Scorba's page

I had a magical beast prepared for the round of 32 .. should I have made the cut. I would have failed miserably, the urban requirement would have made my original creation totally unusable and it would not have been possible to creatively alter it to fit the urban environ. It was a true monster no bones about it, no social attributes that would have made it an Urban Superstar.

I guess that is what makes a superstar ... the ability to handle old "uncle charlie" and hit it out of the park.

Congrats to the Top 32 .... keep on swinging

I am trying to get a handle on the rule:

•Entry must be a new Golarion monster (not world-neutral or set in a world other than Golarion).

That design feature seems rather straightforward ... tie your entry to an existing Golarion location, but I see that the Top 32 entries are a bit loose on this feature.

is it better to not regionalize your entry like say:

the slimy Qadiran Sewer Slug

the feared Chelish Alley Cat

just because the name makes them seem prominent in a certain region/city/place, doesn't mean that they can't be far ranging.

I guess my question is this; Is it better to be location nonspecific in the naming of your entry?

Now ... that is quite possible as I am usually told that my humor is rather dry.

But .. the super group bit was good.

I applaud you

I totally got it ... funny. I was expounding upon your witty response.

Scorba wrote:

and lastly my favorite names that could be mistaken for a rock band:

Protean Horn - 70's funk fusion band

Scatterstone - modern rock

Guillotine Torc - Norwegian metal

Resonant Tines - new age

Clarion Cymbals - chill

Pheonix Cloak - Members of the Protean Horn, Resonant Tines, and Clarion Cymbals reform after ugly break-ups to form a super group of New Age Fusion.

which record a single album before succumbing to the gravity of ego and implodes.

no super group ever survives ... remember these groups:

Cream, Blind Faith, Asia, Derek and the Dominos (granted Greg Allman bought it in a traffic accident), Damn Yankees, Temple of the Dog, a Perfect Circle (yes .. Tool was in a contract dispute) or Audioslave.

that is an expanse of 4 decades ... history is on my side ... PHOENIX CLOAK is doomed to fail.

Awesome notes ... I am working through the problems.

Your time is much appreciated.

more mistaken rock band names:

Imp Stone - Nerdcore

Cyclone Flags - hardcore punk

Bucket Hat - progressive or avant-garde rock

Saint Caleth

Fierani Fletching Hoop

This is the kind of item which is exactly what it says on the can. It makes and enhances arrows. Simple and cohesive. But in this case it is a bit too simple. The first power is kind of trivial and the second is not innovative enough to be superstar. I would buy one of these for my archer, except that he is an inquisitor and a way to generate bane is kind of redundant for him.
Verdict: Book of items worthy, but not really superstar.

your critique is much appreciated. If I have learned one thing simple items may be cool in their own way, but cool isn't always great.

I have a half dozen ideas already in development and I am bringing some face slapping content next year. I will get your attention.

and lastly my favorite names that could be mistaken for a rock band:

Protean Horn - 70's funk fusion band

Scatterstone - modern rock

Guillotine Torc - Norwegian metal

Resonant Tines - new age

Clarion Cymbals - chill

from the TOP 32 ....

Fetish of the Frog Queen

Horned Helm of the Wild Stag

I always appreciate good use of alliteration ... sue me! Alliteration seems to be in common use among the general contestant base, I even used it myself this year.

Forget for a moment the failed formatting, the technical glitches, the poor cost calculations or the bad descriptions. What if the competition was just based on the naming of item itself?

With absolutely no other criteria ... I present a few of my favorite item names:

DWARVEN SONGWOOD

PROTEAN HORN

ARCHIMEDEAN LEVER

JAR OF IMPRISONED ECHOES

These are just a few .. I really liked a lot of them, but these names really captured the idea of wondrous item for me.

I am not sure if my Bestiary idea is truly Superstar, but I was reading Inner Sea Guide and this creature idea hit me like a brick.

I have it tuned to a specific place .... It is unique and players would absolutely hate it.

The makings of a great beast ....

But I may just put this in my back pocket and wait .... the more I develop it ... the more I really like it, but that may be a trap of my own imagination.

After I read the R2 entries I will know if it had a chance.

First Impression: A brass ring that creates normal arrows and also imbues three with the bane ability. Okay.

Upon reflection: Format fail. Mechanically, not too shabby. It's got the appropriate fail-safe to prevent this from being an endless arrow generator. It's just not terribly interesting.
Overall: An item that creates ammunition is nothing new to the game. I don't see much of a spark with this item-- I'm sure you can do better! Let your creative juices slosh around your head for the next few months and make a really awesome Superstar item next year! C

~~shakes head vigorously~~ the sloshing has begun.

I appreciate your honesty ... after open voting I reviewed a host of interesting items. Mine was a sub-conscious ode to my low-power campaign that I am currently running.

