D&D 5E Strength Drain

[the Jester]

Life Drain allows a saving throw; Strength Drain does not.

Life Drain does not hamper the victim's immediate ability to fight; it only hampers recovery.

Strength Drain is significantly worse.

While that's true, life drain is a serious problem if the pcs have any further encounters before they can recover from it. That 'reduced maximum hps' thing is a BITCH.

I think it comes out as a wash, assuming that the pcs can't simply avoid further encounters before regaining their strength/maximum hps. But I say this having not yet used either shadows or any life-drainers in my game yet, except for a single one-off attack as part of a curse.

 

[Eric V]

Maybe just make your own thing up instead of strength drain, like

Weakened: while weakened you have disadvantage on attacks and ability score checks. You remain weakened until you are brought up to full hit points.

Then since it is basicly just poisoned value it the same as poison.

The only reason to make it not poison is to give it a different feel and let it circumvent poison resistance and immunity, but it is easier to get rid of then the poison condition for the most part.

I guess I never liked strength drain as it only effects one type of character the strength based warriors, dexterity rogues and archers still function at full effect, as do spellcasters. Things like poisoned or weakness that give disadvantage effect most everyone.

Of course, now I can't find what an ability that inflicts the poisoned condition does to CR...sigh. Closest thing looks like the Troglodyte's Stench ability.

 

[the Jester]

Of course, now I can't find what an ability that inflicts the poisoned condition does to CR...sigh. Closest thing looks like the Troglodyte's Stench ability.

It appears to be another 'no modifier' thing to me. Really, it seems as though anything that doesn't actually increase damage doesn't much affect offensive CR, with rare exceptions. I imagine part of that is the ease of removing these conditions/effects- usually, lesser restoration will cover it.