Congratulations! Very flavorful item. One of the questions I have is a matter of range. Could an npc convince/deceive a pc into inspecting a number of "goblin skulls" for whatever reason and then have an unlimited range suicide switch on that pc? if it was a wizard/sorcerer( for mage hand ) they could even move the skulls to an undisclosed location and be able to kill the pc from anywhere in the world... Or other planes of existence! Because there is no save on the 5d6 even a relatively high level character who was convinced/conned into touching a few skulls has a pretty good chance of dying.
This is correct as per the item-as-written, and a damned good point. If I had the luxury of editing, I would say that someone who touches a skull bomb gets a 'bad feeling' about it, or some other intuitive warning as the weapon attunes to them.
I might also say that two skull bombs explode when they touch each other, to reduce bag-o-bombs cheese. I WAS sort of planning on their occasional use as magical traps, but you're right, the potential for dastardliness there is probably greater than I first imagined.
I find that I honestly do not like this item. :(
Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8
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If this were in my game every fire immune creature would be mass producing them, either through the item creation or just finding HD1 creatures to herd into goblin skull bomb concentration camps.
It's too cheap to make, and renewable. Can't say I like this at all from a "my players will exploit these." or even heck, "I as a DM would exploit this" view.
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RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
aka Bats Kabber
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I like this item and I can see why it made the cut. It set me to thinking all kinds of craziness, right away.
If my party had this item:
I would be way too tempted to push the PC's back with a surge of bad guys or set them up with a little ranged back and forth action. After they used this item, I'd have my bad guys pick up the newly made skull and hurl it back at them. If a party member dies, they could use it again. It'd be like a morbid, flaming snowball fight. I'm not saying that's a problem, I love to watch a party TPK themselves. It's like RPG Darwinism.
If I had it, well, let's see.
Can you fit an alchemists fire in its mouth and then rig it to fall on the next thing to come through the door? I don't like taking chances. (sub in a flask of acid if the skull does not stack with A-fire)
Another question: If used to kill a swarm of rats do you get a bunch of little skulls to use or just one little one? Because I could really use a bag full of Rat Skull Bombs.
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You had me at the name, nearly lost me in the description, but pulled me back at the end.
There seems to be a disconnect between the two descriptions of "last touched". "If you drop it, you get burned, but if you throw it, the target gets burned" is what you were clearly aiming at.
Does it need to discuss crushing damage when in a backpack? The description seems to imply that striking the "ground" is what sets it off. How is the top floor of a three-storey building the same as the ground, but different than falling on your backpack?
Anyways, my goblin tribes now have a new weapon/party favor.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I like em! It's very goblin, very nutty, and very amusing. The infinite replication thing bugged me at first, but I think they work fine as long as people realize "Hey, we're playing a D&D game where we're adventuring heroes" and not a demented industrialization simulation.
Perhaps only goblins can make them - there are certainly other magic items with a "creator must a be a ..." component, and that's why nobody else does.
Overall: Lunatic fun and mayhem!
You had me at goblins fighting over grenades. Well done. I'll be looking for your stuff in the next round.
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8
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I like em! It's very goblin, very nutty, and very amusing. The infinite replication thing bugged me at first, but I think they work fine as long as people realize "Hey, we're playing a D&D game where we're adventuring heroes" and not a demented industrialization simulation.
Perhaps only goblins can make them - there are certainly other magic items with a "creator must a be a ..." component, and that's why nobody else does.
Overall: Lunatic fun and mayhem!
Valid points, but I'm only commenting on what I read/was written.
It's called a 'goblin skull bomb' because goblins usually make it (even if it's a horse's or dog's skull). Anyone who comes across the creation process can make them, though; someone earlier mentioned bigger goblinoids making them and giving them to goblin minions just to laugh at the carnage, which is a fantastic idea.
My first draft of the item actually hinted that the item was invented by some outside party, as an elaborate ploy to help depopulate goblin villages.
