Is there any method to give negative level/ability damage on undeads?

[neochaos]

I know they are immune to that kind of damage, but i's curious if there is any metamagic effects or something that can break it.

by the way, what is the best tactics/spell that Wizard should use against undeads?

[monty]

Your title and question are rather vague - I didn't know that you were talking about undead until the last word.

Anyway, as far as I know, the only way to do ability damage to undead is through ravages and afflictions from the BOED. As for how to fight them, if you're high enough level, Undeath to Death always works. Otherwise, just use standard blasting.

[The_Snark]

There's a 2nd-level spell in Frostburn, Bone Chill, that will paralyze undead on a failed Fortitude save. Only Fort save-or-lose that works against undead at low levels, as far as I know. The drawback is that it only works against undead, and it also requires a touch attack, which can be unreliable at low levels.

Command Undead is good if you expect to face any mindless undead.

At higher levels, Disintegrate is good (and remains a pretty good spell against other enemies, and has utility value, too). Glass Strike (Spell Compendium) arguably works against undead, because it can target objects too. Polymorph Any Object is one of the ultimate anti-undead spells.

As for ability damage/negative levels, I don't think it's possible to give them negative levels, but undead aren't immune to mental ability damage. You just have to find a way to deal it that doesn't involve poison, disease, or enchantments. Aside from BoED ravages and afflictions, and the Affliction spell of the same book, I can't think of any offhand.

[dman11235]

You know what else undead aren't immune to? Point blank annihilation. DD spells work, as does smacky-smacky. Illusions work (Silent Image against mindless=stupid enemies), there's a bunch of Necromancy that works, and Abjuration works. Conjuration works on multiple facets (summoning, damage, battlefield control). Enchantment doesn't really work though.

[neochaos]

thanks everyone, but could you people give me more specific spells effective against high-power undeads like lichs? and, isn't Undead to Death ineffective agianst undeads above 10HD?

[dman11235]

Yeah, it's not THAT great. I suggest going to one of the wizard's handbooks and find help there, by looking at the various spell stuffs. If you that doesn't help you, come back here and I'm sure someone else can help you (I'm not an arcanist expert).

[Chronos]

A rogue with Crippling Strike and Savvy Rogue should be able to do strength damage to undead with Sneak Attacks.

[Prince_of_Blades]

There's always positoxins (poisons for undead) from Libris Mortis, which, despite their normal immunity, can inflict physical attribute drain.