Effective ability drain/damage defense?

[the_tick_rules]

I've been trying to find an effective defense against ability drain and damage. I know there are some spells and items that makes you mimic golems or undead but those usually carry significant penalties. The best method I found was using the custom magic items rules to make something containing a permanent sheltered vitality spell. If I did my math correctly the cost is 112k. I'm trying to apply this on my just for fun character build assuming I can afford anything (non epic). I can't find room for that without sacrificing a ton of abilities I want. Is there an easier method?

[Biggus]

Not quite as good, but much cheaper, would be a Casting Glove and a few Talismans of Undying Fortitude (both MiC). The Talisman gives you all the undead immunities without any penalty I can see, and the Casting Glove means you can activate it without having to hold it.

[Esprit15]

If your Fort save is good, the feat Font of Life allows a save to drain effects that lack one normally.

[Glimbur]

If you have a spare feat, Shape Soulmeld: Strongheart Vest reduces all ability damage you take by 1. More feats can reduce that more or at high enough ECL apply it to drain too. Check out Magic of Incarnum for details.

[Nezkrul]

Druid spell “sheltered vitality”, in SpC
Also the spell “panacea”, same book.

[The Viscount]

Because it hasn't been said, binding Naberius. Though it isn't truly defense as much as it is recovery, and you could still be drained to 0 in a fight.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Check out the list of Necessary Magic Item Effects (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?187851-3-5-Lists-of-Necessary-Magic-Items), under death effects, energy drain, and negative energy (which includes ability drain).

The Cadillac of those is the Soulfire armor enhancement in BoED, which costs a +4 equivalent to add onto your armor. So a +1 Soulfire armor would cost 25k gp, plus the mundane armor cost, as though it's +5 armor. You can still put Magic Vestment or similar on that to improve it to a +5 enhancement bonus. If you're using an unarmored build, a robe or clothing occupies the same item slot and you should be able to get it enchanted as though it were armor with a base armor bonus of zero, per the Magic Vestment spell description.

[Biggus]

negative energy (which includes ability drain).


Does it? Where does it say that?

[OrbanSirgen]

and negative energy (which includes ability drain).

I think you might have negative energy confused with negative levels...

[Quertus]

The best defense is to simply not have stats - just ask the Lady of Pain.

You can get rid of Con by being undead or Construct, Str by being intangible, and Int by being mindless.

I'm not sure who would want to play a mindless, incorporeal undead, but, in case you do, you're halfway there.

[OrbanSirgen]

You can get rid of Con by being undead or Construct, Str by being intangible, and Int by being mindless.

Actually, constructs are immune to all ability drain... https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Construct_Type

[the_tick_rules]

I think you might have negative energy confused with negative levels...

It's understandable. I have soulfire armor which protects against negative energy but unfortunately it's not always clear when an ability drain/damage is negative energy or when it is just a thing. They don't always list it as clearly as we wish.

[the_tick_rules]

Not quite as good, but much cheaper, would be a Casting Glove and a few Talismans of Undying Fortitude (both MiC). The Talisman gives you all the undead immunities without any penalty I can see, and the Casting Glove means you can activate it without having to hold it.

I have two of them. There was some debate on whether using the multiple enchantment rules in the magic item compendium would allow this. The majority said since the base is gloves of dexterity (which is two gloves) casting it on each glove did not constitute a stacking violation. Unfortunately both slots already have pretty critical items in them.

[Biggus]

I have two of them. There was some debate on whether using the multiple enchantment rules in the magic item compendium would allow this. The majority said since the base is gloves of dexterity (which is two gloves) casting it on each glove did not constitute a stacking violation.

My understanding is that you can enchant one of a pair of Gloves of Dexterity as a Casting Glove, but not both. But if your group has OK'd it, go for it.


Unfortunately both slots already have pretty critical items in them.

Not sure what you mean here. Are you talking about the items stored within the Casting Gloves?

[the_tick_rules]

Not sure what you mean here. Are you talking about the items stored within the Casting Gloves?

Yes. Though I may have to do with one. More and more I am thinking I couldn't have two casting gloves. Oh and it wasn't approved by a group, this is just for fun. I'm taking one of my favorite characters and buffing him as a what if.

