Loradin's page

As previously stated by many, try not to penalize use of the spell. You can choose to make it as immersive as you and your players wish.

If you want more than you cast Wind Walk, 4 hours later you reach your destination then describe the journey as many have stated. Plan out the route for the area that you believe that they would travel, and give them some potential hooks for further exploration if they choose.

Do not create punitive measures to counter act the casting of a high level spell. It has its benefits for a reason, and it comes off as GM adversarial to force things down a players throat if they are using an option that they invested resources into (spell slot expenditure). Just immerse them in visuals and regale them with your ability to create a scene.

If the players want more in depth go into more and more detail as they inquire further of your explanations of the scenes that they pass over head. If they choose to further explore it may become a little side quest or mission that you have for them while they are en route to their destination. Unless you are really good at coming up with things on the fly this would take more prep time to really create a lasting visual and sensory experience and thus as another person suggested try to steer away from charts.

There have been many books, both 3.X and pathfinder that have discussed level based challenges for GM'ing. All of them state that by 9th level traveling is a non-issue. Unless it is to get into some extra planar, secret location unbeknownst to anyone but a small few, shielded by anti divination magic it generally is not a viable plot device for stories. Use it as an enhancer through vivid descriptions and throw in some potential for player agency to go into more detail.

So, this is my first time and I enjoyed every minute of it. If I am aware of it happening again (my biggest reason for not participating earlier) I will definitely partake.

I am breaking this down by item, commentary, then a critique. Thank you in advance for all that critique it.

Cloak of Subterfuge
Aura faint abjuration; CL 9th
Slot Shoulders; Price 8,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
Description
While the exterior of this grey leather cloak is unremarkable, the interior is made of fine black velvet resembling a starless night sky. As a move action the wearer can press an item against the cloak's inner lining, transporting the item to an extra dimensional space (contents limit 20 pounds, volume limit 3 cubic feet) within the cloak.The cloak does not need to be worn for this effect to occur, placing the cloak over an object and applying pressure can also activate this ability. The wearer gains a +5 competence bonus to bluff checks regarding items stored within the cloak. As a swift action the wearer can retrieve items from the cloak by placing her hand, or equivalent, against the inner lining and thinking about the item they wish to retrieve. The item returns from the extra-dimensional space into the wearer's hand. If the cloak's capacity is exceeded or it gains the broken condition (Hardness 2, Hit Points 5), each item stored within the cloak falls into a random square 5 feet from the wearer; roll for each item separately. Using Detect Magic or an ability to view magical auras, this item gives off a faint abjuration aura. Using spellcraft identifies the Cloak of Subterfuge as a Cloak of Resistance. The caster must cast Identify and succeed a DC 13 Will save in order to reveal the item's true nature.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Magic Aura, Secret Chest, 5 ranks in bluff; Cost 4,000 gp

Commentary

Personal Critique

So that is my item and personal input you are awesome if you read it all, and even more so if you comment about it. Feel free to go full force, I can take it.

edit : removed spoiler from item.

Kiel I kinda disagree with your assessment.

Although it is hard to affect a single item having large counts of votes, Feros and Leblanc alone account for near 1 out of 20 (or may actually be 1/20 votes, because it states almost a quarter of a million, no qualifier for almost, and we don't know how many they cast past 5,000 each) or more of the TOTAL votes. It can greatly affect the outcome their opinion has over the entire contest.

This also does not account for the work shopping or pit crewing that goes on. 2 people who were in chat work shopped 4 items that made the list, one of those two made it as well. That knowledge of who made the item and the fact that you worked on it providing some input also slants voting for certain items, because lets be honest you want your creative input to succeed. Not questioning ethics but numbers wise having multiple people with some seeded investment into your item makes them more likely to vote for you, specially if they are your friend. So if you add a champion voter, with multiple marathon voters that all put forth items those collective votes adds up to a significant amount in the overall contest favoring a handful of items.

Keep in mind with these rules for advancement it is a popularity contest put out to the public. The people voting may have a wealth of design knowledge and experience, or practically none. Their design philosophy could be anywhere on the spectrum. My father, whom I love dearly, has no experience with item design or Pathfinder voted around 100-200 times because I told him that I entered. Per vote, his votes have as much weight as experienced tested cover designers.

With that said, for all those that did not make the top 32+4 do not be discouraged that your item is inferior to those who did...it just might not have been to the taste of the voters. Any player of PFS knows that in order to make a game balanced designers make choices that are not always the popular ones (Crane Wing, or Aasimar favored class bonuses?) so keep your head held high.

Before anyone states that I am biased or jealous because I did not make it. I had a blast hanging out and talking to everyone in the google chat and enjoyed my experience here. My item was thrown together and probably didn't deserve to make it into the top 32. I await to see if I made top 100. I will be posting my item the to CMI thread, along with my own critique of it.

edit - Removed names, because I thought it would be better that way.

Also you forget that it is a beat path, voting by comparison each vote has an impact on all items rated.

Yes, everyone that is in the contest still good luck. I am awaiting to see some awesome maps in the next few days.

To all those who attempted and have not, or will not make it to the top 32, congrats for putting yourself out there. Do not let getting culled discourage you from attempting again. Don't give up and keep trying if this is what you want to do.

Being in the chat room we have found that often times the same item pairing is presented to multiple people simultaneously.

What if the computer isn't testing the items we put in. What if the computer is judging our skills as a designer based on our preferences for good or bad items?

The same 7 people each night in the chat room joking back and forth about how they have to up vote items they hate because it is better than the alternative.

Degenerating or improving?

It is another thread on the RPG Superstar Forum. The very first post has a link to an excel spreadsheet. It is constantly being updated with stats about items seen.

The upper right has a chat button you can click on.

Creating horribly overpriced items to emulate modern day tech, and then not even allowing the more beneficial uses for said items when items that are better already exist for far less.

An affordable consumable that has slang for itself in its description...hilarious and definitely a keeper.