Abilities that damage the character using them

[MinimanMidget]

I have an idea for a build that's going to have massive Fast Healing. So, naturally, I want to damage myself as much as possible to make proper use of it. Seems simple enough, but I'm having trouble finding abilities that deal hp damage to the character that use them (as opposed to ability damage, there's plenty of those).

The best example I've found so far is the Dragonfire Adept's Bahamut and Tiamat breath effects, which deal 2x class level to the DA, or 4x if their alignment doesn't line up.

Hoping people with more experience than me can remember some more options!

[Doctor Despair]

Words of Creation deals nonlethal damage with some modes.

Insane Defiance does ability damage; not quite the same thing, but useful if you take a dip into Binder to also get fast ability healing.

[Saintheart]

Blade of Blood spell does this. 5 hp damage for +2d6 to your weapon damage. Pretty sure there's a weapon quality or a magic item that does something similar, but I can't remember specifically off the top of my head.

[zfs]

Blood Magus has a few abilities for this. Blood Component and Bloodseeking Spell do 1 and 3 damage respectively, in exchange for +1 to spell DC or +1d6 damage.

If your DM will allow 3.0 material, the Tome and Blood version of Blood Magus could do considerably more damage to itself to substitute blood for costly material components, capping at 23 damage to mimic a component that costs 750 gp or more.


Blade of Blood spell does this. 5 hp damage for +2d6 to your weapon damage. Pretty sure there's a weapon quality or a magic item that does something similar, but I can't remember specifically off the top of my head.

Vicious is a special weapon quality - it does +2d6 to your opponent in exchange for 1d6 damage to the wielder. It's a +1 equivalent and can only be applied to melee weapons.

[Fizban]

The spell you want is Divine Sacrifice, found in Complete Divine and altered in Spell Compendium (a Paladin/Blackguard spell). Once per round you spend up to 10hp for up to +5d6 damage, but SpC decided you have to use it for max and can't choose not to use it.

Divine Sacrifice lasts for multiple rounds with caster level, while Blade of Blood takes a swift action and must be cast every round. On the other hand, Blade of Blood gives you 3d6 for a 1st level spell and 5hp. But you can use them both at the same time. There's also a Paladin (but not Blackgaurd, because the SpC writers are bigger hacks with each closer look) spell Find the Gap, to make your first attack each round a touch attack, making it much easier to land your big sacrificial hit.

Edit: ah, I'd forgot about Vicious ('cause I banned it). Yeah that'll be huge too.

[Lin]

Overchannel lets you take 1d8/3d8/5d8 damage to boost your manifester level for a power by 1/2/3, but +2ML/3d8 and +3ML/5d8 require you to be 8th level and 15th level, respectively.

If you're immune to stun, Reserves of Strength (Dragonlance Campaign Setting) is like Overchannel but for caster level. It's only 1d6/3d6/5d6 damage, but there's no level requirement for using the +3CL/5d6.

Burning Rage (PHB2) is a 1st level spell that gives you +1 to-hit and +2 damage (both untyped), but you take 4 fire damage per round. (It also gives you DR2 /magic, but that probably won't matter.)

Masochism (Book of Vile Darkness) is a 2nd level spell that doesn't damage you, but, for every 10 damage you take in a round, it gives you a cumulative +1 luck bonus to attack, saves, and skills for the next round.

Edit: Just realized I forgot Shield Other.

[The Viscount]

For warforged characters, shocking fist is a great ability with unlimited uses per day.

If you take the reserves of strength feat and are immune to stunning, you also take damage.

[Saintheart]

For completeness - Crusader's Steely Resolve? True, the damage goes into a delayed pool, but it's still premised on hp damage...

[daremetoidareyo]

Dance of ruin : 2d20 damage to non demons, centered on the caster. 25’ +5ft per CL spread. Get some d20 reroll effects and get dancin

[Troacctid]

Bands of blood rage from MIC give you a +5 bonus to damage, but deal you 5 damage per round.

