Goblin Squad Member. RPG Superstar 6 Season Dedicated Voter. Organized Play Member. 30 posts. No reviews. No lists. 1 wishlist. 3 Organized Play characters.
I couldn't find the depths of the various levels in the Emerald Spire book, so I calculated them from the picture that shows the cross section of the dungeon. I assumed that the bottom was exactly 2 miles deep and worked the rest out from there.
I ended up adjust the depth of levels 2 and 3, they just seemed too deep given their role in the dungeon, I have listed the adjusted depths below as well.
I can hear you asking why this matters, especially given Pathfinder dwarves can no longer automatically determine their depth underground. I admit that there isn't really any way the characters could know this. However, I wanted to have this information available for my players for two reasons.
1) One of my players is a Dwarf with some points in Profession (miner) and I want to give her something meaningful to do with that skill.
2) I think knowing the depths makes the spire more wondrous. It would never occur to my players that it is as deep as it is. I'm hoping that the information will instill a sense of awe.
I've looked at using the graph database to model things in the medical space at my current job. The relationship between a drug and a symptom is interesting along its edge. Is the drug a treatment for the symptom or is the symptom a side effect of the drug.
I am very curious how Paizo uses a graph database, if you don't mind sharing.
I've been running a campaign in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings and Irrisen for a while now, and I have been using material from the Midgard Northlands supplement from Kobold Press. I thought my conversion notes and expansions might be interesting to people playing Reign of Winter so I started putting them up on my blog, Lost Papyrus. The first article is about the using the Hyperborean Race in Golarion.
I liked the item, but the need for it doesn't crop up that often in my games, I don't see players wanting to use their neck slot for this effect. If I introduced this, I might make a single use item.
Circlet of Malevolent Eyes:
This was just too complicated for me. I think there is a superstar item in the idea of manipulating a ranger's favored enemy bonus, but it is a much simpler item.
Immediate Chant:
I kind of like it, but I didn't think the name was very evocative of the item. I think the item would have been stronger as just a scroll tube and without the alternate power. You put a blank scroll in and once per day it scribes a spell as it is being cast. After that the scroll is treated as a normal scroll.
Nautilus Pack of Tangled Tentacles:
I saw this one a few times. I thought it was kind of over the top is a way that I wouldn't want to use in my game. A campaign with the right sort of pirate or aquatic flavor, this could be pretty neat. Otherwise, the implementation seemed OK. Not sure about the bag holding effect, I think part of the decision to use this is losing the ability to have a back pack.
Choker of Subtle Sound:
Using high pitched tones is an interesting idea. This opens some questions that aren't addressed in the description though. Can dogs hear it? How does a DM determine which other monsters can hear it? I get the theme, but the blindsight effect moved this sort of into SAK territory for me.
Ultimate Adventurer’s Egg:
This seemed like a bit SAK of not very interesting or thematic effects.
Blightstone:
I'm not sure about an item that dishes out Oracle curses to opponents. That doesn't seem like what they are for, to me anyway. Also, it wasn't clear if the curse had to be selected at creation or not. I'm guessing yes.
Skein Helm:
This seems like a pretty solid item. I wish the name had continued the goose flavor. I think in the end this one is just a little to mundane.
Disappearing Weapon Cord:
This was a solid item, I voted this up most times I saw it. I think in the end it was just a little bland for superstar status.
Escapee’s Spoon:
Interesting idea, but very niche. Probably more of a plot item than something the characters want to carry.
Fleshwarping Unguent:
I think your self critique is spot on. As a player, I don't want magic items that cause addiction. Balance the effects in other ways.
Sash of Singularity:
There were a few items this year with relativity or physics based names and effects. In general this is a flavor that I don't want to bring into a fantasy game. It is kind of immersion breaking.
Description
Like their namesake chess move, these fine silk or leather gloves allow items to strategically move between wearers. A matched pair consists of two left or two right-handed gloves.
When the gloves are worn by two people within 1,000 feet of each other, either wearer can speak the command word, causing objects held in the gloved hands to be instantly exchanged. This requires a standard action and can be done up to three times per day. The exchange still happens if one party is unwilling or if one hand is empty. In the latter case, the single held item simply moves to the other person's hand.
