-	-	Explanation of Abilities	-	-
Character Abilities	-	-	-	DMG

ADQ: Magickal books, tomes, librams, 
etc., can raise an ability score by 1 point. 
What is the maximum to which a single 
score can be raised? In particular, are 
pearls of wisdom cumulative. 
ADA: Magickal books, librams, and tomes 
can raise ability scores above the racial 
maxima, as can ioun stones (temporarily), 
wishes, and artifacts. Once beyond the 
racial maximum, the last "limit" is 25 -- 
but this is impossible to reach by mortal 
means, magickal or mundane. Lesser items 
cannot raise scores above racial maxima, 
nor can aging of any sort. Note that each <correction: aging can raise WIS above the maxima> 
such work can be used only once per character 
(per type of book). Rulebook lawyers 
may argue that certain entries in the DMG 
lack the "once only" phrase, but the designer's 
intentions are the same for all of them. 
Note also that a reincarnated or polymorphed 
character is still the same life 
force, and therefore still the same character 
(though in a different container, so to 
speak). 
(Polyhedron #24)