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Fell Drain question

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
arcane-surge
Jul 30, 2008 23:49:09 This part I am not unclear on. I love negative levels. Love them. They're like deadly but delicious candy that I can hand out to enemies. If I could wrap up every beam of Enervation in a pretty bow, I would. Really.

Fell Drain (From Libris Mortis) is a fun way to give people negative levels. It says that whenever someone takes damage from a Fell Drain spell, they gain a negative level for a bunch of hours. Mmmmmmmm.

Here's my question. What counts as a spell that deals damage to foes? A Fell Draining Fireball or Magic Missile is fairly clear, but since my character is a Transmuter (And banned evocation anyway), I've been thinking about good buffs so that all of my friends can give out these wonderful presents as well. When I thought about it, something occurred to me. What about Greater Magic Weapon? Is my spell dealing damage, or does the bonus it gives to weapon damage not count? What about weapon buffs like Sonic Weapon (Spell Compendium)? That seems like it ought to count. If anyone has an answer, I'd be overjoyed. I'd been even happier if said answer was correct.

Also, with the above in mind, are there any good mass buffs that would count for this? The only thing better than buffing my BSF's sword so he can dish out energy drain is buffing everyone's weapon to do the same.

I look forward to hearing from people more informed than myself.
#2
tytalus
Jul 31, 2008 10:55:12 No, that wouldn't work. A Magic Weapon spell does not deal damage, it enhances a weapon. The weapon deals damage.
#3
ronyon
Jul 31, 2008 12:19:20 How about Fell Drain and Smiting Spell on a touch spell?
#4
snex
Jul 31, 2008 15:56:26
How about Fell Drain and Smiting Spell on a touch spell?

how about fell drain on a locate city bomb?
#5
ronyon
Jul 31, 2008 17:51:53
how about fell drain on a locate city bomb?

I think Fell Drain and its ilk only work when used with spells that do damage.
#6
jaronk
Aug 01, 2008 3:19:16 Which the locate city bomb does, but then again who cares about level drain when you're killing everyone anyway?

JaronK
#7
snex
Aug 01, 2008 12:27:23
Which the locate city bomb does, but then again who cares about level drain when you're killing everyone anyway?

JaronK

well, wouldnt you be making an army of wights? there would be lots of people near the edge of the radius who would only take (small number)d6 damage, and the negative level should finish them off. if you place the spell right, you can have the edge of the radius just inside a large city so as to make the most wights possible.

you could also put fell animate on it and get an army of skeletons.

this couldnt possibly go wrong...
#8
staticfury
Aug 01, 2008 14:53:49 A good question to ask about Fell Drain is...

How many times can a negative level get applied with the same spell? Each time a spell does damage? Or first time? For example, you could cast Fell Drain Kelgore's Grave Mist (PHB2, 2nd lvl conj/necro) to do 1d6 cold damage per round plus 1 negative level in the fixed area.

Thematically, I would think it's a good mix as well. Isn't negative energy kind of like that super penetrating cold that chills you to the spine? Could it get confused with standard cold spell, letting the cold damage 'mask' the greater effect of -1 lvl per round?
#9
meth0dical
Aug 01, 2008 22:47:56
A good question to ask about Fell Drain is...

How many times can a negative level get applied with the same spell? Each time a spell does damage? Or first time? For example, you could cast Fell Drain Kelgore's Grave Mist (PHB2, 2nd lvl conj/necro) to do 1d6 cold damage per round plus 1 negative level in the fixed area.

Thematically, I would think it's a good mix as well. Isn't negative energy kind of like that super penetrating cold that chills you to the spine? Could it get confused with standard cold spell, letting the cold damage 'mask' the greater effect of -1 lvl per round?

I would assume the negative level is applied the first time the spell deals damage only.

This is the same way that Augment Healing and Lesser Vigor work, etc. The extra 2 points of healing are applied at the beginning of the spell, not on every 'tick'.

