Enervation

[Quasqueton]

Does a caster lose one highest-level spell per enervation? Or per negative level (1d4 per enervation)?

You point your finger and utter the incantation, releasing a black ray of crackling negative energy that suppresses the life force of any living creature it strikes. You must make a ranged touch attack to hit. If the attack succeeds, the subject gains 1d4 negative levels.

If the subject has at least as many negative levels as HD, it dies. Each negative level gives a creature a –1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities).

Additionally, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Negative levels stack.

Assuming the subject survives, it regains lost levels after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15 hours). Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim’s levels, but the negative levels from enervation don’t last long enough to do so.

An undead creature struck by the ray gains 1d4x5 temporary hit points for 1 hour.

Quasqueton

 

[frankthedm]

Read that as a re-statement of how negative levels work. One spell per negative level. And be careful with that spell around mooks and shlubs.

Energy Drained
The character gains one or more negative levels, which might permanently drain the character’s levels. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, he dies. Each negative level gives a creature the following penalties: -1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks; loss of 5 hit points; and -1 to effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities). In addition, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from the highest spell level castable.

http://d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#energyDrainAndNegativeLevels
A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight.

 

[werk]

Does a caster lose one highest-level spell per enervation? Or per negative level (1d4 per enervation)?

Quasqueton

Each negative level. This is further echoed in Negative Levels in Conditions "A creature takes the following penalties for each negative level it has gained."

 

[Quasqueton]

Does the target lose 5 hit points per negative level from this spell?

Quasqueton

 

[frankthedm]

Yes. The spell text comes from a time frame when wotc did not have all bits to negative levels agreeing with one another. Because the spell inflicts actual Negative levels, the spell uses negative levels, not penalties that work like negative levels.

 

[shilsen]

Does the target lose 5 hit points per negative level from this spell?

Quasqueton

No. An undead creature struck by it does gain 1d4 x 5 temporary hit pts for 1 hr.

 

[frankthedm]

No. An unded creature struck by it does gain 1d4 x 5 temporary hit pts for 1 hr.

I believe Q-man reffers to the -5 HP that come with negative levels on living being that the spell does not mention.

Origionaly the -5 HP per negative level was buried deep in the DMG and went unnoticed by a fair amount of people.

Kinda like how incoporeal creatures are specificly immune to ranger favored enemy damage.

 

[werk]

Does the target lose 5 hit points per negative level from this spell?

Quasqueton

Yes.

I think it's pretty clearly stated that "the subject gains 1d4 negative levels." It doesn't say "the subject gains 1d4 negative levels as described below."

I'd rule they work exactly like negative levels...I don't really know why they included the spell slot loss line in enervation's description.

A creature takes the following penalties for each negative level it has gained.

–1 on all skill checks and ability checks.

–1 on attack rolls and saving throws.

–5 hit points.

–1 effective level (whenever the creature’s level is used in a die roll or calculation, reduce it by one for each negative level).

If the victim casts spells, she loses access to one spell as if she had cast her highest-level, currently available spell. (If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which she loses.) In addition, when she next prepares spells or regains spell slots, she gets one less spell slot at her highest spell level.

 

[Quasqueton]

The Player of the 11th-level sorcerer in my group (I'm the DM) commented, "That's a LOT of power for a 4th level spell. [Character name] can cast 12 of these a day now."

I'm thinking it's probably not so bad.

Quasqueton

 

[werk]

The Player of the 11th-level sorcerer in my group (I'm the DM) commented, "That's a LOT of power for a 4th level spell. [Character name] can cast 12 of these a day now."

I'm thinking it's probably not so bad.

Quasqueton

I don't know how he can get 12 of them per day, but enervation isn't bad IMHO. Requires a ranged touch. Compare it to scorching ray, a 2nd level spell, which at 12th level sends three rays, each doing 4d6, no save. If you can reliably hit with enervation, you could zap 'em good with a spell of half that level saving the level 4 spells for charm monster, ice storm, and dim door.

Granted, enervation can drain them until they run out of hit dice, killing them, but I'd rather just burn their face off.