Transform 303 of the Predators Guise

Lore: In the early days following the arrival of souls on Saṃsāra, many communities found themselves at the bottom of the food chain. To survive against the world’s uniquely evolved and powerful monsters, they adopted a simple, brutal philosophy: to fight a beast, one must become a beast. Shamans and warriors began a tradition of ritualistically harvesting the bones, teeth, and hides of the alpha predators they managed to defeat.

They believed that a creature’s aggression—its fighting spirit—lingered in its physical remains. Through shamanic rituals, they learned to bind these remnant spirits into masks and helms. The Predator’s Guise is the most common of these creations. By wearing the skull of a fallen predator, the avatar can channel its aggressive essence, temporarily transforming parts of their own body to emulate the beast’s natural weapons. It is a common item among berserkers, frontline warriors, and those who believe the best defense is a terrifying offense.

Description: This item is a heavy, intimidating helmet that covers the top half of the wearer’s face, fashioned from the skull of a native predatory beast like a crag cat, dire wolf, or giant raptor. The bone has been reinforced with boiled leather straps and iron studs, and the eye sockets have been widened for visibility. The original teeth of the creature have been sharpened and re-set along the brow ridge, giving the helm a fearsome, snarling appearance. It feels heavy on the head and seems to radiate a low, constant heat. Those who wear it report feeling a faint, persistent sense of aggression and hunger.

Stats

Bonus: If the wearer has trained the Intimidation skill, this helm grants a +1 bonus to all attempts to threaten or frighten a target.
Bonus: If the wearer has trained an unarmed combat skill, their unarmed strikes deal an additional +1 damage.

Passive Magics

Hunter’s Eyes: While the helm is worn, the user’s eyes undergo a subtle transformation, taking on the appearance of a predator. Their pupils may become vertical slits, or their irises might shift to a piercing, feral yellow or red. This provides a minor improvement to their ability to perceive movement in dim light.
Bestial Poise: The wearer’s posture and movements unconsciously become more like those of a stalking predator. They stand with a lower center of gravity and move with a coiled, ready tension. This makes them more stable and harder to knock off their feet by shoves or charges.

Activable Magics

Transmute Claws (Silent Casting): This transformation is instantaneous and requires no words. As a silent, immediate action, the user can will their hands to change. Their fingernails rapidly thicken, darken, and extend into hard, sharp claws, like those of a great cat or lizard. These claws are durable enough to parry weapons and sharp enough to rend flesh. The transformation lasts for one minute or until dismissed.
Aggressor’s Roar (Normal Casting): The user takes a deep breath and shouts a single, guttural word of power. The magic of the helm transmutes their voice into the deafening, terrifying roar of an apex predator. The roar is a concussive blast of sound that carries immense spiritual pressure. Any creature in a 15-foot cone in front of the user must make a Resolve check. Those who fail are frightened, suffering a penalty on their next action due to fear and hesitation.

Gear Slot: Head

Tags: Common, Head, Tier 1, Transformation, Aggressive, Combat, Intimidation, Primal, Bone, Bestial, Shamanic, Buff, Debuff, Auditory, Melee

The Transform 303 of the Predator’s Guise is a tool of aggression and intimidation. As such, it is not sold in common markets but is found in places where strength is valued, violence is expected, and a fearsome appearance is a form of currency.

The Pit-Fighter’s Armory

In the grimy, torch-lit underbellies of cities that host gladiatorial arenas or illegal fighting pits, these workshops cater to warriors whose lives are measured in bloody victories. The air in these cramped spaces is thick with the smell of sweat, rust, and the hot metal of the forge. The walls are lined not with standard swords and shields, but with brutal and exotic implements of combat: spiked gauntlets, serrated blades, and intimidating, custom-made armor. A Predator’s Guise would be prominently displayed here, often on a menacing-looking mannequin, to attract fighters seeking a psychological edge over their opponents.

The transaction is a gruff and pragmatic affair. The armorer is often a scarred veteran of the pits themselves, and they respect only strength and decisiveness. They will allow a potential buyer to handle the helm, encouraging them to “feel its bite.” Haggling is a tense negotiation, a battle of wills where any sign of weakness will result in a higher price. Bartering with other useful, high-quality weapons or armor is common.

