BOUNDARY CHALK
Aura moderate evocation; CL 9th
Slot —; Price 18,000 gp; Weight —

DESCRIPTION
The surface of this stick of white chalk is covered with silvery runes. Using the chalk to draw a line 1 to 10 feet long on a solid surface creates a wall of force, extending 10 feet straight out from the surface. Drawing a line takes one standard action which provokes acts of opportunity. Each wall lasts 10 minutes, but can be immediately dismissed by touching it again with the chalk. One stick of boundary chalk can draw 200 feet of line before it is used up.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, wall of force; Cost 9,000 gp

Better than average. Making a wall of force is a spell in a can, but making it of any length is not. And making the "charges" equal to the linear distance protected by the wall is a neat little trick.

Inclined to keep.

I like it too ... except...

No limit on uses per day means you could create a 200 foot wall of force in one day. Granted, it would take you 20 rounds to do it. And it would use up the chalk.

I dont know, the more I think about it the less I worry abotu that since the wall only lasts 10 minutes.

This is an expensive getaway item.

OK, I like it for now. Not sure I am committed to it long term.

Keep

Kept.

Oh and by the way, what is this thing, about 115 words? Once again, you do not need 200 words to make a superstar item.

Very nice flavorful charged item. I'd want clarification that I can't make 200 1-foot walls, though.

Congratulations on making it into RPG Superstar 2009!

While my dislike of super-invulnerable wall of force is well-known, I like your item. It makes it hard to trap someone with the wall, since drawing the line provokes AoOs, but it is handy for sealing off an exit.

I don't share Sean's worry about making 200 1-foot walls of force, since a 1-foot wall of force isn't going to block very much other than an arrow slit or narrow window. However, they could create interesting impediments, so it would help to have some guidelines about about how to deal with them. Think about it - you're in a 5-foot corridor 10 feet high. You draw a 1-foot bar in the center. Is it as simple as saying now Medium creatures need to squeeze to get past it? What kind of cover does it provide if you want to shelter behind it? Is there a minimum width needed to provide cover. I mean, you could create a miniature forest of little 1-foot-wide force "trees."

Perhaps more problematic, though, is that the wall "extends straight out" from the surface. Meaning what? Any line from the surface can be straight, regardless of which direction it's pointing. Are the walls intended to always be vertical? Perpendicular to the surface? If they are flat (or near enough) can you walk across them?

I'm foreseeing the inventive player drawing a horizontal wall of force (so 1 foot wide horizontally, but infinitesimally thin vertically) about neck level in a corridor and then trying to argue that when the pursuers come running around the corner and hitting wall edge on and arguing that they should have their heads chopped off like a motorcyclist hitting a wire in a bad movie.

Summary: I think the way you have worked charges on the item is a neat flavor quirk - just use up the chalk. I think the game effect of narrow/partial walls of force, especially ones that can be created at any angle, needs some more explanation, or some clarification that you can, say, only create vertical walls and that you can only draw in 5 and 10-foot sections. All in all, though, I think it's a neat idea.

Magical chalk usually isn’t something that deeply grabs my attention. This one, while not succeeding in totally enticing me, at least left me pondering the possibilities of so many walls of force.
At this price, it makes for an expensive expendable item every group will find a use for once in a while.

Positive:
The charge mechanic circumvention by using the length of the wall is clever.
Telling us what exactly happens when you draw a line in combat shows that you thought about this kind of application.

Negative:
The “straight out” could have been an orthogonal or some other crazy but precise word.

After reviewing all other items:
Welcome to RPG Superstar 09 ! After all these entries, this one is still fair, square and ready to draw something up for the next round!

This is an fun item!

Honest to goodness, I think this has the best pure FLAVOR of any of the items I've thus far read - if feels like something out of Harry Potter, or one of the wonderful old Roald Dahl books I loved so much as a kid.

A chalk line that can't be crossed. Invisible, invulnerable force-field. Why has something this marvelous not popped up in a book before?

Now, as to the concerns regarding execution: according to the base stats for wall of force out of the SRD, the spell can ONLY be used to create a flat, vertical plane; the rules of this item don't seem to contradict those guidelines, although I suppose that "extending 10 feet straight UP from the surface" might have been a better wording. It's also interesting to note that the description SPECIFICALLY mentions that the user has to draw a line - not allowing a circle or a curve, which means that the item doesn't violate the original spell's rules in ANY way.

