Yeah I'm recajiggering it a bit, I actually am not for off from it being a good River Kingdoms Archetype as I thought of a tie in to one of the River Freedoms...
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I wanna write a book about this archetype. It's so face-smashingly obvious to me that I cannot believe it hasn't already been done, but it hasn't even made anyone's list of obvious River Kingdoms archetypes, so I have a tiny bit of hope. Kingmaker is my jam and the twist could not have made me happier.
Sorry, Garrett. I already wrote this archetype up.
:p
(j/k Happy New Year, and best of luck if you advance!)
I had 2 archetypes already done BEFORE the twist. The 1st which i really like is very class specific but has nothing to do with the river kingdoms - and there's no way to tie it in without completely rebuilding it; and the 2nd is so cliche, that even tho it fits the twist perfectly, i fear it'd get lost in a sea of mediocrity and rejected.
So back to the drawing board for me.
I had to re-do a bit of flavor, but I was able to fit my preferred archetype into the River Kingdoms. I had to edit some crunch so I could add more fluff so it makes more sense, but I think it's going to be well received. It's a bit of a twist on the twist, but should be OK.
My primary idea is starting to take shape, but it is still way to early to call it a first draft. The holidays have been devoted to family time, but I'll be sure to get a draft together before tbe Top 32 are announced, if nothing else then because I gave a major project at work that culminates right before the riund entries are due.
Fortunately, I believe I have found an idea that is perfect for the River Kingdoms twist.
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My very first idea was a genie summoner for the summoner. When the twist was revealed I had to scrap that notion, now I need to find a place to put that first idea because I'm quite enamoured with it.
My actual submission is well within the River Kingdoms and one that I think people will get mileage from outside the river kingdoms as well.
My very first idea was a genie summoner for the summoner. When the twist was revealed I had to scrap that notion, now I need to find a place to put that first idea because I'm quite enamoured with it.
Kind of like this?
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I've drafted it, but there's a hole right where the Superstar part needs to fit.
What to do if your archetype works across two classes?
Do I pick one and risk reviewers saying "ah man, it should have been..."
Or should I gamble and at the end of each ability swap say
"This ability replaces abc for class a and def for class b?"
Funny question I know but my concept fits both classes I'm looking at equally well.
I'm with you Anthony. One concept can go one of two different classes (maybe three). Another concept works better with class A, but class B fits the River Kingdoms. None of mine feel worthy of being written up as SuperStar yet though. :P
I think you've got to pick one.
What to do if your archetype works across two classes?
Do I pick one and risk reviewers saying "ah man, it should have been..."
Or should I gamble and at the end of each ability swap say
"This ability replaces abc for class a and def for class b?"
Funny question I know but my concept fits both classes I'm looking at equally well.
The only thing I would suggest is to select the class with least number of archetypes.
What to do if your archetype works across two classes?
This came up for me, too. I got my answer when I reread the Archetype entries for previous contests. I found that the judges sometimes dinged an archetype for missing the point of the base class or diverging too far from its essential features.
So, when in doubt, I decided to opt for the class whose core abilities were most consonant with the play-style and player appeal that I envisioned for my archetype. Basically, I tried to avoid the situation where somebody picks my archetype and then is disappointed to find that they don't get all the cool stuff that makes them love the base class. No oracles without curses, no paladins without a stringent moral code, etc.
Another relevant observation from past contests: People like to be surprised. If you do it well, an archetype for an unexpected base class seems to be able to win people over. Consider, for example, the saboteur ranger and the houndmaster cavalier.
I got completely stomped in 2011 by the archetype round. It's rough if you're unprepared.
What to do if your archetype works across two classes?
Do I pick one and risk reviewers saying "ah man, it should have been..."
Or should I gamble and at the end of each ability swap say
"This ability replaces abc for class a and def for class b?"
Funny question I know but my concept fits both classes I'm looking at equally well.
Pick one and run with it. You might be inclined to blaze new formatting ground, but, making a whole new format is risky. It may feel clever, but it's more likely to dilute the overall result. Build a strong entry, not a quirky entry and you have a better chance of advancing.
From someone who made the mistake of "being too clever" in 2011, that's what I would advise. Of course, you could execute better than I? :D
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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What to do if your archetype works across two classes?
Do I pick one and risk reviewers saying "ah man, it should have been..."
Or should I gamble and at the end of each ability swap say
"This ability replaces abc for class a and def for class b?"
Funny question I know but my concept fits both classes I'm looking at equally well.
There actually is a precedent in an official source. The Seeker archetype can be used with both the oracle class and the sorcerer class. You get exactly the same abilities at the same levels, though of course you lose different abilities. But it certainly is risky to try that in RPGSS because the Seeker is presented as two separate archetypes which is something you cannot do in this contest.
On the other hand, sometimes you have to take risks. I distinctly recall a bit crazy individual creating a summoner archetype that ditched the entire eidolon class feature and let you apply evolutions to yourself. It was also the only archetype to get 5/5 points from Ryan. Now what was the name of that crazy fellow again...
Bottomline is, if you try something crazy, you better make sure it is a really damn awesome archetype. (Cf. #27 in SKR's round 1 advice.)
Have a couple I've been working on though my pessimism is killing me.
Where would I go to find entries/winners from last year?
Adam, go to the main Superstar page. Below the table with the schedule, you should see Subforums, including the previous years. Click on the year and then you can click on the Open Call: Design a Wondrous Item forum (or any other round you want, obviously).
I have made one, and fiddled around with a few others.
Before you submit an archetype that alters two classes, you should reread the first sentence of the R2 rules.
