Tosscobble's page

Tosscobble wrote:

About the patters: JUDGES!

it could have been written better and more intriguing. But the info was fine. you gave an outline and left room for GMs to expand if they want and fit it anyway they want.

That is what RPG games and the core books are for. If I want to have every answer spelled outffor me I will read a novel or an adventure module. or just play skyrim if I don't want to create with my players.

I understand your point, but I think many GMs would disagree with you. A lot of people just want to play the game because they have work and family, and can't spend a lot of time prepping the campaign. The fewer details there are for the GM, the less coherent and consistent the campaign ends up being. If you like world-building, nothing is stopping you from changing any details that don't fit your homebrew campaign. Too much information is nearly always better than too little information.

And then there are the authors who write the novels and adventures you mentioned. Where do they get the information? The bestiary entry is the logical place to start looking. It is possible that a popular novel or adventure later becomes the definitive source for information about the monster, but it is also possible that the wheel gets invented over and over again because the relevant information was missing from the original source: the bestiary entry.

I hope that explains my reasoning for the comments. :-)

Mikko after looking through some of my favorite monsters, I have totally flipped to agree with you.

More details leads to more hooks, but it doesn't have to be a drawn out history or story, just to make it fit into a campaign world.

mushroom shaped head, spewing spores. ..
there is no way I could have this within 100ft of my players and expect to have a serious game.
they would rip it apart.

there is a cool creature in there, but in the words of Sterling Archer....Phrasing.

I understand your point, but I think many GMs would disagree with you. A lot of people just want to play the game because they have work and family, and can't spend a lot of time prepping the campaign. The fewer details there are for the GM, the less coherent and consistent the campaign ends up being. If you like world-building, nothing is stopping you from changing any details that don't fit your homebrew campaign. Too much information is nearly always better than too little information.

And then there are the authors who write the novels and adventures you mentioned. Where do they get the information? The bestiary entry is the logical place to start looking. It is possible that a popular novel or adventure later becomes the definitive source for information about the monster, but it is also possible that the wheel gets invented over and over again because the relevant information was missing from the original source: the bestiary entry.

I hope that explains my reasoning for the comments. :-)

Mikko I agree with most of that. but I would say we are talking about the differences between the core books and the supplement books and modules.

I know there are GMs out there with little time and want a complete story and history laid out. thats what modules and supplements are for. I was very thankful I had skull and shackles on hand to get insert when needed.

I know the monster pattern discription was lacking. its ok to leave an ending open but it has to leave you satisfied or very intrigued. ... not disappointed.

The monster is not new or super.
What is superstar is your writing and how you describe and fit it into nar voth.

Great job but bad monster. It needed something more than a back story to make it stand out and become its own new creature.

Got a.winner here. You entries have all been solid.

I appreciate this entry. A hard working B-.
Yes your stats are all muddled, and at round 3 that should end your run.

This entry is on pair with your others, showing you need more practice and.some more unique
Ideas.

About the patters: JUDGES!

it could have been written better and more intriguing. But the info was fine. you gave an outline and left room for GMs to expand if they want and fit it anyway they want.

That is what RPG games and the core books are for. If I want to have every answer spelled outffor me I will read a novel or an adventure module. or just play skyrim if I don't want to create with my players.

The problems with this entery are with the writing, not the content.

this was not ment to be a full page map.
I see this as just one area of.much larger map. i would vote for that map.

ah yes. I get you now mark.

Jacob. I am both tosscobbles. my phone auto logs in on my old account.

but it has to do it from 181+ to 0 in one hit, or else it will trigger the below 180 hp clause and end.

Mark I am not following why you are saying the 180+ has to be done in 1 hit.

What am I missing.

Feros - I agree the last line is choppy. I was using the spell "meld into stone" as a ref.
"Minor physical damage to the stone does not harm you, but its partial destruction (to the extent that you no longer fit within it) expels you and deals you 5d6 points of damage"

I never vote for, or even use items that make more work for the gm, or discourage player's from actively playing.
Nothing else new or creative going on.
Reject

Petty. Let it be known that Catapulting Full Plate, was suppose to be Siege Mail.

Motherly Love- felt like an intelligent weapon but wasnt. the only reason I would want to bring this into a campaign is if it WAS intelligent and someone was at risk of loosing their mind to it and go on a killing spree.

this was an "all or nothing" weapon for me. going all the way creepy would have made it work and rationalize the creepy to work for you. I could have fueled an entire adventure or more off this.

but you went half-in, leaving it unexplained and creepy in all the wrong ways. I didnt even like reading this item.

I hated this item when I could have loved it. back to the drawing board with it.

I second that rheumatic rod. truly fantastic. I have not seen its like before. deserved top 32.

Winter Blade, Frost Bite, Ice Storm, Boreal Blaster.... ok that last one maybe not. But my point is, look at a Thesauruses.

