Temp save bonuses for energy drain saves?

[Zombimode]

How do you feel about letting short term effects boosting saving throws affect the save for removing a negative level?

That is: wait for roughly but not quite 24 hours after you got energy drained, then drink potion of bears endurance, cast conviction etc. so that they are in effect at the 24 hour mark.

Personally, from a DM point of view, I find this approach sketchy. The save at the end of the 24 hour period is not a reaction to an instant event (like the save against a spell effect would be), but represents the struggle against the negative energy over this 24 hour period. I would probably rule that only those save-boosting effects that are at least active for the majority of this time do affect the save.

But now I'm in the seat of a player and one of my fellow players, a newbie, got her level 4 ranger energy drained for 2 negative levels. The chances that she will make two DC 14 fort saves are low (probably about 50% of success for each save). Getting knocked down to level 3 or 2 sucks hard, especially for a newbie. In this situation I wish that the DM would allow short term effects to affect the saves.


How do you (fellow DMs and players) feel about this?

[Ogh_the_Second]

At our table, the DM has ruled along the same lines as you do 'from a DM's point of view', and us players have no problems with it.

Then again, level drain isn't as bad as it used to be in older editions. No chance the party can get the service of a friendly Cleric who can cast 4th level spells? Standard price would be from 380 gp per level lost, which is not insurmountable for a (previously ;-) ) 4th-lvl party.

[ksbsnowowl]

I allow PC's to temporarily buff their Fort saves, but they have to have a method of reliably approximating 24 hours. Marking the sun's position as soon as the energy drain happens, and camping in the same spot until the next day is the only method they've devised so far.

[ericgrau]

By RAW it may work... but I agree with you that the save bonus should last for most or all of the 24 hours for it to be effective. You could at least borrow an ally's cloak of resistance or amulet of health. Up to your DM how he rules temporary bonuses.

Falling behind 2 levels sucks but it's not the end of the world. 1 level behind is plenty manageable. The player will get more xp than everyone else and catch up. He just has to be cautious until then. If he is a front-liner then switch to a backup ranged weapon. Probably a thrown weapon like a javelin or a sling to take advantage of his strength bonus. It may not contribute as much but the priority is survival.

In any case I believe 3 levels would be too much and I believe the DM should cap lost levels at 2, or let the player bring in a new character at that point, or etc. And since this is a newbie who is losing 2 levels, perhaps the DM should cap it at 1 level lost regardless of saves rolled or else let the player roll a new character.

I don't think the DM should ever coddle players or else actions lose consequences, players get careless, and much of the fun challenge is gone. Look at it this way, there's only a 25% chance he'll fail both saves and only then might it be necessary to do something about it, and then only because the player is new.