Warforged and negative levels

[Artoomis]

EDIT: I see your point. I guess I would look to see if the weapon in question actually drained energy or if it bestowed negative energy onto the handler.

From the SRD:

"...Any character whose alignment does not correspond to that of the item ... gains one negative level if he or she so much as picks up the item. Although this negative level never results in actual level loss, it remains as long as the item is in hand and cannot be overcome in any way (including restoration spells). This negative level is cumulative with any other penalties the item might already place on inappropriate wielders. Items with Ego scores (see below) of 20 to 29 bestow two negative levels. Items with Ego scores of 30 or higher bestow three negative levels."

Question answered.

 

[reveal]

Ooooo... Here's a real RBDM move to pull on a Warforged PC. Give the bad guy a Life-Drinker greataxe. Enervation is used to create it, which Warforged are not immune to since enervation actually bestows negative energy on the target, it doesn't drain energy. It'll be shocking to the PC when he realizes he actually has to take negative levels.

 

[werk]

I don't use warforged, but reading the summary it looks like they are immune to energy drain and succeptable to ability drain.

Negative levels are the effect of energy drain. I would consider any negative levels to be the result of energy drain, to which they are immune. Send some shadows out to retrieve the weapon.

 

[reveal]

I don't use warforged, but reading the summary it looks like they are immune to energy drain and succeptable to ability drain.

Negative levels are the effect of energy drain. I would consider any negative levels to be the result of energy drain, to which they are immune. Send some shadows out to retrieve the weapon.

Technically, as I found out earlier, not all negative levels are caused by energy drain. Enervation, for example, imbues the target with negative energy, thereby causing the negative levels.

And, yes, they are succeptable to ability drain. Greater Shadows are fantastic opponents for warforged.

 

[Scion]

Energy Drain (Su): This attack saps a living opponent’s vital energy ..

Enervation:
that suppresses the life force of any living creature it strikes..

Interesting

 

[Artoomis]

Energy Drain (Su): This attack saps a living opponent’s vital energy ..

Enervation:
that suppresses the life force of any living creature it strikes..

Interesting

Yes, well, the spells could go either way, really. I think here it's important to try and think about intent of the rule and go with that - whichever way that leads you.

 

[werk]

Technically, as I found out earlier, not all negative levels are caused by energy drain. Enervation, for example, imbues the target with negative energy, thereby causing the negative levels.

And, yes, they are succeptable to ability drain. Greater Shadows are fantastic opponents for warforged.

I saw that too, but since negative levels are only addressed under the energy drain ability, they are the result of energy drain, even if it is not called out.
...Each successful energy drain bestows one or more negative levels.

I guess I just don't see anywhere that says spells and aligned weapons are an exception to the rules, other than Artoomis' observation. I'm not saying the interpretation is wrong, just that it is an interpretation, not necessarily RAW, and, IMO, more of a stretch than making them immune. (I love to be proved wrong)

 

[Scion]

well since I doubt they would want regular constructs 'dieing' from negative levels I would assume the 'intent' was for energy drain to encompass negative levels.

However, argueing intent is usually leads to madness. Even the one who made the call originally might not remember the actual 'intent' at the time, so how can the rest of us?

It definately looks to me like someone could call it either way based on what the rules say.

 

[reveal]

Interesting

I don't see the two as similar in effect. Sure, both bestow negative levels, but one does it by draining (removing) energy and the other does it by suppressing (keeping intact yet not allowing it to be used) energy. One removes energy and one does not.

 

[Scion]

I don't see the two as similar in effect. Sure, both bestow negative levels, but one does it by draining (removing) energy and the other does it by suppressing (keeping intact yet not allowing it to be used) energy. One removes energy and one does not.

and one can be permanent while the other is temporary.

The overall effect seems to be 'exactly' the same but one tends to last longer than the other, hence the 'sap' vs 'suppress'.

The first lasts a long time and might last forever whereas the second is completely temporary.