Next Year's Round 1

I miss the days when item's had a smaller word count. It seems too many of the designers are determined to max the word count of their items with needless text. Back story, who would find the item useful, how-to guides, reexplaining the rules, whole paragraphs of physical description, and in a few cases, design notes...

I for one would welcome back the low word count master!

I for one would welcome back the low word count master!

Downvote the wall of text! Pressing ENTER between lines is a good thing, format that text!

Part of that was the switch from 3.5 to Pathfinder- the template uses more words now. I wouldn't mind seeing the number drop, but some ideas do need a little more room. Maybe split the difference and go with 250?

I like the 300 word count, it is plenty of words for a good idea to be realized or a bad idea to hang itself. Good designers use only the words they need, and make each of them count. That is part of the challenge and I feel that if it were a lower word count the TOP 32 Items would be more "great for a book of magic items' and less the WOW that's Super Star.

I second everything Andrew Black just said.

I also agree that reading 300 words on a poorly phrased item is tedious but the reader can simply stop reading and vote it down.

RE: Good designers use only the words they need, and make each of them count.
"Fetish of the Frog Queen" is a great example of a well-written wondrous item that actually needed the full 300 word count, and in fact would have benefitted from an additional two sentences over that limit.

In contrast...

Below is a great example of a complete item from this year's voting that is only 65 words (and that's after I added a few extra words to better define the item's powers!). I believe this was the briefest entry in the competition. It's definitely a 'keep' for me.

Hostess' Earrings
Aura faint divination; CL 3rd
Slot headband; Price 1,600 gp; Weight –

Description
These simple earrings are often worn by hosts and hostesses at large parties. They whisper the common name of the person the wearer is talking to. The earrings do not reveal secret names such as an outsider's true name.

Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, detect thoughts; Cost 800 gp