Shadow Falconer's Glove

[Todd Stewart]

This is a really nifty item. Good flavor. However I keep thinking up 'what if X' scenarios regarding how the shadow falcon interacts or doesn't with various conditions for the target. Some mechanical clarifications are in order, but even having said that, I really like this one. :)

[Damien Mc Gurrell]

Cool item. I like that it plays with one of the strengths of the pathfinder system, the combat maneuvers.

[Eric Hindley]

I just want to stop by and say thank you to the huge amount of support and feedback I've seen so far on my item! I am actually taken aback at how positive the reactions have been this year! I would love to come back to clarify and discuss a few things when I have some time, but I am (perhaps understandably) a bit busy at the moment.

[James F.D. Graham]

Congratulations on making the Top 32... again!

I like the idea of your item but after reading my way through the thread I saw the very problem I was thinking of.

I read the effect as purely magical - a ranged CMB effect, but the description of a shadowy bird immediately brought out confusion and questions about the bird's stats and abilities. Enough confusion that some words devoted to clearing up that problem would have been useful.

Despite all that, I really love the concept.

Great Item!

[Wyrd_Wik]

Congrats on making it again! Fun item. My avatar is now on the look out for shadowy falcons.

[Anthony Adam]

Congratulations on being a superstar!

At first I thought this was so cool, then like Neil, the mechanics began to bother me.

When you say "The shadow falcon does not provoke an attack of opportunity", I would interpret this as the activation of the gloves to prodcue the falcon doesnt invoke an attack of opportunity.

I can also see how a fly by attack is what you were aiming for so that the falcon attacks it's target to disarm withouot provoking attacks of opportunity... BUT even then, adjacent allies to the target are not denied their attack of opportunity by the fly by attack as they are not the target.

Therefore you need some stats at minimum, probably solved by pointing to a bestiary and quoting a reference for the birds of prey/mundane animals that best suit - this would keep your word count down.

(When doing this myself, I try to keep to core books, i.e the first bestiary, as most pathfinders will own or have access to the base books).

I would also like to have seen specifics on what happens if the falcon fails (the target is protected from disarm perhaps?), would it stay and try again next round or would it disappear with an annoyed squawk?

I particularly liked the name construct as you avoided "of" and "of the" type of name, points for that.

Scoring:

Note to all participants: The final score is a factor into who I vote for, but so is how much I like an item (my personal preferences and tastes). So dont assume I am voting for my highest scoring items only.

Name: 9/10
I just like this name - personal taste only and we agree on this name :)

Description: 7/10
Loved the whole idea but a few necessary mechanics questions were not answered for me personally.

Construction: 9/10
I couldnt really fault this and you still arent getting a 10 :P

Final score: 25/30 - well done.

A very good entry, I hope the feedback is useful.

[Eric Bailey]

Eric, welcome back to Superstar! This really is a fantastic item, for all the reasons already stated. It gives the new steal mechanic some time in the spotlight and promotes creative play. Frustrating an opponent is often more satisfying than just hitting him for bigger damage, so designs that work toward this goal are always welcome. I think your challenge in the future rounds will be to anticipate and address the missing details and what-ifs that the voters are going to find. As you know from last year, you won't be able to address them or correct any misconceptions after the fact, so make sure to give every submission a real strong mechanical vetting. Best of luck as you progress!

[DP Smith]

Congrats on making it back into the top 32, and with a wicked sick item to boot. I like that it uses one of the new combat maneuvers introduced in the AVG; it really takes advantage of some of the new mechanics Pathfinder has introduced.

I don't agree with people saying that the bird needs stats. It seems clear that this was intended to be a spell effect, wrapped in cool imagery. Maybe the shadow conjuration is throwing people off, but any other choice wouldn't have fit with the theme of the item.

Good luck in the coming round, I look forward to seeing your Archetype.

[Charles Dunwoody]

I like this item (see my avatar). The Shoanti of the Shriikirri-Quah tribe barbarian in my game would too although his hawk might not agree. I do wonder if the person the shadow falcon goes after could shoot at it or grapple it.

[fatouzocat]

By far this is my favorite item of the 32. It isn't as powerful as some but it wasn't a create something powerful contest it was a create something good contest and this is good, very good. May luck go with you, great work.

