Energy Drain Question

[Cullain]

I have a quick energy drain question:

If a character loses a level, their XP is set to the midpoint of their new, lower level. Restoration can restore the level. So what's their new XP? Same as it was previously? Or the midpoint of the level?

thanks,

Cullain

 

[Grazzt]

Page 246 in the PHB under the "restoration" spell:

"...a 10th-level character has been struck by a wight and drained to 9th level, restoration brings the character up to exactly the minimum number of experience points necessary to restore her to 10th level."


So- it restores your level, but puts you at the minimum XP needed for that level.

 

[Cullain]

thanks. i loaned my PHB out to one of my players, so I was relying on the SRD definition of restoration, which doesn't have that qualifer.

thanks again,

Cullain

 

[Al]

The problem with that approach is bookkeeping. It's all very well if there's a handy cleric on hand with Restoration tucked away and prepared to cast immediately after the battle, but the complication is if you level up in the meanwhile.

For example, if a group of 6th level characters are fighting a wight and some assorted non-draining undead. During the battle, the wight manages to drain one of characters. However, as a result of the battle XP, all the characters are able to level up (including the character drained to level 5). So, the drained character is back to level 6, and the other characters are at level 7.

Now, the cleric casts Restoration on the drained character. What happens? Does he go up to level 7? Does he go midway? Does the spell fail?

The first offers an XP loophole. If a character with 55,000XP (just hit level 11) is drained to 50,000XP (midway 10/11) and then levels up again (so now has 55,000XP again, one level down) then a restoration would take him to level 12 (66,000XP). Net gain=6000XP.

The second doesn't make sense at all. It has no justification to back it.

The third is both nonsensical (the level drain has still been experienced: why can't it be restored) and harsh.

Thus, the best way is to register HOW MUCH XP has been lost. In the above example, 5,000XP was lost. When restored, the character recovers that amount. Simple.

 

[Victim]

You hold back on the players XP until they get restored. So the character is drained to 1/2 way between 5 and 6, is restored to 6, then gains the XP from the battle.

 

[Grazzt]

You hold back on the players XP until they get restored. So the character is drained to 1/2 way between 5 and 6, is restored to 6, then gains the XP from the battle.

Yeppers- that is how I do it.

 

[Caliber]

This is somewhat off topic, but back before 3e was released, I had heard that energy drain attacks no longer drained you of a level. Instead they drained Xps, so that higher level characters might have to be drained multiple times before falling in level. How this would effect the game, I dunno. But I always thought it was interesting that this facet dissapperared.

 

[Grazzt]

This is somewhat off topic, but back before 3e was released, I had heard that energy drain attacks no longer drained you of a level. Instead they drained Xps, so that higher level characters might have to be drained multiple times before falling in level. How this would effect the game, I dunno. But I always thought it was interesting that this facet dissapperared.

Could've been a variant 2e rule, I don't remember, but it wasn't in 1e. However, since the original question has been solved and we are moving sorta off-topic, we house ruled way back in 1e that undead drained ability points rather than levels (like a shadow).

 

[Al]

You hold back on the players XP until they get restored. So the character is drained to 1/2 way between 5 and 6, is restored to 6, then gains the XP from the battle.

Yes, but the problem with this is that what happens if the character is not restored immediately. This system only works if the character is restored immediately after the battle; if the character is not, then there is a backlog of XP. Does this XP function normally, or is it held 'in reserve' until the character in restored?

 

[doktorstick]

Yes, but the problem with this is that what happens if the character is not restored immediately. This system only works if the character is restored immediately after the battle; if the character is not, then there is a backlog of XP. Does this XP function normally, or is it held 'in reserve' until the character in restored?

Restoration only makes a correction to the character restoring them to the minimum XP for the level. If the character earned extra experience after being drained, the spell would still raise him to the minimum XP for the level. It does not add any extra experience. Any experience gained between the time he was drained until he was restored is lost. It is in the character's best interest to be restored ASAP.

Cheers,
/ds