A quick rules query

[Sir Ophiuchus]

Hello all, I've had an account here for a long time now, but it took hearing about RPG Superstar to get me active!

I have a query about requisite skills for wondrous item creation: The guidelines state that only Spellcraft, Craft, or Profession skills are used for wondrous items. Does that mean that it's forbidden in this contest to have a different skill prerequisite even if it's more thematically relevant to the item? If anyone could give me a ruling on this I'd greatly appreciate it - I'd hate to write in a fantastically appropriate skill and be disqualified for not following the rules!

Thanks, and wish me luck!

[Joel Flank]

Sir Ophiuchus wrote:

Hello all, I've had an account here for a long time now, but it took hearing about RPG Superstar to get me active!

I have a query about requisite skills for wondrous item creation: The guidelines state that only Spellcraft, Craft, or Profession skills are used for wondrous items. Does that mean that it's forbidden in this contest to have a different skill prerequisite even if it's more thematically relevant to the item? If anyone could give me a ruling on this I'd greatly appreciate it - I'd hate to write in a fantastically appropriate skill and be disqualified for not following the rules!

Thanks, and wish me luck!

I believe the spellcraft, craft, or profession limitation is only for the check to actually create the item. There's no restriction on what skills can be used for prerequisites to make an item (such as requiring 5 ranks in stealth to make an item that granted bonuses to stealth, etc.

Oh, and good luck!

[Sean K Reynolds]

Joel is correct.

[Sir Ophiuchus]

JoelF847 wrote:

I believe the spellcraft, craft, or profession limitation is only for the check to actually create the item. There's no restriction on what skills can be used for prerequisites to make an item (such as requiring 5 ranks in stealth to make an item that granted bonuses to stealth, etc.

Oh, and good luck!

Ah, okay. So it's not necessary to include what skill may be used to create an item in its description - that's determined by its type and chosen (if applicable) by the maker - but it is possible (though not mandatory) to specify an additional skill requirement the maker must have in order to be able to craft it.

Thanks so much, that makes a great deal of sense!

[Sir Ophiuchus]

Got one other query that's probably not worth making a new topic for:

Wordcounting my submission draft in OpenOffice gives 299 words, but doing so in Microsoft Word gives 291 words. This is, presumably, due to differences between them as to what is considered a "word".

Is there a particular wordcount pattern accepted as official for the competition? I'd hate to think I had nine words to play with if necessary then get disqualified because the judges were applying a different system.

Thanks.

[Neil Spicer]

If you check the "Advice for Round One" thread, I answered this exact question when I discussed word count. ;-)

[Sir Ophiuchus]

NSpicer wrote:

If you check the "Advice for Round One" thread, I answered this exact question when I discussed word count. ;-)

Oh, wow, thank you! I have been reading and enjoying your advice, but I managed to completely overlook that. Very, very good to know.