Mark Hart's page

I wish to extend my deepest thanks to the judges for their time and effort during the contest! Your feedback has been tremendously helpful and offered some great teaching moments.

I look forward to everyone's feedback or comments about this organization, and I hope to win your vote.

Alkwraith wrote:

So when my mother-in-law (she lives with us so she has to put up with the gaming group once or twice a month) told me about RPG Superstar 18 months ago, just in time to get an item in for RPG Superstar 2011, I went for it.

Burning Question: How did she find out about it?

I had the exact same question come to mind!

I’m a 44 year old going on 14, most days…

Same here! Welcome to the club!

I feel like the people around me are all these mature adults whom I embarass with my very presence. In RPG Superstar, I picture Round 2 feeling like a party where I'm some kid who got invited due to a clerical error and everyone's going to look at me and say "How'd he get in here?" and I'm going to say "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...

The inner critic can be a harsh taskmaster...

Not that my opinion counts any more than anyone else's, but having read your wondrous item submission, I see absolutely no reason why you can't or won't advance to the next round -- you made it through Round 1, but not through any mistake or oversight. I really look forward to seeing your organization for this next round!

Perhaps the ability of the community to do design in the wondrous item space is exhausted and Paizo needs to consider a new first round option for next year.

I wondered myself what might happen if the first round of the next RPGSS involved something different than a wondrous item. Not being a judge, and not being someone who has to churn through hundreds of entries, I can't say what the best alternative might be.

RPGs and boardgames are fairly popular here in Finland...

I'm curious; are you are aware if there are translations of Pathfinder materials available? I haven't heard of any, but your post got me to thinking about this question.

My entry into RPGSS took a slightly unusual road.

Middle of last year, I made the decision that I had played my last game of a certain set of fantasy RPG rules. I wasn't sure what system to switch to: HERO, FantasyCraft, or Pathfinder. I already owned the Core Rulebook and the Game Mastery book (I appreciate beautiful books, and Paizo creates beautiful books).

In the midst of that, I received an e-mail from Paizo announcing the release of the Tome of Horrors Complete. I had owned the original TOH when it came out, and always thought it a fantastic bestiary. Since I love collecting large RPG books, I ordered the TOM Complete (which is an absolutely incredible book). When the book arrived, it included a small catalog -- the 2011-2012 Paizo catalog.

I spent more than a little time paging through that booklet, and in the end decided to climb on board the Pathfinder ship wholeheartedly. The game had me hooked, and it felt like coming home again.

That's about when the announcement for RPGSS 2012 came out. It seemed fortuitous timing, and I wanted to submit for the contest. It helped me to learn the rules better and more completely, and it was fun. And, as Jacob Trier pointed out, it has proven to be an educational experience.

I hope to continue on in the contest into successive rounds. I am eagerly looking forward to the big "reveal" for this next round, and I hope to have the chance to continue competing. It has been tremendous fun and a great challenge so far.

I had to go back and look at your item again. I hadn't originally given much notice to your inclusion of the Golarion element in your wondrous item (i.e., crafter must worship Sarenrae). I commend you on inserting some Golarion flavor into your item without needing to call it out in the item's description, or going overboard on it. The item's powers fit great with Sarenrae's portfolio, and they meld together quite well.

That was one element I went back and forth on with regards to my own entry -- to include some bit of Golarion into the item or not.

Mark, I like this item a lot -- perhaps not surprisingly since it reminds me of my own haunting glass, in that it introduces a less-used set of rules and has a similar recharging mechanism. I really like the cage as your choice for the item itself

I loved your wondrous item; I enjoy the haunt mechanic, and I think you did a great job shining some light on that part of the game.

You could become an even bigger threat in future rounds if... as I suspect you already plan to, you move away from niche mechanics for the voting rounds.

That's an affirmative. Now, hopefully I didn't go the wrong direction with my organization...

Great work, Mark! You took something that I know I had to look up the rules for, and you owned it.

Congratulations, and good luck in the next round!

Thanks for the kind words and good wishes -- I'm gonna need them!

Everyone gets 8 votes, so vote for all of us! You'll even have 5 votes left over for Those Other Guys. ;)

I could use any leftover mojo that you have! :-)

A couple years later, out came the 1st boxed set. I still think fondly of the phrase, "The Keep on the Borderlands", LOL. That edition, and the ensuing switch to AD&D around that same year, sustained me through high school.

