True, Charles, but still I am getting a vibe is is a minor artifact and not a wondrous item. Anyhow I do need to dive into the creation rules a bit more they are a little diffident then 3.5
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True, Charles, but still I am getting a vibe is is a minor artifact and not a wondrous item. Anyhow I do need to dive into the creation rules a bit more they are a little diffident then 3.5
indeed
it gets more the feel of an artifact (even if limited) than a wondrous item... without the "limited wish" it would certainly be a wondrous item.. but without much charm.
Developer
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8
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My item was the "cloth of the blind crusader" - forgive me for not posting it myself, as I am not currently at my home computer.
I gather from the "common items" thread that this one was probably rejected early due to being a blindfold which allows the wearer to see through other means, but I'm curious to see what the judges had to say and how much they thought about it before rejecting it. Looking over the accepted items this year, I also think it would have helped for my item to have done something more "new" with the mechanics.
I'll refrain from discussing more because you guys won't see the item until Clark has a chance to post it. (Thanks, Clark!)
Okay, never mind, I am able to post it from home now! I would appreciate any feedback that anyone has. Thanks! Here it is:
Aura moderate enchantment and divination, faint necromancy; CL 12th
Slot eyes; Price 20,000 gp; Weight -
Description
This seemingly mundane strip of pure-white cloth is infused with powerful oath-binding magic. If an oath is willingly sworn by the wearer while the cloth is worn as a blindfold, the wearer becomes bound by a geas/quest spell to fulfill the oath. Once it is activated, the wearer may not remove the blindfold and is rendered blind. Attempts to remove the blindfold or otherwise grant the wearer sight automatically fail.
So long as the wearer is not suffering a penalty from the geas/quest, the cloth grants them supernatural perception, determination, and endurance to aid in fulfilling the oath. The wearer gains blindsight with a range of 30 feet. Within this range, the wearer “sees” through magical illusions. (Normal blindness penalties are incurred beyond this range.) The wearer also becomes immune to harmful compulsion spells and effects, exhaustion, and fatigue; does not need to eat or drink; and becomes fully rested and able to prepare spells each day after two hours’ rest.
The cloth remains active until the oath is fulfilled, the wearer is slain, or the cloth is destroyed. It has hardness 5 and 60 hit points. Any effect which normally removes geas/quest also ends its effects. If the oath has no specific end-point, the effects last for twelve days. Unless it is destroyed, the cloth retains its properties and may be used again.
If the wearer or his allies willingly destroy or deactivate the cloth while its effects are active, the wearer is permanently blinded and may never reuse the cloth. This affliction may only be removed by miracle or wish.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Endurance, Iron Will, blindness/deafness, geas/quest, true seeing; Cost 10,000 gp
Anybody willing to give their opinion/input on my item?
(Can be found on the second page of the posts near the bottom)
I would like any and all feedback.
Thank you
Protector’s Ink
This leads to lots of unfun shenanigans. The BBEG who marks a gargantuan zombie, kept in his lair very far, far away is essentially immune to everything until you chew through his zombie proxy. However, once the PCs do defeat him, they get to do it themselves.
It's a neat idea but it's plot-device grade
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback...I guess my item is really more of a "plot device." (No pun intended.)
Ed
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32
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Star Voter Season 9
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Here's mine Clark. Please give me feedback. It can only improve my submissions. I'd like to hear from others as well.
Kerchief of Vanishing
Aura moderate Conjuration; CL 13th
Slot -; Price 23,400 gp; Weight —
Description: This beautiful 3 ft x 3 ft silk cloth resembles a lady's scarf or a gentleman's fancy pocket handkerchief. When an object is wrapped up in it's folds and the command word is spoken, a diminutive or tiny object can vanish to another location as per a teleport object spell. User cannot teleport living creatures or magical forces nor can he send objects to the ethereal plane with a Kerchief of Vanishing. Since usual mishap chances apply, owners of these magical kerchiefs will typically vanish valuable items to locked chests in familiar locations.
Construction: Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, teleport object; Cost 11,700 gp
Author's note: I adjusted the price of this item dividing it by 7 due to the restricted use of the teleport object spell. Here's my work: 7 (spell level) x 13 (castor level) x 1800 (command word effect) = 163,800 / 7 = 23,400 gp. This makes it on par with high-end medium wondrous items -- which is about the calibre appropriate for it.
Please tell me what you think.
Wyrmwyrding Talons of Tiamat
Aura: moderate evocation
CL: 10
Slot: hands
Price: 60,000 gp
Weight: 1 pound
Description:
These gray gauntlets of dragonhide are prized by eldritch knights and arcane tricksters. They provide the wearer with a +2 competence bonus on caster level checks and concentration checks. These gauntlets also have 5 charges that renew each day at dusk. These charges can be spent as a free action to activate one of two abilities.
First, the wearer can spend between 1 and 5 charges and gain the benefits of the Great Cleave and Whirlwind Attack feats for 1 round. This also energizes any weapon wielded by the wearer for 1 round, granting it one extra die of damage of each of the following: acid, cold, electicity, fire, and sonic. The amount of extra damage depends on the number of charges spent, as follows:
1 charge: 5d4
2 charges: 5d6
3 charges: 5d8
4 charges: 5d10
5 charges: 5d12
The second power of the gauntlets is used when the wearer casts a spell or uses a spell-like effect. Spending 1 charge while casting a spell or using a spell-like effect transforms it into a supernatural ability. The save DC of this supernatural ability is 10 + 1/2 the user's caster level + the caster's relevant spellcasting ability modifier. This supernatural ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity, is not subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or dispel magic. It doesn't function in antimagic areas. It does not have any verbal or somatic components, but the caster must still provide any expensive material component.
Construction:
Requirements: Combat Casting, Craft Wonderous Item, Heighten Spell, Spell Penetration, color spray, haste, shocking grasp.
Cost: 30,000 gp.
Here's mine Clark. Please give me feedback. It can only improve my submissions. I'd like to hear from others as well.
Kerchief of Vanishing
Aura moderate Conjuration; CL 13th
Slot -; Price 23,400 gp; Weight —Description: This beautiful 3 ft x 3 ft silk cloth resembles a lady's scarf or a gentleman's fancy pocket handkerchief. When an object is wrapped up in it's folds and the command word is spoken, a diminutive or tiny object can vanish to another location as per a teleport object spell. User cannot teleport living creatures or magical forces nor can he send objects to the ethereal plane with a Kerchief of Vanishing. Since usual mishap chances apply, owners of these magical kerchiefs will typically vanish valuable items to locked chests in familiar locations.
Construction: Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, teleport object; Cost 11,700 gp
Author's note: I adjusted the price of this item dividing it by 7 due to the restricted use of the teleport object spell. Here's my work: 7 (spell level) x 13 (castor level) x 1800 (command word effect) = 163,800 / 7 = 23,400 gp. This makes it on par with high-end medium wondrous items -- which is about the calibre appropriate for it.
quick question, did you include that authors note in your submission? If so you should know that the judges have said in the past they do not like it when entrants explain their pricing schemes and such like that. Otherwise, it appears that your item is just a teleport object spell in a can, which is likely what killed your entry.
So if you ask for it, get ready to get it. :)
Sure ;)
What about the Easy Jug ?Sorry, I did not save the BBCoded stuff...
Thanks a lot anyway.
Please tell me what you think.
Wyrmwyrding Talons of Tiamat
Based upon the name I thought it would be some kind of dragon bane item, but it isn't. wyrmwyrding is quite a mouthful by the way.
