Steal Life

Book of Vile Darkness (BV)Updated Supplementals (3.0)

Steal Life is a D&D 3.5 spell (Necromancy) from BV. On class lists for Sorcerer (Level 8), Wizard (Level 8), Abjurer Variant (Level 8), and others. Range or area: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels); Saving throw: Fortitude negates; Duration: Concentration; Casting time: 1 standard action.

School
Necromancy
Casting Time
1 standard action
Components
V, S
Range
Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target
One living humanoid
Duration
Concentration
Saving Throw
Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance
Yes

The caster taps into the life force of a subject and drains it away, adding it to her own. Each round the caster concentrates, she deals 1 point of ability score drain to the subject. Although the caster can choose which ability score to drain, she must choose a different ability score to drain in each round and cannot choose a score already drained until she has drained all the others equally, at which point the process starts over. Thus, if the caster drains 1 point of Strength, she must choose another ability in the next round and cannot choose Strength again until she has drained 1 point each of Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Then, the caster can drain a second point of Strength (or any other ability), but not a third until she has drained a second point from all the other ability scores.

If the caster casts this spell on the night of a full moon, she becomes effectively one week younger for every point she drains. (Her age is reduced, but memories and abilities acquired during that week are not lost.) Otherwise, the subject takes the ability score drain, but the caster gains nothing.

The subject withers and shrivels as the caster drains its ability scores. When the subject’s Constitution score reaches 0, the subject becomes a horrid, dry husk and cannot be further drained. If the caster dies while concentrating on this spell, all the subject’s lost ability score points are immediately regained.

Location Component: An area under the effect of a desecrate or unhallow spell.