[The Viscount]

Frenzied Berserker takes 2 nonlethal damage per round while in a frenzy, and fast healing heals nonlethal in addition to and at the same rate as lethal.

[Laughing Dog]

The empathic transfer psionic power let's you heal someone else by taking half the damage.

[Biggus]

I have an idea for a build that's going to have massive Fast Healing.

I'm curious, how are you getting massive fast healing? I know one or two things that grant it, but nothing good enough to base a whole build around.

[MinimanMidget]

I'm curious, how are you getting massive fast healing? I know one or two things that grant it, but nothing good enough to base a whole build around.

It's not actually Fast Healing, just continual negative energy damage + Tomb Tainted Soul. I wanted to avoid the word "regeneration" to avoid confusing people - should've been more clear.

[unseenmage]

IIRC warforged can use the Run feat endlessly because they are immune to the damage running too much causes.

[Biggus]

It's not actually Fast Healing, just continual negative energy damage + Tomb Tainted Soul. I wanted to avoid the word "regeneration" to avoid confusing people - should've been more clear.

Oh OK, thank you. How are you getting a high level of continuous negative energy damage?

[MinimanMidget]

Oh OK, thank you. How are you getting a high level of continuous negative energy damage?

Putting Black Lore of Moil on Necromancy buff spells.

[Scrapheap]

I dont think that black lore of moil will make the buffs deal continuous damage, only one time damage as you gain the buff.

[MinimanMidget]

I dont think that black lore of moil will make the buffs deal continuous damage, only one time damage as you gain the buff.

Face/palm. That seems really obvious, in retrospect - I guess I just wanted it to work so I didn't think about it. I still really appreciate all the ideas, though.

[The Viscount]

A commonly brought up means of obtaining fast healing with tomb-tainted soul is Black Sand, as the spell of the same name.

[daremetoidareyo]

Face/palm. That seems really obvious, in retrospect - I guess I just wanted it to work so I didn't think about it. I still really appreciate all the ideas, though.

You could put the black lore on the skull watch spell, just have a floating skull on a leash that screams at you every 1d4x6 seconds. Hell, it’s a permanent spell, leash a bunch of screaming skulls together. (Take silent spell).

[RaiKirah]

You could put the black lore on the skull watch spell, just have a floating skull on a leash that screams at you every 1d4x6 seconds. Hell, it’s a permanent spell, leash a bunch of screaming skulls together. (Take silent spell).

If you don't call the skull Yorik and spend all your time monologuing at it and occasionally screaming at the "ghost" of your dead father (may or may not actually be a ghost there) then you have very different priorities than I do.

[smasher0404]

If you are playing with the Taint subsystem, Maho Tsukai (Oriental Adventures), and Tainted Sorcerer (Unearthed Arcana) take damage instead of using material components (with expensive material components resulting in more damage). Tainted Scholars(Heroes of Horror) can take a point of damage to increase a spell's caster level by one and can also get the ability Bloodseeking Spell which deals 3 damage to inflict an additional +1d6 damage.

[The Viscount]

If you don't call the skull Yorik and spend all your time monologuing at it and occasionally screaming at the "ghost" of your dead father (may or may not actually be a ghost there) then you have very different priorities than I do.

You can be more economical by naming the skull Carmine the Bowler and yelling at your dead father who is the skull.

[RaiKirah]

You can be more economical by naming the skull Carmine the Bowler and yelling at your dead father who is the skull.

I like where your head's at :)

If complete sentences are too much, you can PAO it into a volleyball and just scream WILSON!

[Quentinas]

Lady's gambit from dragon 317? It has as requisite iron will and power attack but once per round as free action one can sacrifice hit points (limit your level) to obtain a bonus to attack roll and attack damage that is half hit points lost

[RNightstalker]

I like where your head's at :)

If complete sentences are too much, you can PAO it into a volleyball and just scream WILSON!

WILSOOOOOOOOOON!! LOL

To answer the OP, Spellfire Channelers have a backfire if they store too many spell levels. Also the Flesh Ring of Scorn (MIC) lets you take damage to automatically confirm your critical threats.