What ability should replace level drain? Here's a list.

[Noumenon]

There are 30 abilities here that you can give your undead as a replacement for the very unfun level drain. But I don't want to basically create new monsters with different powers and call them spectres. I want to pick just one ability that replaces level drain on all undead, that has the same flavor and is nearly as scary. Which one would you pick?

The monsters this would need to work on: wights, vampires, spectres, and maybe nightcrawlers. There aren't really that many energy drainers, I guess.

 

[mmadsen]

I want to pick just one ability that replaces level drain on all undead, that has the same flavor and is nearly as scary.

In 3E: Redefine energy drain so that one negative level means two points of ability damage to every ability. The short-term effect is almost the same -- a -1 penalty to everything -- and the lethality is similar -- roughly five negative levels means death -- but it avoids all the messy complications and permanence.

If you want to make it more like the Nazgul's touch, treat the whole thing like a disease, with further saves over the next few days to avoid still more ability damage.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, ability drain is a lot better. It fits the flavor -- better, even, because no one worries about Dracula making them worse at their career -- and is easier to adjudicate.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I just made it vile Con damage. Not as disabling overall, but it does the job.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Couldn't you just inflict the penalties for a much shorter period of time? Sort of like the Enervation spell?

 

[Ed_Laprade]

I like mmadsen's idea. Of the 30 listed I liked Soul Eater and Hollow the best. Many of the others I thought were just way too whimpy.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

STR or CON drain is probably effective and meets the intent and flavor.

Though were I to apply my RBDM + gaming humor feats, I'd inflict income drain. "The wight hits you ... lose 100 gp!"

 

[Plane Sailing]

I always used STR drain. 1 'level drain' converted in my system to 2 STR drain (Shadows back in those days used to drain 1 STR anyway, which worked for me). So typically Wights & Wraiths drained 2 STR, Spectres and Vampires drained 4 STR.

When someone reaches 0 Str they are disabled and can't do anything (but remain conscious) and further draining goes to CON. At CON = 0 they turn into the appropriate form of undead themselves.

That was how I always preferred to do it.

Cheers

 

[mmadsen]

By the way, I strongly recommend the Am I the only one who doesn't like the D&D Vampire? thread, which touches on this topic.

 

[The Shaman]

. . . the very unfun level drain.