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Celeres
2008-11-21, 03:09 AM
ok, so i'm in a 3.5 campaign.

5 levels sorcerer, 3 levels blood magus.

i just got the spell Enervation.

and i need to know, can i use it on something more than once and give it more negative levels?

Tempest Fennac
2008-11-21, 03:11 AM
I think you can (I know Energy Drain works like that, and attackes which bestow Negative levels can drain people to 0 levels, so Enervation should be the same).

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2008-11-21, 03:56 AM
Yes, negative levels stack with each other, regardless of source. Look at the end of the second paragraph in Enervation's description: "Negative levels stack." It doesn't give any exceptions to this, so every time you cast it on something it bestows that many additional negative levels.

Celeres
2008-11-21, 05:07 AM
sweetness.

thanks guys.

and now my next question:

i was reading the description on negative levels, and it confused me a bit.

"An affected opponent takes a –1 penalty on all skill checks and ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws, and loses 5 hit points and one effective level or Hit Die (whenever level is used in a die roll or calculation) for each negative level. A spellcaster loses one spell slot of the highest level of spells she can cast and (if applicable) one prepared spell of that level. If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which she loses."

so does that mean if i used it on an 8th level character and roll a 4, he becomes a 4th level character with a minus 4 on all skill checks, ability check, attack rolls, saving throws, and minus 20 health?

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-11-21, 05:15 AM
sweetness."An affected opponent takes a –1 penalty on all skill checks and ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws, and loses 5 hit points and one effective level or Hit Die (whenever level is used in a die roll or calculation) for each negative level. A spellcaster loses one spell slot of the highest level of spells she can cast and (if applicable) one prepared spell of that level. If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which she loses."

so does that mean if i used it on an 8th level character and roll a 4, he becomes a 4th level character with a minus 4 on all skill checks, ability check, attack rolls, saving throws, and minus 20 health?No, it's still an 8th level character, it only takes the -4. Negative levels are called that because if the target fails a save 24 hours later, the penalty vanishes and the target loses a real level(but Enervation doesn't do that due to the levels vanishing so quickly).

Celeres
2008-11-21, 05:26 AM
hmmm... that's not nearly as good as i thought it was.

thanks for clearing that up.

Fostire
2008-11-21, 05:27 AM
No, it's still an 8th level character, it only takes the -4. Negative levels are called that because if the target fails a save 24 hours later, the penalty vanishes and the target loses a real level(but Enervation doesn't do that due to the levels vanishing so quickly).

He is still 8th level but he is effectively level 4 for all effects that depend on level or hit dice (like holy word)

its_all_ogre
2008-11-21, 05:37 AM
enervation is an awesome spell.
a level 8 character with -4 to all attack rolls, saves and skill checks is actually worse off generally for saves at least than a 4th level character.
for a not full bab class they are worse at attacks too.

Celeres
2008-11-21, 05:43 AM
didn't think about it that way.

sweet, now i don't need to find a spell to replace it :D

Blackfang108
2008-11-21, 09:37 AM
didn't think about it that way.

sweet, now i don't need to find a spell to replace it :D

and remember, if its negative levels are greater than OR equal to it's hit dice, it's dead.

very dead.

it doesn't matter whether or not they become permanent.

shadow_archmagi
2008-11-21, 09:40 AM
mmhm. That's why twin optic repeating maximized empowered ennervations are soooo deadly. That sort of thing is why no one allows incantrix.

(2x2x2x6=48 negative levels if they all land. Most of them will, being touch attacks.)

its_all_ogre
2008-11-21, 10:09 AM
RAW answer would be wight.
and yes this would make you unpopular, even with no paladin most lawful types would be unhappy with the idea of loosing uncontrolled undead upon the world and having to stay there until it rises just to put it down would get tiresome.
or free xp depending on how your dm views it.

Blackfang108
2008-11-21, 10:14 AM
RAW answer would be wight.
and yes this would make you unpopular, even with no paladin most lawful types would be unhappy with the idea of loosing uncontrolled undead upon the world and having to stay there until it rises just to put it down would get tiresome.
or free xp depending on how your dm views it.

That's why you burn the body afterwards.

Wights are coporeal undead.

No body, no wight.

Duke of URL
2008-11-21, 10:17 AM
And don't forget that it does some damage (5hp/lvl), and also trims down their spell list pretty quick, to say nothing of their 'effective level' (ie, spell duration and damage).

And caster level checks. Any help there is great for spell resistance and dispels.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-11-21, 01:46 PM
That's why you burn the body afterwards.

Wights are coporeal undead.

No body, no wight.Or you play a Dread Necromancer. Kill it, drag the body along, and when it rises, make it your slave. And have it make more Wights. Because you can. :smallbiggrin: