Spelljamming Helms

Spelljamming Helms¶

Ships travel through Wildspace by means of the Spelljamming Helm - a magical device which converts mystical energy into motive force; ie. the “push” that moves a Spelljamming ship. This allows rapid movement from planet to planet. Some of the specifics vary from race-to-race, and ship-to-ship; While the helm provides the push forward, the crew provides the maneuvering, stopping, and docking.

A Helm can be made to look like almost anything: A lofty perch made of hard oak, with pillows in the seat and back, and topped with gold filigree; a sleek, futuristic chair made of obsidian and lined with purple silks; a large leaf, elegantly grown into position and automatically shaping to fit it’s user; a meditation bench, as simplistic in style as it is in make; or a large uncomfortable iron throne constructed from the swords of a defeated army. How a Helm looks will speak volumes about both its creator, as well as its user. All will function the same and provide the necessary focus point to move about space. Generally, it’s installed onto the Bridge of a ship, away from prying eyes and (more importantly) attacks.

There are two sorts of Spelljammer Helms: Minor and Major. All Helms require the user’s Concentration to function, as if the user were concentrating on a spell. Due to the Concentration required, no more than eight hours can be spent at a time using this device by one caster. Attempts to “push through” may cause one point of exhaustion (as per the rules for a forced march in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook (Note – see our alternative rules for exhaustion).

Any character may use a helm, though only one character may use a single helm at a time. Attunement to the helm requires a short rest to ensure that the adventurer understands how to concentrate properly and convert their innate magical energy into ship movement. It takes one action to activate, and one action to deactivate the Helm. Characters with the Spellcasting, Ki, Psychic, and Pact Magic class features can use additional abilities of the helm, listed later in this document.

Exhausted characters attempting to use a Helm reduce the total Speed of the ship by the number of exhaustion points they have attained. After 48 continuous hours on the Helm, regardless of the ship’s current Speed or the number of exhaustion points gained, the individual using the Helm will pass out and be unable to use the Helm again until they complete a Long Rest.

While using the Helm to power a ship the helmsman is unable to cast a spell that requires concentration, and is considered restrained. The individual seated upon the Helm can talk and act normally, but cannot leave the Helm while the ship is in motion.

While piloting, the Helmsman can observe her surroundings normally, but also gains an awareness of the space around the ship. As an action, you can see from any point in or on the ship until the start of your next turn. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.

Determining Helm Rating¶

Use the table below to determine your Helm Rating to spellcaster level ratio when determining the ships overall Speed when using a helm to pilot a ship. A Minor Helm grants a 1:3 ratio of Helm Rating to spellcaster level, and a Major Helm grants a 1:2 ratio of Helm Rating to spellcaster level. This is similar to determining your spell slots when multiclassing, but all classes are able to provide motive force when using a helm to pilot a ship. Add together all your levels in the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorceror, Warlock, and Wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the Paladin, Monk, Ranger, Mystic, and Artificer classes, and a third of the levels taken in Fighter or Rogue classes (rounded down) if you have the Eldritch Knight or the Arcane Trickster archetype. Characters with levels in classes that do not grant the Spellcasting, Pact Magic, Psionics, or Ki abilities divide by four (rounded down, a minimum of 1) to determine Helm Rating.

Example 1: A 10th level wizard using a Minor Helm will have a spellcaster level of 10, and that same character grants a Helm Rating of 3 to the overall ship speed.

Example 2: A character that has multiclassed a 5th-level bard and a 3rd-level barbarian will have a spellcaster level of 6, and that same character using a Major Helm will grant a Helm Rating of 3 to the overall Speed.

Example 3: A character that has multiclassed a 6th level warlock and an 8th level paladin will have a spellcaster level of 10, and that same character using a Major Helm will grant a Helm Rating of 5 to the overall Speed.

Ship Terminology¶

• Armor Class (AC): Difficulty of hitting a ship and dealing damage to the ship when striking it.
• Beam Length: This is the measurement of the widest part of the ship from port to starboard (left to right). Important when dealing with gravity and the air pocket that surrounds a ship.
• Crew Min/Max: These two numbers indicate the minimum number of crew required to operate the ship and maximum occupancy of the ship before air reduction becomes an issue.
• Damage Threshold (DT): An object with a damage threshold has immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage from a single attack or effect equal to or greater than its DT, in which case it takes damage as normal. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the object’s damage threshold is considered superficial and doesn’t reduce the object’s hit points. All Ships and Siege Weapons are immune to Poison and Psychic damage.
• Helm Type: This indicates what type of Spelljammer Helm can be used to pilot the ship. Most ships can be run off either a Major or Minor Helm, but others may require a special type of Helm not listed here.
• Hull Points (HP): Hull points for ships are identical to Hit Points for characters and monsters. They measure the amount of damage the ship can sustain before it is destroyed.
• Keel Length: This is the length of the ship from fore to aft (front to back). Important when dealing with gravity and the air pocket that surrounds a ship.
• Maneuverability Rating (MR): Your ship’s ability to turn, accelerate, and maneuver with the ship alone. Takes into account sails, rigging, size, weight, and other aerodynamic capacities.
• Standard Armaments: This is the amount and type of weaponry that can be installed on a ship. Ship weapons range from medium-size weapons such as Light ballista to Large-size weapons such as a trebuchet.
• Tonnage: This is a measure of the physical displacement that a spelljamming ship takes up. For each ton, you can consider the ship taking up 300 cubic feet of space. This displacement influences the amount of breathable air surrounding a ship in wildspace, and 300 cubic feet of space allows one medium-sized creature to comfortably breathe for four months. Lastly, tonnage is used in determining the dimensions of the ship itself, crew size, and cargo limit. This is not a measure of the ship’s weight. The actual dimensions of the ship are unimportant.
• Type/Name: This is the name or type of your Spelljammer ship.

