Minor Bug: Headband of Vast Intelligence

[JimGroves]

These Headbands have one skill associated with it for every +2 to intelligence that they convey.

So a +2 Headband gives 1 extra skill
A +4 Headband has two skills..

The Headbands grants a total number of skill ranks equal to the wearer's total HD.

However, this bonus doesn't stack with the skill ranks that the wearer already has (so if the wearer has more ranks in that skill anyway, there would be no skill rank bonus).

Could we get that item to allow a specific skill association with it?

[JimGroves]

ARGH

I see you've already tried to tackle the whole skill points issue with Permanent INT increase items. There is a post by Mathias Gehl on August 21 asking if the specified extra skill ranks stack with an overall increase in skill points, if worn over 24 hours.

And in any given thread will give you two contradictory answers.

EDIT: It looks like you're not counting the +2 as a permanent INT increase (and therefore not granting extra general skill points per level). I actually see the logic both ways. Plus it's complicated by the fact that we're not sure if the Skill Ranks specifically assigned to the item are in addition to overall additional skill Points, or in place of them.

I've read two treads with nothing but unoffical responses, and while there may be a vague consensus one way or another there's usually a dissenting opinion.

[JimGroves]

In any case.. I went on the assumption that the Headband only grants specific skill ranks, even if worn over 24 hours.

I tried to use the Adjust Tab to add a permanent adjustment to one skill (observing the rule that the ranks don't stack with what the player already has).

There's a bug on adding an adjustment to Class Skills. It allows you to specify a Skill and the Source of the Adjustment, but not an actual number of skills ranks to add.

Sorry to be a pain!

[Cthulhu4Pres]

Jimmy further down the list is the option to grant skill points total, skill points per level and skill bonuses. its in the s's....

[Mathias]

Yep, as you noticed, I tried to get an official response on the Pathfinder Forums - I'll get to these eventually, and hope for an official errata in the meantime. The current copies are just re-named/different item slot SRD items, which is why they still give the bonus in the same way.

The fact that the total skill points adjustment doesn't work is a bug I'll get fixed for the next release.

[JimGroves]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu4Pres

Jimmy further down the list is the option to grant skill points total, skill points per level and skill bonuses. its in the s's....

I see what you're saying.. And Skill Bonus Adjustments do actually work. It will allow you to add ranks. I was using Class Skills, instead of scrolling down to the 'S's.


Lol.. I still had trouble.

Typically a Headband gives ranks in a Knowledge Skill.

However, when you add bonus ranks to a Knowledge Skill that doesn't have a single skill rank to start with, you don't get the bonus.

The temporary work around should be simple. If my Wizard is 8th level, I give him +1 Skill point and put it in the relevant Knowledge Skill. Then add +7 Bonus ranks to that skill from the Headband. It should all come out in the wash.

Except that while you can add Bonus Skills, the function that allows you to add to the total skill points doesn't work. You'll get an error message that there are unspent skill points, but if you add any it will give you an additional warning that you've overspent.





BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I add +1 Skill Point per level, and ensure that they all go in teh Knowledge Skill I specify.. it does work!

[JimGroves]

Just to revisit this topic..

I tired another time to get a definitive answer on whether a Headband of Vast Intelligence grants *only* specific ranks in a knowledge skill; or if they grant specific knowledge ranks in addition to skill points for having an increased intelligence.

I didn't get an immediate answer, but I got a poster who said that it had been answered before. Paizo's search engine is pretty crummy, so I tried googling to look for old Paizo posts.

I came up with a remark from Jason Bulmahn back on July 13, 2008 specifically regarding the Headbands. Note.. it would not come up for me as I think they deleted the forum it was in, but I pulled it up by trying Google's cached page instead.

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards...lPoints&page=1

"Hey there all,

You might also note that Headbands that grant and Int bonus should now include what skills those bonus ranks are put into. This is to clear up the confusion and prevent the headband from becoming interchangable skill ranks.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing"

And other sources have indicated he's stated this also in a set of instructions given to GenCon GMs who had rule questions.

I have found someone else quoting him saying that a permanent increase of Intelligence, though say a wish spell or a book, would grant retroactive skill points.

I believe the language on Page 555 about Permanent Stat increases comes across as wishy washy to me is that he's addressing several scenarios with one paragraph. A stat increasing item is one way to get an increase in an ability.. but there is also wish spells and Tomes. The paragraph on Page 555 address both scenarios. The language specific to the Headband of Vast Intelligence stats that their bonus ranks are hardwired into a specific knowledge skill is to prevent that method of increasing your intelligence to be an exploit in continually redefining your skills every time you take it off and put it back on for 24 hours.

So.. I think the Headbands give you specific knowledge ranks, and you do not get any extra skill points. Those specific knowledge ranks are what you get instead extra skill points.

[JimGroves]

Mathias!

Paizo finally clarified this beyond a shadow of a doubt.

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards...ints&page=1#27

Editor-in-Chief James Jacobs sets the record straight.

You get fixed Skill Ranks in a specific skill after attunement, no bonus skill points (or rather the fixed ranks are in lieu of skill points).

[JimGroves]

Speaking of which.. I see the Adjustment Panel is fixed.. The only thing about it is, if you don't already have a skill point in the skill, no extra ranks will be recognized.

Now maybe the Adjustment shouldn't be corrected.

So long as when you get around to Headbands, you're able to code it correctly.