Re: Psionic Helms

Chip Marshall asked:

> I recently started a Spelljammer campaign with several player charecter
> psionists.  They have been wondering if they can use the standard helms to
> propel ships.  If anyone has stats for a psionic helm, or PSP per motive
> force tables, or something, could you please tell me about them. Thanx.
>
	Based on all of the SPJ material available, I think there is the
following list of helms, and the character classess/races that can use them:

	Standard Helm (Minor and Major) - Mages/Priests
	Bardic Helm - Bards
	Forge - Dwarves
	Orbus - Beholders
	Lifejammer - anyone brave (stupid) enough to try
	Ki - Oriental cultures
	Series - Illithid/Psionics
	Pool - Illithids
	Furnance - anyone with magic items to burn (literally)
	Artifurnace - fantasy equivilent of a fusion reactor/warp core
			(anyone can use)
	Jade - Drow/Other creatures with innate spell abilities

	There are probably a few others mentioned, but I can't remember them
right now.  Some of logic above is mine and is roughly based on the source
materials.

	At first, in the main boxed set, there was really only the Std Helm
(mention might have been made of the furnace) and the Forge.  The Std Helm
was intended for all "spell-casting" characters.  Thus, mages/priests/bards.
However, the text usually skipped all mention of bards.  Then, in a later
supplement, they introduced the Iambic (Bardic) helm.  So, obviously, bards
couldn't use the Std Helms; they had to use this variation.
	Psionics are obviously NOT spellcasters.  Thus, there were left out
in the cold.  In fact, they still are.  No where in any text does TSR
actually state what helm a psionic character can use.  Thus, _I_ decided that
since Illithids are naturally psionic monsters, their series helm must be
able to work for psionic characters as well.  It makes a certain amount of
sense (especially since I don't use OA in my games, and thus totally ignore
the existence of the Ki helms).

	Of course, your campaign is free to vary its mileage from these
recommended CAFE numbers.

	Ken Lipka
	klipka@????.com