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So over the last few weeks, we've all been voting for items that we think are SuperStar quality.
For the most part we follow The Laws of Sean. Avoid voting for SAIC and SAK items. Vote for items with unique activation components or novel charging components. And we all agree that format, grammar and reasonable costs are also important to being superstars.
But IMHO there is one thing many of the discussions leave out: Mass Demand.
For me, the one truly mark of a SuperStar item, the line between cool and Wondrous, is simple—is this something that more than 1 person in the party would want?
Now the problem is that this leads to our SIAC and SAK items, so you need smart theming and novel design to plus it up. But at the end of the day, I voted for items that I could see my Fighter, my Cleric, and my Sorcerer all arguing over.
Now don't get me wrong, we've seen plenty of cool items that really are just for Clerics or really just for Wizards and we've seen some items that make the Barbarian wet his loin cloth. But the things in my mind that are the coolest are the ones that reward just about anyone that puts them on, ingests them or sprinkles them over their toes.
But I'm interested in what you guys think, do you want an item that's "Holy Crap, That's Awesome." Just for one class or type of character or do you want a "Oooh, that's pretty cool" for your whole party?
I think you have a good read on it, P33J. I would add that in addition to every party member wanting it, that it shouldn't take away from any party member who doesn't have it. In other words an item that makes some of the class features of party members obsolete or redundant. Making it so that the cleric isn't needed for turning, the rogue for sneaking, or the bard for knowledge could alienate some party members and make them feel worthless.
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IMHO, there are many different types and flavors of Superstar design. Saying "this awesome type of item is less awesome than this other awesome type of item" isn't going to get you very far. They're both awesome, and finding 32 awesome entries - with any flavor of awesomeness, and I assure you there's more than just those two flavors - is hard enough as it is.
My appreciation for superstar items is actually away from this view. I think the best items are those that give rise to (or allow new) hero concepts to be strongly characterized. Sometimes this is the case for an item that many would want - but more often than not only certain classes can really benefit from such designs.
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1) For me its can I make a scene or story around the item? check awesome.
2) Would I cream my jeans as a player to have the item? check, doing great.
3) As a GM will I regret said PC having that item in the morning? No, alright that's definately superstar.
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I saw a lot of items that were only good for one class and occasionally even a small subset of that one class. This places the item on the whim of the judge liking the class, which is not a very good idea since folks tend to like some classes and dislike others.
Also desirability is certainly a factor. Generally speaking, if players are not fighting over who gets the item, then it lacks some desirability.
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I think its a combination of what LoreKeeper said and yourself P33J.
I tend to like items that are concept oriented, that one might actually build a concept around, or is good for the whole party without being SIAC or SAK.
As an addendum to that, I like items that scale with your level, or do so for at least a good chunk of levels. I mainly DM, and the turnover rate on items can be extreme. Even ones I've created for the party, get replaced 1 level later and its like "Well shoot, I actually worked on that." I learned that lesson some time ago. The more an item has the potential to both scale to level as well as usable by many different classes, the more likely it is to remain within the party, if not the same person. And those are the items which become "old favourites" and your players remember.
I myself am wary of "everyone wants it" - it instantly makes me think, is it too good, is it munchkinism, is it something every enemy will have too - grin.
Seriously though, it is something to be wary of and look real close.
For my superstar picks, I have looked for exploring of game space in original ways, preserving game integrity and originality of ideas. A superstar needs to show all this to show me he/she is not just a one hit wonder.
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I tended to vote against single-class items if they were equal to another item in Superstar-ness, unless the concept really rocked. As to that:
I voted for a lot of slightly flawed but very creative or well explained-but mechanically skewed items over safer utility items. My reasoning is that you can teach format and mechanics, but not so much creativity or inspiration. YMMV. I only voted maybe 600 or more times, but I didn't see more than a dozen that blew me away. And some if those were so very simple, elegant and with concepts and mechanics heretofore unseen, at least by me.
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Yeah I didn't mean by "everyone wants it" to mean munchkin. I just meant something that has a mechanic that is useful anyone, no matter what class/role they are. I tend to leave class specific or character specific items, as a DM, to ones I devise myself to fit that particular character and which has some sort of developing feature (like Legendary items from 3.5).