'This also energizes any weapon wielded by the wearer for 1 round, granting it one extra die of damage of each of the following: acid, cold, electicity, fire, and sonic. The amount of extra damage depends on the number of charges spent, as follows:
1 charge: 5d4
2 charges: 5d6
3 charges: 5d8
4 charges: 5d10
5 charges: 5d12"
one extra die of damage vs 5d4+??? is it 1d4 or 5d4? if it is 5d4 then that looks like a lot.
What I suspect is that the extra damage was the add-on you thought was necessary for this item. Your second power and the competence bonus are themed nicely but the extra damage dice and feats don't jam as well together.
So a good item, but I think you went too big with the feats and extra damage dice.
Darky read on after your bolded part... it is one extra die of each of the energy types, that equals 5 dice all together.
All in all I think that smilodan's item is probably undercosted for an item that allows you to whirlwind attack with an additional 5d12 points of damage added to it, even if it is only once a day (Spending all 5 charges at once)... additionally I would have thought there would have been requirements of the other energy types in order to represent their damage, as it is only shocking grasp is used... so why does this item also do fire, cold, sonic, and acid damage in addition to electrical? I can see where the item is headed, and think it had promise, but just missed slightly.
RE: Cane of Ages
My first thought is that this seems an awful lot like a staff.
My second thought is that I had to read some of it about three times to fully grasp it, especially the bit below the minimum starting age. I might just be tired but your writing could probably be tightened up a bit.
Then finally, it seems a bit of a niche item - how many peoplea re actually playing 70 year old fighters?
Thank you very much for the input.
Certainly, I had other uses in mind than only 70 year old fighters (rogues infiltrating, wizards boosting spell DC's, disguise, etc). The bonuses (or penalties) also stack with every other spell and item in the core rulebook.
However, I take your point on the writing for "below starting age", and think you might be right about that being a problem. I had about 10 different versions of that paragraph, as there is nothing in the game that says what a child's stat mods should be. I came very close to just simply saying that you couldn't go below minimum starting age. Perhaps that would have been the wiser choice.
Or perhaps I should have seen that paragraph as a problem that couldn't be solved in the alotted word count and abandoned revising my 2009 entry (Cane of Youthful Vigor) completely.
Anyway, thanks for the evaluation. I'll try not to make that same mistake next year. If anyone else wants to sound off (including Clark), please do so.
Darky read on after your bolded part... it is one extra die of each of the energy types, that equals 5 dice all together.
All in all I think that smilodan's item is probably undercosted for an item that allows you to whirlwind attack with an additional 5d12 points of damage added to it, even if it is only once a day (Spending all 5 charges at once)... additionally I would have thought there would have been requirements of the other energy types in order to represent their damage, as it is only shocking grasp is used... so why does this item also do fire, cold, sonic, and acid damage in addition to electrical? I can see where the item is headed, and think it had promise, but just missed slightly.
Oops, but then it is broken. I probably, as a DM, could have accepted one energy die but not all five. As I said previously, this was a horrible addition to a good item.
Wizard’s Portable Lab
Auramoderate conjuration CL 9th
Slot - Price 150,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
Description
Though it looks to be a spellbook filled with arcane script, this book actually contains four connected rooms suitable for arcane research and item creation. Each room is ten feet wide, ten feet long and ten feet high. The first room has shelves upon which components can be stored. The second room contains a fully equipped wizard’s lab and the third contains an alchemist’s lab. The fourth room is a carpeted library, complete with shelves and a fireplace.Anyone who touches the book and speaks the command word is transported into the rooms within the book. Speaking the command word again causes one to exit the lab. A person can transport up to an additional fifty pounds of weight into or out of the lab in this way. Read magic allows the caster to discern from the pages of the book both the contents of the rooms and the command word necessary for entering and exiting the lab. If the book is destroyed, any living person within the lab book is immediately expelled along with anything they are carrying; all else is destroyed with the book.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Secure Shelter Cost 75,000 gp
Wicht,
I am biased when I write about your item because the first name of my item was called Mage's portable workshop, which I ended up changing it to Craft Consortium of The Gypsies. Your costing looks spot on, basically a permanent secure shelter which you added equipment, which is what I did with mage's magnificent mansion. Clark mentioned on mine it was one of many mansion items, wonder if they thought the same for yours. I think it is short, clean, and doesn't do too much stuff, problem is the costing like mine, not many but save a "few" players would ever spend that amount of money on a crafting place. Good solid item IMO, and this years contest I think everyone tried to do too much mojo which ended resulting in some really different stuff. I wonder how many mansion items there actually were.Regards
Dredan
This is an atrociously long thread! Good to see =D.
Clark Peterson: Rip me a new one!
Aura strong divination CL 12th
Slot --; Price 8,600 gp (new); 44,000 gp (aged); 150,000 gp (legendary); Weight 4 lbs.
This hefty tome is a well kept secret amongst the greatest bards and storytellers. Created to catalogue legends and vast histories, it's ability to record and retain copious amounts of knowledge is unmatched. Older tomes contain the histories of entire civilizations, and are prized collector's items. Brand new books are blank slates - capable of absorbing nearly unlimited information by listening to nearby creatures and reading their thoughts. A lorekeeper's lexicon can be used to recall this information almost instantaneously, providing it's owner with a number of benefits:
- A new lexicon contains no entries, and must travel to learn about the world it inhabits. An aged(100-500 years old) lexicon provides a +5 Insight bonus to Knowledge(history) checks, while a legendary(500+ years) lexicon confers a +10 bonus.
- Upon entering any population center, the lexicon immediately begins to record important facts from overheard conversations and the pasts of nearby creatures. This provides a +3 Insight bonus to Knowledge(local), (nobility), and (geography) checks regarding that particular area. The book must spend d3 days in the targeted community absorbing rumors, thoughts, and facts from the local populace to gain this bonus.
- The information the tome stores provides a writer with all the inspiration one would ever need, and is considered by most the true function of this item. The book provides a +3 Insight bonus on Perform(sing) and Perform(oratory) checks.
Requirements Scribe Scroll, detect thoughts, legend lore, older books must experience history, an “aged” or “legendary” tome cannot be crafted; Cost 4,300 gp(new)
This is an atrociously long thread! Good to see =D.
Clark Peterson: Rip me a new one!
Aura strong divination CL 12th
Slot --; Price 8,600 gp (new); 44,000 gp (aged); 150,000 gp (legendary); Weight 4 lbs.
This hefty tome is a well kept secret amongst the greatest bards and storytellers. Created to catalogue legends and vast histories, it's ability to record and retain copious amounts of knowledge is unmatched. Older tomes contain the histories of entire civilizations, and are prized collector's items. Brand new books are blank slates - capable of absorbing nearly unlimited information by listening to nearby creatures and reading their thoughts. A lorekeeper's lexicon can be used to recall this information almost instantaneously, providing it's owner with a number of benefits:- A new lexicon contains no entries, and must travel to learn about the world it inhabits. An aged(100-500 years old) lexicon provides a +5 Insight bonus to Knowledge(history) checks, while a legendary(500+ years) lexicon confers a +10 bonus.
- Upon entering any population center, the lexicon immediately begins to record important facts from overheard conversations and the pasts of nearby creatures. This provides a +3 Insight bonus to Knowledge(local), (nobility), and (geography) checks regarding that particular area. The book must spend d3 days in the targeted community absorbing rumors, thoughts, and facts from the local populace to gain this bonus.
- The information the tome stores provides a writer with all the inspiration one would ever need, and is considered by most the true function of this item. The book provides a +3 Insight bonus on Perform(sing) and Perform(oratory) checks.
Requirements Scribe Scroll, detect thoughts, legend lore, older books must experience history, an “aged” or “legendary” tome cannot be crafted; Cost 4,300...