We played the heck out of that module... Every time I hear that one mentioned, I get all nostalgic.

...a reluctant switch to the 3rd Edition (…”Dammit! Where’s my THAC0!?!...”)...

It is truly rare to find someone who actually *misses* THAC0. Do you perhaps remember that "combat wheel" that came in an issue of DRAGON magazine? I knew some people who simply memorized all the combat matrices; me, I had to look them up more often than not, so THAC0 was an improvement (at the time).

I think one tough spot for me is wondering how the next round entries will be received, and what it will be like when it comes to public voting and commenting.

spellblights? We own Ultimate Magic and never heard of it. Granted I don't use the book much.

Heh, I've heard and read several people say something along those lines: "Spellblight? What the hey is that?"

But then I figured it would be easier, and probably eat up less words, to just let it affect all non-instantaneous and non-permanent area of effect spells. Maybe that was too much, but I think it would be FUN to swing a wall of fire around, or re-position a tiny hut, etc. etc.

I really enjoy items that can change the battlefield in surprising, unexpected ways, and your item does that wonderfully. This type of item is great, because of the reactions it can engender with players, and the kind of creativity that players will inevitably apply to it.

I started RP gaming back in 9th grade (about three decades ago), and haven't stopped since then. I'm blessed to have maintained a regular, reliable, and fun gaming group (the members came and went, of course) that entire time, with the exception of a hiatus during college. To me, this is what makes gaming so enjoyable -- it has introduced me to some wonderful people, many of whom are still my friends, even since high school.

I am a recent convert to Pathfinder, although I bought the Core Rulebook when it first came out, and I've been watching the game grow and attract an audience ever since that first beta playtest period. Once I made the decision to jump into PF, I did so with both feet and have found it wonderful. The game brought back so many things that I was missing, and it felt like coming home again.

This is my first year entering RPG Superstar; I knew about the competition, but never felt comfortable entering, since I didn't know much about the PF rules. The thing I love most about this competition is seeing the wonderful interactions between people on the forum boards -- respect, admiration, intelligent discussion, and fun. I also vastly appreciate the time and effort the judges have put into the contest... it is truly a fantastic learning experience.

I am really looking forward to seeing what comes next, and to seeing what happens.

In terms of design, I need to be bolder and to push into the territory beyond "good enough" and into "exceptional." I try to remind myself that fantasy is about the fantastic, and the things I create should reflect that as much as possible.

The excellent feedback I've already received on my Round 1 item has given me a number of helpful insights, and allowed me to step back and think about game design from new angles.

I've only recently converted my group over to Pathfinder, and they've started buying the books for it. I can only guess at their (overwhelmingly negative) reaction if I suddenly announced that PF2 was on its way.

Bottled Time is a great descriptive name, and it conjures up some fun ideas about what might actually be in the bottle, or how it is made. Very cool.

I loved reading your blot post about your item creation process and what went into it. I look forward to seeing you back here next year!

I can just picture the party rogue sneaking among the party's enemies to quietly attach one of these to a bad guy, all the while hoping said bad guy never notices it. This item has such an unusual and intriguing blend of benefits and penalties that I see a lot of amusing role-playing moments coming from it.

I like the connection to the goblin tribe, and the item's description. Really good visuals, and something that will confuse the heck out of characters when it is first discovered.

Good job!

I don't like wasps at all, so this item gives me a creepy feeling -- which is a testament to your descriptions and your concept. This item has a lot of flavor to it, and it exudes a unique style that really stands out. Calistria is one of those deities that has both good and bad sides to her, and this item is in perfect harmony with that dual nature.

Great job!

Mounts are, in some ways, like familiars. They've long been in the game, but they often prove problematic to the party or simply inconvenient... or they die too easily. I appreciate your item because it offers a quick solution that still allows characters to keep a beloved mount available. It solves some story problems (e.g., leaving your favorite horse tethered outside the dungeon entrance), and encourages characters to consider owning mounts.

If a few cavaliers with these items could sneak into an enemy fortress, they could provide a really impressive surprise when they return their mounts to full size, mount up, and go on the attack!

Excellent work!

This item excites me because it could easily serve as the basis for an entire campaign arc. I don't know anything about the caravan rules, so I can't really speak to those, but beyond that, this magic item gives me a number of ideas for adventures. An adventuring party would absolutely love to have one of these available to them. It also gets me thinking about what sort of surprises the previous owner may have left inside. Such an item could have a long and storied history, and that in turn sparks further adventures.

