Do Intelligence items effect skill points

[Aaron L]

I have looked through my books, and can find this questioned answered nowhere. I have been having them affect skill points in a "from then on", non-retroactive way. If this is addressed in the books and someone could point out the pages, I would be grateful. Or, if it has been discussed before, I would be happy to read the discussion. Thanks.

[edit: Yes, yes, it should be "affect", I stoopid]

 

[Hypersmurf]

I have looked through my books, and can find this questioned answered nowhere. I have been having them affect skill points in a "from then on", non-retroactive way. If this is addressed in the books and someone could point out the pages, I would be grateful. Or, if it has been discussed before, I would be happy to read the discussion. Thanks.

I can't remember a reference, I'm afraid, but I can tell you a system I've seen somewhere before (might have been Sage or Monte Cook?) and you can decide if you like it...

The item certainly grants no retroactive skill points.

If the item is worn for "a significant portion" of a level, then the Int bonus can be included when figuring skill points for the next level. (No drinking a potion of intelligence just before you kill that last bugbear!)

The bonus skill points are reliant on the continuing presence of the item. If the item is removed or lost, the skill points are lost also. If the item is subsequently returned, the skill points do not return with it - although the next time the character levels, they may again be eligible for bonus points.

-Hyp.

 

[EOL]

Essentially it gives you skill points from that point on, as long as it's worn for a significant portion of the time, like Hypersmurf said.

That's as simple as I can make it though as Hyper pointed out there are lots of little loopholes.

 

[dcollins]

The most recent of the many previous threads on the subject: http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=737

 

[nameless]

Re: Re: Do Intelligence items effect skill points

If the item is worn for "a significant portion" of a level, then the Int bonus can be included when figuring skill points for the next level. (No drinking a potion of intelligence just before you kill that last bugbear!)

The bonus skill points are reliant on the continuing presence of the item. If the item is removed or lost, the skill points are lost also. If the item is subsequently returned, the skill points do not return with it - although the next time the character levels, they may again be eligible for bonus points.

-Hyp.

This sounds like double jeopardy to me. Gaining skill points is not retroactive, but losing them is? I agree that you don't gain new skills when you put on an Int booster, but I disagree that you lose them when removing it. Do you normally lose skills when your Int goes down?

My ruling as a DM is that by using an Int boster for a significant portion of the time (more than 50% of waking hours, if I had to picka number), your skill picks when you next level up are increased accordingly. They are permanent skills, and nothing can take them away.

-nameless

 

[kamosa]

The way I've seen it argued that makes the most sense to me is:

1) If you use the item for most of the level (GM discretion) then you get the extra skill points when you advance.

2) You don't get any retroactive points when you put on the item.

3) Points gained through an item are permenent and are not taken away if the item is removed or even destroyed.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Do Intelligence items effect skill points

My ruling as a DM is that by using an Int boster for a significant portion of the time (more than 50% of waking hours, if I had to picka number), your skill picks when you next level up are increased accordingly. They are permanent skills, and nothing can take them away.[/B]

What about a wizard's bonus spells per day?

If his Headband of Intellect lets him prepare an extra third level spell in the morning, and he takes the Headband off in the afternoon, can he still cast that spell?

My ruling would be no - that any bonus spells due to a potentially removable item need to be designated as such, and if the item is removed, the bonus spells are lost from memory. They could be re-prepared if the item is returned, however.

On the other hand, if a wizard is hit by a Feeblemind spell, I would not wipe his bonus spells (though he can't cast them with an Int of 1), nor would I remove any skills. The wizard's base Intelligence, plus any racial bonus, inherent bonus, or level-up additions, are intrinsic to the character, and abilities associated with that Intelligence have a somewhat tighter attachment to the character.

The abilities granted due to a clip-on, in my opinion, are somewhat more loosely bound to the person.

This is all instinctive response on my part, and should not be taken as a statement of fact.

-Hyp.

 

[SpikeyFreak]

I can't wait until the search gets turned on.

--Sarcastic Spikey

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The easiest way to handle it is probably, that changes in INT do not act retroactively.
For the purpose of bonus spells I believe there was somewhere in the Core Books or an Class Book a note that only having a Abilty Bonus to an Ability score for at least 24 hours gives you bonus spells.
Well, this sounds good, but the problem is that you do not know in the beginning of the day if you will still have the bonus in the evening .
Perhaps the best way to handle it that you look if you had the bonus for the last 24 hours and if you still have it this "morning". If yes, you gain bonus spells, if no, you don`t.
You will (at least not today) lose theme if you lose the Bonus to your ability score...

 

[Corwin]

This has come up a few times in our game. If gets really goofy if you think about it too much.

We finally decided to go with something like kamosa said.

1) It's not retroactive.

2) If you wear it most of a level, you get the extra points.

3) Removing it does not make you lose the points.

4) Wizards do gain the benefits of the higher stat if they have worn it for 24 hours prior to preparing their spells. If it is removed, however, the bonus slots are gone for that day.