I gotta give it up for this item, man! Great stuff! What it lacks in raw firepower & explosive, Gonzo, earth-shattering, gut-wrenching horror, it MORE than makes up for in clear design, quick summary, and evocative imagery - the user pausing to calmly draw a simple white line across the threshold of a stairway as his party flees the hordes behind them ... wicked slick.

And the arrow bouncing off of the seemingly empty air? Priceless.

I want a stick of this, and that's the hallmark of fantastic design. I mean, who would have thought that chalk could be AWESOME?

My heartfelt congratulations, and I look forward to seeing more of your work as Superstar! continues!

I like this one too. Being able to draw a wall of force is pretty cool. I was thinking it was going to be something along the lines of "draw a door to pass through" or something, but I was pleasantly surprised. And you can't draw a wall of unlimited length, or a 200-ft. wall, because the description clearly states that you get a maximum 10'x10' wall. (Of course, you could do this 20 times to effectively get a 200-ft. wall, but why do you need to, and like Clark said, it uses up the chalk.

I'm more concerned about the duration: it only lasts for 10 minutes, which is much longer than a normal wall of force. I'm curious about the design decision to make it CL 9th, but have it last more than 11 times the normal duration (9 rounds).

Regardless, this is tight design, a good idea, and useful too. Congratulations on joining the ranks of RPG Superstar!

As it's fairy-tale-like name hinted, this item is a rogue's dream come true. It denies pursuers the chance to catch up in a very evocative fashion. I can picture it even now: The rogue slips through the narrow streets, sack full of valuables barely slowing him down. He reaches for something thin on his belt, then suddenly stops, draws a line behind him and disappears in the night. Thumping sounds and curses of guards soon follow.

This chalk would be a stylish asset for any arcane or rogue oriented villain, as well.

Nice "getaway" item. Or something the party could use when it's cornered and needs to prep before a battle.

I wasn't sold until i read Vladislav Rashkovski's comment.

I have really wanted a decent warding/binding type chalk item to be made for a long time, and i will be honest that when i looked at it like that it seemed barely passible. Then Vlad made me think rogue item and suddenly it became an item that my sharn based gagdeteer and Inquisitive character of old would love. I can just see her pausing as she runs down an alley to scrawl a quick line across the alley as thugs persue her. Yeah, i like that. Not sure it will be my faverate, but good all the same.

One interesting effect (perhaps too strong, not sure), is the ability to ready an action to draw a line to block arrow fire or spells.

Good stuff!

I like this toy ... and I can see a rogue using it to clothesline the pursuers if she gets the chance ... scramble up that pole, draw the line on the ceiling, along the beam bottom, whatever, and it extends down ten feet ... pratfalls all around as the rogue laughs herself silly :)

Also, the classic "walk on the left side" gag :) Party knows to run close to the wall and then spread out, chasers don't and SPLAT!

Go figure that I like wall of force items, right? :)

I'd want to edit this a bit if it were in my hands - trim the duration down, and specify the wall must go "up" (horizontal walls of force create lots of corner cases, angled ones even more). But it's simple and it's fun. Good job.

Congratulations on making it through the first round!

One interesting effect (perhaps too strong, not sure), is the ability to ready an action to draw a line to block arrow fire or spells.

I too would like to know why the walls of force it generates posses an extended duration. As interesting as the item is, this strikes me as a broken mechanic. It could use some more clarification as well, as already noted by others.

This is one of the better items, because it challenges the player using it to be intelligent and creative. An imaginative thinker will find a 1,000,000 uses for this.

All I would change to this one is to make the minimum length 5 feet. Otherwise, it's pretty much perfect. The ability to create walls that jut down from ceilings or out sideways from walls might prove either ingenious or annoying, but that's something that will vary with player creativity.

And I like effects that reward player creativity (like the old-school rebounding lightning bolts, that a clever player could use to 'double-tap' a foe).

Good name, fun concept, clever mechanics. I even like the dismissal mechanic.

My favorite item thus far (early on). Top tier.

BTW- Lines don't have to be straight. Or non-polygonal.

Boundary Chalk is an excellent Spellpunk item, suitable for any squad of troubleshooting adventurers.

The mechanic of using "feet of line" instead of charges was extremely clever.

Also, this is well written.