Now, I could see efreet or salamanders mass producing these to an extent (with a supply of real goblins to use as skulls, because that's how salamanders roll), but keep in mind that a scroll of scorching ray at caster level 7 (i.e a pair of 4d6 ray attacks that can hit the same target, accurate to 40 feet with no range penalties) is only 350 gp. A theoretical 'scorching raygun' (like that but usable by anyone) would only be 700 gp. The main advantage of the skull bomb is that it might replicate, but only if they're terrorizing creatures much lower than their CR.
If you want to chuck skullbombs, being numerous and disposable is a much bigger advantage than being immune to fire. In fact, it's actually an advantage that goblins AREN'T immune to fire, because frankly, the bomb is worth more than the goblin is. If Muk lobs one and misses, then Tuk can pick up his skull and try again a round later.
Another question: If used to kill a swarm of rats do you get a bunch of little skulls to use or just one little one? Because I could really use a bag full of Rat Skull Bombs.
You wouldn't be considering some kind of pneumatic steam-tech machine gun that fires flaming skulls, would you? ;)
Whether or not the rat swarm counts as a single creature or not for this purpose is up to your dm, but the text says that it only leaves behind one (possibly very small) pile of ash and a single skull, no matter how many skulls the 'creature' in question had.
There seems to be a disconnect between the two descriptions of "last touched". "If you drop it, you get burned, but if you throw it, the target gets burned" is what you were clearly aiming at.
That is correct, and it's because the ground doesn't count as a 'creature'. If you throw it and it hits a wall, you were the last person to touch it (unless, of course, said wall happens to be alive). Does that make sense?
Does it need to discuss crushing damage when in a backpack? The description seems to imply that striking the "ground" is what sets it off. How is the top floor of a three-storey building the same as the ground, but different than falling on your backpack?
This is a very good point, and yes, it's one I dodged. One might also imagine a character falling off a ladder and shattering all the alchemist's fire in his backpack (not good), but it's not something the core rules cover so I saw no need to go there for the skull bomb.
In MY game? Oh yea. A character with one of these in a backpack (which wasn't also an extra-dimensional space) would be gulping every time he fell prone.
Thanks again to everyone for the kind words. And if any does get around to sticking one of these in a game (which is definitely the best response I could have possibly hoped for), I would LOVE to hear about how it went down and what your players thought of it.
I think this item has some creative flair, but it's mechanics and costs do not match well.
to me it seems a nice item for a homebrew campaign, nothing to be published in this shape and form.
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While the visual of a bunch of goblins bumbling around and immolating each other was good for a laugh (out loud, even), I'm not really in love with the item itself. It almost feels more like a gag, than an item, although the judges clearly didn't think so (since a profound distaste for gag items was expressed earlier).
On the one hand, the Necklace of Missiles provides a precedent for fireball-type items forming fiery attacks of less than 5d6, and a 3d6 version of this item could be neat. (Although a lesser version would be even less likely to propogate itself...)
On the other hand, the mechanic doesn't really excite me. The last toucher immolates, even if he's thirty feet away from where it breaks? Perhaps having the immolation effect roar up like a reversed flame strike in the 5 ft. square it lands would be a more intuitive (to me, anyway) effect, thus allowing it to still possibly immolate it's holder on a fumble (if he drops it, or it fails a save while in his possession).
The skull possibly creating a new skull is awesome, and I love the idea, and the image of a bunch of piles of ash surrounding a single charred skull, but, given the damage it does, this would occur fairly rarely (at 5d6, average damage is 18ish, and even a goblin has sixteen hit points before reaching -10).
It was actually my intent that someone killed by fire damage a round or two after the hit (i.e, from failing their save and catching fire) would still immolate, since that damage was part of the skull bomb's effect, which would greatly increase its chance of replicating.
But no, the item doesn't say that explicitly; it's really one of those fiddly things that might be best left to DMs.
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It was actually my intent that someone killed by fire damage a round or two after the hit (i.e, from failing their save and catching fire) would still immolate, since that damage was part of the skull bomb's effect, which would greatly increase its chance of replicating.
