Helm of caution
[  [  [  [  helm of caution | |
|---|---|
| Appearance | random |
| Slot | helm |
| AC | 1 |
| Special | |
| Base price | 50 zm |
| Weight | 50 |
| Material | iron |
The helm of caution is a type of helm that appears in NetHack. It is a magical helm that is made of iron and has a randomized appearance when unidentified[1][2]—the default one associated with it is an "etched helmet".[3]
Generation
Helms of caution make up 3⁄500 (0.6%) of all armor that is randomly generated on the ground, in general shops or as death drops. Used armor dealerships and antique weapon outlets can also stock helms of caution.
Player monsters, including those on the Astral Plane, have a 788 chance (~7.95%) of generating with a helm of caution as their initial helm before role-based replacements, with cases that can affect this initial helm selection listed below:[4][5]
- Player monster healers and clerics each have a 3⁄4 chance of their initial helm being replaced with a helm of brilliance or helm of telepathy, lowering their effective odds of retaining the helmet to 7352 (~1.99%).[6][7]
- Player monster wizards have a 3⁄4 chance of their initial helm being replaced with a helm of brilliance, lowering their effective odds of retaining the helmet to 7352 (~1.99%).[8]
Description
While worn, the helm of caution grants 1 base AC and warning. As a metallic helm, it interferes with spellcasting.
Strategy
The helm of caution is a somewhat decent item to employ for detecting hostile monsters, though the helm of telepathy may be preferable as a long-term kit choice. Helms of caution have some advantages over helms of telepathy in the late game and end game: some players will have builds with extrinsic telepathy from a quest artifact, and certain dangerous monsters such as air elementals and green slimes are mindless and cannot be detected via telepathy.
History
The helm of caution is introduced in NetHack 5.0.0 via commit f9a35132, where it is added to fill the randomized helm appearance left unused by the helm of brilliance after the latter item is changed to a non-randomized glass helm and given a fixed appearance.
Variants
NetHack variants created prior to NetHack 5.0.0 may not include the helm of caution as a helm type.
EvilHack
EvilHack adds the helm of caution in version 0.9.0. The helm of caution has a base object material of iron and behaves much as it does in NetHack, granting 1 base AC and the warning property.
A hero may receive a helm of caution as a "mundane" gift from performing a sacrifice to their deity at a co-aligned altar.
References
- ↑ src/o_init.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 280-L281
- ↑ src/o_init.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 331
- ↑ include/objects.h in NetHack 5.0.0, line 479
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 154: Default equipment; the helm is chosen from within the designated object classes inclusively in objects.h
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 283: Helms are only generated for Astral Plane playermons
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 187: Helm replacement for healers
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 212: Helm replacement for clerics
- ↑ src/mplayer.c in NetHack 5.0.0, line 246: Helm replacement for wizards