Design an interesting class archetype in 450 words (a set of alternate class features for a specific class, not for a specific race) for use with one of the 11 core classes of Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, the 6 base classes presented in the Advanced Player's Guide, the magus class presented in Ultimate Magic, or the gunslinger class presented in Ultimate Combat.
Presumably he is referring to the word "one" about halfway through.
309 words now finalized. :D
2 abilities left to finish spit and polish on.
Will likely come in at a final word count of around 400 words, so nicely within word count.
Should be play testing next game session, so all is looking good for being ready should I be lucky enough to make the top slots.
I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.
I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.
Mojo > Idea > Grammar
Don't forget, grammar can be fixed, I certainly hope that is true - don't lose heart.
I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.Mojo > Idea > Grammar
Don't forget, grammar can be fixed, I certainly hope that is true - don't lose heart.
I though that grammar errors are auto-rejected for Top 32. If that's not the case there may still be hope for my item.
I though that grammar errors are auto-rejected for Top 32. If that's not the case there may still be hope for my item.I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.Mojo > Idea > Grammar
Don't forget, grammar can be fixed, I certainly hope that is true - don't lose heart.
I think if it's only a couple, most of us probably wont notice (I have clunky turns of phrase quite often), so yes, if it's only a couple, you should be fine.
It's when your item looks like reverse polish pidgeon english written using the reflection of a wonky hall of mirrors mirror that it becomes an issue.
Is there a preferred/provided template for this, or will it just be a bulleted list?
I missed it if one was posted.
Is there a preferred/provided template for this, or will it just be a bulleted list?
I missed it if one was posted.
Click the superstar logo to go to the main superstar page, then in the small box to the right, you will see a round 2 rules link. Click that and the template is yours :)
I though that grammar errors are auto-rejected for Top 32. If that's not the case there may still be hope for my item.I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.Mojo > Idea > Grammar
Don't forget, grammar can be fixed, I certainly hope that is true - don't lose heart.
A typo wouldn't get you auto-rejected, but if an entry reads so poorly that it's hard to understand exactly what it does, then yeah, that doesn't fair well.
A typo wouldn't get you auto-rejected, but if an entry reads so poorly that it's hard to understand exactly what it does, then yeah, that doesn't fair well.I though that grammar errors are auto-rejected for Top 32. If that's not the case there may still be hope for my item.I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.Mojo > Idea > Grammar
Don't forget, grammar can be fixed, I certainly hope that is true - don't lose heart.
I used a plural instead of a singular, and omitted to add a pronoun to a sentence. I reworded the last bit at submission, partly because the formatting wouldn't translate well, and ended up with the mistake.
I'm no judge, but from my point of view you are fine. :)
Oh wait I am a judge, sort of.
However the listed errors could be enough to identify your item, I hope you get this while you can still edit this post.
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I though that grammar errors are auto-rejected for Top 32. If that's not the case there may still be hope for my item.I've kinda given up. There are two grammar errors in my submission. That's likely not gonna fly.Mojo > Idea > Grammar
Don't forget, grammar can be fixed, I certainly hope that is true - don't lose heart.
Nah. I was reading through last year's Superstar and he's got some funky wordage going on too. A bunch of the judges didn't even want him to progress to the Archetype round, and look how far he ended up going!
As long as you follow the basic rules (of which perfect grammar is not one) you still have a chance.
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I'm on my fifth draft of my labor of love archetype, with a few more in the works. I'll probably develop and release my runner up archetypes that I don't submit to the competition on the forums.
I feel reaaaaally good about my archetype advancing to round 3, I don't know if my item will get me there though.
Eeep 448 words!
That was the final tally of my fifth revision >.<
It's now in my "leave it for a few days" place waiting my play test reports from next week and feedback from all my kind reviewers (you know who you are, so many many thanks in advance).
Now, back to some more voting.
I'm at 441. I'm going to try to squeeze in some more flavor text, since it will be helpful to explain the apparent oddness (but actual sense) of my archetype. :-P
I think there is a way to squeeze even more wordage in, but it would be require re-naming my archetype. Decisions, decisions...
I'm no judge, but from my point of view you are fine. :)
Oh wait I am a judge, sort of.
However the listed errors could be enough to identify your item, I hope you get this while you can still edit this post.
Well, I can't edit it anymore, but I think its vague enough.
I checked the wikia for the river kingdoms, something caught my eye and after developing that into an archetype I am done for now. If I make it to the top 32 I can finish it with the provided access to more detailed info. Also still have 100+ words available to spend on fluff.
Did some editing, added fluff, 447.
I was holding back from drafting an archetype since historically working in the 2nd round submission has only led to frustration. :P
However, an idea struck me so I decided to write it down. Still missing the introductory paragraph and some of the fluff, but I think it looks good overall. I've still got 62 words to spare.
*jealous of low word counts*
I've got one that's in the 440s, but the other one, which has really grown on me, has to trim more flavor than I want to get under count. Though I just came up with another idea that I plan to write up tonight. That *feels* like it'll be a lower count, though who knows.
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I'm still reading Guide to the River Kingdoms for ideas as well as working out what boxes need to be ticked to make an archetype superstar-worthy. I printed out all the judges comments from the 2011 archetype round and there's lots of subtle (and not so subtle) advice in there. A lot of of the top 32 that year struggled; where as this time with a lot more experience and advice around, I think competition will be fierce.
Best Regards
Herremann the Wise
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I'm still reading Guide to the River Kingdoms for ideas as well as working out what boxes need to be ticked to make an archetype superstar-worthy.
Same boxes as always, I'm afraid:
1. Have a really cool idea.
2. Don't make any mistakes.
Well I found a way to incorporate my idea into the River Kingdoms, and it works quite well. It took some research, but I think I got it down.