Headband of intellect + an animal = ?

[Woas]

Well which ever way you splice it, it would make for a pretty interesting basis for an adventure.

 

[Andor]

They seem to make a pretty sharp divide in the 3.x rules between Int 1-2 = Animal 3+ = sentient. Even really dumb monsters with an int of 3 or better can learn languages and speak.

Huh. I think that no skills thing is a change in 3.5 isn't it? I seem to recall in 3.0 the rules was that you had to be wearing it for the majority of your last level to get extra skill points.

At any rate, I think you're looking at lassie at a minimum. And if the animal advances a die I'd let it learn a language with it's new skill points, even if it's not capable of speaking it.

Look at it this way. A headband of intellect is a more expensive bit of magic than an awaken spell.

 

[Vegepygmy]

deleted

 

[Umbran]

Look at it this way. A headband of intellect is a more expensive bit of magic than an awaken spell.

Yes, but the Headband works on those who are already highly intelligent, and is transferable. Awaken may arguably have larger effect, but it has a much more limited target and scope, so of course it is less expensive. That one is more expensive than the other does not say that all the effects of the lesser cost option should be found in the more expensive one.

Mind you, the cost note brings up the idea that there ought to be more Awakened animals out there than Headbands of Intellect. One Druid with a spot of mischief in his mind might well wreak some interesting havoc by Awakening the Mayor's dog, or something...

 

[brehobit]

Three words:

Flowers for Agernon

 

[Rechan]

Look at it this way. A headband of intellect is a more expensive bit of magic than an awaken spell.

That's because a Headband of Intellect is directly related to bonus spells and save DCs.

 

[Griffith Dragonlake]

Does this remind anyone else of Guenther the Monkey from the Futurama episode Mechanical House?

 

[Derro]

Does this remind anyone else of Guenther the Monkey from the Futurama episode Mechanical House?

Gunther was Farnsworth's monster, a la Frankenstein. Fry's roommate-ship was purely incidental to the Monkey vs. Himself theme of the episode.

I am Bender. Insert Girder.

 

[the Jester]

Well, for you one thing, you wander into dangerous territory, rules-wise. Animals have an Int of 2 or less. So any time a spell would affect the creature, you would have to decide whether it treats them as an animal (because they are) or some kind of magical beast (because it affects the intellect and they don't have the mind of a beast).

Still an animal. There are certain oozes with int scores over -, too, and they still count as oozes... BUT they lose the "mindless" trait.

I'd bet there are vermin in the same boat, somewhere, too.

 

[Slife]

Shamelessly stolen from ceratitis' sig.

Bront: What hapens to an animal who's INT goes above 3 temporarily?

Hairfoot: "Oh, my god! I'm a cat! A cat! Why didn't anyone tell me?

Do I have a soul? Is there a god?

*gasp* All those mice! Those poor, poor mice I tortured to death when I wasn't even hungry.

I feel so alone. Who can I talk to? Quick! Give me a stiff drink and a number for the sentient cat support group!

Gaaah! No thumbs!"