Receiving an item requires an immediate action for the wearer who did not activate the gloves. If the recipient does not have an action available, the item falls to the ground. Either recipient can immediately make a Sleight of Hand check to conceal a coin-sized received item. This skill check does not require an additional action.
These gloves use the entire hands slot for both users.
Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, dimension door, prestidigitation; Cost 5,000 gp
I liked these a lot, but perhaps a little more umph is needed. It was suggested elsewhere that a critical hit effect might have been helpful. I'm also wondering if a form other than glove could have been more interesting. Even Gauntlet seems more awesome.
Ethos Swarm Charm:
My problem with this item was that you were connecting alignments to swarms and I never got the connection. I think there is a superstar item here, but it is simpler and more awesome.
Porcine Pendant:
This was just too silly for me. I have a hard enough time keeping my players on task, introducing this would derail an entire session.
Candle of Distant Assurance :
I REALLY liked this item, and it is already written into an upcoming section of my ongoing campaign. However, that is kind of the issue. It seems like more of a plot item than something the character's want. But, thank you. It is going to bring a lot to my game!
Orator’s Torc:
I thought this was an OK item. Increasing the benefit by the number of people being addressed was a nice twist, I liked that. It wasn't clear if all types of bardic performance had increased range, or just vocal ones like singing and oratory.
Time's Tide Pendant:
There was a fellow player in my last campaign who could have really made good use of this item, based off of the first affect alone. The target effect was too complicated. I had to read it several times, and I still wasn't sure I knew how it should work in play.
Orb of Aggravation:
I don't think I saw this one to vote on it. In reading it now, it is on the edge of being too comedic to introduce into my game, but I might use it.
Shroud of Certain Return:
My experience is that reincarnation is not fun. Most players just don't enjoy coming back from the dead as something else. The exception would be as a plot point. Then I could even see using this item. The idea of a coven of witches killing somebody and bringing them back as something specific could make for a good plot.
Tablet of Heretical Lore:
This was kind of neat. The complexity of setting it up, needing another spellcaster and so forth, made it seem like more of a plot item to me.
Nethian Scroll Tube:
I thought this was interesting. Scroll tubes for Nethys are very flavorful. I thought the disintegration effects (other spells and at sunrise) were unnecessary. As a player I would never use something where I had to remember to tell the GM I remove the scolls from the tube. If the item isn't quite balanced, the cost and time per day could be tweaked to balance it.
A couple of people mentioned my Castling Gloves. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
I really liked the discordant cur, condensing alblemec and quickdraw tape (though I might make it a wrap or a cord to avoid the modern tape reference).
I didn't think it was superstar, but I am already using the dancing quills in my campaign.
Given the number of votes being case, and the fact that this has been in place since the beginning, I doubt this is a significant factor. The spread between most seen and least seen can't be very large.
gbonehead wrote:
Unfortunately, it's not that simple. I've been kind of trying to figure it out myself, but there's several problems:
3. The fact that the items you see are NOT completely random (you see the item with fewest votes) complicated matters, making it depend on timing and a few other things.
I've been voting off and on since the first day as I have a chance and I just saw my item for the first time. I wasn't worried before, but I am glad to see that I survived the cull.
Our group has been working through the Age of Worms AP, mostly online, for a couple of years now. We decided to travel to Toronto for Memorial Day Weekend to play one of the climactic encounters face to face.
As we planned the weekend, we jokingly called it Ice Con. When we arrived our host had this banner made for us. We may be the smallest con going this weekend (7 people), but our banner is awesome.
I thought the pit of screaming ghosts was one of the coolest encounters I've ever used, so I wanted to make something to help the players visualize it. Some pink insulation foam, gaming paper, campaign coins and reaper minis set a pretty effective scene, that I thought I would share. Pictures are here.
My players enjoy unusual magic items, and as they near the end of the House of the Beast, I am thinking about incorporating some of the items from this years RPG Superstar into the Adventure Path. Here's my ideas so far.
