Just Missed It

[Xanthum]

Good old procrastination. I guess I missed it by a few minutes. Since I can't possibly win, here is my submission. I halved the calculated price given it's very specific use. Feedback welcome.

Coin Compass
Aura faint divination; CL 5th
Slot --; Price 6,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This ordinary looking compass has a coin seated inside the lid. While the coin is in place, this item works as a normal compass, pointing toward north. Once the coin is removed, the compass needle always points in the direction of the coin within a range of 600 feet.
The coin is typically designed to look like local currency and is usually gold. A close inspection of the coin will reveal it to be false (Perception DC 15). The effect of this item is blocked by even a thin sheet of lead.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, locate object; Cost 3,000 gp

[Matthias_DM]

So...

You put the coin in Professor Snape's pocket so that you can avoid him while sneaking in the halls at night!

[Xanthum]

Yeah, it seemed like you could find lots of creative uses for it. Hand it over to robbers with other coins. Glue it to the bottom of a cart. Or just bury it your camp while you explore the wilds.

[Erik Freund]

I'm sorry dude. :-(

But I'll pretend to be a judge for you. Maybe that'll be a consolation prize?

---

You didn't italicize "locate object" in the Requirements section.

Given that it's a coin, Appraise is probably a better skill than Perception to notice it's false. (Also, what does "false" mean? An illusion? Or a forgery?)

Minor rules question: if the coin is taken beyond 600ft, where does the compass point? It seems it needs the coin present in order to point to north. So does it just "turn off"?

I can see you got the distance of "600ft" from taking CL5 and applying it to locate object: but I think this limits the utility of the item too much. Locate Object can be used to find anything you want. Since this is keyed only to the coin, I feel it should get some other boost to compensate (such as extending the distance dramatically).

Also, given the reduced utility: this object seems pretty expensive. It's not a "locate object at will" item, it's "locate this specific object I've planted." It requires a lot of user-finesse to use, and should be discounted accordingly.

Finally, it lacks a certain amount of oomph: if I was a player who got this in a treasure pile, I'd be at a bit of a loss as to why it's awesome. As a faux-judge, I've sat down and thought of some really cool ways to use it (stick it in the bank to find out who's robbing it, etc) but only because I sat down to think it through. Since you've got a lot of extra word-count to burn, why not put in a sentence about "commonly used by the guildmasters of Westcrown" just to plant a seed in the player's mind about why this is cool?

I'm not an actual judge, so take everything I say with a grain of that's-just-some-random-internet-guy's-opinion salt!

[Fraust]

Xanthum wrote:

Coin Compass

I very much like the idea, though I think it might have fallen under the technology disguised as magic thing. I also think the description could have been a little clearer, as I find myself wondering if the compas is acurate to 600 feet, which is a pretty wide margin of error for something like this, or only has a range of 600 feet, which takes away alot of the utility of the item.

I think mechanically you're solid. The price seems just a hair high to me, but then as I build NPCs and look at the pricing of most items, they almost always seem a hair high to me.

Would I use it in my campaign as treasure for the party to find? Absolutely

Would I purchase this given the opportunity for one of my characters? Probably, but it would depend on the campaign.

[Xanthum]

I filled out the template provided, so that's how it came out. I could see an appraise being used in place of perception, but I think either is valid. I had intended it as you suggest, that it "turns off" beyond 600ft. What if the coin just happened to be north of you when you got in range? My thought is that he needle would more or less just not move until it got within range. I did want it to be less expensive, I already halved it. I could see it costing even less, maybe 1/4 or 3,000gp. The limited description was probably due to trying to cram it in at the last minute, which didn't happen anyway. It's admittedly kind of niche, but I think any adventurer who understood it's purpose could find a way to use it at some point. Figuring the item out doesn't even require much of a check. Although the compass missing it's coin entirely is a piece of junk. Though a DM might leave the compass in one loot pile and the coin in a strategic place nearby.

[Xanthum]

Sure, it is much like a tracking beacon or what have you. The general use of magic can be replaced by advanced technology in many cases. What is burning hands but a magic flame thrower? Regardless, point taken. The needle points to the object in a range of Long at CL 5th. The direction is true, it's not a margin of error or a limit on accuracy.

