Helmet of Opposite Alignment - who actually puts it on?

[Andezzar]

Basically what the title says. PCs can have four level of knowledge about the helmet. IMHO in neither they are particularly enticed to put that thing on:
1.) They know nothing about the item, so it appears to be no different from any other mundane helmet.
2.) They have cast Detect Magic. So they know that the item is magic but do not know hat it does. Even if they are oblivious to the possibility of cursed items, there is no reason to put that item on instead of another helmet.
3.) They have cast identify on it. They still know it is magic but cannot deduce any function from it. This almost proves that the item is cursed.
4.) They have cast Analyze Dweomer on it or otherwise know that it is a cursed item. So there is no reason to put it on unless they want to change someone's alignment.

Since mundane helmets do not serve any function in D&D why would anyone put on that potentially hazardous item?

[A.A.King]

Because not every player is that careful. Also: even if the player is careful the character might not be careful.

You could also turn the problem around: Helmets serve no purpose in D&D so finding a helmet is very special. Obviously you conclude that this is your DM giving you some free AC or some other nice bonus (otherwise he wouldn't go out of his way to mention you found a helmet). Who WOULDN'T put it on?

[Tryxx]

My first thought was Flint from Dragonlance and his "griffon" hair helmet.

Sometimes you just want to rock a cool hat. :smallcool:

[Gemini476]

Identify still gives information on what it is, you know. It's just not true information. Also, if it fails to give any information whatsoever it's obviously an artifact and why is it not on your head? (Jokes on you, it's a completely nonmagical helmet trapped with deadly poison.)


A simple detect magic spell yields a misleading aura and strength, often indicating that the item is a noncursed item of similar sort. An identify spell only has a 1% chance per caster level to reveal a cursed item’s true properties, including the cursed aspect. Analyze dweomer reveals the true nature of a cursed item.

Oh, and Detect Magic detects them as being something different than what they are. Like a helmet being Strong Abjuration, for instance - that sounds like Mind Blank to me. And if you Identify it, yup, it's a helmet with constant Mind Blank. Pretty sweet. And then you put it on and it turns out that it was all a lie (it's a Strong Transmutation and also a Helm of Opposite Alignment) and you should honestly have noticed the instance the DM started rolling dice behind his screen and chuckling evilly.

[RedMage125]

Cool hats aside (they are a good point, tho), Cursed items usually Identify as a different kind of magic item, and may be crafted to look like them, too. So using the spell Identify shows you that it's a Helm of Telepathy, or a Winged Helm if it's got wings on it. Or a Helm of Brilliance if it appears to be studded with gems.

[No brains]

A lawful evil warlock could use one to cheat with alignment. If they put it on, they become a chaotic good warlock, losing no powers, but changing their restrictions. They first like they idea of cheating because they're evil and have no respect for the helmet's power, and then they like the idea of cheating because they are chaotic and cheat for the lulz.

Being a cursed item automatically sets the helmet of opposite alignments up as a fun-ruining item. The best way to make it fun is to cheat a little with the clause that makes the victim like their new alignment. Sure the warlock is going to live it up as both alignments when they actually are them, but both of those extremes have rationales for cheating with the helmet when they have the chance. Paladin inspection? Hide in plain sight. Evil magic item? Just make sure the paladin is away before taking advantage.

Another lateral use for the helmet is interrogation. Capture someone who could co-operate if only they were a good guy and then make them one. In fact, using grapple or other methods, you could try to put the helmet on someone offensively. It can work much like a SoD spell that way.

[Malroth]

Paladin's can keep it around to put on any prospective party members/random villagers who detect on his evildar.

[137beth]

Identify yields false information. However, the most common use seems to be forcing it onto an enemy.
Either way it is a pretty game-wrecking item. Its existence depends on a very specific and limited interpretation of alignment.

[Suteinu]

:smallbiggrin:Could such a helmet effectively be hidden as part of an enchanted suit of armor, or would Detect Magic point out that it has a seperate enchantment? Identify probably would, but my players aren't always that patient.

Hence that half-orc gladiator who now has the form of a kobold ... :smallbiggrin:

[Andezzar]

Oh, and Detect Magic detects them as being something different than what they are. Like a helmet being Strong Abjuration, for instance - that sounds like Mind Blank to me. And if you Identify it, yup, it's a helmet with constant Mind Blank. Pretty sweet. And then you put it on and it turns out that it was all a lie (it's a Strong Transmutation and also a Helm of Opposite Alignment) and you should honestly have noticed the instance the DM started rolling dice behind his screen and chuckling evilly.Yes, detect magic might give you an aura of abjuration, but that still does not mean that this item works without needing to be activated, so a careful character would not put it on (if he nows about the possibility of cursed items.) The text you quoted does not say that identify reveals any false abilities, if you you do not get the 1%/CL. In this case I guess that you get the standard result minus the cursed aspect, which is the item has no discernible use. Is there another rule that says that identify makes up false properties for cursed items?


:smallbiggrin:Could such a helmet effectively be hidden as part of an enchanted suit of armor, or would Detect Magic point out that it has a seperate enchantment? Identify probably would, but my players aren't always that patient.In the first round the caster of Detect magic would merely know if magic auras are in the area. The helmet would register as a separate magic item in the second round of focusing on the area where the suit is. In the third round you can even pinpoint that it is the helmet and not for example the gauntlets.

[Tokiko Mima]

The worst thing that can happen with a Helm of Opposite Alignment is that it falls into the players hands, and is identified for what it is. Remember "when a helm of opposite alignment has functioned once, it loses its magical properties." You do not want the players having one so they can save it and force it the BBEG to become a BBBFF, unless that was part of your original plan. You don't want them making copies so they can make their own army of loyal LG demons, and you especially don't want players using the helm on other players.

[VariSami]

You go full Kira, of course.
Thus, you have yourself Mindraped or have your memory altered in some way in order to forget about the existence of two such helmets. However, you set the circumstances thus that you will end up wearing them when the time is right. Supposing that you are evil (and this plan is quite depraved), you will first become good and may pass as an actual good person for whatever it was why you needed this plan in the first place. Once you are finished, you will end up wearing the other helmet, just as planned, and return to your evil glory. In the best case scenario, you should also have readied triggers which will ensure that you will also receive your memory back.

Cleaning your own memory of the plan is essential because you would not want for the goody two-shoes you to ruin everything.

[Andezzar]

Who's Kira?

[Necroticplague]

Who's Kira?

Main character of death note. Real name Light Yagami.

[Malroth]

and yes his plan actually involved purposefully setting up a contigent mindrape on himself so that his forcefully altered alignment amnesic self would automaticly pass all sense motive checks the good aligned antogonists would make.