Poisoner's Retort
Spoiler:
One of the character's has really taken to Alchemy (though she's not using the Alchemist class). She has gone into business with Undrella, trying to drive Zastoran out of business and buy the Infusium from him. She would love this item. I'm going to put it in Madfang's lab. We know from the adventure that the Gnolls are using poison. In addition to harvesting it from the giant scorpion, Madfang is using this device. Given the way the rest of the AP goes, I don't think I need to eliminate another item to maintain game balance. This will go more to the RP back in Kelmarane.
Plentiful Pouch
Spoiler:
The party doesn't have a druid, but I'm thinking this item might be useful when they get to Kakishon. I'm thinking about putting it on some skeletal remains in the Garden of Stone Speakers. It would work with the magic almonds allowing the party to take some with them. I actually, like the idea that maybe the Almond tree came from planting a plentiful pouch. But that would imply that who ever was trapped in the garden had two of them, and I'm not sure how to get that information to the players in a way that makes them go "oh? cool." Still thinking.
Alchemist's Viper
Spoiler:
I like this item a lot, I've got the perfect treasure item card for it, and the snake them fits in well with the desert them of the AP. I'm wrestling with where to include it. I could possibly give it to the gnoll sorcerer Shiz near the beginning of the "Jackel's Price" or just have it for sale in Katapesh. OTOH, this seems like the sort of unusual magic the players would hope to find in Kakishon, so maybe it will be found there. I need to read that module in more depth to see where it might fit best.
Iron Bands of the Blue Dragon
Spoiler:
One of my players is playing an elemental bloodline (air) sorceress. That was too cool to pass up, so she is actually the great^n grand daughter of Nefeshti and Andrathi. She's just starting to figure that out. I like the lightning movement/attack ability of the item. I may rework it into a necklace that once belonged to Nefeshti. Andrathi may have left it in Kakishon, or perhaps Jhavul got it and it is in the treasure rooms of his palace. Oh, better. Shazathared has it. It was payment from Nefeshti for a favor long before Jhavul imprisoned her. That coincidence is kind of stretching things, but it would give me an opportunity to feed the player more information about her great^n Grandmother before meeting her in the last part of the AP.
Any feedback or other ideas are welcome. I was taken by how many of this years items were usable in the adventure path. Can't wait to see how it plays out.
The first thing that stands out for me is making it too much work for the DM. How does the math work for this? If I use part of the clay to make 10 arrows, do I have enough to make 1 key? Fractions always hurt my head.
I also don't get the masterwork, but +2 and counts as magic for DR. Why doesn't it just make +2 magic items then?
I might also run afoul of the "makes adventuring too easy" guideline. It can become anything, but unlike something like the marvelous pigments, it is reusable so the PC's never have to worry about having a piece of mundane equipment again.
I've gotten a lot from reading this thread so far. Its great that so many people are willing to share their items and the judges are so generous with their time. Any feedback from judges or other readers on my item is appreciated.
Thanks!
Golem Fetter Aura moderate enchantment; CL 7th
Slot —; Price 1,000 gp x caster level; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This 6-inch diameter bronze disk is elaborately etched with runes and bound to its creator. A successful touch attack magically attaches the fetter to a target golem. Once attached, the fetter subverts the golem’s connection to its creator, allowing the fetter’s creator to assume control.
The golem gets a will save (DC 10 + the fetter creator’s spell caster level) to resist this effect. If the golem’s creator is in direct control (within 60 feet, and able to be seen and heard by the golem) then he can attempt the will save instead, to retain control of the golem. If the saving throw fails, the fetter’s creator can control the golem as if he had created it. However, the fetter’s creator never fully rely on his control of the golem. If the golem’s creator is able to meet the requirements for direct control, he can take a move action and make another saving throw to attempt to regain control.
The disk can be removed with a limited wish or similar magic. Once the fetter is removed the golem becomes confused until its creator regains direct control. It removed, the fetter can never be reattached to any golem.
Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, charm monster, make whole; Cost 500 gp x caster level
I was just curious Shammond if you purposefully had vardishal establish the monastery when he was alive in your campaign, or if you had missed the part where he appeared as a ghost to the pilgrims? Its easy to miss.
HotCK wrote:
The first image depicts the figure manifesting in a spiritual manner to a small group of pilgrims of Sarenrae. Another shows the figure conversing with a man in religious finery while the monastery itself is being constructed in the background.
