I never noticed this before, but a friend informed me that, when using magical items that increase your ability score (Blank of Blanking Blank), it states that for the first 24 hours, the ability score is treated as being temporarily modified. Based on the rules in the Ability Scores section of the first chapter, this suggests that after that first 24 hour duration, it becomes a permanent ability score bonus.
However, looking over the rules difference between temporary bonuses and permanent bonuses, I find that there is no bloody difference (except that a permanent intelligence boost grants you extra skill points, while a temporary bonus does not).
This suggests one of three things:
1) These items are RIDICULOUSLY overpowered, and after 24 hours, the item can be passed to another ally, and then another and another until everybody has a +x to blank.
I justify this by the statement that it's a "Permanent bonus," and therefore would stick around.
2) Once the bonus is considered permanent, it stacks with bonuses from spells such as "bull's strength" and the like. This still feels a bit overpowered to me, but is something I can live with.
The justification for this idea is that the bonus is no longer temporary, so temporary bonuses would stack with it. This is contradicted by the fact that they're both enhancement bonuses, but I'm just putting the idea out there. This would also make things quite convoluted, as far as determining what can stack with what.
3) It works as it always has worked--fighter puts on strength belt, gets stronger; takes off strength belt, gets weaker--and it's just poorly worded and unintentionally confusing. I feel as if this is the most likely answer, but am looking for justification from the mass of minds here on the forums.
Also, if the bonus does become "permanent," as the rules suggest, then that makes the intelligence headband quite overpowered. A permanent boost to intelligence grants you bonus skill points, and on top of that, the intelligence boosting item grants you full ranks in one skill per +2 bonus of your choice. Therefore, a +6 headband would effectively give you 6 fully-ranked skills (3 from the item's effect, and 3 from retroactive skill points due to permanent bonus).
Citation for bonus skill points due to permanent bonus on intelligence: James Jacobs reference, under Intelligence
-The Beast
It works as your option (3), except that you get skill points once you've worn the item for 24 hours.
Everything you get, including those bonus skill points, are lost if/when you remove the item.
It works as your option (3), except that you get skill points once you've worn the item for 24 hours.
Everything you get, including those bonus skill points, are lost if/when you remove the item.
+1
Also it matters a great deal for caster classes, who gain bonus spells from a permanent ability score increase.
The wording of permenant vs. temporary, does actually mean that the bonus is permanent. It is only for as long as you wear the item. Even that is a bit problematic as it assumes that a caster wears his headband even when sleeping or taking a bath, or creates a situation where a wounded risks dying if he takes of his con-belt when taking a dump.
One shouldn't delve to long on the wording, or the wierd situations mentioned above.
But the intention of the difference betwen temporary and permanent bonusses i quite simple:
- A spell that increases your ability score for a short while, doesn't give you the derived effects such as skills points.
- A magic item that you wear, does give you the additional effects, such as skill points or bonus spells.
- BUT to avoid abuse (gaining any skill by switching headbands for example), you can only gain those benefits after wearing it for some time.