Improved Life Drain and Fell Drain (Libris Mortis)

[DreadArchon]

That's what I said, but my player is convinced that because in the text of imp Life Drain it doesn't say that the ability *has* to be Supernatural.

I agree with your player. Fell Drain doesn't qualify you for Life Drain, but if you had an "energy drain supernatural ability" from another source to let you get Life Drain, you should be able to Life Drain on a Fell Drain.

Just keep in mind that losing your supernatural ability to energy drain would make Life Drain inert.

Edit: Also, neither Enervating Arm nor a Palemaster's touch attack is an energy drain. By the wording of the feat, all three (Palemaster, Arm, and Fell Drain) could benefit from Life Drain, but by the wording of your first post, I don't think your character qualifies for the feat.

Edit, clarification: The three attacks I just listed "bestow a negative level," but they don't say that they're energy drain attacks, which is important because energy drain has special rules above and beyond bestowing negative levels. They're watered-down versions of energy drain; too watered-down to teach the character how to Life Drain.

 

[kreynolds]

...you should be able to Life Drain on a Fell Drain.

Except that Fell Drain is not a supernatural effect, right?

 

[DreadArchon]

Except that Fell Drain is not a supernatural effect, right?

It's metamagic. It's no more an "effect" than Weapon Focus is; it's considered part of the spell.

Life Drain's only activation parameter is "Whenever you bestow a negative level on a creature," it doesn't care how you do it. However, as I already pointed out, this is moot if your player doesn't find some way to energy drain without using spells, which (IIRC) Libris Mortis doesn't provide (without the player becoming undead). By contrast, I think a high-level Dread Necromancer could qualify for Life Drain via Charnel Touch, because that actually says "energy drain;" having done so, said Dread Necro could benefit from Life Drain while using Fell Drain.

 

[kreynolds]

Yeah, my question was more for him to answer for his own sake, and not so much me needing clarification.

 

[DreadArchon]

Yeah, my question was more for him to answer for his own sake, and not so much me needing clarification.

Ah, okay. The internet imposes a -20 penalty on Sense Motive checks, you know. ^_^;

 

[kreynolds]

LOL Yeah, I know the feeling.

 

[SadisticFishing]

Alright, except I don't think that "Enervation" would be considered "bestowing a negative level" any more than whirling blade is considered a melee attack.

But yeah, even though I'm the DM I'd rather not say "NO!" if I can't prove it - but we discussed it, and he agrees that it's not in the spirit of the rules - this opens up 3 feats for him, too, so he's happy.

 

[DreadArchon]

Alright, except I don't think that "Enervation" would be considered "bestowing a negative level" any more than whirling blade is considered a melee attack.

...Huh? Rolled even worse on my Sense Motive for this one. Was he trying to qualify for Life Drain with the spell Enervation? Are you saying that Fell Drain Magic Missiles should be regarded similarly to the Enervation spell? Did you think that the Enervating Arm actually casts Enervation?

*confused*