Almost Also-ran entries


RPG Superstar™ 2009 General Discussion

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Marathon Voter Season 9

I am under no illusions; the chances of my entry getting into the top 32 odd are low. But i am entering and it will be fun. However, I am somewhat over burdened with ideas for items so will be developing them all and submitting my best. What that means is that i will have somewhere between two and five additional finished items after i have submitted. Now I could just leave them on file to be forgotten, but I would rather do something fun with them.

I suspect that I will not be alone in having items left over. So i thought that as we get a little closer to the end of the first round, we might all dump our discarded items in here to have a giggle over and eye the competition with envy.


We had these last time, including also a thread for all of us who didn't make it to top 32 (and I think there were couple of people who later figured they sent out the wrong submission.

But I'd recommend starting to do it only after the deadline of submissions, because someone is bound to come up with something almost identical to what another person is actually submitting...and that would lead to an awkward situation, especially if that idea makes it to top 32 :)

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16 , Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka JoelF847

Last year I had one idea, submitted it, and it obviously was thought to be a pretty good iead. This year I already am working on my 2nd idea, and like both enough that I have no clue how to pick which one to submit. I'm sure I'll have 5 or more by the time the deadline rolls around. I wish the entry round had a shorter deadline actually - it might make it easier to pick what to submit!

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

Zombie, I am so glad to hear you are going to submit an item. No matter what happens, it will be a great experience. And dont sell yourself short. I dont know what expectations Christine had going in, and she won the damn thing! Dont sell yourself short. If I have learned anything, it is that this community has a ton of really great and talented people here. You could be the next one.

As for the extra items, that will be up to Vic and company but I will respectfully suggest that you not post extra ones until after the deadline has passed. You wouldnt want someone to either lift your idea and submit or to have someone innocently submit a similar item and be charged with lifting your idea. It just seems safer to wait till the round is closed. But that isnt up to me. Its up to Lisa and Eric and Vic and Paizo.

That said, I think we had a spirited discussion and analysis of many of the items that didnt make the cut and even of some of the items people didnt submit. I would imagine the same thing will happen this year too. I, for one, will be happy to lend my comments.

Work on those submissions. And dont try to game it. Go with your passion and your heart. You will know which item you design is the one you want to submit. It wont be as hard as you think. Stay true to yourself. Dont try to figure out which one we will like better. Submit the best one, the one you like and the one you think is your best design. I dont think you will have as hard a time picking between them as you think...

I hope everyone is getting geeked. I cant wait for this to start....

Clark

Marathon Voter Season 9

Clark Peterson wrote:

Zombie, I am so glad to hear you are going to submit an item. No matter what happens, it will be a great experience. And dont sell yourself short. I dont know what expectations Christine had going in, and she won the damn thing! Dont sell yourself short. If I have learned anything, it is that this community has a ton of really great and talented people here. You could be the next one.

As for the extra items, that will be up to Vic and company but I will respectfully suggest that you not post extra ones until after the deadline has passed. You wouldnt want someone to either lift your idea and submit or to have someone innocently submit a similar item and be charged with lifting your idea. It just seems safer to wait till the round is closed. But that isnt up to me. Its up to Lisa and Eric and Vic and Paizo.

That said, I think we had a spirited discussion and analysis of many of the items that didnt make the cut and even of some of the items people didnt submit. I would imagine the same thing will happen this year too. I, for one, will be happy to lend my comments.

Work on those submissions. And dont try to game it. Go with your passion and your heart. You will know which item you design is the one you want to submit. It wont be as hard as you think. Stay true to yourself. Dont try to figure out which one we will like better. Submit the best one, the one you like and the one you think is your best design. I dont think you will have as hard a time picking between them as you think...

I hope everyone is getting geeked. I cant wait for this to start....

Clark

It is kind of difficult for me. I am 'very heavily' dyslexic*. Writing in not and can never truly be an easy thing for me. It is coupled with a powerful and constantly active imagination and arguably, powerful intellect, so I am sure you can imagine how much of a pain in the arse it is to have good ideas but be unable to convey them well.

Thankfully, I have some friends and family members who I can call upon to bump up the quality of my writing for an entry. Please don't mistake my opening to this thread for a 'woe is me' sympathy grab. It is merely a mix of honesty and a sense of humour founded on self depreciation ;)

I have no doubt that the ideas behind the two items i have done the first draft of so far, more than sound, perhaps even very cool. But I would be being incredibly naive if I pretended that the writing was up to the standards truly needed.

With Regards to the thread creation, I realise that I slightly jumped the gun, geekie over excited ness and the desire to claim 'first' got the better of me. I can completely understand why posts of almost submitted items should wait.

As far as going with my passion, no fear on the front, I wouldn't know where to start writing an item, villain or whatever that hadn't already told me it wanted me to write it. Plus, at least two of the items I have in mind are really challenging me from a mechanical perspective, which is nice as an intellectual puzzle. All that said I do have to be a little careful. If I where writing entirely for me, I would likely create an items which where entirely inappropriate. So I am not sure that self censorship in the name of providing something a little more 'every one else' friendly can be an entirely bad thing.

* When I say bad, i mean 'couldn't read until i was 14' bad, that despite years of special school.

Legendary Games, Necromancer Games

Zombie-

I respect your post. I didnt take it as "woe is me" at all.