Cost: The price is determined by the helm’s effectiveness as a tool of intimidation in the arena. It would be priced at 1 Gold and 4 Silver. A particularly fearsome or respected warrior might be able to intimidate the armorer into selling it for a flat 1 Gold.

The Monster Hunter’s Outpost

At the edge of the vast, monster-infested wilds sits a frontier town, and at its heart is the Monster Hunter’s Outpost. Part workshop, part trophy hall, this establishment sells and trades in goods made from the spoils of the hunt. The walls are adorned with the massive skulls, claws, and hides of slain beasts, and the air smells of leather, taxidermy chemicals, and steel. They sell specialized gear: heavy crossbows, alchemical lures, and armor crafted from monster carapaces. The Predator’s Guise is a staple here, crafted by the hunters themselves from the skulls of local alpha predators.

The transaction is a matter of professional respect. The seller, a seasoned hunter, will proudly tell the story of the beast from which the helm was made. They will inspect the buyer, judging their competence and resolve, wanting to ensure their hard-won trophy goes to someone who will use it with skill and honor. A novice showing false bravado might be refused a sale entirely.

Cost: The price reflects the quality of the materials and the story of the hunt. A helm from a particularly notorious beast would cost 2 Gold (or 4 Electrum). There is little room for negotiation on price, but they may accept the promise of a share in a future bounty or a trade for a rare alchemical component harvested from a powerful monster.

The Primal Encampment Market

In the semi-nomadic encampments of Saṃsāra’s more primal peoples—fierce warriors and shamanistic tribes—commerce is conducted in a large, open-air market around a central bonfire. The air is filled with boisterous laughter, war chants, and the smell of roasted meat. Goods are displayed on stretched hides or hung from crude wooden racks. Much of the gear is made of bone, flint, and hide, and the Predator’s Guise would be a common and respected piece of wargear.

To purchase an item here as an outsider is a challenge. The transaction is a test of worthiness. A buyer might be challenged to a contest of strength, a drinking game, or be asked to face one of their warriors in a non-lethal sparring match. Coin is rarely the primary currency; they value strength, respect, and useful goods.

Cost: A direct sale for coin would be seen as an insult, but if a price were to be set, it would be a token amount like 6 Silver. A much more acceptable trade would be a well-crafted steel weapon, a cask of strong dwarven ale, or a bolt of fine, durable cloth.

The Black Market Arms Dealer

In the shadows of every major city, a black market operates for those who cannot acquire arms and armor through legal channels. The dealer’s location is secret and ever-changing, found only through underworld contacts. The “shop” is often a secured room or hidden basement, displaying only a few select items. A Predator’s Guise might appear in their inventory after being looted from a fallen bandit or a pit-fighter’s corpse.

The transaction is tense, quiet, and strictly business. The dealer is interested only in profit and security. They will not allow extensive handling of the merchandise before payment is visible. There are no stories, no guarantees, and no refunds.

Cost: The price is highly inflated due to the risk involved for the dealer. They would demand a non-negotiable price of at least 3 Gold for the unregistered, untraceable item.

The Transform 303 of the Predator’s Guise is a tool of overt aggression. It offers little in the way of passive defense, instead focusing on intimidation, proactive deterrence, and enhancing the wearer’s own offensive capabilities. Its use in any conflict is a declaration of violent intent.

Defensive Roleplaying Applications

Defense with the Predator’s Guise is not about blocking or shielding, but about preventing an attack from ever connecting. It is about becoming so terrifying that would-be attackers lose their nerve, or using its monstrous transformations to navigate out of harm’s way.

Scenario: A Pre-emptive Strike in a Dimly Lit Forest An avatar is traveling through a dense, shadowy forest and senses they are being watched, suspecting a bandit ambush. The light is poor, and the woods are quiet.

