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Could you explain the inherent bonuses system? I think it come from Dark Sun to replace magic items?

In short the system replaces the mathematical need for you to constantly improve the + on your armor neck and weapons.

Level 2 - Players function as if they have a +1 weapon.
Level 4 - Players function as if they have a +1 neck/armor.

Every 5 levels from each of those two levels the appropriate thing levels up (IE +2 weapons at 7 and +2 neck/armor at 9).

There is more to it than that, but thats the general gist of things.

Edit: yes from darksun. 

The other major point to keep in mind is that the inherent bonuses are Item bonuses. They do not stack with magical weapons, armor or neck items.

Nov 27, 2012 -- 4:32PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

The other major point to keep in mind is that the inherent bonuses are Item bonuses. They do not stack with magical weapons, armor or neck items.

You mean Enhancement Bonuses.

Nov 27, 2012 -- 5:50PM, Salla wrote:

Nov 27, 2012 -- 4:32PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

The other major point to keep in mind is that the inherent bonuses are Item bonuses. They do not stack with magical weapons, armor or neck items.

You mean Enhancement Bonuses.

ya, brain fart, sorry 

I ran a 10 level campaign where I wanted magic items to be rarem feel really special and get away from the whole +X labelling. I decided to try the inherent bonus system and it worked really well. Whenever the PC's found a magic item it was simply "Frost Weapon" or "Healer's Mace" and then the +X simply came from their inherent bonus.

One of the nice side effects is that people built up a story around their basic, mundane gear they had from level 1. Without the need to be constantly upgrading an items +X bonus, the player's items really took on a history of their own. The other thing that happened is that unarmed and unarmored combat became a reality because the PC's didn't depend on the +X from their gear to get those attack and defense bonuses.

This campaign ended and my current campaign is too far along to go messing with the system, but the next time I start a 4e campaign I will definitely use inherent bonuses right from the start.

Nov 28, 2012 -- 12:31PM, Style75 wrote:

I ran a 10 level campaign where I wanted magic items to be rarem feel really special and get away from the whole +X labelling. I decided to try the inherent bonus system and it worked really well. Whenever the PC's found a magic item it was simply "Frost Weapon" or "Healer's Mace" and then the +X simply came from their inherent bonus.

One of the nice side effects is that people built up a story around their basic, mundane gear they had from level 1. Without the need to be constantly upgrading an items +X bonus, the player's items really took on a history of their own. The other thing that happened is that unarmed and unarmored combat became a reality because the PC's didn't depend on the +X from their gear to get those attack and defense bonuses.

This campaign ended and my current campaign is too far along to go messing with the system, but the next time I start a 4e campaign I will definitely use inherent bonuses right from the start.

I agree completely.  Inherent bonuses was a great idea.  Heck, I started giving out free ritual uses (You can use up to your level in rituals per day, if you can use rituals ... variable cost rituals like Enchant Magic Item were exempt), and stopped using XP ... it really changed the game for the better.  No more 'gotta scramble for XP or treasure, I'm this close to getting an item/level'.  Really opened things up.

Yeah Style your way is how I have been running things pretty much since getting the DMG2

i am doing a blog series on new stronghold rules for 4e, and interestingly enough, inherent bonuses play a huge role in being able to use not only stronghold rules, but also other old-school ideas, like treasure types. here is part one if anyone is interested.

frothsof4e.blogspot.com/2012/11/in-searc...

Interesting. It's in the Dark Sun campaign setting book ? I will check my FLGS if they have it used.

Question: When clicking the box for Inherent Bonuses for the Character Builder and then Adding magical weapons, I see that it does stack in the CB. Is this a glitch? Or when using the CB, just ignore adding magical items and plug them in separately? 

It's not hard to do since the mechanics don't add in, but it'd be nice to do it all at once instead of Print Screen the items from the Compendium and then putting them into MS Paint and then to a MS Works doc.  

Nov 29, 2012 -- 4:15PM, Diffan wrote:

Question: When clicking the box for Inherent Bonuses for the Character Builder and then Adding magical weapons, I see that it does stack in the CB. Is this a glitch? Or when using the CB, just ignore adding magical items and plug them in separately? 

It's not hard to do since the mechanics don't add in, but it'd be nice to do it all at once instead of Print Screen the items from the Compendium and then putting them into MS Paint and then to a MS Works doc.  

Must be a bug. I just added a Magic weapon to a character with inherent bonuses, and it did not stack and it calls out in the breakdown of the attack bonus that the bonuses do not stack.

There's the Inherent Bonuses (Dungeon Master's Guide 2) and the Fixed Enhancement Bonuses (Dark Sun Campaign Setting). They have similar game progression but have little differences;  Fixed Enhancement Bonuses use Enhancement bonus, just like Magic Items, while Inherent Bonuses use untyped bonuses.

DMG II 138 A Reward-Based Game: AC Defense, Attack, and Damage bonuses: Without magic items, the PC’s attacks, defense and damage lag behind. You can solve this problem by giving PCs flat bonuses as they advance in level. These bonuses stack.
  Attack and Damage: All character gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls at Level 2, 7, 12, 17, 22 and 27.
  Defense: All PCs gain a + 1 bonus to AC, Fortitude, Reflex and Will at Level 4, 9, 14, 19, 24 and 29.

DSCS 209 Fixed Enhancement Bonuses: At discrete levels, characters gain flat bonuses to attack rolls, damage rolls, and defenses. These flat bonuses do not stack with enhancement bonuses gained from magic items, and they progress at a slightly slower rate. Use the following table to assign fixed enhancement bonuses to player characters based on their levels.
  Attack and Damage: All character gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls* at Level 2, 7, 12, 17, 22 and 27.
  Defense: All PCs gain a + 1 enhancement bonus to AC, Fortitude, Reflex and Will at Level 4, 9, 14, 19, 24 and 29.
*When you score a critical hit, you deal 1d6 extra damage per point of fixed enhancement bonus to the attack roll.

Nov 29, 2012 -- 4:20PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

Nov 29, 2012 -- 4:15PM, Diffan wrote:

Question: When clicking the box for Inherent Bonuses for the Character Builder and then Adding magical weapons, I see that it does stack in the CB. Is this a glitch? Or when using the CB, just ignore adding magical items and plug them in separately? 

It's not hard to do since the mechanics don't add in, but it'd be nice to do it all at once instead of Print Screen the items from the Compendium and then putting them into MS Paint and then to a MS Works doc.  

Must be a bug. I just added a Magic weapon to a character with inherent bonuses, and it did not stack and it calls out in the breakdown of the attack bonus that the bonuses do not stack.

Hmmm, thanks for the info. I'll update another character with the Inherent bonuses and see if the magical items stack or not.