Reducing and restoring ability scores in 5E

[Tectorman]

One thing I haven’t seen in 5E is a mechanic for having an ability score reduced or the consequences thereof. There are occasional effects that reduce your hit point maximum until they’re resolved or that impose a temporary penalty to ability checks, but nothing where you would take a -4 to Strength, for example.

I’ve seen such a thing referenced in Kobold Press’s Tome of Beasts, but I figured it was an error on their part, assuming that ability score losses were still a thing in 5E. Mind you, I didn’t assume it was an error until after I read Tome of Beasts, found various creatures with the ability to impose such penalties, and then scoured my books looking for what they were referencing, only to fail to find it.

But I just got to the downtime rules in XGtE and the Relaxation entry talks about how one week’s worth can let a character restore a reduced ability score. Okay, when was that ever a thing? Besides Kobold Press’s Tome of Beasts, what creatures are even capable of reducing an ability score such that it would need to be restored at all? And prior to XGtE, what was the normal rate of reduced ability score restoration supposed to be?

[The Shadowdove]

There are a few variety of undead, aberrations, and monstrous beasts with life siphon, mind sapping, or con based ability drains.

Shadows are an example of this, I believe. On attack they drain strength. If it hits zero, you die.

Normally it takes a long rest to restore these. It's usually stated within their statblock.

[Tectorman]

There are a few variety of undead, aberrations, and monstrous beasts with life siphon, mind sapping, or con based ability drains.

Shadows are an example of this, I believe. On attack they drain strength. If it hits zero, you die.

Normally it takes a long rest to restore these. It's usually stated within their statblock.

Okay, then, are there any creatures that have an ability drain where a week would be useful? Because I'm wondering what the application of this aspect of Relaxation is supposed to be.

[some guy]

Okay, then, are there any creatures that have an ability drain where a week would be useful? Because I'm wondering what the application of this aspect of Relaxation is supposed to be.

The Intellect Devourer's effect has no listed duration, so relaxtion would solve that ability drain. I haven't found any other monster in the MM or Volo's.

[Pex]

That's by purposeful design. I call it an evolution, i.e. a good thing, that D&D as moved beyond the olden days of level and ability score loss. There's no longer a nuisance factor of recalculating numbers. There's no longer the frustration factor of an in game consequence affecting out of game mechanics. I find it grossly unfair for a creature you're fighting in one hit to be able to take away one or two levels it took you 6 real world months to a year of time, energy, and playing to achieve.

[Twizzly513]

Only some monsters actually allow you to restore an ability score that was drained after a rest,. This is common for many monsters, but technically it is a specific rule, not a general one. The general rule is that it just doesn't go back up. However, greater restoration was most often used to restore a reduction in ability scores. The relaxation simply allows one to restore their score without having to entreat a nearby church, should they not have a cleric in the party.