Herzog
Adventurer
I know this forum has seen it's share of threads about level drain, but since I want to introduce my own version to my group, I wanted to get enworlds comment on it first.
In my experience, there are two problems with the standard level drain rules.
One, the bookkeeping.
Two, the 'not fun' aspect of losing your precious XP.
Even if you somehow get your hands on a restoration, you loose any excess XP you had before losing the level.
Now, immediate bookkeeping has been 'fixed' in 3.5 by introducing temporary level loss, which means getting penalties on attack, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws, as well as a penalty on HD for the purpose of caster level and whether you are susceptible for spells with a HD cap (like sleep).
However, after 24 hours you still might end up with permanent level loss.
My proposition for a houserule is this:
Temporary Level loss remains the same.
After 24 hours, you need to make a Fortitude Saving throw to see if the temporary level loss becomes permanent, once for each level (note that the reduces saving throw from temporary level loss may make this a very hard save to make!)
Permanent Level loss does NOT mean you loose XP.
Instead, the following penalties are put on your character:
-you get a negative modifier to your level. this negative modifier applies to caster level and HD caps just as the modifier for temporary level loss.
It does not make spell levels unaccessible.
-You get a negative modifier on your base attack bonus. This negative modifier can not exceed your actual base attack bonus.
-You get a negative modifier to a number of skills equal to the number of skillpoints you get each level. If you have multiple classes, the one with the highest number of skillpoints per level is used. Skills containing the highest number of ranks are affected first. If there is a choice, the player of the character in question may choose.
The negative modifier on skill checks can not exceed the number of ranks put into the skill. For the purpose of meeting certain requirements, the negative modifier affects the number of ranks you have in a skill.
-You get a negative modifier of half your negative level (round down) to one of your saving throw modifiers. The saving throw modifier affected is the one with the highest modifier from class levels. This negative modifier can not exceed the modifier you get from class levels.
-You do not loose any feats or class abilities, but feats or class abilities that depend on you having a minimum base attack bonus or minimum ranks in a skill can become inactive. If those feats, or the class abilities, or the skill ranks, are in turn requirements to get into a prestige class, you loose the class benefits of the prestige class just as when you normally would have lost access to a required feat.
Although you do not actually loose a level, you are treated as having a lower level when determining XP.
This XP is added to your amount of XP normally. You still go up a level when reaching your next level in XP, although the negative levels remain in effect.
At any time, a Restoration or Greater restoration spell will remove the negative level(s). (the spell is no longer limited to a number of days or weeks since level loss per caster level)
Levels lost because of Dieing and being ressurected or reincarnated can not be restored.
I'm thinking of leaving the option open to the player whether (s)he wants to use negative levels or an actual level loss in case of ressurection/reincarnation.
So, what do you think?
Too heavy? Too weak? Too much like the normal rules? What part of these rules in question do you not feel comfertable with? and why?
As always, thanx in advance for any reactions.
In my experience, there are two problems with the standard level drain rules.
One, the bookkeeping.
Two, the 'not fun' aspect of losing your precious XP.
Even if you somehow get your hands on a restoration, you loose any excess XP you had before losing the level.
Now, immediate bookkeeping has been 'fixed' in 3.5 by introducing temporary level loss, which means getting penalties on attack, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws, as well as a penalty on HD for the purpose of caster level and whether you are susceptible for spells with a HD cap (like sleep).
However, after 24 hours you still might end up with permanent level loss.
My proposition for a houserule is this:
Temporary Level loss remains the same.
After 24 hours, you need to make a Fortitude Saving throw to see if the temporary level loss becomes permanent, once for each level (note that the reduces saving throw from temporary level loss may make this a very hard save to make!)
Permanent Level loss does NOT mean you loose XP.
Instead, the following penalties are put on your character:
-you get a negative modifier to your level. this negative modifier applies to caster level and HD caps just as the modifier for temporary level loss.
It does not make spell levels unaccessible.
-You get a negative modifier on your base attack bonus. This negative modifier can not exceed your actual base attack bonus.
-You get a negative modifier to a number of skills equal to the number of skillpoints you get each level. If you have multiple classes, the one with the highest number of skillpoints per level is used. Skills containing the highest number of ranks are affected first. If there is a choice, the player of the character in question may choose.
The negative modifier on skill checks can not exceed the number of ranks put into the skill. For the purpose of meeting certain requirements, the negative modifier affects the number of ranks you have in a skill.
-You get a negative modifier of half your negative level (round down) to one of your saving throw modifiers. The saving throw modifier affected is the one with the highest modifier from class levels. This negative modifier can not exceed the modifier you get from class levels.
-You do not loose any feats or class abilities, but feats or class abilities that depend on you having a minimum base attack bonus or minimum ranks in a skill can become inactive. If those feats, or the class abilities, or the skill ranks, are in turn requirements to get into a prestige class, you loose the class benefits of the prestige class just as when you normally would have lost access to a required feat.
Although you do not actually loose a level, you are treated as having a lower level when determining XP.
This XP is added to your amount of XP normally. You still go up a level when reaching your next level in XP, although the negative levels remain in effect.
At any time, a Restoration or Greater restoration spell will remove the negative level(s). (the spell is no longer limited to a number of days or weeks since level loss per caster level)
Levels lost because of Dieing and being ressurected or reincarnated can not be restored.
I'm thinking of leaving the option open to the player whether (s)he wants to use negative levels or an actual level loss in case of ressurection/reincarnation.
So, what do you think?
Too heavy? Too weak? Too much like the normal rules? What part of these rules in question do you not feel comfertable with? and why?
As always, thanx in advance for any reactions.
