2025 May 24: Helm of Monster Command

 One of the easier ways around the limitations of war-monsters is to take direct control. Helms of Monster Command are the most popular way of achieving this. When put on, the wearer falls into a trance-like state, where they take over the body of the war-monster that the Helm is linked to, allowing generals to control these mighty beasts much better. Unlike most other magical artifacts, these items are often made on a larger scale, with armies having access to sometimes as many as a dozen. 

Their main advantage is that they are relatively easy and cheap to make. They also don't need costly training to be used effectively, and the vulnerability of the wearer's original body means that even slaves can be forced to don them, turning them into effective soldiers.

The main drawbacks are that they need to be keyed to a specific war-monster, and if the creature dies, the helmet needs to be re-enchanted. It is also remarkably easy for an enemy spellcaster to sever the connection between the helmet and the creature, which usually causes the beast to go berserk. There is also the issue, that most controllers will not only feel disoriented in their new bodies, but also will not have the instinctual knowledge on how to best use their new abilities, leaving them to lose monster-to-monster battles their creature, if left to its own devices, probably could have won.

For these reasons, Helms of Monster Command are not used by the greatest militaries of the world, but smaller states routinely make use of them, hoping to use them as a shortcut to greater military power.