Good feedback guys.

[+2 DRaino]

Ouch. Sorry man.

I really like this item even. It has a simple elegance of playability to it (if that's even a word). I can see a lot of parties wanting an item like this for a variety of reason's listed above. I agree that it looks a little unfinished, but I can see why. I would happily put it into a treasure bundle for PCs to see how they play around with it, or have some villain/antagonist cleverly use it nefariously. This is the kind of item that I love. Not too niche, not too caught up in itself, just simple, playable and believable.

Mind if I borrow it for my own DMing?

[Chris Gunter]

Sorry, Xanthum.

I know how you feel. I missed entry by 50 seconds!

But stay envigored, man. There's always next year.

As for your item, I think it's great. Simple and VERY useful. I think you had a good chance on substance.

I'd love to post my item, but I'm not sure if that invalidates it for next year... Anyone know?

[Erik Freund]

Chris Gunter wrote:

I'd love to post my item, but I'm not sure if that invalidates it for next year... Anyone know?

If you post it, it's no longer anonymous, and that's been a rule every year. If you're thinking of submitting (ever), don't do it.

[Chris Gunter]

Erik Freund wrote:

If you post it, it's no longer anonymous, and that's been a rule every year. If you're thinking of submitting (ever), don't do it.

Cool. Thanks, sir. I'll give a few days thought. I may just keep it for next year.

(That'll certainly give me a chance or two to better it.)

;)

[Xanthum]

On the earlier point of it becoming junk, I've thought of a revision. Instead of being keyed to one coin, perhaps it can be attuned. For example, a coin placed in the lid of the compass for one hour becomes attuned and works as written otherwise. It would stay attuned until another coin was placed in the lid. This solves the forgery issue and the becoming junk issue.

[Chris Gunter]

Xanthum wrote:

On the earlier point of it becoming junk, I've thought of a revision. Instead of being keyed to one coin, perhaps it can be attuned. For example, a coin placed in the lid of the compass for one hour becomes attuned and works as written otherwise. It would stay attuned until another coin was placed in the lid. This solves the forgery issue and the becoming junk issue.

Good change. It's in my games now whether you like it or not. It's just to cool.

It also better justifies the price.

Good work, sir! :)

[Xanthum]

Chris Gunter wrote:

It's in my games now whether you like it or not. It's just to cool.

Nice, what more could you ask for?

Maybe next year I'll make it in time with something better.

[Herremann the Wise]

Wow! It might need some cleaning up and editting but your coin compass idea was excellent! It's the type of item that as a player and DM gets me thinking and that's what this competition is all about. Please make sure you enter on time next year - excellent work.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

[Charles Evans 25]

(edited, polished, reworded for clarity, trimmed)
Xanthum:
Others have already commented on some formatting/use issues, and you've already come back with one alteration (of being able to 'attune' any coin), but, whilst this item might get into an item book, I think you'd have difficulty advancing it in this contest.

Coin Compass wrote:

...This ordinary looking compass has a coin seated inside the lid. While the coin is in place, this item works as a normal compass, pointing toward north. Once the coin is removed, the compass needle always points in the direction of the coin within a range of 600 feet...

You call your own item 'ordinary looking' and I don't think that's going to help you grab the attention of the judges. I think the item could use at least a little more 'oomph' on the descriptive front.

Items which do simple things have advanced their creators to Round 2 in previous contests, but those items have been accompanied by vivid descriptions of what the items look like, how they look when functioning, even (though it goes against one of Sean's general rules) on occasions by a potted history of who made the first such item.

'Oh for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention...' as Shakespeare writes.

And best of luck with getting an entry in (this or another item) next year. :)

[Azmahel]

I think in 2009 and maybe last year too, coin items as well as compass items were "bad item stereotypes". Yours is a well executed and limited ( maybe too limited) variant of the typical coin / Compass items it still falls into the stereotype.

So in short: It is a good item, but I too doubt it would have been enough for the TOp 32, because it does not enough to overcome i's stereotypes.