Do Multiple Castings of Enervation Stack?

[Al'Kelhar]

But you're skipping a step in the progression. Enervation doesn't bestow penalties. It bestows negative levels, which result in penalties. Each time you're hit, you gain X number of negative levels, pure and simple.

It's like the touch of a wraith. You aren't immune to the touch of a wraith just because he's already given you a negative level earlier in the combat. The description of negative levels in the DMG uses someone suffering multiple negative levels from multiple attacks as an example. Ergo, negative levels stack. The only difference between enervation negative levels and others is that those from the spell wear off before they have the chance to become permanent.

No, the difference is that enervation is a spell, and energy drain is a supernatural ability. The rules on stacking effects of spells (and by implication, spell-like abilities) are set out (none-too-clearly, mind you) in the SRD. There's no equivalent for supernatural abilities.

I agree that there's certainly room for different interpretations on this one. I'd like to think I had that oh-so-useful adjective "balance" on my side, but opinions on that vary, too!

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[dragonsworn]

I'd say no, here. Temporary hit points don't ever stack, no matter how many different sources they come from.

In 3.0 Enervation made a nice buff spell for undead, but in 3.5 the 1 hour duration and variable temp HP make this fairly useless.

 

[sledged]

No, the difference is that enervation is a spell, and energy drain is a supernatural ability. The rules on stacking effects of spells (and by implication, spell-like abilities) are set out (none-too-clearly, mind you) in the SRD.

Then going by that line of reasoning, the negative levels that enervation bestows are not the spell effect, just as the hp damage from a magic missle spell is not a spell effect. The duration of Enervation is instantaneous, so the spell is no longer active. So multiple castings do stack. Just as requires time and/or a healing spell to removed hp damage, it also requires time and/or a restoration spell to remove negative levels. Dispel magic doesn't work, because "The effect of a spell with an instantaneous duration can't be dispelled... the magical effect is already over before the dispel magic can take effect." (PHB, page 223)

BTW, could you give us a reference somewhere in the SRD on the rules on stacking effects of spells. As best as I can tell, the individual spell descriptions and the rules on stacking bonuses are the only things I can find that determine whether or not effects of spells stack.