How does poison/disease work?

[Plissken]

I'm running a game tomorrow and I've never ran a monster that dealt ability damage, believe it or not.

Given:
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC
14; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect
1d2 Strength damage; cure 1 save.

Does this mean if a person is bit by a spider and fails their saving throw, they must for 4 rounds, take 1d2 strength damage for four rounds unless within three rounds they make a save?

Other than spells, is the ability damage taken restored naturally 1 point/day (or was it 8 hours rest?)?

 

[Friend of the Dork]

I'm running a game tomorrow and I've never ran a monster that dealt ability damage, believe it or not.

Given:
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC
14; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect
1d2 Strength damage; cure 1 save.

Does this mean if a person is bit by a spider and fails their saving throw, they must for 4 rounds, take 1d2 strength damage for four rounds unless within three rounds they make a save?

Other than spells, is the ability damage taken restored naturally 1 point/day (or was it 8 hours rest?)?

Hmm yes this is one of the better changes from 3.5.

At a first failed save the target takes 1d2 str damage. After that there is a new save each turn until the target either makes a successful save OR 3 more turns elapse.

So it seems you got this right yes. Of course the chances of anyone failing 4 consecutive DC 14 fortitude saves is REALLY low.

Ability damage heals 1/8 hours sleep, 2 for 24 hours. This is per ability so you could concievably heal 12 ability damage total in 24 hours.

Edit: Oh and I have been toying with removing the Cure effect from poisons and diseaeses, meaning you must survive all the intervals possible. Makes them more dangerous which I beleive poisons and diseases should be. As now RL lethal poisons and diseases are mostly a nuissance and nothing more.

In 3.5 my house rule was Fort Save for half rather than Fort Save negates. Worked fairly well. Mind you these changes should increase the CR of creatures with dangerous poisons (Wyvern for example).