I have a question about these rules in general as they relate to the current contest:
Would it be appropriate to "report an item for breaking the contest rules" if they violate this advice in a big way? I don't mean for a minor spelling or formatting error, but an item for example that breaks #23 in a big way by giving a potential benefit disguised as a drawback, or that seems ridiculously underpriced?
I'm not going to vote for such an item obviously, just wondering if it's the sort of thing you should report as well.
I thought about this too as when I was reading these I couldn't remember which rules exactly were rules and which were suggestions. As the suggestions come with the caveat, "really kick ass ideas can ignore these suggestions", I would think that flagging things going against the advice is just spinning wheels and creating work. I am sure the people/judges will purge these through attrition if necessary.
I read a comment by a judge from last year talking about item price saying that they/he (I can't remember which one) don't/doesn't put a whole lot of stock in item price as that is something that will pass through quality control before print. I am really hoping that holds true this year and most voters think the same thing, because I definitely do not have the same sense of appropriate pricing as a very significant number of these submissions.
I really think you should clarify "breaks the rules" better.
Breaking the format IS breaking the rules...but you're saying it's okay.
Then there is other stuff that breaks the rules.
A short list would be nice, or a guideline for the judges on the log in page.
Also, it seems there is a limit on how many items you can judge before you get kicked off. It would be nice to know the limit.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
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Marathon Voter Season 6
aka Albanus
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Okay fair enough, thank you both. I only ask because I'm caught in a conundrum with two items beside each other that both have huge violations of the suggestions above and prefer not to cop out with the "vote for neither" button if this comes up a lot. I will take these points as suggestions rather than rules however, and still try to make selections as best I can.
I really think you should clarify "breaks the rules" better.
Breaking the format IS breaking the rules...but you're saying it's okay.
Then there is other stuff that breaks the rules.
A short list would be nice, or a guideline for the judges on the log in page.
There is a difference between Pathfinder rules and the Contest rules. Bad pricing, an oddly formatted stat block, missing bold tags, those don't break the Round 1 rules. They might be bad items, and you should keep them in mind when voting, but they are not automatic disqualifications.
Please read the FAQ entry I linked to at the bottom of the previous page.
Also, it seems there is a limit on how many items you can judge before you get kicked off. It would be nice to know the limit.
There is not a limit.
I really think you should clarify "breaks the rules" better.
I'll second this, but I'll add my two cents. I think you really need to rephrase the "flag this item" button to something more like "flag this item for disqualification".
Every other thread here is about things like "I flagged an item because it didn't bold the statblock" or somesuch. Seriously, you guys are normally so good with language, this little difference between "reject" and "disqualify" is really grating on my nerves, especially because so many of the people making the comments are clearly looking on the forums!
*grumble grumble*
Paragraphs....... No paragraphs and a wall of text is hurting my brain.....
I really think you should clarify "breaks the rules" better.I'll second this, but I'll add my two cents. I think you really need to rephrase the "flag this item" button to something more like "flag this item for disqualification".
Every other thread here is about things like "I flagged an item because it didn't bold the statblock" or somesuch. Seriously, you guys are normally so good with language, this little difference between "reject" and "disqualify" is really grating on my nerves, especially because so many of the people making the comments are clearly looking on the forums!
*grumble grumble*
The link currently reads "Report this item for breaking the contest rules", and asks for confirmation "This will bring this item to the attention of the judges for breaking the rules, are you sure you want to continue?."
the problem is, a lot of people have been saying things like "construction spells aren't italicized, that breaks the pathfinder rules. Report!"
Admittedly those reports have died down some, but I'm sure it happens outside the boards, too.
SKR has said if you come across an item that still needs to be reported, you should PM him with the item name for review.
Can you change an entry once its in? I got too excited and entered before reading all the rules..... =(
Afraid not. You're going to have to live with that mistake and hope for the best. And whatever you do, don't PM one of the contest judges with the revised version of your item and ask them to change it, because that breaks anonymity and disqualifies you.
Are mythic items permitted? I'm guessing they are and will be all the rage this year (quill of mythic filigree?), but I want to be sure.
