Ariax's page

Hey, how are things coming along?

Just wanted to leave you some encouragement -- this is an exciting project and your efforts are really appreciated. Take the time you need, but if you get burned out please don't stay burned out! :)

I've been quietly following this project for a long while now, and wanted to add my thanks and encouragement for your careful and dedicated work!

Can we use this thread to talk about house rules and suggestions for P6 games? If not, please let me know and I'll delete the following.

MINOR ADVANCEMENTS

One thing I've done with E6/P6 games is to insert a minor advancement in between each full level. At each minor advancement, the character gets:
1 feat
1 skill point
1 hit point

This slows down levelling, so that PCs don't rocket to "epic" power at level 6 quite as fast. It also makes some builds possible at lower levels due to the extra feats. After level 6, minor advancements replace individual feats as the reward for continued "levelling".

Each minor advancement requires the same amount of XP to attain as the level that follows it would normally require. I like to use this XP track:

L1: 0 XP
MA: 1000 XP
L2: 2000 XP
MA: 4000 XP
L3: 6000 XP
MA: 9000 XP
L4: 12000 XP
MA: 16000 XP
L5: 20000 XP
MA: 25000 XP
L6: 30000 XP
MA: 35000 XP
MA: 40000 XP
MA: 45000 XP
...etc. For slower games, multiply values by 1.5 or 2.

PRESTIGE CLASSES

I've been experimenting a bit with converting some PrC's into 3-level classes that can be entered after 3 levels of a normal class. (So skill rank requirements are lowered to 3 ranks, BAB and spellcasting requirements are lowered accordingly, etc.) Since these characters won't be eligible for some of the epic/capstone feats of P6, I've also condensed some class abilities or moved them up to be available within 3 levels of the PrC. I haven't playtested these PrC's, but they seem reasonable. Has anyone out there done something similar?

SKILL BONUS FEATS

I was considering a house rule for the +2/+2 skill bonus feats. Those feats increase the bonus to +4 when you have 10 skill ranks, which of course a P6 character can't get. Would it be reasonable to increase the bonus to +3 when you reach 7 ranks, (which is possible if you take the Greater Skillfulness feat)?

Similarly, I'm considering increasing the bonus from the Skill Focus feat to +4 or +5 when you reach 7 ranks in the skill.

I don't know how reliable this source is, but when I filtered the Bestiary database on http://www.d20pfsrd.com/ for Urban creatures, the resulting list was astonishingly small.

So I'm glad Paizo designed Round 2 to ameliorate that deficiency.

I'm so happy. I've gotten to vote on my own item five times now!

It still won't make the top 32, but at least I fed and watered it. :)

Getting in a last few votes. Changing a last few rankings at the last minute. :-)

Oh, can someone pm me the 50 Shades item? I don't recall anything I'd put in that category (unless there's waterboarding in 50 Shades. Heh)

I have the same request, if you (whoever responds to Clouds Without Water) don't mind PM'ing me the item as well. Thanks!

Wouldn't picking pockets count as fine manipulation?

That was my first thought as well!

Why does everyone want to turn into a monkey or a centaur?

Or a SKELETON!

Next year my item will turn the user, upon death, into a rune-covered skeletal centaur with a 24-karat smile.

I saw an item that pulls grapplers into itself and could plssibly kill them. Seems like I read one just like that last year.

Haha, well played. I had the same thought about that item.

I read every word of each entry, but then I rarely re-read any of them on subsequent views. I just refer to my list and see where the two items are relative to each other. If they're pretty close together, I'll re-read them and reassess their positions on the list. But that's not often necessary.

This year I decided to score every item on a scale from 1 to 7. The factors used to determine scores are (roughly in order of importance):

Interesting idea?
Good rules implementation?
Would players want it?
Would GMs hate it?
Well written?
SIAC/SAK?
Silly/game-breaking?
Follows format?

There are a lot of interesting ideas that ended up with a score of 4 or lower because of flawed (sometimes deeply flawed) mechanics. There are a few items whose core idea was so awesome that I wanted to give them a 7, but then they stumbled on some detail of implementation or formatting.

I think my own entry is probably somewhere between a 5 and a 6. The mechanics are sound, but I overworked the idea and didn't do enough to convey the visuals I had in mind. Plus I could not, for the life of me, come up with an evocative name.

Hell vs. Hell!

Woohoo! Marathon voter again! And 630 unique items so far!

Just saw the first "activate upon death" item that has excited my imagination.

Wow. Best consumable item I've seen yet. And it took me 626 unique items to get to it. What else have I been missing?

EDIT: AND I FORGOT TO SAVE IT! ARRRRGH...

Would anyone be so kind as to let me PM you the name, to see if it's in your Keep pile?

UPDATE: Thank you to Garret for sending me the item!

Alliteration mirror match: "V.V." v. "V.V."!

FIGHT!

Wicht wrote:

What if you only think you are being chased?

That is a cool thought!

Yes. If the magic item knows the situation better than you, it would be a way to find out whether you are, in fact, being chased. Some might see this as an exploit, but I kind of like it.

Whew: 600 unique items!

Can there really be a couple hundred more that I haven't seen at all?

ohmygosh. I can make a group of zombies do the THRILLER dance. Yes, please!

WHY do authors feel the need to build in drawbacks when all the item does is help you breathe? ...or dig?

Ariax wrote:

Finally saw 500 unique items.

Wow, I've voted far more than you and i am sure I'm under 200 unique items.

The last 6 hours has been "compare one item I've seen to another" with no new items.

You might have seen more than you realize. This year I'm taking it slower and keeping a list of every item (and giving them scores from 1-7). Also saving favorites to a file. (Wish I'd done that last year!)

Anyway, I'd bet you've probably seen more than 500 unique items, even if it feels otherwise.

Remember the cartoons that have little birds fly around the characters head when they get bonked?

If you're alluding to an item, that one's one of my favorites so far. :)

Finally saw 500 unique items.

It's hard to believe there could still be hundreds more that I haven't seen at all.

And I'm still not as much in love with this year's best as I was last year...so far. Though I do have a few favorites.

Amy Gillespie wrote:

*stares* Squirrels, turtles and now hamsters ...

Hamsters?! I haven't seen those yet.

Oh, you're missing out. :)

Up to 251 unique items now. Still not much I'm super-excited about.

The breakdown (7-point scoring scale):
7: 0 items
6: 20 items
5: 49 items
4: 101 items
3: 49 items
2: 29 items
1: 3 items

I refuse to vote for your ridiculous bodily function item!