I am not Clark, but I gave your item a once over and first thing I noticed is that you didn't have "craft wondrous item" under the requirements. Pulling straight from the template every entry should at least have that put in there since it was given as a template. Since this item can't be crafted and older ages, IMO you could actually take out the costing for the other age categories of the books. Very unique idea, however the costing for the new book IMO is still low, your dealing with permanent continuous effects on the book, such as detect thoughts. Detect thoughts minimum CL 3rd continuous would be 2x3x2000gp x2 (continous effect with a duration of 1min/lvl) 24,000gp, just for detect thoughts only, add legend lore and your price will be way more expensive.
Good points, very unique item that I am going to use in a campaign at a few of the local gamestores here. I can think of a ton of adventures just by having PC's use this tome. The ancient and older tomes could almost be minor artifacts with all the knowledge they could contain. I would even go so far as to say that if a player picks up a book, I would make them do either a straight up knowledge check or a perception check to find specific information they are looking for since the book itself doesn't automatically give you the information your looking for. Very nice item.
my 2c
Regards
Dredan
...This is an atrociously long thread! Good to see =D.
Clark Peterson: Rip me a new one!
Aura strong divination CL 12th
Slot --; Price 8,600 gp (new); 44,000 gp (aged); 150,000 gp (legendary); Weight 4 lbs.
This hefty tome is a well kept secret amongst the greatest bards and storytellers. Created to catalogue legends and vast histories, it's ability to record and retain copious amounts of knowledge is unmatched. Older tomes contain the histories of entire civilizations, and are prized collector's items. Brand new books are blank slates - capable of absorbing nearly unlimited information by listening to nearby creatures and reading their thoughts. A lorekeeper's lexicon can be used to recall this information almost instantaneously, providing it's owner with a number of benefits:- A new lexicon contains no entries, and must travel to learn about the world it inhabits. An aged(100-500 years old) lexicon provides a +5 Insight bonus to Knowledge(history) checks, while a legendary(500+ years) lexicon confers a +10 bonus.
- Upon entering any population center, the lexicon immediately begins to record important facts from overheard conversations and the pasts of nearby creatures. This provides a +3 Insight bonus to Knowledge(local), (nobility), and (geography) checks regarding that particular area. The book must spend d3 days in the targeted community absorbing rumors, thoughts, and facts from the local populace to gain this bonus.
- The information the tome stores provides a writer with all the inspiration one would ever need, and is considered by most the true function of this item. The book provides a +3 Insight bonus on Perform(sing) and Perform(oratory) checks.
Requirements Scribe Scroll, detect thoughts, legend lore, older books must experience history, an “aged” or “legendary” tome cannot be crafted;
And to make up for the fact that most players don't choose Knowledge skills...?
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My original submission had a few descriptive tweaks to it, but all the crunchy bits are the same (can't find my submitted version).
Clark and Sean, thank you very much for taking the time to comment on these for us. You guy somehow manage to prove over and over again that you rock.
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Aura faint transmutation; CL 4th
Slot wrists; Price 22,000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
The Bloody Bones of the Tribal Champion are commonly found among tribes of orcs and barbarians who often pass these items down from hero to hero. The Bloody Bones are a pair of foot-long bone spikes carved with runes of rage and combat, and appear to be stained with blood. The Bloody Bones are activated by impaling them through the forearms of the bearer, causing 1d6 points of damage. As the Bones are driven through the forearm, dozens of bone spikes sprout across the forearm.
Once the Bones are driven into the forearms, the bearer gains a +1d4 damage to unarmed attacks and a +4 competence bonus to both CMD and CMB. Additionally, all allies within 50 feet of the individual gain a +1 morale bonus to attacks and saves against fear.
The Bones can be removed without further damage to the bearer. If the Bones are removed, the extra bony spikes fall out like shed hair, but leave horrible scarring on the former bearer's forearms.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, bless, bull's strength, cat's grace; Cost 11,000 gp
Here's mine Clark. Please give me feedback. It can only improve my submissions. I'd like to hear from others as well.
Kerchief of Vanishing
Aura moderate Conjuration; CL 13th
Slot -; Price 23,400 gp; Weight —Description: This beautiful 3 ft x 3 ft silk cloth resembles a lady's scarf or a gentleman's fancy pocket handkerchief. When an object is wrapped up in it's folds and the command word is spoken, a diminutive or tiny object can vanish to another location as per a teleport object spell. User cannot teleport living creatures or magical forces nor can he send objects to the ethereal plane with a Kerchief of Vanishing. Since usual mishap chances apply, owners of these magical kerchiefs will typically vanish valuable items to locked chests in familiar locations.
Construction: Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, teleport object; Cost 11,700 gp
Author's note: I adjusted the price of this item dividing it by 7 due to the restricted use of the teleport object spell. Here's my work: 7 (spell level) x 13 (castor level) x 1800 (command word effect) = 163,800 / 7 = 23,400 gp. This makes it on par with high-end medium wondrous items -- which is about the calibre appropriate for it.
Here's my 2c, since you are using a command word item with teleport objectas many times as you want, your costing is way to low, I seen what you were trying to do with the divide by 7, but costing even for the cape of mountebank was figured as follows: spell DD 4th x CL 7th (minimum CL)x 1800 = 50,400/5 because you can use it once per day which gives you a cost of 10,080gp which they halved for creation price. Your item is as stated correct 163,800gp, and dividing that by 7 (is equal to .7 charges per day, or in per day useage you would get 1 useage every other day, or 1 use every 2 days). So using it unlimited even with a restricted use should be much more expensive, which is the problem with costing permanent items using high level spells. Neat idea for an item, I almost submitted an item this year called the Thieving hand that essentially used teleport object on anything the user touched, but I couldn't keep the costs below 150k, so I scrapped it instead. I like the idea.
Looks like I should've waited til later on in the thread to post! Anyway, here's my item again. I'll listen to anyone's feedback, though of course I'd also like to hear the Official Judges' feedback when they get to me.
Aura moderate abjuration and divination; CL 7th
Slot -- Price 20,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
This item typically appears as a small, leather bound book with twenty-four pages; each page is covered with a discussion of a different philosophical and martial principle. The principles concentrate on the foundations of strategy: knowing yourself and your enemy, using terrain to your advantage, and seizing the initiative. Any character who spends at least one hour reading the book may use any of the following abilities once during the next 24 hours:
Each ability can only be used once in any 24 hour period regardless of how many characters read the book, but the book does not have to be in the possession of the character who uses the ability at the time of its use. A character must be able to read the language the book is written in to be able to use this item.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, freedom of movement, divination, protection from evil; Cost 10,000 gp
Okay, on the canon side I'm not even sure that Golarion has fates.
No, you're absolutely right. It wasn't intended to tie in directly with Golarion. In fact, advice in previous years was that it was not necessary to do so and it might even be a drawback - seems the trend reversed this year. However, the notion of three Fates (spinning or not) is very resonant in most European cultures (Celtic, Norse, Greek, Roman...) and I thought it might translate well.
I have a feeling that 'reroll dice' results in PFRPG are usually made before the GM announces if the result of the action was successful. The 'It was meant to be' power of the (destined) Sorcerer bloodline which allows the reroll of certain dice rolls certainly plays that way. So with your 1/day power, you're going aganst the convention of the game rules, to say the least, and possibly opening up a whole can of worms and headaches with regard to timing for the GM.
Yep. I wanted this to do something that didn't exactly copy a class's existing power, like the sorcerer bloodline or the cleric luck domain's ability, and that would still be worth the price. Going against the standard run of things was a gamble I thought worth taking, but I can see how it might have worked against me.
