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Energy drain question
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<blockquote data-quote="Damon Griffin" data-source="post: 317817" data-attributes="member: 3568"><p>I misread a portion of the text in the DMG, which may help explain why I was having reservations about how this worked. I read "A character who loses a level to energy drain <strong>instantly loses one Hit Die</strong>" (emphasis mine) and, not having read the preceding paragraph carefully, interpreted that as meaning that the loss of Hit Die accompanied the acquisition of the negative level, not the failed save 24 hours later. </p><p></p><p>In other words, you get hit with an energy drain, you immediately suffer -1 to hit, -1 to saves, -1 to skill and ability checks, an effective level loss for purposes of spells and other calculations, AND a Hit Die; you'd regain the lost Hit Die at the end of 24 hours if you made your save. </p><p></p><p>In this situation (which I see now is not what happens), it didn't make sense to me that fighter types should suffer more damage than wizards, or that a high CON would act as a penalty. It would be a bit like creating a spell that does 1d4 base damage to wizards, 1d8 base damage to rangers, and an extra point of damage per CON bonus of the target.</p><p></p><p>Since the Hit Die is lost only if and when the level loss becomes "permanent" due to a failed save at the end of the day...yes, in that case it makes sense that you'd lose whatever hit point benefit had originally come with that level: the size Hit Die appropriate to your class, plus CON bonus if any. </p><p></p><p>So, all cleared up now. But do you see why, given my original misreading of the rule, I was having a problem with the idea that I should lose extra h.p. as a ranger?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yeah, the effects of the negative level on spells and such were not in question, I just misunderstood <strong>when</strong> the loss of Hit Die took effect; as you may have seen in the above reply to Thanee, this made a huge difference in my attitude toward the "rightness" of the whole thing. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>Thanks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Damon Griffin, post: 317817, member: 3568"] I misread a portion of the text in the DMG, which may help explain why I was having reservations about how this worked. I read "A character who loses a level to energy drain [B]instantly loses one Hit Die[/B]" (emphasis mine) and, not having read the preceding paragraph carefully, interpreted that as meaning that the loss of Hit Die accompanied the acquisition of the negative level, not the failed save 24 hours later. In other words, you get hit with an energy drain, you immediately suffer -1 to hit, -1 to saves, -1 to skill and ability checks, an effective level loss for purposes of spells and other calculations, AND a Hit Die; you'd regain the lost Hit Die at the end of 24 hours if you made your save. In this situation (which I see now is not what happens), it didn't make sense to me that fighter types should suffer more damage than wizards, or that a high CON would act as a penalty. It would be a bit like creating a spell that does 1d4 base damage to wizards, 1d8 base damage to rangers, and an extra point of damage per CON bonus of the target. Since the Hit Die is lost only if and when the level loss becomes "permanent" due to a failed save at the end of the day...yes, in that case it makes sense that you'd lose whatever hit point benefit had originally come with that level: the size Hit Die appropriate to your class, plus CON bonus if any. So, all cleared up now. But do you see why, given my original misreading of the rule, I was having a problem with the idea that I should lose extra h.p. as a ranger? Yeah, the effects of the negative level on spells and such were not in question, I just misunderstood [B]when[/B] the loss of Hit Die took effect; as you may have seen in the above reply to Thanee, this made a huge difference in my attitude toward the "rightness" of the whole thing. :) Thanks. [/QUOTE]
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