Jacob W. Michaels |
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Swords for Hire Development (Jacob W. Michaels and Mikko Kallio) is excited to announce its first project, The Villain Codex. This PDF, being done in conjunction with Outland Entertainment, will feature a series of antagonists for gamemasters to pit against their players. The NPCs will be fully fleshed out, with stat blocks, letting a GM simply drop one into an adventure when he needs a statted-up opponent or build an adventure or even campaign around.
The first Villain Codex will feature 12 opponents of CRs 3-8 for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Finished villains will be 600 words, including a stat block and a description of the villain, his/her motivations, plus potential plots, lairs and minions.
Right now, we’re looking for your best ideas. Send us a pitch that describes your villain and potential plots, as well as expected build. Please include at the top the villain’s name, race (please use core races only), gender, alignment and class. Also please include what CR you think the villain should be; a range of CRs is fine at this point, and we can assign what we would like you to build him/her at if we pick your submission. Finally, remember that the villains should be setting agnostic. If they use a bar as their headquarters, feel free to name it, but don’t put it in a city in an existing campaign world.
We expect to pick six villains, though obviously if we’re bowled over, we could select more. We’ll be approaching designers to produce the other six villains, so if your pitch is good enough, it could lead to more work immediately.
How do I submit?
Please send your pitches to swordsforhire@gmail.com with your submission in the file (NOT as an attachment).
How many pitches can I submit?
You can submit up to 3 pitches. If you have more good ideas, save them. There will be follow-up Villain Codexes for higher CRs coming through 2016.
If I submit, will I get published?
Unfortunately, not necessarily. We’re including 12 villains in this first Codex, so only the best selections will get published. Any pitches that are accepted become property of Swords for Hire Development, which retains sole ownership.
What books will I be able to use?
Villains will be limited to rules from the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, GameMastery Guide, Advanced Player’s Guide, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Equipment, Ultimate Campaign and Advanced Class Guide.
Will I get paid?
We’ll be paying a flat rate of $6 per entry that we publish, which will work out to about 1 cent per word.
Alright, I’m ready to get started! When you do you need this by?
Pitches are due by the end of the day (Eastern time) May 1. We’ll get back to you and let you know if your pitch has been accepted within a week and will need your finished villain by June 1. Payment will be received at this time.
Wait, I have more questions!
Go ahead and ask. We’ll be happy to answer.
Jacob W. Michaels |
The stat block will count against the word count (we realize that could be a tight squeeze, but 600 words plus art will fill a single page).
A short tactics block would be nice.
Keep in mind, we don't need the full stat block at this point, in part because that will obviously depend on what the final CR each villain is.
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Jacob W. Michaels RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
Yes and no.
We would like these submitted villains to be the core races but if you need the Bestiaries for minions or advanced familiars, that's absolutely fine.
We expect to have some monster/non-core race villains as well, but we will assign those to specific writers later in the process instead of using an open call.
master_marshmallow |
Yes and no.
We would like these submitted villains to be the core races but if you need the Bestiaries for minions or advanced familiars, that's absolutely fine.
We expect to have some monster/non-core race villains as well, but we will assign those to specific writers later in the process instead of using an open call.
Are templates like lich and grave knight okay, or would you prefer core races with plain levels?
motteditor RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
motteditor RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Important notice: There's a typo in the email address in our announcement. The correct email address is swordsforhire.dev@gmail.com
It's entirely my fault that the wrong address ended up in the announcement--I forgot to notify Jacob about the change in the address. Apologies for any inconvenience!
-Mikko Kallio / Swords for Hire Development
Curaigh |
How many pitches can I submit?
You can submit up to 3 pitches. If you have more good ideas, save them. There will be follow-up Villain Codexes for higher CRs coming through 2016.
Do you want multiple pitches submitted separately or all three in one e-mail?
May 1 is... 15 days away. I shall mark it as 10 and see you then :)
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Jacob W. Michaels wrote:How many pitches can I submit?
You can submit up to 3 pitches. If you have more good ideas, save them. There will be follow-up Villain Codexes for higher CRs coming through 2016.Do you want multiple pitches submitted separately or all three in one e-mail?
May 1 is... 15 days away. I shall mark it as 10 and see you then :)
You can send multiple pitches in one email. That way it's easier for us to keep track of who's submitted what. :-)
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
I've seen a few kurus in a recent Pathfinder Society scenario. While non-core races aren't allowed in this open call, I do think that a cannibal would be an interesting villain concept. Maybe you can build one using a core race? There are several ways to gain a bite attack, and it's the flavor text that makes a cannibal scary.
motteditor RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |
@Kobold -- 110-120 is fine for the pitches. While I agree they don't *have* to be very long, I certainly am not down-grading them for it.
Now, that said, keep in mind that the final entire villain will only be 600 words, so someone sending in an 800-word pitch would make me have some doubts about their ability to keep to that limit.
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Yep, what Jacob said. There's no hard limit, and I don't think 100-200 words is too much by any means. I really meant that your pitch doesn't have to be longer than 50-100 words to be accepted.
