Topic: Stat bonus boosting spells

[Jengada]

Are there any spells that provide a temporary increase to a stat bonus? For example, +5 to SD for 1 round/level (or minute, or whatever). I went through the RM2 spell lists, and found nothing except the Monk spells Strength II etc. These don't so much add a bonus, as they provide a multiplier to damage.
What I did find, was spells that allow lowering a stat (Dull Mind, Impair). These spells affect the base stats, not the bonuses. Their durations are on the order of months, not minutes. They also tend to be fairly low level, for example Impair I is 2nd level, lowers 1 physical stat by 5 for 1 month/5% failure. Dull Mind I is 1st level and lowers 1 mental stat by 5 for 1 month/5% failure.
Does anyone know of stat-bonus boosting spells in a Companion, or one of the later systems (RMSS, RMU)?
At the risk of a tangent, has anyone used the alchemist General N spells to create items with bonuses to specific stats or skills? It seems to fit in the vague wording of these spells, but I could see it potentially being very powerful if applied cleverly.

[Hurin]

RMU has a new one, Strength I (Lay Healer Base, Muscle Mastery) which gives +5 ST.

[Dreven1]

Hi Jengada, I made some up in my game.  Don't be afraid to do that.  Just make sure you look at the other lists (like the Paladin and some of the 'adds +whatever to a skill).  Typically, it would scale, but there will be an unfair cross-over for someone with a 89 or 96 vs someone with one of the stat ranges that falls below the bonus threshold.
Also, if you give blanket bonuses to a stat bonus, it can affect the character's skills WILDLY. Some skills will shoot up in broad categories (if you boost strength, more than just melee weapon is boosted).
I would highly recommend that you only give bonuses to specific skills with spells. For instance, the Paladins attack bonus instant spells.  They start by giving a +15 to an attack (only!).  This is great since it takes a -10 to cast an instant and attack only giving a +5. This is a very low-level spell so that works. Other spells might be similar so you would have to modify them to take in consideration the -10 for casting in combat OR they would just be a flat +5 in xyz skill.
Example list for aiding in say Duping (Lying Law):
1st level - Study patsy - this would be having to assess how best to dupe a target and for use with other spells on this list
2nd - Dupe 1 - Adds a +3 to duping a target previously studied.
5th - Dupe 2 - Adds a +5 to duping a target previously studied.
10th - Dupe 3 - Adds a +10 to duping a target previously studied.
15th - Dupe 4 -Adds a +15 to duping a target previously studied.
20th - True Duping - As Dupe I except casters level + 10 is added to the Duping roll as a bonus (e.g. Level 21 casts True Duping and receives a +21+10 = 31 to the Duping roll.
This is just an example but the sky's the limit! I have players give me spell lists all the time.  We DO playtest them quite a bit with massaging every now and again, but overall, its a blast! (just be sure to have them understand that what works today might be broken later on and need adjustments)
Happy gaming!

[B Hanson]

I had some in BASiL

https://ironcrown.co.uk/ICEforums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=16681.0;attach=3298

[rdanhenry]

I'm pretty sure there were some stat boosting spells in RM2 companion. Checking quickly, RM Comp. II, Sage Base, Lore's Master has a couple of spell that give the Sage a +20 bonus to both Reasoning and Memory stat bonuses (and these spells are always on!). Low level, too.

[GrumpyOldFart]

In RM2 I homebrewed an herb called Stark that was considered very useful to people investigating things. It would increase Re and SD by +20 and decrease Em and Pr by -10 for 4 hours.

[Barner Cobblewood]

@GrumpyOldFart We really need some kind of HatsOff! button to respond to excellent posts.

[GrumpyOldFart]

You can make up an herb to fill pretty much anything you consider a "hole" in the world system. I think things like Stark should be obvious to anyone who wants investigative skills to be an important part of their game.

And if it becomes a problem, just make it addictive.

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Well, you have some of the "Mind Mastery" spells that give from +50 to +100 to either ME, RE or SD for one manoeuvre but, of course, the main culprit should be the "Ephemeral Enhancement" spell list, which is just completely dedicated to increase temporarily temporary and potential statistics… and, well, increasing statistics also increase the matching bonuses.

[Jengada]

Well, you have some of the "Mind Mastery" spells that give from +50 to +100 to either ME, RE or SD for one manoeuvre but, of course, the main culprit should be the "Ephemeral Enhancement" spell list, which is just completely dedicated to increase temporarily temporary and potential statistics… and, well, increasing statistics also increase the matching bonuses.

Which system/companion is Ephemeral Enhancement in?

[Jengada]

I had some in BASiL

https://ironcrown.co.uk/ICEforums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=16681.0;attach=3298

I'm guessing this is for RMSS, since the bonuses are +1 etc.? Easy enough to scale, and thanks for the tip.

[kwickham]

To me, stat bonuses aren't really magical if they just are a substitute for progressing characters. The same goes for any skill replacement spells—spells that a regular skill can do. Both types of spells lessen the need to improve skills and attributes. Character stat and skill improvement should remain the main method of improving those skills and triats.

I hope RMU lists don't waste spells on doing what a regular character may improve via stat gains, skills, and racial/species abilities.

I'd rather have magic do magical things—stuff that goes beyond the limits of reality for a genre.

[B Hanson]

I recall that I built these based on early RMU that Matt developed. Since then I've scaled them up quite a bit. A 7th lvl spell that adds a +5 to a 3 stat average seems reasonable?

[Hurin]

A 7th lvl spell that adds a +5 to a 3 stat average seems reasonable?

Seems pretty good to me. Note that Strength I (+5 ST) on the Lay Healer list Muscle Mastery is only a level 4 spell, but again, that is a base list. So I would say +5 for a level 7 spell is fine.

[OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol]

Which system/companion is Ephemeral Enhancement in?

RoCo. V.