I find it interesting that the Witch carried it around openly. Carried like that the Witch was clearly using it as a defensive item, as it would mess up any raging half orc barbarians wielding greataxes that charged him/her.
Yea, absolutely it was used as a defensive item against melee attacks, I'm running a gothic horror themed campaign right now and the biggest concerns for the PCs are attacks that drain abilities/levels. On the flip side, the front line fighters did want to see it used as they take the brunt of those attacks and wanted to prevent the odds of them needing a restoration.
I might add a bit to next session, if the pugfoot causes a natural 1 to be rolled, then the pugfoot gives a violent twitch and launches itself 10' in a random direction. Not sure if that will make it feel like a cursed item or just a chaotic item, but it will help minimize the problem that Owlbear noted and I see happening in the game already in that the pugfoot will only be used to base the BBEG.
Still, the Sticky Pugfoot was my favorite item this year and I'm looking forward to the round 2 entries. Cheers!
|
Congrats on Top 32!
This was the first item I had to see just because of the name, major kudos on having the item which is the most fun fun to say aloud.
"Sticky pugfoot!"
(You know you just said it. You don't have to lie to kick it.)
As a GM, I would LOVE to put this in the inventory of a nasty bad guy for my PCs to find after they kill him and loot his body, probably some giant adept that is making soup out of the local villagers.
If it becomes a nuisance that they can't handle or think it's too weird then they can try to get rid of it (they would probably try to sell it, but any magic shop owner with half a brain wouldn't buy it unless he was certain he had a lackey to pick the thing up instead of him).
If it ends up being too powerful, then I can make it become capricious; one moment it's clinging to people, the next it's always out of reach...
Lots of ways to play with this one. That's probably what's best about it (that and the name "sticky pugfoot").
In response to Owlbearrepublic I've had a quick scan through the posts again I've come up with the following tally:Think it's cursed: 4
Think it's overpowered: 2That's quite a difference of opinion (from cursed to overpowered) and just goes to show how much perception varies between players.
It's certainly true that perceptions vary, but in this case, I agree with everybody. It's cursed and overpowered. If the party doesn't have, say, Crafter's Fortune available, this item is essentially a random encounter masquerading as treasure. If they do have that spell available and have a durable character with the mobility to use it, they're off to trounce the BBEG.
While I get why everyone likes this one, I don't. It's silly and goofy and the use in game would be limited since the higher the level the more likely they'll have a way of preventing the penalty. It's also the type of thing that looks evil and is hard to explain away. One lawful good city guard and suddenly you're under arrest for carrying an evil fetish.
You tried to explain, but you kept failing the rolls since you have the pugfoot on you, and the cleric got knocked out when he tried to cast a spell to remove the curse (the guard's a fighter, he doesn't have Spellcraft, he thought the cleric was attacking). Now they'll never let you see the king and all because you thought it was cute when it wiggled.
Thanks Eric, I love your threat analysis approach to reviewing :-)
I also think you're spot on about pushing the boundaries in round 1, but at least I knew I was doing it. I'm playing it safer in round 2 and could go either way in round 3 depending on round 2 feedback.
For some reason I keep reading Stinky Pugfoot. Perhaps it's down to my dislike of stinky pugs.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2012
,
Star Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 9
|
For some reason I keep reading Stinky Pugfoot. Perhaps it's down to my dislike of stinky pugs.
It's probably because I know a few people who own pugs that I was expecting something related to the dog breed. I was pleasantly surprised to find out otherwise.
This item is definitely old-school RPG Superstar gonzo, in a good way. You pushed the limits of the design boundaries and came away with a top 32. I honestly hope your organization keeps up with this approach.
Congratulations, Andrew!
Andrew, first of all, love your first sentence. I think this is the first wondrous item I've ever felt bad for.
I also really like the mechanic of the rolling 2d20 and taking the lower. I think that's a fun mechanic for players and GMs.
I'm not as sure I like the sticky aspects of it as much; I think that's really what sets it up to be almost more of a cursed item, but I can also seem that being fun to play with. I wonder wonder what unexpected areas a player might find it wedged in -- that could suddenly be REALLY awkward in the middle of a combat.