I'm really not sure what pulling a spell out of nowhere once a month has to do with a deity representative of fate on Golarion like Pharasma? Or the 'tear all the threads off at once' power? I don't get the feeling that she intervenes much with miraculous fireballs from out of nowhere, or suddenly turning an enemy wizard into a squirrel.
It doesn't. It's tied to general Western European representations of the spinning fates. The three abilities represent measuring the threads, weaving, and cutting - the duties performed by the Fates Lachesis, Clotho and Atropos in the Greek canon.
The whole item has a 'I'm a minor artifact masqerading as a wondrous item' feel to it to me. Should regular spellcasters be making these things at all in their workshops?
Very fair point there. As far as the prerequisites go, you're right in saying it's limited wish coupled with wish OR miracle (I used the "or" format the PRD uses for the luck blade).
I think the "minor artifact" element certainly is a weakness, though I don't think it's excessively overpowered for its price.
That could be the nail in the coffin there, one casting of wish, miracle and limited wish is 51'500 not counting any thing else, your item seems way under priced
Err, he says 'or', not 'and'. In theory, according to his construction requirements, you only need to be able to cast limited wish to make this item....
Edit:
Though in that case it's not clear where the 'one shot' power comes from...
Pricing. Ah, this was my bugbear, but I actually made elaborate notes on pricing. What I did was use the "multiple related powers" rules of 100%, 75%, 50%, in decreasing order of price. Caster level of the item is 17.
So:
1) A casting of wish, once, by a wondrous item: 9*17*50 = 7650gp (+ 25000gp component) = 32650gp
2) A limited wish once per month (I worked out the costs, and after a while it costs the same as a once-off casting - as my proofreaders pointed out, once a month is very rare usage in a campaign in any case): 17*7*50 + 1500 = 5950gp (+ 1500gp component) = 7450gp
3) Reroll ability once per day (I priced this as a third-level spell-equivalent, based on its power level, which was a judgement call): 3(level)*17*2000 / 5 = 20400gp
TOTALS
(32650 + 20400*0.75 + 0.5*7450) = 51675gp
51675gp * 2 (slotless item) = 103,350gp
Price to create --> 51,675gp
Price to buy------> 103,350gp
Now, I know I made a small mistake with the component for limited wish, which should have been added at the end not reduced to 75% (the wish component didn't matter as it wasn't reduced), but overall it still works out about the same. Do you really think it's too cheap for what it does? Compared to buying a greater strand of prayer beads or a +4 tome/manual? I'm not trying to be defensive - these were the benchmarks I used.
Anyway, that's all my thinking on this item. Thanks so much for all your feedback and please feel free to critique my assumptions. I'll try to give my own assessments of those items where the writer has asked input from other readers ASAP.
Edit: Oh, thanks for that reference Charles! I'll definitely read it, as I'm starting up a Pathfinder game as GM at the moment. Thanks again!
Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 8
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Okay, let's see if I can be helpful.
I like the item, I really do. My concern is the Weaker Summons clogging the field and going nova with special/spell-like abilities, even with the -2 Dc. Abilities based off the creatures Constitution score(like poison) take a big hit when the Young template and the -2DC are applied, so I don't think there is much of a problem there.
But there is always the option of using the Weaker Summons as fodder and trap finders...
For something that let's you summon more or stronger monsters, I think the price may be a bit low, perhaps increasing the price to 9 or 10 thousand?
Does the Spirit Bound only work for one creature(or creature type)? Can you only summon a wolf or could you summon and eagle, spider, or lion if you had the teeth/bones of said animal?
Spell Focus(Conjuration) is needed for Augment Summoning, so that should have been in the Construction Requirements. Perhaps a certain number of ranks in Knowledge(The Planes) for arcane casters/clerics or Knowledge(Nature) for druids/rangers would be needed as well?
Hey Clark, thank you so much for your time. Everyone else can also feel free to tear this one up. One of my players really wants to use it, so I need to fix any problems with it.
Aura Moderate evocation; CL 5th
Slot --; Price 4760 gp (type I), 9520 gp (type II), 14286 gp (type III), 19040 gp (type IV), 23800 gp (type V)
Weight –
Meditation Beads of the Shocking Fist are prized by students of The Order of the Shocking Fist and the beads bear their emblems. It is tradition for mentors to bestow this prize as a gift to a favored student upon reaching a desired level or completing a sacred task. Any monk wearing these enchanted meditation beads has truly earned the respect of their elders and should be considered a force to be reckoned with.These special beads have been enhanced by magic to do more than simply help with daily meditation. When used by a character with points left in their Ki pool, these beads can store up to 5 Ki points when a character meditates using the beads for 1 hour (per point stored). A Ki point can be drawn from the beads at a later time for immediate use as a swift action. There are 5 variations of these beads, each determined by the maximum number of Ki points that can be stored.
Additionally the beads can be activated to sheath the wearer’s fists in sizzling electricity. This effect functions the same as a shock weapon and lasts for a number of rounds less than or equal to the number Ki points stored in the beads, as chosen by the wearer. Activating the beads in this way will expend 1 stored point of Ki per round and is also a swift action. If there are no Ki points currently stored in the beads, this ability will not function.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Ki Pool, call lightning or lightning bolt;
I liked this item, first thing I noticed is you didn't put the gp price in the requirements, so that is another thing besides your word count, but on to the item, it has simple yet a nice function, adding to Ki for the monk. One note, I would use shocking grasp as a requirement instead of the lightening bolt or call lightening to keep the cost of the item down. However the creation requirements needing a Ki pool makes these very hard to make because you technically would have to be a monk/3rd level caster to make the item. Functionally as an item I see nothing wrong with storing up Ki points to be used later. I would definately state that a Ki point has to be used to charge the beads. Its kinda vague on whether or not you lose the 5 Ki points if you charge the beads in that hour. I think if you had left out the first paragraph fluff, you would have been definately considered and in the keep pile for them to look over more closely. Solid design and concept. The shocking aspect isn't over the top because you have to use a stored Ki point to activate it. Good idea.
I like the item, I really do. My concern is the Weaker Summons clogging the field and going nova with special/spell-like abilities, even with the -2 Dc. Abilities based off the creatures Constitution score(like poison) take a big hit when the Young template and the -2DC are applied, so I don't think there is much of a problem there.
But there is always the option of using the Weaker Summons as fodder and trap finders...
For something that let's you summon more or stronger monsters, I think the price may be a bit low, perhaps increasing the price to 9 or 10 thousand?
Does the Spirit Bound only work for one creature(or creature type)? Can you only summon a wolf or could you summon and eagle, spider, or lion if you had the teeth/bones of said animal?
Spell Focus(Conjuration) is needed for Augment Summoning, so that should have been in the Construction Requirements. Perhaps a certain number of ranks in Knowledge(The Planes) for arcane casters/clerics or Knowledge(Nature) for druids/rangers would be needed as well?
I struggled with the price, and decided to low ball, since it is a once a day item safely then dangerous as uses go on. Plus the item's price increases dramatically as you bond the spirits to it.
As for the Spirit Bound the intent was per specfic creature. If you have the tooth of a dire wolf. Then from that point no all dire wolves summoned could be modified safely.
I left out Spell Focus, since it is a prereq for Augment Summoning, so if you had one, you already had the other. I was thinking of added a knowledge skill too, but with the word limit I axed those. Brought the requirements to a 'minimum'.
I worried a little about the spamming of young version of spell casters, but most of those are not native to the prime material plane, so it woudl be once a day, unless you took a trip to their home plane to get the bone or tooth fragement.
Since summon creatures and their body parts vanish after a spell is over, you could not summon a creature take a took to use for the ritual. Double cost to bound a high hit dice creature with a spell like ability greatly increases the cost of the item, and then in 'balances' out. At least that is how I saw it.