Awwwww. There's a ridiculous bodily function item that I just love to death. Hope it's not that one.

I've seen 151 unique items now. And I'm only in love with maybe a couple of them. (Not counting my "love" for certain silly items.)

I saw my own item after 138 other unique items. Way sooner than last year...yay!

This year I'm keeping a list of every item I see, and assigning it a score from 1 to 7. So far the scores are:

7 = 0 items
6 = 15 items
5 = 28 items
4 = 59 items
3 = 28 items
2 = 19 items
1 = 2 items

More updates later, perhaps.

The Thrice Bound (Wizard): Like Jacob M said, I like the playing around with arcane bonds but the morphing back and forth from familiar to item feels odd. However, a bit of fluff would help it go down better for me: the familiar wears a collar or band with an emblem of the item, and the item's design incorporates a miniature representation of the familiar.

The Improved Familiar Item ability was hard to understand. I think you're saying that any time your original arcane bond familiar/object changes form, the Improved one changes form at the same time, and vice versa.

The effect on metamagic feats was also obscure to me. Does "one spell" mean the wizard must select a single spell when gaining this ability? And reducing the level adjustment cost of the metamagic feat by half the wizard's level basically means that the metamagic feat is free: when you get this ability at 8th level, you're already reducing the level adjustment by 4, which brings almost every metamagic feat to zero (except Persistent Spell). Can this ability reduce the level adjustment of multiple metamagic feats applied to the spell? If so, at level 20, will it be okay if the wizard casts Quickened Empowered Maximized Intensified fireballs with no level adjustment?

Anyway, a neat core concept that needs more clarity and maybe a bit of balancing.

Waystrider (Magus): I like the concept. When I read the "cannot take other actions" clause borrowed from dimension door, I had to think about that for a long while. It seems to go against the intro fluff, which suggests that the waystrider can pop in and make an attack. The way I read this, the waystrider's turn is over as soon as she uses Far Step, and she then has to wait until her next turn to attack. I realize this is based on the spell, but I still don't like taking actions away wholesale. It would be neat if you could make post-Far Step actions more difficult, rather than impossible.

I really dig the Following Step ability, and Escaping Step seems right too. Far Step is the only part of this archetype that doesn't feel like it quite works the right way.

Branthlend Witch (Witch): I love this idea. No idea how balanced it is, but it "feels" like a fair tradeoff, delaying spellcasting to gain the avatar power. Dying Wrath really fits the flavor of the archetype. This witch looks like a lot of fun to play.

Neidan Alchemist (Alchemist): Cool way to overlay spontaneous caster rules onto the alchemist. The breath weapon ability goes perfectly with the "internal alchemist' concept. Some of the abilities appear to violate SKR's advice about not taking away options, but I'm okay with it in this case.

Candlemere Cultist (Cleric): I'm not very familiar with Candlemere, but this archetype seems very useful for GMs statting up bad guy cultists in general. I like it. Simple but "right".

The Jack (Bard): I like the idea, but I can't really get behind the execution. The requirements are general enough that the Jack could usually get at least Inspired Courage and Inspired Competence. Mimetic Repetition (great name) would be harder to come by. The skill bonus just duplicates a skill someone else in the party has, so unless it's something like Perception, you get needlessly overlapping skill sets in the party. Same goes for mimicing a spontaneous spell -- sometimes this will be pointless redundancy. I really, really like the concept at the core of this archetype, but I think the mechanics need to be scrapped and done differently.

It has been SO hard to wait for this thread. I was very, very excited about the archetype round. Here's mine:

===================================================

Spirit-vexed Wanderer (Barbarian)
Something unnatural and malignant has leapt from a blighted place into a living vessel, vying for control of both mind and body. The afflicted hosts often become outcasts, driven to a barbaric life as they learn to tolerate, and even use, the intruder in their soul.

Class Skills: A spirit-vexed wanderer does not gain Handle Animal (Cha) or Ride (Dex) as class skills; instead, she gains Sense Motive (Wis) as a class skill.

Sudden Urges: A spirit-vexed wanderer is prone to display odd tics and utter blunt or incongruous remarks that make others uneasy. When making any Diplomacy check, the barbarian must also succeed a DC 10 Will save to suppress these discordant behaviors. On a failure, the barbarian takes a -4 penalty on the Diplomacy check result. Sudden urges do not otherwise hinder any actions the barbarian performs.

Smell Fear (Ex): At 1st level, a spirit-vexed wanderer can sense the presence of living creatures within 60 feet that are suffering from the shaken, frightened, panicked or cowering conditions, or whose surface thoughts could be revealed as fearful by a detect thoughts spell.

With a move action, the barbarian can detect the creature's direction, or pinpoint its location if it is within 5 feet.

A creature whose surface thoughts are fearful can make a Bluff check to prevent detection, opposed by the barbarian's Sense Motive check.

This ability replaces fast movement.

Spirit-wracked Rage (Ex): A spirit-vexed wanderer's rage functions as normal, except that when she ends her rage she is not fatigued. Instead, she is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the number of rounds spent in the rage.

These rounds will extend the duration of an existing fear condition, but will not stack to create a stronger fear condition. The barbarian cannot enter a new rage while shaken.

Raised Hackles (Ex): At 3rd level, a spirit-vexed wanderer gains a +1 bonus to Perception or Wisdom checks made to notice haunts and invisible creatures, and a +1 bonus to Sense Motive checks made to sense enchantment. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels after 3rd.

This ability replaces trap sense.

Horrific Contortion (Ex): At 7th level, a spirit-vexed wanderer can spend an immediate action to gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against a single attack. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels beyond 7th.

This ability replaces damage reduction.

Tremble No More (Ex): Starting at 17th level, a spirit-vexed wanderer no longer becomes shaken at the end of her rage.

This ability replaces tireless rage.

Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the spirit-vexed wanderer archetype: animal fury, eater of magic, intimidating glare, superstition, terrifying howl

===================================================

NOTES
I really enjoyed turning the idea of what a barbarian is on its side. This barbarian is part River Tam, part Exorcist-style victim of demon possession, and part core barbarian. Too bad "demon" means a specific thing in D&D -- I struggled to find a general yet evocative term, and finally had to settle on "spirit" even though I feel the source of the barbarian's affliction should be a bit deeper and more mysterious. Hence the vague "something unnatural" in the opening line.

I considered tying this archetype to Heibarr, to give it a weak link to the RK. But Heibarr seems to have a specific kind of problem that might not lend itself to the sort of "victim of possession" origin that this archetype depends on.

