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The in-thread completionists have now been given their own letter tags.
Thanks, man! This has been one of my favourite threads to follow.
The tracker has now been brought up to date. If your item has received a review, you should be able to find it within. From now on I shall try to keep the tracker updated. If you notice that I've missed a review somewhere, feel free to send me a private message.
The uppermost levels of the Darklands. A fine place to brew monsters. I speculate that we'll see a mix of aberrations, oozes, and monstrous humanoids, with a handful of other types in the mix. Perhaps someone will try their hand at a new gremlin. Don't know about oozes. Hard to be truly creative with those. Then again, this is Superstar, so if you can pull off an ooze that feels fresh, you have certainly proven your worth. At least in my books. I think that undead might turn out to be rather popular. Though personally I too am hoping for some dark fey. And of course, congratulations to the Top 16!
The main problem here isn't the idea, which does show some ability to go for the unexpected, or the theme, which is a bit common, but perfectly serviceable. It's the fact that this would be so annoying to run or be part of. Tunnels after tunnels, most of which you had to squeeze through, no room for maneuvering, no real choice for in which order you tackle the challenges, not much elevation, no sense of grandeur. Just tunnels after tunnels. Sure it looks interesting for the GM, who can see it as a whole, but I bet players would be full of this after the first two rooms. Now the end chamber, that's more like it. Sure, it's the most clichéd of these, but it also works. I like that the players will start with a elevated position and can jump straight into the fray, probably even literally. I like that the stand extends over the ghoul pit. Alas, as it is, it's just too little. I appreciate the unique look and the willingness to take risks, but this time those risks didn't pay off.
131) Manticore Fist:
I kind of like this one, though something in it bugs me for some reason. Perhaps I just have a hard time imagining how this works visually. Had all the spikes been in the knuckles, I'd have no problems, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Other nitpicks include that I assume the spike damage includes the weapon's enhancement bonus, but I'd like confirmation. Plus, the cone effect halts the regeneration, but is the gauntlet empty of spikes at this point? I'd assume yes, but the item doesn't confirm this beyond all doubt. I also would have left the utilitarian uses out and simply had the spikes disintegrate after a round. Because now they supposedly go away if I miss, but what if I shoot at a man who's standing in front of a wall. How does the gauntlet know I wasn't aiming for the wall? All in all I like the item, but it's a convoluted way to essentially get a neverending supply of enchanted throwing knifes. 132) SPANWHAMMER:
That's a lot of backstory for a single item. Plus it includes two of my pet peeves, sundering and magic-negation. So yeah, I'm not exactly this item's target audience. That being said, the sundering effect isn't too bad. It's perhaps a touch boring, but as an additional ability, it works just fine. The dispel ability on the other hand is way too powerful for that price, even if the weapon loses most of its capabilities as a result for a time. Plus item's are not usually meant to know what level you are. All in all this fell to a few design traps, but the writing itself is not too bad and there is potential shining through. 133) Blood Magic Dagger:
Hmm... that seems way too powerful for that price. Plus it should mention that you cannot use Quicken Spell because you're already doing it as a standard action. This also practically screams for you to build a caster with a Strength score of 1 or 2, just to reduce damage. Or to get your hands on some DR/anything but slashing or magic. All in all I like the idea of adapting the blood magic trope into Pathfinder, but this seems like a rough draft of that idea and the granted power needs to be less powerful. But there is potential here. 134) Stormcrow Tomahawk:
Love the visuals. This is definitely something almost any player would love to use, just for the kicks of shooting lighting crows at people. The only real problem is that it doesn't really do anything new, it simply means you don't have to carry around dozens of throwing axes. Which is neat, but not exactly revolutionary. It really would have needed an additional ability to awe us. Knowing that you don't like X times per day abilities, perhaps something that needs a full-round action to activate or something that activates with a critical hit. As it is, I do like it, but I wouldn't call it Superstar. 135) Tormentor:
Good, evocative writing and I'd love to use this item... if I was playing Shadowrun. As it is, being a tech item probably cost this a lot of votes, which is a shame because it actually has some nice powers. Very Lovecraftian - which actually might have turned a few people away as well, another shame - though causing general fear effects isn't exactly anything too original. The visuals make up for a lot in this case though. The last sentence in the second paragraph probably means that the panicked creature takes more damage, but it could also be read to mean that while someone is panicked, the weapon deals more damage to anyone. All in all I hope to see more from you next year, because you have an eye for the visuals. 136) Staff of the Imperials:
We had a lot of items this year that had numerous different modes that could be activated separately. And they all felt like kitchen sink SAK designs, this being no exception. It has awesome visuals, but all of the powers are merely spells-in-a-can and the item seems very underpriced for them. Plus, as a minor nitpick, allow the user to decide whether the item's ability is awesome or not. All in all I could see this item existing. It has a good theme, the writing works and there are no real balance problems, aside from the price, but it just doesn't seem all that original. 137) Rod of Brilliant Steps:
