Spellstrained (3.5e Condition)

Summary::Spells cast are less potent. Negative caster levels that wear off with a good night's rest!

Spellstrained
Creatures accrue spellstrained levels, and may afflict other creatures with them. The total number of spellstrained levels a creatures accrues at one time is known as its spellstrained level. All spellstrained levels stack.

A creature may not have more spellstrained levels than it has total caster level plus bonus caster levels, nor may a creature have less than 0 spellstrained levels. A creature that does not use an ability with a caster level is immune to accruing spellstrained levels. An hour of rest removes one spellstrained level. A full night of sleep removes all spellstrained levels. Lesser restoration, restoration, and heal remove spellstrained levels as if they were ability damage. A spellstrained level that may not be healed normally is known as a permanent spellstrained level. A permanent spellstrained level must have some method of being removed.

A creature with spellstrained levels will not physically look different, but will mentally feel constrained. Any creature with spellstrained levels knows exactly how many spellstrained levels it has.

For each spellstrained level accrued, the creature's caster level for all spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities is decreased by one. This decreased caster level does not cause the creature to lose the ability to cast spells or spell-like abilities. Creatures also take a cumulative -1 penalty on all Concentration, Autohypnosis, Spellscraft, Psicraft, Use Magic Device, and Use Psionic Device checks for each spellstrained level accrued.

For every even spellstrained level accrued, the DC of all spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities is decreased by one.

Each spellstrained level negates a bonus to caster level in each nonstacking-stack of bonuses to caster level. If a Spellstrained level negates a bonus to caster level, it does not cause the creature to take a penalty on the skill checks and does not count as a spellstrained level for the purpose of lowering DCs.

If the spellstrained level of a creature equals its total caster level plus bonus caster levels, the creature cannot cast spells, use spell-like abilities, or use supernatural abilities. Any supernatural abilities are suppressed until at least one spellstrained level is removed from the creature.

Psionics
For creatures that have psionic abilities, either through a spell-like ability known as Psionics or through a psionic power, they instead accrue and inflict mindstrained levels. Mindstrained levels act like spellstrained levels except where described below.

Mindstrained levels lower manifester levels instead of caster levels. A character with a mindstrained level equal to its total manifester level plus bonus manifester levels cannot manifest powers. The decrease in manifester level affects the ability to augment powers. You may not augment powers past the maximum of your manifester level, and you may not augment powers if it takes more power points than your manifester level to manifest them. You may still manifest powers even if they cost more power points than your manifester level.

If Psionics–Magic Transparency is in effect, mindstrained levels stack with spellstrained levels. The mindstrained effects are added to the spellstrained effects.

If Psionics–Magic Transparency is not in effect, mindstrained and spellstrained levels do not stack. If a creature has mindstrained levels equal to its manifester level, that creature may still use spell-like and supernatural abilities as long as they are not psionic in nature.

In Conjunction with Variants

 * Healing Surges: Treat as ability damage.
 * Taking Stock: Can use to remove two spellstrained levels.