As a designer and writer, in addition to owning my company, I understand that feeling that comes along with submitting something you create for review by others. It challenges even the biggest egos among us (and believe me, my ego is huge). We all have those fears that what we make might not be good enough.

So I was just saying I know the feelings that might make someone decide not to submit and I am really glad for everyone who swallows hard and hits that POST button and submits their entry. And I hope when you do that you realize that every one of us, no matter our experience, has those same feelings and worries of "what if they dont like it".

And remember, when we review and judge your item we are doing just that--reviewing your item. We arent reviewing or judging you as a person or you as a writer or even your intelligence. If you didnt have all of those things already you wouldnt be here. We are just reviewing that specific piece of work. That's important to keep in mind.

Best of luck to everyone!

Clark

Paizo Employee Director of Game Development , Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

Clark Peterson wrote:
And remember, when we review and judge your item we are doing just that--reviewing your item. We arent reviewing or judging you as a person or you as a writer or even your intelligence. If you didnt have all of those things already you wouldnt be here. We are just reviewing that specific piece of work. That's important to keep in mind.

I know you only *just* said this, but it deserves to be emphasized.

Liberty's Edge Marathon Voter Season 6

I've got an item I've been holding onto since last RPGSuperstar, but I'm terrified it's already been done somewhere in the milieu of OGL products and I'm just not aware of it =/

Sovereign Court

Coridan wrote:
I've got an item I've been holding onto since last RPGSuperstar, but I'm terrified it's already been done somewhere in the milieu of OGL products and I'm just not aware of it =/

This came up last year, too. The Judges are also not familiar with every OGL product ever published. If your item DOES seem to be similar to one they ARE familiar with, that is a bit of bad luck, but I *think* they scrutinize it to see if it's just convergent development or outright plagiarism.


cappadocius wrote:


This came up last year, too. The Judges are also not familiar with every OGL product ever published. If your item DOES seem to be similar to one they ARE familiar with, that is a bit of bad luck, but I *think* they scrutinize it to see if it's just convergent development or outright plagiarism.

This just happened to me. My 2nd idea was awesome but about an hour ago I was researching wondrous items and happened to stumble upon one that was veeery similar. It was rather disheartening. I'll still probably go with it because it's different enough IMO, but I also don't want to give a judge an excuse to kick it to the curb either. Decisions, decisions...

:-/

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

Clark Peterson wrote:
As for the extra items, that will be up to Vic and company but I will respectfully suggest that you not post extra ones until after the deadline has passed. You wouldnt want someone to either lift your idea and submit or to have someone innocently submit a similar item and be charged with lifting your idea. It just seems safer to wait till the round is closed. But that isnt up to me. Its up to Lisa and Eric and Vic and Paizo.

Clark is correct—it would be best if people delay posting unsubmitted entries until after the deadline is passed. (Not only would that avoid the problems Clark described, but it'll also give you something to talk about while you're waiting for the judges to pick the top 32!)

Dark Archive

Vic Wertz wrote:
Clark is correct—it would be best if people delay posting unsubmitted entries until after the deadline is passed. (Not only would that avoid the problems Clark described, but it'll also give you something to talk about while you're waiting for the judges to pick the top 32!)

Okay to post non-Wondrous Items, like magical weapons, armor, rings, rods, etc?

Or should we just keep our traps shut for a few more weeks? :)


Silence is golden.....

Scarab Sages

I just submitted mine this evening and am already second guessing myself. On the other hand ... if I had delayed, I'd be editing, rewriting and re-envisioning the thing right up to the last minute .... :/

Dark Archive

EricTheRed wrote:
I just submitted mine this evening and am already second guessing myself. On the other hand ... if I had delayed, I'd be editing, rewriting and re-envisioning the thing right up to the last minute .... :/

Yeah, that's where I was going to be stuck. I submitted mine in the first couple of days, because otherwise I would have overthought it and ended up with a hundred different ideas.

Indeed, I've already thought of a dozen other ideas, and had to just accept that I've already submitted, and I need to trust my first instincts and not second-guess myself into the nuthouse. :)

Marathon Voter Season 9

Set wrote:
EricTheRed wrote:
I just submitted mine this evening and am already second guessing myself. On the other hand ... if I had delayed, I'd be editing, rewriting and re-envisioning the thing right up to the last minute .... :/

Yeah, that's where I was going to be stuck. I submitted mine in the first couple of days, because otherwise I would have overthought it and ended up with a hundred different ideas.

Indeed, I've already thought of a dozen other ideas, and had to just accept that I've already submitted, and I need to trust my first instincts and not second-guess myself into the nuthouse. :)

Well write them up to post here once the first round is done to entertain us all while we wait for the judges ;)

Marathon Voter Season 9

So, the end of the entry period is almost upon us.
Feel free to post any of your unused items here guys and girls. But please wait until 2.10PM PST.

Marathon Voter Season 9

Atropos' Abhorred blades.
Aura Strong divination & necromancy; CL 13th
Slot - ; Price 100,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
A pair of shears, made from iron as black as midnight. These blades would look like those used to shear sheep in the uplands if it where not for the fact that they have clearly been crafted by a master blacksmith.

The shears may be used once per day, by a group of three women to perform a ritual in the form of a mystery play. This rite lasts one hour, during which they act out the spinning, measuring and cutting of a piece of cord representing the targets life. At the performances end, the cord is cut and if the ritual is successful, the target is subjected to a powerful magical attack.

