Stacking Tomes and Manuals

[FANGO]

Er, sorry...

People were mentioning losing ability scores above, talking about whether you would be able to have your INT (for example) lowered to 0 if you have an inherent bonus, and I said that yes you probably should be able to (since once you get it, it's not so much treated as a bonus as it would be an actual increase to the score...however, yes you do of course keep track of your inherent 'bonus,' as I thought I made clear in my original post).

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Er, sorry...

People were mentioning losing ability scores above, talking about whether you would be able to have your INT (for example) lowered to 0 if you have an inherent bonus, and I said that yes you probably should be able to (since once you get it, it's not so much treated as a bonus as it would be an actual increase to the score...

Oh. It doesn't matter whether you treat it as a bonus or an increase, you can still have your Int lowered to 0.

The example we used before was a +2 Headband of Intellect. If his Int goes from 12 to 14 with the Headband, then he can take 14 points of Int damage before falling unconscious. It doesn't matter whether his 14 Intelligence is natural or enhanced in some way.

Now, here's one to think about.

The DMG states that it's never necessary to keep track of negative ability scores, as they can't drop below zero.

So. If the aforementioned Headband guy is dropped to 0 (14 points of ability damage), and then his buddy removes his Headband, his Int can't drop any lower. 'cos it's not necessary to keep track of negative scores, it stays at zero. If the buddy then puts the Headband back on, does his Int go up to +2?

-Hyp.

 

[Crothian]

Re: Re: Er, sorry...

So. If the aforementioned Headband guy is dropped to 0 (14 points of ability damage), and then his buddy removes his Headband, his Int can't drop any lower. 'cos it's not necessary to keep track of negative scores, it stays at zero. If the buddy then puts the Headband back on, does his Int go up to +2?

-Hyp.

If my players thought of this on their own, I'd allow it. I think it would fall under clever thinking. However, as a rules conscience DM, I'm not to sure that's in the spirit of the rules. It seems rather easy. But that is an excellent question....

 

[Hypersmurf]

Re: Re: Re: Er, sorry...

It seems rather easy.

Now to get even sillier - we can convert this permanent Int loss into temporary Int loss by using an Int draining poison... like Id Moss. Thus no need for a Restoration spell - just good old-fashioned bedrest

Put the Headband on him. Poison him for two points of Int. Remove the Headband.

Repeat 7 times.

Now the character has an Int score of zero, fourteen points of temporary Int damage, which will start to recover normally with rest.

And once we put the Headband back on, he's not even incapacitated! (Just really, really, really thick.)

-Hyp.

 

[Crothian]

Hypersmurf, your living up to your name and really thinking way to much on this. It's scarey man. Really cool and interesting what if, but scarey. You have a lot of time in New Zealand I take it, a lot of free time.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hypersmurf, your living up to your name and really thinking way to much on this.

Rules are made to be interpreted

-Hyp.

 

[Numion]

Re: No stacking

...wannabe strict but not tyrranical, and helpful but not cheesy.

That should've been in the DMG!

 

[EOL]

Re: Re: Whoa...

As long as you're aware that it's a House Rule, no problem

As long as you realize that if the books are not suppossed to stack, then making the costs linear was a bad design decision.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Re: Re: Re: Whoa...

As long as you realize that if the books are not suppossed to stack, then making the costs linear was a bad design decision.

You'd prefer quadratic?!? They're expensive enough as is!