Xaeyruudh's Index

Helm of Brilliance

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This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

This is an edit/replacement of the helm of brilliance found in the 3.5 DMG.

First of all, a helm of brilliance is not a “normal-looking helm” as suggested in the DMG. It’s usually of ancient design and cast of a glittery metal such as silver, gold, platinum, adamantite, meteoric steel, etc. The reason it’s generally ancient: kids these days don’t have the patience for making an item of this caliber and complexity.

There are many variables to consider in a helm of brilliance, which makes the simplistic price in the DMG flat-wrong.

1d10 diamonds, each containing a prismatic spray spell. Prismatic spray doesn’t have any variables, but the caster level could be important, so roll on the following table.

Random CL
001-156 13
157-300 14
301-434 15
435-562 16
563-680 17
681-792 18
793-899 19
900-000 20

1d20 rubies, each containing a wall of fire spell. Wall of fire has variables which depend on caster level; roll on the following table.

Random CL
001-124 7
125-234 8
235-331 9
332-418 10
419-498 11
499-572 12
573-638 13
639-700 14
701-757 15
758-812 16
813-863 17
864-911 18
912-957 19
958-000 20

1d30 fire opals, each containing a fireball spell. If you don’t have a way of generating 1d30, you can roll d3 and d10, with results of 31-39 counting as 1-9. Roll on the following table for caster level.

Random CL
001-237 5
238-435 6
436-606 7
607-750 8
751-882 9
883-000 10

1d40 opals, each containing a daylight spell. If you don’t have a way of generating 1d40, you can roll d4 and d10, with results of 41-49 counting as 1-9. Roll on the following table for caster level.

Random CL
001-237 5
238-435 6
436-606 7
607-750 8
751-882 9
883-000 10

Detect undead is a 1st level spell with a duration of 1 minute per level. The duration means the cost of this ability is doubled, but caster level is 1.

Flame blade is a 2nd level spell with a duration of 1 minute per level. Again, the cost of this ability is doubled. Flame blade isn’t the perfect spell for the ability described, but it is one of the spells suggested in the flaming weapon property and there isn’t a closer match. Caster level is 3.

Resist energy is a 2nd level spell for most casters, with a duration of 10 minutes per level. The duration means the cost of this ability is multiplied by 1.5. Protection from energy is the wrong spell for this ability; resist energy at caster level 11 is perfect.

So there is no one price for a helm of brilliance; it’s done on a case by case basis.

There’s one final adjustment. Find the highest value in the seven bullet points above… that number gets left alone (multiplied by 1). Sum all the other values and multiply by 1.5 because they’re additional unrelated powers in the same item. Then add those two numbers together for your final price.

Example 1: Maximum Price.

If everything is maxed —10 prismatic sprays, 20 walls of fire, etc, and the variable caster levels are 20— then the price works out so:

  1. prismatic spray: 7 x 20 x 750 x 10 / 50 = 21,000
  2. wall of fire: 4 x 20 x 750 x 20 / 50 = 24,000
  3. fireball: 3 x 10 x 750 x 30 / 50 = 13,500
  4. daylight: 3 x 10 x 750 x 40 / 50 = 18,000
  5. detect undead: 1 x 1 x 2000 x 2 = 4,000
  6. flame blade: 2 x 3 x 1800 x 2 = 21,600
  7. resist energy: 2 x 11 x 2000 x 1.5 = 66,000
  8. the biggest value is 66,000, and the sum of everything else is 102,100
  9. 102,100 x 1.5 = 153,150
  10. 66,000 + 153,150 = 219,150 = total price

Example 2: Minimum Price.

If all the spell-gems are used up, then the price works out so:

  1. prismatic spray: 0
  2. wall of fire: 0
  3. fireball: 0
  4. daylight: 0
  5. detect undead: 1 x 1 x 2000 x 2 = 4,000
  6. flame blade: 2 x 3 x 1800 x 2 = 21,600
  7. resist energy: 2 x 11 x 2000 x 1.5 = 66,000
  8. the biggest value is 66,000, and the sum of everything else is 25,600
  9. 25,600 x 1.5 = 38,400
  10. 66,000 + 38,400 = 104,400 = total price

Example 3: Base New Item Price.

The DMG makes a couple of assumptions. First, the maximum number of spell-gems are in place, and second, spell levels are minimum. In this case the price works out so:

  1. prismatic spray: 7 x 13 x 750 x 10 / 50 = 13,650
  2. wall of fire: 4 x 7 x 750 x 20 / 50 = 8,400
  3. fireball: 3 x 5 x 750 x 30 / 50 = 6,750
  4. daylight: 3 x 5 x 750 x 40 / 50 = 9,000
  5. detect undead: 1 x 1 x 2000 x 2 = 4,000
  6. flame blade: 2 x 3 x 1800 x 2 = 21,600
  7. resist energy: 2 x 11 x 2000 x 1.5 = 66,000
  8. the biggest value is 66,000, and the sum of everything else is 63,400
  9. 63,400 x 1.5 = 95,100
  10. 66,000 + 95,100 = 161,100 = total price

Note that while resist energy is a 1st level spell for rangers, and this would make the ability cheaper, rangers have to be level 22 before their caster level reaches 11 and that dramatically cuts down on the number of rangers available to make such enchantments. Plus, it would make the helm an epic item.

Also, the aura that damages undead within 30 ft would require a separate spell effect, since detect undead doesn’t have that effect, but it’s relatively minor (assuming that the character wearing the helm is of an appropriate level to have this caliber of magical item) and can be assumed to be rolled into the overall price of the item. This is dirty math, and I would incorporate the cost of this effect if I could find an appropriate spell.

Finally, I suggest that the base value of the helm to be used should be 10,000 or even 25,000 gp. The point is that only an exceptional helm would be worthy and capable of bearing this pile of enchantments. Finding a smith who can craft a suitable helm is worthy of a quest. I think the creation of the spell-gems should be a lost art as well, requiring the consultation of sages and so forth.

Sources

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