So there's a variety of items that set your attribute score to 19 (which is a really odd number...but whatever). What happens if something drains that stat? Example, my Orcish Barbarian has a 14 Str. Puts on GoOP so his stat is now 19. If he gets hit by a Shadow and 4 Str is drained from the hit....is his Str still 19? What then if he gets hit by Shadows a few more times and loses 10 more Str, is his score still 19 or is he dead (because if a Shadow drains your Str to 0 you die)?
Lets say my Rogue friend had her 14 Int drained down to 1, so she's a total moron and is eating rocks. If she dons the Headband of Intellect AFTER the drain, is her Int 19 or 6? I'm going to assume 6 and she's not eating rocks anymore....
Lets say my Rogue friend had her 14 Int drained down to 1, so she's a total moron and is eating rocks. If she dons the Headband of Intellect AFTER the drain, is her Int 19 or 6? I'm going to assume 6 and she's not eating rocks anymore....
I would say 19. These items set the ability to 19 regardless of how that ability is set at the value before wearing the item.
So my Rogue rock eating friend has minus/malus to her Int of 13; she went from a 14 to a 1. You're saying the Headband of Intellect would reset her Int to 19?! She still has a -13 penalty to her score.
Ok, so I'll continue that logic. Say my Orc Barbarian has a 14 Str, but has GoOP. He gets drained 10 points so he has a 9 Str? If he takes off the gauntlets and then puts them back on....does he get back to 19 Str? Say he got drained 16 points and takes them off....he dies?
Yes, that is how I see it. The INT score is 1 before wearing the headband. How is 1 does not matter. The last effect on the ability score rules.
Jeremy's tweet suggests that's not how it works. You add up all the bonuses and penalties to your ability score and if that number ends up being lower than 19, the headband changes it to 19. Otherwise, it's whatever number you ended up with. The order in which you obtained those bonuses and penalties and the point at which you put on the headband don't matter.
Ok, so I'll continue that logic. Say my Orc Barbarian has a 14 Str, but has GoOP. He gets drained 10 points so he has a 9 Str? If he takes off the gauntlets and then puts them back on....does he get back to 19 Str? Say he got drained 16 points and takes them off....he dies?
I'd answer affirmatively to all your questions, here.
To be clear, it is how I interpret the working of the headband/gauntlets.
Yes, that is how I see it. The INT score is 1 before wearing the headband. How is 1 does not matter. The last effect on the ability score rules.
Jeremy's tweet suggests that's not how it works. You add up all the bonuses and penalties to your ability score and if that number ends up being lower than 19, the headband changes it to 19. Otherwise, it's whatever number you ended up with. The order in which you obtained those bonuses and penalties and the point at which you put on the headband don't matter.
I posted another tweet which suggests that bonus/malus are added to the current value of the ability score, no matter how that score is obtained.
The rule is unclear here, so I guess everything depends on how the DM interprets it.
Yeah, I think I'll go with DM's call on this one. If having such an item makes you immune to drains to that stat....that's a bit over-powered. Dying from a 14 point drain (see Shadow drains & Orc Barbarian example) when your augmented stat is 19 seems plausible but then the item is under-powered.
Personally, I apply "set" effects before "bonus / penalty" effects, as if the item sets the character's base ability at that number. I've found that it works well (and retroactively).
I've seen another handling, that has more recent effects apply themselves to the current ability, regardless of how it was reached. (So, Str 10, Gauntlets -> 19 -> drain 4 -> 15 -> remove gauntlets -> 6 -> wear Gauntlets again -> 19). It feels a little weird to me, but I don't see any particular problem with it (other than some slowdown to reapply magic items as needed >.> ).
Both ways are consistent, which is the important bit for me.
Yes, that is how I see it. The INT score is 1 before wearing the headband. How is 1 does not matter. The last effect on the ability score rules.
Jeremy's tweet suggests that's not how it works. You add up all the bonuses and penalties to your ability score and if that number ends up being lower than 19, the headband changes it to 19. Otherwise, it's whatever number you ended up with. The order in which you obtained those bonuses and penalties and the point at which you put on the headband don't matter.
I posted another tweet which suggests that bonus/malus are added to the current value of the ability score, no matter how that score is obtained.
The rule is unclear here, so I guess everything depends on how the DM interprets it.
