Helm of brilliance - Revision history

Umbire the Phantom: pothole, etc.

2026-07-20T05:32:30Z

pothole, etc.

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ playermons

2026-07-12T22:20:19Z

‎dNetHack: playermons

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ cite special case

2026-07-09T09:48:22Z

‎History: cite special case

Umbire the Phantom: /* Generation */ cleanup

2026-07-07T01:16:25Z

‎Generation: cleanup

Umbire the Phantom: /* dNetHack */ forgot to fix the link...

2026-07-06T12:42:41Z

‎dNetHack: forgot to fix the link...

Umbire the Phantom: *dnh bands

2026-07-06T12:40:55Z

*dnh bands

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ re-order for more intuitive reading

2026-05-25T23:46:20Z

‎History: re-order for more intuitive reading

Umbire the Phantom: /* Variants */ org

2026-05-25T15:28:03Z

‎Variants: org

Umbire the Phantom: there, I think that resolves it all

2026-05-09T21:44:42Z

there, I think that resolves it all

Umbire the Phantom: mention weight and run through variants

2026-05-09T18:57:26Z

mention weight and run through variants

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 While [[worn]], the helm of brilliance grants 1 base point of [[AC]], and a [[hero]] will have their [[intelligence]] and [[wisdom]] by its [[enchantment]]. Wearing or removing an enchanted helm of brilliance will [[auto-identify]] it, as will enchanting the worn helm while it is at +0.
-A helm of brilliance is [[fragile]] and has a {{frac|20}} chance of becoming [[cracked]] if it is [[thrown]], [[kicked]], hit by a {{+ of|force bolt}} spell or a [[zapped]] [[wand of striking]], dropped from a great enough height (e.g. down [[stairs]] or while [[levitating]]), or else if it is inside a [[container]] that is similarly kicked, thrown or dropped&mdash;a thoroughly-cracked helm of brilliance will shatter and be destroyed if it is cracked again. A helm of brilliance that is erosion-proofed will be "tempered" and is not subjected to cracking in these instances.
+A helm of brilliance is [[fragile]] and has a {{frac|20}} chance of becoming [[cracked]] if it is [[thrown]], [[Kick (command)|kicked]], hit by a {{+ of|force bolt}} spell or a [[zapped]] [[wand of striking]], dropped from a great enough height (e.g. down [[stairs]] or while [[levitating]]), or else if it is inside a [[container]] that is similarly kicked, thrown or dropped&mdash;a thoroughly cracked helm of brilliance will shatter and be destroyed if it is cracked again. A helm of brilliance that is erosion-proofed will be "tempered" and is not subjected to cracking in these instances.
 A worn helm of brilliance ''does not'' prevent [[instant death]] from [[brainlessness]] induced by [[intelligence drain]], since the instadeath occurs at a '''base''' intelligence of 3.

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 ===dNetHack===
 In [[dNetHack]], the helm of brilliance behaves similar to how it does in NetHack 3.4.3. A helm of brilliance grants 1 base AC, 1 base [[DR]], and modifies the hero's intelligence and wisdom by its enchantment while worn, and its weight is reduced to 30 aum. If randomized to a [[Band (helm)|band]], it will appear as a "'''crown of cognizance'''".
 ===notdNetHack===

