Either way I got my answer. Thanks.
See I was not very clear on whether or not NPCs got Favoured Class benefits. Though I always applied them anyways. But seeing as this is a more official forum then what I do at my table, I thought it wise to ask before I gave my villian a few too many hp or skill ranks.
And yes I am in a bit deep. I'm going to be taking a break soon. Work my physical muscles some.
Chief Technical Officer
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There is a lot of cool fluff in the Inner Sea World Guide which is not available elsewhere. Will we be breaking the NDA if we mention it? The rules only bring up the ISWG in regards to races.
You can use it, but you should be aware that some voters might well respond with a "What the #*&^ is that?" and you won't be able to answer...
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Chief Technical Officer
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It feels a more like a real assignment than some of those from previous years. Actually, my first thought for this was along the lines of:
"Oh great, we just got the art in for Villain X, and it looks nothing like him. Quick, Hindley, give me villain that matches this art and fits on the page the original was supposed to occupy. And I need it yesterday!" (James Jacobs of course sounding like J Jonah Jameson in my delusions...)
This sort of thing does indeed happen.
Also, sometimes things get cut from the product that they were originally intended for, and we don't want good art going to waste.
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Director of Brand Strategy
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Lots of design questions flying around here. While I get the desire to cover one's bases, part of the challenge here is testing your ability to get it right without hand-holding. If you make it to the top 4 and earn an assignment from us, we would rather not have to answer these questions for each and every aspect of design. Your best source of answers are existing adventures, as we apply the same style and build rules to everything. So, let's try to keep design questions at a minimum, instead focusing on specifics of the challenge itself.
My off topic advice is if you are going to use the word 'favored' in a submission, don't spell it favored with a 'u'. :-) :-) :-)
My off topic advice is if you are going to use the word 'favored' in a submission, don't spell it favored with a 'u'. :-) :-) :-)
But I like colouring in my armour.
Is there anyway to add a superscript using BBCode?
No, just put whatever it is in parenthesis following the thing.
ie. Cleave(B) to denote a bonus feat.
Is that official? I don't want to be docked for a superscript screw up…
Is that official? I don't want to be docked for a superscript screw up…
From the format question thread...
There isn't. Use (B), as in
Feats Weapon Finesse(B)
No space before the parenthesis. :)
Great! Thanks!
This seems like it might be in a vague area of the rules. Can we use feats and abilities from Pathfinder Companions? and if we used a feat from one of those would it have to be spelled out?
While I'm not remarkably hopeful to pass to Round 3, I've enjoyed crafting this particular villain.
Always good to be prepared. It's better than if you didn't and had three days to scramble.
This is true, but now I'm spoilt for choice. If I had three days to scramble I'd have to go with my gut, I'd only have them time to make one baddie. As it is, there's a week or more for me to play with and I'm starting to feel like "I'll make anther one, and then I can decide", only I say this every day.
I guess if I don't advance all this is academic. It would suck, but it would be easier.
How do I make sure another competitor doesn't pick the same portrait as me?
You can't--it's a risk you'll have to take. There are 32 portraits and only 16 competitors in Round 3, so odds are there won't be a lot of overlap.
That didn't really seem true to me. If I calculated this right (and since I'm no statistician, I could be wrong) and the portrait selection is completely random, there's only about 1% chance that there will be absolutely no overlap. Then again, just 2 persons selecting the same portrait probably isn't really 'lots of overlap'.
Precisely. Odds are there won't be "a lot" of overlap, where "a lot" of overlap is defined as an amount of overlap that is statistically unlikely.
;)
Now I see why they picked you ... You're a clever one :).
Nobody pick
Nobody pick
** spoiler omitted **
Ah. So you've selected #21 then.
Anybody else sitting home re-reading the rules, hoping it actually says: 600 words + a stat block? The simplest test stat block I've made so far still tips the scales at 200 and change words, and that's nowhere near intersting enough to use. Ah well, back to work...Yeah, this is definitely structured a LOT leaner than previous 'create a villain' rounds.I would really be struggling with this if I were in it this year. I really loved reading villain rounds from previous years, and have spent a lot of time thinking about how I would approach a similar challenge, but the days of Malgana, Bracht Darkhouse, and Gulga Cench appear to be behind us.
You're going to have to be a crafty designer, a lean writer, and a ruthless editor to pull off anything nearly that spectacular here.
All three are extremely useful skills to develop though, no matter what.
I have a question about the rules for this round:
Are we required to set the CR at class level -1 (or whatever), or can we assign CR as appropriate based on stats, HP, etc?
I have a question about the rules for this round:
Are we required to set the CR at class level -1 (or whatever), or can we assign CR as appropriate based on stats, HP, etc?
I wondered the same thing myself, but ultimately came to the conclusion that we'll be dinged by voters for going in either direction, depending on that individual voter's preferance.
I don't think either descision is a DQ-worthy offense however.
Are we required to set the CR at class level -1 (or whatever), or can we assign CR as appropriate based on stats, HP, etc?
We expect Superstar designers to know how to properly assign CRs to their villain stat-blocks. And if you're not sure, you should be consulting the Pathfinder Core Rulebook as well as previously published stat-blocks appearing in Paizo products to educate yourself as fast as possible.
Alright came across something.
