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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mistwell" data-source="post: 2089987" data-attributes="member: 2525">Guys, this thread is suddenly going in a big circle.  We are now hearing the same arguments already pretty clearly settled earlier in the thread with tons of rules quotations and pretty definitive agreement by just about everyone.To recap: 1) The senario laid out to begin this thread was the result of an incorrect intepretation of the spell.  The penalties do not stack because it is a PENALTY, and not ability DAMAGE, and that kind of penalty does not stack.  So you can only use the spell once on an opponant.  This makes the tactic useful, particularly if you are careful about encumbrances, but not overpowering; 2) A maximized and empowered spell does not empower off the maximized result, it empowers off the original spell, which is then added to the maximized result for a total.  This can be seen in the feat descriptions; 3) Sneak attack damage does not apply to this spell, since it is not ability DAMAGE from the spell, but an ability PENALTY. The use of the word Penalty instead of Damage is meaningful with respect to whether or not the spell is considered "weaponlike".  If it does not deal DAMAGE, then it is not a weaponlike spell, and therefore sneak attack damage cannot apply;4) For spells that DO deal ability DAMAGE, the sneak attack that can apply to that spell deals extra hit point damage of the negative energy type, and not ability damage.</blockquote>