Good question, my understanding was that he founded the monastery and then his ghost haunted it later. In skimming back through, I see that was wrong. Here is a tweaked timeline to reflect that. Here is a tweaked timeline to account for that.
I should note that some of these dates have been mined from other forum threads, I can't take credit for all of this.
Spoiler:
c. -1500: The archmage-kings Nex and Geb rise to power in southeastern Garund.
c. -1000: The archmage Nex creates the Scroll of Kakishon.
c. 4200: Jhavul captures and imprisons Shazathared
4380 AR: Nefeshti arrives on the Material Plane and creates the Templars of the Five Winds
4422 AR: Jhavhul arrives on the Material Plane.
4423 AR: Jhavhul escapes bondage to Ezer. Arrives at the Pale Mountain, curse placed on palace in City of Brass
4424 AR: Jhavhul is imprisoned in Kakishon. Shirak hides the scroll.
4454 AR: Vardishal slain by salamander
4485 AR: Kelmarane founded
4487 AR: Monastery established
4687 AR: Xulthos imprisoned
4691AR: Ghost banished from monastery
4696 AR: Carrion King Arrives in Pale Mountain
4701 AR (14 Calistril): Kardswaan descends under the church and is possessed by Xulthos
4701 AR (11 Gozren): Sultan’s Claw burns
4701 AR (23 Gozren): Current day
Okay, I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed a date tucked away in one of the articles in one of the Legacy of Fire books.
Here are the dates I'm working with based on my starting year of 4701. We just finished Howl of the Carrion King. I needed the fall of Kelmarane to be 15 years ago, rather than the specified 20 to work with a character's backstory.
Spoiler:
c. -1500: The archmage-kings Nex and Geb rise to power in southeastern Garund.
c. -1000: The archmage Nex creates the Scroll of Kakishon.
c. 4200: Jhavul captures and imprisons Shazathared
4380 AR: Nefeshti arrives on the Material Plane and creates the Templars of the Five Winds
4422 AR: Jhavhul arrives on the Material Plane.
4423 AR: Jhavhul escapes bondage to Ezer. Arrives at the Pale Mountain, curse placed on palace in City of Brass
4424 AR: Jhavhul is imprisoned in Kakishon. Shirak hides the scroll.
4485 AR: Vardishal establishes monastery
4487 AR: Kelmarane founded
4577 AR: Vardishal slain by salamander
4687 AR: Xulthos imprisoned
4691AR: Ghost banished from monastery
4696 AR: Carrion King Arrives in Pale Mountain
4701 AR (14 Calistril): Kardswaan descends under the church and is possessed by Xulthos
4701 AR (11 Gozren): Sultan’s Claw burns
4701 AR (23 Gozren): Current day
As stated before "Into the Gold" is awesome for LoF. I'm also using Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Journey.
Finally, I'm planning to use "Map Room: Dawn" from Raiders of the Lost Ark for the Crypt in HotCK. I usually try to avoid easily recognized pieces, but in this case I think that is going to work for me in helping to set the mood.
So my party has 5 players, instead of the suggested 4, and they managed to recruit a lot of allies going into the final battle market fight. So while they were the right level, they needed a little more to keep the pressure on while they tried to deal with Kardswann.
So, I added some hyena's being kept in a couple of the market stalls on the first level that the gnolls could release. I also added a couple of antagonists from one of the character's backstory, a couple of rangers and a higher level witch who represented a nomad tribe that wanted to trade with Kardswann and his gnolls. These three didn't stay to fight, but did some damage on the way out the door and helped move a sideplot along, which was good.
You don't need to paint these and they are pretty simple to print out and assemble. We're using these, along with some I painted and some prepainted ones.
Related, I've seen hints that Reaper will be making some LoF specific mini's. Including Almah, Shazathared, the Carrion King and a Pact Master. These won't help you, but I'm hoping the Carrion King comes out before my players get to him.
Wow, that's a nice job and a great match for the illustration in the book. I decided to use Reaper's Frost Worm for Xulthos, painted in blacks and metallics. I looked quickly at the giant scorpion, but decided that I wanted something that obviously moved away from the desert theme and was easier for the players to grasp was "not of this world".