This ritual functions as a Greater Scrying spell (DC20; modified as per spell) If the scrying is successful the target is targeted by a finger of death spell. (DC 20). The Shears may only be used by a group of three women who all possesses performance (acting).

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Greater Scrying, finger of death;
Cost 50,000 gp

Marathon Voter Season 9

Madam Zeldarna's tea set
Aura faint Enchantment; CL 3rd
Slot - ; Price 1134 GP; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This elegant tea set is made from fine porcelain, imported from Tian Xia. The delicate blue glaze is patterned into hypnotic hand painted swirls. The entire set is housed in a beautifully carved teak box, displaying a scene of a perfectly tended garden. Originally, a sizable investment by a powerful Tian merchant, used to aid in business negotiations, the Tea set fell into the clutches of a Varisian Charlatan, named Madam Zeldarna. It now serves to help fleece the unwary and pray upon the credulity of the weak willed.

The owner gains +2 to bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks while engages in discussion over tea. Once per day the tea set may be used to cast Hypnotism (DC 11). Due to its nature as a tool of negotiation, only some one versed in the basic principles of diplomacy (3 ranks or higher) may use this Tea set.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, hypnotism; Skill craft (ceramics); Cost 567 gp

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Darkjoy

Zombieneighbours wrote:

Atropos' Abhorred blades.

Pretty cool, but it does seem to fall in the plot hook category of bad stereotypes.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Darkjoy

One of my reviewers liked this one, so I'll post it just to check if I made a mistake by not entering it.

Elemental Runes
Aura faint conjuration, evocation, illusion and transmutation; CL 5th
Slot -; Price 16500 gp; Weight 1/2 lb.
Description
These thin, polished, darkwood disks are each embossed with a single rune representing one of the four elements: air, earth, fire and water. As a standard action, you can trace you finger along a rune to produce a magical effect. If a rune is activated it fades away, but returns the next day. As a move action, you can connect two disks to create a greater rune. A greater rune is triggered in the same way as a normal rune. New sets of four elemental runes are usually bundled together in a five-sided sheet of purple silk.

Rune(s)........Effect
Air........Shocking Grasp
Earth........Magic Stone
Fire........Burning Hands (Reflex DC 11 half)
Water........Obscuring Mist
Air + Fire........Hypnotic Pattern (Will DC 13 negates)
Air + Water........Sleet Storm
Earth + Fire........Summon Azer (treat as Summon Monster III)
Earth + Water........Soften Earth and Stone
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, burning hands, hypnotic pattern, magic stone, obscuring mist, shocking grasp, sleet storm, soften earth and stone, summon monster III; Cost 8250 gp

Marathon Voter Season 9

Darkjoy wrote:
Zombieneighbours wrote:

Atropos' Abhorred blades.

Pretty cool, but it does seem to fall in the plot hook category of bad stereotypes.

It certainly has us as a plot device, but i think it remains useful outside of that role.

That said, just falling into one of the bad item sterotypes did not automaticially make it items bad. That said, often items that fell into the stereotypes tended to be bad.

Liberty's Edge Contributor , Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9

Darkjoy wrote:


Elemental Runes

I like this one, but I think you made a good choice by not submitting it. It may have been rejected because it does too much. Everything in the description fits the theme of the single and mixed elements, though, so who knows...

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32 aka Smeazel

Eh, what the hey, here's my entry I didn't submit:

PATRON'S STONE AND FACTOR'S AMULET

Aura moderate necromancy; CL 10th
Slot neck (amulet), — (stone); Price 26,500 gp; Weight — (amulet), 10 lb. (stone)

DESCRIPTION

The patron's stone and factor's amulet are always created in a set, and if one is destroyed the other becomes nonmagical. (This does not, however, mean that the stone and the corresponding amulet will necessarily be found together.) The stone appears like a smooth fist-sized ovoid, and the amulet a large pendant with a round gem set in it. Both vary in color by the condition of the amulet's wearer, according to the following table:
White.....Dead
Orange....Poisoned
Blue......Diseased
Red.......Below half hit points
Yellow....Injured, but at least half hit points
Green.....Full health

If more than one condition applies, the one highest on the list takes precedence. If the amulet is not being worn, or the stone and amulet are on different planes, they will appear black.

Spells that can target creatures (but not spells that affect an area) can be cast on the stone, and will affect the wearer of the amulet. This works regardless of the distance between the stone and the amulet, provided they are on the same plane.

The patron's stone and factor's amulet were designed with the intent that the amulet's wearer could go forth into battle while a cleric or other healer remains safely at a distance with the stone, monitoring the wearer's health and healing—-or even raising-—him as necessary. It is still used for that purpose, and works very well for it, but it does have some limitations. For one, the amulet is, of course, as susceptible to dispel magic and other magic-negating effects as any other magic item. Perhaps more significantly, though, should an enemy happen to get his hands on the stone, harmful spells can be cast through it as easily as beneficial ones. The amulet's wearer does still get a saving throw against spells cast through the stone, but at a -3 circumstance penalty.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, Enlarge Spell, deathwatch, spectral hand, creator must be at least 10th level; Cost 13,250 gp

Yes, this item is way over 200 words. That's one of the reasons I didn't submit it. One of the reasons.

