Bonus stacking [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bonus stacking [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Majick
05-04-07, 10:07 AM I realise that most of the time in D&D like bonuses don't stack, but i was wondering:

Do inherent bonuses stack?

Thanks in advance,

Majick
T3hB4k4
05-04-07, 10:37 AM Well, yes and no.

They stack but you can only have up to a +5 max inherent bonuses
Majick
05-04-07, 10:40 AM what if an inherent bonus is given to you from a grafted appendage? would it stack then with other inherent bonuses?
T3hB4k4
05-04-07, 10:44 AM I think so yes, but again only up to a +5 total inherent bonus, regardless of sources.

Look up the Wish spell, it has a section on inherent bonuses that explains it. Either that or I think the tomes in the DMG that increase your ability scores give inherent bonuses so they might explain it better.
Escef
05-04-07, 10:44 AM what if an inherent bonus is given to you from a grafted appendage? would it stack then with other inherent bonuses?

Is it actually named as an inherent bonus in the source material? If so, does the source material say anything about it?
Majick
05-04-07, 11:11 AM it's a graft only available to undead characters/creations. it says it confers a +4 inherent bonus to strength

(i was planning on playing a necropolitan templated human with the evolved undead template stacked on top, woo!)
NoldorForce
05-04-07, 11:22 AM Is it actually named as an inherent bonus in the source material? If so, does the source material say anything about it?The Wish spell grants inherent bonuses, and so do the Tomes of Ability Score increases. As there is nothing mentioned about stacking, they do not by default stack. Considering the pricing on effects that grant them in addition to the specific text in Wish on granting them, I'd houserule them to stack.

Inherent bonuses themselves are instantaneous; once you get them, there's no stated way to negate them within the rules. To keep things in balance, the maximum is a static +5.
Wotc_Mark
05-04-07, 01:18 PM The Rules of the Game article series covered bonuses prety well. Part 4 had words on Inherent bonuses.

Inherent Bonuses and Level-Based Ability Increases

When you have an inherent bonus to an ability score, you're limited to a +5 inherent bonus to any single ability score. Since an inherent bonus has a name, it won't stack with another inherent bonus (so be careful with those manuals and tomes). The ability score increase you get every four character levels is not an inherent bonus; the ability score you choose to increase just gets bigger.

Part 1: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040120a
Part 2: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040127a
Part 3: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040203a
Part 4: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040210a

MJ
:cool:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Majick 05-04-07, 10:07 AM	I realise that most of the time in D&D like bonuses don't stack, but i was wondering: Do inherent bonuses stack? Thanks in advance, Majick
T3hB4k4 05-04-07, 10:37 AM	Well, yes and no. They stack but you can only have up to a +5 max inherent bonuses
Majick 05-04-07, 10:40 AM	what if an inherent bonus is given to you from a grafted appendage? would it stack then with other inherent bonuses?
T3hB4k4 05-04-07, 10:44 AM	I think so yes, but again only up to a +5 total inherent bonus, regardless of sources. Look up the Wish spell, it has a section on inherent bonuses that explains it. Either that or I think the tomes in the DMG that increase your ability scores give inherent bonuses so they might explain it better.
Escef 05-04-07, 10:44 AM	what if an inherent bonus is given to you from a grafted appendage? would it stack then with other inherent bonuses? Is it actually named as an inherent bonus in the source material? If so, does the source material say anything about it?
Majick 05-04-07, 11:11 AM	it's a graft only available to undead characters/creations. it says it confers a +4 inherent bonus to strength (i was planning on playing a necropolitan templated human with the evolved undead template stacked on top, woo!)
NoldorForce 05-04-07, 11:22 AM	Is it actually named as an inherent bonus in the source material? If so, does the source material say anything about it?The Wish spell grants inherent bonuses, and so do the Tomes of Ability Score increases. As there is nothing mentioned about stacking, they do not by default stack. Considering the pricing on effects that grant them in addition to the specific text in Wish on granting them, I'd houserule them to stack. Inherent bonuses themselves are instantaneous; once you get them, there's no stated way to negate them within the rules. To keep things in balance, the maximum is a static +5.
Wotc_Mark 05-04-07, 01:18 PM	The Rules of the Game article series covered bonuses prety well. Part 4 had words on Inherent bonuses. Inherent Bonuses and Level-Based Ability Increases When you have an inherent bonus to an ability score, you're limited to a +5 inherent bonus to any single ability score. Since an inherent bonus has a name, it won't stack with another inherent bonus (so be careful with those manuals and tomes). The ability score increase you get every four character levels is not an inherent bonus; the ability score you choose to increase just gets bigger. Part 1: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040120a Part 2: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040127a Part 3: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040203a Part 4: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040210a MJ :cool: