Energy Drain and Slam?

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Do undead with the energy drain ability have to use slam attacks to energy drain? I'm taking about corporeal undead, say with a claw/claw/bite attack routine. Could such an undead energy drain on those three attacks, or does it have to be a (single) slam attack?

 

[Klaus]

The undead can only drain energy with the mode of attack mentioned in its description. Note the vampire monk/shadowdancer, who drains 2 levels with its slam attack, but doesn't inflict negative levels with its unarmed strikes.

If the description says "the uberleveldrainer that hits with either its claw or its bite attack bestow a negative level on its victim, etc, etc", then the answer is yes.

 

[Shadeus]

What Klaus said. For vampires, it requires a successful melee attack. Because incorpreal creatures essentially have melee attack = touch attack, it would be just a touch attack.

 

[Spatula]

The undead can only drain energy with the mode of attack mentioned in its description. Note the vampire monk/shadowdancer, who drains 2 levels with its slam attack, but doesn't inflict negative levels with its unarmed strikes.

My MM says the vampire monk does drain levels with its unarmed strike (which is essentially a slam anyway).

 

[frankthedm]

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round.

Beware the Reaping Mauler Succubus!

Energy Drain (Su): A succubus drains energy from a mortal it lures into some act of passion, or by simply planting a kiss on the victim. If the target is not willing to be kissed, the succubus must start a grapple, which provokes an attack of opportunity. The succubus’s kiss or embrace bestows one negative level. The kiss also has the effect of a suggestion spell, asking the victim to accept another kiss from the succubus. The victim must succeed on a DC 21 Will save to negate the effect of the suggestion. The DC is 21 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. These save DCs are Charisma-based.