WackoYackoDot's page

Tothric, you are too kind! To be honest, I got lucky with the greenwood mechanism. I didn't even know it existed until I started looking for a material to use. The "dozen" did indeed trip me up. It seems several people skipped right over it and said I didn't specify a starting number of thorns. I also get your point about this inevitably becoming the source of controversy. I'll be more definitive in the future. I'm certain that the damage/broken/regrowth aspect cost me votes as well. The other aspect that seemed to hurt me was the fact that bleed is just too bland. My wife had suggested something more dangerous (heart-seeking thorns or fast-acting disease). I should have listened to her.

Lastly, I had never heard of Blazing 9 until you mentioned it. I looked it up and now I have to comb through that thread as soon as I can. There's a great deal of very helpful information in it.

BTW, kudos for making the top 32 and for stepping out to do all these reviews. I'm not brave enough to do any critiques at this point and really appreciate those who are.

I toyed with the idea of submitting something during Season 8, but couldn't work up the nerve. I took the plunge this time, riding the high from attending GenCon. I've received some excellent feedback on my Blackthorn Cudgel (solid, but uninspired) and just submitted my votes on the excellent maps in Round 2.

I have been hugely impressed by how many of the various comments on these forums are so respectful and genuinely helpful. I get a real sense of community on these boards. It's a great atmosphere for someone who's dipped in and out of this hobby since the days of Greyhawk (my first GenCon was in Lake Geneva). Looking forward to Season 10!

Quote:

Blackthorn Cudgel

Formatting:

This is how you write a weapon special ability! Very concise wording, beautiful imagery all tied around a tight theme.

Does this add something to the game?

No, this is a wounding cudgel (small re-work) with flavor text. The small rework is neat, but does not show your creativity as a designer.

Would I want this in my games?
As a Player?

Yes, and have had similar items.

As a GM?

It already exists (to a certain extent)! I have no problem with it, and love the imagery.

Point at which I would stop up-voting this item (based on this year’s experiences): Around the third cull; I voted on this item a lot actually, I think that it was my second most voted on...

Thank you for your kind words! I've gotten a few other reviews and agreed with the specific points they made. Your comments, however, really helped me understand the strengths and weaknesses of the item as a whole. I'm pleased to hear that you felt the entry was solid. I agree completely that it lacked creativity. This is RPG Superstar, after all. I'm going to add more Superstar-ish elements next year and see how much further I can get.

Blackthorn Cudgel (Didn't see this one in voting)

Nice for a first try.
I think it could use more punch.
Drawback too clunky.

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I got a little carried away with the regrowth aspects of greenwood items. I couldn't figure out how to keep the thematic benefits without getting so complicated. Looking at the top 32+4, it seems clear to me that you're absolutely right about it lacking punch. I'll use that as a guide for next year, to be sure.

This was my first entry for RPG Superstar and I feel honored that I made it as far as I did. Please don't hold back on your critiques! I intend to try again next year and I want to be prepared.

Blackthorn Cudgel
Aura moderate transmutation and necromancy; CL 9th
Slot no; Price 26,450 gp; Weight 3 lbs
Description
This +2 club of wounding is crafted as greenwood, using a blackthorn branch. In this case, many of the thorns are also worked into the grain of the wood. The knobbed head of the blackthorn cudgel displays a dozen prominent needle-sharp thorns, strong enough to pierce armor. On each successful attack, one thorn detaches and becomes embedded in the creature struck. As long as the thorn remains embedded in the creature, it does 1 point of hit point bleed damage. A single embedded thorn can be removed using a move or standard action, but the bleed condition persists for another 3 rounds after the thorn is removed. A blackthorn cudgel regrows lost thorns at a rate of one per minute. Each regrown thorn causes one hit point of damage to the cudgel. After taking 25 hit points of damage, the blackthorn cudgel acquires the broken condition and can no longer regrow any thorns. A blackthorn cudgel loses the wounding feature whenever there are no thorns displayed. A blackthorn cudgel can regain hit points (and will start to regrow thorns) using the standard rules for greenwood weapons.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, thorn body or wall of thorns, bleed; Cost 13,450 gp

If a Sorcerer with Mnemonic Vestment wants to cast a spell from a Wizard's spellbook that he has in his Handy Haversack, does he have to cast Read Magic, fish out the book, find the right page and read the spell to cast it? The wording of the Mnemonic Vestment item seems to imply that he just needs to be carrying the spellbook and be able to read it, not that he has to be actually reading it.

The description for the item is as follows:
The surface of this delicate-looking blue silk robe is adorned with tiny embossed runes across its entire surface. If the wearer is a spontaneous caster, once per day she may use a spell slot to cast a spell from a written source (such as a scroll or spellbook) as if she knew that spell. The spell must be on her spell list, the same spell level or lower than the expended spell slot, and the same type of spell (arcane or divine) as the spell slot expended. The caster must also understand the written source (such as using Decipher Script or read magic) and be carrying it. Activating the robe is not an action, but casting the spell otherwise works as normal, including casting time, providing components or foci, and so on. Using a mnemonic vestment's properties does not consume the written source.