Thanks for this thread!

And now, the new, improved Beguiling Bauble:

Please let me know if this addresses any of your criticisms about the item, and if there are still issues with it.

advTHANKSance

PAGE FIVE ITEMS

Cloak of Deepest Shadow: The tone of this item's description was unintentionally comical. I kept reading it in my spooky-storyteller voice: "...rumours ABOUND that the first such cloak of its kind...was woven....from the very stuff of SHADOW ITSELF!!!" I was also grinning like a madman through phrases like "even magical darkness shall not bar the wearer's sight"..."one may bend the very shadows around themselves"..."only then does the true power of the Cloak become known." It was an enjoyable read, but dialing things down a notch will put you closer to Superstar next time. The benefits of the cloak all seemed nicely thematic, but could be improved by inventing ways to bend some of these existing in-game powers to new uses. Much more style than substance here, and it's not quite a keeper, but I think you'll come back next time with something better.

Quill of the Tengu Sage: I *think* this item basically lets you, for a limited set of spells, create scrolls that can be activated by anyone without requiring spell completion or UMD. Is that right? If that's the intent, I like the idea. Seems a bit edge-case-ish. The quill's other property, the one that distorts writing and helps you forge documents, confused the heck out of me. Even reading it again carefully now, I'm still unsure how it's supposed to work. With more clarity, this could be a weak keep, but as-is it's not a keeper.

Ancestral Spirit Shroud: Complete mismatch between what this item does and what the name led me to expect it would do. I like the visual description (but not the fact that the swirling, howling faces are apparently always-on), but the shroud's powers don't interest me much. Cool concept but hard to think of when I'd want something like this. Not a keeper.

Master Needle of the Faerie Artisan: Didn't like that your item states early on that it does all the things this other item does, with differences x, y, and z. I'm unfamiliar with the base item and don't want to go look it up, and I want this item to stand on its own. Okay, the needle helps me craft things: great for tailoring, but very odd if I'm smithing...or painting...or really, just about any other kind of craft. I realize the Brothers Grimm quote is probably there to forestall this kind of objection, but it still just feels weird. The benefits to healing seem more appropriate, and I don't have any complaints about that part other than that the paragraph referencing sovereign glue and universal solvent felt unnecessary. Not a keeper.

Clockwork Heart: Very creepy and cool item. Not one I can imagine most PCs using, but it would be a great option for certain NPCs, as well as a fascinating plot device. Most items with limited utility and limited PC appeal don't rate high for me, but this one's an exception. I'm thinking it's actually a strong keeper.

Jagged Cauldron: This item is a bit of a Rube Goldberg device to me -- it offers a complicated and expensive way to get a fairly simple benefit. I'm struggling to come up with even a single situation in which this item makes sense even for the bad guys to have. Maybe the BBG compels his minions to sacrifice the needed HP? I dunno. For me, it fails the verisimilitude test in spectacular fashion. If the cost is unhealable damage, I want the big creepy jagged cauldron to give the villain something he can really use in exchange for that. Not a keeper.

Listening Stone: I dunno. If the PCs really need to spy on someone, it's a lot more interesting when they try to do it in person. And the language of recording and playback is so modern as to be a bit jarring. The part where the stone can be used as ammunition seemed pointlessly tacked on just because, hey, it's a rock, you should be able to throw it. Unless maybe you meant that striking a target could be the condition that triggers the release of a stored sonic spell. Nits: Try not to use "nondescript" (maybe "featureless" in this case). Spell out "hours". Not a keeper.

Brooch of the Dragon's Hoard: Too meta-gamey for me, converting magic items and money into "worth". If you strike it so rich that you can't even cart away all the loot in your bags of holding, why then you have an interesting new phase of the adventure ahead of you. However, assuming that the game group is comfortable with this kind of item, it does do something very useful in a reasonable way. The price is so high that ideally, you'd want to get this item as treasure instead of making or buying it, because it'll be a long time before it pays for itself. The execution is good enough that it's a weak keep for me even though it's not to my personal taste.

Halfling Swingsaddle of the Gorilla: The most specific-use item I can recall seeing this year. I wondered why it needed to be a magic item rather than just an exotic kind of saddle. But I like the notion of ape-riding halflings -- not something that would ever have occurred to me, but it's the right flavor of gonzo for me. Still, probably not a keeper.

Flask of Sudden Sanctuary: Wonderfully vivid imagery here. I was left wondering about the physical properties of the chapel and how long it takes to form. I imagine it being used more often as an emergency defense than as a place for religious ceremony. What happens if it's summoned in a space too small to accommodate a four-story structure? What happens to creatures occupying the same space as, say, an interior wall when the chapel appears? And how long does it remain? The chapel-creating effect also seemed like an odd fit for a water-themed item, but I can let that pass. The item's other powers are okay. But the item itself is woefully underpriced considering all that it does. Still, there's a fair amount of mojo here. It's a weak keep.

PAGE FOUR ITEMS

Fan, Dragonscale: The core idea didn't strike me as compelling -- just a combination of offensive and defensive elemental energy use, in a single item. But the presentation was done well. I thought the damage was too low for the levels at which these items would be acquired. And I'm generally not cool with wondrous items that require specific exotic components such as dragon scales -- a magic item should be able to duplicate or mimic a dragon's elemental affinities without actually requiring dragon bits in its manufacture -- but that's just me. On the whole, it's a weak keep.

Hand Wraps of Flesh and Stone: I don't think I ever saw this during voting. To me, the opening line is an exception to the rule about avoiding background fluff. Weasel familiars doing the work of carding fabric is a freakin' AWESOME image. But then...but then...you followed with a typical entrant's line about the "true luster as iridescent sheens coruscate blah blah blah..." You should have stopped with the weasel familiars. I would be grabbing you by the lapels and shaking vigorously right now if I could. That's how much I love those weasel familiars. Okay...whew...moving on. The next thing I notice is, no slot? You wear the wraps on your hands, and they give you a touch attack, and there's no slot??? Next: the mechanics are very wonky. Unlimited use is a non-starter and the attempt at balance by subjecting the user to the same effect does not improve things. Dexterity damage even on a successful save is HARSH. Multiple attacks in a round that don't all do the same thing is hard to keep track of and slows down play. The normal result of losing Dexterity down to zero is not that you turn to stone (that's not stated in your description, just implied). And "points of petrification" is not a term you need to invent for this item; just use "Dexterity points lost." And the cherry on top: there's a critical fumble provision too. This is the most beautiful train wreck I think I've seen this year. You had weasel familiars carding fabric! You made me want to love your item in the very first sentence!!! And then it all just goes...oh geez. Please enter again next year and give us something with flavor as cool as this item has, but support it with sound mechanics. Not a keeper...except for the weasel familiars with their cunning little paws, which I will probably start seeing in my dreams.

