooped figures apendage. Pain surges across the victoms face before they collaps into a lifeless heap. Refreshed, the undead humanoid cracks its knuckles, and glares in your direction"

I will run away and think of some stats and rules for this beastie (even a beeter name, what was I thinking!?) if you want.

[icke]

Item: Memory stone.

A spellcaster can use a memory stone to store one percent of the xp of a creature he just killed with either a death spell or an energy draining spell. These xp can be used to create magic items just as the casters' own xp would. casting a spell in conjunction with a memory stone heightens its duration by one full round.

I still need building stats for this, and really fixed rules, but I neither have the time nor the brain capacity right now, so I'll do it later. But You know the basic idea.

[Ultimatum479]

A disease would probably work best. This one's spread by a creature with the Decay template (for which I'll build stats, later).

Decay
Spread by contact with a Decaying creature, this disease makes its victim feel old and weak.
Infection DC: 20 (Contact)
Incubation: 1d3 days
Damage: 1d3 months of age and 1d4x100 xp

[mabriss lethe]

The Barrens of the Crucible: (or some other forboding name)
TBC is a blasted landscape of hard cracked clay and twisted wildlife. Every Day spent within the borders of the wastes drains a character of experience. It's vast, full of ancient and easily plundered ruins. (ie Adventurer BAIT) Unfortunately, it's just as easy to lose your way. Every day spent addles the senses a little more, making it harder to leave. Those who've been there long enough to have all levels and exp drained from them become feral, more animal than man. (Gaining some sort or template and starting out fresh as a lvl 1 character of whatever class the DM or player choses?) Sorry, I'd be more specific, but I really don't feel up to crunching the numbers at the moment. If someone sees and likes the idea, feel free to give it a shot.