But no, the item doesn't say that explicitly; it's really one of those fiddly things that might be best left to DMs.
I was just noticing this upon re-reading it after my post, and I would have assumed that the continuing damage would count as well, although it's not explicit.
Anywho, very amusing concept, and I love the visual in the last sentence.
Thanks! :)
Edit:
Smurf! Trying again...
This item is well-priced and offers some interesting mechanics. I do agree with the judge's remark that only a completely insane caster would make one... but that's still not much of a reach in a fantasy setting.
The humor factor is a big plus for me, since I like a game that's a bit heavier on comedic content than average. The "goblin gonzo" definitely worked in your favor this time. It might not be enough in round 2, though.
More entertaining than watching dumb goblins light each other on fire with these, though, would be a player's reaction when he decides to throw one at an enemy - and then misses. <evil grin>
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Okay, what happens when you toss one of these into a tightly packed crowd, and the skull bomb hits/touches several people at the same time? Do they all get burned? Or do you randomly determine an absolute 'last man/woman touched' and only they take damage?
Mostly, I'd expect this to be the case when dealing with a Swarm, which is hundreds or thousands of critters that 'count as a single creature.' Do you end up with a tiny little bug-head-sized skull bomb? Or a handful of scorched bugs all fused and burned together that acts as the new 'skull bomb?' :)
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
aka Benchak the Nightstalker
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Okay, what happens when you toss one of these into a tightly packed crowd, and the skull bomb hits/touches several people at the same time? Do they all get burned? Or do you randomly determine an absolute 'last man/woman touched' and only they take damage?Mostly, I'd expect this to be the case when dealing with a Swarm, which is hundreds or thousands of critters that 'count as a single creature.' Do you end up with a tiny little bug-head-sized skull bomb? Or a handful of scorched bugs all fused and burned together that acts as the new 'skull bomb?' :)
That is a really cool image.
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The first thing I thought when I read this, other than "cool," was the raise dead vs resurrection.
This seems way way too cheap for a targeted fireball with the end effect of a destruction spell.
maybe if the body was charred and the head became very fragile, thus easily detachable. That would give the possibility of a PC or NPC dying this way and having raise dead cast on them if the battle turns against the goblin head thrower's favor.
My initial thought was that burning a body wasn't a big deal (after all, anyone can do that if the goal is to avoid resurrection). But after all these comments I'm starting to come around; that might have been too harsh a penalty to (perhaps unexpectedly) inflict on a PC.
On the other hand, if you as a DM would even consider using this item then you're already playing pretty hardball.
I like the concept. It seems kind of powerful for a goblin-made magic item, at least as how goblins are portrayed in Pathfinder. I'm not keen on the miss and auto-injure yourself. I'd be more inclined to go with using normal grenade rules and auto-injuring yourself if your attack roll is a 1. Overall, a fun concept.
Aura faint evocation; CL 6th
Slot -; Price 1,200 gp; Weight 1 lb.
An ember glow lights the beady eyes of this blackened, burned out goblin’s skull. It is very brittle and shatters if dropped on solid ground. When a skull bomb breaks, the very last person to touch it bursts into a raging magical flame, automatically suffering 5d6 points of fire damage and also catching fire should he fail a reflex save (DC 13). If this kills a creature his body burns away in one round, leaving behind only a pile of ash and the victim’s blackened, burned out skull: a new skull bomb, just as deadly as the first. If the target survives the effect or doesn’t have a skull (or if the skull is shattered before touching a creature) then the skull bomb is simply destroyed without being replicated.
A skull bomb can be hurled at a foe (range increment 10 feet for a medium or smaller creature’s skull). On a successful ranged touch attack the skull shatters against and immolates the target; on a miss it dashes upon the ground and it is the thrower who suffers the flames. Touching the skull with gloves or handheld tools still counts as “touching” it, but it can be safely moved with spells (such as mage hand or telekinesis) or struck with ranged weapons.