Flask of Raging Waters: I'm exhausted from ranting about the previous item, so let me try to do this item justice. I really liked the idea of a tendril of water you can wield like a whip. The 2d6 damage seemed just a bit high, but then the price was also high, and this would be a signature weapon for some PCs. Since it is actually a weapon, I'm not sure it's right for the wondrous item round, but I let that slide. Some natural questions go unanswered, such as whether the tendril can extinguish flames, or deal extra damage to fire elementals. Overall, a weak keep.

Gloves of the Confident Smith: Both underpriced and too open to abuse, since the user can often simply attempt a DC 10 (or lower!) skill check to gain the bonus. Thus, the requirement isn't really one. Maybe the mechanics could be reversed? -- the +2 bonus is triggered by first using the power to reroll a skill check? Whether the +2 bonus should be triggered by success or failure on that re-roll, I'm not sure. But it would be a bit more interesting, to me at least. As written, not a keeper.

Dawnflower Ankh: Pretty neat item with flavor and some versatility, and all its powers seem appropriate to the theme. Every instance of "affect" in the description should be "effect". And the price seems just a tad low, but I guess the expense of recharging with holy water offsets that. Overall, a weak keep.

Paint of Discerning Demise: Didn't care much for the name. The +5/-5 modifiers for different painting surfaces seemed too extreme -- maybe just +2/-2. As a single use item, it's too costly. And it's a "spoiler" item that makes it harder for GMs to run a mystery scenario, but it's not a big offender in that regard. I liked that you give examples of details that can be revealed in the painting, making it easier to adjudicate the kinds of questions that would naturally arise. The interaction with see invisibility was a nice touch. Still, not quite a keeper IMO.

Feybone of the Eternal Singularity: A compelling idea with a mechanic that unfortunately slows down gameplay a lot. I think it might be improved by saying that you roll three times and take the middle value, instead of calculating the average. That might not achieve the result you were going for, but it would be less of a burden in play. I didn't think gate was necessary as the required spell, and it bumped the price up far too high. But I still like this item pretty well, even as written, and rate it a weak keep.

Cloud of Gray: My first thought was that my character would not want to have rain, snow, and ice constantly falling on his head. Making those effects illusionary would go a long way to making it more palatable for me. I also wondered how one would handle the cloud (maybe with cloudwrangler's gloves?) to store it or transfer it to someone else. Otherwise, I liked the item's powers, and the writing was clear. A weak keep for me.

Matryoshka of the Planar Cadre: There's no accounting for taste. Some people didn't like the name of this item, but I adored it. The resizing of the summoned creatures was a brilliant tie-in to the stacking dolls theme. The one and only problem I see with this item is that it requires either prep time to stat up the templated creatures you expect to summon, or a pause in the game while you look up info on the fly. But this is a Superstar item in my view.

Mantle of the Flesh Bound Soul: An interesting idea, and I like the visuals, but this item just flat out gives you too much. Even with the 127,500 gp price tag. The mechanics all work and are competently presented. And there's evidence that you strove for balance by including some drawbacks to being in stasis. But it's still an I-don't-die item, and those generally make the game less interesting, not more. Not badly done, but not a keeper.

Relativity Torc: I admire the way your description supports the "transmutation" theme. The torc's very simplicity keeps it out of Superstar territory, but it is certainly a great idea that serves an important need for many PCs. I wasn't sure why mage's lucubration is a requirement, or 10 ranks in Spellcraft. Overall, a weak keep.

Spellcycle Medallion: Great job extending the rules to allow for something new that is not overpowered. You made a good choice in describing the spell as being suppressed as if by antimagic. There are so many things this item would be useful for, but it's not a must-have for anyone. I think you hit the sweet spot of item utility. A strong keeper for me.

Bracers of Daring Exploits: I like that the bracers improve your chances versus AoO instead of simply giving you immunity to them. They do exactly what they should: encourage riskier actions on the battlefield. However, they're always-on. Seems like either the benefit should be smaller (+4, maybe), or they should have limited uses per day. That flaw makes it a weak keep overall.

PAGE THREE ITEMS

Cloak of Duality: Though the action management rules were just a bit complicated, you avoided the horrors I imagined. I would have liked some explicit rules about how to handle resource management -- for example, if each counterpart has a copy of every item, and one counterpart drinks a healing potion, does it disappear from the other counterpart as well? Overall, fairly good execution on a tough concept, just needing a bit more nitty-gritty rules coverage. A weak keep.

Obi of the Ghoul Hunter: its, not it's, for the possessive form. Also wearer's and user's. (Pet peeve.) Italicize spell names in the requirements, and lowercase "Monk's Robe" and "Level". Why is heal a requirement? Aside from these nits, I really liked the concept of this belt. It's something I've wished I had a couple of times when a ghoul was *almost* dead before it paralyzed me. With stronger writing and some error correction, this would be a solid keeper, but as submitted it's a weak keep.

Bowstring of Additional Might: Fills a reasonable gap by providing a way to upgrade your magic bow. I didn't like the break chance (though it was very small). Some phrases were a little unclear, like "an additional strength rating" -- at first it sounds as though this strength rating stacks with whatever strength rating the bow already has, though I'm pretty sure that was not intended. For me, not a keeper overall.

Motive Capacitor: Love it as a plot item used by the villain, not so much as a wondrous item. It definitely has mojo. But it's too fiddly, and dark, to see much regular use. Still, the idea and execution are strong enough that it's a keeper.

Spellvoid Mantle: A very effective way to take enemy spellcasters partially out of the fight. This item is so powerful that it needs the high price you gave it. I like that the standard usage requires battlefield positioning; that's a good limiting factor. The only criticism I have about this item is that it's more functional than fun. But it's still a strong keeper.

Amulet of Construct Skin: I admit that I have no knowledge at all of the rules subset this item interacts with, and I wasn't motivated enough to lift myself from ignorance. From what I can tell, the amulet lets you take over and maintain a construct that can be worn as armor. That's a cool idea, and the mechanics appear sound. There were a couple of typos and grammatical errors. I rate this overall as a weak keep.

