Empowered Ray of Enfeeblement

[Shadeus]

It's the "Same Spell in Different Strengths" rule. The stronger one wins.

And if I remember right, the PhB specifically uses RoE as an example.

 

[Demoquin]

what happens if the target is at 0 STR?

 

[Shallown]

At str 0 they can't move but Ray of E says it cannot drop it below a 1.

This gets sick at high levels when a big nasty melee monster gets hit with this and say a bestow curse for 6 more points. It can drop those 31 str baddies to 4-5 str quite fast.

Later

 

[Cabled]

DMG p289-290

..is where you'll find the effects of 0 abilities, Demoquin.

 

[cmanos]

subject's strenght cannot drop below one throught he effect of this spell.

By by that time he should be unable to move as he';d be really really encumbered.

 

[RangerWickett]

RoE is, perhaps, the only spell it is better to empower than maximize. I played a 10th level sorcerer with a rod of lesser empower, and I'd just pop off these lovely spells, reducing Strength by between 9 and 16. Never thought to add in Bestow Curse. What else can reduce Strength?

 

[Shallown]

Greater bestow curse though I think it sets a score at 1 or can penalize several scores. I wonder what the effect of -6 to con is? do you lose the Hit points.

Nice thing is nothing is immune to ability score penalties that I know of. Lots (or at least enough) of things are immune to ability scroe drainage though.

I use the same thing for my wizard 13th level a lesser empower rod and Rays of E. I have 2 ready most days. It is also A good way to shut down something to capture it. So it is not a quick kill spell. It has often shifted an encounter from tough to cake walk.

Later

 

[Infiniti2000]

RoE is, perhaps, the only spell it is better to empower than maximize.

I think pretty much any spell that adds in a static bonus, usually based on caster level, is better to empower. Consider the curative spells, false life, and of course RoE.

 

[Wish]

Does anybody have an opinion on how Ray of Enfeeblement interacts with enhancement or inherent bonuses to strength? The question is what order they apply in.

Say you've got a character with a 11 Str natural and a +6 belt of giant strength. Hit with an empowered ray of enfeeblement for 16 points of strength. Is the character's strength then calculated as:

A) 11-16 = -5, increase to minimum 1, add 6, for a total of 7
or
B) 11+6 = 17-16 for a total of 1?

In other words, can RoE negate an enhancement bonus?

 

[Corsair]

I wonder what the effect of -6 to con is? do you lose the Hit points.

Your current and max HP would both be reduced by 3 HP per HD. Note that your max HP can never be dropped below 1 per HD, so a wizard 10 with 1 con would still have 10 hp max.