[FLPBCNFAIS]I don't like Energy Drain as written in the books. How about you?

[Bonedagger]

This is a [FLPBCNFAIS - Felt Like Posting But Could Not Find An Interesting Subject] thread.

I never really liked the idea of permanent level drain. I would like to know how others feel about it.

 

[Crothian]

I don't like to take away levels because then you need to go back and undo things on the character sheet. I will, however take away XP. So, when hit with a level drain that become permanent your 15th level rogue will only have 98,000xp (half way between 14th and 15th). So, nothing on the character sheet is altered but you are in the hole for XP. That is how I ruled Zero it.

 

[Someone]

I changed the name to "selective memory erasing" instead of "energy draining" and I´m happier now.

 

[hong]

What Crothian said.

 

[SableWyvern]

I'm pretty much with Hong and Crothian.

I stole an idea someone else on the boards came up with: each lost level equates to an XP debt of 500 x current level. I do the this for all level losses, regardless of the cause. If there are multiple level-losses involved, each new debt is counted at the next lowest level.

 

[rounser]

What hong said.

 

[northrundicandus]

Although it's a royal pain in the @$$ when someone does lose a level, thanks to the mess it can make of a character sheet, I know of no other "game mechanic" shall we say, that truly makes players actually FEAR certain types of undead. Especially with 1e and 2e. The wight hits, you LOSE A LEVEL! No saving throw. Ouch!

This was very effective with low level characters without access to Restoration.

"What? There's a wight in that lost hidden tomb guarding the Mystical Blade of Whatnot? No thanks. Let's go fight that pack of ogres instead..."

Other games might have fear checks with dice, but AD&D had undead that actually put some fear into players.

At least my players

 

[trix]

...

I'm with northrundicandus.

Although level loss is permanent, it only takes effect when the players next sleep / end of the gaming session / lunch break.

Some undead are ment to be 'feared'. The players shouldnt 'want' to go wading into combat. I know its a schlep to undo stuff, but hell, they should consider fleeing for a change.

One funny side-effect i've encountered: Players trekking for 2 days, without sleep, to get to someplace where they can get Restoration cast (otherwise their levelloss is permanent when they sleep).

-Tim

 

[Al]

Excuse me, but isn't Energy Drain a 9th level spell?

So...you don't mind Prismatic Sphere (makes you nearly impervious to people without Disjunction), Mordenkainen's Disjunction (destroy permanent magical items and artifacts), Time Stop (ultimate combat spell), Imprisonment (goodbye forever, no save), Wail of the Banshee (kill everyone) but yet you have a problem with Energy Drain.

Energy Drain? When a cleric half your level can undo the damage you've wrought?

If it's from a inconvenience point-of-view, this is a ridiculous objection. After all, creating a new character is much more arduous than merely levelling-down a character. And raising the dead is more difficult than merely casting restoration- and using freedom is far more tricky than either (spell level-wise).

If it's from a mechanical problem of when the PCs are restored, just jot down how much XP they've lost. When they get restored, this amount of XP is recovered (or a proportion thereof, for Restoration as opposed to Gtr. Restoration).

If it's from the point-of-view that it's mean, let me let you in on a secret. Levelling down is no more 'unpleasant' than dying (unless you're level one perhaps). Finger of Death (7th level) causes permanent DEATH, and Disintegrate (6th level) goes one better. Energy Drain (9th level) merely level drains you, which nowhere near as bad. So this isn't an argument either.

With these three arguments destroyed, who can't like Energy Drain?

 

[Femerus the Gnecro]

Al... I think the issue most people have with energy drain is that they tend to encounter it on the player side WELL before they are anywhere near 9th lvl spells.

The bevy of undead that have the effect more than make up for the fact that it's easy to get rid of when you're uber.

At low levels, it sucks to get slapped with one... no question about it. That being said, I like it the way it is in the dmg because it puts the fear of god into the players.

-F