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 ==History==
-The helm of brilliance first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the helm of brilliance is made of [[iron]] and has a [[randomized appearance]] when unidentified&mdash;the default one associated with it is an [[etched helmet]].{{refsrc|src/objects.c|358|nethack=3.6.7}} The helm also weighs 50 [[aum]], and is special-cased to not raise spellcasting failure rates when worn due to its attribute enhancements. The helm of brilliance is given its current set appearance in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|f9a35132d6caad172c5987182e6984e6c50e0dcb}}, which also gives its old randomized appearance to the [[helm of caution]], and its [[encyclopedia]] entry is added via {{commit|502c66f5e3f2c0033b9fe30bf7289af7ba254e48}}.
+The helm of brilliance first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the helm of brilliance is made of [[iron]] and has a [[randomized appearance]] when unidentified&mdash;the default one associated with it is an [[etched helmet]].{{refsrc|src/objects.c|358|nethack=3.6.7}} The helm also weighs 50 [[aum]], and is special-cased to not raise spellcasting failure rates while worn due to its attribute enhancements.{{refsrc|src/spell.c|1737|nethack=3.6.7}} The helm of brilliance is given its current set appearance in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|f9a35132d6caad172c5987182e6984e6c50e0dcb}}, which also gives its old randomized appearance to the [[helm of caution]], and its [[encyclopedia]] entry is added via {{commit|502c66f5e3f2c0033b9fe30bf7289af7ba254e48}}.
 The helm of brilliance is subject to a bug in [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and prior versions (including some variants based on those versions): using a cursed [[scroll of destroy armor]] on a cursed helm of brilliance or a cursed pair of [[gauntlets of dexterity]] reduces the enchantment of the piece of armor without altering the stats, and removing them will permanently increase a hero's stats, allowing them to temporarily surpass their racial maximum this way. This is known as the "hobug" (since the helm of brilliance is often abbreviated to "HoB"), and is fixed via {{commit|c25746f0bfbea12b288bb44ca893c570474bf635}}.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 Helms of brilliance make up {{frac|3|500}} (0.6%) of all helms that are randomly generated on the ground, in general [[shop]]s or as [[death drop]]s. Used armor dealerships and antique weapon outlets can also stock helms of brilliance.
-[[Player monster]]s, including those on the [[Astral Plane]], have a {{sfrac|7|88}} chance (~7.95%) of generating with a helm of brilliance as their initial helm before role-based replacements. before any role-specific changes are made:{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|154|nethack=5.0.0|comment=Default equipment; the helm is chosen from within the designated object classes inclusively in objects.c}}
+[[Player monster]]s, including those on the [[Astral Plane]], have a {{sfrac|7|88}} chance (~7.95%) of generating with a helm of brilliance as their initial helm before role-based replacements, with cases specific to the helm listed below:{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|154|nethack=5.0.0|comment=Default equipment; the helm is chosen from within the designated object classes inclusively in objects.h}}
 * Player monster [[Healer (player monster)|healers]] and [[Cleric (player monster)|clerics]] each have a {{frac|3|8}} chance of their initial helm being replaced with a helm of brilliance, raising their effective odds of generating with one to {{sfrac|243|704}} (~34.52%).{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|187|nethack=5.0.0|comment=Helm replacement for healers}}{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|212|nethack=5.0.0|comment=Helm replacement for clerics}}

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], the helm of brilliance behaves similar to how it does in NetHack 3.4.3. A helm of brilliance grants 1 base AC, 1 base [[DR]], and modifies the hero's intelligence and wisdom by its enchantment while worn, and its weight is reduced to 30 aum. If randomized to a [[Band (dNetHack)|band]], it will appear as a "'''crown of cognizance'''".
+In [[dNetHack]], the helm of brilliance behaves similar to how it does in NetHack 3.4.3. A helm of brilliance grants 1 base AC, 1 base [[DR]], and modifies the hero's intelligence and wisdom by its enchantment while worn, and its weight is reduced to 30 aum. If randomized to a [[Band (helm)|band]], it will appear as a "'''crown of cognizance'''".
 ===notdNetHack===

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 A helm of brilliance grants 1 base AC, 1 base [[DR]], and modifies the hero's intelligence and wisdom by its enchantment while worn, and its weight is reduced to 30 aum. It can appear in [[Band (dNetHack)|band]] form as a "crown of cognizance".
 ===notdNetHack===
@@ Line 66: / Line 63: @@
 ===EvilHack===
 In [[EvilHack]], the helm of brilliance is changed to be a non-randomized helm as in vanilla ''NetHack'', and has a [[Object materials (EvilHack)|default material]] of gemstone rather than glass.
 ===Hack'EM===