Thanks.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9
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Are mythic items permitted? I'm guessing they are and will be all the rage this year (quill of mythic filigree?), but I want to be sure.
Thanks.
Nothing in the rules or FAQ says you cannot go mythic. As with any other niche ruleset, it may work for or against you in the eyes of the voters. So make it awesome! Good luck.
I personally have never used mythics. I have no idea how they work, or if they would be overpowered. I can't offer a quality opinion on whether or not an item is any good based on a mythic ability or not. I suppose that would need to change drastically should my item be selected, but I can tell you already as a voter, I am not looking forward to having to decide between an item without mythic power, and an item with mythic power.
Anyone know if Sean will be creating a new "Consolidated advice thread, v.2014" or what have you or should we be using this one?
Lucus, these suggestions have been around for awhile, so I'd just focus on them (though there's also tons of other advice and suggestions floating around the Superstar forums; I'd also look at the Critique My Item threads for lots of good advice).
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9
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I personally have never used mythics. I have no idea how they work, or if they would be overpowered. I can't offer a quality opinion on whether or not an item is any good based on a mythic ability or not. I suppose that would need to change drastically should my item be selected, but I can tell you already as a voter, I am not looking forward to having to decide between an item without mythic power, and an item with mythic power.
My advice would be to look at existing mythic items. Just as in pricing a difficult wondrous item, compare them to items of comparable price and power. The new item should be similar.
I don't think anyone should be discouraged from making a mythic item. The rules are exciting and allow for new options normally not allowable for PCs. Making a well designed and descriptive item would definitely be a good way to show off a designer's chops.
What does everybody think of making items to go with the Advanced Class Guide classes? On the one hand, that seems like a lot of fertile, untouched design space, but on the other hand, it is still in playtest until well after the contest is over.
1) No update to the advice threads by me. I started working on it, but realized it was basically the same info.
2) Mythic magic items are allowed... but, like Golarion items, some voters might not feel informed enough about the mythic rules to evaluate them, which might cost you votes.
3) I can't find the restriction on previous years against playtest content, but basically: because the rules for those classes aren't done, later design changes might break your item, so I strongly recommend NOT writing anything that ties in to the Advanced Class Guide.
What does everybody think of making items to go with the Advanced Class Guide classes? On the one hand, that seems like a lot of fertile, untouched design space, but on the other hand, it is still in playtest until well after the contest is over.
They are solid enough to play IMHO. Just be careful 'arcane exploit' will likely be around, 'flame arc' may not, at least not in the current form. EDIT: what SKR said :)
Joseph LaMothe's Ampoule of False Blood played on sorcerer bloodlines before they were out and David Ludwig's Basilisk's Eye Sight played with gunslingers before they were out. There is one that does something similar with domains, but I cannae recall it off the top of my head if that was in the first two years or not.
I believe that would be Icon of Aspects by Christopher Dudley, just last year! :)
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9
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What does everybody think of making items to go with the Advanced Class Guide classes? On the one hand, that seems like a lot of fertile, untouched design space, but on the other hand, it is still in playtest until well after the contest is over.From the
Can I refer to material in the Advanced Class Guide Playtest?
No, because it is still being playtested and we don't want anyone to jeopardize their wondrous item entry by submitting an item that uses rules that aren't familiar to all players or that may change before publication.
Gah, I knew that was posted somewhere, but I couldn't find it. Thanks, Thomas!
Lucus, these suggestions have been around for awhile, so I'd just focus on them (though there's also tons of other advice and suggestions floating around the Superstar forums; I'd also look at the Critique My Item threads for lots of good advice).
I know, I've scoured many times the forums. I just find that every year people bring up new and interesting questions (see the first set of posts from last year to this thread) and I was curious if THIS will become that thread again or if Sean would be starting a new one for everyone to ask their questions in.
Regardless, sounds like this will be it.
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I thought about starting a new thread for this year, but there's good advice here that would get buried/forgotten as it scrolled away (and having two sticky threads on very similar topics would be confusing).
Fun read.