Goblins love and covet these weapons, but they also delight in watching other goblins drop or fumble them. A dozen goblin warriors might turn each other to ash while bickering over a single skull bomb.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Flaming Sphere; Cost 600 gp
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka JoelF847
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Great job making the top 32! This is a great item, with lots of flavor as well as a nifty new mechanic. Great fit with Golarion goblins. What I like most about the item is that it creates stories on its own. If you run into some enemies using some of these, that tells you something about who you're facing and you can prepare to deal with a completely insane and sadistic leader of those enemies.
The first thought I had after reading through this was adding a mechanic of catching the thrown bomb, turning it into a very deadly game of hot potato. Even if you don't use this in a standard combat, I can see a goblin chief forcing prisoners and some of his tribe who have displeased him to start throwing this at each other, and catching it if they're the target, until someone misses or fails to catch it.
The only tiny mechanical flaw was mentioning mage hand, as previously pointed out. I don't see an issue with the reforming nature, based on the price and the limited capability to kill foes with these other than low level mooks. As for the destroying the body and negating the use of raise dead, as you mentioned, it's easy for an enemy to do that without magic, and not only that, but at the level range this item is likely to kill someone, they're not very likely going to be able to afford a raise dead spell anyway.
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Contributor
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Boxhead
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I think if ever get around to running Burnt Offerings again, these are just the thing to get the fear of goblins into players. Very evocative item with an extremely interesting twist. I mean, if the self-propagation and penalty to the user weren't there, it would probably be one of the most bland items out there.
Looking forward to more zaniness like this.
Hahaha, now this sounds like a fun item.
I keep envision some goblins playing the most deadly game of hot potato ever.
Congrats on making the top 32!
Whether or not the rat swarm counts as a single creature or not for this purpose is up to your dm, but the text says that it only leaves behind one (possibly very small) pile of ash and a single skull, no matter how many skulls the 'creature' in question had.
If the bomb kills a Medium or Large creature (or even larger perhaps) would the new skull do proportionally more damage because of its greater size than the original small one? I could see a team of goblins pitching in to drop an ogre skull from a great height on some poor schlep.
Congrats on getting in. I could see this one being a lot of fun in messing w/ a party...
I don't really feel this one, and doubt I would put it in a game I was GMing, but it is still wonderfully creative, and you certainly deserve your top 32 spot Hydro, Great Job! Good Luck as you continue on!
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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On the other hand, if you as a DM would even consider using this item then you're already playing pretty hardball.
I would totally use this on the party, in particular if for some reason I wanted to use goblins against a mid-level party. This is a nice way to make the players take them seriously. Of course they also get to see goblins self immolating which is amusing as well. It turns what would otherwise be a cakewalk into something a little scary. Personally, I think that is the perfect way to introduce these to the group.
... hot potato ...
I was SO tempted to try to cram in rules for this!
I scrapped the idea because there are no similar rules for catching alchemical weapons (so why should there be for the skull bomb?), but I like Joel Flank's idea of including it as some kind of deadly minigame outside of normal combat.I would totally use this on the party, in particular if for some reason I wanted to use goblins against a mid-level party. This is a nice way to make the players take them seriously. Of course they also get to see goblins self immolating which is amusing as well. It turns what would otherwise be a cakewalk into something a little scary. Personally, I think that is the perfect way to introduce these to the group.
Glad you think so! That's just what I was trying to do- extend their usability as foes a little deeper into the mid levels. I wanted another way to make them dangerous and unpredictable without necessarily adding class levels.
Thanks yet again to everyone who's taken a moment to comment, especially those of you who have dug deep with your criticism and made me really examine my thought process. That's worth a lot to me.
Oh, so much fun. I think out of all the Golarion-fluffed items this round, this does one of the best jobs of capturing the Golarion feel. And it does that without making a single Golarion-centric reference, which is really quite impressive. Not sure I'd ever have a character who'd want to use one, but I'm thinking it could be worth being hit by one at least once as long as I got to see a goblin go BOOM along the way first. Another one of my favorites this round. Great stuff.
I love the imagery in this item, and can't wait to see your R2 monster up!