Are +skill items overpowered?

[Ziggy]

This is a bit off topic, but in my game, I ruled that A) characters need to have 1/2 the bonus of the item in ranks, as per boots of elvenkind and B) an item can't more than double your existing skill bonus. A guy with +6 tumble who puts on the belt of acrobatics +30 only gets +6 from the item.

Brilliant idea, mind if I steal it ?

I'll probably change it to double the ranks of the character wearing it (with a maximum bonus of +10 for ordinary items), with no limitations on use.

.Ziggy

 

[kreynolds]

Has anyone ever seen that +skill items are overpowered?

Oh heck yeah! Seriously, any item that is actually beneficial to a player is just way to unbalancing!

Sheesh. Tell your DM to go.....nevermind. I'll be nice. Jokes aside, I haven't had a problem with it. Like Crothian said, it really depends on the skill. Do I have a problem with you having a +30 to Listen item? Nope. Spot? Nope. Use Magic Device? Maybe.

 

[Alariel]

Hehe, coincidentally, my group made party of rogues to play in a thieves' guild campaign (ie. the city of Krondor thief guild scenario), starting at 10th level, and one of the items I purchased to equip my character is a Ring of Use Magic Device +20. Is it powerful? Yes. Do I overwhelm the game? I don't think so. The number of times (in general) that our group runs into particularized magic items is fairly rare. It does run my Wand of Alter Self though.

However, the current DM doesn't allow more than one +skill item, because he does recognize the potential for certain skills to overwhelm the campaign (Tumble, Move Silently, Hide, Spot, Listen, etc.).

And really, what Spymaster doesn't want a boosted Use Magic Device?

 

[Crothian]

However, there are times when that +30 item will actually benefit both the players and the DM. Training animals takes 2 months, but that can be cut down to one month by increasing the DC by 25. So, +20 Handle Animal will actually make it easier on Rangers and Druids and require less down time.

 

[BBrendolfus]

I like rendarkin's point 3 in general about changing the item costs.

However I don't think I am alone in hating to use houserules over the core rules, but.......

The sometimes confusing and contradictory rules for (wondrous) magic items annoy me a lot. Perhaps I should just handle.

 

[Coredump]

You don't need to house rule it, you are the DM, the world follows your desires...

Just don't have any of those items for sale. And *you* decide what is needed for material to make it, and make it something very hard to come by. This way you can allow the items that are not unbalancing, and restrict those that are, all while keeping the core rules intact.


Another house rule for those interested, is to say that the skill bonuses interfere with each other, so you can only have one active at a time.
If that isn't enough, say they need to 'attune' to the user, thus are not usable for Xhrs after putting them on. (Thus stopping them from keeping a bunch of stuff in a bag and poppint it on when needed.)

/.

 

[kreynolds]

Another house rule for those interested, is to say that the skill bonuses interfere with each other, so you can only have one active at a time.

I'm sure it will really piss you off when I reverse that on you and take away the +5 to damage from your sword, stating that magic is too limited and the bonuses conflict, thus you only get the +5 to hit. Oh yeah...and you'll lose the ability to penetrate DR as well, cause that would conflict as well. Then, of course, there's the hardness and hit points, sundering, hitting ethereal creatures...did I miss anything?

 

[Crothian]

I'm sure it will really piss you off when I reverse that on you and take away the +5 to damage from your sword, stating that magic is too limited and the bonuses conflict, thus you only get the +5 to hit. Oh yeah...and you'll lose the ability to penetrate DR as well, cause that would conflict as well. Then, of course, there's the hardness and hit points, sundering, hitting ethereal creatures...did I miss anything?

WEll, the hitpoints that you gained from level 2 actually interfered with the hitpoints from level so instead of having 9 hitpoints as a first level cleric, you now have 4 as a second level cleric. Least you'll be easier to heal.

 

[Arnix]

Guys, now you are just acting like jerks. The guy posted his suggestion. Berating him is a waste of board space and reading time. Offer something constructive.

 

[kreynolds]

Guys, now you are just acting like jerks.

You're a jerk for accusing me of being a jerk. See...name-calling doesn't get you anywhere in life.

The guy posted his suggestion. Berating him is a waste of board space and reading time.

I didn't berate him. I was jokin'....mostly. I was also pointing out the terrible flaw in his argument.

Offer something constructive.

OK. You're a jerk. Relax, dude. You're takin' this too seriously.