Synergy stacking

[LostSoul]

Quick question - do synergy bonuses stack? Such as the synergy bonuses to Diplomacy from Bluff, Sense Motive, and Knowledge (Nobility).

 

[FrankTrollman]

Yes.

-Frank

 

[LostSoul]

Thank you. I thought as much.

 

[Storminator]

I've always played that way, but is there a rule that actually says that?

PS

 

[FrankTrollman]

In 3rd edition it is because Synergy Bonuses are specially allowed to stack. In 3.5 it is because bonuses from Synergy are all unnamed.

Dodge bonuses, circumstance bonuses, and synergy bonuses, however, do stack.

contrasted with:

If you have 5 or more ranks in Tumble, you get a +2 bonus on Balance and Jump checks.

-Frank

 

[Particle_Man]

So a half-elf bard with the feats Negotiator and Skill Focus: Diplomacy can be quite the diplomat -- all of the synergy granting skills for diplomacy are class skills.

 

[Christian]

So a half-elf bard with the feats Negotiator and Skill Focus: Diplomacy can be quite the diplomat -- all of the synergy granting skills for diplomacy are class skills.

Let's see ... 3rd level half-elf bard, 18 CHA, 6 ranks in Diplomacy, 5 or 6 ranks each in Bluff, Sense Motive, and Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty, and the feats Negotiator and SF: Diplomacy ... 6 ranks + 4 ability +2 race + 5 feats + 6 synergy = +23 Diplomacy check.

Yikes.

But-wait a minute; maybe the synergy bonuses don't stack. Here's the text in the SRD:

Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Bluff, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), or Sense Motive, you get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks.

Nothing about getting +2 for each synergistic skill you have 5 or more ranks in ... I'm twenty miles from my v3.5 PH ... what exactly does it say there about synergy bonuses?

 

[Darklone]

Frank already said it. It's an unnamed bonus.

Add in feats such as Glib Tongue or similar things and your bard will soon reach the epic DC 150 to talk a big bad evil guy into being your best buddy.