Elan

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Still looking for that elusive 'booted out in the second round'. ;)

I'm in. Good luck everyone.


I was getting ready to run this set piece as a side quest for my group as a way to cope with one of my players not being able to be at the game. Now it looks like I will have all of my player, and a few have leveled. I'm looking for a couple of suggestions or ideas how to scale this adventure.

The party consists of:
a Paladin (12th) - currently an NPC, and easy to remove from the adventure.
a rogue/sorcerer (12th)
a scout/wizard/loremaster (11th)
a soulknife/soulbow (11th) (whoever came up with this prestige class should be shot) ;)
a cleric (11th)
a fighter (10th)

Increasing the number of cultists would be the easiest, except that the cramped quarters of the living quarters would work against the cultists. I thought about changing the cultists from warriors to fighters to give them some extra power, and have Vodzur summon the dretches before the party shows up.


Gark the Goblin wrote:


Skaven13 wrote:
I just don't understand this character. I like the concept, and think she would work out great as that reoccurring npc that is unknowingly causing problems. I don't think she works as a part of the party, and the tactics section seals it for me.

Ironically, Sharina is not a misdirected bard like Elan. She's evil, or pretty close to it, whether or not her alignment registers as such. While I could see her evolving as the campaign goes on, that's work that I, as a DM (did that slip out again? I meant GM) am gonna have to do. It's not in here. I would think that if people made it past the first round, they would have the next parts prepared ahead of time (contingency, anyone?).

I'm not saying that she is unknowingly causing problems. I just don't think she works well as a party NPC, which is presented as the ideal situation.

If I was to use her in a game, I would have her find out where the party is going next, beat the party to their next town, and start setting up the next situation that would further the party's fame. Sure, she might travel with the party once in a while, but she is going to require the time away from the party to set up all the wars and duping all those dragons. ;)

As a party member, she's a liability, and the group that I run for would drop her off at the closest village.


I just don't understand this character. I like the concept, and think she would work out great as that reoccurring npc that is unknowingly causing problems. I don't think she works as a part of the party, and the tactics section seals it for me.

She's a character that will leave the party if she gets too hurt and a liability in combat who relies on the party to protect her. The first time she runs from combat and a party member dies, she will probably be ousted from the party, and that limits her direct interaction.


Thanks Sean. I'm just glad the judges are willing to spend the time to share their critiques.

Iron Requiem
Aura moderate conjuration; CL 7th
Slot none; Price 33,600 gp; Weight –

Description
This six holed flute is made of pitted wood and held together with iron rings. When the proper notes are played, the sad melody summons earth spirits angry with the removal of metal ore from the ground. These spirits pass through a metallic item that the player chooses and return the minerals back to the earth. The process can weaken or destroy the item.

The flute can be used to make a sunder attempt as a ranged touch attack against a metal target. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the attack is successful, the item takes 5d6 damage. If the damage is more than the hardness of the item, the object is considered broken. If the damage exceeds the hardness and hit points of the item, the item is destroyed. If used against creatures made of metal, the creature takes 3d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack.

Range of the effect is 30 feet. The flute can be used 3 times per day.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, rusting grasp; Skills Knowledge (The Planes), Perform (Wind Instruments) Cost 16800 gp


The Wandering Bard wrote:
I wrote:

Mertzer’s Marvelous Minnow

Aura: Moderate Transmutation; CL: 5th (Brass), 8th (Bronze), 10th (Steel)
Slot: -; Price: 4,100gp (Brass), 8,700gp (Bronze), 15,000gp (Steel); Weight: 2lb.

DESCRIPTION

Druids obsessed with merfolk cultures crafted the first of these oddities, aides to travelers underwater. Minnows appear as hand-sized (Fine) models of local fish wrought of scaled metal, and remain inert unless taken at least 10ft underwater. Once submerged, the minnow activates, following its controller’s orders. Each breed of minnow has all the powers of the lesser breeds. Minnows communicate with their controllers through an empathic link.

Brass: This minnow can bestow water breathing for 12 hours/day and carry messages underwater as whispering wind. It has 10hp, AC 20 and 30ft swim speed.