Stolen Tears of the Winter Witch: Evocative name bordering on "too much". I like the detail about letting the snowflake melt on the tongue. I like the cold-based breath attack. (I have a great mental image of this effect appearing in a TV ad for breath mints.) Good overall writing that could use just a few more commas. Overall, a definite keeper.

Sea Nettle Submersible: Very flavorful transportation device. I liked both the concept and the execution. I wondered what happens when you reach an underwater destination. I didn't see a command to return the submersible to pocket-size, so it looks like you just leave it at the "door" and return to retrieve it later. Could make for an interesting adventuring twist: "I hope our ride is still there when we get back!" Overall, a strong keeper.

Gloves of Silent Echoes: This item needed a line summarizing its typical use, because it took me awhile to figure out how a PC would use it to her benefit. The random duration of sound storage makes it hard to use this as part of battle preparation as described in your designer's notes. Otherwise, it's a pretty interesting idea that does open up soe new combat options. Nits: first line: "bear" not "bare". In the second paragraph, I assume you meant "spellcasting involving a verbal component." Spell requirements should be italicized. Overall, a weak keep.

Gravedigger's Lantern: The idea of trapping undead in a lantern is kind of compelling, but this item fell down on execution. Two separate Will saves is needlessly complex. There's no apparent means of releasing the undead without being attacked, potentially making this a single-use item. The price is too high -- by the time you can afford this, you have better ways to deal with incorporeal undead. Nits: You don't need to italicize "incorporeal undead." The format for DC values does not include a colon between the DC and the value. "Inexplicably drawn" isn't true -- the lantern's magic draws them, which is very explicable and obvious...just say "drawn". "Affected" not "effected." "Its" not "it's" for the possessive form. Overall, not a keeper.

Motley Gum: One of the few items with a really high fun factor. The random nature of the gum has the potential to be really cool or really annoying in play, but I liked it a lot. Didn't mind the passing references to goblins and gnomes since they don't bog down the description. No real complaints here -- this item does a new thing, and does it with panache. A very strong keeper, almost a Superstar item.

Beardforge: I wish I had entered something more like this. Whether you love it or hate it, everyone will remember the Beardforge for a long time. I burst out laughing at the activation method and kept on reading, rapt, incredulous that this item was actually for real. It just got better and wackier with each paragraph. In the end, I'm a supporter. Almost no PC would ever make or use this, but I would love to be in the party with the one that does. The mechanics, though zany, are actually very sound. I'm rating this as a strong keep.

Paper Messenger: A simple yet versatile item -- I love that it can perform basic recon on a location in addition to carrying messages. Great visuals, no doubt helped by everyone's familiarity with the Harry Potter films. Excellent execution on the mechanics, and the writing was lean and clear. A strong keeper.

Laurel of Kurgess: Fairly simplistic, but fits the chosen theme well. I thought it was odd that more than half the description was given to effects that occur when the wrong person dons the laurel; it sort of highlighted the fact that there wasn't much to the item's core use. Clear writing and great economy of words. A weak keep.

PAGE TWO ITEMS

Amulet of Amended Strategy: A well-defined item that adds flexibility, but not too much, and tinkers with game mechanics, but not too much. The writing was lean and clear, and interaction with the rules was well defined. One of the several "good, but more functional than fun" items that I voted on. A solid keeper.

Circlet of Malevolent Eyes: I started out with the impression that "this item is fiddly and complicated," and by the time I got to "The rate of transfer is 2 points per 1 point of bonus gain..." it was a struggle to keep going. I see that you went to some lengths to achieve game balance, but I would have preferred a more powerful, less balanced item that could be described more simply. Mr. Adams, I love you (man) for your tireless forum work that has helped so many of us, and I wish I could say otherwise, but this one was barely a weak keep for me. Please don't be discouraged from entering again!

Immediate Chant: My initial reaction was "holy cow, this is powerful!" And so it is. But I think the limited usage and the price are enough to achieve balance. The idea is simple, the applications are numerous. You foresaw possible abuses and forestalled them. This is a strong keep for me.

Nautilus Pack of Tangled Tentacles: Though probably not intended, this item gave me a slightly squicky feeling. But that's my only complaint. Otherwise, it does a cool new thing and gives adventurers a reason to upgrade from their handy haversacks. The mechanics are clear and complete. A definite keeper.

The Lonely Man's Instant Party: Silly or not, I loved this as an escape/obstruction item. I thought the 1 hour duration was too long, and it isn't clear what can damage the crowd. Also, it sounds as though to move along with the crowd, the user must spend his move action to move the crowd, and downgrade his standard action to a move action to catch up (or vice versa). Would be nice to have an option to move both user and crowd together simultaneously, maybe as a full-round action? Anyway, a strong keep.

Choker of Subtle Sound: I liked the effects you came up with for an item with a hypersonic(?) theme. The numbers felt just a little too big. I would've preferred something like: ten times a day, the choker gives you blindsight for 10 minutes, and a bard can expend one of these uses to use Silent Spell. Keeping track of 10-minute blocks out of a pool of 100 is just a tad more bookkeeping than I'd want. And 100 minutes is quite a lot; I'd suggest cutting it in half, to 5 uses per day. But other than that, it's a well-conceived item with good, clear writing. A keeper.

Ultimate Adventurer's Egg: I don't think I saw this item during voting. Many nitpicks for this one: 1) The name makes me snicker and wonder who the ultimate adventurer is, and if he knows we have his egg. 2) The halves "rotate," not "spin," in relation to each other. 3) If the "normal" egg and glowing egg are on opposite sides, won't they both always be aligned with a picture on the bottom at the same time? 4) With a 10% chance of the giant eagle attacking, you have a non-starter. Stop right before that, with the giant eagle simply mistaking the egg for its own, and you have whimsy, and maybe a fun role-playing moment. This item is far, far from Superstar. But with all its warts, I'm actually pretty fond of it. I like that the magic effects are pretty tightly tied to the "egg" theme. I like the utility of the mundane effects. I don't even mind the slight silliness of the rotten egg and the confused giant eagle. But that's just me. In the end, not a keeper.

Mark of the Leech: The mechanics are all solid, but I have a problem with the concept itself: this item seems hard to use in a group, whether you're the good-guy or bad-guy team. If you have living allies, they get caught in the burst and damaged. If you have undead allies, you get damaged while healing them. You're best off with no allies at all within range. Which limits its appeal. Otherwise, the item is well-written and fairly interesting; overall it's just barely a weak keep for me.

