3rdEd Minor & Major Helm - 2nd draft

This is the second draft of the Minor and Major Helm, with the
table of helms at the head.  This draft is in response to Leroy's
comments, and in an attempt to make it clearer what is being
done.

Comments?


Spelljammer Helms - 11/May/06

Helm                  CL  Save  Arcane Price
Minor Helm           15th  +18  100,000 gp
Major Helm           17th  +20  250,000 gp

Series Helm          14th  +17   75,000 gp (per linked helm)
Pool Helm            17th  +20  500,000 gp (mind flayers only)
Orbus                14th  n/a  300,000 gp (beholders only)

Forge                17th  +20  500,000 gp (initially; 100,000 gp per 13 months)
Gnomish Helm         15th  +18   50,000 gp

Crown of the Stars   19th  +22  a king's ransom, at least
Furnace              15th  +18  100,000 gp
Artifurnace          19th  +22  priceless

Lifejammer           15th  +18   80,000 gp
Non-magical Engines   n/a  n/a  varies, but approx. 10,000 gp

CL: Caster Level
Save: Save Bonus
Arcane Price: given here match those that the Arcane charge, and
these prices are also given in the text.  A different set of
prices is also given below, Market Prices, which are the prices
that the enchanter of a helm would sell it for.  This price is
typically double the Arcane one and is included as it is standard
to do so for magic items.  The other reason for the Market Price
is in case GMs wish to allow helms to be obtained by means other
than only buying them from the Arcane (which is the standard for
the Spelljamming campaign setting), but still want there to be a
very strong incentive for trading with the Arcane.


Minor Helm: This 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.


Major Helm: This 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.


Arcane Price:
100,000 gp (minor helm)
250,000 gp (major helm)

Each minor and major spelljamming helm allows the individual
seated upon it to move a large mass through space by means of
channeling spell energy directly into a motive force.  This
energy is somewhat useful for maneuvering the ship, but primarily
it provides the push that makes the ship move forward (or
backward).  Maneuvering comes primarily from the ship's sails or
oars.

The power of the force is known as the ship's rating.  A minor
helm converts such energy at a rate of 1 point of SR for each
three spellcaster levels. A major helm converts at a rate of 1 SR
for every two spellcaster levels.

At low levels, the difference between using a minor and a major
helm is small.  A third-level spellcaster will give his ship an
SR of 1, regardless of whether a minor or major helm is used. 
The higher level the spellcaster, however, the more important the
difference between using major and minor helms.  A tenth-level
Wizard, for example, can give his ship an SR of 5 with a major
helm, but only an SR of 3 with a minor helm.  A quick summary of
levels is included below.

Ship's Ratings using Major and Minor Helms

  Level of   Minor  Major
Spellcaster  Helm   Helm
     1         1      1
     2         1      1
     3         1      1
     4         1      2
     5         1      2

     6         2      3
     7         2      3
     8         2      4
     9         3      4
    10         3      5
    11         3      5
    12         4      6
    13         4      6
    14         4      7
    15         5      7
    16         5      8
    17         5      8
    18         6      9
    19         6      9
    20         6     10

Using a helm prohibits any spell use by that character within
that 24-hour period.  As soon as a spellcaster sits on the helm
and becomes aware of the ship, he can cast no spells of any sort
until after he has had a chance to rest and regain spells.  In
effect the helm "drains" the helmsman of all his spells the
moment it is activated.

(In fact, this is not precisely what happens.  The helm attunes
iteself to the brain patterns of the character who activated it. 
Once in sync, the helm siphons away any magical energy the moment
it begins taking shape, not all at once.  But until the character
can rest, thereby breaking the link, the energy invested in any
spell he tries to cast is immediately drawn away by the
spelljamming helm.  This effect occurs regardless of range. 
Oddly, the helm can utilize the energy only if the character is
seated in the helm.  Why the helm can draw power from any range,
yet gains benefit only from a helmsman actually in contact with
it, is one of the foremost unsolved puzzles of spelljamming
magic.)

An individual can use either type of helm for 12 hours without
tiring.  For each hour afterwards, the SR drops by 1, to a
minimum of 1.  After 24 hours, the individual using the helm will
pass out and not be able to use the helm again until fully
rested.

An individual seated upon a helm can talk and act normally.  The
sensation of using the helm is akin to being immersed in warm
water.  As a result of the magical nature of the helm, the
spelljamming spellcaster using the helm can see things around the
ship as if he were standing on the deck.  The ship becomes an
extension of his body, and responds to his demands in movement
and maneuverability.  The maneuverability of a craft is a
reflection of both the spelljamming spellcaster's ability and the
maneuverability class of the ship.

A minor helm can move a ship of up to 50 tons. A major helm can
move one of upto 100 tons.  In reality, most ship designers keep
their craft under the 50-ton range, though there are larger
men-o-war and juggernauts that are larger than 50 tons.

Only one helm may be in service at a time, though often a minor
helm is kept as a back-up, should something happen to the major
helm.

Helms draw their magical energies directly from the user, and the
speeds they can attain are determined by the level (or HD) of the
individual.  All helm-equipped ships travel at the same rate of
speed over long distances, but their differences are apparent at
the tactical level.  In general, given two similar helms, a ship
with the more powerful spelljamming spellcaster is the faster
ship.

Helms can be easily installed in any ship, primarily by lugging
them aboard and bolting them to the deck.  The minimum hull size
required for a helm is 1 ton.

If an individual is slain while using the helm, the ship looses
all power until a new spelljamming spellcaster takes command. 
The ship will drift (at tactical speed - see Chapter 4) in a
straight line until someone else takes the helm ot the ship hits
something.

Major and minor helms are nearly (but not completely)
indestructable; see above.  Unfortunately, this protection does
not extend to the individual seated in the helm.  Diligent and
crafty characters may find ways to destroy helms, but the process
is not easy or quick.

The effect of a helm on tactical and long-range movement can be
found in Chapter 4.

-- 
Dreamer
dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/