More information, and some design notes, at my LiveJournal here.


Hi Zombie,
I’d say both of those items are interesting and unique and readable. I would expect the shears to be useless to the players because of the restrictions (3 women with perform), but that’s okay sometimes you want magic items like that so that the group doesn’t end up carrying around a magic shop with them into the dungeon. The second I could picture some of my players using but I also picture power gamers hating it. Is it possible to have 3 ranks in anything in pathfinder? I can’t remember how the skill system works now but I thought if you put 1 rank in you automatically got 4? No need to explain it you can just tell me I’m wrong (or right maybe).

Darkjoy,
I like them but I got a little lost on five-sided sheet. When I picture a sheet it only has 2 sides. But after thinking about it for a while I think you meant a pentagon shaped sheet right?

Smeazel,
That name really threw me, I didn’t get it at all. The colors reminded me of a video game (not good). That said I do think the overall idea is a good one (except that I think ranged healing is something most game designers have shied away from in the past). Would just need to be cut down and maybe reorganized.

Scarab Sages

Here's one or two of the ones I File 13'ed.

Pebble of Blades
Aura: Moderate evocation; CL 11th
Slot —; Price 3,300 gp; Weight —;

Description
When thrown, this tiny pebble detonates in an explosion of daggers, short swords, broken glass and other sharp and pointy objects. This deals 5d6 slashing and piercing damage to everything within 20 feet of the epicenter of the explosion.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, blade barrier; Cost 1,650 gp

This one is too much like the necklace of fireballs, so I put it aside.

Cagecoin
Aura Moderate evocation; CL 13th
Slot —; Price 36,400; Weight —

Description
This is a silver piece emblazoned with a cage on both sides. Once per day, the coin can be flipped towards an opponent as a ranged touch attack. When it comes within five feet of the target, it suspends itself in midair and projects a forcecage as the spell in its barred cage form. The cage remains vulnerable to all things that destroy a forcecage, but the coin itself is safe, nestled inside the bars.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, forcecage; Cost 18,200

I didn't like how I worded this one. Never could get it right. I wanted to do a coin thing for the actual entry, but nothing other than this came to mind. Still, I think if I could nail the wording down, it'd be pretty cool.

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32 aka Smeazel

Ragwaine wrote:
That name really threw me, I didn’t get it at all.

Really? Okay, that's one of the things I didn't really go over in the design notes in my LiveJournal, so I guess I'll explain it here.

The name comes from the intended use of the item(s), as mentioned in the last paragraph. The idea is that a cleric would send out some hireling or trusted underling with the amulet to do the dirty work while he stays behind and keeps them healthy. So the cleric, who stays at home with the stone, is the "patron", and the agent he sends out is the "factor".

I was a little uncertain about the word "factor", though, honestly. In the first draft it was the "dependent's amulet", but I really didn't like the way that sounded. "Factor" was the best synonym I could come up with, but I have my reservations about it... it's a little too obscure, maybe, plus it has unfortunate Planescape connections. ("Unfortunate" not because I don't like Planescape--I do, very much--but because when Planescape fans hear the word "factor", they will have certain associations with that word that do not apply to the item.) Had I decided to submit this as my actual entry, it's likely I would have spent more time trying to come up with a better name.

D'oh... "Minion". Should've used "minion". Minion's amulet. Yeah. Don't know why I didn't think of that sooner...

Ragwaine wrote:
The colors reminded me of a video game (not good).

Hm... I didn't consider that (I'm not much of a video gamer myself), but I can see where you're coming from.

Ragwaine wrote:
That said I do think the overall idea is a good one (except that I think ranged healing is something most game designers have shied away from in the past).

Yeah... like I said, the length was one of the reasons I didn't submit it. Another was because I was worried it might be a little too abusable.

Ragwaine wrote:
Would just need to be cut down and maybe reorganized.

See, that's the problem... I couldn't cut it down enough without losing essential information. Sure, I could cut it down some--there's definitely some verbiage there that can be pruned, and some details that aren't really needed--but I couldn't get it down to 200 words and be happy with the result.

That being said, I think the item I did end up submitting avoids the pitfalls this item had (even aside from the length issue). On the other hand, I'd really not sure it has that spark it needs for superstardom... but I guess we'll see.

Thanks for your comments!


I wouldn't feel right just critiquing other's work without posting my own. I had 2 other ideas, 1 I never wrote up and 1 that got mostly finished but not priced out. I was going for the really cool name thing but then it just didn't seem like something a lot of people would use and also maybe a bit to futuristic for some. So this was going to be it up to about a week before the deadline.

AETHERIC TRANSMITIGATOR

“At angles indefinable, extra-planar creatures lurk, replete with ill intent.”
- Professor Tribelous Kinde , Coexistent Realities

The Aetheric Transmitigator is a copper and glass apparatus which consists of a glass-faced great helm, a gorget and a back-mounted cylindrical (aetheric) tank. The helm completely encapsulates the head of the wearer and is connected to the aetheric tank through flexible copper-mesh tubing. A 4-inch copper imp crouches upon the helm’s top “breathing” aether into the dome. Fluting along the sides exhales the “used” aether.

When activated (a move action), the helm fills with aetheric fumes which sparkle and glide about within the helm. These fumes allow the wearer to see across planar boundaries into coexistent planes giving him the ability to see invisible and ethereal creatures as a see invisibility spell. Also, while activated, the wearer becomes immune to any type of gas or olfactory attack.