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 The helm of brilliance is the [[base item]] for [[The Mitre of Holiness]], the [[Cleric]] [[quest artifact]].
 ==Generation==
 Helms of brilliance make up {{frac|3|500}} (0.6%) of all helms that are randomly generated on the ground, in general [[shop]]s or as [[death drop]]s. Used armor dealerships and antique weapon outlets can also stock helms of brilliance.
-[[Player monster]]s, including those on the [[Astral Plane]], have a {{frac|21|200}} chance (10.5%) of generating with a helm of brilliance as their initial helm before role-based replacements. before any role-specific changes are made.{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|159|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Default equipment; the helm is chosen from within the designated object classes inclusively in objects.c}} Player monster [[Healer (player monster)|healers]], [[Priest (player monster)|priests]] and [[Wizard (player monster)|wizards]] each have a {{frac|3|8}} chance of their initial helm being replaced with a helm of brilliance, raising their effective odds of generating with one to ~44.06%.{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|193|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Helm replacement for healers}}{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|219|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Helm replacement for priests}}{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|253|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Helm replacement for wizards}} Player monster [[Barbarian (player monster)|barbarians]] and [[Caveman (player monster)|cavefolk]] will never receive a helm of brilliance.{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|176|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Helm replacement for barbarians}}{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|185|version=NetHack 3.6.7|comment=Helm replacement for cavefolk}}
+[[Player monster]]s, including those on the [[Astral Plane]], have a {{sfrac|7|88}} chance (~7.95%) of generating with a helm of brilliance as their initial helm before role-based replacements. before any role-specific changes are made:{{refsrc|src/mplayer.c|154|nethack=5.0.0|comment=Default equipment; the helm is chosen from within the designated object classes inclusively in objects.c}}
 ==Description==
@@ Line 27: / Line 29: @@
 A helm of brilliance is [[fragile]] and has a {{frac|20}} chance of becoming [[cracked]] if it is [[thrown]], [[kicked]], hit by a {{+ of|force bolt}} spell or a [[zapped]] [[wand of striking]], dropped from a great enough height (e.g. down [[stairs]] or while [[levitating]]), or else if it is inside a [[container]] that is similarly kicked, thrown or dropped&mdash;a thoroughly-cracked helm of brilliance will shatter and be destroyed if it is cracked again. A helm of brilliance that is erosion-proofed will be "tempered" and is not subjected to cracking in these instances.
-A worn helm of brilliance does not prevent [[instadeath]] from [[brainlessness]] induced by a [[mind flayer]], which occurs at a '''base''' intelligence of 3.
+A worn helm of brilliance ''does not'' prevent [[instant death]] from [[brainlessness]] induced by [[intelligence drain]], since the instadeath occurs at a '''base''' intelligence of 3.
 ==Strategy==
@@ Line 35: / Line 37: @@
 ==History==
-The helm of brilliance first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, using a cursed [[scroll of destroy armor]] on a cursed helm of brilliance or a cursed pair of [[gauntlets of dexterity]] reduces the enchantment of the piece of armor without altering the stats, and removing them would permanently increase a hero's stats, allowing them to temporarily surpass their racial maximum that way. This became known as the "hobug" (since the helm of brilliance is often abbreviated to "HoB").
+The helm of brilliance first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, using a cursed [[scroll of destroy armor]] on a cursed helm of brilliance or a cursed pair of [[gauntlets of dexterity]] reduces the enchantment of the piece of armor without altering the stats, and removing them will permanently increase a hero's stats, allowing them to temporarily surpass their racial maximum this way. This was known as the "hobug" (since the helm of brilliance is often abbreviated to "HoB"), and is fixed via {{commit|c25746f0bfbea12b288bb44ca893c570474bf635}}.
-From NetHack 3.0.0 to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the helm of brilliance is made of [[iron]] and has a [[randomized appearance]] when unidentified&mdash;the default one associated with it is an [[etched helmet]].{{refsrc|src/objects.c|358|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The helm also weighs 50 [[aum]], and is special-cased to not raise spellcasting failure rates when worn due to its attribute enhancements. The helm of brilliance is given its current set appearance in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|f9a35132d6caad172c5987182e6984e6c50e0dcb}}, which also gives its old randomized appearance to the [[helm of caution]], and its [[encyclopedia]] entry is added via {{commit|502c66f5e3f2c0033b9fe30bf7289af7ba254e48}}.
+From NetHack 3.0.0 to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the helm of brilliance is made of [[iron]] and has a [[randomized appearance]] when unidentified&mdash;the default one associated with it is an [[etched helmet]].{{refsrc|src/objects.c|358|nethack=3.6.7}} The helm also weighs 50 [[aum]], and is special-cased to not raise spellcasting failure rates when worn due to its attribute enhancements. The helm of brilliance is given its current set appearance in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|f9a35132d6caad172c5987182e6984e6c50e0dcb}}, which also gives its old randomized appearance to the [[helm of caution]], and its [[encyclopedia]] entry is added via {{commit|502c66f5e3f2c0033b9fe30bf7289af7ba254e48}}.
 ==Variants==

