Ioun Stone Limit

[mehs]

My Gm is instituting a limit of 3 ioun stones (+1 if i have a wayfinder) while still arguing that they are still a slotless item even though this would make them occupy an "ioun stone" slot. In general, what should my reaction be? At this point im just confused. I guess a 250gp and four hrs of downtime to make additional wayfinders isn't too much of a tax if i really need them.

[Zaq]

How many had you planned on having? They still cost gold, after all. Does this actually cramp your style that much?

[Kelb_Panthera]

How many had you planned on having? They still cost gold, after all. Does this actually cramp your style that much?

This is a good question.

You are aware of that ioun stones of the same type don't stack?

[PunBlake]

Maybe your DM will allow you to take inspiration from the Ioun Blade (A&EG pg111). Basically, if you have a limit on floating ioun stones, maybe you can use a +1 enchantment to keep it locked in a weapon and active when held. It's generally not worth, though.

Why are you not putting items in slots? Is your character in epic levels or something with all slots filled? Do you not know (or allow the use of) the rules from the MIC about common magic item effects stacking? Floating ioun stones can be stolen (even though it's hard).

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Psychoactive skins are technically slotless items, but you can only wear three at a time (while only making use of one's abilities). Is that where he got his inspiration from?

Also, use the rules in the MIC to transfer ioun stone properties to your slotted items. There's a 50% markup, but slotless items have a 200% markup, which will be taken off due to no longer being applicable, leaving you with an item property that costs 75% of the original ioun stone's price (unless it's the most expensive property, in which case its cost is cut in half).

[Fizban]

The "slotless" item markup is more accurately a "does not occupy any of the core item slots" markup. There are already so many standard item slots that you only ever feel a crunch if you've got to use vanilla items that fill up slots with one type of flat bonus each. Putting a limit on a non-standard item "slot" is perfectly fine because that slot is already an extra slot.

If custom items that always have the ability you want plus the flat bonus you want at no markup are the norm, then the number of standard item slots actually ought to be reduced. If your goal is to just let everyone have whatever they want with no markups or tradeoffs, then better to just remove the slot system altogether (and reserve the "slotless" cost for items that cannot be lost or stolen).

[Coventry]

My Gm is instituting a limit of 3 ioun stones (+1 if i have a wayfinder) while still arguing that they are still a slotless item even though this would make them occupy an "ioun stone" slot. In general, what should my reaction be? At this point im just confused. I guess a 250gp and four hrs of downtime to make additional wayfinders isn't too much of a tax if i really need them.

A thought experiment: What was your reaction when you found out that your character was only allowed to wear one magic belt? If that did not bother you, then does it make sense for your GM's Ioun stone house rule to bother you?

If your DM will only allow you to use one Wayfinder, and you character has reason to need more than four Ioun stones, then consider tracking down or crafting a set of Bracers of Ioun Spite (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/bracers-ioun-spite/), which can hold four stones by itself.

[Jay R]

Clearly, your GM thinks that Ioun stones either have been or will be abused. Is there a justification for this? How many Ioun stones will the party have to stop using because of this rule? And what level is the party?

[Particle_Man]

Is it a setting based rule perhaps? Does your settings sun have three planets or does your setting's world have three moons?

Certainly, I don't see how it breaks the game mechanically even if a character dumps their WBL into buying each and every Ioun stone. Especially since I believe they can be targetted by enemies. Heck, they can be targetting by enemies with nets!

[mehs]

We are level 4 and we currently have 2 ioun stones total at the moment (and are about to sell one because for some reason a shopkeeper is offering 600 for a cracked dusty rose ioun stone (cost to make 250) though a tourmaline sphere wayfinder set was sold to the same shop keeper for 500 (cost to make 750)) As far as i know the limit isnt for story reasons or because we are abusing the ioun stones, but because the gm doesnt like the idea of a more or less halo of orbiting rocks around someones head. My reaction towards the limit was trying to understand why there would be a limit when every picture I had ever seen of someone using ioun stones shows multiple. Eh, the limit wont affect us almost at all, it was just a weird thing to do a limit on in my mind.

[Jay R]

Eh, the limit wont affect us almost at all, ...

Then don't sweat it. Never argue with a GM unless
1. It matters, and
2. You might win.

Neither condition obtains. Move on.

[Kish]

If that's the GM's concern, I would suggest to them house ruling that if someone puts two or more ioun stones in orbit of their head, the ioun stones merge into a single multicolored stone with the effects of both/all the stones, and fall back apart when unequipped. Just because they might like that better than having even three ioun stones around someone's head.

Other than that, there's no problem here.

[rferries]

Agreed with all of the above. However I'd add that you should get a discount for buying/crafting them - slotless items cost twice as much since you're meant to be able to have an unlimited number of them. Now that you do have a limit imposed, they shouldn't be as expensive.

[stack]

Aren't there rules for implanting them somewhere?

I personally doubt you will get so many that having them orbit would be an issue, given bonus stacking rules, but getting them implanted is kind of interesting. Probably has unreasonable restrictions I don't recall.

[hamishspence]

As far as i know the limit isnt for story reasons or because we are abusing the ioun stones, but because the gm doesnt like the idea of a more or less halo of orbiting rocks around someones head.

"Halo of orbiting stones" can look pretty good.

Larloch, one of the most powerful liches in the Realms, had a heck of a lot of ioun stones.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/2/27/Larloch_-_Carl_Critchlow.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160515032905

[ericgrau]

My Gm is instituting a limit of 3 ioun stones (+1 if i have a wayfinder) while still arguing that they are still a slotless item even though this would make them occupy an "ioun stone" slot. In general, what should my reaction be? At this point im just confused. I guess a 250gp and four hrs of downtime to make additional wayfinders isn't too much of a tax if i really need them.

Your reaction should be utter indifference. Most people don't even need so many ioun stones. And even if it would be nice to have more, there are 935,000 other things you can do with your character because this is 3.5. And you already have an easy work-around. This is hardly the most restrictive house rule out there. More like the opposite. Your DM makes the rules and you play by them because it wastes game time to fight too much. Before you say anything to him, move on and wait for something that actually hampers the game way way more than this.


Agreed with all of the above. However I'd add that you should get a discount for buying/crafting them - slotless items cost twice as much since you're meant to be able to have an unlimited number of them. Now that you do have a limit imposed, they shouldn't be as expensive.
In theory sure, but this is an extremely weak limitation. I'd knock 1% off the price tops. Or not even bother.

I think the OP is asking about this pointless thing more for flavor reasons if anything. So it's totally a matter of opinion. But I think your DM thinks too many stones orbiting you could be messy and/or distracting. I can also see how a dozen stones might look cool. Hmm... I'm still pretty indifferent about the flavor too. It's almost as if I'm intentionally wasting time on the weekend.