These feel like boots to me. Like they REALLY feel like boots to me. And that's a problem. But it'd be hypocritical of me to judge an item based solely on that. The actual ability is actually pretty neat, like a modified air walk spell, but with added visuals. Though the item doesn't specify whether you can move upwards or downwards if the water or mist would allow it. For example, can you walk into mist, then raise your foot and lift yourself upwards, using the mist as a ladder? All in all not a bad item. Had you submitted this last year, it might have fared really well. 138) Ring of the Champion:
That's a convoluted amount of powers for such a cheap ring. First of all, morale bonuses as a rule don't stack so that doesn't need to be spelled out. Also, what counts as fleeing? If you move away from the enemy because you're an archer and don't want to get into melee range, does that count? Also wow, that's a harsh penalty. You'd almost always want to take the ring off, which pretty much means that the design has problems. All in all I don't think this is a balanced item, but I do like ability that you gain power if you're targeted with a challenging ability in combat. It's hard to word correctly, but it has potential. 139) Ghostspike Longspear:
Nice idea, although this isn't the only item this year with a grudge against incorporeal creatures. Are they really that annoying? Nevertheless, the ability itself fits the theme and could be very useful, it just isn't all that exciting, being just the ability to use combat maneuvers when you normally couldn't. This item needed to do something more extra and/or exciting if it wanted to be Superstar. As it is, with some work on the wording, this could very well exist in a book of magic items. 140) Bodyguard Armor:
Yeah, there's some superfluous explaining going on, but that's not a dealbreaker. Alas, the ability itself is just another protect my mate with an action. We've seen dozens of these before, so you're traipsing a well-beaten path. Also, the word they should only be used in a magic item description if you're actually referring to more than one person. I get the impression that here you're not. All in all a touch too convoluted and unoriginal to really impress. 141) Scimitar of Dancing Lightning:
Good theme, good abilities keeping with the theme. I especially like the haste effect. Not sure if the price is correct, my gut says it might be a bit on the low side. Neverending energy attacks as a ranged touch attack seem really powerful. All in all I'd say that I like this. I'm not wowed by it and I'd have preferred a touch lower-powered version to make it more available, but I do like it. 142) Ring of the Champion:
A valid argument for getting minions to follow you around and make Aid Another checks from a safe distance. And that isn't something I want to encourage in my players. Plus there easier ways to gain +2 to attacking or to AC. So yeah, not exactly exciting and it encourages metagaming and munchkinry. And with that I'm caught up. Phew....
101) Dreaming Star:
Good writing. The description is a bit on the convoluted side, but otherwise this is very understandable, structured and all around skillfully done. I like the idea of influencing and using dreams, but it's really hard to tell players what they can or cannot dream about so items like this are entirely bound to what the GM allows them to be. And that leaves too wide a spectrum for most groups. Whenever it is used the GM has to pull stuff out of thin air. Some things can be of course planned ahead, but that's still a lot of work, especially if it's used without a warning. Plus I don't really like the destruction effect. At least it destroys the item - at first I read that you could do that every night - but it's still a needless shortcut through item creation or the need for a specific individual. Not a bad item, but I don't like items that have such vague boundaries. 102) Lash of Wild Roses:
I like the rose imagery and the fact that the whip needs watering every once in a while. A minor drawback, which are frowned upon, but I think it fits. Unfortunately I'm not so crazy about the powers. Anything permanent like that screams to be misused by the players, if you ask me, in this case potentially causing them to attempt mischief by growing rose bushes everywhere. But then again, you should be able to trust your players more than that, at least in theory, so it's not a dealbreaker and I like the power itself. It's the entangle effect I'm bored by. What's up with that spell that makes it so popular? Well, in any case it's an extreme cliché. Though the addition of thorn damage was a nice touch, points for that. Also, don't tell me the command words. Allow the items to be used in homebrew campaigns, which might not have the standard languages, without modifying them in any way. Still, the item has some promise, I just wish it did something a bit more creative with its theme. 103) Foe Stitcher:
Isn't this Nuibari from Naruto? If so, I'd caution you against direct copying. Being inspired by a show can be a good thing, but you should always try to create something of your own. The other problem I have is that there seems to be no duration to this effect. The string should fade after a while, otherwise it can create some really odd problems when the two are still bound together days later if they don't have the power to cut the string. And what happens to the strings that are cut? Do they still hang from the wounds? Also, whose feats and abilities can affect the drag attempt? The item says to consider the enemy as the one initiating the attempt, but that would imply he voluntarily uses his feats to the maximum of his abilities. It would make more sense for the wielder to make the attempt, only dragging the first victim towards the second, using him as a pivot point. This item also seems to involve some extra bookkeeping because you have to remember how far apart the two can count. Also, if you hit a third enemy, does that enemy become the "second enemy" for the purposes of dragging the second enemy hit by the blade, thus releasing the first from the effect? Can the wielder voluntarily end the effect? So yeah, an interesting ability, but the blatant rip-off bothers me and the mechanics leave a lot of questions unanswered. 104) Ghost Moon Bow:
