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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hypersmurf" data-source="post: 1429801" data-attributes="member: 1656">This is a debated topic.Lord Pendragon - I would strongly disagree that an inherent bonus is anything like an increase due to level gain.An increase due to level gain changes the base score of the ability.A bugbear has a Str of 15.If I'm a human with a Str of 10, and I place three level increases into Strength (13), and then polymorph into a Bugbear, my Strength is 15.  The level increases changed my base score, and it's the base score that I inherit from my new form.If I cast Bull's Strength, though, and polymorph into a bugbear, I'm a bugbear with a Bull's Strength spell.  The +4 enhancement bonus applies, and my Str is 19.A Wish or a Tome does not change my base score.  It provides a bonus - an inherent bonus.  It doesn't change my base Str from 10 to 11; I have a base Str of 10, with a +1 inherent bonus.So when I turn into a bugbear, I have a base Str of 15, with a +1 inherent bonus.  Just like the enhancement bonus still applies.If I'm wearing a Belt of Giant Strength, and polymorph into a bugbear, the bonus still applies.  If I polymorph into a gibbering mouther, the Belt will merge with my new form, and the bonus won't apply.Racial bonuses from my normal form, obviously, don't apply.But apart from that, pretty much any bonus to my base score will apply as a bonus to my new base score.  Any change to my base score will not have any effect on my new base score.The other side of the debate ("No, inherent bonuses don't apply") relies on the argument that "An inherent bonus isn't actually a bonus".Those guys are weird, man.-Hyp.</blockquote>

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