Racial Heritage and Aspect of the Beast feats APG. If you selected a secondary race that had low-light vision or darkvision, would you gain the benefits of darkvision if Nightsenses were selected?
*sigh*
Gentlemen. You need to make your choices according to the rules presented to you. Take your guidance from prior years of the competition. And boldly set sail. This contest isn't about cooperative/collaborative design. Rules clarifications are one thing, but we can't answer all of these questions on how certain design decisions would play. You have your guidelines. Now we want to see how well you use them to craft something awesome.
*sigh*
Gentlemen. You need to make your choices according to the rules presented to you. Take your guidance from prior years of the competition. And boldly set sail. This contest isn't about cooperative/collaborative design. Rules clarifications are one thing, but we can't answer all of these questions on how certain design decisions would play. You have your guidelines. Now we want to see how well you use them to craft something awesome.
Spirit of the rules it is, on my question. Unless I get a official ruling on that. It was unexpected feat combo I came across while going through feats.
I recede my question regarding the template.
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
aka primemover003
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C'mon all, there is a search feature you can use to find answers like this. The rules and advice boards are filled with discussions galore on feat & class combos. These are dungeoncraft 101 questions you should know or be able to find in the core rules. When all else fails, read the directions!
--School of Vrock
At the same time I'm working on my villain, I'm also working on a speech I have to give for class tomorrow. The speech can't be longer than three minutes which puts it at about six hundred words or less. Coincidence? If anything this winter, I'm learning how to be more streamlined and efficient with my word choice.
I hope they enjoy you listing off character statistics and spells.
I hope they enjoy you listing off character statistics and spells.
I better be careful not to mix the two up!
Worse yet, I also have to deliver a group presentation on a moral leader. We picked Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma). But villains are more on my mind. I just hope I don't blur her and my villain ideas together. Could go very badly...
OK, are we going to get dinged for the "=====s" around Defense/Offense/Statistics/etc.? (Are they counted against our word total?)
I'm losing 8 words because of these things and I'm already cutting my entry to the bone.
It's technically not BBCode, but it seems messed up that something so minor is chewing up our words.
*sigh*
OK, are we going to get dinged for the "=====s" around Defense/Offense/Statistics/etc.? (Are they counted against our word total?)
I'm losing 8 words because of these things and I'm already cutting my entry to the bone.
It's technically not BBCode, but it seems messed up that something so minor is chewing up our words.
*sigh*
try deleting the spaces that separate these markers from the word between, then it should all register as one word. I doubt you can be faulted for this
I'm not finding an answer to formatting question. A magical sheild that is both a magical shield and a magical weapon, how do you label that in a stat block? +ZZ/+ZZ shield? Or +ZZ shield?
try deleting the spaces that separate these markers from the word between, then it should all register as one word. I doubt you can be faulted for this
Yeah, I can't imagine anyone will raise too big a ruckus over that. I'm just paranoid I'm going to get the word count wrong for something minor like this. (Plus the format has the spaces, which is making me anxious.)
try deleting the spaces that separate these markers from the word between, then it should all register as one word. I doubt you can be faulted for thisYeah, I can't imagine anyone will raise too big a ruckus over that. I'm just paranoid I'm going to get the word count wrong for something minor like this. (Plus the format has the spaces, which is making me anxious.)
So long as it's just us contestants commenting, I'd actually strongly encourage you not to fuse the ==== to the headers. We're all on the same playing field. Just as we all have to burn two words on "portrait #" that we wouldn't have to in a "real" assignment, so too do we all have to do the other shenanigans. Deliberately circumventing that could be veiwed as bad sportsmanship.
- just my 2 cents
True; I tend to wax verbose with descriptions and such. :) I think the 600 word limit is to more accurately reflect what a "real" assignment could potentially be. What I wouldn't give for an extra 100-150 words, though. ;)
With the length of an average stat block (even if it's not a spell caster) it's pretty tight, but things seem to be working out on my end. This really seems to be testing our ability to say as much as possible without running our mouths. I can see why they made the round this way, it's a desirable skill in a writer.
I've been making good use of my +1 keen axe of word editing. I've gotten it just about there but today and maybe even Friday, I will be employing my googles of stat block calculating to double check my work.
I just need to post this...consider it venting, if you will.
"But it was so COOL!" *deep breath...sigh* Ok, I'm better. ;)
EDIT: Ok, so this is about some really cool text that had to go so I could get under the word count. I don't think it detracts from the overall presentation...I think it added to it, though. :P
True; I tend to wax verbose with descriptions and such. :) I think the 600 word limit is to more accurately reflect what a "real" assignment could potentially be. What I wouldn't give for an extra 100-150 words, though. ;)
I see your requested 100-150 words and counterbid with just 50.
Okay, that's a lie; even if I had a thousand words I know I'd use them all up and still be plaintively crying for more.
I just started random words lower my word.
I see what you did there.
It's still a good idea for us to not be talking about how hard or easy it is to create our submissions. Or really talk about them at all. What Sean said while creating our Archtypes still applies to this round as well. Perhaps more so, now that the spotlight has narrowed to 16.
SyFy channel has a pretty cool show, Face-Off, about a special effects make-up contest. Maybe someday, they'll make a documentary about RPG Superstar.
So never did get an answer to the query about the Archetypes and their page numbers. Didn't have access to APG, been using the prd. Didn't reference a page number.