I'm running Legacy of Fire for my wife, two kids and a couple of friends. They have just finished exploring the Refuge of Nethys and are currently planning their final assault on Kelmarane. Here is the party.
Blademaster D'Rock - Human, fighter, moldspeaker, seeking to make a living from his fighting or crafting skills.
Saba' - Human sorceress, former pesh farmer, seeking to understand the emergence of her powers (she doesn't actually know her bloodline).
Tabitha Mistsilver - Human, wizard, fled her cruel master as an apprentice (imagine Ezren beating his aprentice with that cane) and is now seeking her roots in Kelmarane.
Fletch - Elven Ranger, hunting the Carrion King seeking justice after the gnolls ravaged his village.
Lyndrea Coolspring - Halfling cleric of Sarenrae. Former slave, seeking Haleen who was instrumental in freeing her from slavery. Currently managing to discover all of the Sarenrae bennies hidden throughout the adventure.
I like this item a lot. It has a lot more flavor than other items for bringing characters back from the dead. As you and others indicate it may be underpriced. I can see giving this to one of my villains. After the PC's kill him, he bursts into flames and they wander away. An hour later, look whose back in a whole new form. Great!
You gave me some good feedback on my item, so I wanted to be sure I returned the favor. I really thought this was a good item and I've definitely pulled it out into my list of things to use later. I like that it is simple to use. I play with some really young players sometimes and they'll love being able to throw the big rock! OTOH, there a lot of things more advanced players can do with it. Its a great item that will appeal to both of my audiences.
I think it was said elsewhere on the board, but the shrinking aspect might be hard to work with and the fact that the players have to wait around for it, or lose it would be annoying. I would probably make it a single use item and reduce the cost accordingly. The name doesn't really grab me, but I can't think of anything better. If it was made by goblins it could be called "Little Big Rock," but that isn't better.
Thanks again for your feedback and I hope this helped you.
I've already gotten some good feedback from this thread, but if you're still providing criticism as well I would love to hear what you and the other judges thought of my item. Don't worry about hurting my feelings, I sit on my local school board -- I've gotten pretty good at taking criticism ;-)
Looking forward to next years contest!
Thanks,
Steve
Spoiler:
Loddyn’s Drum of Accompaniment
This small drum was created for the gnome bard Loddyn Hilltinker by his betrothed. Its wooden barrel is exquisitely inlaid with scenes of the two adventuring under the watchful eyes of the gnome gods. The drum’s head and carrying strap are made from a worg’s black hide.
This drum gives a +1 enhancement bonus to any Perform(Percussion instrument) checks made using it. The drum’s magic can be activated three times per day by playing a rhythm on it and making a Perform check. The drum then repeats the rhythm for 5-minutes for each multiple of 10 achieved on the check. If the drum is used with any bardic music ability, not requiring concentration, the bard is free to act while the drum continues playing. The performer also gets a +1 enchantment bonus to subsequent perform checks for each multiple of 10 on the initial percussion check. Thus a result of 20 yields 10-minutes of playing time and a +2 bonus on subsequent perform checks. The performer can stop the drum early time by tapping it.
Here's my item that didn't make the cut. In comparing it with the winners and with various discussions I think it is probably too expensive for what it does and the back story really does nothing for the item.
Anyway thanks for the chance to submit an item and any feedback is appreciated.
Steve
Loddyn’s Drum of Accompaniment
This small drum was created for the gnome bard Loddyn Hilltinker by his betrothed. Its wooden barrel is exquisitely inlaid with scenes of the two adventuring under the watchful eyes of the gnome gods. The drum’s head and carrying strap are made from a worg’s black hide.
This drum gives a +1 enhancement bonus to any Perform(Percussion instrument) checks made using it. The drum’s magic can be activated three times per day by playing a rhythm on it and making a Perform check. The drum then repeats the rhythm for 5-minutes for each multiple of 10 achieved on the check. If the drum is used with any bardic music ability, not requiring concentration, the bard is free to act while the drum continues playing. The performer also gets a +1 enchantment bonus to subsequent perform checks for each multiple of 10 on the initial percussion check. Thus a result of 20 yields 10-minutes of playing time and a +2 bonus on subsequent perform checks. The performer can stop the drum early time by tapping it.