The avatar dons the Predator’s Guise. Immediately, the Hunter’s Eyes passive activates; the world sharpens in the dim light, and the avatar’s pupils narrow into feral slits. They scan the trees and spot what others would miss: the subtle outline of a concealed archer in a thicket. Knowing an attack is imminent, the avatar doesn’t wait to be fired upon. They take a deep breath and unleash the Aggressor’s Roar. The terrifying, inhuman sound rips through the silent forest, not just as noise, but as a wave of magical intimidation. The hidden archer flinches, his aim ruined. Other bandits waiting in the undergrowth hesitate, their confidence shattered by the sheer ferocity of a creature they cannot see. The ambush is broken before it begins, and the bandits must now reconsider if their intended prey is a person at all, or some far more dangerous monster.

Scenario: Escaping a Rampaging Beast in a Ruin While exploring a crumbling stone ruin, an avatar accidentally awakens a large, territorial beast like a Minotaur or an Earth Elemental. The creature is enraged and begins smashing the pillars of the room, bringing the ceiling down. The avatar is cornered, with the exit blocked by the raging monster.

Dodging the creature is impossible in the confined space. The avatar activates Transmute Claws. As the monster charges, the avatar ignores the beast itself and turns to the ancient, crumbling stone wall. Their newly formed, supernaturally hard claws allow them to dig into the stone and mortar in a way that normal hands never could. They scramble up the wall, finding handholds where none should exist. They cling to the wall high above the ground as the monster smashes past below, its charge missing entirely. The claws provided a desperate, defensive escape route by allowing the avatar to utilize the environment in a monstrous way.

Offensive Roleplaying Applications

Offense with the Predator’s Guise is about shock, awe, and unleashing a primal fury that overwhelms an opponent physically and psychologically.

Scenario: A Disagreement in a Crowded Tavern A physical confrontation has broken out. An opponent, expecting a simple fistfight, squares up against the avatar. Weapons are forbidden.

The avatar, wearing the helm, allows the Bestial Poise passive to lower their center of gravity, making them a more stable brawler. They trade a few normal blows, luring their opponent into a predictable rhythm. When the opponent leaves a momentary opening, the avatar uses the silent activation of Transmute Claws. What the opponent expected to be a simple punch becomes a vicious slash as five sharpened talons rake across their arm. The sudden, unexpected escalation from a fistfight to a bloody mauling is shocking. The opponent is not only wounded but mentally staggered by the transformation, their will to continue the “unarmed” brawl instantly evaporating.

Scenario: Establishing Dominance on the Open Plains A pack of large, predatory canines begins to circle the avatar on the open plains, testing them for weakness before attacking. Running would trigger their chase instinct.

The avatar stands their ground, dons the helm, and meets the pack leader’s gaze with their own glowing Hunter’s Eyes. They need to prove they are not prey. After a moment of tense silence, the avatar unleashes the Aggressor’s Roar. The sound is not merely a human shout; it is a magical broadcast of dominance, the roar of a creature higher on the food chain. The effect on the pack is immediate. Lower-ranking members whine and flatten themselves against the ground. The pack leader, its authority directly challenged by this display of superior aggression, is faced with a choice: fight a creature that may be far more powerful than it appears, or retreat. The roar is a direct, offensive challenge to the pack’s hierarchy, intended to make them break off the hunt.

Perception of Activation:

User’s Perspective

When an avatar activates the aggressive magic of the Predator’s Guise, such as the Aggressor’s Roar, they are not merely using an item; they are surrendering a piece of themselves to the primal spirit bound within the bone.

Sight: The user’s vision narrows, with the periphery darkening and tinting a bloody red. Their focus becomes intensely fixed on their target. When they unleash the roar, they can see the very air in front of them distort and ripple outwards in a visible, conical shockwave of pure force.
Sound: The feeling begins as a deep, powerful rumble in the user’s own chest, as if their bones are vibrating in tune with an earthquake. The roar that erupts from their throat feels impossibly loud and powerful, a composite sound of their own voice mixed with the guttural snarls of wolves, the scream of hunting birds, and the deep-throated growl of a great cat. To the user, it is the sound of their own rage given form.
Touch: The skull-helm becomes intensely hot against the user’s skin, like wearing a crown of hot coals. A violent tremor racks their entire body as they unleash the roar. This is immediately followed by a surge of adrenaline and a feeling of raw, boundless power flooding their muscles.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Primal Merging): The user feels the dormant, predatory spirit within the helm awaken and surge into their consciousness. It is not a possession, but a temporary, voluntary fusion. The user’s own emotions are consumed and amplified by a wave of pure, undiluted aggression and predatory instinct: the drive to hunt, to dominate, and to assert power.
Extra-Sensory Perception (Aura Flare): Through their Mind’s Eye, the user can feel their own magical aura ignite and explode outwards, violently reshaping itself from a humanoid form into the massive, shadowy silhouette of an apex predator. They feel themselves become, for a moment, something much larger and more terrifying than their physical body.

Positives: The user experiences an exhilarating, all-consuming rush of power, confidence, and aggression. All fear and doubt are burned away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of dominance. The user feels physically stronger, faster, and utterly fearless.

Negatives: There is a significant and dangerous loss of rational thought and fine control. The user is swept up in the primal rage of the helm’s spirit, making it difficult to adhere to complex plans, recognize allies from enemies in the heat of the moment, or show restraint. There is a palpable risk of losing oneself to the beast and continuing the rampage long after the threat has passed.

Observer’s Perspective

To an observer, the activation is a terrifying and dramatic transformation, a civilized being momentarily shedding its skin to reveal a monster within.

Sight: The wearer’s posture changes instantly. They seem to swell with muscle, their stance lowering into a predatory crouch. When they roar, a visible cone of distorted air erupts from them. The wearer’s eyes, visible within the dark sockets of the helm, begin to glow with a menacing, feral red light.
Sound: The roar is the most overwhelming aspect of the activation. It is deafeningly loud and fundamentally wrong. It is not a human sound, but a multi-layered, bestial call that seems to hit the listener with physical force. It is the sound of a dozen apex predators screaming with a single voice.
Touch: Anyone standing near the user feels the ground vibrate from the force of the roar. The air itself seems to shudder and recoil, and the concussive force can be felt as a physical pressure against the body.
Extra-Sensory Perception (The Mind’s Eye): A magically-attuned observer witnesses a violent, uncontrolled explosion of raw, crimson-and-black magical energy from the user. They see the user’s aura flare and contort into the terrifying, imposing shape of a shadowy, monstrous beast. They are hit with a psychic wave of pure, unadulterated killing intent, a broadcast of dominance so powerful it can be mentally paralyzing.

Positives: For the user’s allies, it is an awesome, if frightening, display of power that can bolster morale. It is an unparalleled tool for intimidation that can end a fight before it begins by causing enemies to break and flee.

Negatives: The experience is terrifying on a primal, instinctual level for anyone on the receiving end. The sound alone can cause panic, disorientation, and fear. The psychic projection of aggression is a direct assault on the will, and can leave even stoic individuals shaken. It is an act of pure, terrifying hostility that will escalate any conflict to a deadly level.

The Rite of the Dominant Spirit

This document describes the ancient and brutal rite required to craft a Predator’s Guise. The process is not one of simple assembly, but of conquest. The artisan must dominate the spirit of a powerful beast and bind its aggression into a vessel of bone and leather, creating a tool of terrifying power.

Materials Needed

The Alpha’s Skull: The complete, unbroken skull of a formidable alpha predator (e.g., a Dire Wolf pack leader, a matriarch Crag Cat). The skull must be taken by the crafter’s own hand; a purchased or found skull will lack the necessary spiritual connection.
The Alpha’s Hide: A large section of hide taken from the same beast as the skull, to be used for straps.
The Alpha’s Teeth: At least four of the beast’s largest, sharpest teeth (canines or incisors).
Heart-Ash: A pouch containing the white ash created by ritually burning the heart of the defeated alpha predator on a pyre of ironwood. This is the component that holds the creature’s raw aggression.
Binding Pitch: A thick, black pitch made by boiling down pine resin mixed with the blood of the crafter. This serves as the physical and spiritual adhesive.

Tools Required

Primal Carving Set: A set of heavy-duty carving tools made from flint, obsidian, and sharpened bone. Metal tools are considered disrespectful to the spirit and will not work for the magical carving.
Bone Needles and Awls: Large, thick needles and piercing tools crafted from the bones of lesser prey animals.
A Ritual Drum: A single, large drum made from hide stretched over a heavy wooden frame. The beat of the drum is used to command the spirit during the binding rite.
A Stone Altar: A large, flat-topped boulder in a place of natural power, such as a mountaintop, a deep cave, or the heart of a dark forest.

Skill Requirements

Artisan (Bone Carving): A high degree of skill is needed to work with the dense bone of a predator’s skull without shattering it.
Intimidation: The crafter must possess a powerful will and a commanding presence, as they will need to spiritually dominate the beast’s aggressive nature.
Survival: Required for the tracking, hunting, and ritual butchering of the alpha predator to harvest the necessary components.
Attunement (Primal Spirits): The ability to perceive, challenge, and bind the raw, violent spirits of nature.

Crafting Steps

The Hunt and Harvest: The rite begins with the hunt. The artisan must track, challenge, and defeat a worthy alpha predator in its own territory, alone. After the kill, they must perform a ritual harvest, taking the skull, hide, and teeth while speaking words of respect for the beast’s strength, acknowledging its power even in death. The heart must be removed and burned on a pyre at the site of the kill, and the resulting ash collected.
The Cleansing and Preparation: The skull is taken to the stone altar and scraped clean using the primal carving set. It is then left exposed to the elements for three days and three nights, allowing the sun and moon to bleach away the flesh but leave the spiritual essence intact. The hide is scraped and cured using traditional methods.
The Carving of Dominance: The artisan begins to shape the skull into a helm. The eye sockets are widened, and holes are drilled for the leather straps. This is not just physical work. With each cut and scrape, the artisan must focus their will, projecting their own dominance over the lingering spirit of the beast, reminding it of its defeat.
Setting the Fangs: The artisan mixes the Heart-Ash with the Binding Pitch. This mixture is used to set the creature’s own teeth onto the brow of the helm, creating its snarling visage. With the placement of each tooth, the artisan must recount a part of their victorious battle against the beast, magically embedding the memory of their triumph into the helm.
The Binding Rite: This is the most crucial step. The completed helm is placed in the center of the stone altar at night. The artisan begins to beat a slow, powerful, hypnotic rhythm on the ritual drum. The beat is a challenge, a call to the beast’s spirit. As the spirit’s presence is felt—a drop in temperature, a rising wind, a palpable sense of aggression in the air—the artisan’s drumming becomes faster and more dominant. They must chant a powerful litany of their own strength, their own victories, and their own right to rule. This is a battle of wills. The artisan must spiritually wrestle the beast’s aggression into submission, forcing it into the vessel of the skull.
The First Wearing: As the sun rises, the rite concludes. The spirit is now bound. The artisan must immediately don the helm. They will feel the full, raw fury of the defeated beast rush into their mind. They must withstand this final psychic assault, master it, and make it their own. If they succeed, the helm is forever attuned to them, a symbol of their power and a weapon forged from pure, primal aggression.

Hunter and Skull That Roared

In a village that sat at the foot of a great stone mountain, there was a beast. It was a Great Crag-Cat, with fur like shadows and teeth like spear-points. It was clever and fast and very hungry. It came down from the mountain and ate the village’s animals, and sometimes, it ate the village’s people.

The chief of the village was old. He said, “The man who brings me the head of this Cat will be our new Head Hunter, and he will lead our hunts.”

A warrior named He-Who-Breaks-Trees stood up. He was a very large man and very strong. His arms were like tree trunks. He said, “I will fight this Cat and break its back with my great strength.” He went up the mountain with his spear. He found the Cat. He was strong, yes, but the Cat was faster. He fought with much shouting, but the Cat gave him many cuts with its claws. He came back to the village with no victory, only with blood and shame on his face.

Then stood up a man named He-Who-Follows-Tracks. He was not large. His arms were not like tree trunks. But his eyes were sharp and his mind was clever. He said, “I will not fight the Cat. To fight it is to die. I will hunt it.”

For many days, He-Who-Follows-Tracks went to the mountain. He did not take a spear to fight. He watched. He learned where the Cat slept. He learned where it drank water. He learned its paths. Then, on a path, he dug a very deep hole and put sharp sticks in the bottom. He tricked the Cat, and the proud Cat fell into the hole and was killed by the sharp sticks.

He-Who-Follows-Tracks brought the great skull of the Cat to the village. The people cheered, for they were safe. But He-Who-Breaks-Trees, the strong warrior, was jealous. He pointed and said, “He is a hunter of tricks, not a warrior of strength. He has the Cat’s head, but he does not have the Cat’s great anger. He is not fit to be Head Hunter.” The people heard this, and they were confused. They were safe because of the clever hunter, but they still loved the sight of strength.

He-Who-Follows-Tracks was sad. He knew the warrior spoke some truth. He went to his hut with the great skull. He remembered a story from his grandfather, a story of how to borrow the anger of a beast. He took the skull and began to work on it with his carving tools. He made it into a helmet he could wear.

When it was done, he put the skull-helm on an altar. He cut his own hand with a knife and let his blood fall onto the bone. He spoke to the skull. He said, “Spirit of the Great Cat, I was not strong enough to face you in battle. Forgive me my tricks. I wish to borrow your anger, to wear your ferocity, so I may protect my people from other beasts.” The skull was quiet. But then, two red lights began to glow deep within its empty eyes. The spirit of the Cat had accepted his blood.

He-Who-Follows-Tracks put on the helm. He walked to the center of the village and called for He-Who-Breaks-Trees. He said, “You say I have no strength. Come, show me yours.”

The strong warrior laughed and charged at the small hunter. He raised his great fists to break him. But as he came close, He-Who-Follows-Tracks stood his ground. His hands changed. His fingers became long, sharp claws, like the Cat’s. He opened his mouth and from it came a sound not his own. It was the great, angry roar of the Crag-Cat. The sound was a weapon. It was full of rage and the desire to kill.

He-Who-Breaks-Trees, the man who was afraid of nothing, stopped. He looked at the glowing red eyes in the skull. He heard the roar of the beast he could not defeat. He felt the Cat’s great anger, and for the first time, he was afraid. He lowered his big arms. The fight was over before a punch was thrown. The clever hunter who now wore the anger of the beast was the true Head Hunter.

The Moral of the Story: The strongest arm can break a tree, but it cannot make an enemy afraid. The cleverest mind can trap a beast, but it cannot lead a charge. The one who has both a clever mind and the spirit of a beast is the one who will lead.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

The Wendigo Mask

A dangerous artifact fashioned from the skull of a great predator, rumored to house a cannibalistic spirit. It grants the wearer terrifying power in exchange for their sanity and humanity.

Game Mechanics:

Description: A helmet made from a large animal skull. Upon donning the mask, the Investigator must succeed on a POW x 3 roll or immediately succumb to a bout of madness, attacking the nearest living thing.
Bestial Weapons: The wearer’s unarmed attacks deal 1d10 damage and gain the Impale special rule as their hands transform into wicked claws.
Terrifying Roar: Once per hour, the wearer can unleash a supernatural roar. All who hear it must make a Sanity roll (1/1d6 SAN).
Degeneration: For every minute the mask is worn, the Investigator loses 1 Sanity point. Removing the mask before combat ends requires an opposed STR roll against the mask’s spirit (POW 60).

Blades in the Dark

The Shifting War-Mask

A demonic artifact that allows a scoundrel to channel a savage, violent spirit, making them a more effective and terrifying combatant at the cost of control and Stress.

Game Mechanics:

Item Type: Artifact; Demonic, Violent, Intimidating.
The Beast Within: When you wear the mask in combat, you may choose to gain +1d to any Skirmish or Wreck roll. When you do, you must take 1 Stress as you fight to contain the spirit’s feral rage.
Terrifying Roar: You can take 2 Stress to unleash a demonic roar. Your enemies falter, and you gain potent effect on your next action to intimidate or assault them.
Devil’s Bargain: While you wear the mask, the GM can always offer you a Devil’s Bargain related to losing control: you will cause unintended collateral damage, horrify onlookers, or attack an ally in your frenzy.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Helm of the Beast

A common wondrous item that grants the wearer minor, temporary bestial transformations, perfect for frontline warriors seeking an aggressive edge.

Game Mechanics:

Wondrous item, common
Description: A helmet fashioned from the skull of a large predator.
Charges: This helm has 3 charges and regains all expended charges daily at dawn. You can expend 1 charge to activate one of the following effects:
- Bestial Claws. As a bonus action, you transform your hands into claws for 1 minute. Your unarmed strikes use a d6 for damage and are considered magical.
- Fearsome Roar. As an action, you unleash a magical roar. Each creature of your choice in a 15-foot cone must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
- Predator’s Sight. As a bonus action, your eyes transform for 1 hour, granting you advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Knave

Skull-Helm of the Ravager

A magical helmet that provides a bonus to armor and grants aggressive combat abilities, but threatens to overwhelm the wearer with battle rage.

Game Mechanics:

Description: A helmet made from a monster’s skull. Takes up 1 inventory slot and provides +1 Armor (this does not stack with other helmets).
Claws: While wearing the helm, you may choose for your unarmed attacks to deal damage as a dagger (d6).
Roar: Once per day, you can let out a terrifying roar. All enemies that can hear you must pass a save vs. fear or be unable to act on their next turn.
Curse: If you take damage while wearing the helm, you must pass a save vs. spells or fly into a rage. While enraged, you must attack the nearest creature each turn. You cannot remove the helm until all enemies are defeated.

Fate Core System

The Savage Visage

An Extra that allows a character to tap into a primal, predatory power. It provides an Aspect and related Stunts that grant aggressive combat options at the cost of rational control.

Game Mechanics:

Item Aspect: Heart of the Apex Predator.
- Invoke: For a +2 on Physique rolls for feats of raw strength or Provoke rolls to intimidate with a show of ferocity.
- Compel: The character’s predatory instincts take over, forcing them to attack the most obvious threat, abandon a complex plan for a direct assault, or be unable to show mercy when it would be advantageous.
Stunt – Primal Weapons: Because I wear The Savage Visage, I can use my Fight skill to make unarmed attacks that inflict a 2-shift hit, as my hands transform into wicked claws.
Stunt – Terrifying Roar: Because I wear The Savage Visage, once per conflict, I can use Provoke to create the advantage Terrified and Fleeing on a group of non-player character enemies.

Numenera & Cypher System

Aggression-Inductor Helm

An artifact that interfaces with the user’s limbic system and adrenal glands, flooding their body with bio-engineered rage and granting temporary, powerful combat enhancements.

Game Mechanics:

Artifact: Level 4.
Form: A helmet fashioned from the skull of an engineered predator from a prior world.
Effect (Passive): The helm’s biofeedback loop enhances the user’s stamina. The user gains +2 to their Might Pool.
Effect (Active): Action. The user floods their system with combat stimulants. For the next minute, all their melee attacks inflict +1 damage. However, all Intellect-based tasks are hindered by one step during this time as rational thought is suppressed.
Effect (Active): Action. The helmet emits a bio-sonic roar tuned to provoke a fear response. All living creatures within immediate range must make a Might defense roll. On a failure, the difficulty of their next action is hindered by one step. Depletion: 1 in 1d20.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Helm of the Ravaging Drake

A helmet crafted from the skull of a lesser drake or wyvern, this piece of armor is imbued with the lingering fury of the slain beast, granting its wearer a taste of its draconic power.

Game Mechanics:

Item 2
Uncommon, Magical, Transmutation, Primal
Price 30 GP
Usage worn, headgear; Bulk 1
Activate [one-action] command; Frequency once per 10 minutes; Effect You grow vicious claws. You gain a claw unarmed attack that is in the brawling group, deals 1d6 slashing damage, and has the agile and finesse traits.
Activate [two-actions] command, envision; Frequency once per day; Effect You unleash a terrifying roar in a 15-foot cone. Each enemy in the cone must attempt a DC 17 Will save.
- Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
- Success The creature is frightened 1.
- Failure The creature is frightened 2.
- Critical Failure The creature is frightened 2 and is fleeing for 1 round.

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE)

The Berserker’s Skull

A magical helmet that allows a warrior to tap into a primal rage, granting them significant combat bonuses but forcing them into a bloodthirsty frenzy that is difficult to control.

Game Mechanics:

Description: Provides +1 Armor to the head.
Berserker’s Rage: The wearer has the Berserk Edge for free while wearing the helmet. However, the trigger for the Berserk state is whenever the character takes any damage or is successfully Taunted (not just when Shaken or Wounded).
Claws of Fury: While in the Berserk state, the wearer’s unarmed attacks are considered magical, deal Str+d6 damage, and have AP 1 as their hands transform into claws.
Fearsome Roar: Once per encounter as an action, the wearer can make a Taunt roll. If successful, it affects all enemies within a Large Blast Template centered on the user.

Shadowrun, Sixth World

Fenrir-Class Combat Helm

A piece of mil-spec hardware that integrates a combat stimulant injector, a sonic weapon, and a wireless link to melee cyberware, all designed to maximize a user’s aggressive potential in close-quarters battle.

Game Mechanics:

Type: Armored Helmet (+2 Armor)
Availability: 10R
Cost: 9,000 nuyen
Adrenal Surge: Once per combat encounter, the user can trigger a built-in injector as a Minor Action. The user ignores the negative dice pool modifiers from one level of damage for the next 3 combat rounds.
Sonic Roar: The helmet contains a sonic weapon. As a Major Action, it can target a single character within 10 meters. The target must resist 6 Stun damage (Willpower + Firewall). This weapon cannot be used again for 1 minute as it recharges.
Cyber-Claw Link: The helmet’s smartlink system can interface with hand-based cyberweapons (e.g., retractable claws, shock hands). When the helm’s combat mode is active, deploying or activating these linked weapons is a Free Action.

Starfinder

Vesk Marauder’s Helm

A piece of Vesk-designed battle gear that uses integrated sonic emitters and minor magical transmutation to bolster a soldier’s natural ferocity and melee capabilities.

Game Mechanics:

System: Heavy Armor Upgrade
Level 3; Price 1,400 credits; Slots 1; Armor Type Heavy; Bulk 1
Battlefield Menace: The wearer gains a +1 insight bonus to Intimidate checks.
Claw Augmentation: If the wearer has a natural melee attack (such as a claw), the damage die of that attack is increased by one step (e.g., 1d4 becomes 1d6). If they do not, their hands are treated as a natural weapon that deals 1d4 slashing damage.
Concussive Roar: Once per day as a standard action, the user can activate the helm’s sonic emitter. All creatures in a 15-foot cone must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or be knocked prone.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Zhodani ‘Fear-Mask’ Combat Helmet

A psionically-active helmet used by elite Zhodani commandos. It enhances the wearer’s own aggressive tendencies while projecting psionic terror into the minds of their enemies.

Game Mechanics:

Tech Level: 12
Mass: 2 kg
Cost: Cr 75,000
Protection: Provides the protection of a standard military combat helmet.
Psionic Interface: A character with the Psionics (Telepathy) skill can interface with the helmet. It grants DM+1 to any Melee or Intimidation checks they make.
Psionic Scream: Once per encounter, the wearer can force the helmet to emit a targeted psionic scream as an action. Choose one target within 10 meters. The target must make a Will 10+ check or become stunned for 1d6 rounds. Using this requires the wearer to make a Psionics (Telepathy) 8+ check; failure inflicts 1d6 damage on the wearer from psychic feedback.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Skull-Helm of the Khorngor

A terrifying war helm fashioned from the horned skull of a mighty Khorngor, a Beastman champion dedicated to the Blood God. It is soaked in primal rage and violence, driving its wearer into an ecstatic and uncontrollable frenzy.

Game Mechanics:

Encumbrance: 1
Qualities: Magical, Cursed, Impaling.
Armour Points: Provides 2 AP to the Head location.
Curse of Rage: While wearing this helm, the character must make a Challenging (+0) Cool Test at the start of any combat situation. If they fail, they immediately gain the Frenzy Creature Trait for the entire combat and cannot voluntarily end it.
Gore-Claws: While in a state of Frenzy from this helm’s curse, the wearer’s hands twist into bony claws. Their unarmed attacks gain the Damaging and Impaling Qualities.
Corruption: The first time a character willingly dons this helm, they gain 1 Corruption Point. They gain an additional point each time the Curse of Rage is triggered.