Hi all,
I was wondering:
Wouldn't be conceivable to find a cheap cracked ioun stone
(i.e., a Scarlet and Blue Sphere that granted +1 bonus to Craft (Alchemy)...200 gp) and have it made intelligent (500 gp) and endowed with speech (+500 gp) and, may be, a fair score in ability scores (Int/Wis/Cha 12, +500 gp)...for a total value of 1.700 gp...
...and then use it to Aid Another yourself in any "usable untrained" Intelligence, Charisma and Wisdom-based skill??
Would this doable?
Would such an intelligent magic item be able to help my Craft (Alchemy) attempts?
Thanks,
Skarm
The question becomes whether the aid provided in Alchemy is in physically crafting the item, or in the knowledge and skill of the alchemical assembly. I think it could go either way, and I would allow it, although you would only have a 55% chance of adding a mere +2 to your Alchemy check.
So, you're paying 1,700 gold for something to add an average 2.1 to your Craft Alchemy check, and introducing an intelligent item to the equation. While the item's Ego score of 4 is unlikely to win over the character in a battle of wills, there is always the possibility for discord, since it does have its own personality. For slightly cheaper (1,600 gold), you could have a permanent +4 Craft Alchemy bonus in an item that has no possibility of conflict with the character.
In cases where the skill restricts who can achieve certain results, such as trying to open a lock using Disable Device, you can’t aid another to grant a bonus to a task that your character couldn’t achieve alone. The GM might impose further restrictions to aiding another on a case-by-case basis as well.
Most ioun stones are incapable of crafting alchemical items by themselves, though they could still make checks that don't require manipulating things.
In cases where the skill restricts who can achieve certain results, such as trying to open a lock using Disable Device, you can’t aid another to grant a bonus to a task that your character couldn’t achieve alone. The GM might impose further restrictions to aiding another on a case-by-case basis as well.
That's why I questioned whether the aid provided here was of a physical or mental nature. Unlike opening a lock in Disable Device, anybody can take a crack at an Alchemy check. Or are you saying that the stone in this case couldn't provide aid if the DC was greater than 21, since that is a result it could not achieve alone?
EDIT: Ah, your post wasn't done at the time I replied...
Ah, sorry. Sometimes I post in stages. -_-
I'm with Ultrace here... While it could, conceivably, take-ten, guaranteeing you a +3 every time, it's still an intelligent item with entirely it's own will. It's not Bob The Skull, which has it's own intelligence, but takes on it's owner's general state of will. From a purely mechanical stand point, it's better to get the +4, and enchant it on, say, your alchemy kit.
From a purely FLUFF stand, it's freaking awesome. I might actually talk to my GM about doing something like this for my main...