I don't have the new book(s) yet, but I do have a lot of the old 2e stuff. In 2e many of the Spelljammer Ships had windows or shutters so the Spelljammer could look out, these could almost always be closed, since you don't want your spelljammer vulnerable in Combat.
So my question is similar. How does one go about installing a spelljamming helm? My players have looted one and want to install it on their sailing ship. Are there any rules describing the process?
So my question is similar. How does one go about installing a spelljamming helm? My players have looted one and want to install it on their sailing ship. Are there any rules describing the process?
I do not believe there are. My personal ruling would be that it just needs to be physically attached, but you could have more or fewer requirements if you wished.
I get repetitive about this, but 4e-style Skill Challenges would work fine for this (I wish there were official rules)—a set of tasks that require X requests before Y failures.
Decide as the DM how long it'd take to get done and if they fail, they can start over but lose time. Throw in some fun requirements to get started (materials, magic, whatever) and it makes it feel like a reasonable challenge for players, while avoiding creating some huge rules construct to get it done.
I mean, are you going to seriously entertain the possibility that the PCs fail to attach the helm? Are you going to let that happen if the dice say so? If you're not, then rolling dice for it doesn't accomplish much. (I guess you could have it break off during a space battle because they attached it poorly.)
As far as a "magical nervous system" goes, I believe it is created by the magic of the SJH being attuned to a creature. I would like to think the process of attunement allows the SJH to sort of copy or duplicate the nervous system of the attuning creature into the ship the SJH has been placed on. However, the Transfer Attunement ability of a SJH would make that explanation unlikely, but then again... magic.
As for what constitutes a spelljamming ship; anything weighing 1 ton or more that has a SJH installed on it. Most of the ships described in the Astral Adventurer's Guide are unconventional. A Tyrant ship is carved out of stone, so it can't move on water or land, only through air and space. I think you just need a big enough asteroid or giant piece of wood, or any other heavy object, stick a SJH on it, and you've got yourself a space ship. But, then again, it does specify "ship" repeatedly in the description. I guess, any object or assemblage of objects that a group of people agrees fits their definition of a "ship," is a ship, and can therefore be a spelljamming vessel. So in that way, you can't take a 1 ton asteroid, put a SJH on it, and fly it around, unless you already live in a society that travels around by way of 1 ton asteroids... I'm getting strong "chicken or the egg" vibes so I'm just gonna put that thought away now...
But how about that 2nd paragraph in the item's description?
The sensation of being attuned to a spelljamming helm is akin to the pins-and-needles effect one experiences after one’s arm or leg falls asleep, but not as painful.
It says "being attuned to," not "while attuning to" or "while attuned and sitting on." Does that mean that, as long as you are attuned to a SJH, no matter where you are or how far away you are from the SJH, you have that weird effect going on with your body? Although nothing is mentioned mechanically, how do you think that would affect a character's combat performance? It would seem to put the attuned creature at somewhat of a disadvantage if they are doing anything except pilot a spelljamming vessel while they are attuned. Maybe this is one reason why you can use the Transfer Attunement ability and swap out with another creature if you are heading into combat or some other situation?
I know it uses the word 'ship' when it comes to the rules, but looks like any object weighing more than a ton can be turned into a spelljamming ship by installing a spelljamming helm onto it:
"A kindori skeleton can be transformed into a spelljamming ship by placing a spelljamming helm inside it." - From Boo's Astral Menagerie
In the adventure, the Citadel is propelled by several spelljamming helms.
At the end of the day the answer to both the question “what does it take to install a helm” and “what can be used for a spelljammer” is the same: it’s up to the DM. You can have them just slap the helm on any object that meets the minimum mass requirement, or you can require that they find an appropriate hull specifically built to be a spelljammer and then spend some more time and gold installing the helm.
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I don't have the new book(s) yet, but I do have a lot of the old 2e stuff. In 2e many of the Spelljammer Ships had windows or shutters so the Spelljammer could look out, these could almost always be closed, since you don't want your spelljammer vulnerable in Combat.
So my question is similar. How does one go about installing a spelljamming helm? My players have looted one and want to install it on their sailing ship. Are there any rules describing the process?
I do not believe there are. My personal ruling would be that it just needs to be physically attached, but you could have more or fewer requirements if you wished.
I get repetitive about this, but 4e-style Skill Challenges would work fine for this (I wish there were official rules)—a set of tasks that require X requests before Y failures.
Decide as the DM how long it'd take to get done and if they fail, they can start over but lose time. Throw in some fun requirements to get started (materials, magic, whatever) and it makes it feel like a reasonable challenge for players, while avoiding creating some huge rules construct to get it done.
I mean, are you going to seriously entertain the possibility that the PCs fail to attach the helm? Are you going to let that happen if the dice say so? If you're not, then rolling dice for it doesn't accomplish much. (I guess you could have it break off during a space battle because they attached it poorly.)
According to the short adventure, 'Spelljammer Academy', you simply place the spelljamming helm on the ship to install it.
As far as a "magical nervous system" goes, I believe it is created by the magic of the SJH being attuned to a creature. I would like to think the process of attunement allows the SJH to sort of copy or duplicate the nervous system of the attuning creature into the ship the SJH has been placed on. However, the Transfer Attunement ability of a SJH would make that explanation unlikely, but then again... magic.
As for what constitutes a spelljamming ship; anything weighing 1 ton or more that has a SJH installed on it. Most of the ships described in the Astral Adventurer's Guide are unconventional. A Tyrant ship is carved out of stone, so it can't move on water or land, only through air and space. I think you just need a big enough asteroid or giant piece of wood, or any other heavy object, stick a SJH on it, and you've got yourself a space ship. But, then again, it does specify "ship" repeatedly in the description. I guess, any object or assemblage of objects that a group of people agrees fits their definition of a "ship," is a ship, and can therefore be a spelljamming vessel. So in that way, you can't take a 1 ton asteroid, put a SJH on it, and fly it around, unless you already live in a society that travels around by way of 1 ton asteroids... I'm getting strong "chicken or the egg" vibes so I'm just gonna put that thought away now...
But how about that 2nd paragraph in the item's description?
It says "being attuned to," not "while attuning to" or "while attuned and sitting on." Does that mean that, as long as you are attuned to a SJH, no matter where you are or how far away you are from the SJH, you have that weird effect going on with your body? Although nothing is mentioned mechanically, how do you think that would affect a character's combat performance? It would seem to put the attuned creature at somewhat of a disadvantage if they are doing anything except pilot a spelljamming vessel while they are attuned. Maybe this is one reason why you can use the Transfer Attunement ability and swap out with another creature if you are heading into combat or some other situation?
I know it uses the word 'ship' when it comes to the rules, but looks like any object weighing more than a ton can be turned into a spelljamming ship by installing a spelljamming helm onto it:
"A kindori skeleton can be transformed into a spelljamming ship by placing a spelljamming helm inside it." - From Boo's Astral Menagerie
In the adventure, the Citadel is propelled by several spelljamming helms.
At the end of the day the answer to both the question “what does it take to install a helm” and “what can be used for a spelljammer” is the same: it’s up to the DM. You can have them just slap the helm on any object that meets the minimum mass requirement, or you can require that they find an appropriate hull specifically built to be a spelljammer and then spend some more time and gold installing the helm.