Re: Helm conversion for 3rdEd - proposal

In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Sun 02 Apr, Loki wrote:
> One thought, in 3.5 there is a feat called Create Portal (planar
> portal that is) which allows the caster to create a permanent portal
> between planes. This sets a precedent for needing a seperate feat for
> really makor magic items to be created. I would like to propose a
> Craft Helm feat. This would also lend itself to continuing the Arcane
> near monopoly while putting helm creation in the hands of PCs/NPCs if
> they are able to meet (stiff) requirements and are able to learn the
> feat from someone. This preserves the "painful yet possible," take on
> things which I wholeheartedly agree with. (In my game the Arcane, The
> Elves, and salvage are the only ways to aquire helms most of the
> time).
> 
> Original Text from the Stronghold Builder's Guide:
> Create Portal Feat
> Prerequisite:Craft Wondrous Item
> Benefit:You can create any portal whose prerequisites you meet.
> Crafting a portal takes one day for each 1,000gp in its base price. To
> craft a portal you must spend 1/25 of its base price in XP and use up
> raw materials costing half this base price. Some portals incur extra
> costs in material components or XP as noted in their descriptions.
> These costs are in addition to those derived from the portal's base
> price.
> 
> There is also a statement in the overall text that "Any character of
> at least 17th Level can build a portal if she knows the Create Portal
> Feat (see sidebar).
> 
> Loki's Comments: I think that helms and portals are both magic items
> verging on the minor artifact level so a caster level minimum (in the
> case of helms I would suggest 12th to 15th since they are not quite as
> powerful as portals) to be able to use the feat makes a lot of sense.

I would prefer to avoid adding new feats that people are required
to use as a standard part of the conversion - sidebars that give
this as a GM option is something that I would be happier with.

In the spec below you need to be 15th to build a Minor Helm, and
17th to build a Major Helm, and pay 8,000 XP and 20,000 XP
respectively. I thought these were painful enough - do you think
in the basic conversion it should be even harder?

Yes, I know that you could reasonably consider Helms to be at
least minor artifact level, but the CoAS carefully skirts round
this and calls them 'magic items'. Helms are also a bit singular
in their abilities, in my opinion, and are too dependent on a
major external power source, to really be artifacts. Though they
definitely walk very close to the line.

I'd prefer not to add (core) rules which you could arguably use
for making (minor) artifacts to the conversion if it can be
avoided.


> Another point I would like to make on the subject of helms is that
> just because we are doing a straight conversion does not preclude the
> addition of new variant helms (sidebars if nothing else.) and variant
> systems to go with them.

Go for it! [grin]


> -Loki
> 
> In the descriptions I would substitute the phrase "spellcaster
> levels," for "levels of experience," in order to clarify.
[snip]

Yes, this is a good idea.


> > I would propose that the text above remain mostly unchanged,
> > except that the references to 'mage', 'wizard', or 'mage or
> > priest' be replaced by 'spellcaster'.
> >
> > If the references to Chapter 4 are to remain then we need to
> > ensure that the 3rdEd rules are laid out in the same way.
> >
> > The text above raises a number of interesting questions which I

> > will not go into here.
> >
> >
> > 3rdEd:
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------
> > Spelljammer Helms
> >
> > A Minor Helm is the same as the standard version sold by the
> > Arcane, but without access to their secret techniques is
> > considerably more expensive.  Creating one costs 100,000 gp,
> > takes 200 days, and costs 8,000 XP.  The listed weight is for a
> > heavy hardwood chair; some helms are heavier or lighter than
> > this, and note that they are normally bolted down.
> >
> > Note that unlike most magic items Helms are very, very, tough.
> > This is probably due to the immense amounts of magical energy
> > needed both to make them, and that flows through them just to
> > operate them.  They do not normally have a rated AC, hardness,
> > hit points or break DC, but you could use AC 6, and +18 save
> > bonus.
> >
> > Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Wonderous Item, Create
> > Minor Helm; Market Price: 200,000 gp; Weight: 50 lb.
> >
> >
> > A Major Helm is the same as the standard version sold by the
> > Arcane, but without access to their secret techniques is
> > considerably more expensive.  Creating one costs 250,000 gp,
> > takes 500 days, and costs 20,000 XP (note that this can cause the
> > loss of a level).  The listed weight is for a heavy hardwood
> > chair; some helms are heavier or lighter than this, and note that
> > they are normally bolted down.
> >
> > Note that unlike most magic items Helms are very, very, tough.
> > This is probably due to the immense amounts of magical energy
> > needed both to make them, and that flows through them just to
> > operate them.  They do not normally have a rated AC, hardness,
> > hit points or break DC, but you could use AC 6, and +20 save
> > bonus.
> >
> > Caster Level: 17th; Prerequisites: Craft Wonderous Item, Create
> > Major Helm; Market Price: 500,000 gp; Weight: 50 lb.
> >
> > [[insert most of 2ndEd text]]
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Dreamer
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http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/