Energy Drain Variants? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Energy Drain Variants? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Katowice
03-15-07, 10:47 PM Has anybody experimented with variant rules for energy drain for undead?
cwslyclgh
03-16-07, 11:59 AM I have not in 3.x edition, realy they gimped energy drain so much from 1-2e that I realy see no need to modify it, it is no longer nearly the feared ability it once was, being but a shadow of its former self.
Return of the Flumph
03-16-07, 12:27 PM I replaced it with Constitution drain; the rules for negative levels make no sense, and why would a vampire's touch make you forget how to cast spells anyway?

Its worked so far in my games.
Ebonyte
03-16-07, 01:41 PM Sometimes I eliminate it alltogether from creatures with another drain (ex: vampires, Shadows, etc). Other times, I use Con, as well. But I prefer to use damage instead of drain. It never made sense to me that if a vampire drains some blood from me, it'll never come back short of curative magic. Humans recover from al kinds of things, so why not lost blood? It comes back readily enough when yu lose it from getting cut by a sword, right?

I've had games where energy drain was a direct HP attack, representing sucking out raw life force as opposed to memories and experiences (which is the only way I can understand the idea of losing exp-derived stats.
Talisman
03-16-07, 04:39 PM Energy drain works fine as written. A single negative levels imposes a -1 penalty on everything, drop your highest-level spell, and deals 5 hp damage. They stack! One isn't much, but throw 3 or 4 on somebody, and they notice!

Think of the spell loss less as messing with your memory and more as draining away your life energy. Wielding magic takes energy, yes? It's a little clumsy, but it definitely works. My players fear energy drain more than any other type of attack.

As for the vampire's blood drain...I think the idea is that one never fully recovers from such an attack. However, I see little problem changing drain to damage...both are dangerous in the immediate sense.
Domriso
03-16-07, 10:00 PM I've never liked energy drain very much because I found the concept annoying and never really understood how to use it correctly, but the way you stated it made it seem simpler...
In most creatures I just get rid of it, unless it really makes sense. Since I've never even used it before I must say that I have no examples.
ViperJock_StimJunkie
03-17-07, 12:38 AM The thing about Vampie's as I understand is they can blood drain (which drains con) OR energy drain with a slam attack.

So draining blood does not actually energry drain. unless that is the way you rule it.

btw players usually fear loosing levels more than death itself.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Katowice 03-15-07, 10:47 PM	Has anybody experimented with variant rules for energy drain for undead?
cwslyclgh 03-16-07, 11:59 AM	I have not in 3.x edition, realy they gimped energy drain so much from 1-2e that I realy see no need to modify it, it is no longer nearly the feared ability it once was, being but a shadow of its former self.
Return of the Flumph 03-16-07, 12:27 PM	I replaced it with Constitution drain; the rules for negative levels make no sense, and why would a vampire's touch make you forget how to cast spells anyway? Its worked so far in my games.
Ebonyte 03-16-07, 01:41 PM	Sometimes I eliminate it alltogether from creatures with another drain (ex: vampires, Shadows, etc). Other times, I use Con, as well. But I prefer to use damage instead of drain. It never made sense to me that if a vampire drains some blood from me, it'll never come back short of curative magic. Humans recover from al kinds of things, so why not lost blood? It comes back readily enough when yu lose it from getting cut by a sword, right? I've had games where energy drain was a direct HP attack, representing sucking out raw life force as opposed to memories and experiences (which is the only way I can understand the idea of losing exp-derived stats.
Talisman 03-16-07, 04:39 PM	Energy drain works fine as written. A single negative levels imposes a -1 penalty on everything, drop your highest-level spell, and deals 5 hp damage. They stack! One isn't much, but throw 3 or 4 on somebody, and they notice! Think of the spell loss less as messing with your memory and more as draining away your life energy. Wielding magic takes energy, yes? It's a little clumsy, but it definitely works. My players fear energy drain more than any other type of attack. As for the vampire's blood drain...I think the idea is that one never fully recovers from such an attack. However, I see little problem changing drain to damage...both are dangerous in the immediate sense.
Domriso 03-16-07, 10:00 PM	I've never liked energy drain very much because I found the concept annoying and never really understood how to use it correctly, but the way you stated it made it seem simpler... In most creatures I just get rid of it, unless it really makes sense. Since I've never even used it before I must say that I have no examples.
ViperJock_StimJunkie 03-17-07, 12:38 AM	The thing about Vampie's as I understand is they can blood drain (which drains con) OR energy drain with a slam attack. So draining blood does not actually energry drain. unless that is the way you rule it. btw players usually fear loosing levels more than death itself.