How unfair are level draining monsters to optimized PCs

[paperarmor]

Specifically if using the Soul Eater prc with something that has a large number natural attacks?

[The Glyphstone]

An optimized PC should have the Soulfire enhancement on their armor, rendering them immune to energy drain. So not unfair at all.

[Lanson]

An optimized PC should have the Soulfire enhancement on their armor, rendering them immune to energy drain. So not unfair at all.

Um... Which source are you getting that from? I thought Twilight just reduced Arcane spell failure by 10%
Are you thinking of Soulfire maybe? First one I could think of that does that.

Edit: Ninja-edited

[Seerow]

Depends on the level of the PCs. But I'm assuming in this specific case (use of the Soul Eater PrC with lots of natural attacks), then they're high enough level to deal with it. And if they aren't prepared for it... that's half the fun of an optimized game finding that one thing that you weren't planning for and getting blind sided by it.


I really hate any form of level drain on low level characters though. Specifically at any point before Restoration comes online, because permanent level loss is awful.

[HunterOfJello]

how many levels in soul eater and how many natural attacks?

Are we talking about 2 claws and a bite?
Are we talking about an anthropomorphic squid that does 10 natural attacks per turn?
Or are we talking about a Warshaper Changeling who uses 4 claws, 2 slams, a bite, 4 tentacles, 1 gore, 1 stinger sting, 1 tongue sting, 2 wings, 1 tail slap, 1 crush, 1 tail sweep, and 2 stomps?

[paperarmor]

I was thinking just one or two levels on a customized black dragon with rapidstrike and improved rapidstrike for claws so 10 attacks on a full attacks if I stick with an adult aged dragon however I will probably bump up the age category a bit. And no I would not sic such a thing on low level characters I'm not a total monster. Although warshaper is going in my backpocket now.

[Just to Browse]

After level 7, if you have access to a cleric or other healing source, it's fine. But permanent negative levels are very bad, so if you throw a level-drainer into the game then you should make absolutely sure the players have a method of mitigating its long-term effects.

[RavynsLand]

Level-drain is a universally accepted way to piss your players off....