Wow that's a powerful effect. I like the visual, first of all. The bow sounds very cool-looking and the image of shooting ghostly arrows that can pierce anything is an attractive visual. Unfortunately the item mentions no range for the location effect. So when casting faerie fire the target cannot lose you for 12 minutes no matter what, no matter whether if he stays on the same plane or not? I also think that incorporeal arrows wouldn't do any damage, being incorporeal. All incorporeal creatures I can remember don't do any physical damage. I know that's not what you intended, but the wording needs to be clear on that. All in all I do like the effect, but it needs more boundaries to avoid misuse. 105) Sidereal Blade:
Of all the dimension door swords this year, this was probably my favourite. The description and theme are both really cool and I especially like the pocket dimension sheath you gave it. Still, there are some problems. First of all, do I roll the damage and then double it or do I throw double the amount of dice? Secondly, once per round is way too much for a blade this cheap. Three times per day would have been a lot better, especially because it allows you to use the dimension door as a spell. Though I do like the critical hit effect. It's a logical extension of the power and something you hope to get when you roll your dice. Not too sure whether the ghost touch property fits the theme all that well. I'm leaning towards no. All in all a really great idea, but the mechanics need a lot of balancing and unfortunately it well to the "filigree trap" of this year. 106) Mithral Shirt of Concealment:
A sneaky sneak shirt for a sneaky sneak rogue. Unfortunately this is not the first time I've seen an item like this, which cost it a lot of points. I do like that you covered most of your bases with this one. Usually people are satisfied with becoming invisible, but you took the need for silence and speed into account as well. (Someday I'll make an item that will nullify the other three senses as well. Shirt of Tastelessness it shall be called.) The biggest unbalancing factor here is the ability to take two standard actions. As a rule of thumb never mess with the action economy. The ability to pump six spells into three rounds - nine if you use quickened spells - would be vastly overpowered all by itself, but this shirt allows you to take all kinds of standard actions. 21,800 gp doesn't even begin to cover that. So yeah, the idea is not too original and there are some amazing balance problems, but the item is written decently enough and there are some good ideas in it - the passive bonuses were a nice touch at the end. 107) Rings of Shared Power:
These kinds of powers are frowned upon because they take away a lot of pressure to multiclass and because they can lead to some really nasty combos. Though this item is not as bad as some I've seen because it at least has a range limitation, which needs to be a bit shorter though, and because it only transfers a single thing. Though what happens if you transfer a power that's not available to a class level you're using it with? The item doesn't say. Other than that the rules are explained clearly and I don't have any huge questions. The basic idea itself just is something of a gamebreaker, plus this idea has been attempted before. 108) Fraud's Rod:
Not a bad item and I could see this being useful in certain campaigns or in certain parts of Golarion. The main problems are that I've already seen something like this and the fact that while this is a nice ability, it's nothing all that exciting. I'm not dying to use this, nor is it anything visually pleasing. Good for a book of magic items, but lacks that final spark. Plus, can I have more than one scroll wrapped around the rod? It doesn't say. Plus, it really limits the usefulness of this item that you can only activate the first spell on a scroll. Why not any of them? Once per day is also something of a letdown. 109) Broken Gambit Shield:
Imaginative idea, but I'd never want to use this. I'd rather get me some ordinary shield that protects me all the time. Now you will use this in one combat because the final form is rather good, but then you will jam it into your back to await the next day and use the other shield you carry with you. And that's not a good shield design. Plus the end of combat is a really vague way to end anything. Who determines when one combat ends and another begins in a dungeon filled with monsters for example? Also, if the attacker is filled with the urge to kill the wearer, wouldn't it mean he moves closer rather than away? Also, affecting all attackers with no limitations is much too powerful for a shield this cheap. At least it allows a saving throw. Also a minor point, but why do you skip the light shield, going from buckler straight to heavy shield? So yeah, do keep on designing, because you clearly have ideas. Just pay attention to balance and what people would want to actually use. 110) Coiling Poison Staff: Excellent visuals and I really like how this staff looks. The spell selection also feels suitably snaky, as do the extra powers. Unfortunately those extra powers only amount to poison immunity and a spell-in-a-can. Not terribly exciting, plus I have a problem with powers that can be activated only by certain domains or bloodlines, because as has often happened, we get a domain or bloodline later that thematically could activate those same powers as well, but can't because the rules explicitly say that only those two or three can activate them. Though if you had said that any snake-themed domain, bloodline or mystery would have suffixed, it would have been very easily too vague, so damned if do, damned if you don't. Best just not to go there. So all in all not a bad item, but needed to be more original to impress.
