Save My Campaign

1974... Helmets

Findings on Helmets

I really wanted to avoid a full-blown bible-study-esque post on 3LBB Helmets, but I really need to write about it. I'll do a quick briefing below on my understanding of 3LBB helmets and how to interpret them. If anyone knows if someone else has posted similar 3LBB helmet articles, please let me know. I'd like to see what they found.

The short and sweet on Helmets in 3LBB:

  1. There are helmets listed in the equipment section, with no note of their usage.
  2. Helmets are NOT listed in the Attack Matrix #1 that represents Men Attacking for the Alternative Combat System. Meaning they provide no bonus to AC.
  3. In the treasure section under "Helm of Reading Magic and Languages." there is a mechanic described for non-Magic helms. "if it is worn in combat any hit upon its wearer should be given a 10% of striking the helm and smashing it."
    • On page 38 of Book 2 "Magical Items' Saving Throws", this is supported because it's noted "For sake of simplicity it is generally easier to assume they survive unharmed if their wearer/user is not killed (exception, Helms)." Although, I suppose this could be interpreted multiple ways.

My interpretation: Every time you get hit, if you are wearing a helmet of any kind, it has a 10% chance of being 'struck.' It would seem as though something being struck means it either breaks or has a chance of breaking. I'm pretty confident this is the correct interpretation of the rules as written.

HOWEVER!!!!! This brings the question... What happens to a character who is NOT wearing a helmet? I have been unable to find any rules in the 3LBB that state what happens when a character without a helmet is struck in the head. It would seem as though it is quite an advantage to NOT wear a helmet. We need to fix this gap because it bothers me.

New rules:

On every attack roll, players and monsters will roll both a d20 AND a d10. The d20 represents the normal alternative combat system. If the attack was successful, you should check the d10. If the resulting d10 is a "0," then the strike is to the head. All damage on an attack to the head area is taken at maximum damage.

This led me to think about helmets themselves. There should be different kind of helmets with advantages and disadvantages. We need to go beyond just "the Helmet." Helmets are going to be broken down into 2 types:

  1. Enclosed Helmets - Full head protection, but surprised on a 1-5 on a d6 due to sight and hearing impairment. Fail all listen-at-door rolls. People cannot understand you in combat.
  2. Open Helmets - Partial head protection, save verse death for half maximum damage (rounded up) on head strikes. Fail all listen-at-door rolls.

I really wanted to do half damage here, but technically half damage would result in similar damage totals to an enclosed helmet. I then just added a save for half effect. You could also roll a d20 instead of a d10, enabling us to have open helmets take damage on a 20 and non-protected heads getting hit on 19-20.

I expect good players to quickly ask for an armorer to create visor style helmets!

I would never do this... But anytime a player states they listen at doors. Always ask if they have a helmet on. If they do, roll the dice, then declare they fail regardless of the result. See how long it takes them to realize the situation. I don't know why, but this feels like something that would be written in the AD&D DMG lol.

It's interesting that an interpretation like this, essentially implements a form of "critical hits." Which otherwise are not listed in the 3LBB.

An alternative to helmets protecting against damage is to say require a Save vs Paralization. Which if they fail, could knock OR daze someone out for few rounds. I am going to just test the damage method for now, but leaving this here for future possibilities.