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SpicyBoi_Nezu
2019-03-25, 10:13 AM
I am playing a 3.5 Duskblade, that specializes in using his combination of Collector of Stories (Skill Trick) and Knowledge Devotion (Feat) along with his 20 Intelligence, to gain bonuses on attack and damage against his enemies.

My DM is running this as a Creativity Recommended Campaign, allowing each character to rely more on actual thought and planning, as opposed to the roll of the dice. One of our members is playing a "Crafter" and has just begun crafting multiple different magic items for the party. Our DM is allowing him to make any magic item he can think of, combining many different spells and such, as long as he can explain how it works.

I had the concept of a floating book, with hands free page turning and writing, that would act as an Encyclopedia for my character, allowing him to quickly turn to and read the page on the monster he is studying. I just wanted something that would give him a general +2(or more) to identify monsters, just as the Collector of Stories skill trick does, without forcing him to give up one turn just to do so.

According to the "Crafter" I would need Mage hand for the book to float, mage hand again, to turn the pages and write, but my Dm said it was impossible to gain a bonus on any knowledge skill check. I was hoping someone could come up with what I would have to do to get what I want.

nonsi
2019-03-25, 02:30 PM
. . . but my Dm said it was impossible to gain a bonus on any knowledge skill check.


Loremaster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/loremaster.htm) says otherwise when it comes to Bardic Knowledge . . . and Bardic Knowledge is a lot more specific than just any branch of the Knowledge skill.
I don't have the time to search for it, but I remember seeing several other PrCs that grant pluses to certain Knowledge skills.
I see no justification to distinguish Knowledge skill as "Thou shalt not receive bonuses to this one".

rferries
2019-03-30, 05:03 PM
By the magic item crafting rules, an item granting a competence bonus to a skill costs:

= (skill bonus)^2 x 100 gp = 400 gp for a +2 bonus

We can double that cost for granting a bonus other than competence (since it wouldn't stack with Collector of Stories)

= 400 gp x 2 = 800 gp

There are 6 Knowledge skills relevant to identifying monsters (arcana, dungeoneering, local nature, religion, the planes). The item crafting rules for an item with multiple similar abilities give a 25% discount to the cost of the 2nd ability, and a 50% discount to each additional ability thereafter.

= (800 gp x 100%) + (800 gp x 75%) + (800 gp x 50% x 4) = 3,000 gp

If you want an item with a bonus higher than +2, just plug the desired bonus into the above calculations. Depending on your level you might simply want to use an item granting a competence bonus (would make the Collector redundant, but would cost much less).

Book of Many Things
This book floats alongside its owner, and rapidly reveals information relating to monsters upon command. It grants a +2 insight bonus on Knowledge checks made to identify monsters.
Faint divination; CL 1st; Craft Wondrous Item, mage hand, true strike; Price 3,000 gp

rferries
2019-03-30, 05:04 PM
Sorry for double-posting, but you could also ask the DM for a slight discount on the item to make it apply only to monster-identifying checks (though given that's pretty much all you intend to do with it, the DM might not be feeling generous haha).