What will it be? My obscenely wild guesses...
Submit a disease! With full pathology; transmittal, gestation, symptoms(of course), history, death tolls, etc.
Or perhaps...
Create a spell! A little boring? Maybe, but I don't believe we've seen this in any previous competitions.
Write an encounter using your Round 2 monster. Include the monster's stat block.
Ha!
Last year's contest carried the "villain theme" from beginning to end. This will probably be the same: "Stat your monster" followed by "draw up an encounter or lair for your monster". Or possibly someone else's monster.
Write an encounter using another contestant's Round 2 monster. Include the monster's stat block.
Ha!
Last year's contest carried the "villain theme" from beginning to end. This will probably be the same: "Stat your monster" followed by "draw up an encounter or lair for your monster". Or possibly someone else's monster.
Ha Nic you beat me to the punch!
I was thinking that they might kick it up a notch this time. Doing just the stat block for the monster seems a little anti-climatic after creating one from whole cloth. Throwing in the extra curve of an encounter seems plausible.
Write an encounter using another contestant's Round 2 monster. Include the monster's stat block.
Yeah, maybe that too. I know they did that with the villain before.
Stating up a monster is certainly part of a game designer's duties, but I wonder if it doesn't also fall under the editor's job as well. I don't know if stating up the monster is "designery" enough for this contest. <shrug>
I was thinking that they might kick it up a notch this time. Doing just the stat block for the monster seems a little anti-climatic after creating one from whole cloth. Throwing in the extra curve of an encounter seems plausible.
I would enjoy that, as it would seem to free up round 4 for something fresh and different, but a full-blown encounter would take a lot of words. I don't know if they would spring something like that on the top 16.
I think monsters are a strong point for me. I like my monster, I would like to stat it up, and I would also like to stat up someone else's. But I also want the chance to do something besides monsters while we've got the spotlight!
I wish there were more rounds!
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
|
Well, Joe, if a writer turns in a stats for a new monster, and those stats are either off-the-mark for the Challenge Rating, or don't fit the rules of the game, or don't sync up with the encounter, then it is indeed the editor / developer's job to either (a) return the module to the writer with some words of encouragement and advice, or, if there's a close deadline, (b) align things, rework mechanics, and do the play-testing that the writer never got around to running.
--+--+-
Make a new weapon special ability!
<redacted, on the off-chance that's the next challenge>
Make a new weapon special ability!
+1 Jumping Throwing Hammer: If this hammer is thrown and succesfully deals damage, make a second attack at another target within it's range, at a -2 to attack and damage rolls.
Okay, I kind of like that. Though I see it as going on a chakram rather than a hammer.
IYEIYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEAAA!!
Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 8
|
Make a new weapon special ability!
+1 Jumping Throwing Hammer: If this hammer is thrown and succesfully deals damage, make a second attack at another target within it's range, at a -2 to attack and damage rolls.
Okay, I kind of like that. Though I see it as going on a chakram rather than a hammer.
IYEIYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEAAA!!
+5(+10, but the bonus can't go above +5).
Add the Returning/Teleporting Ability, and make Improved Jumping for more than one extra attack...
TO THE HOMEBREW RULES CREATION CENTER!!!
Make a new weapon special ability!
+1 Jumping Throwing Hammer: If this hammer is thrown and succesfully deals damage, make a second attack at another target within it's range, at a -2 to attack and damage rolls.
Okay, I kind of like that. Though I see it as going on a chakram rather than a hammer.
IYEIYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEYIEAAA!!
Zena: Fighter/Absurd "Throw Anything" Prestige Class. Maybe Round 3 is stat out a campy Saturday afternoon fantasy adventure series heroine.
Another possibility: create a super-cool Pathfinder-ish feat. Most of the PF modules I've read contain new feats, items, and monsters. My entry? Ricochet(aka Bounce Chakram).
|
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
|
Another possibility: create a super-cool Pathfinder-ish feat. Most of the PF modules I've read contain new feats, items, and monsters.
I really hope not. Not only would it be hard to "strut one's stuff" creatively with a short crunch paragraph, but there are literally thousands of feats for 3.5, most of which can work well in Pathfinder with no change in mechanics. I would feel bad adding to Feat glut.
I'd be okay with another "single mechanical element" twist, however.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
|
I like the monster encounter idea. That seems pretty plausible, whether our own monsters, or another's.
I could also see design three thematically linked spells or feats.
Oooh or something involving traps. I'd love to design a trap.
But I'm sure before this contest is over, monsters will get statted up.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
|
I was thinking that they might kick it up a notch this time. Doing just the stat block for the monster seems a little anti-climatic after creating one from whole cloth. Throwing in the extra curve of an encounter seems plausible.I would enjoy that, as it would seem to free up round 4 for something fresh and different, but a full-blown encounter would take a lot of words. I don't know if they would spring something like that on the top 16.
I think monsters are a strong point for me. I like my monster, I would like to stat it up, and I would also like to stat up someone else's. But I also want the chance to do something besides monsters while we've got the spotlight!
I wish there were more rounds!
That was a neat quality of the original contest, first that there WAS one more round, but also that every round was quite different. We were told we could take bits and pieces from other people's selections (I used a couple of magic items in my villain and encounter entries), but no one really took the plunge at going all the way with linking their entries (using their own monsters in an encounter, frex).
