RPG Superstar: Encounter Challenge Preview

Is anyone else thinking "Skirmish game extravaganza!!!"?

Fun times are in store for us Paizo fans, I must say. Now I just need to start my new job so I can get my hands on those minis!

Holy wow. Open playtest of RPGSS entries? That is definitely a way to find out what works and what doesn't!

Huge twist and totally Paizo!

Ha! That's crazy awesome!

Oh my...*runs off to study the Heroes & Monsters lineup*

That's a cool idea. As a former round 4 competitor I would have loved to have the feedback of an actual playtest.

Nice twist this year, Paizo.

Here is a quick breakdown of monster by type (with Bestiary base CRs) in the Heroes and Monsters set for the contestants to reference.

Oh, sure, Joshua! Make it easy on them! C'mon, man! Where's the challenge and the nail-biting now? ;-P

Those three days fly by fast enough even with any little bit of help thrown their way, I'm not concerned about making it too easy for them, Neil. ;)

C'mon, man! Where's the challenge and the nail-biting now? ;-P

I agree. Way too nice and too easy. They shoulda hadta work to find the list!! ;/

But that's just it: They get way more than 3 days now. The Round 4 rules will be revealed on Friday when voting closes rather than on Tuesday when the Round 3 results are revealed. That means everyone will have a full 7-day week to design their encounter. That's more than twice what we got during our run!

And, on top of that, they get to know the "twist" right now, a good 10 days before the next round begins? And they got 300 words for their wondrous item submissions, when the first two years we only got 200?! They've got it easy, I tell ya! That's why I say make'em sweat!!! ;-D

I'm wondering what twist#3 is.

And we don't even have to walk uphill barefoot through piles of snow to get to an internet cafe to send in our entries. Now we got this fancy interwebz right in our homes. Yup, we're definitly a bunch of spoiled brats.

I see it as more time to work on some nice maps. Don't rush it or make it too busy/sparse. Strike a balance of design, creativity, and functionality.

OOH, clever and tricky. Differentiating the encounters will rely on:

1- Interesting map/terrain features. This is the big one, terrain which encourages interesting actions besides: "I cast", "I attack".

2- Clever use of class levels/templates. This will determine a lot, GMs will need to be able to use the minis out of the box, so large/small templates are out.

3- Clever use of the mini's appearance to clue players in on encounter elements. What is that enormous scroll the Druid is carrying? Or is it perhaps a rolled up flying prayer mat? Teeing off the visuals on the mini should be encouraged.

Good luck, it's going to be tricky for the contestants to keep silent over the course of playtesting. A good encounter is like a good recipe, clear enough instructions that anyone could do it, bit space enough that a GM can add their own signature.

Yup, we're definitly a bunch of spoiled brats.

You are the one who said it first. ;/

And we don't even have to walk uphill barefoot through piles of snow to get to an internet cafe to send in our entries.

Ninja'd :)

OOH, clever and tricky. Differentiating the encounters will rely on:

AWESOME STUFF

I can see that 3rd point coming into play really fast. Using some of the humanoid mini means they could be carrying standard gear or magical gear.

Lots of great potential in there.

Neat!

...

That is all.

Looks fun! It gets the community involved, besides just for voting.

Woo hoo, some love for minis!
And some play-test too. Paizo wins again :)

So we'll get to throw AM BARBARIAN at these encounters and see if he can half-round them? :)

Does the creature or NPC opponent used in the encounter have to be exactly what the miniature depicts? For example, could you use the minotaur miniatures but add class levels of oracle to them for the encounter design?

Does the creature or NPC opponent used in the encounter have to be exactly what the miniature depicts? For example, could you use the minotaur miniatures but add class levels of oracle to them for the encounter design?

The full details are in the R4 rules, which you'll see tomorrow or Monday, but yes, you can customize the monsters by adding templates or class levels, as long as the root of it is still the actual monster represented by the mini. For example, you couldn't use a goblin mini to represent a barghest, but you could use it to represent a goblin barbarian or a goblin wererat.

But that's just it: They get way more than 3 days now. The Round 4 rules will be revealed on Friday when voting closes rather than on Tuesday when the Round 3 results are revealed. That means everyone will have a full 7-day week to design their encounter. That's more than twice what we got during our run!

And, on top of that, they get to know the "twist" right now, a good 10 days before the next round begins? And they got 300 words for their wondrous item submissions, when the first two years we only got 200?! They've got it easy, I tell ya! That's why I say make'em sweat!!! ;-D

Neil, don't forget to remind them how you had to walk uphill both ways to your computer barefooted in the snow while you were competing! I love that part of the story!

EDIT: I see Jacob Trier and I are on the same wavelength...

I was going to, but I figured I'd end it with a friendly wink and a laugh. ;-D

I was going to, but I figured I'd end it with a friendly wink and a laugh. ;-D

I don't get to check the message boards at work, I guess I'll need to start reading before I start posting from now on. I miss you guys when I'm not here :-)

So we'll get to throw AM BARBARIAN at these encounters and see if he can half-round them? :)

Now only if Mr. Fishy would wander from whatever fishbowl Mr. Fishy is hiding in to test to see if it meets TIER FISHY. :)

****

Personally, I'd like to see MR. FISHY and AM BARBARIAN as guest judges for next year. Hilarity would ensue.

I'd like to see MR. FISHY and AM BARBARIAN as guest judges for next year. Hilarity would ensue.

Statler and Waldorf?

Urizen wrote:

I'd like to see MR. FISHY and AM BARBARIAN as guest judges for next year. Hilarity would ensue.

Statler and Waldorf?

Essentially!

But that's just it: They get way more than 3 days now. The Round 4 rules will be revealed on Friday when voting closes rather than on Tuesday when the Round 3 results are revealed.

Shouldn't that read Monday rather than Friday at least as far as the voting goes?

Apparently so.

Alright, if no one else is going to say it - I will.
Saying that you are revealing the finished Round 4 rules on Friday, then Friday or Monday, then Paizo offices are closed for President's Day - was a nasty, nasty tease.

Yeah, I was hoping to get them done on Friday, but it didn't work out. Fortunately, you already had most of the info you needed, so all competitors could start working on a R4 submission before the final rules are posted...

Fortunately, you already had most of the info you needed, so all competitors could start working on a R4 submission before the final rules are posted...

Yes, that was nice. Thank you.