Bronze: This minnow can bestow freedom of movement for 8 hours/day, and can translate the speech of water-breathing creatures. 24hp, AC 24 and 50ft swim speed.

Steel: This minnow can bestow freedom of movement and water breathing for 24 hours/day each, and can use a stone tell effect thrice/week to speak to sealife. 40hp, AC 28 and 80ft swim speed.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, water breathing, animal messenger, Bronze add freedom of movement, Steel add commune with nature; Cost: 2,050gp, 4,350gp, 7,500gp

Open to critique! (Short) flavour section, pretty much a Figurine item, what else? Pricing perhaps (not my strong point)? Should I have further clarified how to order the minnow and it's mechanics while in use? Should I have given it less spell-in-a-can powers?

First thing I thought when I saw the name was "which one allows me understand all spoken languages?" Then I saw the weight of 2 lbs, and thought of some huge, metal fish sticking out of my ear. ;)

You might have been better off working with only one of the minnows, defining the description a little better (is it a clockwork fish, with the internal gears sealed to keep out water, or a solid metal fish that changes to a real fish when activated). Maybe have the item grant a swim rate.

Just my thoughts.


Keith Duperreault wrote:

because no other teleport spell has anything other than 'instantaneous' and because of the line under the magic item costing chart that says (If a continuous item has an effect based on a spell with a duration measured in rounds, multiply the cost by 4. If the duration of the spell is 1 minute/level, multiply the cost by 2, and if the duration is 10 minutes/level, multiply the cost by 1.5. If the spell has a 24-hour duration or greater, divide the cost in half.) In that line it does not mention a spell with an instantaneous duration and thus I do not believe a...

Ok. I can see the reasoning. But at the same time, you have limited the number of people that can go through the portal at a time to 1 when you could get up to 4 people in a teleportation circle per round (5' radius) and created a limitation in that both entry and exit have to be drawn.

Just my thoughts. It would be an item I would use in the game I'm running if I did not remove teleportation spells from my game (which does make it difficult for the bad guys to get away). ;)


Lucas Jung wrote:


I really like the idea here: an item that redirects hostility. However, I think that the way in which it is implemented creates some almost insurmountable mechanical problems: you're essentially hijacking a character's decision-making process for an indefinite period of time (until he leaves the radius, which he will only do if his new target leaves), and forcing him to...

Ok, strange place to end a quote, but ok.

I like the idea for the Amulet of discord as well, basically giving the wearer an aura ability. I'm not sure that turning into a 'per attack' roll helps though, as this could slow down a combat to a crawl.

A possible fix is to move from the focused mindset to attack the nearest person and turn it into a paranoiad 'everyone is an enemy' approach. Let the players determine what their actions will be, who their threats are, and how to deal with them.

And like an aura, if the person succeeds at the save, he cannot be affected for another 24 hours.


Keith Duperreault wrote:

Nix's Chalk of Endless Ways

Aura strong conjuration (cursed - unreliable); CL 17th
Slot --; Price 160,000gp; Weight --

DESCRIPTION
By all appearances just a set of two colored chalk, but when each is used to draw a doorway on a different surface an inky black portal connects the two surfaces similar to a Teleportation Circle. Prior to the portal forming the chalk functions normally and can be wiped away, affected by rain, etc. Once both doorways are drawn, the created portal has a duration of ten minutes and cannot be dispelled. One being may pass through at a time and each sentient being has a cumulative 5% chance of collapsing it. Elemental forces of natural or magical nature will not pass through. Spells cannot be cast through the portal, and line of sight is blocked. Item may be used once per day and must be stored, for eight hours of each day, in a container with chalk powder or it will not function. Chalk is utterly destroyed if two sentient beings of diametrically opposed alignments pass through the same active portal.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, teleportation circle; Cost 80,000gp

What about just using Tele (wait, spells aren't capitalized ;) ) teleportation as the base spell, or even requiring dimension door and the enlarge spell feat? Then you are just looking at a 4 or 5th level spell, which would drastically cut down on the cost.


Freehold DM wrote:

Here goes somethin'!

Dove’s Quarrel

Aura: Faint Abjuration
CL: 3
Slot: Hands
Price: 12,000 gold pieces market, 6,000 to create.
Weight: 3 lbs.