Siege Weaponry¶

A siege weapon is a device that is designed to break or circumvent city or castle walls and other fortifications. Most ground-based siege weapons are immobile, constructed in place to attack enemy fortifications from a distance, while others are wheeled to enable advancing up to the enemy fortification. That being said, siege weaponry has been adapted to Space Warfare with fervor. All Siege weapons mounted on Spelljamming ships are on 360° rotating turrets, and may fire in any direction regardless of the facing of a ship. Before it can be fired, all siege weapons must be loaded and aimed.

For Siege Weaponry statistics, please see the [Siege Weapons table, Page 22].

• Ballista: A Ballista is a massive crossbow that fires heavy bolts. Before it can be fired, it must be loaded and aimed. A Load, Aim, and Fire action are done using one Ship Action taken by the Gunner.
  In atmosphere near a planetoid, the Light Ballista has a 120/480 ft range, and a Heavy Ballista has a 240/960 ft range.

• Haemish Sweeper: A Haemish Sweeper is a pair of light ballistas with a shared, common mount so that they can be fired in the same direction at the same time. The two blunt bolts from these ballistas are linked with a heavy chain (similar in image to nunchaku). The intent of the chain is to be used as an antipersonnel weapon against enemy crews.
  A Haemish Sweeper affects all targets in a 10-foot square. It will continue on into the next 10-foot square away from the ship firing it unless it meets with a large, unmovable object, which causes the Sweeper Bolts to drop to the deck. In addition, every target within the 10-foot square is forced to make a Reflex save (DC 13). On failure, the targets fall prone and gain the grappled condition. The Haemish Sweeper does not inflict hull damage with the Sweeper Rounds, but can be used as a dual Light Ballista in a crunch, with the same requirements for crew as two Light Ballistas (the weapon does not fire unless both bolts are loaded).
  In atmosphere near a planetoid, the Haemish Sweeper has a 300/1,200 ft range.

• Trebuchet: A Trebuchet is a powerful catapult that throws its payload in a high arc. A trebuchet typically hurls a heavy stone. However, it can launch other kinds of projectiles, such as barrels of oil or sewage, with different effects.
  In atmosphere near a planetoid, the Light Trebuchet has a 300/1,200 ft range, and the Heavy Trebuchet has a 500/1,500 ft range.

Cannon¶

A Cannon uses gunpowder to propel heavy balls of cast iron through the air at destructive speeds. In a campaign without gunpowder, a cannon might be an arcane device built by clever gnomes or wizardly engineers. A cannon is usually supported in a wooden frame with wheels, but on a Spelljamming ship, it is mounted the same as every other siege weapon, on a 360° rotating turret.

In atmosphere near a planetoid, the Light Cannon has a 600/2,400 ft range, and the Heavy Cannon has a 1,200/4,800 ft range.

Alchemist’s Fire Projector¶

This device shoots a thin stream of flaming, explosive liquid. Though it can be devastating in combat, the Alchemist’s Fire Projectors are not popular with ships that cross between the spheres because of the flammability of the Flow. In fact, Alchemist’s Fire projectors are recipes for disaster in the Phlogiston. They are popular, however, among crews that do not leave their spheres.

In atmosphere near a planetoid, the Alchemist’s Fire Projector has a 150/600 ft range.

Alchemist’s Fire¶

While some adventuring parties know this substance as a throw-able flask of sticky, adhesive fluid, aboard a Spelljamming ship it is generally stored in stone casks for use in Alchemist’s Fire Projectors and as alternate ammunition in catapults. Alchemist’s Fire ignites when exposed to air. When a cask is catapulted onto an enemy deck, the stone jug breaks and immediately explodes, dealing 3d10 fire damage in a 15-foot radius sphere. Any creatures in the sphere may make a DC 14 Dex saving throw. On a success, the target suffers half damage. On a failure, creatures and any other objects in the sphere are now on fire. Also may ignite other jugs in burst radius.

Ram¶

Mounted to the front of ships, a Ram consists of nothing more than a heavy log, shod in iron. There are several different types that can be mounted to the front of Spelljamming ships. A ship can only have one type of Ram installed at a time.

• Piercing: A piercing ram is a long, sharp prow used to break apart and pierce an enemy ship.
• Blunt: This is a flattened prow designed to inflict internal damage by shaking up the smaller ship.
• Grappling: The grappling ram incorporates one or more movable arms which attach themselves to an opponent’s ship with suction cups or hooks after ramming, locking the ships together. This type of ram is very useful during boarding situations.