Take your Headband and shove it (in the bag of holding)

[Plot-Device]

Ok, I think I'm retarded but I still can't figure this out.

So I don't have enough Int to muster up 7th levels spells (lets say I only have 16 Int). Now I throw on a headband of intellect +2. Can I muster up that level of spells now? I know I don't get bonus spells from it, so it doesn't make sense that you'd gain acess to higher level stuff. But if I read that +2 book, then I'm good right?

I know the general rule is, When you need to qualify for stuff that your gear doesn't count, but I would really like someone to tell me I'm right. (hey, or wrong. I won't judge)

P.S If I read the +2 book, but later I read the +5 book, I gain +5 right. My DM tried to tell me once I read the +2 book, that was it. That I couldn't read a new one to "override" it.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Now I throw on a headband of intellect +2. Can I muster up that level of spells now?

Yes, but you probably need to rest for that night and prepare them the next day.

I know I don't get bonus spells from it, so it doesn't make sense that you'd gain acess to higher level stuff.

Why not?

I know the general rule is, When you need to qualify for stuff that your gear doesn't count, but I would really like someone to tell me I'm right. (hey, or wrong. I won't judge)

I don't know what you mean by 'qualify', but you can gain bonus spells and access to higher spell levels with an item of stat boosting or an inherent bonus.

P.S If I read the +2 book, but later I read the +5 book, I gain +5 right. My DM tried to tell me once I read the +2 book, that was it. That I couldn't read a new one to "override" it.

You can read a new book. You'll have two inherent bonuses that overlap. The +5 bonus is certainly not lost. However, I personally houserule that subsequent readings of other books stack. I am not alone in this choice either. This houserule works well because the costs are linear, unlike other bonus types on items and such.

 

[Legildur]

You'd gain the bonus spells etc if the headband is left on for sufficient time (one day) and not removed. (as well as gaining access to previously unavailable levels of spells). Unless of course the FAQ says otherwise.....

Inherent bonuses overlap - they don't stack. If you read a book that grants a +2 inherent bonus to Int, then reading a book that grants a +5 bonus will only see a net increase of +3. Eg start at Int 16, read +2 book and now Int is 18 (with +2 Inherent bonus), now read +5 book and Int is now 21 (with +5 Inherent bonus).

 

[Plot-Device]

As for the qualify, I understood it that, for example, my wizard picks up a staff of mastery, giving him cleric bab which raises my bab from 6 to 9 I didn't qualify for Improved Critical. Gloves of Dex didn't qualify me for Two Weapon Fightning. The staff has to be put down, and the gloves come off during the course of training, right?

And as for the spells levels, I assumed you didn't following 1) the logic above and 2) the spell description, which is due to the limited duration in hindsight.

 

[Hypersmurf]

As for the qualify, I understood it that, for example, my wizard picks up a staff of mastery, giving him cleric bab which raises my bab from 6 to 9 I didn't qualify for Improved Critical. Gloves of Dex didn't qualify me for Two Weapon Fightning. The staff has to be put down, and the gloves come off during the course of training, right?

There's debate.

What's clear is that if you take a feat you qualify, and later fail to qualify for that feat, you cannot use it.

If you take Power Attack, and subsequently get hit with a Ray of Enfeeblement, dropping your Strength to 11, you cannot use Power Attack until your Str is once again 13 or higher.

If your DM permits you to use your Gloves of Dexterity to qualify for TWF, remember that should you take off the gloves and your Dex drops below 15, you can't use the feat.

-Hyp.

 

[RigaMortus2]

As for the qualify, I understood it that, for example, my wizard picks up a staff of mastery, giving him cleric bab which raises my bab from 6 to 9 I didn't qualify for Improved Critical. Gloves of Dex didn't qualify me for Two Weapon Fightning. The staff has to be put down, and the gloves come off during the course of training, right?

And as for the spells levels, I assumed you didn't following 1) the logic above and 2) the spell description, which is due to the limited duration in hindsight.

There really is no clear cut answer. As usual, it is up to the DM to decide. I personally don't allow it as it adds to more bookkeeping. I personally don't like non-permanent effects allowing you to qualify for feats/prcs/etc because they can easily be taken away, which leads to game pauses while the players try to recalculate and figure out what they lost.

Of course this is going to happen once in awhile, when they are attacked by ability or level draining creatures, but i'd like to keep this at a minimum as it is. YMMV

 

[green slime]

As for the qualify, I understood it that, for example, my wizard picks up a staff of mastery, giving him cleric bab which raises my bab from 6 to 9 I didn't qualify for Improved Critical. Gloves of Dex didn't qualify me for Two Weapon Fightning. The staff has to be put down, and the gloves come off during the course of training, right?

No. However, you can only use the feats you have when you meet their prerequisites.
Basically, its as Hypersmurf stated.

And as for the spells levels, I assumed you didn't following 1) the logic above and 2) the spell description, which is due to the limited duration in hindsight.

Which spell description?!?!??!

 

[Plot-Device]

Fox's Cunning, the spell that Headband is based off of.

I really thought this would be written down somewhere. Thanks though guys.

 

[anon]

A recent update to the FAQs addressees this situation (regarding Feats at least):

A feat sometimes requires you to have a certain ability score, which is the case with Two-Weapon Fighting (it requires Dex 15). A character has, say, Dex 13, but wears an item, in this case gloves of Dexterity +2, and now her Dex score is 15. Can she take the feat and have it be active only when she wears the item?

Actually yes, she could take the feat, but she would lose the use of the feat if, for whatever reason, she loses the bonus from the item.

Of course many don't like the FAQs for various reasons...

 

[glass]

I really thought this would be written down somewhere. Thanks though guys.

It doesn't need to be. A belt of giant strength doesn't specifically say it increases your damage; it just does, because that is what an increase in Str does. Similarly, Gloves of Dex don't specifically say that that if they boost you Dex to 19 you qualify for GTWF, but they don't have to say that, because that is what Dex 19 does.

A headband of intelect doesn't have to say that it allows you to cast higher level spells, or have bonus spells slots, because that's what a higher Int does. It would also give you more skill points too, except it specifically says that it doesn't.

IOW, items that boost your stats provide all the benefits of the higher stat, except where specified otherwise.


glass.