A soon as I saw the items' name (in fact before I saw my name in the top 32 list ;)), I figured what it did and say "wow, cool!"

That in itself says a lot. An item that anyone can immediatelly picture the effects on sight is a great item to start with. Also, it puts some classic fantasy (and not so fantasy) scenes into the game.

Simple, imaginative, excellent effect and use. I loved it.

huh...kind of spiffy.

This is pretty cool, despite being close to a spell in a can. The fact that you can break it up and it lasts longer, not to mention the cool imagery makes it stand out for just replicating a spell. I do think it's a bit expensive, however, when compared to what a 20 charge wand of wall of force would cost, assuming you could make wands of 5th level spells. When you factor in the limitation of only a 10' wall per round, I'd lower the price more for that also.

Not only is it totally awesome, but it made me think of a dozen other cool spell-in-a-can chalk items. Walls, magic circles, globes of invulnerability. We need more chalk items, pronto!

Tons of utility, easy to understand, GREAT mental images...this is awesome!

This thing is crazy awesome. It's got so many cool uses that I don't even know where to begin. You can draw a cell for an enemy, draw an impenetrable barricade, or seal yourself inside a protective ring. This is an item I wish I had thought of.

This thing is crazy awesome. It's got so many cool uses that I don't even know where to begin. You can draw a cell for an enemy, draw an impenetrable barricade, or seal yourself inside a protective ring. This is an item I wish I had thought of.

Very nice flavorful charged item. I'd want clarification that I can't make 200 1-foot walls, though.

Question after thinking about this further: what is the weight of a 1 foot wall of force when a line is drawn on my Club(if it's very lightwieght) or the badguy's weapons (if it's heavy)?

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

Very nice flavorful charged item. I'd want clarification that I can't make 200 1-foot walls, though.

I think that you CAN make 200X 1 foot walls.. and that's what I would do.

Question after thinking about this further: what is the weight of a 1 foot wall of force when a line is drawn on my Club(if it's very lightwieght) or the badguy's weapons (if it's heavy)?

Given the enthusiasm on this thread for the item and the devious uses already being suggested for it, I'm wondering if this item is too cheap - not too expensive.

Edit:
Okay, I was looking at the creation cost, not the market price, and at only 1000 gp more on the open market than a Broom of Flying, it seems priced about right to me.
And it's the sort of item which will get people laughing around a table, and maybe making silly quotes from characters from a Warner Brother's cartoon, which must be good for the game in general.

Given the enthusiasm on this thread for the item and the devious uses already being suggested for it, I'm wondering if this item is too cheap - not too expensive.

Ooh, me likes, me likes!
I'm not a game-designer at ALL, so can't speak to the issues others (esp.the judges) brought up re. number of uses, et. al.; I just like the idea of whipping out a stick of chalk that turns 2d lines into 3d walls!

Congrats!

I can just imagine it. There's our hero running for their lives down a corridor, chased by an evil knight on horse back, when someone decides to stop for a moment and draw a small line on a tree/wall/whatever at, say, shoulder height.... What hits the ground first? The knight or the horses' head. Heh heh heh...

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

Very nice flavorful charged item. I'd want clarification that I can't make 200 1-foot walls, though.

I think that you CAN make 200X 1 foot walls.. and that's what I would do.

Question after thinking about this further: what is the weight of a 1 foot wall of force when a line is drawn on my Club(if it's very lightwieght) or the badguy's weapons (if it's heavy)?

That is a very forceful question.

Sharoth wrote:

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

Very nice flavorful charged item. I'd want clarification that I can't make 200 1-foot walls, though.

I think that you CAN make 200X 1 foot walls.. and that's what I would do.

Question after thinking about this further: what is the weight of a 1 foot wall of force when a line is drawn on my Club(if it's very lightwieght) or the badguy's weapons (if it's heavy)?

That is a very forceful question.

and if the answer is light that means I would have a club with reach, not a terribly bad thing....
another question, is a wall of force considered a solid object (IE: can you draw lines on the wall to create more walls? If so, making towersout of 3 walls would be interesting tactic vs flying creatures with reach *ahem pathfinder 2*)

Cpt_kirstov wrote:

and if the answer is light that means I would have a club with reach, not a terribly bad thing....
another question, is a wall of force considered a solid object (IE: can you draw lines on the wall to create more walls? If so, making towersout of 3 walls would be interesting tactic vs flying creatures with reach *ahem pathfinder 2*)

DM: "And now, the 10 minutes of the first chalk-drawn line are over..."

