Damage/Drain

[Aner]

After playing Oblivion for a couple of days I am still a bit puzzled about the effects of 'Drain' and 'Damage'.

According to my Dutch manual both spells reduce an attribute or skill with a certain amount each second. The only difference is that 'damage' will be permanent after the spell has worked out. The effects of 'drain' are not permanent.

For example: Damage Fatigue 5 for 20 seconds would result into a loss of 100 Fatigue after 20 seconds. This seems very powerful! But is this correct?

For instance Damage Health 5 for 20 seconds could be close to lethal.

As an alchemist I make potions with damage fatigue effect and apply these to my arrows. But while playing it doesn't feel that the real effect is as strong as the manual suggests.

Also when fighting a person who has a sword with 'damage endurance' my endurance is damaged only temporarily during the fight. After the fight is over my character's attributes are normal.

So it seems the manual is not correct on this subject.

Has anyone the correct information on the effects of damage and drain spells and potions? And what are the differences between these two? Perhaps there is a difference between the spell 'damage' and the potion 'damage'?

[Fljotsdale]

I'd like to know that as well.

[Ashen]

As far as I understand it doesn't get added, so damage 5 for twenty seconds doesn't mean 5x20=100 but what it means is that it, whatever it is, will be lowered by five points for the duration of 20 seconds, and after the time has passed it goes back to max i.e. if END is 100, then it goes to 95 and stays 95, for twenty seconds.

[Aner]

I get some mixed answers to my question that I have posted on the official forum as well. I trust the last answer the most:

puzzlekid Today, 01:30 PM Post #2


Disciple


Joined: 3-May 03



damage fatigue 5 for 20seconds will take away 5 points from the fatigue attribute for 20 seconds the 5 doesnt become larger after every few seconds. after the time has expired it returns to normal.

i have a drain health 15pts for 6 seconds, now "drain" wont damage an attribute but the creatures/NPC's health will drop from say 100 to 85 for 6 seconds giving you an opening to kill the creature/NPC faster when time is expiered the 15pts of health will return to the creature/player. a very usefull technique, i suggest mastering it!

hope that cleared up your question?.

the manual is correct but you can easily get the effects mixed up its quite hard to word right.


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Characters:
Custom Class BattleMage: Level 6
Custom Class Thief/Assasian: Level 4

Quaterno Today, 01:36 PM Post #3


Novice


Joined: 21-March 06



No that is wrong, damage health 5 pts for 20 secs will damage the enemies health 5 pts every second that it is in effect.

DRAIN health 5 pts for 20 secs will damage the enemies health 5 pts and after 20 secs will return to normal (if still alive)

Trust me this is right as i am a master of alchemy and when i poisin my sword for damage health for say 7 pts for 22 secs the enemy randomly dies so it doesnt just damage 7 pts it damages 7 pts EVERY SECOND and then stays that way.

Just like restore health 10 pts for 39 secs will restore 390 health over 39 seconds NOT restore it 10 pts and then after 39 secs go away

[Aner]

A little experiment

Well to get all this clear I did a little experiment: I drank a beer...

It draines willpower and intelligence by 1 for 60 seconds. This is what happens:
Willpower and intelligence go down for 1 point only during the whole minute. After this minute willpower and intelligence go back to their normal values.

So the manual (my Dutch version at least) seems wrong on this. Your stats are not decreased by 1 every second.

Maybe there is difference between attributes like intelligence/willpower on the one hand and fatigue/health/magicka on the other hand. I don't know.