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Please tell me what you think.
Wyrmwyrding Talons of Tiamat
Aura: moderate evocation
CL: 10
Slot: hands
Price: 60,000 gp
Weight: 1 poundDescription:
These gray gauntlets of dragonhide are prized by eldritch knights and arcane tricksters. They provide the wearer with a +2 competence bonus on caster level checks and concentration checks. These gauntlets also have 5 charges that renew each day at dusk. These charges can be spent as a free action to activate one of two abilities.
First, the wearer can spend between 1 and 5 charges and gain the benefits of the Great Cleave and Whirlwind Attack feats for 1 round. This also energizes any weapon wielded by the wearer for 1 round, granting it one extra die of damage of each of the following: acid, cold, electicity, fire, and sonic. The amount of extra damage depends on the number of charges spent, as follows:
1 charge: 5d4
2 charges: 5d6
3 charges: 5d8
4 charges: 5d10
5 charges: 5d12The second power of the gauntlets is used when the wearer casts a spell or uses a spell-like effect. Spending 1 charge while casting a spell or using a spell-like effect transforms it into a supernatural ability. The save DC of this supernatural ability is 10 + 1/2 the user's caster level + the caster's relevant spellcasting ability modifier. This supernatural ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity, is not subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or dispel magic. It doesn't function in antimagic areas. It does not have any verbal or somatic components, but the caster must still provide any expensive material component.
Construction:
Requirements: Combat Casting, Craft Wonderous Item, Heighten Spell, Spell Penetration, color spray, haste, shocking grasp.
Cost: 30,000 gp.
someone else might have mentioned this, but I don't think tiamat is in Pathfinder... which would have gotten you insta-rejected for legal purposes( WoTC probably owns it ).
And to make up for the fact that most players don't choose Knowledge skills...?
Well that is more of a DM thing, Int check or Knowledge check we use ALL the time, if a character is trying to roleplay and figure some sort of information out, if he doesn't have the appropriate knowledge skill, then it is up to the DM to figure out whether or not he can acquire that information. Knowledge, perception, diplomacy and even linguistics are skills that are used to get information by a character be it from an NPC or figuring it out or noticing it. If your characters never use these skills, how does your DM handle when your trying to get information. Unless he is just reading from a module and everything is set in stone or you run a hack-n-slash campaign. Nowhere does it say you can't just make a straight up Int check to figure something out.
I'm not Clark, but here goes. I'm gonna see if I can't hit all the requests on this page.
It says it's arms slot, but it turns out it's no slot.
It seems to be consumable, but it doesn't say. It also took me a moment to realize that there are two CLW crystals, two CMW crystals, and one CSW crystal.
The save line is somewhat unclear about what you're saving against.
Thrown items do not use the standard ranged touch attack rules, and most characters cannot throw things 60 feet.
Hi Jared,
Thank you for taking the time to give me your perspective on my item. To be honest, I didn't think there was anything mechanically wrong with my entry. I just figured it lacked the all-important "mojo."
I should have just made it take the arms slot up and not tried to be like a necklace of fireballs. I hope my next year's entry is more creative and mechanically sound!
someone else might have mentioned this, but I don't think tiamat is in Pathfinder... which would have gotten you insta-rejected for legal purposes( WoTC probably owns it ).
WotC can't own Tiamat, she was/is a Babylonian deity, as such she is not copyrightable.
of course that doesn't mean that using her in the contest wasn't a problem as well, real world references don;t seem to go over all that well a lot of the time either.
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someone else might have mentioned this, but I don't think tiamat is in Pathfinder... which would have gotten you insta-rejected for legal purposes( WoTC probably owns it ).
WotC can't own Tiamat, she was/is a Babylonian deity, as such she is not copyrightable.
of course that doesn't mean that using her in the contest wasn't a problem as well, real world references don;t seem to go over all that well a lot of the time either.
That may be... I still don't think it's in pathfinder.
All feedback appreciated, but particularly if I did something real stupid thai I missed!
Aura Faint enchantment, moderate necromancy; CL 15
Slot Head; Price 57,000gp Weight 5lb
To outwards appearances, the Helm of Subtle Dominion (or the Subtle Helm as it's also known) is a steel open-face helm exquisitely worked with gold inlay. The helm provides a +1 armour bonus to the wearer, but its principle power lies entirely elsewhere. Once per day, the wearer of the helm may engage a target in conversation; this may be as little as a single word or a full-blown debate, but the result is the same. From the moment the first word is spoken, the victim must make a Will save or suffer the effects of the helm: a permanent -1 penalty on all Will saves, and an additional temporary (for the next 10 rounds) additional negative modifier equal to the wearer’s charisma bonus (no charisma bonus, no temporary effect). These penalties are cumulative with each other and with any previous attacks from the Helm.
The effects of the Subtle Helm are extremely difficult to detect. A successful Perception check (DC 30) when the helm is activated will reveal the patterns in the helm are very slightly shifting. Any form of True Seeing, however, will see a shimmering ghostly form launch itself from the helm’s wearer and strike the victim with a strange cleaver-like knife.
A Break Enchantment or Remove Curse (DC 20) will remove the helm’s effects. One spell is sufficient to eliminate all cumulative penalties.
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Mind Fog, Symbol of Weakness Cost 28,500gp
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someone else might have mentioned this, but I don't think tiamat is in Pathfinder... which would have gotten you insta-rejected for legal purposes( WoTC probably owns it ).
Paizo actually makes use of Tiamat in Dragon's Revisited and in the 3rd book of Rise of the Runelords, anyway as someone mentioned before... Tiamat can't be copyrighted since its a Mythical figure, and along with Zeuz, Thor, Ishtar, an Quetzalcoatl can be owned by anyone.
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32
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Star Voter Season 9
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quick question, did you include that authors note in your submission? If so you should know that the judges have said in the past they do not like it when entrants explain their pricing schemes and such like that. Otherwise, it appears that your item is just a teleport object spell in a can, which is likely what killed your entry.Here's mine Clark. Please give me feedback. It can only improve my submissions. I'd like to hear from others as well.
Kerchief of Vanishing
Aura moderate Conjuration; CL 13th
Slot -; Price 23,400 gp; Weight —Description: This beautiful 3 ft x 3 ft silk cloth resembles a lady's scarf or a gentleman's fancy pocket handkerchief. When an object is wrapped up in it's folds and the command word is spoken, a diminutive or tiny object can vanish to another location as per a teleport object spell. User cannot teleport living creatures or magical forces nor can he send objects to the ethereal plane with a Kerchief of Vanishing. Since usual mishap chances apply, owners of these magical kerchiefs will typically vanish valuable items to locked chests in familiar locations.
Construction: Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, teleport object; Cost 11,700 gp
Author's note: I adjusted the price of this item dividing it by 7 due to the restricted use of the teleport object spell. Here's my work: 7 (spell level) x 13 (castor level) x 1800 (command word effect) = 163,800 / 7 = 23,400 gp. This makes it on par with high-end medium wondrous items -- which is about the calibre appropriate for it.
Yes, I did include the author's note. I thought it was a reasonable addition rather than leave the cost analysis in question.
someone else might have mentioned this, but I don't think tiamat is in Pathfinder... which would have gotten you insta-rejected for legal purposes( WoTC probably owns it ).Paizo actually makes use of Tiamat in Dragon's Revisited and in the 3rd book of Rise of the Runelords, anyway as someone mentioned before... Tiamat can't be copyrighted since its a Mythical figure, and along with Zeuz, Thor, Ishtar, an Quetzalcoatl can be owned by anyone.
