A scrapguide to Fell Drain [Archive] - Wizards Community

A scrapguide to Fell Drain [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sang-Drax
10-14-05, 09:52 AM I decided to compile some information on spells that work nicely with the Fell Drain feat... please post your suggestions with info of book source and level of the spell. Later on, I plan to qrite a complete guide, with credits to everyone that helps... since I've got a twisted ankle and can't go out, I have absolutely nothing to do at home ;). I don't have that many ideas, I'm just willing to write a guide, so, suggestions are highly appreciated.

The mechanics around the fell metamagic feats is quite odd... the text never mentions "each time a creature takes damage", but "when a creature takes damage", implying that, maybe, each spell would work only once on a given creature. Implying, but never really mentioning. That means that these combos won't work on every campaign... however, in many campaigns they will, and this guide is directed to those cases.

I'm currently playing a druid, so, this is my current specialty.

Produce Flame (dru1, PHB) - not only your claw attack will deal up to 1d6+5 extra damage per attack, they'll also bestow a negative level. I wonder if it's possible to cast two of these, one for each hand.

Decomposition (dru2, CD) - Draining a level each round to everyone is awesome. Even if your DM is not that flexible, it's quite useful against multiple opponents (draining 1 level to each foe in a 60-ft radius is quite good).

Arc of Lightning (dru4/wiz5, CA, MiniHB) - actually, any AoE spell works nicely with Fell Drain, but this is arguably the best blasting spell in the druid spell list, and, since it's a no-SR spell, it works even better with Fell Drain. The level is low enough to be worth a 6th-level slot, at least for druids.

Magic Missile (wiz1, PHB) - the way this would workis a little controversial. Maybe your DM will allow it to drain 5 levels of a single enemy; maybe your DM will allow it to drain 1 level of each of 5 enemies. Either way, it's fine rnough for a 3rd level slot.

Orb of XXX, lesser (wiz1, CA) - works just like Magic Missile.

More to come later.
batstek
10-14-05, 10:49 AM What about spells like Flame Blade? Would it drain a level every time you hit someone with it, or just the first time?
jedrious
10-14-05, 11:47 AM same question with Melf's Acid Arrow
Caelic
10-14-05, 04:35 PM As the feat is worded, any one opponent can only ever lose a single level from a given spell.
Llochlyn
10-14-05, 05:00 PM Produce flame can be used with as many attacks you have a round, so if you have claw attack routine yes, otherwise, no
Sang-Drax
10-14-05, 05:17 PM As the feat is worded, any one opponent can only ever lose a single level from a given spell.

I agree with you, many DMs might not. Either way, Produce Flame and Flame Blade are really good against many opponents.
batstek
10-14-05, 06:05 PM As the feat is worded, any one opponent can only ever lose a single level from a given spell.
Sounds relatively balanced. Be pretty cool to see an Artificer take a Wand of Flame Blade for his backup melee tool, and Energy Admix/Twin/Fell Drain the casting.
eRaz0r
10-14-05, 06:36 PM I agree- one enemy, one negative level if damaged by the spell.

It's still really great for spells which can affect multiple opponents, whether that be on one round or over several.
Encard
10-14-05, 07:55 PM Greenfire, from Unapproachable East, seems like a decent-enough druid spell for this - it's a level 3 spell that does only a small amount of acid damage but affects one 5-ft. square per caster level, which is pretty nice. It'll also hit anyone that passes through it in that particular round, although this is likely to be a less-used benefit.
batstek
10-14-05, 09:44 PM What about stuff like Wall of Iron? Cast it at an angle so it falls on something, does the victim gain a negative level?

What about using Wall of (material) [Fell Drain] and then fabricate to make weapons. Would the weapons deal one negative level to the person that it hit, since they were created through a fell drain spell?
Nazzareth
10-15-05, 12:51 AM I think that the born of three thunders feat could be a worthy addition to the fell drained produce flame and flame blades spells.
ronyon
10-15-05, 02:48 AM What happens when a character is slain by level loss?
They rise as wightes, right?
What constitutese a character? The term is used interchangably with the term creature in much of the core references.
What I'm getting at is this:
Fell drain used on helpless commeners ,or maybe even on a bag of snakes, should net a bumper crop of wights for you to either rebuke/control or charm using Command Undead.
tseb
10-15-05, 03:05 AM I think these two get underestimated a bit:

Acid Splash (wiz 0)--no SR and you give a negative level with a level TWO spell.

