I am trying to conjure a rule so my players will buy helmets. But I can't seem to come up with anything good and realistic. I am using the D&D Rules Encyclopedia. So far all I have is:
>If a character is faced in a melee fight without a helmet, first make an attack roll against the character's AC, if the hit is successful, roll a second attack with an AC of 10, if the hit is successful the character receives full damage including all the modifiers with it. If the second roll is a natural 20, and the attack is made with a sword or axe, then the character's head is decapitated, otherwise if a blunt weapon is used the character receives a permanent -4 to their Intelligence ability score.
Any help or personal ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Have you tried not giving a fuck?
>>44107911
LOL, no.
>You get -2 AC if you're bare headed
keeps intended mechanics equal and makes sure no one will go bare headed
job done
>>44107959
That doesn't really work, try something else.
>>44107753
Implement a new rule: helmets make AC better by 1.
>>44107753
You know that armor in D&D comes with a helmet and greaves and shit, right?
>>44107969
Fuck off then, that's the only reasonable solution
>>44107977
That so far seems like the best option. I was thinking of also adding a bonus to breath attacks but giving the wearer limited vision and hearing.
>>44107753
A fight in D&D is so far from realistic that such efforts are an excercise in futility.
If you want realistic combat and equipment there are many other systems better suited for it.
I'm not knocking D&D, it can be great fun but don't try to torture the system into doing things it is not meant to do.
Id suggest having a called shot rule which enemies will sometimes employ. I know that got my players to buy helmets. Aint no motherfucker likes the idea of taking an arrow to the fucking forhead
How I worked it was you could declare a called shot, targetting something like the enemies head. You could then either make a roll against its AC (IE base plus stat mods in unarmoured, Base+armour ac if armoured) to stab the fuck in the head/club them in the side of the head and deal max damage or make checks to achieve other goals.
Once one of em took an arrow into the jaw and lost nearly 50% of their health, they wised up real fast.
>>44108013
>giving the wearer limited vision and hearing
1) MUH REALISM in deeundee is fucktarded.
2) That's not going to make anyone want to buy a helmet, shitbrains.
make them give a save against critical hits
Helmet gives +1ac -2 to perception rolls
>>44108036
Woah chill out dude
A +1 to AC in the older editions of D&D is a big deal and has to be counter balanced in some way.
>>44108013
>>44107977
>>44107969
>>44107959
Why would you give your players a bonus just for wearing a necessary part of the armor? You're not fully armored without the helmet, so penalize them if they're not wearing it. I'd maybe even go further and say that critical hits instantly kill helmetless humanoids, because a blow to the head without a helmet is not something you should count on surviving.
>>44108073
What edition are you playing? We sorta need to know to balance shit
>>44107981
This.
>>44107753
And those rules apply to monsters as well, correct? Because if not, that's some real bullshit right there.
>>44108079
>meanwhile you can fall off a cliff or get gnawed on by a dragon or catch on fire and still be fine
Lol okay
>>44108083
I've stated I'm using the TSR D&D Rules Encyclopedia. It is a combination of all the rule sets written by Frank Mentzer. Although I don't mind if it is made for AD&D 2E
>>44107753
Helmet: +1 AC
Full/Great/Helm: +2 AC, -1 sight/hearing
(hearing more than anything; it sucks)
That's basically your option, short of implementing a strike-area system.
First tell us why you care about helmets?
>>44108079
>critical hits instantly kill helmetless humanoids
That will make my life as a kukri rogue a lot easier.
Why are you assuming that anyone wearing armour isn't already wearing one? Or are you going to shove them on the wizard or monk as well?
>>44107753
When attacking roll on a chart to see where a character hits then roll against the armor on that area. If a character has no helmet they don't get an ac bonus for their head. I'd allow called shots with a penalty of course.
>>44107753
Anatomic combat.
Target has no armor if it doesn't wear a helmet.
Proceed to target their heads.
Realize it's a bad idea.
>>44107911
>>44107753
Just do what Baldur's Gate did: helmet makes you immune to critical hits.
Kills two birds with one stone (gets rid of enemy criticals one-shotting characters).
>>44108147
Unless of course the enemy is smart enough to wear helmets.
>>44108220
How about if you don't wear one you don't have to confirm your critical hits?
>>44108233
Steal the helmet from them
>>44108233
They can't wear helmets 24/7. You gotta eat etc.
Say, does this mean brilliant energy weapons (which ignore armour) just outright kill people on crits as well, since a helmet provides no protection from it?
>>44108220
Because completely abolishing critical hits against humanoids was the original intention, right?
Way to shit on monks even more than usual.
>>44108151
Ya. Your monsters, enemies, your PC wizards and rogues better all have those helmets.
>>44108279
I don't see what's wrong with it. Enemies being able to crit PCs is fucking stupid.
>>44107753
>wanting realism
>using D&D
>>44107753
If someone isn't wearing a helmet, critical hits automatically succeed. This does not apply to someone who benefits from an AC bonus while unarmored (IE: Monk)
There.
>>44108322
Crits are fucking stupid
Exploding dice are even worse. Literally the worst mechanic since rolling for anal circumference.
