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.
