Why entering RPG Superstar is good for you -> Because you get better
Every year Clark does his best to get everyone to enter and I reply to his postings that entering will make you a better writer / designer.
So let’s take a look at my experience.
First year nobody really knew what to expect so I entered a perfectly good item that in the end was met with three words: reject, reject and reject.
Year One:
Goblin Gruel
This milky, greenish concoction tastes surprisingly sweet. It bestows upon the eater a +4 morale bonus to strength and grants the eater the use of the Diehard feat, both effects last for one hour. Eating the gruel also incurs 4 points of damage to the eater’s wisdom score.
Before any major raid or battle, goblin warchanters and shamans work together in creating a batch of goblin gruel for the warriors. According to goblins, the gruel makes a goblin stronger, twice as tough and absolutely fearless. Other sources often refer to the fine line between fearless and senseless, but admit the truth of the first and second claim.
Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, rage; Price 2000 gp for a batch of 50 servings.
From the first year I learned that standing out from the rest was important, so my entry for the second year tried really hard to get the judges attention. It succeeded, but for the wrong reasons, the name of my entry got a lot of discussion.
Year Two:
Eyes of Fear and Fire
Aura faint evocation and necromancy; CL 1st
Slot eyes; Price 2600 gp; Weight –
Description
These soot colored, crystal lenses always feel warm to the touch. The lenses fit over the user’s eyes and color them pitch black, the user receives a +2 competence bonus on Intimidate checks due to the otherworldly appearance of his eyes. Three times per day, the user can will the lenses to blaze with hellish fire for 10 rounds as a free action, the user gains a +5 competence bonus on Intimidate checks. Two times per day, the user can launch a ray of fire (treat as a ray of frost) from his eyes at a target as a standard action. Once per day, the user can use cause fear (Will DC 11 partial) as a gaze attack. The gaze attack can only affect one target.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cause fear, ray of frost; Cost 1300 gp
Year three was a bad year, got all gonzo and fell for the make it hard for the GM trap
Year Three:
Syringe of Infernal Sight Aura moderate evocation and transmutation; CL 6th
Slot -; Price 42,000 gp; Weight 1 lbs.
Description
A green hued, metallic syringe holds a dark swirling liquid in a hollow, crystal tube. The syringe’s plunger is oversized, accommodating claws and other inhuman appendages. An extremely sharp and thin hypodermic needle completes the syringe.
Succeeding on a DC 15 Heal check or a DC 15 Dexterity check allows the user to inject the dark liquid into an eye. Failing a check deals 1d4 points of damage to the subject, but the liquid is still injected into the eye.
When all of the subject’s eyes are treated, the following takes effect: the subject treats an area of darkness, including magical darkness, as an area of bright light. The subject treats an area of dim light as an area of normal light. The subject treats an area of normal light as an area of dim light. The subject treats an area of bright light as an area of darkness. This effect ends after 6 hours.
The syringe holds six doses and regenerates 1d3 doses each day. Each eye requires one dose.
Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, darkvision, daylight; Cost 21,000 gp
Year four was a very good year, got into the keep folder!
Year Four:
Bracelet of Shackled Souls Aura moderate necromancy [evil]; CL 9th
Slot wrists; Price 54,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This fine bracelet consists of strands of silver and cold iron, braided together in a pattern of tiny chains. Five black pearls are embedded in the pattern. As long as the bracelet is worn, any living creature that the wearer reduces to -1 hp or less, using a melee attack, must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or die. The creature’s life force is stored in one of the black pearls, which will turn silvery in hue. The captured life force acts as a charge; the bracelet can hold a maximum of five charges.
As a move action, the bracelet’s wearer can, with a flick of the wrist, create a curtain of ethereal chains that spreads in a 15-ft. radius from the bracelet. Anyone caught or passing through the curtain of ethereal chains must succeed on a DC 15 Will check or become shaken for 4d4 rounds, the wearer of the bracelet is not affected. The curtain of ethereal chains lasts for 1d4+1 rounds, this effect expends one charge from the bracelet.