Wearers of the aetheric transmitigator , receive a -2 penalty to both Listen and Spot checks while the device is activated. It is rumored that those who use the powers of the transmitigator too frequently may eventually suffer from permanent visual impairments.


My number one nonentry:

Chalice of Worldly Reflections

Aura moderate divination; CL 7th
Slot –; Price 15,120 gp; Weight 2 lb

When this simple silver cup is filled with water, the bearer may gaze into it and see all the world reflected therein. Gazing into its limitless depths takes 1 minute, and forces the bearer to make a Will saving throw against a DC of 16 as they realize their own insignificance against such a grand scale. Failure indicates that they are affected as if by a crushing despair spell for the following 7 minutes, and gain no other benefit from the chalice.

If their saving throw is successful, they gain a +2 insight bonus on Knowledge (geography) and Survival checks for the following 24 hours. In addition, they instantly learn about the land in a 10-mile radius around them. They learn about any significant terrain features in the area, as well as settlements, buildings, special types of terrain, and significant weather. This effect ignores any kind of illusion, such as hallucinatory terrain. The chalice may be used three times per day, but only once per day per person.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, commune with nature; Cost 7,560 gp

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32 aka Smeazel

Heh... the negative effect of the Chalice of Worldly Reflections (what happens if you fail the Will save) immediately reminded me of the Total Perspective Vortex from The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, by any means...

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6 aka Core

>> Chalice of Worldly Reflections

Cool item. I would probably up the price though since it would trivialize exploration adventures like the Isle of Dread. Either that or give a small chance that a Migrus will scamper off with it while the owner is in Crushing Despair :P

I wrote two, this is my reject.

Spoiler:

Bough of Sanguine Fruit
Aura strong enchantment; CL 14th
Slot —; Price 82,000 gp; Weight 11lb

Description

The Bough of Sanguine Fruit appears as 4 foot twisted branch with rusty bark and large flabby leaves. One end of the branch is permeated with spindly roots that slowly writhe and churn. If the branch is driven into the fleshy corpse of a recently deceased creature, it will produce a fruit within 12 hours so long as it is not moved. This fruit is plump, reddish and will have the vague features of the host in which the branch was planted. Only one piece of fruit will grow at one time.

If the fruit is eaten, the devourer will gain the appearance, odor and mannerism of the host corpse. These effects do not detect as magic and are otherwise indistinguishable from a normal body, short of using a Wish spell. After 6 days the false facade will painfully blister off, revealing the devourers normal form. The effects of the fruit are mildly addictive and anyone eating such a fruit yearns to eat another for the rest of their life.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, limited wish;
Cost 41,500 gp

I used this with a group just to see if they would eat the fruit. They did of course and managed to do some clever things with it. Namely they chopped up one of the fruits and put it in the salad of a Halfling Sheriff who imprisoned them. The Sheriff lived the next 6 days as a two-headed giant troll with most of the village after him. Anyhow, things like that are ultimately not obvious though, even if you could practically write an adventure around it, so I suppose that is why I opted for my other entry.

Star Voter Season 9

Core wrote:
I wrote two, this is my reject.

Loved it: great flavor. (You're probably right though -- I wouldn't have imagined this as a PC item from a quick read through, whereas the plot hooks shine out all too clearly.)

Still... If that's your reject I'm looking forward to reading your submission Core.

Marathon Voter Season 9

Ragwaine wrote:

Hi Zombie,

I’d say both of those items are interesting and unique and readable. I would expect the shears to be useless to the players because of the restrictions (3 women with perform), but that’s okay sometimes you want magic items like that so that the group doesn’t end up carrying around a magic shop with them into the dungeon. The second I could picture some of my players using but I also picture power gamers hating it. Is it possible to have 3 ranks in anything in pathfinder? I can’t remember how the skill system works now but I thought if you put 1 rank in you automatically got 4? No need to explain it you can just tell me I’m wrong (or right maybe).

Between having played in mostly female player, having played with a lot of guys who play female characters as often as male, Leadership and hireling, i suspect my view on the shears restrictions being truely restrictive might be a little squeed.

Class skills get a +3, however cross class skill get no bonus to rank. So yes, it is possible to have atleast three ranks in a skill


Darkjoy wrote:

One of my reviewers liked this one, so I'll post it just to check if I made a mistake by not entering it.

Elemental Runes
Aura faint conjuration, evocation, illusion and transmutation; CL 5th
Slot -; Price 16500 gp; Weight 1/2 lb.

Its interesting, and of course you could just rule that it could be used. But it doesn't seem practical in D&D - in that the discs need two hands - one hand to hold on hand to trace - then the effects are on the hands - so you have (for example) burnings hands and then have to put the discs back in your bag.

I like the flavor, but the item would have worked better (for me) if the effects were the kinds of things that you would want done at a table, scrying, sending a message, or longer term things - digging a pit, etc.

I hope that feedback is helpful to you.


