DC 35 Int check

[Runeclaw]

My party found a magical book with a page in it than can grant a +1 permanent Strength bonus if you make a DC 35 Inteligence check. This seems nontrivial.

I believe we're allowed to take 20 on the check, so I'd need a +15 bonus. Sadly, I begin with no Int bonus.

Obviously I can get some from a headband or something, but where else can I find bonuses to Int or bonuses that apply generically to an ability check?

[Fortuna]

Fox's Cunning will help, I think. Um... Wish can get you a total +5 eventually. No other ideas ATM.

[oxybe]

aid another, +2
+6 int enhancement item, +3 to your int mod
get a Marshal to inspire int (16 cha),+3 circumstance
buy the DM a tasty sandwich, +2 snack
give that Marshal a +6 charisma item, add another +3 to his circumstance
have a Bard cast "good hope", +2 morale bonus

so +15

[Eldariel]

The one thing that might enable you to succeed: Polymorph Any Object. It enables you to acquire Int of your new form if it's higher than your present form's. Sarrukh, from Serpent Kingdoms, commands an impressive Intelligence of 30. After that, all you need is +6 enhancement bonus item and +4 book and you're done. This is the only solution that doesn't require anything external (as long as you can cast level 8 spells or UMD them or get it from within the party; if not, purchase a casting, there are prices in the PHB for spellcasting services). As a bonus, this is Core outside the form you need (30 Int creatures in Core have too high HD).

You could actually shoot a bit higher by magically aging yourself through e.g. Bestow Curse or fast-time plane or similar, but there's the problem of rewinding your age suddenly becoming quite non-trivial, especially if you are to maintain your bonus (otherwise Forced Dream-style shenanigans could work). Age gives you +3 Age-bonus to Intelligence.


Ability check bonuses are a touch easier to find; it may be worthwhile to look into the realms of Magic of Incarnum for those. A Marshal-cohort with high Charisma and Motivate Intelligence could also help. There are also spells for this, but I'm blanking out on them at the moment. I do believe the Bard 1-spell Improvisation [Spell Compendium] could do that though.


EDIT: Aid Another is unlimited and thus, a bunch of small Animated Objects doing DC 10 Int-checks could easily boost you to +35. Just have enough of them to account for about half failing.

[Eurus]

Moment of Prescience would do it.

[The Dark Fiddler]

If there's no penalty for failure, see if you can't get your DM to count nat 20's as 30s (and possibly nat 1's as -10, if it takes that to convince him/her) and just keep rolling. Although I doubt that your DM will suddenly adopt a new houserule like this.

[Arbitrarity]

Moment of Prescience would do it.

Only on opposed checks. If you have non-core, an uber-high CL scroll of Improvisation would work.

[Arti3]

If there's no penalty for failure, see if you can't get your DM to count nat 20's as 30s (and possibly nat 1's as -10, if it takes that to convince him/her) and just keep rolling. Although I doubt that your DM will suddenly adopt a new houserule like this.

That is what every DnD game I have played in has been... didn't know there was another way...

[Curmudgeon]

That is what every DnD game I have played in has been... didn't know there was another way...

And lots of people play Monopoly with the "Free Parking" jackpot, unaware that that's a house rule, too.

[Arti3]

And lots of people play Monopoly with the "Free Parking" jackpot, unaware that that's a house rule, too.

:0
I did not know that either.

[Optimystik]

Sell the book. +1 Str is not a big enough bonus to justify pumping your Int that high, especially when you clearly don't rely on it as a primary stat.

[AslanCross]

Indeed. You might night even feel the Strength increase if you're at an even number.

[ericgrau]

The right ioun stone and a stone of good luck can get you a +2 (+1 luck, +1 competence), but we're talking 50,000 gp there. You might as well buy a tome first.

A potion of good hope gives a +2 morale bonus. I think its 1,050 gp. A deity with divine inspiration can give you a +4 morale bonus.

[absolmorph]

See if you can convince your DM to give you a bonus for doing it in a really awesome way (y'know, in the same way Exalted does), and come up with a REALLY AWESOME BOOK READING SEQUENCE. Use everything you can.

Also:
Aid Another. Get enough peasants to fill any squares surrounding you that your party can't, and have them all use Aid Another to give you a +2 bonus (each, for a total of +16). Pay them by using your improved strength to build them a house (or improve the house they have) and feed 'em for a few days (possibly in addition to whatever food they need while they Aid you).
Use a Marshal with Motivate Intelligence; assuming a Charisma of 15, that's another +2 (+18 total).
Fox's Cunning gives a +4 enhancement to Int, which is another +2 (+20 total).
You now need a 15-Int mod to make the roll (not accounting for Fox's Cunning).

Or just abuse small (or smaller) Animated Objects making Aid Another checks.

[Accersitus]

Sell the book. +1 Str is not a big enough bonus to justify pumping your Int that high, especially when you clearly don't rely on it as a primary stat.

I have to agree, this sounds like a clever DM trap trying to get you to spend more resources to get the bonus. than you would need to spend to get the actual benefit.

[Eldariel]

The right ioun stone and a stone of good luck can get you a +2 (+1 luck, +1 competence), but we're talking 50,000 gp there. You might as well buy a tome first.

This is actually an excellent idea since if you don't really care for your Int other than reading this, you get much more for your money as these apply to your other actions too. And with just one casting of PAO, those and +6 Headband (borrow from the party Wizard), you'd have it.

[Eurus]

Only on opposed checks. If you have non-core, an uber-high CL scroll of Improvisation would work.

Huh. You know, I never noticed the "opposed" bit...

[absolmorph]

If you're spending major resources on this, you're doing it wrong.
There are plenty of ways to get cheap bonuses to a check without spending more than 50 gp.
Also, Reduce Person and 16 Halflings.

[erikun]

Is this something repeatable for everyone, or is the book one use?

If it is repeatable, then just get the required supplies (PAO, +6 Headband of Intellect, two ioun stones) and have everyone make the check, then sell the book for cash to pay everyone back. I'm sure you wizard will appreciate having PAO in his spellbook, not to mention the headband.

If it is a one-use item (that is, a Manual of Gainful Exercise), then just sell it and buy a scroll of Wish for the party wizard. The simple +1 version is only 1,000 gp short of the scroll, and one that would give +2 is over twice the price. Given that the wizard can cast Wish multiple times without a skill check - and for other ability scores - the scroll is much more useful than the book.