Draining
Draining is an effect that withers its victim, reducing their general effectiveness. Its exact effect varies depending on whether the target is a monster or the player character.
Draining can come from certain types of negative energy damage or necromantic effects, from certain divine abilities, or from removing items with the *Drain ego.
Contents
Vs. Monsters
When used against susceptible monsters, it inflicts the Drained status effect, causing the creature to function as though it had fewer HD than it actually does. This reduces the strength of their attacks and spells as well as their magic resistance. This status effect can be stacked through multiple hits, but will wear off over time.
All demons, undead, non-living creatures, and plants are completely immune to draining, as are any natural monsters with at least one rank of negative energy resistance.
Vs. Players
Draining effects directed against the player will reduce all of their skills by an amount proportional to the amount of draining you've sustained. At low levels of draining, this might amount to a penalty of half a skill level; at extreme levels, you could be drained all the way to 0 skills.
These drained skill levels will gradually recover as you gain experience, eventually being restored entirely. The worse the drain, the longer it'll take to work off the effect, especially once you realize that your attacks may now be weaker and slower, and some of your best spells may no longer be available.
Late-game characters that have had the misfortune to be heavily drained may wish to seek out a relatively non-threatening side branch (such as the Elven Halls) in order to recover some of their skills. Of course, gaining more experience in a challenging branch will removing the draining more quickly.
Resistance
Draining from the brand and spells count as necromancy, and as such can be reduced with negative energy resistance; damage and draining are reduced by 50/75/100%, depending on how many ranks of resistance you have.
Draining from item egos and god effects are not related to negative energy, and cannot be resisted (they will even affect undead players).
History
- Priot to 0.16, negative resistance lowered draining and negative damage by 33/66/100% as your resistance increased.
- Prior to 0.15, draining monsters would permanently reduce their HD, making them slightly less dangerous, reducing their XP value, and eventually killing them outright if they hit 0 HD.
- Prior to 0.13, getting drained would damage your character's experience, potentially forcing you down a level. This was permanent and was immediately lethal if you were ever reduced below 0 XP, but you could simply gain more experience to make up for it. This version of draining had no impact on your skills.
