Headband of Intellect - Extra Spells for wizards

[just__al]

Title says it all. Do wizards get extra spells for wearing a headband of intellect? I've been poking around for a rule and I can't find anything one way or another.

Barring anything else, I am going to rule that if you wore it while you slept you'll get the extra spells but loose spells if you take it off after you've memorized them.

I'm hoping I've missed a rule though because I'd rather not house rule something if it's not necessary.

 

[Zad]

Why wouldn't they? I think the reason that the rules don't say anything is becuase they don't have to. Wizards get bonus spells based on their intelligence. The headband raises intelligence. Therefore the conclusion is straightforward.

If they take off the headband, then their intelligence drops and the logic flows the same in reverse.

 

[just__al]

Why wouldn't they? I think the reason that the rules don't say anything is becuase they don't have to. Wizards get bonus spells based on their intelligence. The headband raises intelligence. Therefore the conclusion is straightforward.

If they take off the headband, then their intelligence drops and the logic flows the same in reverse.

So then if they cast fox's cunning right before they prepared their spells wizards could have extra slots for the duration of the spell. So a 12th level wizard with a 18 intelligence could cast the spell 4 times to raise their int to 30 (4d4+4 total would average out to about 12)

They would go from bonus spells of

1-1 1-2 1-3 1-4

to

3-1 3-2 2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6 1-7 1-8 1-9

you've only made a net loss of 2 second level spells for the casting of those spells and you only have to prepare them the day before and not use them.

That's pretty gross. And it would last for 12 hours (In 3.0) So if you knew you were about to bump off a rival spell caster, this would so be the way to go, especially with the +6 to your saves DC and the possibility of pushing it even higher with some nice rolls.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Fox's Cunning (3.5) specifically does not grant bonus spells. So that tactic is a no-go.

But the headband of intellect apparently does increase bonus spells. It's not spelled out specifically anywahere, but if you look at the sample NPCs in the DMG, you'll see their bonus spells increase with the added item.

 

[Lord Thurham]

you've only made a net loss of 2 second level spells for the casting of those spells and you only have to prepare them the day before and not use them.

That's pretty gross. And it would last for 12 hours (In 3.0) So if you knew you were about to bump off a rival spell caster, this would so be the way to go, especially with the +6 to your saves DC and the possibility of pushing it even higher with some nice rolls.

I don't have my books with me at the moment, but I'm pretty sure you can't stack Fox's Cunning on top of itself that many times. "Identical" bonuses usually don't stack.

LT

 

[bensei]

So a 12th level wizard with a 18 intelligence could cast the spell 4 times to raise their int to 30 (4d4+4 total would average out to about 12)

Enhancement bonuses do not stack. Also in 3.5 the spell just gives a flat +4. So Fox's Cunning (3.5) gives exactly a +2 on the save DC for the duration. Still nice though.

About the headband:
1. It now clearly states that skill points are not increased. Good.
2. Bonus spells are granted. Okay.
3. But what about the number of 1st level spells in a spell book?
4. And what about the number of spells for Spell Mastery?

 

[Dr. Zoom]

So then if they cast fox's cunning right before they prepared their spells wizards could have extra slots for the duration of the spell.

Not if you are using the spell from Tome and Blood or the 3.5 PH. Both say explicitly that wizard's do not get bonus spells by using this spell. The spell DC's increase along with the skill ability modifiers, though.

So a 12th level wizard with a 18 intelligence could cast the spell 4 times to raise their int to 30 (4d4+4 total would average out to about 12)

The spell does not stack with itself, either. In the 3.0 version you could, however, cast it again to get a higher bonus.

 

[just__al]

I don't have my books with me at the moment, but I'm pretty sure you can't stack Fox's Cunning on top of itself that many times. "Identical" bonuses usually don't stack.

LT

Ooops, right you are. Those game designers get some stuff right every once in a while.

 

[AGGEMAM]

Headband of Intellect mimics fox cunning and doesn't give you any bonus spells. Why? Logic dictates it. If you are wearing the headband and say got these bonus spells, then when you take it off they disappear again, right? Wrong!

For example, a wizard wearing the headband prepares 4 3rd level spells, cast them all, he now takes off the head and gives it to the second wizard in the group. Now the first wizard has -1 3rd level spells? Does that mean he prepare one less spell the next day? Of course not!

 

[Zad]

I don't think it says that having gloves of dexterity raises your dex bonus to AC either, but I think we all accept that it does.

As for the trickier stuff like spell mastery, that's harder to say but less likely to come up. If you want to go through the effort of keeping track of which spell is which, then sure take the extra effect from SM but you don't get it if you loose the headband.