If I am going to comment on other folks submissions it is only fair to expose mine to the board. Items of mine that didn't make the cut:

FEY WAR HARNESS

Aura Strong abjuration, moderate transformation, moderate illusion; CL 16th
Slot Body; Price 162,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs

Description

These powerful enchanted garments were first conceived by the Warlord Yphrinne Wintermane. After falling victim to a pixie ambush Wintermane realized the potential of trained pixie warriors. The problem with trained pixie warriors as Wintermane soon discovered, was recruiting, and working with pixies. After years of failed (and sometimes embarrassing) efforts Wintermane struck on a new idea, a winged harness that conferred many of a pixie's abilities upon the wearer.

A fey war harness is a leather cuirass inlaid with mithril scrollwork and mounted with mithril buckles. This cuirass is mounted with four (human scale) insect like wings crafted from magebound winds.

On donning a fey war harness the wearer gains the following abilities.

• +5 armor bonus to AC
• Damage reduction 10/cold iron (as a pixie)
• Fly 60 ft. (good)
• Greater invisibility at will (as with a pixie activation or deactivation as a free action)

Wearing a fey war harness precludes the use of armor or the use of magic cloaks or robes.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, energy resistance, fly, greater invisibility, mage armor, stoneskin; Cost 81,000 gp.
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTES

A +5 enhancement bonus to armor costs 25,000.
There is no set formula for damage reduction in the SRD so I used spell resistance as the model – 10,000 gp per point – so 100,000.
For the flight aspect I used wings of flying 54,000.
For greater invisibility I used 4th level spell times 8th level caster times 2,000 equals 64,000.
Thus the total cost is 243,000 – however because the use of this item precludes the use of armor, robes, or cloaks the effective value of the item is serious reduced – I cut it to 2/3 of the base price so 162,000 gp.


The other item I put together that didn't make the cut.
I wish I had the room for more flavor text.

Healer's Lute

Aura Moderate conjuration (healing); CL 7th
Slot Body; Price[/i] 64,000 gp; [b]Weight 1/2 lb

Description

Crafted from dark mahogany and inlaid with silver these enchanted musical instruments grant a +10 bonuses to perform checks made playing them. In addition, healer's lutes greatly enhance the healing prowess of those with the power of bardic music.

Each daily allotment of bardic music channeled through the lute allows the musician to heal a single creature a number of hit points equal to his perform check. Alternatively, rather than restore lost hit points the musician can channel an allotment of bardic music to cure disease, cure blindness/deafness, or remove curse. Use of any of the healing powers of the harp require at least five minutes of uninterrupted play.

Construction

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cure serious wounds, remove blindness/deafness, remove curse, remove disease; Cost 32,000 gp.
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTES

The cost on this was a little difficult. The +10 bonus was easy enough, 10 squared times 100 or 10,000. But the healing since it requires the use of bardic music, is based on a perform check rather than a spell, has alternative healing effects, and has a minimum effective casting time of five minutes the pricing is sort of non-standard. For that I used cure serious wounds as the base – 3rd level spell squared times 2,000 or 18,000 and then tripled it. Thus the total cost of the item is 64,000 which felt about right.


Core yours reminds me of a tree in the Tome of Horror (I think) that has head-fruit. I can remember my players being really freaked out by the fruit and the cleric in the group trying to think of creative ways to destroy them completely. Very cool.

Kyr those are some pretty powerful items. I do love the picture I’m getting of the Fey War Harness, the name rocks and “wings crafted from magebound winds” Was very nice.

Chris I like the chalice too. I thought you would actually be able to scrye on people with it. The crushing despair was a nice touch to make not just-another-scrying-pool. I thought the 7 minutes thing was kind of strange/arbitrary, guess I’m more used to seeing things like 2-5 minutes.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32 , Star Voter Season 6 aka exile

Kyr,

I like the name and the theme of the Fey War Harness, but man is it powerful.

A shrinking character that I sometimes play in Mutants and Masterminds has similar armor, except it doesn't have an invisibility power (just blasters and poisonous stingers).

Chad

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Darkjoy

A quick review on everyone's entry:

PATRON'S STONE AND FACTOR'S AMULET

Not a very catchy name, but I do like what you intend to do with it. But even then how will the PC's use this? Do they pay a cleric to 24/7 watch over them?

Pebble of Blades

A handgrenade, I remember a similiar item from lost year so this does not wow me.

Cagecoin

This one I do like, although I would have used: coin of caging.

AETHERIC TRANSMITIGATOR

No. a little too sci-fi for me, and little blurbs in the description probably won't earn you points.

Chalice of Worldly Reflections

I like that the chalice is almost cursed but I do feel that it very powerful for its price, maybe even too powerful.

Bough of Sanguine Fruit

Only you write like this, your style is unique. That said, I do feel that this is more a druid item and would have used another spell than limited wish and maybe have gone into how the bough comes into being.

FEY WAR HARNESS

This one falls into one of the bad item stereotypes, it turns the wearer into a pixie. Why not play a pixie instead?

Healer's Lute

This one however is much better than the harness, I like how it gives the bard something extra.

Star Voter Season 9

Kyr wrote:
FEY WAR HARNESS

Coincidentally, Matrissa also had a well-written pixie garment last year.

Clark had some interesting comments and praise for it over here. Despite the differences, I suspect some of the same issues would still apply.