Blightstone: Pretty cool, providing a way to attack with spellblights and oracle curses. It takes an existing mechanic and extends it in a reasonable and interesting way. The writing is clear and it works exactly as it should. A definite keeper.

Skein Helm: I like that this adds flavor to overland flight, making that form of travel more interesting. Everything relates to the theme, and you boiled it all down to the most concentrated description possible. A strong keeper.

Mantle of a Thousand Hands: I really liked the visuals for this item. There's a fair amount of "fluff" description, but it is well written and increases the item's appeal. I liked the penalty to opposed Perception checks for unaware observers, and the situationally increased penalty when the wearer's are in plain view. For an item with such limited functionality, it's oozing with flavor. A solid keeper.

Meddler's Mirror: I like the inherent limitations on scrying using this device. But it took multiple readings before I really understood how it worked. Ever since I submitted a scrying item a few years ago and got dinged for creating more work for the GM, I've been leery of such items. Your item is well thought out and well written, but I probably voted it down a few times just because it's in that general class of "spoiler" item. But I do think it avoids most "spoiler item" pitfalls, and is a keeper overall.

Disappearing Weapon Cord: Eric, pretty much all the criticisms you anticipated were the ones I had. It's a good, useful item, and it's executed well. But it doesn't grab my attention at all. One very minor suggestion I'd make is to make reading easier by paring down repeated references to the item and its user. For example: "Whenever it is not held, the attached weapon and any trailing length of cord vanish into an extradimensional space." Also, say "user" or "wearer" instead of "creature". Overall, I'm not sure this item is even a weak keep for me. Hope I'm not being too harsh.

Escapee's Spoon: I liked this item a lot for the way it translates an archetypal scene into a wondrous item...BUT...I kept thinking that anyone who can afford to pay 16,200 gp (or even the 8,100 gp cost to create) can probably arrange a much faster means of escape. This is an item you don't make or buy for yourself. You get it so you can smuggle it to someone in prison. The cost needs to be much, much, much lower. By the time you can afford this item, there are better prison break options available to you. Still, it's a weak keep.

Octavo of Perseverance: Just a little bit more fluff than I needed in the description, but it was still well written. I like that the constant +1 bonus can be spent for a different effect -- items that present (reasonable) choices are more appealing. It's not in Superstar territory, but this is a good item that perfectly fits a certain type of character. A keeper.

Fleshwarping Unguent: I like the concept of items that behave differently when used in different body slots, but this one didn't grab me. The cost made it absolutely a non-starter: who would ever, ever spend that kind of cash to get a natural attack, or darkvision, or +2 natural armor, for 1d10 minutes? And I can't figure out if it's a consumable item -- which I'd expect an unguent to be. And you can get addicted to it? That last bit actually puts this item in plot-device territory for me. It's very creative, but way, way off the mark as a wondrous item. Not a keeper.

Glove of Saturation: Here's an item with pretty much perfect execution, but the core idea just flopped for me. I think it's the mental image of an adventurer striking a HADOKEN!!! stance and...splashing some slightly damaging liquid on his foes. That's not fair, I know, but it did cost you votes a couple of times. The item does work exactly as it should, and it is useful, and even a bit versatile, and the price is correct. I want to like it more than I do. I guess it's a weak keep.

Sash of Singularity: I think the mechanics of this item are wonderfully inventive. I also think it raises a host of questions that GMs would have to adjudicate. Do you fail every Swim check? If you fall, do you suffer extra damage because you strike the ground with the force of a 5,000 pound object? Can you take an upstairs room in the inn? If the item's power could be activated at will, some of these edge-case problems would go away. But leaving aside those concerns, the item as written is really good. It's a keeper...it just has some issues.

Skinthief's Fetish: The theme itself is a turn-off for me, and on top of that it seems like too much of a SIAC to be superstar. But the writing is clear and the mechanics are well thought out. On the basis of being competently executed, it's a weak keep.

I don't know how many I'll get to, but here are the items I've commented on, page by page:

PAGE ONE ITEMS

Chelish Silver-Tongued Devil: Good theme, well written with tight economy of words, somewhat off-putting power, name doesn't quite convey what kind of item it is. A definite keeper.

Gentleman's Ensnaring Cane: The imp doesn't add enough item flavor to make up for the problems it brings, such as questions about how much noise it makes. The description is verbose but fairly clear. A couple of phrases could be reordered for easier comprehension ("cannot through means mundane or magical shift from..."). It took me a long time to figure out that the item essentially works for one round per day. A weak keep.

Ghoulslayer Gloves: Great opening line. Very clear mechanics, tight writing. A very strong keep.

Ethos Swarm Charm: Very interesting use of the alignment system. A rare item that can be passed among party members as needed. Somewhat SIAC, but the flavor makes that okay in my book. Very clear writing. A definite keeper.

Porcine Pendant: I like whimsical items that aren't ridiculous. This one was close to the line, but I liked it. Good that the item can only shift attitudes as far as "Friendly". Good description and clear writing. A keeper.

Siegebreaker Cymbals: Very original idea. I like skill-activated items, and submitted one myself, but this one is better. Good that you allow an affected creature to escape the area of effect, but at a small cost. Very nice touch adding the possibility of using align weapon. A strong keep.

Amulet of the Grasping Soul: Writing needs to be clearer. Break up long sentences into smaller ones. The item is more functional than interesting. But the note about incorporeal creatures without a Strength score using Charisma instead shows forethought and a good grasp of game rules. Not a keeper, though.

Candle of Distant Assurance: Fantastic theme, and the description actually evokes emotion. A simple item that I can envision being used in multiple situations. The clause about being on another plane for more than one round vaults this into Superstar territory for me, both demonstrating rules mastery and adding interest to the item.

Fiddle of the Dance: "Extra swift action" is mechanically difficult. If it means the character gets an additional swift action but can only spend it on a five foot step, I think it would be better to leave "swift action" out of the description. If you need to specify an action type, it should probably be a free action. Alternatively, if it means you can spend your normal swift action to take a five foot step, that should be more explicit. Also, "end of the round" is also difficult. If you intend for everyone to move simultaneously once per round, it should be phrased as occurring just before the start of the fiddle user's next turn. But if you mean that each person moves at the end of their turn, then "turn" not "round" would be the correct term. The writing is similarly sloppy and unclear throughout the entry. The item's major power is fine, but falls just on the wrong side of the "silly" line for me. Not a keeper.