Description:
Ornately carved from aged ivory, this novelty-sized arrow is too large and cumbersome to be drawn even by the mightiest of longbows, yet it often used as a white flag to initiate negotiations in times of war. When held aloft in both hands, the quarrel not only absorbs magic missiles cast upon the user as per the shield spell, it also denies aggressors draws from the critical hit deck while forcing those who roll a critical fumble to draw twice from the critical fumble deck, applying both results if possible. These effects are lost if the wielder is ever drops the arrow, lowers it below their head, or attacks someone through mundane, magical or psionic means.

Construction Requirements:
Craft Wondrous Item, shield

On a side note, why is everyone being so hard on themselves? No, you don't suck, there were just other submissions that were better. Don't stop writing- there's always next year!

I have a feeling yours was rejected because of the assumption that the critical hit/critical fumble decks are being used.


Requesting my punishment....now. ;)

Iron Requiem
Aura moderate conjuration; CL 7th
Slot none; Price 33,600 gp; Weight

Description
This six holed flute is made of pitted wood and held together with iron rings. When the proper notes are played, the sad melody summons earth spirits angry with the removal of metal ore from the ground. These spirits pass through a metallic item that the player chooses and return the minerals back to the earth. The process can weaken or destroy the item.

The flute can be used to make a sunder attempt as a ranged touch attack against a metal target. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the attack is successful, the item takes 5d6 damage. If the damage is more than the hardness of the item, the object is considered broken. If the damage exceeds the hardness and hit points of the item, the item is destroyed. If used against creatures made of metal, the creature takes 3d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack.

Range of the effect is 30 feet. The flute can be used 3 times per day.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, rusting grasp; Skills Knowledge (The Planes), Perform (Wind Instruments) Cost 16800 gp


Key of Closed Doors
Withering Hourglass
Last Leaves of the Autumn Dryad
Bracelet of Shields
Ancestral Reliquary


Ragwaine wrote:


"an area no greater than 12' in any dimension" On my first readign I thought i was like a portable hole. 2nd reading I was confused. 3rd reading it sounded like you put it in the middle of a opening and it makes a door but then someone else mentioned putting it against a wall to find secret doors?. So now I'm confused again.

I'm picturing it like a "Wall of Door" spell. ;) Or something similar to how web works.

Actually, I really like this one. I'm thinking about giving a villain in my game a bunch of one-shot items like this to work as a means to escape the party.


taig wrote:
May the best sentient being win! There might be a self-aware computer out there that has entered the contest. If it's Skynet, I'd rather have it working on RPG Superstar entries than creating a race of cyborgs to kill us all.

If I have a new player at my table asking me what character Sarah Conner is playing, I am blaming you. ;)


Ack! I hit number 2...

Wait. Item 2.

At least I went with a better item name this year. I sanitized it too much last year. I should be ok in regards to the rest of the pitfalls so far...


Hmm. I was really wanting to be able to shoot it out of a gun....

I'm in, and I fall into the 'submit twice to submit once' camp.


cappadocius wrote:

There will probably be HUNDREDS of Very Good items that will be eliminated simply because they're not as good as the 32 Superstar items.

Actually, this is what I'm looking for the most: the threads of people posting their very good, good, and not so good items for discussion (and the occasional 'expert' critique). :)

Good luck everyone.


Andreas Skye wrote:


3)I do like favored classes, they give some rationality for the cultural background of PC races and they really make the "odd character" stand out (Dwarven Monk or Half-orc bard in your average fantasy setting).

I'm not sure how much +1 hp is going to help separate the "odd" from the "norm".

As for the cultural background of the pc races, look at the elf. This is just using current 3.5. Favored class is wizard. But they are trained in warfare. So, they could be a fighter. They are naturally graceful, so they could favor rogues. They typically live in the forest, so they could favor ranger or druids. They create works of poetry/music/art/etc, so they could be bards. None of these classes become the odd class choice. All of them could be favored classes.

And all of this can change if the dm has a different cultural style for elves. A game I played in had two different cultures for elves. One was a standard elf with wizard as the favored, while the other was a nomadic desert culture that didn't have wizards. Bards were the favored class. 4e even has them leaning towards cleric.

