Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rapida 05-21-05, 06:38 PM	What is the difference between all the things that hurts ability scores. Which one of them stacks with itself and which do you take the bigger minus?
UZI 05-21-05, 07:02 PM	Penalties usually are from things like spells (Ray of Enfeeblement comes to mind). They are unnamed and of limited duration. I'm not sure if multiple ray of enfeeblement effects stack, but a different spell (such as Wave of Exhaustion) would certainly add more penalty. Ability damage returns on its own at the rate of 1 point/day (2 with complete bed rest), although lesser restoration and restoration bring faster or complete recovery. A creature with an attack that does ability damage can do more damage with another successful attack. Ability drain is permanent. Attacks that do ability drain typically stack and usually can lead to death and/or spawn creation if the source of the drain was some sort of undead. Restoration (but not lesser restoration) can recover these drained abilities. There are some situations in which you may permanently lose an ability point, and even restoration cannot recover these. Energy drain is one or more negative levels, that it not removed before 24 hours, may either be recovered, or become permanent level loss if a will save is failed.
Heahengel 05-21-05, 07:30 PM	Penalties usually are from things like spells (Ray of Enfeeblement comes to mind). They are unnamed and of limited duration. I'm not sure if multiple ray of enfeeblement effects stack, but a different spell (such as Wave of Exhaustion) would certainly add more penalty. In the PHB section about stacking spell effects, Ray of Enfeeblement is specifically mentioned as a spell that does not stack with itself (even though unnamed bonuses/penalties stack, they do not if they are from the same source). Good answer Uzi.
Rapida 05-22-05, 12:13 AM	I appreciate the answer, thats exactly what I needed to know.