71) Blade of Unabating Wounds:
Not a bad idea for a wounding weapon with an edge over the norm, but unfortunately that's all there is to this weapon. In general a Superstar item is something that allows you to do something new or reinvents an old rule in a way that feels new. This is just better wounding, which is utilitarian, but not terribly exciting. The attempt to negate regeneration and fast healing is a step in the right direction, but it's unfortunately not enough. I also could have used a bit better visual. Telling me the colours of the weapon is nice, but you could have explained that the grip is wrapped in red leather and that the scarlet crossguard curves forward into two serrated blades. Something like that, something that sticks with you. Though the noiseless swing was a nice touch. 72) Chakram of Cyclic Existence:
I like the concept of balance here. That's a hard thing to accomplish within the rules, because it normally involves a lot of bookkeeping, but this one succeeds admirably. The actual ability is also rather nice, although I'm not sure whether I like the channel tie-in or not. I keep getting this image in my head about a chakram that spits out both water and fire and I must admit liking that more. Would a chakram that rotates from fire to wind to water to earth be too obviously Avatar: The Last Airbender? Nevertheless, I do like the concept here, but the imagery was just a bit too colourless to stick with me and thus I tended to forget this item. Hard to put my finger on it, but I think that I could have used something more than just damage to hold my interest. 73) Demonmaw Gnasher:
Somehow I always kept remembering this was a shield. Don't know whether it's a weird mental hiccup or if my subconsciousness is trying to tell me that this would work better as a bashing shield. Nevertheless, this is a solid item, although it's merely a way to attempt combat maneuvers slightly better than you usually can. And that's a touch boring, though the excellent imagery helps a lot. Plus, why cannot you throw someone into a pit or a river of lava? I get that reposition combat maneuver doesn't allow that - why, I haven't the slightest clue - but bull rush, for example, does. And hurling someone over my head and down the mountainside is exactly the sort of thing I'd want to use this for. Sure the automatic throwing would make that a bit questionable, but why should it be automatic. Make it into a combat maneuver check or something and that's it. All in all not a bad item, I just wasn't wowed by it. 74) Serpentine Stave:
When it comes to adapting ideas from existing mythologies, I would say that it's better to be inspired by them than to directly try to recreate something from them. Yes, the Vanara Staff cracked Top 32, but I found myself questioning this because it's so obviously Moses's staff. Points for details - love the reeds especially - but the "rip-off" is just too obvious. That being said, I think it's a fine staff on the technical level. I like the cobra animation and the fact that it can still cast spells while animated. The spell selection is a touch odd because the rest of the staff is so deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian mythology, and I don't see the connection here, though keeping in my earlier point, that might not be a bad thing. Admirable effort, but you took the high risk high reward option and this time it didn't work out. 75) Staff of Strategems:
The reason why I often didn't vote for this if it was against a superior item was because it's very close to being a vanilla staff. The ability to ready an action as a move action is not bad per se, but it's also not all that exciting. It allows you to do old stuff slightly better, it's nothing new. Plus once per combat is a vague way to express something. I'd rather it used charges for that, and even still it's a risky move to play with action economy. Not a bad item, it just doesn't do anything that I'd be awed by. 76) Sarenrae’s Desert Caller:
Kickass description, first of all. I got really good grasp on what this weapon looks like and it pulled me into its world rather nicely. As to the actual abilities, any kind of autoblocking is always at least little questionable, though this only applies to the casting of conjuration spells, which is better. I would have preferred it applying only to summoning spells or perhaps giving only concealment. Now it seems touch overpowerful, at least for that price. The same about the sand template. Those are some really good bonuses for the creatures. Also, nothing really screams out sand as opposed to earth in that template. And I kind of have to admit that this kind of ability would fit an archetype much better than a weapon. Still, shame that you got cut out, because I definitely would have voted for this, flaws and all. 77) Housebreaker Bow:
One of my favourite bows this year. Sure, it's tailor-made only for one purpose and I'm not convinced it needs the glamered ability at all. The names are also both kind of comical and adorable at the same time, which is not a problem, if only just. The biggest problem I can name is that this doesn't do anything that cannot be easily replicated by common methods. Shh is a spell-in-a-can, Stick is a grappling hook with a minor edge over norm and Pick is a ranged lockpick. Now that last one has potential and I like it the most out of them, but even it would be better suited being in a wondrous item. All in all, I like it, but only the packaging is interesting here, not the actual powers. 78) Blowgun of the Accursed Serpent:
Excellent description, love the visuals of this one. I want one of these on my desk, asap. The actual ability seems a touch too powerful for the price, but is otherwise a good ability, although it really should allow a saving throw. As a rule of thumb anything that automatically harms an enemy is to be regarded with suspicion. Aside from that the only real flaw I have is that while it's good, it's not great. Lacks that final kazaam. 79) Blade of the Dark Betrayer:
I don't like the indefinite duration. Technically you could sever someone's shadow, keep holding onto your sword and years later still control their shadow. Sure they would probably pass through darkness at some point, but the comical possibility still exists. Aside from that the actual mechanic is not that interesting. Succeed in a melee touch attack to gain a +2 bonus to attacking against that single enemy. It's window-dressed to the nines, but beneath the surface it's just a static bonus to attacking. Had the shadow done something more, this would have been instantaneously better. It could have grasped the opponent, caused confusion, slowed him down, kept him from moving away from other shadows, anything. In the end I applaud your imagination and writing, but wish for you to be more creative with the rules next year. 80) The Pen of Mirado: An item I did not see during voting, interesting. Okay well, first of all, this seems like an artifact with the way it is written, backstory and all. Plus it tries to introduce a completely new weapon into the game, which is something even an artifact would struggle to pull off. It's also ridiculously powerful in the hands of a bard of high enough level. Huge wham of an attack once per round with no limit on how many times it can be made per day? The price is so low that you could craft this after a couple of levels and then breeze through the next few levels. Not a fan. That being said, I like the visuals and I applaud your creativity. A stylus could make for an interesting magic item, but weapon is not one of them. Do keep on designing, because you clearly have ideas, but make sure that your items follow format. They are there to minimize confusion and a good designer knows how to use them. Rather like someone who draws needs to know anatomy.