I have more than enough experience with both role-players and roll-players ... so next year I will clean up the format and bring something sexy.

thank you

Fierani Fletching Hoop:

A method of easily creating arrows in the wild and giving a bane ability on top of that. I liked this item and voted for it quite a bit, but it really doesn’t have anything spectacular going for it. It is just a good magic item.

I like the fact that most of the people that critiqued my simple item liked it, though a bit mundane and simple. I even had a couple that wanted to add it to their home game ... that is high praise and an honor for me.

Next year I will bring something a bit more flashy. this item was a product of a low-power campaign that I have been running for the past couple years.

thanks for your comments

woo-hoo ... I will take 3 stars

Scorba wrote:

Fierani Fletching Hoop

I loved your item, I voted for it every time I recall seeing it, I asked my GM if I could have one for my next PC. I cannot say that I have any criticisms of it, it says what it is and it does what it says. It's just not the flashiest thing in the pool. Keep trying :-)

I am getting feedback that it was a bit mundane ... I appreciate your critique and I am glad you liked it.

I really like simple items with little clutter.

85) Fierani Fletching Hoop

The Good: Unique item, memorable, I like that its a crafting item with some teeth.
The Bad: this had soem formatting errors you've corrected here but were glaring in the voting.
The Ugly: I'm taking 3 months off from adventuring to make 90 bane arrows, best 4,200 gold purchase ever!
Overall: 2 stars- lower middling. I can forgive the formatting error but the game balance issue is bad. APs like kingmaker can have downtime that lasts for years...

I wish to thank you for your honesty ... a couple issues. I had lost my only copy of my item and needed The Keeper of Lists send me a copy ... I knew of my couple of formatting errors and while I was at it I did change that error. ... it bugged me.

As for your UGLY comment, I think you missed the final line of text in the item. I created this item as a daily use item, ALL arrows either created or enchanted by the hoop that were not used during the day of that creation reverted back to their original state.

So ... an owner of this item cannot stockpile BANE arrows or stacks of arrows.

It was meant to be an item that served the user as an emergency supply of ammunition or give some ammunition a little punch. My idea came from the Vietnam era US Ranger Long Range Recon Patrol ... and I converted an item that would allow say an elven ranger of the Fierani forest able to stay in contact with a tracked enemy without having to break-off and re-arm.

Thanks again ... I plan on getting better.

I'll second BattleTech....FASA going under and selling the rights to WizKids was a mistake. You can still buy BattleTech stuff online and there is a small company that has ben licensed to continue production of all of the source books and rule books....Also Iron Wind Miniatures still produces their miniatures. Good luck finding people who play it though :(

I think BattleTech and MechWarrior brands are in dire need of CPR to be brought back to life full force

there is just so much material for this game and novel line.

I still play this game at a convention I attend every year in Florida. It is a small game, but I still get to blow stuff up.

SORRY ... it was a little unclear. My request is for Peter or any filmmaker to make live action movies based on popular gaming subjects.

If the superhero comic book genre can be a massive box office success, which I love most of it, why not gaming subjects?

I was reading the judge bios and I see that Peter has taken on film study and is interested in making films for gamers and gaming fans.

This is my personal request for any filmmaker when it comes to bringing the popular gaming genre to the silver screen. This is totally subjective. Here are my TOP 2

DRAGONLANCE - One of the better stories in my gaming history. I loved the novels, loved the old AD&D DL series of adventures and would love to see this made into a live action movie series. I always thought this story could be an epic film series ... ala....Lord of the Rings.

please ... do not mention that crappy animated garbage, with Keifer's deadpan delivery of Raistlin's spells. It was unwatchable to me.

BATTLETECH - why hasn't anyone secured the rights to this series of epic novels and seriously popular tabletop miniature game? In 1986 I bought the beginner box set and immediately got hooked. CGI has come a long way to pull off a live action telling of one of the classic stories ... Grey Death Legion, Wolves on the Border (my favorite) or Mike Stanpole's Warrior series.

sounds like the respectful thing to do ....

Thanks Nazard .....

I do see it as an overly simple item ... especially after voting. I thought it was a solid useful item, but your right it lacks pizzazz.

my second year ... i really need to open up my imagination after voting. I have been GMing low-power games for so long, that running games for straight power gamers really squashes the creativity. what i wouldn't give for a couple true role players. Thank you for your comments.

Fierani Fletching Hoop

Aura moderate transmutation/conjuration; CL 8th;
Weight — Slot none; Price 4,200 gp

DESCRIPTION
This simple brass hoop is approx. 3" in diameter and is usually affixed to a quiver or belt.

The user of the hoop, by drawing any arrow-sized wooden shaft through the hoop will create a nocked, tipped and fletched common arrow. The wooden shafts can be common arrow stock or simple foraged and cleaned sticks of the right size. The hoop can create 12 common arrows/day.

