Feeblemind

[amethal]

My beguiler got Feebleminded last session (needed 6+ to make the save, rolled a 5 ....)

We asked the DM what would happen if the other party member removed my character's Headband of Intellect +6 and then put it back on him again.

The DM agreed, (probably for practical reasons - not much fun in a two person party to have one player doing absolutely nothing for a big chunk of the session) that it would allow my characters Intelligence to go back up to 7.

Does anyone know whether this is allowable under the RAW?

 

[IronWolf]

This is mentioned in the Main D&D 3.5 FAQ at wizard's site. The question in the FAQ is:

Q:
Does the feeblemind spell affect only a character’s base Intelligence score, or does the spell make the subject’s Intelligence score 1 regardless of magical bonuses? If the spell affects only base Intelligence, will any magic that boosts Intelligence (such as a potion of fox’s cunning) break the spell? Do you have to get your Intelligence to 3 or higher to break the spell?


A:
A feeblemind spells reduces the subject’s Intelligence and Charisma scores to 1 (not just Intelligence). Of course, if the subject already has a score of 0, feeblemind doesn’t increase the score. The subject’s Intelligence and Charisma become 1 (or stay at 0) regardless of any enhancements or other increases to
those scores.

A feeblemind effect remains until the subject receives a heal, limited wish, miracle, or wish spell. The subject cannot benefit from any effect that increases Intelligence or Charisma until the feeblemind effect is removed.

So RAW indicate that the headband of intellect would have no effect.

However, given the situation I think the DM's ruling was just fine.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

This is mentioned in the Main D&D 3.5 FAQ at wizard's site. The question in the FAQ is:



So RAW indicate that the headband of intellect would have no effect.

However, given the situation I think the DM's ruling was just fine.

...That's beyond stupid... My respect for the FAQ somehow lessens further...

 

[Crothian]

Well, they have a Int of one, so I think that does qualify as beyond stupid.

Feeblemind is a nasty spell and they didn't want an easy fix. I can understand that.

 

[Dandu]

I always understood it as reducing your base score, so items that added on to it would increase it as normal.

 

[IronWolf]

I always understood it as reducing your base score, so items that added on to it would increase it as normal.

It would seem that the creators meant for feeblemind to be even nastier!

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Or the FAQ is wrong. But, that never happens. Right?

 

[IronWolf]

Or the FAQ is wrong.

Yeah... Maybe.

A DM is always welcome to house rule it if they disagree.

 

[Dandu]

FAQ isn't RAW, and it has contradicted itself on multiple occasions.

 

[IronWolf]

FAQ isn't RAW, and it has contradicted itself on multiple occasions.

There are multi-page debates on these very boards about how the FAQ figures in and/or how it should figure in RAW.

In either case it is a clarification from Wizards on various rules and such. As I've said all along in this thread, if you do not agree with that clarification feel free to house rule it as you see fit to clarify the RAW as you see fit.