D&D 3E/3.5 Headband of Intellect and Skills (First 3.5 Houserule)

[FireLance]

I heard over at the WotC Boards that Headbands of Intellect will no longer increase skill points. I don't like this change, but I do note the problems of what happens when the headband is removed or shared. So, this is how I'm going to houserule it for my campaign:

Every Headband of Intellect will be tied to one (+2), two (+4) or three (+6) specific skills. When worn by a character, it grants skill points (not ranks) equal to 3+level to those specific skills. For single-classed characters, if the skill is a class skill, he gains 3+level ranks in the skill. If the skill is a cross-class skill, he gains (3+level)/2 ranks in the skill. For a multi-classed character, if the skill is a class skill for any of his classes, he gains 3+levels in classes with the skill as a class skill+(levels in other classes/2) ranks. These skill points overlap (do not stack) with any existing skill points he might have.

In this way, the Headband of Intellect will provide the benefit of increased Intelligence (more skills), without the confusion of what happens when it is removed.

A Limited Wish can change the skills that a Headband of Intellect provides a bonus to (e.g. changing from Disable Device to Search). For headbands that provide bonuses to multiple skills, a separate Limited Wish is required to change each skill.

Thoughts?

 

[IndyPendant]

I thought of this for my campaign--but it doesn't work, at least at the higher levels. Here's why: sign *me* up for at least a half-dozen +2 Headbands of Intellects, each tied to a specific skill. Then, I can just swap them around. Need to Search for a hidden key? Put on my Headband of Search +2. Then, I need to Climb the wall to reach that ledge? One switcharoo to a Headband of Climb +2 and I'm good to go!

The closest I've come to a solution--that I haven't implemented because I don't like it either--is this: make the skills gained from an Int bonus tied to the *character*, not the item. Therefor, any time Johnny Dough gets Fox's Cunning cast on him and/or slips on that nifty little Headband, he suddenly 'remembers' how some skill (like Jump, or Hide) works. The limitations I would include would be that it would have to be one skill--not a mix of a few; and the skill would have to be available at least at the Cross-Class level for *all* of the character's classes. Then I would apply the skill ranks as you have outlined.

However, even this idea sticks in my throat; it repulses me that a character could 'forget' and 'remember' skills with so little cause. So my own ruling goes with 3.5e for now; Int bonuses from items and spells do not increase skill ranks. Don't like that solution either, but it's the best of a bunch of bad choices, in my mind.

 

[Anubis]

The current rule (and I do not believe this changes in 3.5) is that you only gain extra skills points for bonuses to Int if you have that bonus for the entire level.

 

[Destil]

The current rule (and I do not believe this changes in 3.5) is that you only gain extra skills points for bonuses to Int if you have that bonus for the entire level.

New Rule: You only gain extra skill points from bonuses to int from inherant bonuses and ability score increases from level and age.

Never from enhancement, sacred, luck, dodge, deflection, circumstance, synergy et cetera ad nausium bonuses.

 

[FireLance]

I thought of this for my campaign--but it doesn't work, at least at the higher levels. Here's why: sign *me* up for at least a half-dozen +2 Headbands of Intellects, each tied to a specific skill. Then, I can just swap them around. Need to Search for a hidden key? Put on my Headband of Search +2. Then, I need to Climb the wall to reach that ledge? One switcharoo to a Headband of Climb +2 and I'm good to go!

I will admit, this is a point that I had not considered. However, I guess the balance is character wealth (if you use the standard wealth tables). 4000 gp for a Headband of Intellect +2 (Search) is 4000 gp that could have been "spent" on another item.

3.0 also had several magic items that provided skill bonuses for a low cost, e.g. Cloak and Boots of Elvenkind, Eyes of the Eagle, Ring of Jumping, Ring of Swimming, Slippers of Spider Climbing were all around 2000 gp or less and gave +5 or +10 to a skill. I've heard that skill boosting items will be getting more expensive in 3.5, but we'll see how that balances out.

Let me think about it some more.

 

[Zhnov]

No skill pt+ for headband = bad.

...it repulses me that a character could 'forget' and 'remember' skills with so little cause.

I agree to a certain degree, but in some ways it IS like wearing a belt of giant strength. Put it on, plus up... take it off, plus down. No questions asked. Your muscles are no better or worse after the fact.

Don't forget we are talking about magic, and also that the benefits are relatively minor (+10-30%) toward a d20 roll.

Assuming that the augmented skill is one the character already knows, the extra boost of wits could boil down to just an aspect of 'clarity' in the PCs mind about the task he is attempting to accomplish.

Yeah, +6/30% is a lil' more than just a lil' bit. Okay, so a PC gets a LOT of clarity.

My whole point is that a PC is not necessarily learning anything by putting a headband on, or forgetting it by taking it off. No epiphanies... perhaps just some clarity, or increased mental throughput.

Just remember - ITRW, the mechanical processes of human intelligence are largely understood, but the process of human learning and logic is not so clear.

No skill point bonus for headband = bad.

2cp
Orlic

 

[danzig138]

When I read this last night, I didn't much care for the idea, but after reading IP's disagreement, I have to say I've reconsidered. I wouldn't make this a change to the Headband of Intellect, but a completely different magical item. IP's example reminds me of a magical set of skillwires of something similar, and idea that I actually like and might expand on later IMG. I'd still leave the actual HoI alone, and just track the time a character wears it: if it exceeds 90% of the time from where he's at to when he gains anew level, I'd give the extra skill points.

 

[DreamChaser]

Re: No skill pt+ for headband = bad.

I agree to a certain degree, but in some ways it IS like wearing a belt of giant strength. Put it on, plus up... take it off, plus down. No questions asked. Your muscles are no better or worse after the fact.

Don't forget we are talking about magic, and also that the benefits are relatively minor (+10-30%) toward a d20 roll.

Assuming that the augmented skill is one the character already knows, the extra boost of wits could boil down to just an aspect of 'clarity' in the PCs mind about the task he is attempting to accomplish.

My whole point is that a PC is not necessarily learning anything by putting a headband on, or forgetting it by taking it off. No epiphanies... perhaps just some clarity, or increased mental throughput.

No skill point bonus for headband = bad.

Orlic

You seem to be arguing both sides here. A character gains a bonus to intelligence based skills as a result of the headband (just as a belt of giant strength grants bonuses to str based skills) but does not gain the extra memory and learning capacity offered by truly higher intelligence. I would also not allow a character to learn a feat based on an enhancement boost or take advantage of the Leadership feat based upon a cloak of charisma.

If the game had training rules on a skill by skill basis then maybe. Then a character would take the time to use the skill points but if he lost the benefit of the headband, those skill points would be lost so next time, the skills would have to be learned again.

No skill points for headband = good

DC

 

[XCorvis]

Here's a slight variation I just thought of:

Headband of Knowledge:
As a Headband of Intellect (any variety), but you are now considered "trained" in all Knowledge skills and may make checks for them, even though the you may not have any ranks in it. This has no effect on Knowledge skills you already have ranks in, and you may not add ranks to the new skills unless you could normally (i.e. Knowledge skills are still cross-class for fighters).

Normally, you can't make untrained knowledge checks. Your skill check would be equal to 1d20 + Int bonus, which is probably around 4-5 for low level characters, maybe up to 8 or 9 for really high levels.

Note that this isn't too different from Jack of All Trades (Song and Silence), except with a more limited focus.