Question about ability score drain and damage...
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Question about ability score drain and damage...
If a creature is immune to ability score damage, would it also be immune to ability score drain? Is this different between 3.0 and 3.5?
Last edited by Doom on Fri Nov 25, 2011 3:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Kaelik, to Tzor wrote: And you aren't shot in the face?
Frank Trollman wrote:A government is also immortal ...On the plus side, once the United Kingdom is no longer united, the United States of America will be the oldest country in the world. USA!
If the exceptions aren't specifically stated, does that mean the immunity carries over to both?
Kaelik, to Tzor wrote: And you aren't shot in the face?
Frank Trollman wrote:A government is also immortal ...On the plus side, once the United Kingdom is no longer united, the United States of America will be the oldest country in the world. USA!
It depends. If the immunity is a function of creature type or non-ability, it should be explicitly stated somewhere, probably in the back of the Monster Manual.
If the immunity is from a spell like Death Ward, then things get tricky. Such a spell will not protect you from ability damage or drain caused by poison, but it will protect you from damage or drain caused by a spell or undead creature.
I think there are a few options that provide immunity or resistance to Ability Damage, but not Drain, such as Strongheart Vest from MoI, but such options are usually pretty specific about how they function.
The Undead Type lists undead as being immune to Ability Drain but not Ability Damage. However, most (all?) undead lack a constitution score, which gives them immunity to both Damage and Drain.
For what it is worth, it is probably easier to assume that creatures immune to Ability Damage are also immune to Ability Drain. There are only a few edge cases where this is not the case, so it is not worth getting pedantic over.
If the immunity is from a spell like Death Ward, then things get tricky. Such a spell will not protect you from ability damage or drain caused by poison, but it will protect you from damage or drain caused by a spell or undead creature.
I think there are a few options that provide immunity or resistance to Ability Damage, but not Drain, such as Strongheart Vest from MoI, but such options are usually pretty specific about how they function.
The Undead Type lists undead as being immune to Ability Drain but not Ability Damage. However, most (all?) undead lack a constitution score, which gives them immunity to both Damage and Drain.
For what it is worth, it is probably easier to assume that creatures immune to Ability Damage are also immune to Ability Drain. There are only a few edge cases where this is not the case, so it is not worth getting pedantic over.
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Re: Question about ability score drain and damage...
Man, this thread reminds me of how much I miss ability damage in 5e. Disadvantage can blow me good and hard.