Scarab Sages

OK, here's my three that didn't make it:

Heartwood

Spoiler:
Aura: Moderate Transmutation; CL 5th
Slot: - ; Price: 35,000 gp; Weight: -

Description
Created by a sect of druids, heartwood is crafted from the heart of a dead treant, and usually gifted to rangers and druids, animals, humanoids and other woodland defenders. This unassuming lump of wood is placed over the chest of a willing recipient, melding into the creature's body. After one full round, the creature is transformed into a plant creature, with bark-like skin, leafy green hair and gleaming green eyes. The recipient of the heartwood gains the plant type and all traits associated with it. In addition, the creature gains a +5 natural armor bonus. Once per day, the transformed creature can change form into that of a large living tree or shrub, as per the spell tree shape, for up to 9 hours. The heartwood can be removed harmlessly by mental command, or forcibly by making a Heal check (DC 20). This deals 2d6 points of damage to the creature. The creature returns to normal one full round after removal of the heartwood.

Construction
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, tree shape; Cost: 24,000 gp

Egg of Many Forms

Spoiler:
Aura Faint to Moderate Conjuration; CL Type I 1st, Type II 2nd, Type III 3rd, Type IV 4th
Slot - Price Type I 1400 gp, Type II 2800 gp, Type III 4200 gp, Type IV 5600 gp; Weight -

Description
This appears to be nothing more or less than an animal’s egg, perhaps from a bird or reptile. In reality, this magical egg can be used to summon forth a creature of the owner’s choice, depending on the egg of many forms’ type. Upon command, the egg’s owner must toss the egg, which shatters to reveal the creature called forth by the owner, as if just summoned by summon nature’s ally. There are four different eggs of many forms; each summons creatures from the summon nature’s ally (I, II, III, or IV; one creature at a time only) lists, save that it can never summon an elemental. The summoned creature is friendly to the egg’s owner, and remains for up to 7 rounds.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, summon nature’s ally I, II, III or IV; Cost Type I 700 gp, Type II 1400 gp, Type III 2100 gp, Type IV 2800 gp

Delusia's Mystical Abacus

Spoiler:
Aura Moderate Transmutation; CL 5th
Slot - ; Price 50,000 gp; Weight 1lb.

Description
A finely tooled abacus of wood and iron, with inlaid precious stones and metals, Delusia’s mystical abacus is a powerful tool for any spellcaster. Through the abacus, a caster can apply one or more metamagic feats to a spell when cast by making rapid calculations on the abacus. Each additional spell level that the metamagic feat adds to the spell being cast costs 1 charge on the abacus, which can have up to 50 charges. Applying a single metamagic feat is a swift action, applying two metamagic feats is move action, while applying three metamagic feats is a full-round action (the modified spell is then cast on the next round). The abacus can be recharged by expending spell slots on a 1 charge per spell level exchange (a 2nd level spell gives the abacus 2 charges, 5 total spell levels recharges 5 charges, etc.). If Delusia’s mystical abacus ever drops to 0 charges, it becomes a non-magical, mundane abacus. Delusia’s mystical abacus cannot add more metamagic levels than it has charges.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, any two Metamagic feats; Cost 25,000 gp

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16 aka eotbeholder

Had a few ideas, but only typed up one other than the one submitted... I discounted this because the utility seems limited and it's essentially just three spells in one item. That said, I still really like the name and the visuals, so it was a tough choice.

GLOVE OF SANGUINE RUNES
Aura faint abjuration; CL 5th
Slot hands; Price 9,500 gp; Weight --

Upon donning this threadbare silk glove the wearer feels a sharp pinch, and blood soaks through the last digit of the wearer’s index finger. As a standard action the wearer can paint symbols on any surface with the blood, creating an arcane mark but suffering 1 hp of damage that cannot heal while the mark remains. The mark persists (and the blood never fades or smears) until the wearer removes the glove or dies, and a bond of vital energy connects the wearer and object bearing the mark:

  • The wearer feels a throbbing pain whenever someone else touches the object – enough to wake the wearer if asleep but not disrupting concentration or causing damage.
  • A marked door holds tight as if subject to an arcane lock spell. Other objects add the wearer’s Constitution modifier to their hardness values and break DCs.
  • The marked object bleeds when damaged. Destroying the object inflicts 2 points Constitution damage and stuns the wearer for one round.

CONSTRUCTION:
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, alarm, arcane lock, arcane mark; Cost 4,750 gp

Scarab Sages

This is what I planned on submitting, I thought it stuck too close to home for me right now. I will try again for the next RPG Superstar.

Incense of Visitation
When burned during a ritual, this incense allows the user's spirit to visit those loved ones who have passed on. Seven pieces are needed for visiting good aligned planes of existence, five pieces are needed for evil aligned planes. Seconds for the physical body pass like days for the spirit, minutes are like years.
2% chance of the physical body being possessed by a good aligned entity per minute of visitation, and 5% chance of the body being possessed by a evil aligned entity per minute.
Once the incense is consumed, the visiting spirit must succeed with a WILL save to return [-1 per minute of visitation] or stay with the loved one's spirit.


Meds wrote:
Kyr wrote:
FEY WAR HARNESS
Coincidentally, Matrissa also had a well-written pixie garment last year.

Meds beat me to the punch.

Once I read the description my first thought was "Tsk. Kyr obviously hasn't read the "Bad Item Stereotypes" thread all the way through." ;-)

On the other hand, kudos on independently coming up with something that would have been in the B+ range last year and the B range this year (I'm assuming the "grading curve" has shifted upwards because the overall quality level will have gone up this year).