As a standard action, the bracelet’s wearer can launch a mass of ethereal chains at one target within 60 feet. The ethereal chains will attempt to grapple the target using its CMB of 15. The CMD of the ethereal chains is 30. If the mass of ethereal chains succeeds on the grapple attempt, it will on subsequent rounds try to pin and then tie up the target. If the ethereal chains fail to grapple the target then they will fade away. The mass of ethereal chains lasts for 10 rounds and requires the expenditure of two charges.
Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, death knell; Cost 27,000 gp
This year I’ve fallen for the following traps:
Bad Name
Submitted before adding mojo
Luckily next year is an even year and my items are always better on an even year.
Just had my 9th level summoner face off against a Ezren, Kyra, Valeros and Merisiel at 7th level.
A-Man – male human 9th level summoner
S 8, D 14, C 13, I 12, W 10, C 21
HP = 62
AC = 16
I gave him no feats or skills, toughness might have been nice.
Spells known:
3 – black tentacles, greater invisibility, stoneskin, wall of fire
2 – barksin, slow, protection from arrows, bull’s strength, blur
1 – shield, enlarge person, reduce person, magic fang
Dog
Large Quadropred eidolon
Free evolution: bite, limbs (2)
HP 84
F +10 R +8 W +2
Feats: power attack, dodge, combat reflexes, mobility
No skills allocated
Speed 40
Evolutions (13)
Blindsense (3)
Large (3)
Immunity fire (2)
Claws (1)
Pounce (1)
Trip (1)
Ability increase constitution (2)
S 26, D 15, C 20, I 7, W 10, C 11
Setup
A-Man and his Dog face off against a party of well-known heroes. There are two buildings to the right side of either party to provide some tactical interest. Encounter distance is 90 feet.
Initiative:
Merisiel goes first with 27
Valeros is second with 22
Ezren is third with 19
Kyra is fourth with 8
A Man and his Dog are last with 5
Initial thoughts: well this is going to be a 2 round encounter, the wizard acts before I do, it’s over for the summoner.
Round 1
The Rogue and Fighter race forward. Ezren casts black tentacles, throws badly but still catches the summoner with the spell and deals 8 damage. Dog is not grappled. Kyra delays (why? Because I messed up and acted first). Dog races towards the northern side of the building that is farthest away. A-Man transpositions himself with Dog! Freedom! Kyra walks up and casts searing light. Hits and does 23 damage.
Round 2
Rogue and Fighter race towards A-Man, Fighter manages to reach me but cannot attack this turn. Ezren fireballs Dog, no damage due to fire immunity, black tentacles deal 5 dmg to Dog.
Kyra closes with scimitar and deals 8 dmg. A-Man is now flanked between Fighter and Cleric. That is no good so A-Man bolts away to the East and takes 18 dmg from AoO’s. A-Man casts wall of fire to block line of sight. Deals 2 dmg to cleric and 5 dmg to wizard. Dog escapes the black tentacles and bound towards the fighter and rogue.
Round 3
Rogue fails to hit Dog. Fighter scores a critical on Dog for 22 dmg. Wizard moves away from wall of fire. Cleric moves away from wall of fire and casts fire shield. A-Man casts greater invisibility and moves 6 squares. Dog deals 32 points of damage to the fighter.
Round 4
Rogue scores critical on Dog, deals 18 dmg.
Fighter deals 30 points of damage to Dog.
Wizard casts magic missile upon Dog, does 16 dmg. Dog is DOWN!
Cleric jumps through wall of fire, luckily I am invisible.
A-Man is upset, dismisses the wall of fire and casts summon monster 5 (Sp) as a standard action, summons dinosaur. Dinosaur attacks wizard and misses with a 1.
I ruled that the dino and other summoned monsters can act on my current turn if summoned with the (Sp) ability.
