Re: Alternative helm creation (Series Helms/psionic helms)

>From: Dreamer <dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk>
>Reply-To: Discussion list for the Spelljammer campaign setting              
><SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com>
>To: SPELLJAMMER-L@??????.???????.com
>Subject: [SPELLJAMMER] Alternative helm creation
>Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 10:15:01 +0000

Onto Psionic Helms...

>What is less clear are the means by which you might create
>alternative helms. You could assume that helms for psionics
>(those with levels) are basically equivalent to the standard
>Minor and Major Helm, except psionic rather than spell powered.
>
>What about the Series Helm? It needs to be customised for the
>abilities of the race who is to power it, but is just saying it
>is as easy to build as a Minor Helm enough? Maybe a bit easier,
>though still not a lower level spell, as the listed price is
>cheaper?

The original series helm in the SJ Campaign Setting was intended for 
Illithids. As they are psionic creatures in the optional 2e rules I think 
that the Series Helm should be a psionic helm.

It does say that the helms of the Mind Flayers only work for them, so I 
think that Series Helms should have some sort of racial thing going on with 
them. There should also be some sort of psionic power (I think it was a 
talent or skill in 2e) to convert power points (PSPs in 2e) into SR. From 
what I recall one Mind Flayer on a Series Helm generates just 1 SR. Perhaps 
there should be a new Power called something like:

"Control Series Helm".

I would make it a 1st Level power (so that any psionic character could buy 
it) and make it work in co-ordination with the magic of the Series Helm.

Back to the magical item creation process (don't forget that the Series Helm 
is a magical not psionic item) lets see what we can do to make one.

You can either rule that characters need a psionic power to use it (as I 
suggested above) or you could even have the magic item drain power points 
without the helmsman needing to learn anything.

Have a look at this URL for some examples of 3e magic items that are used by 
psionic characters:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/basics.htm#magicItemsForPsionicCharacters

This should give you an idea of which way to do it.

I'm not sure how fast the power points (PSPs) should be drained, but I think 
that a ship crew similar, in number, to mind-flayers should be able to move 
a ship continuously. As psionic characters are usually less numerous than 
magical charcters (and series helms and magical helms don't work together on 
the same ship) it will be possible to spelljam with psionics but not 
encouraged. (Would this be called psijamming?) This should explain why there 
are not thosands of ships with Series Helms floating around.

Regardless of the way that the helms gets their power points from their 
users I would mentally join all of the helmsmen in some way. This would let 
them all see though the ship and allow them to co-operate (or fight) over 
the direction that the ship was travelling in. (If characters did not all 
agree the ship could move like a ouija board pointer with helmsmen making 
opposing checks of some kind to see who is in controll each round.)

**************

I can't remember how much they cost but I would be tempted to make the 
"extra material components"...

...(1) phlogiston and
(2) blood from a psionic character of the race that will use the helm.

*************

This would explain why other psionic characters can not use Illithid Helms, 
and also let you create your own ones (if you really want to).

A second alternative is to get rid of the Illithid only rule about Series 
Helms and let psionic characters have the ability to try to seize controll 
of an Illithid ship! Now that would be a fun game to watch!

David "Big Mac" Shepheard
easyInternet internet cafe
London UK