[Kenneth.T.Cole]

Eric Hindley wrote:

Shadow Falconer’s Glove

[b]

Very cool. I like this a lot. It would make an excellent low level item. My only real problem with it is that it invokes something called a shadow falcon (not specifically a shadow in the form of a falcon). I think, though, that it is really a shadow conjuration mimicking a Summon Monster I spell, conjuring a Falcon (probably use the stats for an Eagle). There was room to note that and it would have been worth doing so.

Great job. Definitely belongs in the top 32.

Congrats!

Ken

[fatouzocat]

Oh and the mechanic argument is moot look at the other items, many have issues that could be easily a cause for reject. This item really doesn't have one. I could see an argument for an attack of opportunity against the falcon but believe that if treated less as a "shadow creature conjuration" and more as a unique spell item that does as is listed the mechanics are fine and appropriately powered for the cost.
Congrats again.
Love it

[Mikko Kallio]

It's a really cool item. Well done! People seem to get too hung up on that it conjures a falcon and that shadow conjuration is a prerequisite. Think of the falcon as nothing more than a visual effect that accompanies the actual magical effect and you'll see there are really no major mechanical concerns.

It's like the arcane trickster's ranged legerdemain ability with some tweaks and new flavor, really.

Definitely one of the best items this year!

[Jerry Keyes]

I like this item so much that it makes me a little jealous. Your writing style is easy to read and I got the idea of the item in one read -- absolutely a must in my book.

The lack of stats does not bother me a bit and there were several suggestions (many good) on how you might handle that. Still you have to give Neil credit; man can he spot missing stuff (he should do this for a living)!

The only thing I would've liked to see changed is to have the CMB based on some variable of the wearer's, so it could scale by level a little better.

[Ask A RPGSupersuccubus]

Eric Hindley wrote:

Shadow Falconer’s Glove

Aura moderate conjuration; CL 7th
Slot hands; Price 8000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This elbow-length, heavy leather glove is well-battered, its fine embroidery marred as if by dozens of claw marks. Once per day, as a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, the wearer speaks a command word and gestures toward a target creature within 30 feet. An onyx silhouette of a bird of prey known as a shadow falcon appears, swoops toward the target and performs a disarm or steal combat maneuver (wearer’s choice, CMB +16). The shadow falcon does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the hand wearing the glove is empty, the shadow falcon brings the item to your hand. If the gloved hand is occupied, the shadow falcon deposits the item at your feet. The shadow falcon then disappears.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, shadow conjuration; Cost 4000 gp

Disclaimer:

Ask A RPGSuperstar Succubus is posting from the point of view of a CE aligned succubus – fairness is an adjective applicable to hair coloration, balance is what a couple of mortals on opposite ends of a plank pivoted on a rocky spire above a drop of several hundred feet into a pool of molten basalt frantically try to do, and logic is something which proves anything a demon of adequate status and charm requires it to demonstrate.

Is the item Pretty?
It's a single, embroidered, elbow length leather glove. It's not pretty. It's probably never going to be fashionable. It could perhaps be stylish, however, in some situations.

Does the item help a demonic seductress to keep a paladin house pet?
Yes. Especially when breaking them in/house-training them.

Is the item otherwise useful?
To a limited extent.

Other Comments? (including World Domination potential on the evil laughter scale, where appropriate)
The sales pitch for this item says you can only direct the 'bird' at a creature within thirty feet to attempt to disarm or steal. I'd like o know why the item can't be used to attempt to snatch an item I can see through two open windows lying unattended on somebody's dressing table just across a street? I also want to know if I can wear two of these gloves at the same time (one left hand, one right-handed) or if a marilith acquaintance can wear up to six? (Okay, there might not be much need for her to wear six, but I'm curious all the same...)
I'm also curious as to whether improved versions will be seen on the market at some point, where the birds can attack and lash out at targets instead of just disarming weapons or bringing items back to a user?

Gollum Rating:
Fisssh.

