What does immunity to 'negative energy effects' entail? Is the strength damage of a shadow a negative energy effect? What about the con-blasting effect of a wraith? Is that a negative energy effect?
If not, is there anything out there that protects against ability score reduction (damage or drain) from undead?
It's right in the Shadow's bestiary details:
"Strength Damage (Su) A shadow's touch deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living creature. This is a negative energy effect. A creature dies if this Strength damage equals or exceeds its actual Strength score."
So yeah.. "negative energy effect" is a game term used specifically in the description of abilities like the Shadow's Strength damage.
Whoops! That teaches me to ponder things without looking up the book. I was just thinking ability score damage in general terms and didn't bother looking up the creature's entry. D:
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Now that I look at it, the Wraith's Con drain isn't listed as a negative energy effect. So it's either similar to the blood drain effect of the vampire (making physical change, instead of imbuing with negative energy), or a typo.
Considering 3.5e had the distinction (Shadow had the negative energy effect, while Wraiths didn't), I'm guessing this is by design rather than by accident.