Superb idea, lots of fun!

What I appreciate most is that this item encourages and rewards teamwork, and it gives another reason for characters to select some of the teamwork feats. There are plenty of "selfish" magic items out there -- items that help the user to shine in a fight. Your shadow box helps promote the party working together and coming up with shared tactics.

Of course, DMs would also love to have their bad guys get a hold of this item. It could be an object lesson for characters who don't normally care about working together as a group when the villains demonstrate just how dangerous teamwork can be.

Wondrous work, keep it up!

I'm planning a campaign, and one of the player's has expressed a desire to create a swashbuckler archtype rogue. When I saw this item's name, I immediately had to see if she would appreciate her character having one of these. I really like the concepts you've placed into this item, and how well they fit together. The parrying cloak concept really deserves to be in the game, and I like how you handled it.

I appreciate items that help a character visualize her concept and then play out that concept in combat. It is unfortunate when a player's concept just falls flat in the heat of combat. Your wondrous item is an excellent choice and gives the swashbuckler some fun options.

Great job!

Your item is great because it brings exposure to a new, and heretofore seldom explored area of the game. Ultimate Magic is a book I really love, and it is fantastic to see someone jump in and make use of Words of Power. I admire your willingness to design an item in this arena. Like several people have commented, just reading the item makes me want to go back and read through the Words of Power section, and find ways to use them in my game.

The visuals are cinematic and really help sell the effects. The first time a character quaffs this elixir, he's going to wonder if he made the worst mistake in his life... until the power kicks in. I love items like that.

Awesome work!

This item is wonderfully creative; I immediately grasped what you were describing, and I don't recall any item that works in a similar way. Basically creates a shadow puppet display on the wall that frightens its audience, whether they want to be or not! You have some great flavor and atmosphere going on here. As a DM, I can think of all sorts of story potential for this particular item, and it is so distinctive that the players would long remember it.

Great work!

Just simply a bundle of awesome right here! This has so many potential uses, and so much story potential, that it makes my head hurt. Characters would love to use this, just for the visuals, let alone the actual effects. I can also imagine a DM making great use of the crown in other ways.

Exceptional work!

Again, this is a magic item that clever player characters could accomplish so much with, both in and out of combat. To me, that's what really makes this item, the possibilities for creativity it engenders.

I can only imagine what the local thieves' guild would do with these things... Tremendous fun both for players and for the DM.

Great stuff!

My players hate it when incorporeal undead come to the attack out of the floor or walls. They would *love* having an item such as yours in their arsenal, and I can see why. I really like the way you wove the description, the effects, and the use of channeling together to create a compelling magic item.

Another thing I love about this item: it can offer one of those "oh crap!" moments for the party. The cleric activates his gloves and scans the corridor ahead. All he sees hiding within the walls, the columns, and the floor is a virtual army of incorporeal spirits or similar undead.

Fantastic work!

Makes me think of the Hounds of Tindalos, which is awesome. The description and the writing is just tons of fun and creepy, something that would keep a character on his toes every time he uses the object. I love magic items that perform a function, but seem slightly dangerous or sinister in description (if not effect on the user).

Superb stuff, and best of luck!

I've always loved the *concept* of the familiar, since it fits well with the arcane spellcaster archtype. I've never really liked the *execution* of familiars all that well -- they so often seem too vulnerable (and thus making the owner more vulnerable). This item is great in that it helps extend a familiar's life span and thus its usefulness. (Of course, any caster who sends their familiar into combat gets what he deserves!)

This is a wonderful wondrous item, and I plan on using it in my Pathfinder campaign.

Congrats!

I love the concept of haunts, but then I love all things connected with ghosts. An item that might encourage a DM to use the haunt rules is a good thing, in my view. Also, this item offers excellent visuals and a neat concept that gets me thinking about alternative uses and possibilities.

Wonderful stuff, and congratulations!

I can think of some fun ways to cause mischief and mayhem with this item, not all of them in combat. The description is great and evocative, and it has a distinctive flavor that really stands out. This is an item I'd love to place in a treasure hoard for the characters to find because it would immediately draw attention to itself.

Excellent work!