41) Springheart:
Probably the item with the most atmosphere this year. You use your words wisely to describe a picture, a setting, without resorting to direct backstory. The fey reference is just vague enough that it doesn't bother people. The message imagery is the main part, but I also like the sole temporary hit point it gives. It's not much, but it feels like spring. I wouldn't have been surprised to see this in the Top 32. The reason why I think it wasn't advanced is that it feels more like a wondrous item, and more importantly, like a plot device. Had this been reusable, it would have been an extremely cool message item. Now it feels like a supplementary item for a specific campaign. Especially the death effect, which might also have turned a few people away. All in all I hope to see more from you based on this. 42) Raw Meat Hook:
Definitely not something you'd see everyday and I like that you went with such an uncommon theme for this one. I just wish it did more than grappled a little bit more efficiently. Ogres have potential for so much more, and while grappling is certainly appropriate for this weapon, it feels like a low fence option. The goriness of it is fine in my books. Pathfinder is not just sunshine and kittens and this should be reflected in magic items as well. All in all an item that's completely utilitarian, but lacks the wow factor aside from the imagery. 43) Shield of the Fallen:
Definitely iconic imagery, and the mechanics talk is written well. The two main problems are that it's just a couple of spells in a can, and I don't like that you reference Sparta directly. Sure our world is part of the Pathfinder multiverse as shown in the Reign of Winter adventure path, but it still feels like eating porridge with your ice cream when you mix worlds like this. A more effective choice would have been to imagine what a Spartan shield would be like and then not just reference Sparta at all. Let the players reach their own conclusions. Sometimes less is more. 44) Betrayer's Blade:
Feinting hasn't gotten much love, which is a shame as it is a solid "combat maneuver" with a lot of potential for cinematic scenes. So it's nice to see someone tackling it. And these are not bad abilities at all, although the price of this dagger is way too low. The main problem is that while the two abilities are solid, they're not exactly exciting, being mere damage boosters. Sometimes this is not a problem if the imagery is strong, but this is just a decorated dagger. Plus I don't see the betrayer thing here. How is this made specifically for betraying? All in all a good item, just not exciting enough for Superstar. 45) Warbreaker’s Staff:
For an item named Warbreaker's Staff, this item seems to focus on a very specific way of breaking war. The visuals and the spell selection I have no problems with, but I don't think I'd ever give this to my players or use it against them, because sundering someones weapon is simply an anticlimactic way to end the fight, plus really annoying if you liked that particular weapon. Though I applaud that you focused on just the weapons, as that keeps the weapon from being too overpowered and fits your theme very well. In the end I just wasn't raring to go and use this item, which meant that it lost votes to items I wanted to use. 46) Ring of the Clockwork Sentinel:
Very flavourful item and it tickles the steampunk fanboy in me. The rules are explained clearly and while it seems perhaps a touch overpriced, it's not a huge problem. But the thing I have to wonder is why you spent over half of your wordcount explaining how difficult the ring is to steal? Only the last paragraph deals with an actual ability and it's a short one. Sure there's the item removal prevention thing for 10 rounds, but even that is added to the theftproof-talk, almost like an afterthought. It's almost like those weird machines that fill entire rooms and do nothing but produce coffee. It's flavourful, sure, but I think the words could have been used for something more substantial. As a whole I like this item, but it has such weird design choices that I couldn't vote for it as often as I would have liked. 47) Talon:
This made my keep list, because I really like the option of making my archer more than the DPS turret he usually is. That being said, this is somewhat rough around the edges. The name doesn't make much sense for this set of powers, the visuals are somewhat clichéd and in the end it's simply a spell-in-a-can for cure light wounds, though at least modified a little bit. Had this provided healing in a way that didn't directly mimic a spell, it could have been a lot better. Or perhaps no uses per day, but it takes a full-round action to fire a heal arrow, making it a question of action resources. Nevertheless, I like that you try to provide more options while still keeping within the game's flavour. Hope to see more from you. 48) Celerity Blade:
Excellent imagery and I love how you made this blade ooze presence by giving it so many fitting details. The light weapon and nonlinear charge abilities are also very fitting and are serious contenders for must-have powers for certain character builds, while still retaining their all-around usability for most classes. Unfortunately the last paragraph falters a little bit, because the description doesn't seem to fit the actual power. While would the blade hide the wielder's movements only during the first round if it can hide them? Plus the power itself is a tad lackluster compared to the previous ones. I actually think this might have fared better had that last paragraph been removed. But, one of the best blades this year even still. 49) Outrider's Band:
Definitely one of the odder ideas this year, and I mean that in the best possible sense. I like the idea of handling your mount in this manner and I could see entire tribes of horsemen regularly practicing this. I just can't over the fact that this feels more like a saddle wondrous item than a ring. Or perhaps even some kind of spell rather than item at all. Plus the very specific fear penalties make me question why the form doesn't fear, say, manticores. The ability to meld the gear into the body seems really powerful for that price. Also, while the alcohol vulnerability might really exist in horses - I'm not well-read enough to know - it seems superfluous here and stands out needlessly. As a whole the idea is great, but the design itself is unfortunately all over the place. 50) Sleeper's Vessel: Interesting idea, though I don't think it was necessary to tie it to Nidal specifically. I could see this used by spies and smugglers around Golarion, not just in Nidal. The actual ability works well because you restrict it to creatures with few HDs, though it's then rendered to practical uselessness because the duration is so short. It would have been better had it been more costly, but with a duration of 30 minutes. In that time you can actually smuggle someone out of somewhere. There's also the problem that if the point is still to keep the enemy alive, puncturing him with a sharp object is not the best way to go. This power would fit a wondrous item much better. Nevertheless, a good theme and the idea itself has potential.
