Drain strength

Drain strength is a monster spell that reduces your strength attribute. Monsters using this spell will inflict 1d(monster level-6) points of strength damage. Any strength drain that would take you below strength 3 is instead subtracted sixfold from your current and maximum hit points.

Strategy

This spell, apart from the touch of death, is a big reason not to face powerful spellcasting monsters without MR; high level spellcasters can do massive amounts of damage with this spell, and unlike strength, maximum HP cannot be restored by the usual means (such as a unicorn horn).

For example, in the case of 70 HP character with strength 15 being attacked by level 25 arch-lich. The die rolled is 1d19; in the worst-case scenario, our character will go to St:3 and also lose 42 points from his maxHP, leaving him crippled at 28 maxHP.

Resistance

Magic resistance completely negates the effects of this spell. Half spell damage will halve the number of points of strength it will attempt to drain, possibly sparing you from losing max HP. A ring of sustain ability provides partial protection: it will stop the loss of strength, but if the monster would have drained your strength below 3 with its spell, you still suffer the appropriate loss in current and max HP.

Messages

You suddenly feel weaker!

You lost 1d(monster level - 6) points of strength. This is still displayed even if the stat loss is blocked through a ring of sustain ability.

You feel momentarily weakened.

Nothing happened because you have magic resistance.

This page may need to be updated for the current version of NetHack.

It may contain text specific to NetHack 3.6.4. Information on this page may be out of date.

Editors: After reviewing this page and making necessary edits, please change the {{nethack-364}} tag to the current version's tag or {{noversion}} as appropriate.