In my opinion, the "odd character" is going to stand out by how the player plays the character against the cultural norm, and that's not really covered by what the favored class rule cover.

This rule just removed a penalty if a certain condition was met in 3e. I'm not sure why we need to turn it into a bonus. I would think that if you wanted a player to take a favored class, then create a racial level substitution that gets the player to want to invest levels in that class, and that should be in line with how the dm chooses to portray the race.


DracoDruid wrote:

I would propose a quick and dirty way to lets say calm down the sneak attack (and most of you won't like - because they are used to get there high damage bonus(?))

Make one sneak attack a full-round action. It's just perfect.
1) Only one sneak attack per round
2) Flavor! The rogue has to get in position FIRST(!). No running and stabbing in just one breath.

I thought about making it a full-round action, but I thought that it makes sneak attack not viable as an attack option. The rogue has to run up his target, possibly make one attack, and then opens himself up to whatever he just hit to get a damage boost next round. I like the idea of a rogue spotting his chance, running up to the target, and making the one precise strike.

A lot of time the rogue is going to take a full round just moving to position early in the fight anyway.


roguerouge wrote:


Out of curiosity, what level is your campaign at? I'm in a low level and a high level one right now, and I can tell you that 35 points of damage per round in my DM's high level campaign is useless... and we're in a cash-poor, no buying magic items version.

The party is 10th-11th right now. I have a tendancy of throwing a lot of lower level creatures that lead up to a boss, so 35 points of damage per round usually will drop an opponent. That is about the amount of damage the other characters are putting out (two paladins and a soul bow, along with a cleric with searing light and a love for spike stone, and a wizard).

Now, if this starts to fall apart at higher levels, then I might have to rethink it. ;)


Since the whole point of a favored class was to give a class where levels did not matter for multiclassing penalties, and the multiclassing penalties are gone, then there really doesn't need to be a favored class anymore.

If you want to have races take particular classes, then racial substitutions would probably fill that role better. And as long as the substitution levels weren't mandatory, then backward compatibility isn't broken.


roguerouge wrote:


The solution is in access to the equipment and magicks, not the sneak attack mechanic. Your solution is to limit their maximum damage output to 35 points of damage a round on average. Again, if you dislike the high damage numbers and want to play grim and gritty, there's two mechanics for you: the slow advancement Pazio or the E6 which I referenced earlier on this thread. It works well. Try it. You'll like it.

Plus, your solution causes huge amounts of work for DMs to convert their 3.5 libraries to account for it. I'm not going through my library of Dungeons, Modules, and Adventure Paths to redo every ambush encounter involving rogues to account for this massive, but simple change.

I'm currently running a game where I changed sneak attack into a standard action, and it has worked out fine. The rogue does become a different animal with this change.

As a player, I loved having the invisible, walking fireball on my side, but I still thought it was far removed from the 1e/2e roots. The rogue would just wade into battle, destroying anything in her path. In the game I'm running, she is more opportunistic and mobile, looking for the next flanking opprotunity.

What it just comes down to is how each of us see to role of the rogue. I'm not looking for grim and gritty. I don't like the idea of slow advancement, as it can just make a level drag on. I like my rogue to be the mobile opprotunist.

Skaven13


WelbyBumpus wrote:
fliprushman wrote:
I think those are some good fixes to the bard though I would like to see the Bardic Knowledge thing increase with level. But for now, I like it.
It sort of does, really--as the bard advances in level and puts more ranks into knowledge skills, yes?

Not really. If that was the case, then everyone has a similary ability as long as they put points into the skill.

As it stands, this would be something similar to a Skill Focus feat. Maybe something like what Spycraft does with their origin descriptions (+2 to knowledge skills, and it increases by 1 for every 4 levels). That would allow one of the core abilities of the bard to scale with as the bard increased in level.

Or if that seems to be too much, since it applies to all knowledge skills, maybe start with the bonus to one skill, and increase the number of skills as the bard goes up in level.

Skaven13


I don't see the skill points in 3.x as a lot of record keeping. Our group played Champions, and then Powers and Perils (you leveled up skills and spells with separate xp for each skill and spell...excel was my friend for that game) before hitting 3rd edition.