I think they can trademark the image of Tiamat as a 5 chromatic headed dragon, since that image is not from Mythology.
Tiamt in the D&D cartoons must have had 3 int and wisdom...LoL
That may be... I still don't think it's in pathfinder.
someone else might have mentioned this, but I don't think tiamat is in Pathfinder... which would have gotten you insta-rejected for legal purposes( WoTC probably owns it ).
WotC can't own Tiamat, she was/is a Babylonian deity, as such she is not copyrightable.
of course that doesn't mean that using her in the contest wasn't a problem as well, real world references don;t seem to go over all that well a lot of the time either.
Tiamat was mentioned in Pathfinder #4 (Edit: why is #3 getting the credit?), as far as I can tell, she was pulled from Babylonian mythology along with Apsu.
Now, I believe that WotC owns the description of Tiamat as a five headed dragon, each head having the appearance of one of the five primary chromatic dragons.
Besides, I don't think that not being in Pathfinder would be an automatic rejection.
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32
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Star Voter Season 9
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Here's my 2c, since you are using a command word item with teleport objectas many times as you want, your costing is way to low, I seen what you were trying to do with the divide by 7, but costing even for the cape of mountebank was figured as follows: spell DD 4th x CL 7th (minimum CL)x 1800 = 50,400/5 because you can use it once per day which gives you a cost of 10,080gp which they halved for creation price. Your item is as stated correct 163,800gp, and dividing that by 7 (is equal to .7 charges per day, or in per day useage you would get 1 useage every other day, or 1 use every 2 days). So using it unlimited even with a restricted use should be much more expensive, which is the problem with costing permanent items using high level spells. Neat idea for an item, I almost submitted an...Here's mine Clark. Please give me feedback. It can only improve my submissions. I'd like to hear from others as well.
Kerchief of Vanishing
Aura moderate Conjuration; CL 13th
Slot -; Price 23,400 gp; Weight —Description: This beautiful 3 ft x 3 ft silk cloth resembles a lady's scarf or a gentleman's fancy pocket handkerchief. When an object is wrapped up in it's folds and the command word is spoken, a diminutive or tiny object can vanish to another location as per a teleport object spell. User cannot teleport living creatures or magical forces nor can he send objects to the ethereal plane with a Kerchief of Vanishing. Since usual mishap chances apply, owners of these magical kerchiefs will typically vanish valuable items to locked chests in familiar locations.
Construction: Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, teleport object; Cost 11,700 gp
Author's note: I adjusted the price of this item dividing it by 7 due to the restricted use of the teleport object spell. Here's my work: 7 (spell level) x 13 (castor level) x 1800 (command word effect) = 163,800 / 7 = 23,400 gp. This makes it on par with high-end medium wondrous items -- which is about the calibre appropriate for it.
Thanks for your feedback, Dredan. I appreciate it. The reason I cut the cost even further than you calculate was because of the great limitations this item has reletive to a full-blown Teleport Object. Teleport Object can send into the ethereal plane (expensive) and can move objects of great size and weight: up to 50 lbs./level and 3 cu. ft./level -- that's a minimum of 700lbs and 42 cu. ft.! I greatly limited the size of teleportable objects tiny or diminutive. And it's easy for the user to know what can be sent: "Is it small enough to fit in a folded 3x3 kerchief?"
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32
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Star Voter Season 9
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James Thomas:
Ummm, I think it may have come over as a little arrogant to be telling the judges: 'This makes it on par with high-end medium wondrous items -- which is about the calibre appropriate for it.'
I think if you really wanted to explain yourself, you should have just left it at the maths (though that in itself may not have gone down well) and simply cut the last sentence.
Perhaps you're right Charles. It was not my intention to come off as arrogant... merely confident. Besides, surely the judges have no egos to bruise from the likes of me. :^ )
Thanks for your comments!|
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
aka Benchak the Nightstalker
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All feedback appreciated, but particularly if I did something real stupid thai I missed!
Night Watchmen, the first thing I noticed was, What's the DC for the Will save?
That might have gotten you knocked out right there, kind of hard to use without that info :D I like the imagery of the ghostly figure with the cleaver though!
Below are the results of the first part of an experiment I like to call “being the Judge”.
I went through the first page of items posted here and tried to compile my thoughts one every single one of them, in oder to get a glimpse of the judges' side of the competition and to help my fellow contestants with my feedback.
After I list my results I will sum up some of the things I have learned while doing so.
BRACER OF THE FICKLE MISTRESS
Many unnecessary clarifications:
It takes the wrist slot, so you can wear no other wrist-slot item, no matter how small.
You roll twice, and pick one , of course you fail if both rolls indicate failure.
Why exactly those checks? Why not ability checks, concentration checks, ..
Is it a re-roll or do you have to decide to use the item before you roll any dice? ( I assume the latter, but the no other reroll passage confused me on this)
Cats Eyes
30.000Gp and CL 5 /faint aura? that doesn't feel right.
Do they only grant lowlight vision regarding to spying or do you have it all the time you carry it around?
Just another Spy/ Crystal ball item, the backspying part is nice, but nothing great to see here.
Amulet of Idios
Slot issue: Physical stat boosters are belts, mental headbands
Design issue: this is nothing new. It is a choose your stat-boost item. Maybe nice in a big book of magic items, but missing the creative spark required for Rpg Superstar
Reliquary of the Red Death
Hmm, not sure on this one, the like a poison, but not a poison rules make me icky, yet the concept is sound and I can imagine this item in use.
If you speak the command word, are both doses activated or just one? Can you decide? Do you know if you accidentally “poisoned” yourself?
Carved Finger Bones of Obligation
this seems to be overpriced for 1/ 3days summoning 5 skeletons to guard you, because as you can afford this item these skeletons are not even good as cannon fodder anymore.
Yet you have the replacement clause, which opens a big can of worms:
Simply imagine the amount of bookkeeping you need to keep track of which creatures you have in your pouch.
Also this leads to farming: PCs trying to single out increasingly powerful creatures that the skeletons can reasonably kill ( or at least deliver the killing blow) to slowly increase the power of this item ad infinitum ( or closely, because even dragon skeletons are not that powerful)
Mask of the Devourer
What rotten meat? Is it part of the mask? any rotten meat? Do you need to make this save because of the magic of the mask , or every time anybody bites rotten meat?
Each tentacle acts as an independent being? Do they have their own initiative ? All get a full round action? What action is it to command 1 tentacle? All tentacles?
1d8 or 1d8+6 dmg ( for Strength) ? Why only by a sunder attempt? ( against the wearer or the tentacle? ) Why even kill a tentacle, when they can be spawned for free!
10 Points biting dmg? Fixed? Better base on the constrict universal monster ability.
Wow, thats many questions. They should have been answered by the item.
Also I did spot some spelling errors in there, and I'm not good at spotting those.
Strand of Beating Hearts
Can this only be created or worn by someone called victor?
Pun aside, it is not really clear, who “the victor” is.
Pricing for attack bonuses is based on bonus squared, yours is linear, so good with one heart, a full can of worms for 5 hearts.
Do the temporary hitpoints refresh, or are they a onetime benefit on donning the Strand (maybe I simply have to take it off and put it on again to gain up to 5d8+25 ( right? Less?) temporary HP. )
Are creatures with 6 or more HD immune to the cause fear effect?
15% HP, not edition appropriate, effects like these are gone from the game ( I know some late 3.5 items that dealt with below 50% hp)
DC of the Save?
Health is not a game term ( should be HP )
“save or die” - save what? A kitten? - Fortitude save? Dc?
Bane on whom? Possessor his allies, his enemies? Dc?
“Times per week as hearts in the chance (number of hearts in d20)” What? I don't get it? How often?