The sticky aspect was put in to stop the target simply plucking it off and throwing it away (thus the Tintin flashback); the impact on the normal owner was almost a side-effect - but a fun one that I decided to leave in. As the normal owner of the item knows what it does and can plan accordingly (choosing when to use it and when to carry it, or waiting for spells if desired) he has a significant advantage over the target who ends up stuck with it in the middle of combat and has no time to experiment.
I hadn't realised it would split opinion quite like it did, but its made the feedback a lot more fun :-)
I wonder wonder what unexpected areas a player might find it wedged in -- that could suddenly be REALLY awkward in the middle of a combat.
Hmmm... So you stick it on someone in combat and forget to pick it up from them after you kill them. 100' later...
"You feel a cold clammy sensation as something twitches in the back of your britches."
I wonder wonder what unexpected areas a player might find it wedged in -- that could suddenly be REALLY awkward in the middle of a combat.Hmmm... So you stick it on someone in combat and forget to pick it up from them after you kill them. 100' later...
"You feel a cold clammy sensation as something twitches in the back of your britches."
In one of the games I play in, for one of the characters that wouldn't be an unexpected location.
-X(at the time it made sense to put things there.)
The part I love about this item is picturing characters throwing it at each other like a hot potato! :) This should have been included in the We Be Goblins! module. It would be perfect! Best funny item of the competition. Good job! Love the name "Sticky Pugfoot" by the way.
I like the ‘sticky’ debuff that once someone is afflicted the only way to get rid of it is to put it on someone else, I could see a lot of fun coming from this. Only my most mischievous characters would actually want one, but they would love it and as a GM I’d love throwing it at a party and seeing what they do with it.
Ant Health Warning: this year, I really worked hard on technical execution of my item, so these reviews will likely reflect template use. Brace yourselves for the template fu - it can sting.
Template Use: 9.5/10
template fu sighs and admits defeat, well done, I feel a tap on my shoulder, template fu is smiling, and chewing on a half point. I raise an eyebrow inquisitively and template fu points at the comma separating the spells. "Comma shouldn't be italic, just the spell names!" he chews at me in his smug chewy way.
Slot affinity: 9/10
As in other reviews, with no slot, I balance the scoring with a general impression instead.
So lets, see, a nice writing style, a bit close to a cursed item, but this so obviously shows the mojo in the designer. Well done.
Just one question, what if the last creature to possess it dies? Can the body be moved more than 100 foot away? EVil GM grin here.
Abuseability: 8/10
Again, very tight, nothing springs to mind, but... evil gm thoughts... if you had two thrown at the party/npc's, would the first turn a single d20 into two and then the second turns each of those into two making it lowest of four?
In the same situation, each party uses one, so would the two areas of unluck overlay or cancel each other out?
Desirability: 10/10
I want this one both as a GM and as a player - well done.
Originality: 9/10
This just shines with mojo, I docked a point because it's more cursed item section than wondrous item section.
Ant Score: 46.5/50 (93%)
I raise an eyebrow inquisitively and template fu points at the comma separating the spells. "Comma shouldn't be italic, just the spell names!" he chews at me in his smug chewy way.
Well spotted, that's some serious attention to detail!
The effects of two Pugfoots [Pugfeet?] would overlap, so the character affected would never roll more than two d20. Pity the poor Pugwampi who lost both his feet though. The party set out looking for an invalided gremlin in a wheelchair, only to discover he got smart and now uses Olympic issue carbon fibre false feet and has a speed of 50'. And Pounce...
In the event of death the Pugfoot would become unpossessed, in the ownership sense, and would normally re-attach itself to the next person to pick it up. Otherwise the only way to use it would be to lug the body of the last adventurer around with you. And PCs being what they are, they would cut bits off the body to lighten the load, eventually whittling it down to the organ that actually defines the person who possesses it. Then they'd stick that in a jar to carry with them, and they'd be wierder than a footless gremlin barbarian. :-)
Thanks for the review!
I raise an eyebrow inquisitively and template fu points at the comma separating the spells. "Comma shouldn't be italic, just the spell names!" he chews at me in his smug chewy way.Well spotted, that's some serious attention to detail!
Many thanks - I just love it when Neil (or any judge) talks about perfection in template use and then I find something - evil grin.