Gunslinger characters really deserve some love, and this item fills the prescription. I have a player eager to run a gunslinger character, and I think she would absolutely love to have one of these sights.

I agree with the comments that this item also is well described visually, and it is very easy to picture in the imagination.

Great work!

I like that you designed an item dealing with positive and negative channeled energy. I think there is a lot of room for game elements that deal with this power.

Personally, as I DM I would enjoy using this item and pulling some surprises on the player characters.

Congratulations and good luck!

This item has an excellent theme to it, and it gives me fun concepts for character themes. That's when you know you have a neat item -- someone wants to make a character who would want to have that item, and designs their character concept around its ideas.

The druids and rangers will be lining up to get their hands on this one.

Fantastic work!

What I love about this item is its flexibility. Players tend to be fiendishly clever in taking something and using it in ways it was never intended, typically producing a surprising (yet fun) effect. I can just picture a rogue drilling a hole in a vampire's coffin and pouring a bottle full of liquid sunlight inside.

Wonderful item, fantastic visual effects.

Sometimes, a party really needs something like this shawl. As you point out, characters don't always get the luxury of a nap before facing the Big Bad. I can't help but think of the climactic scenes in one of the Dracula movies where the heroes arrive at the gates of Dracula's castle just as the sun sets. An adventuring party in a similar circumstance can't simply stop, set up camp, and completely rejuvenate. The shawl serves a great function that allows the story to continue at full pace.

I love it!

I have a feeling that undead would just *hate* these things!

Lots of good visuals; the various light and fire effects weave together to create an item that a lot of clerics would love to have.

I like the "final strike" option the sunblossom has, although I'd hate for the thing to accidentally break in my character's backpack!

Great job.

Cayden is just plain fun; characters dedicated to Cayden are just ripe for role-playing gold moments. That's what I like best about this wondrous item -- it offers role-playing moments that are likely to be memorable and bring a smile to people's faces.

I'm starting a new Pathfinder campaign in the near future, and this is an item I can easily see making its way into play.

Great job!

I love the addition of the buzzing it makes when it goes to work. In a situation where a character gets dominated/controlled, the wasp serves to warn the character's allies that something is wrong. If some monster or spell takes control of the character silently, the wasp acts like an alarm, also helping protect the party in a way.

Cool!

I can think of several neat uses for something like this, and I agree that it has a fun visual going for it.

I can think of several characters types who would absolutely love these gauntlets. They allow characters to do something neat that normally can't be done, which in my book is the foundation for an awesome item.

The visuals are great, imagining a warrior or barbarian pounding away on the lich's resilient sphere, much to the lich's chagrin.

As several people have pointed out, it is great to see the summoners getting some love. The class definitely deserves some items of its own, and this would be a fun one for any summoner to own. Anything that makes people more likely to explore/play the summoner class is a good thing in my book.

I think the whole area of the game dealing with eidolons is ripe for expansion, so congratulations on helping to do some trailblazing here!

This item would be great to give to a villain's minion or assassin, and the surprise effect would be priceless. I'm going to have to borrow this idea for future and spring it on my players... it would be worth having a camera on hand to capture their reactions to it!

Great job!

There is something appropriate about using the flute's melody to attract the attention of a haunt.

Although I can see the flute removing some of the risk from haunts, I think this benefit is balanced by the fact a character has to make music (i.e., noise) for it to work. Thus, the character might protect his party from haunts, but also attract unwanted monstrous attention.

Also, if the party spellcaster has to cast a spell with a verbal component, it ends the flute's effect, so I think the protection offered by the flute is nicely balanced out.

The name is fun and evocative. Me like.

I loved your comment that this item could be a "game-changer," and I personally like to see the occasional game-changer pop into the game. It keeps everyone on their toes, both characters and bad guys.

I like this item, and it is always excellent to see inexpensive, lower level magic items. These are the sort of things that DMs love to be able to hand out in treasure hauls.

I know it isn't part of a typical wondrous item, but I can imagine what unusual materials the dust might consist of, or what it might feel like for a character to apply. A DM could have a lot of fun playing with a player's mind the first time the character uses the dust.

The visual of having someone press a hand against the door and close his eyes to see beyond is nifty, something I could see in a movie.

Given the effect only functions once per day, it would basically give the party one shot at preempting a surprise on the other side of a door or wall, which seems useful but not too powerful (much like what Chris Jackson said).