Inherent Bonuses

[Tequila Sunrise]

I don't like that inherent bonuses are so weighted towards high levels, nor that it's more appealing to wait for a +5 bonus than to accumulate bonuses one by one. I've come up with the best solution that I can, but I want to tap your creativity too.

So, assuming that you feel as I do, how would you make inherent bonuses applicable to all levels and appealing as a gradual investment like other items?

 

[saucercrab]

My group (currently) allows different books' bonuses to stack, to a maximum +5 total inherent bonus.

Prices aren't changed, so the books still don't make an appearance at low levels in our games.

 

[Arkhandus]

I dunno. Getting a high-bonus Tome or Manual is awefully expensive, so it's not generally the best way to spend your loot when you could be getting useful armor, weapons, ammo, staves, or rods.

My Rhunaria campaign uses fewer magic items (and none of the standard artifacts; instead there are rare and unusual Nari glyph relics, possessing unreliable/infrequent magical benefits), and in compensation I give the characters Gifts of the Warrior's Spirit. Well, the classes with little or no spellcasting anyway; the casters don't really need magic items as badly, and overshadow the warriors and rogues less this way anyhoo.

The Gifts are a custom mechanic; they're on my Rhunaria page, but basically, a character gets 1 Gift per 2 levels total in appropriate classes (barbarian, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, samurai, and sohei, since I use 3.0 with Oriental Adventures mixed in), and no Gift may be chosen twice in a row, but they're all selectable more than once; among them are things like Gift of Might (+1 cumulative inherant bonus to Strength, selectable up to 5 times), Gift of Manifest Fury (+1 cumulative enhancement to melee weapons and such, but doesn't treat them as magical normally except for purposes of striking incorporeal creatures or those with Damage Reduction, can be taken up to 5 times, requires at least one Gift of Might), and Gift of Clear Focus (+5 enhancement bonus on checks with one skill, makes it a permanent class skill, must be applied to a different skill each time).

So inherant bonuses to the physical ability scores, and enhancements to important combat stuff, are attainable for nothing more than an opportunity cost (take a Gift of Resilience for +1 inherant Constitution and all you're really paying is the price of not taking, frex, Gift of Predatory Instinct for an enhancement on Initiative and some skills). This reduces magic item dependance and makes warrior-types more in line with casters. By 4th-level a PC (who's not a bard or primary caster) can get a +1 enhancement with all melee weapons and +1 inherant Strength; or +1 enhancement to ranged weapons/ammo and +1 inherant Dexterity; or +1 enhancement to AC from all armors and shields and +1 inherant Constitution; or something else like accelerated natural healing from Gift of Iron Blood along with DR 1/- from Gift of Unyielding Flesh, or extra HP from Gift of Steadfast Effort alongside a +1 enhancement on all saves from Gift of Tenacious Spirit. Or some other combination of two Gifts; then they could take another copy of their first Gift at 6th-level or choose a new one.

.....And I've been meaning to update the Gifts of the Warrior's Spirit page with a boost to Steadfast Effort and Iron Blood.....I had toned them down before putting the into use because I thought they were too great compared to Gift of Resilience, but I've realized I just need to make them scale a tad while still giving a bit more HP/healing initially to be comparable with Gift of Resilience. Maybe I'll end up adding a few new Gifts at some point that provide qualities from certain magic items, like Flaming or Keen or Ghost Touch, but more limited in selection (no free vorpal scimitar or greatsword of speed!). Still can't decide.

 

[Quartz]

The smaller Inherent Bonuses make great divine rewards.

 

[Geoff Watson]

My group (currently) allows different books' bonuses to stack, to a maximum +5 total inherent bonus.

Prices aren't changed, so the books still don't make an appearance at low levels in our games.

Same in my game.

Geoff.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

My Rhunaria campaign uses fewer magic items (and none of the standard artifacts; instead there are rare and unusual Nari glyph relics, possessing unreliable/infrequent magical benefits), and in compensation I give the characters Gifts of the Warrior's Spirit. Well, the classes with little or no spellcasting anyway; the casters don't really need magic items as badly, and overshadow the warriors and rogues less this way anyhoo.

