Strength drain

[Trellian]

If a character is first strength drained by a Ray of enfeeblement (for example), and then by a Shadow, ending up at 0. Does he still die and rise as a shadow? Or does he avoid that fate because the Shadow didn't sap all of his original strength?

This will probably come up later tonight, and I want to cover my bases

 

[Thanee]

Ray of Enfeeblement does not drain strength, but with any other example of actual strength drain, the question is still valid, of course.

I'd say, that only the last point of strength has to be drained by the shadow, so yes, the poor victim would then raise as a shadow.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ant]

From the SRD:

Strength Damage (Su): The touch of a shadow deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living foe. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dies. This is a negative energy effect.

I'd say that's pretty clear that our gormless adventurer will rise as a shadow.

 

[Trellian]

Nice... for me.. the DM.. of course..

 

[Bauglir]

Excepting of course that Ray of Enfeeblement apparently grants immunity to such things. .

srd (Ray of Enfeeblement):
The subject’s Strength score cannot drop below 1..

 

[Trellian]

You cannot go below 1 with the spell, but if someone drains you down to 1 with the spell, and a shadow touches you, my guess is you die.

 

[Thanee]

Of course, that is what it means... the penalty from the spell cannot lower your Strength below 1.

But if you have a 10 Str and get a Ray of Enfeeblement for 9 dropping your Strength down to 1, and then get 9 points of your Strength drained, then you will still be at Strength 1, because the spell cannot lower it beyond that point.

If you get a 10th point of your Strength drained, however, you'll be at 0.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Christian]

Of course, that is what it means... the penalty from the spell cannot lower your Strength below 1.

But if you have a 10 Str and get a Ray of Enfeeblement for 9 dropping your Strength down to 1, and then get 9 points of your Strength drained, then you will still be at Strength 1, because the spell cannot lower it beyond that point.

If you get a 10th point of your Strength drained, however, you'll be at 0.

Bye
Thanee

Concur with Thanee. A Shadow's touch causes Strength damage, RoE applies a penalty to whatever your current strength is. So, if you have a Strength of 10 and have been hit by a RoE for 9 points, you still have a 10 Strength with a -9 penalty. If a Shadow drains your Strength for less than the 10 full points (say, 5 points), you'll have a 5 Strength with a -9 penalty, but to a minimum of 1 per the RoE spell description. So, your effective Strength remains at 1; you're that much closer to death by Shadow touch, of course, but there's no other immediate penalty.

Despite what some waggish rules lawyers may claim, being targetted by RoE doesn't make you immune to death by Shadow touch, but it doesn't make it any easier for the Shadows to drain you, either.

 

[isoChron]

...
Despite what some waggish rules lawyers may claim, being targetted by RoE doesn't make you immune to death by Shadow touch, but it doesn't make it any easier for the Shadows to drain you, either.

Right, but try to run away in fullplate with STR of 1 or 2
Shadows are closing up, surrounding but you are so weak... to weak to raise even your sword and hit something...

 

[Hypersmurf]

Of course, that is what it means...

It's not what it says

-Hyp.