I haven't read many of the other comments yet as I want to offer my initial impressions based on what I thought about the items during the voting. So pardon me if I repeat points from other comments. 31) Dimensional Skewer:
This almost made my keep list. I like the idea of infecting the enemy with a dimensional mark that allows him to be used as an instrument for the downfall of his allies. Unfortunately the mechanics themselves have some hiccups. Like there isn't any kind of range for this, beyond that of line of sight, which can be huge in certain circumstances. It's also somewhat wonky that you describe the vortex being on the flesh, which would indicate that the enemy can affect the spear strike by simply twisting his body, yet the rules don't take this into account in any fashion. The other teleportation hole this year offered the targets concealment, which I felt was not a bad choice. Other option would have been to have the vortex hover around the target, but that isn't as strong a visual. All in all there's potential here, but the details needed some work to be truly Superstar. 32) Phantom Guardian’s Ring:
My main problem is that on the surface this simply seems like a summoning spell in a can. You could achieve this same effect by summoning a host of other creatures and while the visual differs greatly from that, and the ability to wield your weapons is a nice touch, it's still not something I'd pay money to get into my arsenal. Also, now the item seems to spell out that it will only make attacks of opportunity provoked by movement and nothing else, which I feel wasn't the intention. That being said, there are enough differences that I won't label this with a simple SiaC tag. The invulnerability to damage is perhaps a touch powerful for the price, but not overly so. The weapon copying I already mentioned liking and as a whole I can see tactical possibilities for this. It simply needed more of an identity to stand out from its peers. 33) Mummer’s Slapstick:
Sorry, but I'm simply not a fan of jester items. Especially one such as this one that simply screams Looney Tunes at you. It even produces the twirling birds of being hit on the head. Plus, if you give the players an item that can shapeshift into humorous shapes, you know they will go into some extremely dirty and perverted places. And that's simply not my game. That being said, mechanically this is a solid item. It starts out as a hideous laughter in a can, but it expands upon that through fitting visuals and the ability to lengthen the duration. Had the flavour been something entirely different, I might have liked this one a great deal more. As it is, I'm sorry that our senses of humour don't align better than this. 34) Riftcarver Bow:
When I think of dwarves, I don't think archers, but this manages to pull off such imagery. Points for that. Unfortunately the bow itself is only a bit more than class ability in a can, though it just barely manages to pull it off through a combining theme and adding some damage. Although it remains unclear how the alternative powers are supposed to function together. If you make a single trip attempt, are you denied from using the barbarian power for that day, or vice versa? Plus, only counting successful attempts is a really wonky mechanic that I'm not really comfortable about. Somehow the used magical energy comes back if the arrow misses or doesn't beat the CMD? As a whole bow that causes earth effects by successfully striking a square has a lot of potential, but I wish this had done something a bit more original with the idea. 35) Rerouting shield:
I'm not a huge fan of any power that allows you to automatically avoid an attack in any capacity. That's a really powerful ability and this actually harms an enemy at the same time. Although I like that it still has to overcome the new target's AC. That's a good balancing factor. It's the second ability that I like a lot. Bull rushing someone with a portal is an impossibly cool idea and something I want to try out right now. I'd also be interested to see a shield that the party could use as a group to some cool effect. All in all it's the first ability which I simply don't like, because I feel it isn't showing good sportsmanship. 36) Rod of Illusory Casting:
A good description and I like that you're trying to cover all the bases and situations. The main problem though is that it just isn't all that exciting. Especially because if it doesn't mask the effects, only the casting, then it is mostly useless in a lot of cases. I can imagine some cases where this would come in handy, but it still lacks the spark of a Superstar item. Especially because counterspelling just doesn't come up all that often. Perhaps if it had actually transformed spells into illusions, it might have had something going for it, especially for sorcerers or the like, whose spell selection is limited, but as it is, it's not just something I'd pick up unless I had a really specific task I needed to accomplish. I did upvote for it part of the time, mainly because I think it is a solid item for what it is, but it usually lost to items with more mojo. 37) Dwarven Armor of Exploration:
I like this item. It's an odd idea, which has been given suitable mechanics to be functional in a game. Though the moving through solid rock effect doesn't seem like something even watery mud can accomplish. It's solid stone. Oh well, magic. My only problem is that this is something of a niche item, only usable in certain campaigns. Even most dungeon crawls don't really require you to go fully spelunking. And I do get that you had limited space, but this could have been improved had it had an ability to do something else than moving around. Perhaps engulfing enemies or something, though I get that wasn't your focus point. Afraid that this just wasn't exciting enough for most voters, but know that at least I enjoyed it. 38) Gnome Splat-Pelter:
I feel that the focus on ochre jelly might actually keep this weapon from achieving its full potential. I like the fact that it can fling different object, potions and vials around, and I wish it would have focused on doing that well. As it is it's an intriguing visual and I'm sure I wouldn't mind using this one. Though I don't think the jelly needs a chance to escape - that's almost guaranteed to either complicate games unnecessarily or to be completely glossed over by GM fiat. As a whole I like how unique this idea was in comparison to others, but the design would have needed tightening for it to be truly Superstar-worthy. Now it seems unsure about what it really wants to do. 39) BLACK-AND-WHITE SWORD:
Isn't this a Magic the Gathering sword? Or is it just the visual I'm thinking about? In any case, it seems to me that this sword has a really elaborate backstory, but unfortunately its collection of powers is so all over the place and sporadic that I have no idea what that backstory might be like. The individual powers are fine - though the quasi-real property seems like an unnecessary drawback - but they don't come together and form a cohesive whole. And while it has a lot of versatility because of its spread of powers, it's also very expensive and seems like something one would only get from loot. Had the powers been any more powerful, I might have thought this was an artifact. All in all, I enjoy the visual, but I need a more solid theme to really support an item. 40) Varisian Dancing Chain: I was actually expecting a weapon based on the name. Nevertheless, out of all the attack negating items this year, this was the only one I actively liked. The fact that it isn't automatic in any way helps a lot and the chance for the wielder to make an attack of opportunity of her own keeps well with the dance theme. I just wish the item did something more than that. Passive bonus to movement or avoiding attacks of opportunity while moving through threatened squares, or something else dance-like. As it is, the item is fine, it just lacks that final punch.