In addition, any arrow drawn through the hoop can be enchanted with the bane ability. The user may name any race as the arrow's designated foe and may change the foe with each enchanted arrow. This ability may be used 3/day.

Any arrows created or enchanted by the hoop that are not used the day they were created will revert to its original state.

CONSTRUCTION
REQUIREMENTS Craft Wondrous Item, fabricate, summon monster I; Cost 2100 gp

would be illegal to discuss what might have been if you had made the TOP 32?

I thought I had a better Round 2 entry than an item ... Maybe we could just post the names of your prospective Round 2 entry and we can explore them if the name strikes a chord.

ahhh... I will go and speak with the man on the silver mountain

thank you

should I just start a thread and request that?

thank you

I think that my overall style as a GM has been corrupted by years of running games for pure power-gamers and I have little interaction with true role players.

so I have adopted a style of running low-power campaigns. That may have been a detriment to my entry this year as I created a low power, but simple and useful item.

really .. no frills

is there a way to copy and paste my item from the competition? I lost my only copy in a computer crash ... really sucks.

I really want to get better at this and some criticism would help me.

I could recreate it, but it wouldn't be as it was submitted ... not exactly.

this was my favorite item during voting.

congrats

after voting ... I knew my entry was Spartan at best, useful and simply described and with little flourish ... I followed the mantra of "Short and Sweet".

I made a silly formatting error, that I just did not catch in the proof read. I also recognized another error in the CONSTRUCTION requirements, I left out a basic need and that led to a total miscalculation of the item's price.

lessons ... for next year.

my personal fave for the entire voting process ... I admit I only voted a couple hundred times, so a small sampling ... was the Fetish of the Frog Queen.

I thought it very creative and well constructed.

glad to see it made the Top 32.

where will the Top 100 be posted?

Make that 1.50 .... mine was a half-a@# attempt to make an item.

I also would like to formally be the first to extend my sympathies to finalist #33 ... whomever you are .. that was a tough break.

I know it is not possible to tell anything about the upcoming winners and, sadly, losers, but (and I may have missed this) can we know the total number of entries?

I am really curious as to what is item #55?

This a blind congratulations to #55.

has enough for one day ... still hoping to catch a glimpse of my item.

until next time ....

Scorba .. The Crimson Terror of Rhudaur

Sweet little utility item found.

most of the items I have found liking are of the utility class ... and extremely simple and useful.

and good luck to you

I can only hope ....

haven't seen mine yet ... but there is always hope

Cool. It's always nice when you can scare the players, but then throttle back without them noticing.

The last session I ran was almost a TPK, too, but that was cause there were lots of newbies. I had to work really hard not to kill a 9 year-old's first PFS character.

I play to have fun ... but I also make the players pay for their stupidity. If they aren't going to pay attention, then they usually pay the price.

This was the Super-expensive item.

I haven't seen a super price yet ... like over a million or more?

by the way ... had a game session last night.

Had pull my punches or it would have been a TPK ... gotta love drunk overzealous, overconfident PCs.

Nearly killed 3 out of 6, poisoned 2 others and had them on the run 4 rounds into the sessions.

my red dice of death were hot ... (4) 20's in the first 10 rolls... 3 crits

it was fun ... finally called off the dogs and they were able to recover and go home victorious.

just wanted to share.

So I know it's a bit early in the peace; but when can we expect a cull?

is there such a procedure?

Super-expensive item. Check.

I have seen a couple expensive items ... you could buy yourself a small fiefdom.

not sure how they arrived at the price.

what to do ....

bad format on the left .... bad format on the right

pass or pass?

What to do ....

SIAC on the Left ... SAK on the right

pick the best or just pass?

Scorba wrote:

being an old country DM .. I lean towards simplicity. My game is fairly casual, but I enforce the rules of the game. I prefer to play where the emphasis is having fun and that is the point of playing this or any game.

or at least it should be.

I agree some of the items I have seen would simply confuse my average players.

Though I personally like the complexity of this game ... as DM, I feel I am charged with keeping the game fun over being a rules Nazi.

Some of the items, though technically and creatively brilliant, would not interest the average player in my opinion.

Scorba, would be interested in you were referring to your gaming style or where you're from. My family is from the "old country" which is why I mention it.

As for your playstyle, heck...it'd be great to have a few like minded people in my neck of the woods, HA!. If you get the chance, I'd be interested in your feedback on my item after the reveal.

For the time being...have a nice evening. It is getting late and I'm starting to get a string of difficult entries.

Good night all!

certainly .. we can trade opinions ... and when I say Old Country DM .. I really only mean that I have been at it a while and have seen and played through many versions of this basic game.

good night

Monkey .... very popular