Reading through the rules - catching up. I'm going through the "Armor and Shields" section of the Player's Handbook. Where are the helmets? Scale Mail includes gauntlets << well that's nice. Half Plate does not include leg protection, so a helmet exists by omission? Chain Mail includes gauntlets. That's good too. Ah and naturally Plate has a visored helmet.
That's it! D&D players don't seem too concerned about these melee weapons and spells coming into contact with their noggin'??
Or... are we supposed to assume that if we see someone with a helm, it must mean a magical item is being worn!!? "Dead" giveaway.
Maybe this falls under, "If you want a rule for everything, go back to 4e." ;-) I'm just wondering if there's a reason behind it or if it really is just a nit-picky detail? Because I'm thinking having a helmet would be safer, but it would impede some other functions like hearing and field of vision - maybe. Or maybe my campaign is too much investigation and not enough hack & slash ... and skull bash! Heh.
I'd not really noticed this about 5th edition, but one of the things that 5e really does promote is not defining the details like this - it gives much greater flexibility for players to define their characters.
If your character is wearing splint armour and wants to define that this includes a helmet and what it looks like, that's great and totally ok, but it has no mechanical change to the game.
It reminds me more of movie-level visuals, which I always felt to be a good thing - makes your favourite characters more like the stars in a good fantasy movie!
I just happened to notice it because my party is headed into a well organized hive of kobolds armed with darts. I'm thinking when it's over they might not have the mugs for a starring role, they'll look more like character actors (I crack myself up.).
My plate-mailed fighter had to fight a black pudding. His flail got dissolved, so the DM and I agreed that my PC could remove his helmet and use it as an improvised weapon. My AC went down by 1 while it was in my hand instead of on my head, though.
In my modern-day game rules, a helmet absorbs the first critical hit on a target.
I would argue to my DM that my helmet would provide protection from either a fall, or some kind of assassin's shot with a ranged weapon.
Maybe adding a helmet to an armor that doesn't normally include one could add 1 to its AC?
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.
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Reading through the rules - catching up. I'm going through the "Armor and Shields" section of the Player's Handbook. Where are the helmets? Scale Mail includes gauntlets << well that's nice. Half Plate does not include leg protection, so a helmet exists by omission? Chain Mail includes gauntlets. That's good too. Ah and naturally Plate has a visored helmet.
That's it! D&D players don't seem too concerned about these melee weapons and spells coming into contact with their noggin'??
Or... are we supposed to assume that if we see someone with a helm, it must mean a magical item is being worn!!? "Dead" giveaway.
Maybe this falls under, "If you want a rule for everything, go back to 4e." ;-) I'm just wondering if there's a reason behind it or if it really is just a nit-picky detail? Because I'm thinking having a helmet would be safer, but it would impede some other functions like hearing and field of vision - maybe. Or maybe my campaign is too much investigation and not enough hack & slash ... and skull bash! Heh.
Hi MyklK,
welcome to the D&D Beyond forums!
I'd not really noticed this about 5th edition, but one of the things that 5e really does promote is not defining the details like this - it gives much greater flexibility for players to define their characters.
If your character is wearing splint armour and wants to define that this includes a helmet and what it looks like, that's great and totally ok, but it has no mechanical change to the game.
It reminds me more of movie-level visuals, which I always felt to be a good thing - makes your favourite characters more like the stars in a good fantasy movie!
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I just happened to notice it because my party is headed into a well organized hive of kobolds armed with darts. I'm thinking when it's over they might not have the mugs for a starring role, they'll look more like character actors (I crack myself up.).
In my mind when you buy armor it comes as a set Helmet, Chest, Arms , Legs, and boots
My plate-mailed fighter had to fight a black pudding. His flail got dissolved, so the DM and I agreed that my PC could remove his helmet and use it as an improvised weapon. My AC went down by 1 while it was in my hand instead of on my head, though.
In my modern-day game rules, a helmet absorbs the first critical hit on a target.
I would argue to my DM that my helmet would provide protection from either a fall, or some kind of assassin's shot with a ranged weapon.
Maybe adding a helmet to an armor that doesn't normally include one could add 1 to its AC?
Admin on MeWe's Conservative D&D Players group, but I believe that no matter what our differences are, our love of D&D is something that should bring us together. So, if you don't start something I won't either. Fair enough?
Method Actor, Storyteller, Tactician type who plays peacemaker at the table. This fall will be my 39th year playing D&D, Gamma World, Car Wars, Talisman, Serenity and Traveller.