D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Nightwing's Drain Magic Ability

[Garnfellow]

The nightwing's bite attack was something of a mystery in 3.0: it did damage and also delivered some kind of a transform ability. Unfortunately, as far as I know this transform ability was never described or removed in errata.

In 3.5 the transform ability disappeared. The nightwing's bite attack now reads "Bite +18 melee (2d6+17/19-20 plus magic drain)."

Awesome. But when you read the magic drain description, you read "A nightwing can weaken magic armor, weapons, and shields by making a successful touch attack."

So how does this ability work?

• The nightwing makes a bite attack as normal; if it hits, it automatically delivers magic drain .
• The nightwing makes a bite attack as normal; if it hits, it can immediately make a touch attack (as a free action?) to deliver the magic drain.
• The nightwing can use its magic drain ability as a standard action, which requires a touch attack.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

pretty sure its the first one. because it lists the attack, damage then + magic drain, it would work much like a poison or ability drain. Not sure if it gets a save or not though.

 

[Garnfellow]

pretty sure its the first one. because it lists the attack, damage then + magic drain, it would work much like a poison or ability drain. Not sure if it gets a save or not though.

The ability does have a save. If it is the first option, the ability seems a little unnecessarily complicated, requiring an attack + touch attack + saving throw to resolve.

 

[javcs]

The ability does have a save. If it is the first option, the ability seems a little unnecessarily complicated, requiring an attack + touch attack + saving throw to resolve.

Ah, but with the first option, no touch attack is necessary (you've already successfully delivered your attack). The sequence is: attack roll, then (on a successful attack) you go through resolving the bite damage and the resolving the Drain Magic (without a touch attack).

The sentence from Drain Magic gives the nightwing the option of just Draining Magic, as opposed to doing bite attack damage and Draining Magic. Just Draining Magic will typically require a lower attack roll, which means it is good for when the bite attack can't hit (likely due to highly enchanted armor and defensive magic items).

 

[Garnfellow]

Ah, but with the first option, no touch attack is necessary (you've already successfully delivered your attack). The sequence is: attack roll, then (on a successful attack) you go through resolving the bite damage and the resolving the Drain Magic (without a touch attack).

The sentence from Drain Magic gives the nightwing the option of just Draining Magic, as opposed to doing bite attack damage and Draining Magic. Just Draining Magic will typically require a lower attack roll, which means it is good for when the bite attack can't hit (likely due to highly enchanted armor and defensive magic items).

To me, this interpretation makes the most mechanical sense and was what I was going to use in my own game.

 

[frankthedm]

IIRC from previous edtions

The Bite of a nightwing, if a save was failed, permantly turned the victim into a giant bat, charmed by the Nightwing . That what the "Transform" ability of the 3.0 nightwing would have been refering to.

The Nightwing had to make a seperate attatck to take magic away from an item in 2e IIRC.

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