I do think that the classes need more skill points per level (2 + int is terrible), and there should be an easy way for DM's to create quick NPC's with a skill template. I like the idea of gaining extra class skills, either at creation or at certain levels in game. So my vote is for skill points.


Erik Mona wrote:
If you don't give it some kind of name, even if it's something descriptive or a nickname the locals use, your players are going to come up with a name that will piss you off like Harvey...

Thanks Erik. Now I have to create a "Harvey of the Severed Head" to torment my players with. He could be a mastermind behind an insidious plot to steal everyone's boots and mittens... :p


Clouds Without Water wrote:
Phloid wrote:

When a user begins to write on a Communiqué of the Archmage, a mental ping alerts the character possessing the scroll’s counterpart that a message is incoming.

I think it might have been better to use a phrase other than "mental ping", which seems a bit out of place. "The scroll is brought to the forefront of the counterpart owner's mind" or something similar.

Yeah, they concept is a little email-in-an-object, but written communication across distance is something any magic using world would be trying to address. There's probably a cooler concept to work this into, though, more flavor to it.

Maybe a telepathic message: "You got scroll" ;)


Phloid wrote:

Communiqués of the Archmage

I actually use something similar to this in my game for the party to report missions and fees back to their guild. This probably fell under the magical version of e-mail.


Patrick Walsh wrote:
Skaven13 wrote:

Well, after I just poked fun at the arquebus of pillows, figure I should put mine up here.

Scroll case of Armaxis

If I read this right, this makes all scrolls placed in the tube doubleshot and there is not limit to the number of scrolls that can be placed inside. This could get very abusive.

I'd drop the re-use power and set a limit to the number of scrolls that can be placed in the tube or perhaps the number of levels of spells that can be used.

The intention is one scroll per case, although if there were more than one scroll, there is only one recall of a spell of a particular level per day. I will need to make sure my players never see that loophole. ;)

Although I do like the idea of a limited number of scrolls that can be cast from the case and dropping the re-use power. Maybe as a different item.


The Benevolent DM wrote:

Caduca’s Chewy

This item is made of a rubbery substance in the shape of a small hive. The chewy is dropped on the ground within reach of a target with a bite attack. The target must then make a Will save DC 17 to resist the compulsion to bite the chewy. A successful save allows the target to ignore the chewy and act normally. A failed save forces the target to use its bite attack against the chewy until it is destroyed, the chewy has 20 hit points. The target must remain immobile and may do nothing else but bite the chewy until it is destroyed. If the target has multiple bite attacks then only one is pre-occupied and the other attacks may be directed as normal.
faint enchantment; CL 6th; craft wondrous item, suggestion, armour; Price 1,200 gp

Note:
** I just realized that this is not my final version. Not sure where I have hidden that. LMAO anyhow this is an almost complete draft.

I assume my item's name and light hearted theme was the problem.

Hope it makes some of you smile!

I like this one. I could see it in a light hearted campaign, or just one of those evenings where the party is taking the night off from gloomy adventures. Great for stopping those pesky owlbears. Although I don't think immobility is the best way to implement this. Maybe lose the bite attack until the chewy is destroyed, or becomes distracted easily, so it becomes flat footed (cause it's filled with peanut butter...) ;)


Forged Goo wrote:

I was thinking about the evaluation of my item and couldn't quite figure out what might be wrong. But thanks to this thread I may have discovered it. Do to lack of comments on my item (posted way at the start of the thread) maybe it was just too...too...blah. There i said it.

In case you missed it...

Wheels of the Vagabond: This set of wheels consists of four iron-rimmed wooden disks, each about the size of a standard buckler. When the command word is spoken and the wheels placed on opposite sides of an unattended inanimate object no larger than a typical wagon (250 cubic feet; 400 lbs.) the wheels enlarge to 5’ diameter, lifting the object from the ground, to create a magical transport. The new “wagon” functions as if being pulled by two heavy horses but requires only the concentration of the user. The user need not ride on the “wagon” but must maintain line of sight. A second command causes the wheels to reduce to their normal size and be easily removed.

Moderate Transmutation; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item; mending, animate objects; Price 20,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs (per wheel).

