Re: So, who can operate Major and Minor Helms at 3.5e?

In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Wed 02 Aug, Nils Jeppe wrote:
> On Mon, 31 Jul 2006, Dreamer wrote:
> 
> > In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Mon 31 Jul, Dante Inferno wrote:
> >> I'd say the problem is not with the fact that non-magic users can't use
> >> the helm, but with the fact that as soon as you sit down all your spells
> >> are gone. I think one of the caster level or slow spell draining
> >> propositions would be a much better idea than allowing anyone to sit on
> >> the helm.
> >
> > In theory a nice idea, but in practice powering a Helm is such a
> > major proposition that anything less than: all your magic, or all
> > your magical powers, both for the day, or a chunk of your life-
> > force (which may kill you on a daily basis); may well not be
> > enough.
> 
> But it makes for very lousy gameplay. Either the helmsman is an NPC, then 
> the players don't get the fun of operating a ship themselves, or a PC 
> spellcaster is a useless character if there's a "surprise" encounter.

I think it is bit like the singing pig - we are amazed that it is
possible at all, we don't tend to comment on the quality of the
singing!

As an alternative, you have three or four NPC spellcasters, say
1st-3rd level, who normally run the Helm.  They can make it work
at the same spelljamming speed as anyone else, 24/7, it is just
they are only able to do SR 1 at tactical speed.  Call them the
"duty helmsmen".

Then, you have a PC spellcaster "combat helmsman" standing by,
ready to take over, at known dangerous times, or maybe for all
the tactical speed bits, i.e. near planets and going through
natural crystal shell portals.  They are ready to jump in,
probably leaving you without a helmsman for one or two rounds
(allow some way of switching faster, without having two Helms?).

Say a 'slave helm', that allows a one round switch-over?  Maybe
there is a spell which could make a chair into such a slave helm?

If your PC spellcaster is multi-class, then they still have use
of their non-spellcasting classes, or if they have magic items
where the magic does not flow through them, not scrolls for
example, then these should be usable.

With a little planning PC spellcasters can be left spell-less as
little as possible, and you Helm can function as well as
possible.

Having a high quality look-out will probably help with all of
this.

Alternatively, your combat tactics may mean that SR 1 is enough,
and your PC spellcasters are conducting either artillery lessons
([grin]), or boarding actions!

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