Another writer who proves they can tow the line and mirror what has been published for years.
This is a cleanly written and safe item that has a "copy/paste" feel to it.

The shape change ability seems all flavour with little function. As a PC I could lose or sell this item and not care.
You do know how to structure. This item has potential to be really cool if it was better written. Lose the whole first paragraph and give it some sexy flavour to make this item stand out.
You got a hot item here and your not using it.
"Nobody puts Baby in the corner"!

Boring keep

There has been so much focus on getting price right. I don't think it matters.

It is so much easier to teach someone to use math formula than it is to be a good writer.
I'm sure there are a lot of people out ther who can A+ price and mechanics, but have trouble coming up with cool ideas.

Which one of those two people will get better first? This is why writers have editors, right?

Cool idea. Mechanics need polishing to avoid play issues and clarity. Writter talent evident.
Weak keep.

i have no desire to encorporate guns into my games but I looked at this item the same as a weapon I would want to use.

the layout is fine and their is nothing wrong with the writing and mechanics that can't be solved with a simple edit or second pair of eyes.

its a weapon thats given spells so that it can function in an environment it otherwise could not. it has no other flavour or unique qualities to make it stand out.

would a sword that resisted melting and prevented fire damage make the 32? not unless it was far better written then this item is.

I saw a bow that could shoot in the wind that I thought was better written than this item, and it didnt make superstar.

the name choice breaks my emmersion in the fantasy world.

I am left asking why this item moved on. the thought that paizo pushed through a firearm to make sure they were represented, crosses my mind.

Reject.

Thanks. I started looing around for round 2 rules posted!

Where are you seeing this round 2 info, Head?

I will echo ole Frank and say that having the weekend, or at least a Sunday to get mappy would be great schedule wise.

If not, oh well. I knew what I signed on for.

I remember in first year university hearing this one;

Quality work
Family life
Sleep

Choose two...

Are we allowed to speculate on who will make it to the next rounds?

I never thought about putting that quality on my armour, but my god I wish I had. As well as uping the daily usage. sigh.....

thats what I thought too, but I was scrolling through posts and I saw someone mention a cull to the top 100. got me all worked up.

is there to be any more culling before this round ends?

I hope everyone here who is feeling the gut punch, does not dwell on this for too long. I am glad so many of you are remembering the realities of this enjoyable, entertaining, and friendly competition.

Close to 1000 entries...and we have to find the top 32? The cull still barely makes it manageable!

Narrowing down entries like this, of course some great entries will be missed.

Why do so many items lack a description of how they look?

Descriptions are not very important to me. Coming up with the descriptive flavour is something that can be done easily at the table, and changed over and over again to suite the character or story.

Just give me clear, rational mechanics, some snappy flavour, and you will get my vote.

Thunderfrog wrote:

Merry Christmas voters!

As a present, I got to upvote myself for the third time.

=D

You're lucky, 700 votes now and still waiting to see my item just once myself - I know some of my pit crew have seen it, it's just playing hide n seek with its creator! >.<

I reply to this only to forward it to more eyes.

This is a really good point that I have been to keep in mind.

I stuck it out for 2 more votes, and it was totally worth it.
I got the fart rod , and finally saw my own item!!!!

Attention span +11

"this +2 ring of rods and armor lets the Hodor cast Hodor while HODOR HODOR HODOR!"

AAnnnnd, that's the end of my attention span for tonight.

RPGSS Voting....this is going to be the best Christmas with the folks ever. Eggnog an voting. Yum.

With some rewriting and edits, there is soo much fun stuff in round 1.

After 291 words, it still did not mention vomiting..... I am surprised.

When does an item cross the line into a joke for you all?
I have seen an item or two that I think are home runs... but seem to be getting some critics.

Just because an item makes you laugh, does that make it a joke?
Creativity, flavor, and outside of the box uses count big for me.

First timer for RPGSS or any other type of contest.

Last year I went home for christmas, and while avoiding family in the basement, I discovered the contest. Thank you paizo for getting me through the holidays!

This year I figure I would have even more of an excuse to hide out in my old dungeon if I actually had an entry in ;)

I hope I can write this without setting off a wave of hate mail from fans.

I feel there is some definite room for improvement in the pathfinder miniatures/artwork.

Yes I own them. Yes I game with them.

However, in my opinion the minis/art has this cartoonish/anime quality that I just cant get over. I know this is fantasy, but I still want a realistic look.

The minis lack details (like some of the early faces). The colours (like the green on early goblins, orcs, trolls) is cartoonish and "child's toy" like. The newer ones are getting better though.

The new sets coming out like Golarion and Wrath are MILES better then heros and monsters.

Also, keep up the action poses. We cant have all the minis just standing around, right?

Please keep on those improvements, I think your in the right PATH.

Thank you
Tosscobble