So, do the disks create a wagon around the item? Or do they lift the item off the ground? What's the weight limit, or is it just the drag capacity/speed of two heavy horses? Not sure where the mending comes into play. Maybe using tenser's floating disk as a pre-req instead. Could make for a good utility device.


OgeXam wrote:

Headdress of the Shaman

The Headdress of the Shaman is made from the teeth of powerful animals, adorned with eagle’s feathers and gems representing spirits of the animals and the four elements.

Myths abound of crowns made from the bones of powerful undead and helms made from metals from the many planes.

You gain the ability to speak with any creature summoned by your summon nature’s ally spell.

Three times per day when you cast a summon nature’s ally spell each creature summoned gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution for the duration of the spell.

Lesser and Greater Headdress: Normal headdress can be used with spells of 6th level or lower. Lesser headdress can be used with spells of 3rd level or lower, while a greater headdress can be used with spells of 9th level or lower.

Faint, Moderate or Strong conjuration ; CL 5th (lesser), CL 11th (normal), CL 17th (greater); Craft Wondrous Item, Augment Summoning, summon natures ally, & speak with animal; Price 10,000 gp (lesser), 26,500 gp (normal), 52,500 gp (greater); weight 3 lb.

Could people give me their opinion on my above item. I thought it was pretty solid, but I would appreciate any comments good and bad. The one way improve is from defeat. I have been defeated now I hope to improve. If any of the judges would like to comment that would be great. Though I am sure they may be a bit too busy. Thanks

The line about the myths seems out of place. If this is supposed to be an item to enhance nature summoning, then the undead/planar description just doesn't seem to fit. Also, I don't think you really need the lesser/normal/greater split. The enhancement is similar to the corpsecrafter feat from libre mortis (+4 str, +2hp/hd), so you have a minor affect (talk to the ally you summon) and a pseudo-replication of a feat. Maybe include animal types from summon monster spells. Otherwise, it looks pretty good.


Dungeon Grrrl wrote:
LeandraChristine wrote:

Hi there!

Thank you for picking my item and for the discussion about it.

And thanks for chiming in! For all I think there are changes I must make (I hate the idea of an anvil, which is a skill based item, being useable by anyway to move even epic magic enchantments. Apparently you don't hate it. I love the idea of seeking a master blacksmith. Apparently you don't. My players would take ranks of blacksmith so they -could- use the anvil, and feel much more heroic than if anyone could use it. Those are color questions, and I know what I need in my campaigns, but not yours.)

My players are the same way, especially since I put in a system to gain/teach skills, so they would take the time out to find a master blacksmith to teach them the trade. Usually, though, if they find magical items that they know the party won't use, they use their guild to find if another adventuring party might have something for trade. It works out since I still have some control over what is currently available.

I think the reason I would change it to a magical location is simply because this feels like the character redesign rules from the phb2 (or is that the dmg2...always get those confused), just applied to magic items. To me, that shouldn't be something simple to do.


Andrew Turner wrote:

Sin Box

A lot of us aren't professional writers either, so don't worry about it. ;)

When I first started reading this, I thought about the pathfinder series, the tie to the seven deadly sins, and keeping track of the characters' sins for a later story. I liked this concept and was a little excited.

When I got the part about charging the crystals and gaining xp...well, that ended it for me. This feels like the whole "making xp into a resource" idea, even if it is giving xp back, and could become subject to abuse. Maybe instead of the xp bonus, give powers based on the particular sin.

I could see this become the center of a retrieval adventure (return each crystal from a group that taken them and using them for ill). So it has potential.


Clark Peterson wrote:
But let me end with this, so I dont seem like so much of a tool:

Quick, someone hand me my arquebus of pillows, so I may end this. ;)

TASTE FLUFFY DEATH!!! (FWOOMPH. FWOOMPH. FWOOMPH)

(you know...even though I picked on it...this might just have to see it's way into my game.)


Cybren wrote:

This was mine...

Doreen's Delightful Dressing Screen

** spoiler omitted **
On the long side but my program said it came out to (including title) 198 words. I was also unsure of the price (mostly an eyeball. I thought it might have been too hight, but someone else said i asked to review it said it looked too low) or requisite spells (i'd rather have it be spell-less than giving an inappropriate one). Probably rejected because it was too awesome. I also would agree that i'd like to see the comments made by the judges on my submission so that I may learn from them, however harsh they may be.