Of course, it also confirmed that items (and spells) in the game that I've long since known to be terribly designed really are terribly designed.
A number of divination spells, spells like rope trick (and related) and the worst-of-the-worst: find the path - I'm looking at you.
They serve their purpose within the game, but that doesn't mean we need more things like them.
Indeed. (Though I dispute how much some of those items have 'served their purpose'.)
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Being a bad example of design still qualifies as serving a purpose. :)
How much those things are broken really depends on the gm and they handle them. 90% of " this is broken" issues I see are really simple to deal with as a gm even without banning them and sometimes it just depends on the campaign world.
Thought I read about this somewhere but now I can't find it, so I'll ask it here:
What's the proper "slot" term for items that have no slot? Is it "slot-less" or "none"?
Used to be an em-dash, then it changed to "none"
Used to be an em-dash, then it changed to "none"
Ah. Thank you :)
Based on what I have observed, the single most important trait you can demonstrate to the judges is maturity in the face of the criticism you will receive. Everybody is going to get some flak, even the ones selected for the top 32.
Get ready. No one is perfect and no one is going to create an item that is universally loved. Showing grace under that fire is a great sign of character and professionalism.
I find that to be the easy part.
Yeah, me to. But having read some responses to criticisms while thumbing through "Critique My Item" Threads Past, I found that criticism was not always graciously received.
I'm looking at gp cost on my first pass through, and then a gestalt vote for whether it is; well written, creative, useful etc..
some inter-planar stuff and massive game tipping effects for 2,000GP or LESS! bis this the phylene's basement black friday sale of Wondrous items or are we not looking at any indications of how to price stuff.
this suggests a need for a great handbook for future years that presents how to go about these, like a kickstarter university of wondrous item design considerations. maybe do one every year, an AP pitch paragraph for 2015, a wondrous item designer's guide in 2016 etc... it can only improve the quality of stuff for all of us, and thereby improve game-play.
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Indeed - Current Version in PDF form
It's in stasis at the moment pending the competition. I will resume editing and collation duties during the year following the competition completing, hopefully to move on to subsequent rounds as well in due course.
Wow! That's a cool piece of work.
Re: Spells in A Can, something that struck me earlier- if you're making a Spell in A Can, it shouldn't take you longer to describe your item's function than the spell you're mimicking. :p
Indeed - Current Version in PDF form
It's in stasis at the moment pending the competition. I will resume editing and collation duties during the year following the competition completing, hopefully to move on to subsequent rounds as well in due course.
This is truly impressive. Your commitment to this contest is inspiring.
Anthony, I promise that if I win I'll contribute something to your document if you would like. That is just too amazing. You Rock, oh Keeper of the Fu! :)
Indeed - Current Version in PDF form
It's in stasis at the moment pending the competition. I will resume editing and collation duties during the year following the competition completing, hopefully to move on to subsequent rounds as well in due course.
Wow! I was asking for a drink of water. And you have been working on an oceanic ecosystem of awesomeness! So far above any hope it led to the group of us gathered around the computer to jaw drop and stare at each others jaw dropped ness! What a resource!
If you sent it out, or made it available when the contest was announced the quality would be better to start with. But the last ten pairings I just judged were a much higher level of quality than much of what I saw on day one. Perhaps culling has begun or I just lucked out for a patch. Shovel, judge ten pairs and warm up with tea, lather rinse repeat.
It was linked at the start of the competition in a couple of places. I think one was in the announcement threads, and another in response to a similar question early on. I think I also linked it in the blazing 9 practice threads a couple of times prior to the competition.
Sorry if you missed it, but I did try to get it out there. I hope its useful all the same, and I will continue updating it once the competition is over :)
sorry, fault is mine i didnt see it, but i notice it now.
Ancient Inventions: wonders of the past
by peter james and nick thorpe is marvelous inspiration! Obscure and detailed ( 672 pages)
lots of great brain wake ups, some crappy ideas too like- pg.240 has a recipe for chinese bombs that explode with chemically altered excrement. from 1044AD.
Gunpowder is chemically altered excrement, very useful.
This was just a poisoned poop bomb. Eeew!