Your Gifts sound great, but I don't want to create any new mechanics to solve my problem.

Here's the best solution to my own problem that I've come up with, maybe it'll get some creative juices flowing. Obviously, this spell is way too good if you feel that inherent bonuses should be restricted to high levels and true wish related sources. Effectively, this spell puts inherent bonuses on par with magical weapons, costwise, which is where I feel they should be.

Lesser Wish
Sor/Wiz: 3
Components: V, S
Lesser wish functions as the other wish spells, with regards to casting unknown spells of lower spell levels. Lesser wish's only other use is to grant inherent ability bonuses. Each casting grants a +1 bonus to a single ability, which stacks with other inherent bonuses only if the caster's level is four times that of the new bonus. This use of lesser wish requires diamond dust worth 2,000 gp (first bonus), 6,000 gp (second), 10,000 gp (third), 14,000 gp (fourth) or 18,000 gp (fifth).

 

[Quartz]

That's way too good for a 3rd level spell. There should be a significant XP cost.

Maybe it might be better as a feat?

Feat name: Craft X (I can't think of a cool name)
Prerequisites: Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, see Special.
Benefit: You can grant an Inherent Bonus to either yourself or a willing subject. This costs you 500 XP + 500 XP per plus (q.v. Permanency). The subject pays a like amount.
Special 1: You must be able to cast the appropriate stat-boosting spell (e.g. Bull's Strength)
Special 2: To gain a +2 Inherent Bonus, you must already have a +1 Inherent Bonus. To gain a +3 Inherent Bonus, you must already have a +2 Inherent Bonus. Similarly for +4 and +5 Inherent bonuses.
Special 3: You must not have Transmutation as a prohibited school.

Thus to gain a +5 Inherent Bonus in one stat, a spellcaster has to expend 20,000 XP which is a bit less than using Wishes, but he's had to expend a feat to do it.

 

[chakken98]

Lesser Wish
Sor/Wiz: 3
Components: V, S
Lesser wish functions as the other wish spells, with regards to casting unknown spells of lower spell levels. Lesser wish's only other use is to grant inherent ability bonuses. Each casting grants a +1 bonus to a single ability, which stacks with other inherent bonuses only if the caster's level is four times that of the new bonus. This use of lesser wish requires diamond dust worth 2,000 gp (first bonus), 6,000 gp (second), 10,000 gp (third), 14,000 gp (fourth) or 18,000 gp (fifth).

I'd say this should be a 5th level spell going off the fact the Limited Wish is a 7th and Wish is a 9th. That and I do agree that there should be a XP cost as the other 2 wishes, If my memory serves me right isn't it 250 and 500. But the concept of this spell is rather nice.

 

[chakken98]

That's way too good for a 3rd level spell. There should be a significant XP cost.

Maybe it might be better as a feat?

Feat name: Craft X (I can't think of a cool name)
Prerequisites: Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, see Special.
Benefit: You can grant an Inherent Bonus to either yourself or a willing subject. This costs you 500 XP + 500 XP per plus (q.v. Permanency). The subject pays a like amount.
Special 1: You must be able to cast the appropriate stat-boosting spell (e.g. Bull's Strength)
Special 2: To gain a +2 Inherent Bonus, you must already have a +1 Inherent Bonus. To gain a +3 Inherent Bonus, you must already have a +2 Inherent Bonus. Similarly for +4 and +5 Inherent bonuses.
Special 3: You must not have Transmutation as a prohibited school.

Thus to gain a +5 Inherent Bonus in one stat, a spellcaster has to expend 20,000 XP which is a bit less than using Wishes, but he's had to expend a feat to do it.

Feat Name: Ability Craft (dunno only thing I could come up with on the fly)

Idea, maybe just thinking of how my player would use this but, Maybe make it limited to 1 stat (IE Dex) and lower the XP cost. I dunno maybe I'm just crazy.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Thanks for the ideas, all. I like the idea of an "item" creation feat for inherent bonuses, but I specifically left the XP component out of the spell because I don't like how it complicates the issue.