Ray of Frost (wiz 0)--ditto, but there's SR to deal with, so not as nifty.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sang-Drax 10-14-05, 09:52 AM	I decided to compile some information on spells that work nicely with the Fell Drain feat... please post your suggestions with info of book source and level of the spell. Later on, I plan to qrite a complete guide, with credits to everyone that helps... since I've got a twisted ankle and can't go out, I have absolutely nothing to do at home ;). I don't have that many ideas, I'm just willing to write a guide, so, suggestions are highly appreciated. The mechanics around the fell metamagic feats is quite odd... the text never mentions "each time a creature takes damage", but "when a creature takes damage", implying that, maybe, each spell would work only once on a given creature. Implying, but never really mentioning. That means that these combos won't work on every campaign... however, in many campaigns they will, and this guide is directed to those cases. I'm currently playing a druid, so, this is my current specialty. Produce Flame (dru1, PHB) - not only your claw attack will deal up to 1d6+5 extra damage per attack, they'll also bestow a negative level. I wonder if it's possible to cast two of these, one for each hand. Decomposition (dru2, CD) - Draining a level each round to everyone is awesome. Even if your DM is not that flexible, it's quite useful against multiple opponents (draining 1 level to each foe in a 60-ft radius is quite good). Arc of Lightning (dru4/wiz5, CA, MiniHB) - actually, any AoE spell works nicely with Fell Drain, but this is arguably the best blasting spell in the druid spell list, and, since it's a no-SR spell, it works even better with Fell Drain. The level is low enough to be worth a 6th-level slot, at least for druids. Magic Missile (wiz1, PHB) - the way this would workis a little controversial. Maybe your DM will allow it to drain 5 levels of a single enemy; maybe your DM will allow it to drain 1 level of each of 5 enemies. Either way, it's fine rnough for a 3rd level slot. Orb of XXX, lesser (wiz1, CA) - works just like Magic Missile. More to come later.
batstek 10-14-05, 10:49 AM	What about spells like Flame Blade? Would it drain a level every time you hit someone with it, or just the first time?
jedrious 10-14-05, 11:47 AM	same question with Melf's Acid Arrow
Caelic 10-14-05, 04:35 PM	As the feat is worded, any one opponent can only ever lose a single level from a given spell.
Llochlyn 10-14-05, 05:00 PM	Produce flame can be used with as many attacks you have a round, so if you have claw attack routine yes, otherwise, no
Sang-Drax 10-14-05, 05:17 PM	As the feat is worded, any one opponent can only ever lose a single level from a given spell. I agree with you, many DMs might not. Either way, Produce Flame and Flame Blade are really good against many opponents.
batstek 10-14-05, 06:05 PM	As the feat is worded, any one opponent can only ever lose a single level from a given spell. Sounds relatively balanced. Be pretty cool to see an Artificer take a Wand of Flame Blade for his backup melee tool, and Energy Admix/Twin/Fell Drain the casting.
eRaz0r 10-14-05, 06:36 PM	I agree- one enemy, one negative level if damaged by the spell. It's still really great for spells which can affect multiple opponents, whether that be on one round or over several.
Encard 10-14-05, 07:55 PM	Greenfire, from Unapproachable East, seems like a decent-enough druid spell for this - it's a level 3 spell that does only a small amount of acid damage but affects one 5-ft. square per caster level, which is pretty nice. It'll also hit anyone that passes through it in that particular round, although this is likely to be a less-used benefit.
batstek 10-14-05, 09:44 PM	What about stuff like Wall of Iron? Cast it at an angle so it falls on something, does the victim gain a negative level? What about using Wall of (material) [Fell Drain] and then fabricate to make weapons. Would the weapons deal one negative level to the person that it hit, since they were created through a fell drain spell?
Nazzareth 10-15-05, 12:51 AM	I think that the born of three thunders feat could be a worthy addition to the fell drained produce flame and flame blades spells.
ronyon 10-15-05, 02:48 AM	What happens when a character is slain by level loss? They rise as wightes, right? What constitutese a character? The term is used interchangably with the term creature in much of the core references. What I'm getting at is this: Fell drain used on helpless commeners ,or maybe even on a bag of snakes, should net a bumper crop of wights for you to either rebuke/control or charm using Command Undead.
tseb 10-15-05, 03:05 AM	I think these two get underestimated a bit: Acid Splash (wiz 0)--no SR and you give a negative level with a level TWO spell. Ray of Frost (wiz 0)--ditto, but there's SR to deal with, so not as nifty.