| Althanin |
Good day everyone. This is actually my first post on this site but I was looking up rules regarding this very issue so here goes.
In the games I've been playing in, both as DM and player, we've been using a save upfront method and it's worked out pretty well. You are permitted a saving throw at the time of the attack. If you fail, the effect is rules as written. If you succeed, then the effect still occurs but you need not worry about the effect becoming permanent. In essence, the energy drain becomes an enervation. This has been well received as it gives you the immediate problem of negative levels but it makes the long term consequences easier to recover from. So for the encounter or dungeon, you still have all of the negatives, but when the adventure is over, you can look forward to a full recovery. I don't know anyone that enjoys having weeks, months or years worth of character growth taken away from a few bad rolls.
As an aside, I have always disliked that effects that require touch attacks have critical multipliers. I have used that a spell or effect instead of being multiplied just receives its maximum effect. Thus an energy drain spell grants eight negative levels, or a disintegrate does 12 points per caster level. The only real argument I've heard regarding this is concerning the Arcane Trickster and I felt it was easier to just say that the prestige class gained the ability to add sneak attack damage to their touch attacks while others do not.
I look forward to everyone's responses and hope that some of you may use what I've suggested.
Most sincerely and respectfully,
Althanin