Round 5
Rogue kills Dog.
Fighter moves halfway between wizard and rogue, covering the wizards intended escape.
Wizard attemps to move away from Dino, Dino scores a hit 18 dmg + stunned.
Cleric double moves towards the fight.
A-Man summons an ettin.
Ettin hits the stunned wizard 4 times, deals 40+ dmg, Ezren is dead!
Dino hits fighter, 23 damage and stunned.
Round 6
Rogue scores a critical on the dino, 16 dmg.
Fighter is stunned.
Cleric moves in and channels energy, healing 12 dmg to itself and fighter.
A-Man summons another ettin, ettin #2 deals 14 damage to Cleric.
Ettin #1 kills the fighter.
Dino misses the rogue.
Stopped the playtest. Rogue and Cleric are doomed in a melee with 3 monsters so will very likely run away. A-Man can catch them with a black tentacles or hunt them down. A-Man wins!
Resources spent: 3 of my 8 summon monster 5’s + 1 3rd level spell (wall of fire). A-Man is ready to some more kick ass and Dog will be back tomorrow. The adventuring party presented an EL 10 encounter to A-Man. OK, I had only 3 HP left, but I won!
Note: Ettin is from the summon natural ally list, not from summon monster V. OK, that is a mistake but a babau demon would have killed the wizard and fighter as well.
"Treacherous Tomes, Corrupted Knowledge degrades the Mind" introduces several new mental disorders using modified disease mechanics and some new feats, monster variants and several treasure tomes for your campaign.
Hail of Arrows Trap CR 9
Type mechanical; Perception DC 25; Disable Device DC 25
Effects
Trigger visual (arcane eye); Reset repair
Effect Atk +20 ranged (6d6); multiple targets (all targets in a 20-ft. line)
The CR is actually 8:
Perception DC 25: a +1 CR modifier.
Disable Device DC 25 : a +1 CR modifier.
Atk +20: a +2 CR modifier
6d6 damage : average damage is 21, this needs to be multiplied by 2 due to the multiple targets, 42/10=4.2, a +4 CR modifier.
1+1+2+4=8.
I think the error lies with the arcane eye, that probably errorounsly triggered a magical trap +1 CR modifier.
Please check out 'Magic of the Inner Spheres' in Signs and Portents #73, page 66. The article describes a set of magical items and spells originating from, you guessed it, the inner spheres.
We played through another session of the keep of the shadowfell.
My party got slaughtered by Sir Keegan! Even though my DM insists that he is a worthy opponent as a Level 4 solo brute, it just seems to me that 4e increase in HP makes some fights just unwinnable.
325 hp? that is just an insane amount for level 4. I am level 3, have 32 hp and I am supposed to kill something with 10 times my hp? And before you ask: yes we still had our daily powers + 2 action points.
After I had only one ally left I ran, this turned out to be the smart move: Kerzit lives!
The cleric and I will recruit some new allies and return to Keegan's tomb. Don't know if we'll win round 2, but the dice cannot fail us twice in a row (or can they?).
Pathfinder Society scenarios must be no more offensive than PG-13. Scenarios are played in public at public settings and children will be playing them. As an aside, the number of submissions that involve violence toward children is staggering—no more of those, please.
So I am wondering what purpose violence towards children serves in an adventure / scenario proposal? Does it make the villain more evil?
Does the open call, or pathfinder society in general, have a preference for site-based adventures or is there room for an event-based adventure?
Yesterday I read the mists of Mwangi adventure to gain a feel for the society's adventures, this was clearly an example of a site-based adventure.
I do realize that an event-based adventure would be harder to do, especially since there are only 7000 words, spread across 2 - 3 tiers, but I was wondering if it has been done or Paizo think it can be done.
Does your game require some new OGL content, or do you want to see existing content elaborated on? Well, by all means tell me and I’ll take a look and see if I can write something for you.
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