Removing Energy Drain

[Katowice]

I've really hated the idea of the Energy Drain power (draining character levels) since D&D 1st Edition, especially for vampires. For monsters that aren't vampires, I just changed this so that Constitution is drained. To me, energy drain just doesn't fit the "classic" vampire, so for vampires in my campaign, I drop this ability entirely.

Could you suggest how much I would have to adjust the Challenge Rating for 1) dropping Energy Drain completely and 2) changing Energy Drain so that it drains Constitution instead of Levels?

 

[Darkness]

Moved to House Rules.

And don't 3.0/3.5 vampires have a Con drain attack already (blood drain attack)? So another one is somewhat redundant even though blood drain requires a successful grapple check.

 

[kreynolds]

Could you suggest how much I would have to adjust the Challenge Rating for 1) dropping Energy Drain completely and 2) changing Energy Drain so that it drains Constitution instead of Levels?

What Darkness said. But, to answer your question about the CR, just in case your curious, I figure that 1d6 points of ability drain (an average of 3.5) to a single ability score is worth about a +1 to CR. If it's just ability damage, and not drain, then 2d6 points of ability drain (an average of 7) to a single ability score is also worth +1 to CR. If the ability score drained is Constitution, I figure that 1d4 points of Con drain (an average of 2.5) is worth +1 to CR on its own. If the ability score damaged is Constitution, I figure that 2d4 points of Con damage (an average of 5) is worth +1 to CR.

 

[mmadsen]

I've really hated the idea of the Energy Drain power (draining character levels) since D&D 1st Edition, especially for vampires. For monsters that aren't vampires, I just changed this so that Constitution is drained.

I have another suggestion: redefine a negative level as -2 to all six attributes (Str, Dex, Con, etc.). It has roughly the same effect (-1 to everything) with a much cleaner mechanic -- and one that doesn't feel so meta-gamey.

 

[Katowice]

I like how they changed the ghoul in D&D 3.5 to be more like the hollywood movie ghoul. I just don't understand why they kept that energy drain attack as part of the vampire. For the vampire, I was just going to drop the energy drain attack entirely and stick with the blood drain attack, since energy drain doesn't really fit what I consider the classical vampire. How much would doing this drop the CR? -1?

I was going to alter the energy drain for creatures like the wraith, since that's their special attack and the whole "negative level" effect when you use a magic weapon that has some kind of alignment effect. I like the idea of draining ability scores mmadsen described. I don't know if that's a one-for-one swap or if it's more powerful than level loss.

BTW, "too meta-gamey" is a good way of describing energy drain as it works now.

 

[Thresher]

Research/add some spells to your game that give superior neg-energy protection. D&D tends to have an overall higher amount of "offence over whats out there for defence" so I dont see it being a problem if people dont abuse it.

 

[Psiblade]

I also dislike the energy drain ability on vampires. I was thinking more along the lines of a strength & wisdom drain of 1d6. I see vampires weakening thier opponets both mentally and physically. I think that would keep the CR the same also. Thoughts?


-Psiblade

 

[Katowice]

The problem is that energy drain is just "wrong" for the vampire, as I see it. I think dropping it and lowering the CR would work better.

Research/add some spells to your game that give superior neg-energy protection. D&D tends to have an overall higher amount of "offence over whats out there for defence" so I dont see it being a problem if people dont abuse it.

 

[Katowice]

I like the idea you suggested. I'll drop energy drain entirely on vampires (they have blood drain already) and use this one on the other undead with this ability (like the wraith). I think that shadows already drain Str instead of levels.

I also dislike the energy drain ability on vampires. I was thinking more along the lines of a strength & wisdom drain of 1d6. I see vampires weakening thier opponets both mentally and physically. I think that would keep the CR the same also. Thoughts?


-Psiblade