Quick question - Ray of Enfeeblement

[nittanytbone]

If you hit a critter with more than one ray of enfeeblement, which one takes precedence?

EXAMPLE:

A caster hits a victim for 2 points of STR damage. He then hits them for 4 more the next roun, and then 3 more in the third round.

Has the victim taken:
(A) 2 points of STR damage (this was the first one)
(B) 4 points of STR damage (the most potent one)
(C) 3 points of STR damage (the most recent one)
(D) 9 points of STR damage (they stack)

Thanks!

 

[DarkJester]

4. It's a penalty and does not stack with itself. The strongest one would apply.

 

[pallandrome]

the most potent one is the winner.

They are all essentially ability modifiers from the same source, and thus dont stack. It's like wearing four different items that each give strength enhancement bonuses. only the most powerful one does anything.

 

[udalrich]

If he's targeted with a dispel magic, it would need to take down all three spells to eliminate the strength penalty.

 

[nittanytbone]

Thanks!

 

[amethal]

If you have one of those quaint, old fashioned and soon to be obsolete 3.5 players handbooks, Ray of Enfeeblement is the spell they use as an example of penalties from the same source not stacking.

The interesting question is whether Ray of Enfeeblement protects your strength from ever going below 1, regardless of the source of the strength damage.

 

[Goblyn]

4. It's a penalty and does not stack with itself. The strongest one would apply.

Unless you're playing 3.0, in which case it's damage and does stack.

So, 3.0 or 3.5?

Edit: No, nevermind that. Apparently I'm an idiot, because 3.0 gives an enhancement penalty(??), not damage. I was sure I'd seen it printed as damage somewhere,though ... was it errata'd?

 

[frankthedm]

Edit: No, nevermind that. Apparently I'm an idiot, because 3.0 gives an enhancement penalty(??), not damage. I was sure I'd seen it printed as damage somewhere,though ... was it errata'd?

The quick desciption of the spell uses the term "damage"

 

[Corpseflower]

What if it was followed by a magic missile prepped with the Fell Weaken feat from Libris Mortis? You prep a damage dealing spell one level higher and as long as it successfully deals damage the target also takes a -4 Str penalty for 1 minute. The feat specifically mentions that it won't stack with itself, but I was under the impression I could stack it with Ray of Enfeeblement. Which was actually my plan to drop a target by a quick 6-11 Str in two rounds for pretty much the duration of an encounter.

 

[eamon]

A Ray of enfeeblement can never be used to tip someone over the edge of 1 STR. Even if you subsequently apply further ability damage or penalties, the Ray won't contribute below STR 1.

So for example vs. a creature starting at strength 10, if a ray of enfeeblement (for, say, -8 STR) and ray of exhaustion (effectively -6 STR) apply, then indeed both penalties apply: however, as simply adding em up would result in STR -4 (effectively 0), and ray of enfeeblement can't cause that, its -8 penalty is only applied to that extent as to bring the creature to strength 1.

Of course, if you started out with only STR 6, then you'd still drop to STR 0 since the exhaustion alone is sufficient.