Undead and Negative Levels

[Caliban]

I'm thinking of having a evil undead warrior NPC who wields a holy weapon so that he can fight other evil adversaries more effectively. This has raised some questions in my mind, as Holy weapons bestow a negative level on evil creatures. I'm trying to decide how I want it to work.

Does he gain 5 temporary hit points? (As is mentioned in the Enervation spell when it hits an undead creature.)

Does he ignore it altogether? (Undead are immune to Energy Drain.)

I know that undead are immune to Energy Drain, and the DMG discusses the effects of negative levels in the Energy Drain entry on page 293, but it is possible to get negative levels through other means.

Undead are healed by negative energy, but is the negative level bestowed by a holy weapon from negative energy? (If it isn't, what is it?)

 

[Jack Simth]

It's not energy drain; it's an untyped special-case negative level. A Holy sword semi-passively seeks the demise of any evil person who uses it.

 

[Starglim]

A negative level is a "loss of vital energy" (PHB Glossary). It just means that a magical effect saps the creature's power and makes it weaker. If the creature exists on negative energy then that creature has less negative energy than normal. All of the effects of a negative level would apply to the undead normally.

However, it would not have to make a Fortitude save at the end of the day against a permanent effect, unless perhaps the DM house ruled that the undead had to make a Will save instead.

 

[Jack Simth]

In the specified case, the evil critter wouldn't need to make a fort save anyway (or at least, not of the sort provided by a Holy weapon) as it never becomes permanent - but it can't be gotten around without first un-wielding the weapon.

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's not energy drain; it's an untyped special-case negative level. A Holy sword semi-passively seeks the demise of any evil person who uses it.

Yup. Holy weapons have a secret agenda - to turn harmless evil commoner-1s into dangerous evil wights.

-Hyp.

 

[Caliban]

Yup. Holy weapons have a secret agenda - to turn harmless evil commoner-1s into dangerous evil wights.

-Hyp.

I already used that schtick in a previous campaign. (It was an unholy weapon and a 1st level PC, but still.)