It is, however, advisable to make every word count. The pitch isn't just a summary of the concept, it's also a writing sample.
Anyway, looking forward to reading your pitches! :-)
Michael Riter |
I just sent in two pitches: Altria Nightingale and Friedrich Wildheart . One of them (Nightingale) may be a bit unorthodox, though with a bit of tweaking she could be a more standard villain (and I am sure you would quite quickly see what I mean).
No matter how this goes, I am certainly interested in seeing the villains provided within this book. ^_^
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Oceanshieldwolf |
It is a distinct pity that as 3PP you are not exploring the rich diversity of other 3PP races and classes (and I include Paizo for non-core races) to create some evocative and fantastic villains. Being able to include the full statblock with full ability description for say a Vitalist, Warder, Ethermancer, Malefactor, Godling, Shadow Warrior or Timethief would be absolutely Vile and Dark.
I understand there is likely a requirement based around a perceived ease of integration with existing campaigns. But seeing as this is already 3PP...
*sigh*
So not Occult Adventures classes? :p
Michael Riter |
Aye, I would be inclined to agree with KC. Things should start off on a smaller, more comfortable scale for the buyer. As for the Occult adventure classes, aren't they still in the playtest phase? It would be kind of a hassle to change up the villain's abilities after the final version of OA comes out (because I'm almost positive some things will be edited and made more balanced).
Though of course I can't speak for Sword for Hire, as it is their project.
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
It is a distinct pity that as 3PP you are not exploring the rich diversity of other 3PP races and classes (and I include Paizo for non-core races) to create some evocative and fantastic villains. Being able to include the full statblock with full ability description for say a Vitalist, Warder, Ethermancer, Malefactor, Godling, Shadow Warrior or Timethief would be absolutely Vile and Dark.
I understand there is likely a requirement based around a perceived ease of integration with existing campaigns. But seeing as this is already 3PP...
*sigh*
So not Occult Adventures classes? :p
One of the reasons we didn't want to include 3pp classes is that it's easier for me and Jacob to assess the pitches and develop villains with classes we're familiar with. It's also easier for GMs to use the villains if they don't need more than 8 source books to use the Villain Codex. In fact, I think 8 is a few too many, but we didn't want to be too restrictive.
What Kobold Cleaver said is also true. It's our first product so we don't want to start exploring the rich diversity of 3PP classes right off the bat. Trying to keep it simple, that's all.
As for the Occult Adventures, it's possible that we'll add it to the list of allowed sources for Villain Codex Part II. At the moment, very few freelancers know the psychic rules well enough, so it wouldn't be fair. :-P
If the Occult Bestiary is released before Jacob and I start the open call for Here Be Monsters II, you'll also get to design psychic monsters sometime in the fall. ;-)
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
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Oh, I forgot to mention I wrote an article about villains and pitches. Those of you who are still considering to submit a pitch, see if there's anything useful there!
The sample villain is a male human fighter. Inconceivable!
Michael Riter |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Oh, I forgot to mention I wrote an article about villains and pitches. Those of you who are still considering to submit a pitch, see if there's anything useful there!
The sample villain is a male human fighter. Inconceivable!
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ;) I do love that movie.
Jeffrey Swank Contributor |
Jacob W. Michaels |
What Kobold Cleaver said is also true. It's our first product so we don't want to start exploring the rich diversity of 3PP classes right off the bat. Trying to keep it simple, that's all.As for the Occult Adventures, it's possible that we'll add it to the list of allowed sources for Villain Codex Part II. At the moment, very few freelancers know the psychic rules well enough, so it wouldn't be fair. :-P
If the Occult Bestiary is released before Jacob and I start the open call for Here Be Monsters II, you'll also get to design psychic monsters sometime in the fall. ;-)
As Mikko said. If this is successful, I could also certainly see doing a line of NPCs based on 3PP classes.
Pending the occult rules, I could totally see the HBMII twist being that they must be occult-y. I think that'd be a lot of fun, except that I wouldn't be able to participate!
Mikko Kallio RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ;) I do love that movie.
Same here!
DOh! Mikko, of course you post that awesome article AFTER I submitted my villians. lol
*edit* I am so using Kurgax the Sellsword to molest my adventuring group next gaming session.
Sorry Jeff, I wish I had had the time to post the article a bit earlier. Glad to hear Kurgax sounded like a villain suitable for molesting your adventuring group. :-D I'll probably provide a full stat block and use him as an example in a later article that discusses the actual entries.
Pending the occult rules, I could totally see the HBMII twist being that they must be occult-y. I think that'd be a lot of fun, except that I wouldn't be able to participate!
I also think it'd be a pretty decent twist. For lack of a better term, I think the monsters should be "psychic/occult-aware", i.e. you can also design a monster that has no psychic powers but it somehow interacts with the new rules. And sorry Jacob, you won't be able to participate because you'll have other duties! :-)
I Sent one pitch, hope is not too bad.
Thanks for the pitch!
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