[Telonius]

From the Lists of Stuff (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=l06hng9era6s0fc1q9gle7bc22&topic=1412.0):


Immunity to Ability Damage/Drain
Warforged Juggernaut 5, ecl 10, Eberron Campaign Setting
Bone Knight 8, ecl 12, Eberron: Five Nations - plus other immunities
Pale Master 10, ecl 15, Libris Mortis, ability drain only


Items from Magic Item Compendium that protect or heal ability damage
1] Scarab of invulnerability
2] orb of mental renewal
3] Rod of bodily restoration
4] Talisman of undying fortitude
5] Wraith's woe set
6] Caduceus bracers


Immunity to energy drain
Hunter of the Dead 10, ecl 15, Complete Warrior
Pauldrons of Health, soulmeld, Magic of Incarnum
Strongheart Vest, soulmeld, Magic of Incarnum
Binder 13, Tome of Magic
Master Specialist (necromancy) 7, ecl 10, Complete Mage - see text
Enlightened Spirit 10, ecl 15, Complete Mage
Shadow Sun Ninja 10, ecl 15, Tome of Battle - see text
Bone Knight 8, ecl 12, Eberron: Five Nations - plus other immunities
Thief of Life 7, ecl ?, Faiths of Eberron
Deadgrim 3, ecl 8, Magic of Eberron
Pale Master 10, ecl 15, Libris Mortis

Note - Pauldrons of Health and Strongheart vest only give outright immunity when bound to their chakras.

[Quertus]

Actually, constructs are immune to all ability drain... https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Construct_Type

And there's not some strange Prestige Class etc that ignores that? Even if there's not, nothing prevents a GM (or PC!) from inventing something new that ignores that particular invulnerability. IMO, the only real defense is not having the stat to begin with.

[Firebug]

I noticed you hadn't tagged this thread with a particular edition, but most of the responses were 3.5 so...
If you don't mind pulling from Pathfinder, there is the Ring of Inner Fortitude (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/rings/ring-of-inner-fortitude/), if you wanted an item to base it off of. Notably, it uses simply "Restoration" in its crafting requirements.

[JNAProductions]

And there's not some strange Prestige Class etc that ignores that? Even if there's not, nothing prevents a GM (or PC!) from inventing something new that ignores that particular invulnerability. IMO, the only real defense is not having the stat to begin with.

That's true of literally anything. "It works, unless homebrew says otherwise," is not a particularly compelling argument, even if it's true.

[Quertus]

That's true of literally anything. "It works, unless homebrew says otherwise," is not a particularly compelling argument, even if it's true.

It is theoretically possible to deal stat damage to anything with stats. You cannot deal stat damage to things that don't have stats.

The fact that no one has responded with, "but you can do it with X spell / prestige class / whatever" means that there's probably not a published way to do so. But, then again, such omni-useful spells as Wish and Miracle have been published, and I think "reducing stats" is likely within their capabilities. Heck, couldn't a Bestow Greater Curse do so, too?

Thus, I still contend that "not having stats" is the superior route to go.

[the_tick_rules]

If my math was right 112k for a constant item of sheltered vitality is the current best solution I have. at least in the sense it wouldn't require levels in some obscure prestige class.

[Biggus]

If my math was right 112k for a constant item of sheltered vitality is the current best solution I have. at least in the sense it wouldn't require levels in some obscure prestige class.

Yeah, your math is right as far as I can see. If you can't afford that, a command-word item of Lesser Restoration would at least allow you to remove ability damage for a mere 10,800GP.

Alternatively, keep a Talisman on a string around your neck so you can hold it when needed?

[YellowJohn]

If your setting is VERY magic-mart, look up Runes in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and, more importantly, Player's Guide to Faerun. Standard action, touch the rune, get hit by the spell effect. Same cost as a potion but with no upper spell limit. Divine Spells only (Archivist says 'Hi' :smallamused:)

Where it gets silly?
The Runecaster prestige class (PGF 70) introducs rules for charged and permanent runes.
An Archivist Runecaster could make a permanent rune that basically gives you lesser restoration at will for 2000gp (for a Cleric, it's still only 12K).
Sheltered Vitality at will on a rune comes in at 56K, or you could have one with charges/day (or 50 charges) for 11.2K.

[Asmotherion]

Death Ward Continuous Item.

Kiss of the Vampire+Lifeward Continuous Item.

[ciopo]

body ward might come out cheaper than sheltered vitality, depending how a continuous item of body ward get ruled on your table, given the "absorb N amount" text