After the final round, looking back I somewhat wished I had thought of doing it, but at the same time during the contest I made a concerted effort to try to show different things and different ideas in each round (though in retrospect, the idea of disguised/trickerous enemies did come up repeatedly).
So you get a certain benefit in either direction, whether every round is distinct or they're all connected, but I at least was glad we had the chance to do more different kinds of things.
|
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
|
Ha!
Last year's contest carried the "villain theme" from beginning to end. This will probably be the same: "Stat your monster" followed by "draw up an encounter or lair for your monster". Or possibly someone else's monster.
This would be interesting but I'm not sure entirely fair because some creatures will be easier to stat out. I would hate to be stuck statting out a goblin or something fairly bland, sure it's easy but how do you make that shine?
I don't think they would randomly stick you with a specific monster to stat up- I think it will either be your own monster or any monster OTHER than your own.
|
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
aka carborundum
|
How? By... inventing a base class for them that can go in the Advanced Monsters Guide =D
And giving them weapons with new powers!
Identity-thief!
(Weapon drains 1d3 charisma per strike. Target's face loses it's features until it is totally blank. Just three black holes. Oh, and two small ones. Sigh, and another two at the sides.)
Nice if the targets hair drops off with the first hit - and another use for the Regenerate spell!!!
I don't think they would randomly stick you with a specific monster to stat up- I think it will either be your own monster or any monster OTHER than your own.
Also, last years round three had a 'weak concept' clause,
where even though you were assigning stats to your own creation you had the option of coming up with an entirely new villain if it was either undoable or the round 2 concept hadn't exactly inspired the masses.|
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
|
This would be interesting but I'm not sure entirely fair because some creatures will be easier to stat out. I would hate to be stuck statting out a goblin or something fairly bland, sure it's easy but how do you make that shine?
To play devil's advocate, I don't think bland entries will progress.
I think the opposite may be true: trying to stat out a really complex monster within the word limit. So someone who has a really over-the-top entry could progress based on the cool concept without having to worry about figuring out the stats of it.
My guess is the author will do the stats for his or her entry, but it will be really interesting to see what the next round truly holds.
BWAHAHAAAAA!!!
I'd be okay with another "single mechanical element" twist, however.
This is what I expect. As a part of the STATs. There is a "hint hint" in the round two rules that I take as support of this.
I don't think they would randomly stick you with a specific monster to stat up- I think it will either be your own monster or any monster OTHER than your own.
+1
I bet the word count is going to be 300 words again!Sean said they are keeping the word count the same through most of the rounds to avoid confusion so it is very likely 300 words.
I assumed that it was the overall wordcount which was staying the same (so 300 for the open call and again for the top 32, 600 for the top 16, 1200 for the top 8 and of course several thousand for the top 4).
I would be sad if rounds 3 and 4 both only gave us 300 words, but I guess it would ease the workload on the voters.
|
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
|
I bet the word count is going to be 300 words again!Sean said they are keeping the word count the same through most of the rounds to avoid confusion so it is very likely 300 words.I assumed that it was the overall wordcount which was staying the same (so 300 for the open call and again for the top 32, 600 for the top 16, 1200 for the top 8 and of course several thousand for the top 4).
I would be sad if rounds 3 and 4 both only gave us 300 words, but I guess it would ease the workload on the voters.
This may be, I couldn't find Sean's post where he talked about word count. Maybe it was just between round 1 and 2...
One of the judges kept saying that some contestants might do well in the "more prose heavy rounds" later on.
Maybe he was just referring to the adventure pitch, which yes, is a pretty big chunk of mostly freeform writing.
Then again...
I changed R1 to 300 words because I didn't want there to be any confusion in R2 about how many words competitors could use for their monster. I would hate for someone to submit a 198-word monster thinking the limit and only then find that he could have added 100 more words of cool stuff.
Oh, has that happened before? That makes sense.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
I changed R1 to 300 words because I didn't want there to be any confusion in R2 about how many words competitors could use for their monster. I would hate for someone to submit a 198-word monster thinking the limit and only then find that he could have added 100 more words of cool stuff.
I'm happy my critter/item came in under word count. "Matt may suck, but he works cheep." :P
Matthew's guess sounds reasonable to me, since all contestants received a copy of the PFCS ... it just remains to be seen if the 'design something that would fit into Golarion' task comes now or only in the final round.
|
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
,
Star Voter Season 6
|
Matthew's guess sounds reasonable to me, since all contestants received a copy of the PFCS ... it just remains to be seen if the 'design something that would fit into Golarion' task comes now or only in the final round.
I didn't, oh noes!
My guess: design one room of the Test of the Starstone.
My honest guess is a straight forward “Design A Villain” round.
That is what my instinct is, though my rationale might be off.
Matthew's guess sounds reasonable to me, since all contestants received a copy of the PFCS ... it just remains to be seen if the 'design something that would fit into Golarion' task comes now or only in the final round.I didn't, oh noes!
Matthew, please check your downloads; all Top 32 (not sure about the alts, but I think them as well) are supposed to get the campaign setting PDF.
My own guess is that this contest will follow its theme ('monsters') all the way to the end, much like the last one followed the "villain" theme.
Not that I wouldn't mind a little more variety. Last year's "Now do that again, but with stats" round struck me as a little anti-climactic.
Though I suppose inventing stats for a brand new monster WOULD be a lot more exciting than just statting an NPC.
Round 3 is called "Dance!"
It involves me firing an 1860s era Colt .45 into the dirt at your feet and you dance, pilgrim, dance!!!
