Enervation, Level Drain


Rules Questions


Just wanted to hear opinions on this one since I'm playing in a SFS game where it happened. If you get hit by the enervation spell and suffer level drain the CRB says, "You are also treated as 1 level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level you have." What is considered a level-dependent variable? Does that include class abilities such as trick attack? Lucky for me my GM said it only affects spellcasting.


Anything that changes based on what level you are.

So, everything, it seems like.


I probably should have posted the whole description:

For each negative level you have, you take a cumulative –1 penalty to your ability checks, your AC, attack rolls (including combat maneuvers), saving throws, and skill checks. In addition, you reduce your current and total Hit Points and Stamina Points by 5 for each negative level you have. You are also treated as 1 level lower for the purpose of level-dependent variables (such as spellcasting) for each negative level you have. If you are a spellcaster, you do not lose any spell slots as a result of negative levels.


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In my interpretation...

Trick attack isn't a level variable ability. At operative level 5, gain an ability which is: Your trick attack deals 3d8.

Unless you want to argue that soliders lose their bonus feats, or gear boosts, there's no way that you'd need to pull out your character sheet from 2 weeks ago to play with a negative level.

The things that would affect, would be something that specifically calls out your level for calculation, including weapon specialization, effective caster level, abilities like Supernova ("1d6 fire damage plus 1d6 additional fire damage per solarian level").


I'd add ability DCs to that list.


Yeah, its anything where the description includes X = character level or Y = class level. So if you were LDed down below level 3, you wouldn't lose your Weapon Specialization. . . but it would only add +2 to damage.

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