Handkerchief of the Scoured Visage: Well written and clear. It definitely isn't boring. And the mechanics are well described when they could have been a mire of open questions requiring GM adjudication. I can visualize a couple of neato uses for this item. But I kept wondering why anyone would spend 22,500 gp to gain something with such limited, specific functionality. A weak keep.

Intellectual's Clay Pipe: Fine for a book of magic items. Nice theme and description. But the only interesting part is the ability to make Knowledge checks untrained, which I initially overlooked. Not bad, but not a keeper.

Resplendent Battle Wings: A multiple-use item that avoids being a SAK by offering effects that benefit different roles in the party. Would have been better if the effects had struck me as being more tightly bound by a theme. But definitely gives a support class some extra shine (pun not intended). Otherwise, well written and interesting. A keeper.

Time's Tide Pendant: Taking two turns in a row opens up tons of options for any class. That alone puts this item in Superstar territory in terms of playing with the existing game rules. You thought carefully about how the item's effect would interact with readied actions, and provided an elegant description of its mechanics. A Superstar item.

Orator's Torc: Shifting attitudes by three steps is so powerful that it makes the item seem underpriced. Skill names should be capitalized. Other than that, the item is well done, with concise, descriptive writing. A keeper.

Orb of Aggravation: Great consumable item with flavor and just the right amount of whimsy. One nit: it "unerringly" flies to its target. It behaves either like a thrown splash weapon with no range or a ray with no attack roll needed. There should be some stated limit on its range at least. Overall, a definite keeper.

Elixir of Last Will: I really like the idea of giving the player of a dead/dying character something to do besides wait for rescue. And I think the execution is very good. But this item doesn't pass the verisimilitude test for me. You buy/make it when you expect to die. You actually have to be planning to do something within 24 hours that is likely to kill you. Typically, plans to deal with extreme danger involve avoiding it or gaining an advantage that keeps you alive. And if the plan does involve your death, something bigger should turn on that event than a +2 luck bonus. On the flip side, a player group with a meta-gamey attitude would use these all the time on high-level characters for whom the cost is trivial. It becomes just one more way in which the threat of death becomes trivial, which I don't like. So in summary: I like the item, and I like that it keeps a player involved a bit longer after her character falls in battle. But in-game, realistic justifications for its use seem scarce. Overall, a weak keep.

Shroud of Certain Return: A very niche item, but it does what it does very well: make reincarnate an attractive, viable option for players that wouldn't otherwise consider it. The description is lean but leaves room for some needed flavor text at the end. A weak keep.

Findeladlara's Brush: An appropriate use of a skill check to activate an item. This item is also a good example of how to turn a SIAC into something much better. Great description, tight writing, nice touch at the end about it also being a masterwork brush. A strong keep.

Hunter's Geas: This item started out okay and then got bogged down with too many IF clauses. Rather than make the item more interesting and flavorful, those additions made it more tedious to read. The writing was clear enough and the core idea was pretty good, but it failed on execution. Not a keeper.

Garter of Hidden Fortune: I liked that this item makes concealed items very hard to find. I totally did not understand the part where the garter can also display a message...and teleport to another character...and provide combat bonuses??? These extra abilities seemed excessive and not much in line with what I perceived as the item's theme. Not a keeper.

Ointment of Last Sight: I admire "scrying" items where the author clearly made an effort to limit the item's scope and uses. This is a well done item, but it's still a mystery-killer, just like the scrying item I entered a few years ago -- and hence, not popular among GMs. Overall, a weak keep.

Tabard of Cunning Tactics: I really like items that open up new tactical options using existing mechanics, and this one does so elegantly. The secondary power also fits the theme, and the cost seems right. And the opening lines described the item well. Even with all these good points, the item somehow overall gave me more of a "functional" than a "fun" vibe, which might have kept it out of the top 32. But it's still a strong keep for me.

Chalice of Communal Dweomer: Very clear writing, perfect execution of the concept, cost and balance are spot on. As you said, it might simply not have seemed fun or cool enough to crack the top 32. But a definite keeper for me.

Vest of Mongrelkind: This item is mechanically sound, and the "mongrelkind" theme sort of redeems its SAK nature. The writing was cleaner in your revised version, so it just needed another pass before submitting. Not a greatly exciting item, but still a keeper.

First Light: Wasn't sure why First Light is named "First" Light. It's an evocative name, but the things it evokes (for me) don't match what the item does. I really like all the effects of increasing ambient light, augmenting the caster level of light spells, and blinding attackers -- these are all appropriate to the theme. I also liked that the item recharges itself after each use of its blinding power, though I think the recharge period should be a bit longer, and not random. Clear writing and solid mechanics. A keeper.

Shadow Sentry: The best camping item I can recall seeing this year. The imagery is great, but I'd like to know more about how the sounds of illusory hunters might affect the target -- do they distract him, impair Perception, etc.? Good enough overall to be a weak keep for me.

Tempest Regalia: This year I reacted to "regalia" the way some people did to "filigree", but I won't hold that against you. :) I love the item's appearance and I loved visualizing its major power, right up until I thought "this is the tiniest windstorm EVER." Maybe it would have helped me if the actual term "windstorm" had been used only in the rules reference, and a different phrase were used to describe what is seen swirling tightly around the wearer. I thought the combat effects were appropriate, but I also thought "this item is clearly for casters, who aren't on the front lines getting bull rushed and tumbled past very often." I was okay with the interaction with ioun stones, even though I didn't see a clear connection with the windstorm theme. Overall, a weak keep.

Tablet of Heretical Lore: I see why the name includes "Heretical", but in D&D reverence for more than one deity isn't necessarily heresy. (If it were really heresy, this item would turn clerics into ex-clerics.) But that's just a nit-pick. Other than the name, I think this item does a very good job of serving its niche. The limits and cost (in both time and gp) seem right. It's a good, solid item, and a keeper.

Nethian Scroll Tube: This item seemed a bit...fiddly, with lots of clauses and no clear, central, standout power. It all seems to work okay, and the writing is clear enough, and it does feel "Nethian". It's just sort of confusing, and takes awhile to figure out the answer to "but what does it do?" Overall, a weak keep.

Beguiling Bauble
Aura faint enchantment and illusion; CL 4th
Slot none; Price 6,400 gp; Weight 1/4 lb.
Description
This small jewelled trinket bristles with tiny levers and intricate moving parts.

Once per day, make a Sleight of Hand check to make the bauble dance and sparkle brightly in your hand. Sighted creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Will save or become distracted, losing their Dexterity bonus to AC for 1 round.