Fake Edit: Also Warmage Edge and damage-over-time spells, I believe.
#10
atomickitkat
Aug 06, 2008 7:39:33 Mestil's Acid Sheath? Fire Shield? Both of them do damage. Could be a funny way to knock down those (insert arbitrarily large number) attacks/round builds.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 arcane-surge Jul 30, 2008 23:49:09	This part I am not unclear on. I love negative levels. Love them. They're like deadly but delicious candy that I can hand out to enemies. If I could wrap up every beam of Enervation in a pretty bow, I would. Really. Fell Drain (From Libris Mortis) is a fun way to give people negative levels. It says that whenever someone takes damage from a Fell Drain spell, they gain a negative level for a bunch of hours. Mmmmmmmm. Here's my question. What counts as a spell that deals damage to foes? A Fell Draining Fireball or Magic Missile is fairly clear, but since my character is a Transmuter (And banned evocation anyway), I've been thinking about good buffs so that all of my friends can give out these wonderful presents as well. When I thought about it, something occurred to me. What about Greater Magic Weapon? Is my spell dealing damage, or does the bonus it gives to weapon damage not count? What about weapon buffs like Sonic Weapon (Spell Compendium)? That seems like it ought to count. If anyone has an answer, I'd be overjoyed. I'd been even happier if said answer was correct. Also, with the above in mind, are there any good mass buffs that would count for this? The only thing better than buffing my BSF's sword so he can dish out energy drain is buffing everyone's weapon to do the same. I look forward to hearing from people more informed than myself.
#2 tytalus Jul 31, 2008 10:55:12	No, that wouldn't work. A Magic Weapon spell does not deal damage, it enhances a weapon. The weapon deals damage.
#3 ronyon Jul 31, 2008 12:19:20	How about Fell Drain and Smiting Spell on a touch spell?
#4 snex Jul 31, 2008 15:56:26	How about Fell Drain and Smiting Spell on a touch spell? how about fell drain on a locate city bomb?
#5 ronyon Jul 31, 2008 17:51:53	how about fell drain on a locate city bomb? I think Fell Drain and its ilk only work when used with spells that do damage.
#6 jaronk Aug 01, 2008 3:19:16	Which the locate city bomb does, but then again who cares about level drain when you're killing everyone anyway? JaronK
#7 snex Aug 01, 2008 12:27:23	Which the locate city bomb does, but then again who cares about level drain when you're killing everyone anyway? JaronK well, wouldnt you be making an army of wights? there would be lots of people near the edge of the radius who would only take (small number)d6 damage, and the negative level should finish them off. if you place the spell right, you can have the edge of the radius just inside a large city so as to make the most wights possible. you could also put fell animate on it and get an army of skeletons. this couldnt possibly go wrong...
#8 staticfury Aug 01, 2008 14:53:49	A good question to ask about Fell Drain is... How many times can a negative level get applied with the same spell? Each time a spell does damage? Or first time? For example, you could cast Fell Drain Kelgore's Grave Mist (PHB2, 2nd lvl conj/necro) to do 1d6 cold damage per round plus 1 negative level in the fixed area. Thematically, I would think it's a good mix as well. Isn't negative energy kind of like that super penetrating cold that chills you to the spine? Could it get confused with standard cold spell, letting the cold damage 'mask' the greater effect of -1 lvl per round?
#9 meth0dical Aug 01, 2008 22:47:56	A good question to ask about Fell Drain is... How many times can a negative level get applied with the same spell? Each time a spell does damage? Or first time? For example, you could cast Fell Drain Kelgore's Grave Mist (PHB2, 2nd lvl conj/necro) to do 1d6 cold damage per round plus 1 negative level in the fixed area. Thematically, I would think it's a good mix as well. Isn't negative energy kind of like that super penetrating cold that chills you to the spine? Could it get confused with standard cold spell, letting the cold damage 'mask' the greater effect of -1 lvl per round? I would assume the negative level is applied the first time the spell deals damage only. This is the same way that Augment Healing and Lesser Vigor work, etc. The extra 2 points of healing are applied at the beginning of the spell, not on every 'tick'. Fake Edit: Also Warmage Edge and damage-over-time spells, I believe.
#10 atomickitkat Aug 06, 2008 7:39:33	Mestil's Acid Sheath? Fire Shield? Both of them do damage. Could be a funny way to knock down those (insert arbitrarily large number) attacks/round builds.