Jowgen
2015-12-16, 02:38 AM
This is meant to be a short list of the different sort of things that can cause ability damage/drain. I'm hoping you good folks can help flesh it out. :smallsmile:
1. Negative Energy
Many undead special attacks that deal ability damage fall under this category; e.g. Vampire's Energy Drain. These effects often also impose negative levels, and indeed there is RAW text suggesting that all negative level effects fall under the negative energy umbrella. With some undead ability score damaging attacks, it is not always clear whether they can reliably classed as being negative energy based; e.g. a Ghost's Corrupting Gaze.
2. Mind-affecting
Some spells and abilities that deal damage or drain to mental ability scores are flagged as mind-affecting effects; e.g. the Love's Lament spell.
3. Unhealthy Substances
Poisons, Ravages, Diseases, Drugs all impose conditions such as unconsciousness or they deal some sort of ability damage, at regularly scheduled intervals upon a failed save.
4. Rot (no known counter)
Relatively rare, some creatures deal ability damage by rotting a creature's flesh. To go for a high-powered example, some of Demogorgon's attacks (depending on printed version) do this.
5. Disfigurement (no known counter)
Even rarer than the rotting ability, some creatures deal ability damage by disfiguring a part of a creature's body. Examples of this are the Dread Boneyard's bone subsumption ability (2d4 to each physical ability score), or the Maiming Strike feat (1 charisma per 2d6 sacrificed SA)
6. Shadowstuff (no known counter)
In some instances, contact with "Shadowstuff" is written to deal constiution damage. One example of this is the Shadow Walk ability gained from the Ritual of Shadow Walking (LoD).
That's what I have so far, which covers the basics and a few obscure ones I had on hand.
Please do contribute. :smallsmile:
1. Negative Energy
Many undead special attacks that deal ability damage fall under this category; e.g. Vampire's Energy Drain. These effects often also impose negative levels, and indeed there is RAW text suggesting that all negative level effects fall under the negative energy umbrella. With some undead ability score damaging attacks, it is not always clear whether they can reliably classed as being negative energy based; e.g. a Ghost's Corrupting Gaze.
2. Mind-affecting
Some spells and abilities that deal damage or drain to mental ability scores are flagged as mind-affecting effects; e.g. the Love's Lament spell.
3. Unhealthy Substances
Poisons, Ravages, Diseases, Drugs all impose conditions such as unconsciousness or they deal some sort of ability damage, at regularly scheduled intervals upon a failed save.
4. Rot (no known counter)
Relatively rare, some creatures deal ability damage by rotting a creature's flesh. To go for a high-powered example, some of Demogorgon's attacks (depending on printed version) do this.
5. Disfigurement (no known counter)
Even rarer than the rotting ability, some creatures deal ability damage by disfiguring a part of a creature's body. Examples of this are the Dread Boneyard's bone subsumption ability (2d4 to each physical ability score), or the Maiming Strike feat (1 charisma per 2d6 sacrificed SA)
6. Shadowstuff (no known counter)
In some instances, contact with "Shadowstuff" is written to deal constiution damage. One example of this is the Shadow Walk ability gained from the Ritual of Shadow Walking (LoD).
That's what I have so far, which covers the basics and a few obscure ones I had on hand.
Please do contribute. :smallsmile: