Zardoz wrote:
Y’now the Dopplegangers skull we got... Would it be malleable enough to make into a helmet that would stretch to whatever I Wild Shaped into?
Great question! Usually, the answer to this would be an outright no because the size would be too small and the material too rigid and brittle for crafting but I think considering the nature of the creature, and the fact that it has magical properties even as a skull on its own then we could come up with something cool.
For context, a magical item can resize itself to fit the wearer. So if a human had a ring of protection and they gave it to a gnome, when the gnome attuned to it it would resize itself to fit the gnome. Magical items also cannot be destroyed by normal means.
Taking all of that into consideration, I think it makes sense that this skull could be crafted into a helm. It wouldn't offer any AC advantage but it would mean the wearer was able to use the special ability of the skull:
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
1 Doppelganger Skull. Requires attunement. Once per day, you can use this skull to read the thoughts of nearby creatures. As an action, you can read the surface thoughts of one creature within 60 feet of you. The effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 2 feet of stone, 2 inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead blocks it. This effect lasts for ten minutes. While you are reading a creature’s mind, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion) checks against it.
To craft it, I think magic would have to be expended. Since the creature is capable of shape shifting, I would rule the magic that is expended must be from the school of transmutation and it's a CR3 creature so it will require spells equivalent to 1d6 levels...and I rolled a three. So, during the crafting process, over however many days it takes to craft it, it will require 3 levels worth of transmutation magic to be expended into it; either three 1st levels, or one 1st level and one 2nd level.
For time taken to complete the project, I'd again say it takes 1d6 days and this time I rolled a four, so four days of crafting.
It will require crafting tools and blacksmith equipment so either you can commission the local blacksmith or Ermintrude can do it at the smith's shop. If you get the blacksmith to do it, it will cost 10gp. If Ermintrude does it, it will require three days of downtime from the party while Ermintrude is in the shop and it will cost 7gp in materials.
The finished helm will require attunement so make sure you mark that on your character sheet once done if you decide to go ahead with it, since each character has limited spots for attuned equipment. Since it will be a magical item, and it doesn't offer an AC bonus, it will size with the wildshape so in your wildshaped form you can still wear the helm. You can decide what your aesthetic specification is for the crafting of it.