I too will try to work my way through all the items in this thread and offer my opinions. I haven't read many of the other comments yet as I want to offer my initial impressions based on what I thought about the items during the voting. So pardon me if I repeat points from other comments. 1) Windpath Razor:
Very nice item in my opinion. I like the fact that it activates while unsheathing it, gives it an instantaneous style and coolness-factor. Though I kind of think that this might have worked even better as a katana, just because it's such a classic image. The second ability is also nicely done and will no doubt offer the players some cool options throughout the game. Though I must admit that aside from the obvious wind theme, the two abilities don't really mesh very well together. The second ability is the hook of this item, but it's almost like the first ability was put there for padding, nice though as it is. Also, for an item named Razor, this seems to do perilously little cutting. Overall, I liked this item, but it needed a slightly tighter design. 2) ROD OF VERSATILE CHANNELING :
Not a huge fan of an item that takes away the constrictions from channeling. Alignments are there to guide the character and this is essentially an item that allows you to bypass those guidelines to allow you to do whatever you want. The second paragraph tries to deal with that problem, but it simply reinforces the point that this seems to be tailor-made for neutral characters that want to have ALL the tricks. That being said, I like that you at least tried to put in some limits, the writing itself is decent and I could see this working if it didn't have such a heavy bias for neutral casters. 3) Alchemist's Retort:
My favourite shield by far. At first I scoffed slightly, because I really am not a fan of alchemists, but I warmed up to this, because it can be used by anyone proficient in shields and because it still sacrifices resources, it doesn't simply create them from nothing like so many other alchemical items. If I had to improve this, I'd definitely take away the lean towards alchemists. Just make this a shield that can deliver alchemical splash weapons in a cool manner. Especially because alchemists cannot use shields, as you have no doubt heard from others. This was in my personal Top 32, and I'm disappointed that it didn't advance. 5) Enlightened Jian:
Very cool imagery, even if slightly unoriginal, although I think you pulled it off well. This is exactly the sort of weapon I'd want for my monk character. Although I'd prefer there was an archetype that did the air walk thing instead of relying on a magic item, but that's not your fault. Personally I would have swapped Strength with Wisdom only for attack rolls, because I can easily picture the wise sage swirling past the clumsy parries to hit more easily, but I have harder time imagining how that wisdom allows him to cut deeper. Although now that I think about it, I can see that you inspired by the fact that in the movies the warriors can cut through mundane objects like they were made of tissue paper. Perhaps it could ignore hardness, as boring though that is? 6) Mail of Ash Woven Ramparts:
One of my keeper items, just because that visual is so cool. It also mimics an idea I've had myself, although it does it way better than my initial drafts. I'd hope the ash would linger on a bit longer, because then it would be a really good battlefield control method. Also I'm not really sure how large of an area you can encircle with a single move action so that secondary ability is not likely to see much use. Allowing for more move actions would alleviate that problem. Also not sure what's up with that need for overrun attempt. It seems illogical that you cannot just walk out of the ash. Minor things like that mean that I'm not that surprised that this didn't make it, although I still remain disappointed, because you clearly have the imagination. The best of luck and I recommend playtesting your item next year. 7) Grave-Nettle:
Very nice description and the dagger has a suitably evil vibe to it, but I'm not surprised that the fact cost you some votes as evil items are not terribly popular with certain voters. The main issue though is that this is basically animate dead in a can. I like the idea that you can do something with a corpse by leaving the dagger in, but it needs to be something that cannot be easily replicated with a common spell. Perhaps it could turn the corpse into a bomb, though there might be a spell for that already, if I don't remember incorrectly. Or perhaps you could see through the pommel as long as the corpse is still rotting? Something like that. The fact that the dagger returns to your hand after it has done its duty would make it readily usable and not just a throwaway item. 8) Staff of the Vineyard:
Love the theme here, but I wish it had done more with that. The first few powers are really cool and usable, but the entangle immunity doesn't tie-in as well. Perhaps the berries could have been used to intoxicate enemies as throw weapons or something like that. The spell selection could have reflected the theme better as well. There are some suitable enchantment spells that could have been used easily. All in all a neat idea that wasn't embraced as well as it could have been. 9) Angazhan’s Bloodthirsty Spear:
Very cool visual, although the description should come first. I love the ability to pierce an opponent and hit the creature behind it. It's exactly the sort of thing you see in movies, but cannot really replicate in Pathfinder or any RPG really. And the fact that you can only do it with a critical hit fits the idea and also acts as a suitable power-limiter. The first ability on the other hand is way overpowered. Against a mook army you would heap up an enormous bonus very quickly. Even reducing the bonus to +1 wouldn't help significantly, though it would be an improvement, though there's still the problem of bookkeeping. Perhaps the item could have a higher bonus for critical confirmations if the enemy was close to dying or something else that would support the final strike imagery. Though I believe that magic items are not supposed to know how many hit points someone has left. 10) Chrysalis Carapace:
By far one of my favourite items. I love the visuals and the fact that unlike so many items, this one tells you how it gives you its powers. It doesn't just tell that this armor grants you fly speed for X number of rounds, it tells you exactly how it does that. More items need to do this. This is also probably the only item this year where I didn't dislike the spell absorption thing. Probably because it didn't give you the spell or just some static bonus, but once again it powered the armor to do something interesting. Though how a swarm of insects gives you more speed, I have no idea. That's pretty much my only nitpick about this armor. I really would have liked to see this advance. Keep up the good work! More to follow later tonight. Now I'm off to a sauna.
