Does enervation turn you into a wight?

[Bauglir]

Bonus one just for fun.

An evil person picking up a holy weapon suffers a negative level as long as they wield it.

So, what if Joe, the evil Commoner 1 picks up the paladin's holy sword when he's not looking?

Since he's level 1 the negative level would kill him instantly, and even if the paladin were to pry the sword from his cold dead fingers, he would presumably stay dead.

But, having died of energy drain, would Joe shortly afterwards rise up again as a wight? Could an undead creature be created from contact with a holy sword?

Edit: Seems this one's already been mentioned. That'll teach me to skim

 

[Endur]

Figure a minute for the wight population to double, not 30 seconds. But, still, very fast under core rules.

Its not necessary to use enervation either, your spellcaster could just teleport a wight in from the local dungeon.

Luckily, clerics do have defenses against wights.

Besides the Sun domain, sunlight, turning, and paladins, clerics can use cure spells to cause damage to undead and they can use hallowed ground as a defense against undead creatures. Forbiddance and Mord's Sanctum can also be useful if you have a high level character. Consecrate is awesome, but some forewarning is useful.

Finally, adventurers are sometimes useful.

I have played a module in the past where the PCs are in a tavern when a half dozen wights and a Spectre charge into the tavern. The Spectre attacks the PCs while the wights don't attack the PCs, they focus on the tavern commoners. By the time the battle was over, the PCs had killed over thirty wights (and a spectre).

 

[frankthedm]

Anyone ever seen the movie "Lifeforce"? England gets overrun with life force consuming undead. intresting concept, though it is one of those movies where the main female was the main draw.

 

[jgsugden]

Once every 5 rds is more like it. On average, it takes about 3 rds from death for the new wight to rise. That gives the wight a chance to stand up, move twice and attack (or move once and charge for a total of 3 X normal movement inctead of twice normal movement) in 5 rds. It shouldn't take 5 extra rounds for the wight to find a new target in most areas.

As for clerics and the suchstopping the tide of spawning undead, they have a good shot if they are present at the start of the spawning. But, if the process goes unchecked for a few minutes, there will be too many undead. They may kill 30 wights a round, but if more than 30 wights are being created each round, they're losing the battle.

Figure a minute for the wight population to double, not 30 seconds. But, still, very fast under core rules.

Its not necessary to use enervation either, your spellcaster could just teleport a wight in from the local dungeon.

Luckily, clerics do have defenses against wights.

Besides the Sun domain, sunlight, turning, and paladins, clerics can use cure spells to cause damage to undead and they can use hallowed ground as a defense against undead creatures. Forbiddance and Mord's Sanctum can also be useful if you have a high level character. Consecrate is awesome, but some forewarning is useful.

Finally, adventurers are sometimes useful.

I have played a module in the past where the PCs are in a tavern when a half dozen wights and a Spectre charge into the tavern. The Spectre attacks the PCs while the wights don't attack the PCs, they focus on the tavern commoners. By the time the battle was over, the PCs had killed over thirty wights (and a spectre).

 

[Darkness]

... I can think of some specific instances where instant death and wight-hood make no sense, such as a 1st level evil character picking up a +1 holy heavy mace.

I think pawsplay makes a very good point here.

[tangent]
If someone absolutely wants something like this to occur, though, they might want take a look at the Deathless monster type from the Book of Exalted Deeds instead of using the wight. The resulting Deathless creature could then guard the item until a more suitable owner arrives. Even if that takes centuries.
Come to think of it, I seem to recall that the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar work this way now in 3.5. Could be wrong - but in that case it's certainly a zombie instead.
[/tangent]

 

[jgsugden]

But I can think of some specific instances where instant death and wight-hood make no sense, such as a 1st level evil character picking up a +1 holy heavy mace.

The villianous street urchin sneaks into the home of the just cleric and tries to steal the holy hammer of niceness, only to have the hammer blast away the last vestiges of humanity from him and curse him to live as a creature as dark as his heart.

I can see it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The villianous street urchin sneaks into the home of the just cleric and tries to steal the holy hammer of niceness, only to have the hammer blast away the last vestiges of humanity from him and curse him to live as a creature as dark as his heart.

Yup. And the naive housemaid innocently picks up the unholy spiked chain of nastiness to dust underneath it, and as her soul is torn to everlasting fire, the evil of the weapon takes over her lifeless body...

It works both ways!

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

Yup. And the naive housemaid innocently picks up the unholy spiked chain of nastiness to dust underneath it, and as her soul is torn to everlasting fire, the evil of the weapon takes over her lifeless body...

It works both ways!

-Hyp.

Copied and pasted for my next wannabe evildoer group. Preferably with some nice witnesses.

 

[pawsplay]

Let's say it's a +1 ghost touch heavy mace, intelligent (CG, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14) with the special purpose of destroying undead. Let's say it gets picked up by a 1st level LG Cleric of Pelor with Improved Turning and Extra Turning, and the Good and Sun Domains.

Obviously, such a tyrannical zombie lover should immediately fall dead of impiety and become a wight.

Meanwhile, the LE Fighter/Cleric of Hextor/Blackguard finds it a handy backup weapon against the undead, even with the penalties.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Let's say it's a +1 ghost touch heavy mace...

You are, of course, welcome to apply a house rule if you don't like the situation this creates.

-Hyp.