The first paragraph starts out fine, but seems to break down when you start talking about what clothing you can change into. I would probably have limited it to a suit of armor and up to 4 items (magical or mundane).

Otherwise, I could see some of my players wanting to use something like this, for the social aspect. I could see making a situational +2 to charisma checks instead of the +4 to disguise since you could tailor your outfit to your needs.


Well, after I just poked fun at the arquebus of pillows, figure I should put mine up here.

Scroll case of Armaxis

Named for the wizard who created them, these scroll cases were used to outfit mages of the Southern Leagues during the war to combat the rune sorcerers of the north. After the war, they became an item that a master would give to a favored student at the end of his apprenticeship.

(I actually left this fluff text out, and changed the name to scroll case of recall)

These scroll cases are covered with arcane runes and adorned with various charms or decoration. It is connected on one end by a cord or chain, which is usually attached to a belt. By itself, the scroll case does not have any power, but whenever a scroll is placed in the case for at least 24 hours, the case grants two powers. First, any of the deciphered spells on the scroll are able to be cast as if the scroll was activated normally without removing the scroll from the case. This ability counts as casting the spell from the scroll, and all rules for activating a spell from a scroll apply. Second, the case can recall a spell of a given level once per day. Only those spells that appeared on the scroll when it was placed into the case can be recalled with this ability. If the scroll is removed from the case, the case loses these properties until a scroll is placed in the case for another 24 hours.

Most scroll cases of Armaxis can recall spells from levels 1, 2, or 3. Scroll cases that can recall higher level spells are rumored to exist.

Strong transmutation; CL 17th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be able to cast spells of the spell level to be recalled; Price 1,000 gp (1st), 4,000 gp (2nd), 9,000 gp (3rd).

The caster level might be a little high, but I was looking at the pearl of power (I think) that does a similar affect.


die_kluge wrote:


Here's my submission:

Arquebus of Pillows
The Arquebus of Pillows (only one is known to exist) looks like a standard arquebus. Despite showing signs of wear, to one skilled in the manufacturer of such items, it appears to be in working condition. However, if magic is detected, moderate conjuration magic reveals that this arquebus is unusual. When fired, the Arquebus unleashes a torrent of 55 to 100 (50 + 5d10) pillows of random shapes and sizes. Once created, the pillows are permanent. And though they are bright, colorful and fluffy, are quite mundane. The Arquebus fires in a cone-shaped spread and has a range of 25’. Creatures in the pillow-affected area suffer decreased movement – treat as difficult terrain; movement is halved. Furthermore, creatures in the area of the blast must make a Reflex save DC 10, or be dazed for 1 round. Unlike a standard arquebus, the Arquebus of Pillows requires no special ammunition or powders to ignite. It can only be fired once per round, but otherwise can be fired as many times as desired.

Moderate conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, minor creation, creator must have 5 ranks in Craft(sewing); Price 12,000gp; Weight 10 lbs.

So...if I use energy substitution, can I get t-shirts instead of pillows? Or hot dogs? ;)


Fatespinner wrote:
Clark Peterson wrote:
As for rejected items, believe me, you dont want to see them. There is no way we can go back and edit them out. And if we did, then the ones we didnt show--those people would all know that our comments were brutal. So you see the problem we have...

I, for one, would be tremendously amused if I saw the following review of my item:

Clark P: It's crap. Too basic and not very useful.

Wolfgang: Agreed. This item is complete f@&&ing garbage. Hose it.

Erik M: Ye gods, I think this is worst one yet. I'm going to print this one out and wipe my ass with it. Rejected.

Kinda like American Idol, but everyone is Simon. ;)


A full round action to fold an origami dragon??? Please tell me that the paper is assisting in creating the folds, or there is some haste affect going on around the hands.

I just got images of being in a fight, trying to fold paper. Wait. Don't swing. Can't get this...mountain fold...squash this side....hey paladin, let me use your back real quick to get this crease....got it!


I could see this as a magical location. Usable once then needs one year to recharge, still with some further restrictions.


I like this one too. My current campaign has no teleportation spells, so the undead cover large distances using the plane of shadows. It would be a nice way to allow the party to follow into the plane.


