Stacking common effects on items

[preacher]

We've started using MIC rules for equipment in our campaign - specifically the "common item effects" rules that let me add, for example, +2 DEX to my boots of elvenkind without paying the 50% surcharge.

However, I've also just found out that we're playing a house rule which allows stat bonuses on different items to stack, rather than simply taking the highest bonus of a specific type. While this explains how the sorcerer has a CHA of around 30, it means a lot of us are playing catch up on stat bonuses, as we didn't know about the rule.

(I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of this - the DM has made the call, uses the rule in another campaign he plays in, and presumably this partly explains why some of the saving throws he asks for are so high. I have to assume he's adjusting encounters to take advantage of the potentially high stat bonuses.)

My question is this - I can't see in the rules if it's possible to add multiple common effects to an item. Can I add both a DEX and a STR bonus to my gloves, or can I only add one common effect per item? Is this covered anywhere in the MIC rules? I'll ask the DM, but apart from a small number of house rules we usually play RAW, so if it's in the book that's probably what he'll rule.

Thanks.

 

[roguerouge]

We've started using MIC rules for equipment in our campaign - specifically the "common item effects" rules that let me add, for example, +2 DEX to my boots of elvenkind without paying the 50% surcharge.

However, I've also just found out that we're playing a house rule which allows stat bonuses on different items to stack, rather than simply taking the highest bonus of a specific type. While this explains how the sorcerer has a CHA of around 30, it means a lot of us are playing catch up on stat bonuses, as we didn't know about the rule.

(I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of this - the DM has made the call, uses the rule in another campaign he plays in, and presumably this partly explains why some of the saving throws he asks for are so high. I have to assume he's adjusting encounters to take advantage of the potentially high stat bonuses.)

My question is this - I can't see in the rules if it's possible to add multiple common effects to an item. Can I add both a DEX and a STR bonus to my gloves, or can I only add one common effect per item? Is this covered anywhere in the MIC rules? I'll ask the DM, but apart from a small number of house rules we usually play RAW, so if it's in the book that's probably what he'll rule.

Thanks.

If there's a sorcerer with a charisma of 30 running around, and you're not playing an epic level campaign, it is your DUTY as a player to ask the DM for everything under the sun. Because the DM and this player are playing an uber-high-magic game and if the rest of the party is not on board, you're cruising for a TPK.

Let go of the rules, man! Ask for what you want... What's he going to do, say no? And if he does, so what? At least you tried.

And if he says no to you and the others repeatedly, then the problem may be one of favoritism rather than miscommunication.

 

[Nifft]

We've started using MIC rules for equipment in our campaign - specifically the "common item effects" rules that let me add, for example, +2 DEX to my boots of elvenkind without paying the 50% surcharge.

However, I've also just found out that we're playing a house rule which allows stat bonuses on different items to stack, rather than simply taking the highest bonus of a specific type.

!!!!!

That +50% penalty? You're saving so much by buying three +2 items (rather than one +6 item) that you shouldn't care.

In fact, your best path is to enhance every item you wear with +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con (or whatever your three most relevant ability scores are).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Infiniti2000]

(I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of this - the DM has made the call, uses the rule in another campaign he plays in, and presumably this partly explains why some of the saving throws he asks for are so high. I have to assume he's adjusting encounters to take advantage of the potentially high stat bonuses.)

It's flatly impossible to reply to your rules question without additional comments. That "call" is ludicrous. That game has such significant problems such that we can't possibly respond to any single point. And, I see both previous posters also failed their saves vs. answering only your question.

 

[preacher]

Believe me, I'm well aware how badly that ruling breaks game balance. But it is an uber-magic game - you'd be probably amazed at the items we're all carrying (or perhaps not after reading this).

The DM is a friend of more than 20 years, and he's been running games for us for most of that time. In many ways he's an excellent GM - entertaining stories, exciting action - but rules aren't his strongest point. In other systems - Storyteller, RuneQuest - this wasn't much of a problem, as the rules were pretty straightforward. However we came back to D&D a few years ago, after he started playing it with his other group, and several house rules have been ported over from that game. D&D is much more complex than most of the rules systems we've played, and some of the house rules scream "balance breaker" to me, but I have to choose my battles.

I've already talked him out of having spells subtract their level from the caster's initiative - so if I roll a 20 and cast a 5th level spell, it comes off at initiative 15 - by simply pointing out that it isn't in the rules anywhere, 3.0 or 3.5. But it's his game, he doesn't want the game to get too bogged in rules arguments, and I have to respect that, so this is one ruling I'm not going to fight.

You wouldn't do it, I wouldn't do it, and it'll change the game to have stats that high. But everyone's having fun, and everyone else now knows they can stack item bonuses the same way the sorcerer has. As long as we're all using the same rules, there's no real harm. It's a slightly different D&D to the one in the books, but at the end of the day it's just a game. The key thing is that we're all having fun regardless.

And now I find I've switched from asking about MIC rules to defending my friend, so I'll say thanks for the feedback and bow out of this part of the discussion gracefully.

In terms of the original question, MIC doesn't seem to rule one way or the other, so I'll ask the DM. As Nifft said, even with the 50% surcharge it's still worth it.

 

[moritheil]

!!!!!

QFT.

Make everything magical. Even your shirt buttons and belt buckles should radiate magic.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Wow...I feel sorry for the poor sap NOT playing full caster in the game! High stats are most useful for breaking casters, and with that rule...wow...

To answer your question, yes. You can put both str and dex on your handgear, both are in the appropriate slot, and both are "common" enhancements, so no additional cost. Be sure to abuse this rule on deflection and natural armor AC bonuses (do mage armor-type bonuses also count as "common"?), and everything else you can. Maybe take feats to gain extra body slots,so you have yet another place to add to everything yet again. I'm sorry, just...wow...

 

[hornedturtle]

Rings of +1 ArmorShieldNaturalDodgeInsightDevine, +2 StrDexConIntWisCha, +2 FortRefWil, +10" movement for everyone! Don't forget the Extra Rings feat from Eberron and you'll have two of these guys for each hand.

 

[Herzog]

simple answer:

when such basic rules as stacking rules for bonusses are out of the window, why bother asking rules questions here?

the DM clearly has his own idea about how the rules should work, so don't bother looking anything up.
just ask him.

also, ask him all other possible rule questions you might have. Do NOT refer to the rulebooks, as he clearly doesn't either.

Now, since I recognize the above may come over a bit snarky, let me state that this is not my intention.
Anyone should play the game the way they want.
It's just that if the DM has chosen to disregard the rules at this scale, referring to the rules is probably going to leave you either frustrated or confused, and possibly both.

Herzog

 

[Nifft]

when such basic rules as stacking rules for bonusses are out of the window, why bother asking rules questions here?

(He asked in House Rules, and someone moved it mysteriously.)

Cheers, -- N