Level Drain - Pathfinder

[Happydevil43]

Hi All,

First time poster, long time reader :-)

Ok I got drained at the last game, playing Shattered Star, and while technically I died, I got transferred to another body, long story, but, the problem I face is this, and not sure if its a bug, or I am doing something wrong.

I lost 2 levels (so drained from level 6 to level 4).

I used the Negative Levels condition and added 2 levels, it dropped my attack bonus and a few other things like HP, I am pretty sure I lost a feat, (it went red on the IPAD, and it was the last feat I added when I levelled) but it didnt change the number of spells that I can memorise as a cleric ?

I can still memorise the same number of spells as if I was 6th.


Any ideas ?

Thanks
Andy

[ShadowChemosh]

Negative Levels

Originally Posted by SRD

For each negative level a creature has, it takes a cumulative –1 penalty on all ability checks, attack rolls, combat maneuver checks, Combat Maneuver Defense, saving throws, and skill checks. In addition, the creature reduces its current and total hit points by 5 for each negative level it possesses. The creature is also treated as one level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level possessed. Spellcasters do not lose any prepared spells or slots as a result of negative levels. If a creature's negative levels equal or exceed its total Hit Dice, it dies.

So based on the highlighted section you shouldn't have lost any spells. The only change is that your CL (Caster Level) is treated as level 4. So if you cast say Cure Light Wounds it would do 1d8+4 not 1d8+5 for a 6th level cleric. If trying to get through SR (Spell Resistance) you would only get to add +4 not +6 to the roll.

Granted rules are spread all over so do you have a spot in the rules that says you should actually lose your spell slots?

[Happydevil43]

Hi.

Thanks for the response, I will follow up with the DM today.

He was of the opinion that I should have lost spells.

Will post outcome

Cheers

[RavenX]

When in doubt the DM is always right, as it is his/her game.

One thing you can do to remedy this problem as a player is to add the Spells Cast Per Day adjustment (found through the personal tab and possibly even adjust tab) to your character and select Cleric and the level of the spells you'd lose and run the incrementer in the negative direction. This can be done for each spell level to account for spell loss from negative levels. This is something that varies from DM to DM, and the house rules always trump whatever is in the books.

Rule 0 for DMs: If you don't like something in the book, change it.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by RavenX

Rule 0 for DMs: If you don't like something in the book, change it.

Though at the same time, Pathfinder is expansive, and level drains are rare. He may simply not be familiar with the intended effects of the level drain condition. It is not necessarily a 'loss of levels', so much as it is an overall weakening of your entire person. Knowledge is not lost, ability/capability is.

[RavenX]

This is a gray area, but generally speaking it's up to the DM, some DMs use their own rules to supercede the rule books or clarify things. What's in the books is changeable by anyone who runs a game. Awareness of what's in the book doesn't mean your DM has to stick with what's printed in it. In 2nd edition AD&D if you lost levels you also lost access to all the abilities associated with the levels lost until you earned enough experience to regain the levels you lost. This includes spells, the caster immediately forgets the spells. In addition, if the caster regained the lost levels, they'd have to roll new percentiles to relearn the spell as if learning it for the first time. Some old school DMs still keep 2e rules in Later editions because they like them. So it depends largely on DM preference.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by RavenX

This is a gray area, but generally speaking it's up to the DM, some DMs use their own rules to supercede the rule books or clarify things. What's in the books is changeable by anyone who runs a game. Awareness of what's in the book doesn't mean your DM has to stick with what's printed in it. In 2nd edition AD&D if you lost levels you also lost access to all the abilities associated with the levels lost until you earned enough experience to regain the levels you lost. This includes spells, the caster immediately forgets the spells. In addition, if the caster regained the lost levels, they'd have to roll new percentiles to relearn the spell as if learning it for the first time. Some old school DMs still keep 2e rules in Later editions because they like them. So it depends largely on DM preference.

Of course, the DM can run the game however he likes. I was merely pointing out that just because the DM had decided to handle it this way, didn't mean he made a 'decision' to change the rules in the book, he may have just assumed that was how the book was written, and went with it.

[RavenX]

Some DMs go with what they remember off the top of their heads. If you ran 2e for a long time, you'd have a natural inclination to remember the rules for it. The player should consult the DM in this instance, but should understand the DM may decide in favor of what they're familiar with. There should always be an understanding that your DM may change anything in any edition of the game they're running.

[Happydevil43]

Thanks guys..
The DM has ruled that I can cast them while they are in my mind, but once cast I cannot relearn them until restored...

Will keep fighting on.... Maybe we will find a few scrolls of restoration somewhere...:-)

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Happydevil43

Thanks guys..
The DM has ruled that I can cast them while they are in my mind, but once cast I cannot relearn them until restored...

Will keep fighting on.... Maybe we will find a few scrolls of restoration somewhere...:-)

Just FYI then on the "Adjust" tab "Other Adjustments" you can put in the adjustment "Spells Cast per Day" to lower your number of spells after you cast them. Should make it easier to remember to not use those spell slots.

Hope you find a Restoration spell somewhere and soon!