Item of Ability +1 (3.5)

[prufock]

According to the rules for creating magic items, an item that boosts an ability score costs (bonus)^2*1000 gp. Technically, this means you can get, for example, Gloves of Dexterity +1 for 1000 gp.

Really, you would only buy such an item if you had an odd-numbered ability score, because it would boost your bonus by one. In effect, you'd be gaining the benefit of the usual +2 item for 1/4 the cost.

Has anyone had experience using such items in-game? Is it way too cheap for the benefit, and does it lead to any gross min/maxing concerns?

[Yuki Akuma]

Items that grant odd ability score bonuses aren't allowed, so no, nobody has experienced it.

There's a reason they don't put them in the books - an odd ability score bonus is totally unbalanced.

[prufock]

Items that grant odd ability score bonuses aren't allowed

Is this actually explicitly stated, or is this just what we would assume from what's available?

[Powerfamiliar]

A +1 ability item is either as useful as a +2 item, or pretty much useless. Hard to come up with a reasonable value given that.

[Abaddon87]

My wizard character has one. Hes lvl 5 and had a 21 INT after the first point boost. I asked my DM if I could buy a circlet of INT +1 and he had no problem with it. Cant remember how much I paid for it exactly but it was half of a normal +2 item. If you think about it, your gonna end up spending more money anyways because when you get the next boost your gonna swap that +1 item for a +2. You wont get as much gold selling the +1 item back as you spent on it. And as far as being unbalanced, I would say no. Your only getting a plus +1 bonus to whatever stat the item is for. It just depends on your DM

[IdleMuse]

I wouldn't really call it "totally unbalanced"; it's just unusual. What I do for players that deliberately ask for one is make it an 'unusual body slot' item, and overcharge them for that. So, Goggles of +1 int for 1250gp.

[prufock]

I wouldn't really call it "totally unbalanced"; it's just unusual. What I do for players that deliberately ask for one is make it an 'unusual body slot' item, and overcharge them for that. So, Goggles of +1 int for 1250gp.

All right, that is hilarious!

Yeah, I can't see how it's "totally unbalanced" but I can see how it would lead to certain mechanical decisions. You can, after all, get +1 Tomes, so there is some precedent for odd numbers.

Maybe upping the relative cost would be a fair way to do it. Instead of using the formula, maybe put them at the halfway points. +1 for 2000, +3 for 10000, etc.

[Esser-Z]

Items that grant odd ability score bonuses aren't allowed, so no, nobody has experienced it.

HOLD IT! Actually, I have experienced it! A GM I've played under had a habit of giving out +1 and +3 stat items. Our method of dealing with them were to check if anyone has an odd stat to boost and afterwards to sell off.


I can't comment on the balance of that game, though, because we had way, way too much loot for our level.

[Noneoyabizzness]

tomes of odd numbered stats exist becausse when you use a wish to increase a stat it's +1-+5. books are wishes not enchancement bonuses

but yeah there is no raw in 3.5 for enhance bonus items to be in multiples of 2

[Gan The Grey]

I'm pretty sure Neverwinter Night 2 had +1 items.

(cue verbal beating)

[Defiant]

Items that grant odd ability score bonuses aren't allowed,

That is not a correct way of putting it.

Items that grant odd ability score bonuses are allowed only with DM approval. The tools exist for creating custom magic items, but these aren't available by default; they are available pending DM approval.

[Saph]

I remember reading a WotC article on this back in 3.0. They specifically didn't allow ability boosts of +1 because it led to the weird situation of having a guy with an even-numbered ability score put the thing on and get no benefit.

[Telonius]

A +1 item wouldn't be completely useless, even for an even-scored person. For strength, you'd get a slight bump in carrying capacity. For dex, you'd have a (barely) better chance to win on initiative. For casting stats, you'd be able to cast one spell level higher (if you aren't already maxed out). For any of the others, you'd be ever-so-slightly less affected by ability damage.

[Keld Denar]

The only stat that gains anything from an odd score is Strength, due to carrying capacity. No other stat in the game is affected this way. All other odd scores are effectively rounded down for the purpose of the bonus that stat grants.

[Tyndmyr]

Well, the exception is ability damage.

And of course, as you do get ability boosts every four levels, the same situation comes up. It's an artifact of the way in which the modifiers work. Kinda odd.

[prufock]

The only stat that gains anything from an odd score is Strength, due to carrying capacity. No other stat in the game is affected this way. All other odd scores are effectively rounded down for the purpose of the bonus that stat grants.

Well, Telonius mentioned a few other cases. Ties in initiative are resolved by your total initiative modifier, which is usually just dex (unless someone has Improved Initiative). Casting stats benefit (by way of being able to cast spells of level = stat-10). But that's about it.

Edit: Thought of one more, for constitution: the amount of time you can run (1 round per point) or hold your breath (2 rounds per point) before you have to make checks.

[SoD]

Well, there's always the roleplaying aspect of having a slightly higher score as well. Wouldn't a fighter love to boost his strength just that tiny bit extra, or a wizard love to be a tad smarter?

[Shhalahr Windrider]

In addition, feats have odd-numbered prerequisites.

And everyone forgets about that wizard with the 18 Int and headband of intellect +2 reaching a level divisible by four and bumping his Int up. Now, his score is odd again. Suddenly, a +3 for a boost to his Int modifier without having to spend for a whole +4 doesn’t seem as silly.