[Curaigh]

Congratulations Eric! Again!!
Strength (Overall): 16
Dexterity (see time in my campaign): 64
Constitution (long-time keeper): 12
Intelligence (mechanics): 16
Wisdom (writing craft): 16
Charisma (flavor/visuals): 14

Shadow hawk: I do not know what it is and yet I do. Very nice. I thought fine embroidery a bit incongruous with scarred leather, but that is minor. I agree it does not need stats for the falcon, but also agree that could have been stated/clarified. Ranged CMB, users choice, is one of those things lots of players will want. I think something like this will stick around for a while. Nice job.
My apologies for being such a slow reader and not getting you feedback sooner. Again, congratulations! :)

[Eric Hindley]

Ok, now that round 2 is in, I'll come back and tie off the loose ends in here. The intent was that the Shadow Falcon never incurred an attack, therefore it didn't need stats. It's mostly a casing for the ranged disarm/steal. The wearer should certainly be able to choose the item targetted, and the falcon should disappear success or failure. The glove's scars come from the talons of a quasi-real falcon, in case you were curious, but being a masterwork glove, I figured it should have started pretty.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank everyone who has dropped by and commented on the item (even our resident SuperSuccubus- I have no idea what you're saying, but it sure sounds pretty...). This really succeeded well beyond my expectations and I can only hope I deliver in the next rounds!

[James Olchak]

Easily the most elegant of the top 32. Just a great concept, tightly engineered. I see a lot of people over-thinking it (stats for the falcon, etc), but it's really fine as is.

[Steven Helt]

I am trying to avoid feedback for some items I felt struggled in execution. I don't want to be nitpicky, so I am looking more at items I can clearly hail as Superstar and focus on complimentary comments. SO my first of several stop is the falcon glove. Truly a Superstar idea, reads well and keeps the style and presentation that I'd expect of the RPGSS top shelf. Very well done, and I'm excited to see your archetype.

[Tom Phillips]

I love the imagery this item invokes. I can see a support character (rogue, bard, etc.) using your glove to disarm a foe so his fighter companions can step in and clean up.

Very nice!

And, for the record, I think Abraham is spot-on here:

Abraham spalding wrote:

It allows you to make a combat maneuver check from a distance once per day with a CMB of +16. The "shadow falcon" isn't an animal and on a *mechanical* level doesn't really exist -- it's just a visual to the item's function.

Best of luck! I can't wait to see your archetype.

[Set]

I love the idea and the visual. I kinda wish, for something that takes up an equipment slot, it was usable more than one time a day, 'though.

The Magic Item Compendium was chock-full of cute little items that gave some one use ability or situational modifier, and cluttered up your available equipment slots, and I'm kinda leery of this sort of item as it's a bit pricy for something that you'll want to wear for one round a day. (Three times a day, and with a glove of storing on the other hand? That might not be as mechanically optimal as gauntlets of dexterity or ogre power, but it would be stylish to enter a duel unarmed and snatch the opponents weapon with the shadow falconer's glove and simultaneously 'un-store' a rapier from the glove of storing, suddenly having *both* of the weapons and facing a now unarmed foe...)

It might be clearer to describe the falcon as purely a visual (and perhaps audible) manifestation of illusion, merely a 'special effect' of the magical force that performs the disarm/snatch, to stave off questions about being able to AoO the 'falcon' or it being stopped by a protection from evil or hindered by a sanctuary spell or damaged by a fire shield or cold aura or troglodyte stench, or whatever.

In case it's not terribly obvious, as I'm probably repeating what a bunch of other people have said, I don't read other people's opinions before giving mine. I'd rather give my own impressions than jump to agree (or disagree) with others. :)

[Nick Bolhuis]

Beautiful, both visually and mechanically. While I agree that the falcon could do with some stats I think it's a fringe issue. With a once per day limitation it's hardly abuseable, so the stats would be a bonus, but not a must. I especially like how its cost is low enough as to make it a viable option for many characters, not just those who want to steal your stuff anyways.

Excellent, I would definitely use this.

[Sue Flaherty]

Good visual, nice item, does what it says and nothing more :) Could have been sooo tempting to add other abilities to it, and you refrained, nice judgement call. I agree that it needs a bit more explanation on how things work as Neil mentioned, but I like this item.

[Eric Hindley]

Just thought I'd let everyone know there's a (professionally edited) version of this item in Ultimate Equipment. Check it out along with other Superstar items!

[Nezzarine Shadowmantle]

Now in play in my group. Player loves it. Well-balanced and well-used. Keep.