Nasty evil scheme

[Greenfield]

During the final battle of our latest adventure arc, the party Monk (against all advice) decided to leap into melee with a couple of Vampires.

4 negative levels later he decided to leap out of melee with a couple of Vampires.

This got me thinking about negative levels.

ENERGY DRAIN AND NEGATIVE LEVELS
Some horrible creatures, especially undead monsters, possess a fearsome supernatural ability to drain levels from those they strike in combat. The creature making an energy drain attack draws a portion of its victim’s life force from her. Most energy drain attacks require a successful melee attack roll—mere physical contact is not enough. Each successful energy drain attack bestows one or more negative levels on the opponent. A creature takes the following penalties for each negative level it has gained.
–1 on all skill checks and ability checks.
–1 on attack rolls and saving throws.
–5 hit points.
–1 effective level (whenever the creature’s level is used in a die roll or calculation, reduce it by one for each negative level).
If the victim casts spells, she loses access to one spell as if she had cast her highest-level, currently available spell. (If she has more than one spell at her highest level, she chooses which she loses.) In addition, when she next prepares spells or regains spell slots, she gets one less spell slot at her highest spell level.
Negative levels remain for 24 hours or until removed with a spell, such as restoration. After 24 hours, the afflicted creature must attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 attacker’s HD + attacker’s Cha modifier). (The DC is provided in the attacker’s description.) If the saving throw succeeds, the negative level goes away with no harm to the creature. The afflicted creature makes a separate saving throw for each negative level it has gained. If the save fails, the negative level goes away, but the creature’s level is also reduced by one.
A character with negative levels at least equal to her current level, or drained below 1st level, is instantly slain. Depending on the creature that killed her, she may rise the next night as a monster of that kind. If not, she rises as a wight. A creature gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level it bestows (though not if the negative level is caused by a spell or similar effect).

The highlighted section was of particular interest.

So the thought was for a bad guy to walk through a particular section of town with a Lawful aligned weapon, probably a dagger, worn prominently and conspicuously available on his hip. Preferably something fancy and jeweled.

In short, bait for some would-be Rogue.

Rogues, by nature, aren't Lawful. Most people in the game world are 1st or 2nd level.

So put some magical alarm to notify the wearer if his dagger is taken (just in case he runs into a a Rogue who's more than 1st level), and walk through the wrong part of town.

Some kid lifts the blade from its scabbard and immediately takes a negative level because of the alignment difference. 50/50 chance that he drops dead on the spot.

If he does, you just retrieve your dagger, express shock at the fate of the "poor lad", and move on. As in, leave town at once.

If not, you respond to the alarm effect and apprehend him, then try again.

As we've discussed before, a single Wight loose in the poorer sections of a major city equals an undead horde in about 5 minutes.

Weapons grade ugly. Probably too ugly to use in a game.

Probably.

 

[Umbran]

Note that the Axiomatic, Anarchic, Holy and Unholy weapons bestow a negative energy level to someone trying to wield them. Simply being in contact is not sufficient, they actually have to be trying to use it as a weapon.

So, it won't be enough that they take it out of the scabbard - they have to get into a fight with the thing.

 

[Greenfield]

Interesting distinction. Holding it the way you would hold a weapon doesn't do it?

That is, "wield" vs "wield in combat"?

Okay, if you're right then the "undead nuclear option" doesn't have a hair trigger. That's good to know, sort of.

 

[Tovec]

Note that the Axiomatic, Anarchic, Holy and Unholy weapons bestow a negative energy level to someone trying to wield them. Simply being in contact is not sufficient, they actually have to be trying to use it as a weapon.

So, it won't be enough that they take it out of the scabbard - they have to get into a fight with the thing.

Correct.

Interesting distinction. Holding it the way you would hold a weapon doesn't do it?

That is, "wield" vs "wield in combat"?

Okay, if you're right then the "undead nuclear option" doesn't have a hair trigger. That's good to know, sort of.

There is a difference between holding and wielding.

Otherwise, I guess yeah a level 1 or level 2 would immediately die upon trying to use the holy weapon if he is chaotic alignment. Never thought about it, but it is true.

RAW he's dead.
RAI I'd say give him some kind of chance to avoid it.

 

[jefgorbach]

ok - so now the rogue has an unarmed witness (you) to his theft needing "removed" lest you inform the local watch. His obvious solution, while reasonable/sound, unfortunately triggers your undead wave.

 

[Greenfield]

Well, the cure for the undead nuclear option is pretty clear: Change the undead spawning rules.

Change "1 d4 rounds" to "1 d4 days", for anything 3 hd or lower.

 

[Empirate]

That particular kind of pyramid scheme has entered the mind of more than one player. One of them being the player of a Kir-Lanan (Faerûnian gargoyle variant) in an eeeevil campaign I DMed some time ago. He was planning to get rid of all those pesky 'godslaves' (anybody worshipping a god at all) to make a little more space for his own race in this crowded world. Aside from a few pious undead, his scheme might even succeed. He was planning to use Shadows, btw. Always better if that mall in the middle of nowhere doesn't keep the undead hordes outside, and shadows don't take up nearly as much real estate as wights (hence, more space for Kir-Lanan to live and breed in). Oh, and Kir-Lanan are immune to negative energy effects, btw, and each and every one of them can rebuke undead from birth.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Am I the only one that doesn't like the idea that a temporary negative level, which goes away the instant you drop the weapon, could actually kill someone to begin with?

There needs to be an exception clause added or something...

 

[the Jester]

Am I the only one that doesn't like the idea that a temporary negative level, which goes away the instant you drop the weapon, could actually kill someone to begin with?

There needs to be an exception clause added or something...

At least with powerful sentient aligned items, I actually really like that it can strike you dead if it hates you and you try to wield it (and you're weak enough).

I've actually used that as a plot point once or twice.

EDIT: I've also house ruled that a sentient aligned weapon can withhold the negative level if it wishes- perhaps to entice the would-be wielder into "changing his ways" or something.

 

[Greenfield]

All negative levels are temporary. They go away after 24 hours in most cases. In the rest, they go away after you let go of the item.

And yes, negative levels can kill you. The neg levels may only be temporary, but then so is the "dead".