Death Ward and Negative Ability Damage

[Krith]

Death Ward states the following:

"The subject is immune to energy drain and any negative energy effects, including channeled negative energy.

This spell does not remove negative levels that the subject has already gained, but it does remove the penalties from negative levels for the duration of its effect."

So my question is: what happens to negative energy effects (like a Shadow's Strength Damage) that aren't negative levels that occurred before Death Ward was cast?

For instance, Shadow attacks and does 4 str dam to Cleric A. Cleric A then casts Death Ward on himself.

Does Cleric A still have that Str Dam since that dam occurred before the casting? Are the penalties removed while Death Ward is in effect like with negative levels? Does the Str Dam completely go away as it's not a permanent effect and the effected character is now immune to said effect?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[Abraham spalding]

Energy Drain is a specific thing in pathfinder. All death ward does is protect you from energy drain and negative energy.

So It will stop you from taking a negative level from a vampire's attack or from a succubus. It will not help against strength damage or strength drain unless the effect is from something that specifically calls out that it is negative energy or death magic.

Please note the last line -- this spell does not protect against other sorts of attacks, even if those attacks might be lethal.

[Jeff Merola]

Death Ward doesn't suppress existing negative energy effects other than negative levels. So while Death Ward would protect against further damage from a Shadow's attacks, any damage from the Shadow that occurred before the casting would stay in full effect.

[kinevon]

Jeff Merola wrote:

Death Ward doesn't suppress existing negative energy effects other than negative levels. So while Death Ward would protect against further damage from a Shadow's attacks, any damage from the Shadow that occurred before the casting would stay in full effect.

Sorry, since the attack of a Shadow is not listed as being a negative energy effect:

Melee incorporeal touch +4 (1d6 Strength damage)
Death Ward would not prevent the target from taking additional Strength damage.

Death Ward: The subject gains a +4 morale bonus on saves against all death spells and magical death effects. The subject is granted a save to negate such effects even if one is not normally allowed. The subject is immune to energy drain and any negative energy effects, including channeled negative energy.

Edit: Found the footnote. Should be listed as a descriptor on the damage, IMO:
Melee incorporeal touch +4 (1d6 Strength damage [negative energy])

[zza ni]

kinevon wrote:

Jeff Merola wrote:

Death Ward doesn't suppress existing negative energy effects other than negative levels. So while Death Ward would protect against further damage from a Shadow's attacks, any damage from the Shadow that occurred before the casting would stay in full effect.

Sorry, since the attack of a Shadow is not listed as being a negative energy effect:

Melee incorporeal touch +4 (1d6 Strength damage)
Death Ward would not prevent the target from taking additional Strength damage.

Death Ward: The subject gains a +4 morale bonus on saves against all death spells and magical death effects. The subject is granted a save to negate such effects even if one is not normally allowed. The subject is immune to energy drain and any negative energy effects, including channeled negative energy.

Edit: Found the footnote. Should be listed as a descriptor on the damage, IMO:
Melee incorporeal touch +4 (1d6 Strength damage [negative energy])

if you look at the shadow's abilities information explanation you can see :

"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.
"

link

as stated before ,this only make you imunne to forther drains. not what you allready suffered from.

[Jokem]

The spell description says this, right?

This spell does not remove negative levels that the subject has already gained, but it does remove the penalties from negative levels for the duration of its effect."

So it looks to me like the penalties of existing negative energy levels are suppressed for the duration of the spell.

[Krith]

Jokem,
The question is specifically about negative energy ability drain, not negative levels. There doesn't seem to be anything saying one way or the other, and the Shadow's ability seems to be an outlier in that it's ability damage due to negative energy.

I find it odd (and probably an oversight) that Death Ward would negate negative levels but not negative ability damage and I was wondering if any FAQs had settled this, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Thanks for the responses.

[Jeff Merola]

Krith wrote:

Jokem,

The question is specifically about negative energy ability drain, not negative levels. There doesn't seem to be anything saying one way or the other, and the Shadow's ability seems to be an outlier in that it's ability damage due to negative energy.

I find it odd (and probably an oversight) that Death Ward would negate negative levels but not negative ability damage and I was wondering if any FAQs had settled this, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Thanks for the responses.

It's not really odd. Would you expect Death Ward to restore hitpoints lost due to negative energy? If not, why would you expect it to restore damaged ability scores?

As for being an outlier, there are others that really should be counted as negative energy but aren't, like the Wraith.

[Krith]

Jeff,
I agree DW would not restore HP due to negative energy attacks, but I think ability damage is closer to negative levels than HP, the effect of which is negated but not "cured" by DW.

And I've seen the arguments for other undead attacks being treated as negative energy attacks, but that's what makes the Shadow's attack an outlier, it IS listed as a negative energy effect.