[3.5] Which magic items bestow a +5 competence bonus on skill checks?

[Duke of Urrel]

The following text, quoted from page 155 of the Dungeon Master's Guide II v. 3.5 (2005), refers to specialists, that is, to advanced NPCs with elite abilities who optimize one particular skill in order to demand high fees as hirelings.


Competence: At 3rd level, a specialist takes the Favored in Guild feat (see page 227), gaining a +2 competence bonus on his chosen skill. At 4th level, he can afford a magic item that grants him a +5 competence bonus on his skill check.

Here's my question: To what magic item does this text refer?

The only item I can find that bestows a +5 competence bonus is a universal psionic item called a shard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/universalItems.htm#shards).

Is this the item that the Dungeon Master's Guide II means, or are there other items (in particular magic items in the strict sense of the term) that have the same effect?

[Forrestfire]

The rules refer to the Creating Magic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) guidelines. A +5 competence bonus item to a skill check costs 2,500gp.

[Duke of Urrel]

The rules refer to the Creating Magic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm) guidelines. A +5 competence bonus item to a skill check costs 2,500gp.

Thank you for this. Since the example given in the table you refer to is a Cloak of Elvenkind, I suppose the magic item that I'm looking for is likely to be some kind of wondrous item.

So apart from shards, are there only custom-made magic items that bestow a +5 competence bonus on skill checks, but no standard magic items that appear listed anywhere?

[Andezzar]

Eyes of the Eagle, Goggles of Minute Seeing. There are also other items that grant such a bonus alongside other benefits but those are probably too expensive

[ericgrau]

There are +5 rings of jumping, climbing and swimming. And armor enchantments for hide, move silently and escape artist. All 2,500 gp. And to some search and survival checks as noted above.

Custom items get a bit fishy because the DM shouldn't necessarily always allow them. Some will allow a +5 to anything, but some won't. IMO based on the core items anything that makes sense physically should be fair game. So in addition to the DMG items I would include disguise. And stopping there is being pretty strict. Even stepping out of core you get quite a few more skills without resorting to custom items.

As for the body slot on a custom item, that should make sense based on the skill. Hide goes on armor or a cloak, move silently on boots, etc. What is the particular skill you want to boost? Maybe I or another forum member could make something up to run by your DM. Or point you to an existing item in some splatbook.

[Jack_Simth]

Specific list garnered by searching the wondrous item section of the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm):
Boots of Elvenkind
Boots of Striding and Springing
Cloak of the Bat
Cloak of Elvenkind
Eyes of the Eagle
Gloves of Swimming and Climbing
Goggles of Minute Seeing
Golem Manual
Helm of Comprehend Languages and Read Magic

Likewise, in Magic Armor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm), there is:
Shadow
Silent Moves
Slick

Note that, as noted by Andezzar, several of these items do far more than just the +5 Competence bonus to some skill.

[Duke of Urrel]

Thank you all for giving me a good list of options!

[Thurbane]

From the MIC (most of these have other effects as well):


Greater Skillshard 300gp
Third Eye Improvisation 1,000gp
Arcane Thieves' Tools 1,400gp
Tome of Worldly Memory 1,500gp
Crystal Mask of Knowledge 2,500gp
Spellsight Spectacles (+5 on two different skills) 2,500gp
Third Eye Expose 2,500gp
Tunic of Steady Spellcasting 2,500gp
Cord of Favor 3,000gp
Gloves of Manual Prowess 3,000gp
Pipes of Frenzied Revelry 3,100gp
Lockpicking Ring 3,500gp
Mask of Mastery* 3,500gp
Balance (armor property) +3,750gp
Mask of the Tiger 4,000gp
Mask of Lies 4,500gp
Maps of Unseen Lands (+5 on two different skills) 5,200gp
Eyes of Truth 5,500gp
Tome of Ancient Lore (+5 on two different skills) 5,500gp
Greater Piwafwi 6,500gp
Monocle of Perusal 6,500gp
Cloak of Stone (+5 on two different skills) 8,000gp
Mantle of the Predator (+5 on two different skills) 8,000gp
Scrolls of Uncertain Provenance (all Knowledge skills) 8,000gp
Owlfeather Armor 8,160gp
Battle Bridle 9,000gp
Helm of the Hunter 9,000gp
Rod of Cats (+5 on two different skills) 10,600gp
Riding Boots 12,000gp
Hawkfeather Armor 12,175gp
Cannith Goggles (+5 on two different skills) 13,000gp
Badge of the Svirfneblin 15,000gp
Moonstone Mask (+5 on two different skills) 15,000gp
Dragonrider Armor 18,300gp
Armor of the Watching Master* (4 pieces) 29,810gp

[Duke of Urrel]

Thank you for this, Thurbane. I don't have a copy of the Magic Item Compendium, but I should get one. I think magic items, especially wondrous items, can give mundanes more fun.