Ok, I know this is answered in the FAQs, but still I don't get it, I even tried to search through the forum (and found this useful thread).
So, the thing is:
A creature with temporary negative levels receives a new saving throw to remove the negative level each day.
Then:
If a negative level is not removed before 24 hours have passed, the affected creature must attempt a Fortitude save [...] On a failure, the negative level becomes permanent.
And the FAQ:
Negative Levels: On page 562, it says that you get a save to remove temporary negative levels each day, but the universal monster rule for energy drain, as well as nearly every mention of temporary negative levels I can find, say that after 24 hours, the temporary negative levels become permanent if I fail my save. Which one is right?
The rule on page 562 is the general rule, but almost every specific rule in the game functions differently, and specific overrides general. Incidentally, the universal monster rule for energy drain doesn’t explicitly say that the negative levels are considered temporary before they become permanent (it just says “negative levels”), and we want to make it clear that they are temporary negative levels at that time (and thus that you can remove them more inexpensively with restoration). The only text directly in error is the reminder text at the end of enervation which claims that becoming permanent after 24 hours is the general rule.
What this would mean? The universal monster rules are "specific"?
Really?I mean, this faq substantially says nothing aside the fact that, yes, there's a contraddiction between two different sources, but it says also "to keep it easy, we decided the the general rule of universal monster rules is a specific rules, even if it's a general rule".
Add to that the fact that basically NOTHING in PF use the "general rule" of negative levels.
So, really? This is a general rules that's NEVER used in al PF, but it's still a general rule, while the universal monster rule is used almost everywhere, but it's specific?
That's really as is?
In the Majuba's topic, the editor's note says they want to lessen the burden of negative levels, so they made every single energy drain work like "if you fail a save after 24 hours, any negative levels you failed to save on is now permanent and you can only dispel one negative level per week"?
I know this seems a rant, but really, I still don't get it. There's a "general rule" that is never used, and generate a lot of confusion. Why?
Why? Because of a mistake that was made about eight years ago adding a 'general' rule that is (virtually) never used and which should never have been there in the first place.
The universal monster rules are more specific than the general rule because they only apply to monster abilities (as opposed to spells or magic items, for example).
Presumably they left the general rule in there instead of issuing an errata in case they want to explore that design space (temporary negative levels which don't become permanent) in the future, although I do not know for certain the PDT's intent in issuing the FAQ as they did rather than changing the wording of the general rule to match how the universal monster rules and everything else has them work.
Presumably they left the general rule in there instead of issuing an errata in case they want to explore that design space (temporary negative levels which don't become permanent) in the future
Well, if so, we'll paradoxally could have a monster that inflict temporary energy drain and that specifies that it follow the special abilities section. So we'll could have a general rule the override the specific rule.
I love Pf, but that's... inelegant, at most.
@Metthew: sigh. That's really... meh.
I do not know for certain the PDT's intent in issuing the FAQ as they did rather than changing the wording of the general rule to match how the universal monster rules and everything else has them work.
If they did an errata on the Core rule and then stopped putting the 'specific exception' everywhere else, then people who were using old rule books would probably start doing it 'wrong'. "Well, this new effect doesn't say anything about the temporary level becoming permanent, so I guess in this case we default to the general rule and you get a new save every day."
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Are you unclear on how any specific ability works, or just frustrated with the way the rules are written? Basically what the FAQ clarifies is that permanent negative levels are treated as temporary for 24 hours. If you make the save, you no longer have the negative level. If you fail the save, it becomes permanent.
If a rule exists elsewhere that grants a temporary negative level, then you make a save each day, and you only keep the negative level if you keep failing those saves.
Restoration will remove all temporary negative levels (including a permeant negative level during the first 24 hours) for a regular casting and 100gp.
Restoration will remove a single permanent level, but requires 1,000gp of diamond dust.
Enervation contains additional specific text so that the temporary negative levels it grants are removed automatically after CL hours (maximum 15).
I don't know if anything currently exists that grants a temporary negative level that would use the rules on making a save every day, but it's clear how everything that does exist (that I'm aware of) should function.
'Clear' is giving the rules too much credit.
If I go onto a site like d20pfsrd and look up a creature that causes negative levels, and click on the link for 'energy drain' or 'negative levels', half the time it takes me to a page that gives the wrong rule.