Q: When a character loses ability points due to a draining
attack, poison, or whatever, how do enhancements such as a
headband of intellect or gauntlets of ogre power work. Are
those points lost first? If a character takes the item off, does
the item still work? Does the character lose more points if
he takes the item off?
A: Apply ability score losses to the victim’s total score, no
matter where the score came from. An ability enhancing item is
not harmed by an ability draining attack, and if the victim takes
off the item, the victim’s ability score drops accordingly. No
ability score, however, can be lessened to less than 0.
A creature with an ability score lessened to 0 cannot benefit
from magic that enhances that ability score until rest or healing
increases the ability to at least 1. For example, a human
lessened to Strength 0 cannot benefit from a bull’s strength
spell or a belt of giant strength while the score is at 0. After a
day of rest, the character recovers 1 point of Strength and can
once again benefit from Strength enhancements.