CastleMike wrote:
Most DMs won't have a problem with PCs building themselves Grand Castles during down time or improving their lands and property as long as they don't abuse the mechanics and become the Merchant Prince Team Construction in game.

I was in a game where we talked about doing just that. We were going to call ourselves "Two Elves and a Dwarf Construction". My bard would create the structures, the other elf would handle the business end, and the dwarf would create the furniture or iron-wrought materials.

Our DM constantly rolled his eyes at us. ;)


jraynack wrote:
CNB wrote:
jraynack wrote:
Now, I only wonder if Keebler's instant elven cookie factory has a remote possibility of making it to the next round.
Please, please tell me that makes cookies with elves baked in them.
Of course . . . deep drow chocolate chip, mocha high elf chunk, oakwood elf and raisin, and much, much more.

cause nothin says lovin like elves from the oven. :p

Sorry...couldn't resist.


Eric Carltock wrote:
fray wrote:
cappadocius wrote:
How many of us are there, anyway? How many have to be cut so that 32 may pass on?
3,776,342.07 by last count.
That many sumbissions? daaaaaaaaaang.

Wait a minute....who is the .07 of a person that submitted an item?

Or who is going to claim to be another .07 of a person? Submit your entry in this new-NEW contest... ;P

Skaven13


hopeless wrote:


What if the entire place is unhallowed as the spell?

Add in that any undead within will reanimate unless the circumstances that left the place unhallowed is removed otherwise every night after they leave the place they will be attacked or subject to nightmares leaving them fatigued the next day unless they rest during the daytime, but its really dependent on what would scare your group.

Well, looking into the unhallow spell, it does give the standard undead a little bit more staying power, and a bane effect against the pc's would help against the haunts, or an aid affect for the undead would make them a little tougher. I'll tie the unhallow in with the temple underneath. (maybe I could scatter pieces of the broken phylactery around the house, and if brought to the temple underneath, blessed, and destroyed...)

The problem is that I've taught my players to be cautious (though, not necessarily a bad thing) ;). I think the environment will be enough to be scary, but, ghouls tend to be a cakewalk, and while a lot of the haunts could bring down some of their power, I can see the party start to turtle around the paladin for the bonus to fear saves. And the group does pretty well on their will saves.

I'll have attic whisperers drawn to the pc with the obsessed haunt, since I believe that is the one with the haunt where the child is watching the parents try to kill each other. Aldern will need a few more levels. I could increase the number of ghouls, or convert the ghouls to ghasts....

If anyone else has some ideas, here's the party makeup: Paladin, Rogue/Sorcerer, wizard/scout/loremaster, cleric (spontaneous caster rules , so like a sorcerer), and a soulknife/soulbow. They are a 9th/10th level party.


I was thinking the same, and the timing would have worked out wonderfully, but somebody decided to get married and have a reception on the gaming night. You would think that since the groom is in the group, he could have planned that better. ;)

But, as I'm looking at the house, I need to scale it up for the party (I have 9th and 10th level pc's, including a paladin). I'm thinking about bringing in a group of attic whisperers from burnt offerings, but looking for other ideas about how to scale this adventure (increase will saves, extra creatures, etc)


Unfortunately, this sounds like a module on a monthly basis. I liked having the choice in dungeon for small side quests or ideas for my campaign, but I usually pass on the modules because 1) they don't fit my game world and 2) the price makes it counter-productive for just gathering ideas. I'll reserve my final judgement for after I see the first couple of issues.

Course, that doesn't mean WOTC is saved my ranting. ;)

Skaven13


I recieved one piece of mail that said my subscription expired. I'm glad I'm not alone in this.


How have things changed so much for the worse in just the past year?

I thought it was bad that I was constantly waiting to recieve my dragon up to 2 weeks after the same issue had arrived in stores, but you definitely have me beat.

When my subscription was about to expire 2 years ago, I must have recieved 2 notices 1-2 months before my last issue, and a notice included with my last issue. This time, I get a letter saying that i recieved my last issue 2 weeks ago, and oh, you might want to subscribe again.

How is it that Paizo can get this magazine to the stores on time, but cannot seem to manage getting 12-24 prepaid issues delivered in a timely manner?