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<blockquote data-quote="The_Universe" data-source="post: 2964644" data-attributes="member: 8944">...this one came out of nowhere...Enervation bestows negative levels on a target, which is not precisely the same as a vampire's level drain. As the spell description suggests (p226 in the Player's handbook), the 1d4 negative levels the target suffers if you hit with your ranged touch attack gives the target a cumulative -1 to attack roles, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level. The description goes on to clarify that the penality to effective level only effects the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells and special abilities. Definitely no mention of hit die or hit points. Additionally, your target, if a spellcaster, loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Still no mention of hit points. While the description does note that if a target has as many negative levels as it has hit die, it dies, this does not necessarily imply the loss of hit die up to that point. This works much like subdual damage, which is not subtracted from your hit point total, but rather compared to it. Lastly, the spell specifically notes that these negative levels cannot result in permanent level drain, because they do not last long enough.So, to make a long story short, your targets hit die and hit points are unaffected by this spell. The effect, such as it is, completely bypasses those factors, though it may still kill.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="The_Universe, post: 2964644, member: 8944"] ...this one came out of nowhere... Enervation bestows negative levels on a target, which is not precisely the same as a vampire's level drain. As the spell description suggests (p226 in the Player's handbook), the 1d4 negative levels the target suffers if you hit with your ranged touch attack gives the target a cumulative -1 to attack roles, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level. The description goes on to clarify that the penality to [I]effective level[/I] only effects the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells and special abilities. Definitely no mention of hit die or hit points. Additionally, your target, if a spellcaster, loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Still no mention of hit points. While the description does note that if a target has as many negative levels as it has hit die, it dies, this does not necessarily imply the loss of hit die up to that point. This works much like subdual damage, which is not subtracted from your hit point total, but rather compared to it. Lastly, the spell specifically notes that these negative levels cannot result in permanent level drain, because they do not last long enough. So, to make a long story short, your targets hit die and hit points are unaffected by this spell. The effect, such as it is, completely bypasses those factors, though it may still kill. [/QUOTE]

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