I dig items that force (HA!) the owner to be creative to get the best uses out of it. This item reminds me of the immovable rod. No kidding, if you randomly picked 6 players of the fifty I have spent much time playing with, there will be an immovable rod in the party. Stairs. Wings. Tower shields for archers. Imagine the charioteers are coming after you in the gladiator pits and one of your friends whips out a piece of chalk with a wicked smile on his face.

This item requires a lot of adjudication for the DM, but I don't mind clever uses of simple items in my games. I root for it until its abused.

Then I disjoin them.

Congratulations.

I like the idea and effect of this item, though I do have some questions about the mechanics. One standard action to draw a line - whether it is 1 foot or 10 feet long? And the wall of force extends "10 feet out" in what direction? Aside from that, though, I do like it. Congrats!

I want one for every rogue I ever play ever again. This is a great creative item. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

I love this.

Bard: "I dare you to cross this line!! ... C'mon. What are you waiting for? Cross the line!"
Ogre: "RAAARGGH! Me no see wall!!"
Rogue: "How many minutes before we have to start running?"
Ogre: "RAAARGGH!"

I like it. As was stated earlier, an imaginative PC could come up with so many uses for this item.

"Ok, I just patched the hole in the boat, boxed in the sahaugin, and finally put a end to our arguments over what side of the room is whose..."

Very nice.

Imagine the charioteers are coming after you in the gladiator pits and one of your friends whips out a piece of chalk with a wicked smile on his face.

I didn't really start out liking this item as much as some people. But coming back to review it, I'm compelled to admit that it does something unique. It's tightly designed for the most part. And it deservedly got you into the Top 32. Good luck in the villain round...

My two-cents,
--Neil

Thanks everyone so much for your commentary on my item! Sorry I hadn't replied yet, but I was totally stunned to be selected, and had to really scramble to get a villain ready for round 2.

The chalk is indeed intended to work on any surface, not just floors. I originally wrote the description to say that the wall extended perpendicular to the surface, but thought it was too technical. I should have known better. :) I wanted people to be able to be creative with it, and make things like stairs (though I can't imagine how you'd get traction on them). I hadn't thought of (literal!) edge cases like drawing a line on a weapon, though!

Hmmm, if you drew a line at the top of the inside wall of a square pit, could you walk over the pit?

Hmmm, if you drew a line at the top of the inside wall of a square pit, could you walk over the pit?

congratz Carl, its quite cool item :) already having some ideas appearing inside my head

Tarren Dei wrote:

Hmmm, if you drew a line at the top of the inside wall of a square pit, could you walk over the pit?

sounds like that

congratz Carl, its quite cool item :) alreadyhaving some ideas appearing inside my head

How about drawing a flight of stairs and climbing them? (Has this been suggested already?) I'm loving this item, especially for a smaller party.

The chalk is indeed intended to work on any surface, not just floors. I originally wrote the description to say that the wall extended perpendicular to the surface, but thought it was too technical. I should have known better. :) I wanted people to be able to be creative with it, and make things like stairs (though I can't imagine how you'd get traction on them). I hadn't thought of (literal!) edge cases like drawing a line on a weapon, though!

Tarren Dei wrote:

How about drawing a flight of stairs and climbing them? (Has this been suggested already?) I'm loving this item, especially for a smaller party.

Carl Klutzke wrote:

The chalk is indeed intended to work on any surface, not just floors. I originally wrote the description to say that the wall extended perpendicular to the surface, but thought it was too technical. I should have known better. :) I wanted people to be able to be creative with it, and make things like stairs (though I can't imagine how you'd get traction on them). I hadn't thought of (literal!) edge cases like drawing a line on a weapon, though!

Carl himself mentions it

Ah, I knew I heard that somewhere. How about drawing a ramp over a pressure plate trap? Or attaching the chalk to a long stick and draw it between you and the nasty scythe? Who needs disable device when you have 'boundary chalk'?

My gut tells me that allowing any angle on any surface makes this chalk a little too versatile, but otherwise many props for a well designed creativity-inspiring item in the tradition of the marvelous pigments, sovereign glue, and of course the immovable rod. It's like Crayon Physics: the RPG!