One of my players wants this to become an artificer. While I'm okay with this occurring so he can mulitclass, it just seems VERY odd that such an item is UNCOMMON. The PC is currently in a magic heavy area so uncommon items would be accessible but I feel that a 19 Int just for 500-800gp seems too easy. I know I can rule it how I want but uncommon seems WAY too easy.
Tbh, it's not that strong of an item. Int is not a high-powered AS, outside of it's main casters - which would probably like more than just a 19 on it (which the item caps at, as the character can't take ASI on top of it).
That's why the same item for Con is rare, it's just a more useful skill.
Knowledge skills are cool, but are nothing compared to Wis, Cha or Dex. Which, btw, don't even have counterparts for on those kinds of items.
You can't generally can't use an item to pass stat prerequisites (or if you do, you lose all features that have that prerequisite if you ever remove the item).
While the rules do not specifically say either way I do not think it makes sense for magic items be to meet multi-class requirements. If later on the player aquires a more powerful magic item and unattune the headband of intellect what happens (or do you simply not allow it). So if the player has an intelligence of 12 or less without the headband I would not allow them to multiclass into artificer.
I would argue that the headband overall is more powerfull than most other uncommon items :
It might be used on someone who uses int as their primary stat (Artificer or Wizard) but they will already probably have a +3 in that stat so it is a nice improvement but nothing too great. However if the campaign goes reasonably long they will have to decide whether to get their int up to 20 (which will require 2 ASIs) or never get +5 on their primary stat. Usually it just becomes a temporary boost untl the player gets to 18 int without it.
It might be used for someone for whom Int is a non primary stat, for example a cleric (with Int 8 or 10) can suddenly know all about religion and arcana, out of combat skill are usually less critical than in combat but are still very valuable.
For comparison an Ioun Stone of Intellect gives a flat +2 to a max of 20 so the wizard above would prefer that but the cleric would prefer the headband. The Ioun stone is very rare. Overall I would say the headband is the more powerful item of the two.
Where the headband does become very powerful is where a character is using it for a primary stat where their character has dumped that stat. For example if the DM says you can start the game with an uncommon magic item of your choice and the player chooses to play a wizard with intelligence 8 and a headband of intellect. A character with low int multiclassing into Artificer and getting a heaband could fit into this category if allowed.
The rarity of a magic item often does not equate to the usefulness to the party. For example a Vicious Greatsword (rare) does less damage than a +1 greatsword (uncommon) unless the enemies AC is so high that even with the +1 you will only hit on a Crit (even a +1 dagger is better than a vicious dagger unless the chance to hit is less than 20%)
A lot of people use Sane Magical Prices as a price guide (for a high magic world you might want to divide the prices by 2 or more). I think it is better than using the guide based on rarity but would dispute quite a few things (he values low some things that with a bit of creativity can be extremely powerful), it was also published in the early days of 5e and therefore does not include any of the newer items.
As an aside I think intelligence based skills can be every bit as important and Wis, Cha and Dex. A sucessful Int check might mean you know a piece of information rather than have to go on a dangerous mission to find it out (or persuade someone to tell you). Investigation is also very highly used skill check.
As already noted, it's not something to focus on too heavily. It uses an attunement slot, that if used to pass prerequisites, drops away the moment they choose to remove the item, or if it is removed from them. I also agree that Int isn't one of the more relied upon abilities in the game.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
People want 20's for their main stat. Two strategies, 1) using them for your 2nd best stat, or 2) use for your WORST stat. Especially if it is a penalty. Just moving your worst save from -1 to +4 is often worth it.
This item is decent for a sub-class that uses Int, but wouldn't otherwise build it high, e.g. Eldritch Knight. An EK is going to put their highest stat in STR, then CON, then INT. So it helps to boost the saving throw DC and attack rolls, and is worth an attunement slot. For a character who might have a 13 Intelligence, that +6 sounds amazing! Well worth it.
For wizards and artificers, it's downright bad:
It eats an attunement slot
You have already put your best points into Intelligence anyway, so whatever resources you spent there are now worthless
I'd assume any class with an Intelligence main-stat is going to have a minimum 17 Intelligence after one ASI. So by the time you grab this it's a +2 bonus that uses your attunement slot. Maybe you'd wear it for a bit and then when you get more ASI's go to something else.
This item is decent for a sub-class that uses Int, but wouldn't otherwise build it high, e.g. Eldritch Knight. An EK is going to put their highest stat in STR, then CON, then INT. So it helps to boost the saving throw DC and attack rolls, and is worth an attunement slot. For a character who might have a 13 Intelligence, that +6 sounds amazing! Well worth it.
For wizards and artificers, it's downright bad:
It eats an attunement slot
You have already put your best points into Intelligence anyway, so whatever resources you spent there are now worthless
I'd assume any class with an Intelligence main-stat is going to have a minimum 17 Intelligence after one ASI. So by the time you grab this it's a +2 bonus that uses your attunement slot. Maybe you'd wear it for a bit and then when you get more ASI's go to something else.
You contradicted yourself there you said it was downright bad and then said you would use it for a bit.
If a wizard / Artificer gets the headband early, they probably do not have enough magic items for attunement slots to be an issue, so increasing int modifier from +3 to +4 is great. It might also mean they feel more able to take a feat or to. If the campaign is likely to end at level 10 or 11 without the headband they might not get to max int anyway if they think Warcaster is more important. With the headband they might take a second feat as increasing (actual) int to 18 does nothing until they get to increase it again which won't happen if they do not get to level 12, though in a high magic campaign they may still choose an ASI to get Int to 18 to free up an attunement slot
If the campaign is going to level 20 they will want to get their int to 20 at some point (though the headband is srill good for a number of levels) but most published campaigns finish at around 11 or 12 when keeping the headband to the end is a viable option.