:-j(enni)

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32 aka Smeazel

Well, huh.

That item I posted here? The patron's stone and factor's amulet (or minion's amulet, as I now think I should have called it, but that's not important)...

I was just looking over some of the threads from last year's contest (which, really, I should have done more thoroughly before submitting my entry this year)... and it turns out there was an item submitted last year called the patron's stone. (It's very different from my item, though, except for, you know, having the exact same name.)

All the more reason to be glad I didn't actually use that as my submission, I guess. (Not that I really expect the item I actually did submit to be attention-grabbing enough to make it into the final 32, but at least I think it might have a marginally better chance...)

Still, kind of an odd coincidence... I really wouldn't have expected that name to have been taken...

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32 , Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8

My almost rans are below. I really liked the Orbs of Perfect Summons, and may indeed use them in my ongoing weekly game. The other two were nice ideas, but never fleshed out enough in my own head to count them as contenders. Here's hoping the one I DID submit does well!

QUIVER OF SACRED VOWS
Aura moderate evocation; CL 9th
Slot -; Price 30,240 gp; Weight 2 lbs
Description
This well made quiver has quotes from a patron deity’s holy scripture written in Celestial and sewn with silver thread into its leather. Three times per day, the bearer may invoke the name of the patron deity and cause the next arrow drawn from the quiver to function as a holy arrow that bypasses any damage reduction the target possesses, in addition to the arrow’s existing enhancements. (Multiple holy properties do not stack.) If the target is of good alignment, this item becomes a mundane quiver for that bearer, never to grace them again. An unholy version of this item also exists, but imposes no penalty for attacking evil targets.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, holy smite, creator must be good; Cost 15,120 gp

ORB OF PERFECT SUMMONS
Aura weak to strong conjuration; CL varies
Slot -; Price varies; Weight –
Description
This marble contains an image of a perfect summonable creature. Any summoning spell cast with this item as a focus summons the animal shown with maximum hit points as well as +4 to Constitution and Strength. The act of summoning destroys this item. Versions exist for the following spells:
Summon Monster I or Summon Nature’s Ally I: 25 gp, cost 12.5 gp
Summon Monster II or Summon Nature’s Ally II: 150 gp, cost 75 gp
Summon Monster III or Summon Nature’s Ally III: 375 gp, cost 187.5 gp
Summon Monster IV or Summon Nature’s Ally IV: 700 gp, cost 350 gp
Summon Monster V or Summon Nature’s Ally V: 1,125 gp, cost 562.5 gp
Summon Monster VI or Summon Nature’s Ally VI: 1,650 gp, cost 825 gp
Summon Monster VII or Summon Nature’s Ally VII: 2,275 gp, cost 1,137.5 gp
Summon Monster VIII or Summon Nature’s Ally VIII: 3,000 gp, cost 1,500 gp
Summon Monster IX or Summon Nature’s Ally IX: 3,825 gp, cost 1,912.5 gp
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Augment Summoning, summon monster I-IX or summon nature’s ally I-IX; Cost varies

KRAKEN’S EGG
Aura strong conjuration; CL 18
Slot -; Price 42,120 gp; Weight 2 lb
Description
This fist-sized onyx is slightly warm to the touch. When a command word is spoken, the egg creates an inky black cloud that is centered on the wielder and spreads out in a 40 foot radius. The cloud obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet and imposes a -4 morale penalty to attacks made within the cloud due to an overwhelming sense of impending doom. A creature within 5 feet has concealment and creatures farther away have total concealment. The cloud lasts 18 rounds and can be used 1/ day. The egg has an ultimate use: it can summon the dreaded Kraken. When the egg is smashed, a watery portal appears and the Kraken appears in the portal, attacking everyone in reach. The portal is of a size that the Kraken cannot pass completely through, but can attack from the portal’s space. The portal stays open 18 rounds or until the Kraken is slain. This feature can only be used once and destroys the item.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, fog cloud, summon monster IX; Cost 21,060 gp


This was my first inspiration when I heard about this years competition. I had/have been thinking about a campaign I am planning to run later this year based on Chinese flavoured Halflings sailing across a huge ocean.

Viewing Porthole of Wai Cho Ling

Originally designed by the Halfling Eunuch Sorcerer, Wai Cho Ling, to view oceanic life on a long sea voyage, each Porthole is four small brass quarter-circles that can be attached together (using small ball and socket joints) to create a circle 1 and half feet in diameter.

When placed against a door or wall it becomes a viewing porthole allowing the user (and only the user) to see through the barrier. It can see through one layer of material of any thickness. The effect is one way so anyone on the other side cannot see in. The effect lasts for one hour or when removed from the door or wall, it can be used again after 24 hours.

Faint Divination, CL 5th, Craft Wondrous Item, clairaudience/clairvoyance, price 12,000gp, slot -, weight 4lbs


Nermal That viewing porthole is a great idea!


Nermal2097 wrote:

... Chinese flavoured Halflings ...

Yummy, that sounds delicious. Is this something from Darksun?

Joking aside, the portal seems like a cool idea, but the write up was kind of confusing (to me at least). And I'm not sure what "one layer" constitutes. Good luck in the contest!

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6 aka Core

Kyr wrote:
Nermal That viewing porthole is a great idea!

I agree. That's the sort of thing I expect to see among the winners list.

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