Simple Rules for Helmets

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

I've presented some rules for helmets in the past that were fairly well received (having them grant a benefit to Threat APs), and thought I'd present this simple alternative (from my Basic D&D campaign) for those who found them too complicated or detailed...

HELMET: 1 in 6 chance of negating a threat (converting it to a normal blow).

HELM: 2 in 6 chance of negating a threat.

You can assess whatever penalties to Spot, Hear, Spell-Failure, Weapon Use, etc. that you feel are appropriate.

 

[Dispater]

Helmet are somehow allready incorporated into the armours in the PHB, but - I too feel that they don't have any real value, and in the medieval ages most warriors worth their salt would protect themselves with helmets. At such, I think it's a good rule. But if you stick with realism, you'll have to add some big penalties to spot and Listen for those huge knight's helmets - I know its pretty imposible to see or hear anything at all when you have one of those on your head.

 

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

Helmet are somehow allready incorporated into the armours in the PHB...

True. I assume the values to be sans helmet when incorporating these rules however (I always forget to state this explicitly, and someone always points it out ).

...you'll have to add some big penalties to spot and Listen for those huge knight's helmets - I know its pretty imposible to see or hear anything at all when you have one of those on your head.

The penalties I assigned to Helms with my other system are as follows (by way of example)...

HELM

Skill Checks: -6

Spell-Failure: +50%

The skill penalty applies to Spot, Listen, etc.

If non-proficient, the higher of the armour or helm penalty also applies to attacks.

Even if proficient, a -3 penalty is applied to archery (not crossbows).

For a Helmet, maybe something along the lines of -2 / +10% would be appropriate.

Like I said, whatever works best for a given campaign

 

[Corlon]

and masterwork?

Should it reduce the skills check minuses by 1 and the arcane spell failure by 10%, or how about helmets are -3/20% and masterwork reduces the skill checks by two and the spell failure by ten?

 

[Thorvald Kviksverd]

Re: and masterwork?

Should it reduce the skills check minuses by 1 and the arcane spell failure by 10%, or how about helmets are -3/20% and masterwork reduces the skill checks by two and the spell failure by ten?

Another alternative might be to simply have a masterwork item halve the penalties--leaving you with the following values...

Helm, Masterwork: -3 / +25%

Helmet, Masterwork: -1 / +5%

The reasoning being, since helms adversely affect these things to a greater extent to begin with, they stand to derive a greater benefit from tinkering.

BTW, if anyone's interested, I can re-post my original system that has helm/ets affect the Threat AP...

EDIT: Also forgot to mention that the above Spell-Failure chance only applies to those spells with Verbal components.