Fourt Edition energy drain - see warrior wight

[zoroaster100]

It appears the recent posting of the scan of the role playing side of the card for the warrior wight from the miniatures game gives us insight into how energy drain is handled in Fourth Edition. See the wight's signatures abilities below:

M Longsword (standard; at-will) +16 vs AC, 1d8+5 AND Followup
Followup (Life Drain) +9 vs. Fortitude, living only; Immobilized one round AND -2 cumulative Fort AND this creature heals 10. Fort =0, hp =0. Ends when rest or expends healing surges = ½ Fort penalty.
Necromantic Alacrity (free; when hit with life drain; recharge) Extra move; recharge 4.
M Soul Reaping (standard; recharge) +12 vs. Fort; Immobilized only; 1d12+5 necrotic damage AND healing reserves -1; this creature gains +4 attacks/Defenses for the rest of the encounter; recharge 4.

This is still a bit confusing because of the shortened descriptions on the minatures card, but it appears that the wight can immobilize a target and reduce its Fortitude defense by 2 points. If Fortitude goes down to zero, the target is down to 0 hit points and dying. I'm not sure what "Ends when rest or expends healing surges = ½ Fort penalty" means. Does anyone have an idea as to what that means?

Once the wight immobilizes the target, it can then use soul reaping, which does damage but also causes "healing reserves -1" (whatever that means). I'm guessing that means you have one fewer healing surge for the day. If that is the case, I wonder what happens if you are out of healing surges and you get hit iwth a soul reaping attack.

 

[nnanji]

My guess would be that the effect ends either when you rest or when you spend a number of healing surges = to 1/2 the fort penalty. So, if you've been hit twice by this ability and have suffered -4 to your Fort, you would have to spend 2 surges or rest to end the effect.

 

[Novem5er]

It says that "rest" removes the penalties. I wonder if that's a short rest or an extended rest.

I'm willing to bet that it's an extended rest that's needed to remove penalties. Otherwise, I don't see how a PC is going to ever be in danger of "dying" due to energy drain.

If a mid level PC has a Fort defense of 18, then it would take 9 separate hits from the energy drain before they died. Unless the encounter was composed of multiple energy draining monsters, a single PCs not likely to get get hit 9 times. If a simple 5 minute rest recovered the drainage, then this isn't really a danger.

However... if it takes an extended rest to recover drainage, that could be nasty! Assuming the PCs are adventuring through a large tomb, where multiple encounters have various forms of energy drain, then the PCs will be exposed to level drain over the course of a day... that could really add up!

I could see a group of PCs towards the end of an adventuring day, deep inside a tomb... Their eyes are rimmed in black, their skin is pulled tight across their bones, their hair is turning gray in spots, and they're sucking wind with each breath (maybe -8 to Fort after a couple battles with wights)... and the cheeky rogue says:

"One more door?"

The rest of the party promptly beats the rogue into unconsciousness and turns back towards the surface.

 

[zoroaster100]

I also think it must take an extended rest rather than short rest to recover. Otherwise it would not make sense to use up a number of healing surges as the alternative to rest.

 

[Wiman]

I like the idea that the more times a wight hits you with the energy drain the easier it becomes to hit you again with it. One of the big criticisms of 4e is the extra HP's from healing surges (I welcome this in the game but I use it as an example), the wight remains deadly even in 4e as x amount of hits from them not only brings you to 0hp via Fort drain, it also opens of the chance of quickly taking away all your healing surges via their soul reaping skill <if that what the mini's rules "healing reserves" means which I would like to think this is>. As for the resting periods I think the creatures true potential is in soul reaping, it only has to hit you once with the energy drain to open you up to all it's friends soul reaping <taking away one healing surge and getting +4 attack/defences for the rest of the encounter - all from one hit getting through and allies taking the opening...in packs these things may present a chance at an easy TPK especially if the party is low on healing surges in the first place>

 

[Klaus]

It says that "rest" removes the penalties. I wonder if that's a short rest or an extended rest.

I'm willing to bet that it's an extended rest that's needed to remove penalties. Otherwise, I don't see how a PC is going to ever be in danger of "dying" due to energy drain.

If a mid level PC has a Fort defense of 18, then it would take 9 separate hits from the energy drain before they died. Unless the encounter was composed of multiple energy draining monsters, a single PCs not likely to get get hit 9 times. If a simple 5 minute rest recovered the drainage, then this isn't really a danger.

However... if it takes an extended rest to recover drainage, that could be nasty! Assuming the PCs are adventuring through a large tomb, where multiple encounters have various forms of energy drain, then the PCs will be exposed to level drain over the course of a day... that could really add up!

I could see a group of PCs towards the end of an adventuring day, deep inside a tomb... Their eyes are rimmed in black, their skin is pulled tight across their bones, their hair is turning gray in spots, and they're sucking wind with each breath (maybe -8 to Fort after a couple battles with wights)... and the cheeky rogue says:

"One more door?"

The rest of the party promptly beats the rogue into unconsciousness and turns back towards the surface.

"Rest", IMHO, means *any* rest, short or long. If it required a long rest, it'd say "long rest".

 

[D'karr]

"Rest", IMHO, means *any* rest, short or long. If it required a long rest, it'd say "long rest".

There's really three situations that would fix the drain. During combat you can only use Healing Surges as part of your "Second Wind" or when initiated by one of the "leader role" characters. So you can fix this during combat, if you get to spend those healing surges.

After combat you may take short rests, and spend healing surges to recuperate. So that fixes that.

After an extended rest everything resets. So that fixes it without spending healing surges.

IOW, there is a mechanical difference between a short rest and an extended rest. So during a short rest you may spend HS to recuperate, after an extended rest the condition goes away without additional HS expenditure.

That is what makes some creatures that take away your Healing Surges more dangerous.

 

[Celebrim]

Everything old is new again.

The Bodak has a save or die. Now we have an attack that directly bypasses hit points.

 

[Stogoe]

Well, really it only requires a 'short' rest, since you can freely use healing surges during a short rest. But if you're out of healing surges, an extended rest would do it.

I wonder if using healing surges in this way just cures life drain, or if they also heal hp.

 

[Wiman]

Well, really it only requires a 'short' rest, since you can freely use healing surges during a short rest. But if you're out of healing surges, an extended rest would do it.

I wonder if using healing surges in this way just cures life drain, or if they also heal hp.

Good point, and one I was wondering about myself....if its the second option (heals hp as well) it is totally worth it to use your surges to get rid of the Fortitude disadvantage....otherwise "Wizard has a highter fort save then the fighter.....hehe". It's not a matter of protecting yourself from the next pack of wights around the corner, it's a matter of professional and self respect!