| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Fizilbert |
Posted - 27 Nov 2009 : 12:02:18
Ok here is a question my players stumped me on last week. In the 2E PHB they list two types of helmets you can purchase separately; a great helm and a basinet. However, no where do they mention what benefits having a helmet may have. I thought I remember reading somewhere that the helmet just protected against called head-shots but I cannot seem to find any reference to that, or to anything else a helmet may do.
Do they have a purpose or are they just something a player wastes gold on? |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Fizilbert |
Posted - 03 Dec 2009 : 00:29:11
Thanks for the info. I still have to find my books. Those particular ones are in storage. |
| Artemel |
Posted - 01 Dec 2009 : 14:26:53
Two things for the different styles of helmets (there are more than 2 in the Complete Fighters Handbook, if I recall correctly).
One: The helmet's AC is used versus called shots to the head. (The penalty is extreme to hit, but if you are bare-headed versus awesome full plate armor...)
Two: Penalties to spotting and listening and such. I do forget the exact rules for this, but the better helmets restrict vision and hearing.
So, it's a trade-off of protection versus alertness. Virtually all my fighters wore a cap and coif all the time, with a full helm to be placed over top under severe conditions. I never did great helms... the dang thing has to have integral shoulder mounts it is so heavy. >_<
[edited for typo... must remember to spell check] |
| Faraer |
Posted - 29 Nov 2009 : 16:22:10
Helmets protect you against things falling on your head. People in full-face helms tend to avoid facial injury and scarring. Just judge it case by case -- you don't need hard rules for something to have a purpose and presence in your games. |
| Fizilbert |
Posted - 27 Nov 2009 : 15:36:57
Ok, I have both of those books so I'll go browsing through them to take a look. As I said, I thought I remember reading somewhere about that, but I couldn't remember where. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 27 Nov 2009 : 15:01:57
Not sure about Combat and Tactics, but I do know there is exactly that passage in the Complete Fighter's Handbook. Helmets don't do a whole lot unless they're magical, but if you use the called shot rules anyone with scale mail armor or better would be well advised to wear one. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 27 Nov 2009 : 13:00:06
I think there is information in the 2E book Player's Option: Combat and Tactics (with ACs for certain body parts for called shots - something like -4 on To Hit roll on called shot but a bigger than 4 AC difference on an unhelmeted head rather than a un-called shot on Full Plate armor on the same person. This is going wayyyy back for me though so I could be wrong on a few counts. |
