Ability Damaged

Some attacks reduce the opponent's score in one or more abilities. Ability damage can reduce your score to zero, but not below zero. When your score is zero, your ability modifier drops to -5.

Ability damage is always an annoyance, but it is particularly dangerous when a score is reduced to zero -- this makes the affected creature helpless (all incoming damage is multiplied by 1.5). Red and purple creatures are immune to this effect.

Ability penalty is similar effect, but more temporary. Ability penalties, e.g. from ray of enfeeblement do not stack - only the highest penalty applies. Ability penalty and ability damage do stack.

Effects
Changes in ability scores impact many statistics of both player character and monsters, including hit points, carrying capacity, saving throws, skill checks, access to spells, etc.


 * Constitution damage has a particularly lethal effect in reducing both your current hit points as well as total hit points. In general, every 2 points of Constitution damage reduce a creature's hit points by a number equal to its level (or HD). Other important statistics affected are the Fortitude saving throw and the concentration skill. Reducing Constitution to 0 stuns the target for 6 seconds.


 * Strength damage can be equally dangerous. In addition to the obvious effect of reducing your melee attack rolls and damage rolls, it affects your carrying capacity and can render your character encumbered (reducing your movement speed, some skills and possibly your armor class).


 * Dexterity damage reduces your armor class and reflex saving throw.


 * Damaging mental ability scores can cause your character to lose the ability to cast spells. Many skills are also affected. Damaged Wisdom reduces your Will saving throw.

Healing ability damage
Ability damage regenerates at a rate of 1 point of each ability score per minute. Some monsters (especially bosses) recover ability damage at a much faster rate. Ability penalties disappear when the spell that caused them expires.

There are other ways to recover from debuffs and other ability damage.


 * The spells Restoration, Restoration, Mass, Greater Restoration, or Heal cure all ability damage.
 * Lesser Restoration restores 1d4 points of ability damage and dispels all ability penalties.
 * Panacea dispels all ability penalties.
 * Get a counteracting buff, such as Bull's strength for +4 Strength. This does not heal the damage but it can help you overcome the effect.
 * Resting at a rest shrine removes all ability damage.
 * Tavern regeneration.

Sources of ability damage
Items:
 * Weakening prefix and Enfeebling suffix on weapons causes Strength damage
 * Maladroit prefix and Bone breaking suffix on bludgeoning weapons causes Dexterity damage
 * Wounding prefix and Puncturing suffix on piercing weapons causes Constitution damage
 * The greatsword Insanity causes Wisdom damage and can be useful vs. self-healing mobs
 * Tchurvul's Kukri (Charisma damage)

Spells and effects:
 * Ray of enfeeblement
 * Chill Touch
 * Contagion
 * Poison and disease
 * Ego whip of Mind Flayers

Special mention (similar effects):
 * Strength Sapping weapon prefix
 * Waves of Exhaustion spell