Again there is a DC missing for crushing despair.
4/times per month, but when?
Wow. This item does so much and every effect has it's issues. I think you know the answer on all these questions / how to resolve the issues, but the judges surely didn't know.
Bell of Lost Moments
1/day Hold Person, Mass.
So far a SIAC (spell in a can), nicely themed to the ringing of a bell.
This would be 72.000 GP so this item is greatly underpriced.
The caveat is the duration of 1d4 rounds, this makes the item less of a spell in a can, but the pricing issue still holds, the duration is less, but with hold person you get one save per round, not so much with this item.
The Memory effect is an nice addition and opens up many cool out of combat options ( like thievery ,etc) but the duration is to short and the combat use so much more powerful.
Nevertheless this is where the item really shines. Seeing it as an “freezetime” effect. Maybe change the spell to resilient sphere and make the victims be unmoving but impervious to any attempts to harm them, up the duration a bit. 1min maybe? And then you have a great item.
Meditation Beads of the Shocking Fist:
Delete first paragraph, could be considered bad backstory.
I first thought: and what how many points can each variation store exactly? But then I realized that it should be 1 point for Type 1 , and so on. The text suggests that each can store up to 5 points.
I'm not comfortable with the pricing too, but don't have a good suggestion how to price them. (lower at first, but increase more drastically? )
The effects on their self are ok, we don't have an item for storing ki points so for and the electricity effect is a nice addition. But there isn't much innovation or spark beside an obvious machnism that simply hasn't been done before (I'm pretty sure that the APG with it's first Pathfinder rules specific items will have something like this.)
Being too low on mojo to make anyone really care for the item, will get it shoved aside by those who inspire the judges or look sparkly and awesome (even if they aren't)
Cauldron of Potent Concoctions
I can not see much use for this item other than to get rid of some of the potions you found and to save some money: your example costs 350Gp opposed to 600GP for the potion of spider climb at CL 6.
CRAFT CONSORTIUM OF THE GYPSIES
A Workshop to toss around? Meh.
Also you could structure your description better. I thought: which servants, and my opinion worsened towards the item even before I reached the part about magnificent mansion, which explains the servants.
And after all it's just a fancy camping item with lots of benefits. For Superstar I want something more. Something that makes me say Whoah! Thats cool. Why haven't I thought this up before?
Joyous Flower of the Darklands
Quite a nice item.
The sentence where you explain the added use for bards is quite clunky and hurts to read.
Theres not much more to say here. Nice but not great, thats all.
Armbands of Shared Pain
Slot: Arms , not Arm Slot
I don't like the unlimited range part.
You should clarify if one item is 2 sets of armband(s), or if both people would need to buy the item.
You normally can't take a free action when another person is damaged. So it should be either an immediate action or the same as the 20 Hp ability.
Antlered Crown
Slot: Hands? ?? ??? its a crown!
How long do the antlers last? Your text only says how long the healing abilities last. But the antlers do not have any other effect than to allow for the divided healing.
Why should a non negative channeling cleric ever use this item and not his channel energy? After all it's basically a less useful version of what channel energy does (most clerics that wish to use it in combat will take selective channeling)
Eye of Thrice-Returned Malice
Thats pretty close to a spellturning in a can. And spellturning is not even in the requirements.
Distaff of the Fates
Again a rerolling item.
This is 1/day reroll
1/Month cast a single 5th level spell.
And destroy to be granted one wish.
Nothing innovative, nothing that makes me go wow.
MARBLES OF MISCHIEF
These are cool, every trickster would love them, but the mechanics could need some polishing. If anyone wants to move while under this effect they will have to make a lot of Acrobatics checks. 6 checks, one at a time for a mere 30ft of movement are a lot.
And then the marbles don't even count as difficult terrain. You can charge or run as normal with these harassing you, as long as you can make your bunch of acrobatics checks.
Having them occupy the space of the target and trying to trip it as soon as it provokes an attack either by moving or trying to stand up might be a better strategy
Clam of Infusion (lesser):
Is your item the lesser Clam of infusion or is it the whole set of items
gpv ? Gold piece value?
Is the spell removed from the clam once a pearl is infused?
This seems to be a magic item that produces magic items (the beads). That is bad.
Brand of the Unyielding Tyrant
Don't know about this one. An item that requires you to have someone subdued and completely at your whim simply doesn't float my boat. And spending 70000 gp on such an item seems pretty costly.
It might be a great item, its simply not my kind of item.
Smoker's High Hat:
Hmm I like this one, clear, simple, evocative. One Question though. If the lower half of the wearer is etheral, can he interact with the etheral plane / is he vulnerable to attacks made by etheral creatures?
Why the wall climbing part?
Otherwise great item!
Ghostfire Torch
completely negating the benefits of incorporality is a big boon and 1800gp seems to be very low priced. Since it is an area effect and lasts 10 minutes.
Can the duration be distributed among several uses? ( snuffing the torch out and lighting it again)
Perimeter Spikes
1.camping item
2.you do not specify, what the area is and how many spikes you need to use to activate them.
3.How do you combine them
4.instead of simply mentioning the greater spikes you could have statted them up with nearly no increase in wordcount.
Shards of the Devil-Mirror
were the links included in your submission? That might be bad, because it's not proper format.
The item is +10 sense motive (unusual bonus) and 1/day Vision with some restrictions and a minor drawback.
Sounds like nice but missing spark/innovation
Also there seems to be some disconnection between what your item does , why it does it and how it does it. The vision effect is you seeing in the past of the creature , yet good outsiders remain unchanged to your perception ( you haven't mentioned your perception changes) and are immune ( why? Don't they have a past? ).
I think I know which effect you want to deliver with your item, but thats me guessing not your item telling me. You should practice bringing your ideas from your mind to paper.
Boots of the Sea Treader
Nice, evocative, but reminds me of the Shift games, and whilst being reminded to a computer game might be bad, being reminded to a puzzle game surely is.
Also the applications for the upside/down power seem rather limited.
The best I can think of is a ninja sneaking through the moat of an enemy fortress . But the rest of the item doesn't have the ninja flair, which is sad.
Good item nevertheless
ARMBAND OF THE VIPER
nice, simple idea, with a good, established imagery.
“The poison effect stacks with any weapon damage, including bonus damage dice,”
-of course it does. It's poison
“does not stack with any poison that deals Constitution damage, regardless of its source. Instead, additional attacks against a poisoned opponent extend the duration of the poison by one round and increase the save DC by +2 for each successful hit”
why whit every Constitution dmg dealing poison. This makes this item much better if you also have a potent poison.
Why do you italize poison every time?
What's the cure for your poison? I assume 1 save, but your item doesn't say so.
Mantid Sac
Eww. But nice. Best item so far. But Ewww.
One Point though: normally sickened is negated by an fortitude save, not reflex.
Ankh of Energy Reversal
Hmm maybe the Mantid Sac will not hold it's best item so far title for long. I like this.
But some clarification is needed. Does the ankh affect only effects targeting the wielder or these and all that are produced by him? I think its the latter, but it's not entirely clear.
It allows you to turn the weapons of an enemy cleric against him (being healed by his negative energy burst) but comes with an drawback (he's now the only one who can heal you and your cleric buddy will harm you) but the effect is very powerful nevertheless.
Yet I don't like that neutral creatures can use it more often than others. I see what you wanted to do here, but it is seems kind of clunky and doesn't work for me.
I think the sac will hold on to the title, but this is a close second.
Circle Medallion
An amulet made for communication with other bearers of the same amulet ? Nothing new here.
Wizard’s Portable Lab
another camping item / portable workshop. I like this better than the former one, because it doesn't try to do everything/too much and I like the image of being sucked into the book
Namu’s Claddaghs
Only by reading the name this item screams overdone backstory / home campaign item so it has a bad start.