Depending on your Sleight of Hand check result, the bauble has additional, cumulative effects on the affected targets:

- Notice me (DC 10): Targets continue to be distracted as long as you hold the bauble in view, up to 1 minute.
- Watch me (DC 15): The targets are also fascinated.
- Follow me (DC 20): The targets will also move close to you and follow where you lead. If led into a dangerous area, each target gets another save.
- Find me (DC 25): You appear to hide the bauble on one of the targets. The other target creatures will angrily search for it, grappling if necessary. This effect ends after 1d4 rounds, and also ends the bauble's other effects.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, enthrall, hypnotic pattern; Cost 3,200 gp

=======================================

Self-criticism:
- Should be written in third person, not second
- Skill checks to activate are unpopular
- Higher skill check result doesn't increase DC of Will save to resist, so item stays low-level even as user improves Sleight of Hand skill. Maybe should have included Heighten Spell as a requirement and increased DC by +1 for each tier of success on Sleight of Hand check
- Except for "Find me", effects aren't interesting

Notes for next year:

-If you spend most of your words clarifying the effect: throw it out and start over.
-If the item mimics the effects of real world tech: throw it out and start over.
-When ready to submit: Go to bed and check 1 more time in the AM you will catch at least 1 flaw this way.
-Google item name to make sure it isn't associated with something goofy before submitting.
-After designing price compare to existing magic items and other superstar items, this is way more improtant than you think, you downvoted items based on price.

Less seriously:

I doubt my item will even get mentioned there but if it is...I'll be ready.

It won't be posted in the Critique thread unless you post it there yourself. At least, that's how it has always worked before.

Yes I am sad no one has mentioned my Skein Helm but I am not above slyly inserting it into my post ;-)

I did like the Skein Helm, and voted for it more often than not. Nice spin on an /overland flight/ effect.

One item I initially didn't like, but then got on board with after a few more readings, was the dagger sheath that -- if I remember right -- essentially let you take an existing magical dagger and temporarily enchant mundane daggers with the same bonuses, so you could throw magic daggers without risk of losing the original.

Has anybody given props to the witchfrost heart? I loved that one! That was the nasty, blood-themed item that slip your enemy up and hits him while he's down.

I thought it was really well-written, with great atmosphere, and deliciously cruel without being gonzo-gross. I thought it was an excellent entry - kudos to the author!

I agree, and I upvoted that item a lot.

One "silly" item that I just loved and loved was the Amulet of Sense-Knocking. I knew it wasn't a contender for top 32 but I usually voted for it anyway.

There was also an obi (I think?) whose loose ends would keep fighting your enemy when you're paralyzed, such as by a ghoul. I thought that item did a great job of finding and filling a niche.

One item I kind of liked was a puzzle cube that summoned creatures whose power level depended on the results of a skill check made to "solve" the puzzle. My item had a similar mechanic, where you made a skill check to use it. I like this notion of expanding what qualifies as "use-based" activation. But I wasn't sure if people would go for a skill check as the activation method.

There were some matryoshka dolls that I really liked.

Oh yeah! Matryoshka of the Planar Cadre! I upvoted that every single time. Great item!

In no particular order...

Blackbriar Boots: I LOVED these! My personal favorite boot item this year.

The hat that you can put a feather token in: I really like items that interact with other items. I frequently upvoted this one, as well as the "dragon claw" that let you stick a pearl of power onto your staff.

The candle that tells you when someone has died: I know it's a simple idea, and arguably not "superstar", but the description was so evocative and it's such a good fit in the fantasy genre. As well as offering the slim hope that perhaps the linked person might only be on another plane!

Ghoul-slayer Gloves: these had a high cool factor for me because I was visualizing the gauntlets from the old computer game Heretic. I WANT some magic gloves that let me blast undead with crackling electric bolts!

The pillow that has a /sleep/ effect when used as an improvised weapon: I laughed so hard at this idea (pillow fight!!!). It's a bit of a silly item and I knew it wouldn't end up in the top 32, but I'm still pretty fond of it.

More later, maybe, as I remember others.

I'd like to see a Paizo blog post showing the number of people who attained each voting tier. Especially the number of Champion voters.

Other statistics, if available, would be interesting as well, such as the number of votes overall, the percentage of possible pairs that were actually voted on, etc.

How about "increases from -2 to -4"?

Edited (after Sean's post) to add: Of course, this assumes that nothing else has modified the penalty. I guess it could also be done this way:

"The cavalier takes an additional -2 penalty to AC (for a total of -4) from attacks other than those..."

I'm getting frustrated by items that are too useful for PC. They seem to be created by thanatophobic player characters. I call this group of items: "The Ring of I Don't Die"

And conversely, I've seen a couple of items that you'd only want if you PLAN to die. Which isn't very heroic, except in very specific situations.

This has probably been mentioned before, but:

- Items that show the history of a place, item, or creature.

I submitted an item like that a couple of years ago, and learned a valuable lesson in the "Critique my item" thread: such items are a headache for the GM. Even though I took pains to limit the item's scope, I now understand that few GMs would want it in the game.

I've given up on the hope of seeing my item.

<snip>

That said, I'm feeling more and more like I won't be cracking the top 32. I still like my item, but I can think of a few things I would have done differently and I have seen some better items.

You still have fewer than 500 votes. I didn't see my item until after I hit the 500 vote mark. I didn't see it again until after I hit 1000 votes.

Also, I suspect that the top items are seen less frequently than the middle-tier items. If so, your item *might* be ranked high and thus be rarely seen (comparatively). But take that with a big pinch of salt, obviously, since I am purely guessing.

Yay, just hit Marathon!

Congrats!

I just became a fatigued voter. If I keep voting for another couple of hours, I'll become an exhausted voter and require one hour of complete rest before continuing.

I'm no computer programmer or statistician. But the way it looks is that the system promotes voting on items whose position in the rankings is the most fluid. The top and bottom items probably have fairly stable rankings, so we're mostly sorting the middle items now. Just a guess.

After nearly 1,000 votes, why is it that...

...the items I've loved the most, the ones with a real spark, I've only seen one or two times each?

...whereas lots and lots of other items have appeared over a dozen times?

Does the logic of the voting system naturally show middle-tier items far, far more often than "top" items?

Another small peeve that I don't think I've seen on this thread yet:

Items intended to be empowered/recharged by combat events, but in reality PCs will charge the item themselves out of combat, or get their friends to do it.