Many great fantasy stories follow the quest of a group of adventurers who seek the power of a wondrous magic item. Since the beloved tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons has an entire mechanic dedicated to magic items, the big-screen adaptation devotes a lot of its screen time to MacGuffin hunting. Perhaps the most important item in the film is the Helm of Disjunction, which fans won't find in any sourcebook.
Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves leaps out of the gate with a massive body of source material to work with. That can be inspirational, but it can also be daunting. The film works with a ton of fun nods and shines a spotlight on certain concepts, but it also combines ideas to create new ones.
What Does the Helm of Disjunction Do?
The Helm of Disjunction is a Legendary magic artifact that has the power to dissolve any enchantment within its range. In gameplay terms, as established by the D&D Beyond entry for the item, it has a few effects. The Helm of Disjunction requires attunement by a Wizard, a Sorcerer, or a Warlock. When it's used, it fires off an antimagic pulse that consumes any enchantment within 300ft of the user. Any magic item that isn't in the user's possession is deactivated for 60 seconds. Any potion or scroll is instantly destroyed. Any ongoing spell that touches the pulse ceases to function. Finally, the pulse is strong enough to knock anyone nearby prone. The Helm of Disjunction is effectively an electromagnetic pulse for magic, effectively doing away with one of the most powerful forces in the franchise.
In the film, the Helm is key to the thieves' plan to steal the accumulated fortune of the richest men in Neverwinter. The treasure trove is guarded by a thick metal gate and protected by an impossibly complex magic seal. The thieves find themselves stymied by the arcane lock, but their self-conscious magic user Simon comes up with a solution. The Helm of Disjunction is the only item that has the power to break the lock. Simon and his allies have to venture far and wide to find the Helm, which has been carried across battlefields and handed off to multiple new owners. They discover it hidden in the Underdark, where the omnicompetent Paladin Xenk saves the day. Simon fails to attune to the Helm multiple times, but once he finally manages to believe in himself, the Helm comes to life. Its power rattles the foundation of Castle Neverwinter and leaves the vault door open.
What is the Helm of Disjunction Based On?
Fans can now add the Helm of Disjunction to their games now, but the item doesn't exist in any sourcebook. The artifact was invented entirely for Honor Among Thieves. There are ways to stamp out magic. The most notable method of putting an end to nearby magic effects is the 8th-level abjuration spell Antimagic Field. This spell creates a bubble through which no magical effects may pass. If someone casts Fireball just outside the field, it fizzles out as it connects with the invisible bubble. The Antimagic Field spell shuts down any magic items within its range, turning any enchanted item mundane. This spell would presumably undo the seal that kept the thieves away from their prize, but it's a bit too high-level for Simon, and it would be out of his purview as a Sorcerer. Simon and his allies had to turn to an alternative solution, but the Helm of Disjunction still borrows from the source material.
The Helm gets the word Disjunction from an old D&D spell called Mordenkainen's Disjunction. Fans may recognize the name Mordenkainen from the front of some classic sourcebooks and from the arcane seal that holds the Neverwinter vault door closed. Mordenkainen's Disjunction, also known as Mage's Disjunction, was a 9th-level abjuration spell that was present in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions of D&D. It isn't available in any more modern iterations of the game, so newer fans may not have heard of it. Disjunction instantly reduces any nearby spell or magic item to its initial components, dissolving the effect into a pile of unconnected items. This is a bit more esoteric than the effect of the Helm of Disjunction, but it's clearly the item's main inspiration.
The Helm of Disjunction is a simple and effective artifact that could spice up any big D&D adventure. A villain could ruin an entire city with a single use of the Helm's awesome might, or a hero could save the world with a well-timed pulse. The main characters of Honor Among Thieves use it to secure fortune and vengeance, but it's capable of almost anything. The Helm of Disjunction pulls a bit of lore from the old source material and combines it into a fun new form, allowing it to serve the new story.