Again, is the item presented one item or a set ( price is the main concern)
Again range is an important factor.
After all way more powerful but smoother than the Armbands of shared pain.
Elemental Floor Paint
100 square feet. Better directly say 4 5ft squares. So nobody needs to do the math
the additional will save for leaving the area is weird. First you need to disbelieve the illusion to stop dying ( which is pretty hard given the low cost and high DC of the item), then you have to stand on the paint until you succeed on another will save? And how often can you make that save? As it stands you can't leave the area at all for the full 1d6+6 hours if you fail once.
This is immensely powerful. Spill the paint on a city street and watch the carnage.
Cloak of the River
Simple, nice item. But too simple and too nice for Superstar quality.
Also you should have state that it's a 10ft increase
And you say it's a cloak but it doesn't use the Cloak ( shoulders) Slot. Watch out for things like this.
Ashes of Memories Lost [b]
“Failure means that the ability to cast a random spell prepared by the spellcaster (or random unused spell slot if the subject casts spells spontaneously) is lost for the next 24 hours”
Hah, I spotted passive voice. I can do it !
Your submission reads like an enumeration of sentences that piece by piece each reveal one information about your item. Try to get them together in one coherent text.
Why NPC Spellcasters? What is so special about them?
[b]GHOST SCOUT GOGGLES
Scouting item. Plain and honest.
But where is the fun in sneaking and scouting if there is next to no risk involved.
Do you make sound or scent? Sounds weird, but I'm not a native speaker.
Hunter’s Moon
Nice.
But very limited. In most situations where you have sight of your quarry you can confront it easily or keep up with it. At least if you are a skilled hunter ;)
definitely one of the better items so far.
things I have learned:
- Grab the attention:
the sheer number of entries is daunting, and the Judges have to review many many items each day. In order to come out at the Top you need your item to stick in their heads. Be creative, be unique. A good, evocative Name is the start. If the judges sees the name and thinks: “Cool, I want to know what this is” you are halfway there, you have that extra bit of attention, just make the best of it.
- Don't give them a reason
simple direct rejects are a necessity in this contest. While I was reviewing the 40 items above over 40 posts were added to this thread, and it was a tiring job to compile some thoughts on every item. And that just were 40, imagine rating 1000 entries.
So as a Judge if an item gives you a reason to kick it out and doesn't make up for it with something AWESOME you kick it out. The earlier you can progress to the really good items.
– Stay simple, stay clear
as a Judge you don#t have the time to try to figure out what each item does or should do. If it is ambiguous or too complicated they will more likely leave your item than spending some extra time to figure it out .
This can be tested very easily. Give the item to someone who has no or only a very basic grasp of the rules and let them read your item. If they can tell you what your item does after reading it your good.
-don't play nice, don't play safe
Same as grab the attention. There are very many items that are nice and sound. So if you play safe you and up in the “Nice, but nothing more” bunch. You need “Mojo” and you need “Gonzo” ( which sometimes is just the same, and sometimes not) you need to make an impression. Even a negative one is better than none. More than one item that was deemed horribly broken by the judges made it in the previous Top 32, those that failed to impress but were mechanically perfect often didn't.
Pfew. Now I need some rest. But I will continue with this experiment. Phase 2 will be page 2 , but my comments will surely shorten over time. As I adjust to the needs of a Judge.
Feedback on my feedback is always welcome!
One thing to add to the above.
After doing this I am all the more thankful for all the work the Judges have done for us. I only had a tiny glimpse of the daunting task they have just mastered. And are doing it again, albeit to a lesser degree with this thread.
Sean, Clark, Wes, you all have my highest respect.
Azmahel put on his Helm of the Judgernaut and reviewed a boatload of items...
Azmahel,
What you did there was amazing. Thanks for being part of the great community on these boards and thanks for your perspectives. I am going to try and get to reviewing some items this weekend and return the favor since people were kind enough to comment on my own but I doubt that I will come close to getting as many done as you already have. I dub thee Judgernaut-in-Training.
Pierce
I may have edited this one more time before submitting it (changing or deleting the Craft requirement,) but here is the item I submitted. Please critique it.
-Reckless
Aura moderate abjuration ; CL 7th
Slot none; Price 5000 gp; Weight –DESCRIPTION
This intricately carved darkwood whistle resembles a cricket. When the whistle is blown, the wings of the cricket flutter and the whistle emits a high-pitched chirping sound. It is considered a masterwork wind instrument for the purposes of Perform checks and bardic performance.
As a move action, the possessor may make a Bluff check to send a secret message of up to ten words to one target with a +5 competence bonus on the check using the whistle. The possessor may choose to blow the whistle loudly (base Perception DC -10 to hear), regularly (base Perception DC 0 to hear), or softly (base Perception DC 10 to hear.) The target must succeed on a Perception check with a +5 competence bonus to hear the message, but does not need to be within line of sight or line of effect. Creatures other than the target who hear the whistle may make an opposed Sense Motive check against the Bluff result to understand the message. The possessor chooses a language he knows, and any creature (including the target) must know the language in order to understand the message.
Additionally, once per day, the whistle can be used to disrupt a spell being cast with a verbal component. As an immediate action, the possessor blows the whistle at a target caster within 30’. The target must make a concentration check as if casting defensively or lose the spell.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, message, dispel magic, creator must have 2 ranks in the Craft (sculptures) skill; Cost 2500 gp
I like this however:
(1)Maybe mention the "secret messages" Bluff skill use specifically in the description, (2)I assume how loud you blow the whistle determines the distance it can be heard, otherwise why would you ever blow it loudly? (3) How is this an improvement over just using message? Is it a line of sight issue? (shouldn't the craft be something like woodworking, carving or carpentry? ...and (5) I really don't like the disruption of spellcasters effect. It could be abused I think. Perhaps another angle would have been to allow the whistle user to disrupt sonic abilities like a bard's countersong? But that would have fallen into the "giving class powers away" category. Another angle would have been to add a sound burst like attack or something to do with crickets like maybe a jump bonus. Either way it is sort of a "spell in a can". Mind you, I think all the talking down of canned spell items is overblown. Some of the most useful items in the game are canned spells.I could definitely see using something like this in my campaign with a few tweaks.
There...my two cents worth.
anthrorob
I would appreciate any feedback from the judges or from peers... It has been fantastic reading through the feedback on other items so far. This kind of training is going to make life even harder during round one of next year....
Thanks!
Companion’s Shifting Collar
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th
Slot neck; Price 12,000 gp; Weight -
These items range in appearance from simple chains to bejeweled and elaborately tooled leather bands. When the collar is worn by an animal that is bonded to an individual by a class feature, the individual can cause the animal to assume the form of another animal allowed by the class feature. For example, a druid could transform his animal companion wolf into an ape or a wizard could transform her familiar cat into a weasel. For all purposes, treat the animal’s new form as if it were the creature originally selected for the class ability. Feats, skills or tricks already possessed do not change. This ability can be used once per day and is a standard action for the bonded individual. To change the animal’s form, the bonded individual and the animal must be within line of effect or empathic contact. A change will not occur if it would be harmful to the animal (e.g. turning an airborne bat into a toad, or a submerged shark into a horse). The bonded individual can choose to keep the new form as long as desired or to end this effect at any time, but once he does so the collar’s ability cannot be used again that day. If the collar is removed, the bonded animal immediately reverts to its original form and the power of the collar will not work for 24 hours.
Requirements Craft Wonderous Item, beast shape III or baleful polymorph, creator must have an animal companion or familiar; Cost 6,000 gp