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
    |special=<ul><li>[[enchantment]] modifier<br/>to [[intelligence]] and [[wisdom]]</li></ul>
    |cost=50
-   |weight=50
+   |weight=40
    |material=glass
 }}
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ==History==
-The helm of brilliance first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, using a cursed [[scroll of destroy armor]] on a cursed helm of brilliance or a cursed pair of [[gauntlets of dexterity]] reduces the enchantment of the piece of armor without altering the stats, and removing them would permanently increase a hero's stats, allowing them to temporarily surpass their racial maximum that way. This became known as the "hobug" (since the helm of brilliance is often abbreviated to HoB).
+The helm of brilliance first appears in [[NetHack 3.0.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, using a cursed [[scroll of destroy armor]] on a cursed helm of brilliance or a cursed pair of [[gauntlets of dexterity]] reduces the enchantment of the piece of armor without altering the stats, and removing them would permanently increase a hero's stats, allowing them to temporarily surpass their racial maximum that way. This became known as the "hobug" (since the helm of brilliance is often abbreviated to "HoB").
-From NetHack 3.0.0 to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the helm of brilliance is made of [[iron]] and has a [[randomized appearance]] when unidentified&mdash;the default one associated with it is an [[etched helmet]].{{refsrc|src/objects.c|358|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The helm is also special-cased to not raise spellcasting failure rates when worn, due to its attribute enhancements. The helm of brilliance is given its current set appearance in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|f9a35132d6caad172c5987182e6984e6c50e0dcb}}, which also gives its old randomized appearance to the [[helm of caution]], and its [[encyclopedia]] entry is added via {{commit|502c66f5e3f2c0033b9fe30bf7289af7ba254e48}}.
+From NetHack 3.0.0 to [[NetHack 3.6.7]], including some variants based on those versions, the helm of brilliance is made of [[iron]] and has a [[randomized appearance]] when unidentified&mdash;the default one associated with it is an [[etched helmet]].{{refsrc|src/objects.c|358|version=NetHack 3.6.7}} The helm also weighs 50 [[aum]], and is special-cased to not raise spellcasting failure rates when worn due to its attribute enhancements. The helm of brilliance is given its current set appearance in [[NetHack 5.0.0]] via {{commit|f9a35132d6caad172c5987182e6984e6c50e0dcb}}, which also gives its old randomized appearance to the [[helm of caution]], and its [[encyclopedia]] entry is added via {{commit|502c66f5e3f2c0033b9fe30bf7289af7ba254e48}}.
 ==Variants==
-Many ''NetHack'' [[variant]]s created prior to [[NetHack 5.0.0]] retain the helm of brilliance as a randomized helm, similar to previous versions.
+Many ''NetHack'' [[variant]]s created prior to [[NetHack 5.0.0]] retain the helm of brilliance as it appears in prior versions, including the special case that causes the worn metallic helm to not increase spellcasting failure rates&mdash;this is also applied to variants with [[object materials]] systems.
-Some variants add '''"brilliance"''' as an [[object property]] that causes armor with the property to behave similar to a helm of brilliance, including the lack of spellcasting penalty if the armor is metallic.
+Some variants also add '''"brilliance"''' as an [[object property]] that causes armor with the property to behave similar to a helm of brilliance, including the lack of spellcasting penalty if the armor is metallic.
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], [[upgrading]] a [[dwarvish iron helm]] has a {{frac|2}} chance of producing a helm of brilliance, and upgrading a helm of brilliance will produce a dwarvish iron helm.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], the helm of brilliance behaves as it does in NetHack 3.4.3.
 [[The Mantle of Knowledge]] is a [[Defunct features (SLASH'EM)|defunct]] [[artifact]] helm of brilliance.
 ===dNetHack===
-In [[dNetHack]], the helm of brilliance grants 1 base AC, 1 base [[DR]], and adds its enchantment to intelligence and wisdom while worn, and its weight is reduced to 30 aum. It can appear in [[Band (dNetHack)|band]] form as a "crown of cognizance".
+In [[dNetHack]], the helm of brilliance behaves as it does in NetHack 3.4.3.
 ===SlashTHEM===
@@ Line 57: / Line 61: @@
 ===notdNetHack===
 In [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], in addition to dNetHack details, [[Paimon]] is generated with a +3 [[gemstone]] helm of brilliance when summoned by an [[Illithanachronounbinder]].
 ===Hack'EM===
-In [[Hack'EM]], upgrading a [[helm of madness]] will produce a helm of brilliance, and vice versa.
+In [[Hack'EM]], the helm of brilliance behaves as it does in NetHack 3.6.7 and has a [[Object materials (Hack'EM)|base material]] of iron.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==