You mean the hammer of thunderbolts clarification? I was under the impression that it was a special case.
Hold on, didn't the hammer used to say you had to be attuned to the belt and the gauntlets?
actually malus is still a correct word, it is just not commonly used.
I think ia player takes the time to attune to the item that is boosting their damaged stat that it would bring them up to the maximum value, but as the DM i would likely have it start to decay towards the malus they have on the stat.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I believe the above is a specific exception to how they normally work. In most cases your natural ability does not change and once you get drained it lowers. When your natural stat is zero you die. The gauntlets or other ability setting items override your natural ability, or damaged ability, and sets it to the static value. The Hammer of Thunderbolts and Maul of the TItans are special magic items that have unique rules.
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Nothing is impossible... there are only differing degrees of probability.
actually malus is still a correct word, it is just not commonly used.
Do you know why it's not commonly used? Because that usage of it is Latin.
Personally, I had to THINK about malus as the opposite to bonus, because I haven't practiced my Latin in ~15 years. That said, maybe filcat is secretly the Pope and Latin is what he's used to speaking.
actually malus is still a correct word, it is just not commonly used.
Do you know why it's not commonly used? Because that usage of it is Latin.
Personally, I had to THINK about malus as the opposite to bonus, because I haven't practiced my Latin in ~15 years. That said, maybe filcat is secretly the Pope and Latin is what he's used to speaking.
Mmm no, I am not :-)
I am Italian, so some Latin words/expressions are sticked in my head.
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Hey,
So there's a variety of items that set your attribute score to 19 (which is a really odd number...but whatever). What happens if something drains that stat? Example, my Orcish Barbarian has a 14 Str. Puts on GoOP so his stat is now 19. If he gets hit by a Shadow and 4 Str is drained from the hit....is his Str still 19? What then if he gets hit by Shadows a few more times and loses 10 more Str, is his score still 19 or is he dead (because if a Shadow drains your Str to 0 you die)?
The Gauntlets of Ogre Power sets the Strength to 19. Then, any bonus or malus are applied to that value.
EDIT: here a reference for the rule
https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/09/29/does-the-bonus-strength-from-the-hammer-of-thunderbolts-stack-with-your-giants-strength-belt/
Lets say my Rogue friend had her 14 Int drained down to 1, so she's a total moron and is eating rocks. If she dons the Headband of Intellect AFTER the drain, is her Int 19 or 6? I'm going to assume 6 and she's not eating rocks anymore....
So my Rogue rock eating friend has minus/malus to her Int of 13; she went from a 14 to a 1. You're saying the Headband of Intellect would reset her Int to 19?! She still has a -13 penalty to her score.
Yes, that is how I see it. The INT score is 1 before wearing the headband. How is 1 does not matter. The last effect on the ability score rules.
Ok, so I'll continue that logic. Say my Orc Barbarian has a 14 Str, but has GoOP. He gets drained 10 points so he has a 9 Str? If he takes off the gauntlets and then puts them back on....does he get back to 19 Str? Say he got drained 16 points and takes them off....he dies?
Yeah, I think I'll go with DM's call on this one. If having such an item makes you immune to drains to that stat....that's a bit over-powered. Dying from a 14 point drain (see Shadow drains & Orc Barbarian example) when your augmented stat is 19 seems plausible but then the item is under-powered.
Personally, I apply "set" effects before "bonus / penalty" effects, as if the item sets the character's base ability at that number. I've found that it works well (and retroactively).
I've seen another handling, that has more recent effects apply themselves to the current ability, regardless of how it was reached. (So, Str 10, Gauntlets -> 19 -> drain 4 -> 15 -> remove gauntlets -> 6 -> wear Gauntlets again -> 19). It feels a little weird to me, but I don't see any particular problem with it (other than some slowdown to reapply magic items as needed >.> ).
Both ways are consistent, which is the important bit for me.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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actually malus is still a correct word, it is just not commonly used.
I think ia player takes the time to attune to the item that is boosting their damaged stat that it would bring them up to the maximum value, but as the DM i would likely have it start to decay towards the malus they have on the stat.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
Nothing is impossible... there are only differing degrees of probability.
That said, maybe filcat is secretly the Pope and Latin is what he's used to speaking.