Congratulations on making it to the Top 32! Very well-written item that can convey a lot of uses for the weapon in a very tight space. Points for that. As a whole this is a weapon with an excellent feel to it and you can definitely imagine the badass character wielding it and watching the world shatter around them. That being said, boy do I hate sundering items. The reason was summarized excellently by Dana a few posts up. They are the pain of every GM in the hands of players. And a sundering item this powerful? Every encounter indoors or underground would lead to "Well, I drop the ceiling on them." And then you have to pull stuff out of thin air when you start to think how that will change the battlefield. Because there are preciously few rules for that. The combat comes to a screeching halt and the GM can be seen grumbling into his notes. So yeah, a good item and deserving of its advancement. I just have a really strong pet peeve against its niche. Nevertheless, the best of luck!
Congratulations on making it to the Top 32! This was on my keep list, though is it just me or is some kind of frog item a yearly thing here? If so, I need to write it down. In all seriousness though, this is a very well written item. It's mostly a MiaC, but in a good way. I also like that you focus on the aspects of a frog that don't see as much light of day, like the poison skin. The tongue thing is also slightly problematic for aforementioned reasons. Perhaps the tongue could have been incorporated into the armor in a way that it would have originated from a body part that was covered by the armor? Though now I'm thinking about Spider-Man, so perhaps not. Overall a good item. Evocative writing, excellent armor-like main ability and a secondary ability that supports the first, though could have been a touch more refined. The best of luck for the future!
I'd say it's a tie between Chrysalis Carapace and Harvestweal for me. Both had really strong themes supported by a host of great abilities. Neither are autobuys in any campaign, but they're both items I'd love to receive and give out.
Congratulations on making it to the Top 36! Excellent theme. I've seen this idea in other fiction once or twice, but not to often that it has become a cliché. I could definitely imagine this item in the hands of a villain that travels around terrorizing innocent villages by transforming their livelihood into cold metal. Unfortunately the execution of this theme has some problems. Iron Gardens is fine, it functions well, is thematic and a cool visual to the boot. Transmute Plants to Iron is problematic to me. I'm not sure I like it being a permanent effect. It kind of makes sense as an NPC item, but I can just imagine a player getting his hands on this and going on a transmutation spree around the countryside, causing havoc just for the heck of it. Though that applies to most of the magic items, so perhaps it's just a nagging visual that has gotten stuck to my head. Iron Entanglement is the worst in my opinion. A cool idea and it works well with the second ability, but I don't like the fact that it strips most of the characters from their weapons - assuming that this works on steel as well, which is a reasonable assumption to make. Sure it kind of implies that they return to normal after a minute and the item is pricy enough that on those levels it won't be a huge problem, but still. All in all I can see the potential, but this could have benefited from some fine-tuning and play-testing. Still, the best of luck for the future!
Raven Leather
As a standard action the wearer can transform himself into a flock of ravens made out of shadows and spiraling feathers. This effect functions as gaseous form, except the wearer has a flying speed of 40 ft., fills a space of 10 ft. and every creature within this area is considered to have concealment. The wearer can stay in this shape for 10 minutes per day. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1-minute increments. Alternatively, the wearer can transform himself into a corporeal raven swarm. The wearer gains a +4 size bonus to Dexterity, a –2 penalty to Strength, fly 40 ft. (average), low-light vision, scent and the swarm traits. The wearer’s swarm attack deals 2d6 points of damage. Each round spent this way counts as 1 minute of the wearer’s normal time. If the wearer’s hit points drop below 0 while in the raven swarm shape, he immediately returns to his normal form, falls unconscious and is dying as normal. This is a polymorph effect.
O is for owlbear, whose origin remains a drunken mystery
E is for elf, pointy-eared and sage
Syntactically that perhaps the most difficult way to say what need to say. This is why you write down an item, you leave it alone for at least two days and then you come back to it with clear eyes. Still, the actual ability is not bad, so have a vote. edit: And apparently I hit Marathon. Woohoo!
10 words item name vs. 8 words item name The vote buttons were practically scraping against one another.
An item that actually grants free experience points? NO! No, no, no! No, bad player. No extra xp for you.
I'm starting to get annoyed by these rings and other items that have ten different modes depending on which stone you happen to activate or the phases of the moon or whatever. |