If the campaign is going to level 20 they will want to get their int to 20 at some point (though the headband is srill good for a number of levels) but most published campaigns finish at around 11 or 12 when keeping the headband to the end is a viable option.
Honestly, most Int primary builds will have an 18 by level 4 and will never find a use for the headband.
As a DM, I personally think the Headband of Intellect is a great magic item to give out when I have a wizard in my party. it gives the wizard a difficult choice. Do they take it permanently? Which means never getting their Intelligence up to 20. Or do they take it temporarily and go through at least one ASI where they don’t actually get any benefit from the ASI? Or do they give it to the Arcane Trickster, Arcane Archer, or Eldritch Knight in the party?
I wouldn’t let a magic item other than a magical tome give a character a high enough ability score modifier to multi-class. I’d rule that the PC has to have natural abilities to multi-class, not a temporary ability that can be lost by losing a magic item.
One of my players wants this to become an artificer. While I'm okay with this occurring so he can mulitclass, it just seems VERY odd that such an item is UNCOMMON. The PC is currently in a magic heavy area so uncommon items would be accessible but I feel that a 19 Int just for 500-800gp seems too easy. I know I can rule it how I want but uncommon seems WAY too easy.
Tbh, it's not that strong of an item. Int is not a high-powered AS, outside of it's main casters - which would probably like more than just a 19 on it (which the item caps at, as the character can't take ASI on top of it).
That's why the same item for Con is rare, it's just a more useful skill.
Knowledge skills are cool, but are nothing compared to Wis, Cha or Dex. Which, btw, don't even have counterparts for on those kinds of items.
You can't generally can't use an item to pass stat prerequisites (or if you do, you lose all features that have that prerequisite if you ever remove the item).
While the rules do not specifically say either way I do not think it makes sense for magic items be to meet multi-class requirements. If later on the player aquires a more powerful magic item and unattune the headband of intellect what happens (or do you simply not allow it). So if the player has an intelligence of 12 or less without the headband I would not allow them to multiclass into artificer.
I would argue that the headband overall is more powerfull than most other uncommon items :
The rarity of a magic item often does not equate to the usefulness to the party. For example a Vicious Greatsword (rare) does less damage than a +1 greatsword (uncommon) unless the enemies AC is so high that even with the +1 you will only hit on a Crit (even a +1 dagger is better than a vicious dagger unless the chance to hit is less than 20%)
A lot of people use Sane Magical Prices as a price guide (for a high magic world you might want to divide the prices by 2 or more). I think it is better than using the guide based on rarity but would dispute quite a few things (he values low some things that with a bit of creativity can be extremely powerful), it was also published in the early days of 5e and therefore does not include any of the newer items.
As an aside I think intelligence based skills can be every bit as important and Wis, Cha and Dex. A sucessful Int check might mean you know a piece of information rather than have to go on a dangerous mission to find it out (or persuade someone to tell you). Investigation is also very highly used skill check.
As already noted, it's not something to focus on too heavily. It uses an attunement slot, that if used to pass prerequisites, drops away the moment they choose to remove the item, or if it is removed from them. I also agree that Int isn't one of the more relied upon abilities in the game.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
People want 20's for their main stat. Two strategies, 1) using them for your 2nd best stat, or 2) use for your WORST stat. Especially if it is a penalty. Just moving your worst save from -1 to +4 is often worth it.
I don't for my PCs.
It's a nice-to-have, but not mandatory.
I mainly put them on animals, so I have a talking pig in armour with a sword called sir bacon
I have a PHD in traps
This item is decent for a sub-class that uses Int, but wouldn't otherwise build it high, e.g. Eldritch Knight. An EK is going to put their highest stat in STR, then CON, then INT. So it helps to boost the saving throw DC and attack rolls, and is worth an attunement slot. For a character who might have a 13 Intelligence, that +6 sounds amazing! Well worth it.
For wizards and artificers, it's downright bad:
I'd assume any class with an Intelligence main-stat is going to have a minimum 17 Intelligence after one ASI. So by the time you grab this it's a +2 bonus that uses your attunement slot. Maybe you'd wear it for a bit and then when you get more ASI's go to something else.
You contradicted yourself there you said it was downright bad and then said you would use it for a bit.
If a wizard / Artificer gets the headband early, they probably do not have enough magic items for attunement slots to be an issue, so increasing int modifier from +3 to +4 is great. It might also mean they feel more able to take a feat or to. If the campaign is likely to end at level 10 or 11 without the headband they might not get to max int anyway if they think Warcaster is more important. With the headband they might take a second feat as increasing (actual) int to 18 does nothing until they get to increase it again which won't happen if they do not get to level 12, though in a high magic campaign they may still choose an ASI to get Int to 18 to free up an attunement slot
If the campaign is going to level 20 they will want to get their int to 20 at some point (though the headband is srill good for a number of levels) but most published campaigns finish at around 11 or 12 when keeping the headband to the end is a viable option.
Honestly, most Int primary builds will have an 18 by level 4 and will never find a use for the headband.
As a DM, I personally think the Headband of Intellect is a great magic item to give out when I have a wizard in my party. it gives the wizard a difficult choice. Do they take it permanently? Which means never getting their Intelligence up to 20. Or do they take it temporarily and go through at least one ASI where they don’t actually get any benefit from the ASI? Or do they give it to the Arcane Trickster, Arcane Archer, or Eldritch Knight in the party?
I wouldn’t let a magic item other than a magical tome give a character a high enough ability score modifier to multi-class. I’d rule that the PC has to have natural abilities to multi-class, not a temporary ability that can be lost by losing a magic item.
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