I myself am wary of "everyone wants it" - it instantly makes me think, is it too good, is it munchkinism, is it something every enemy will have too - grin.
Seriously though, it is something to be wary of and look real close.
For my superstar picks, I have looked for exploring of game space in original ways, preserving game integrity and originality of ideas. A superstar needs to show all this to show me he/she is not just a one hit wonder.
"Preserving game integrity" +1 to that!
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I agree with others in that, "everyone wants it" also means "everyone needs it," in which case the item is probably too powerful. Now, "it is useful to everyone" is a much better hallmark, but I also think truly good items can be a little restrictive in use.
Personally, here's what I looked for when I voted:
1) What's the price? After reading the item, the first thing I looked at was the gp price of the item; its a pretty easy way to eliminate bad choices. If the price is clearly too low, then the item isn't Superstar even if its effects are awesome. The RPG Superstar is going to be designing a module, and if they can't follow the relatively simple guidelines in the Core Rulebook, I don't think they could handle that job. In the same vein, if the item is ridiculously high in price (typically more than about 50,000 gp attracts my attention) it tells me that the item is probably budgeted correctly, but the item itself is too powerful. Anyone can make a super expensive spell-in-a-can. It takes a Superstar to make an item that is awesome and affordable enough to see use in a normal campaign.
2) How close to the limit are they? Next, I always looked at the length of the entry next. I found that the really long entries were either A) trying to cram too much into their space or B) trying to cram too much world flavor into their item. Being honest, I read the first line of flavor per item and skipped the rest. I run my own campaign setting and I don't like when people try to shove too much world information into my magic items. If this was the Pathfinder Superstar, I might be more lenient but it is the RPG Superstar; in my opinion, the Superstar items are those that manage to be interesting without having to crutch themselves on other people's campaign settings. I saw many items that made fleeting mentions of Golarion deities and heroes, fishing for my excitement because they dropped a familiar name. A true Superstar will excel in whatever campaign world you put them in. Likewise, there were plenty of items that you could tell people were globing on flavor or mechanics and then gently shaving it off until they were as close to the maximum as possible. Many times those items that crammed too many mechanics were just too long, and because of their complexities they left many unanswered questions that made the item awkward. That got many items chopped from my list.
3) Does the title meet my expectations? I was really surprised how many people made items that I either A) had effects that did not match the title or B) had needlessly long or verbose names. Many people seem to think that using archaic words makes them sound smarter or cooler. When it came down to this vote, I never voted for items with ridiculous names simply because the item wasn't accessible. Pathfinder isn't written much higher than an 8th grade reading level (any editors who want to come in and correct me are appreciated) and so having an item that is near Lovecraftian in its pronunciation is out of place in the game. This isn't to say that exotic words are bad, but like I tell my elementary students mind the context clues! Your item should give me some sort of idea what it is or looks like by title alone; we know what to expect when we picture a headband, a tiara, an orb, or a pair of boots. If you're going to use a word like espadrille, be prepared to define it! (And no, I saw no wondrous espadrilles. Life can be disappointing.)
4) Does the item do something I've never seen before? I think that SKR's description of "Spells in a Can" isn't very well defined. Personally, I think that Magic Items shine when they align with the game's Magic System. After all, what more is a Headband of Intelligence +2 than a fox's cunning spell made into a constant effect? Here's the thing, though. The magic item does not say, "The character gains a constant fox's cunning effect," which it certainly could have. First, most items list out the powers they grant even if they mimic spells; an understandable exception is any item that functions as a spell that is either too wordy or grants a spell-like ability to its wearer. When you look at the headbands and belts, especially the headband of Intelligence, however, you'll notice immediately that the item has an effect that the spell does not mirror; it basically grants you skill ranks in specific skills, as if your Intelligence were actually higher. No spell gives this effect, which makes the item feel less like a copy even though they do the same thing. That's why whenever I saw an item that took a spell and did something cool or neat with it, I always voted for it if it came down to the wire like this.
Whelp, that's how I defined Superstar for myself! But I'm sure no two people did it the same way. :)
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Explosions. A Superstar item has to have a lot more explosions than the standard wondrous item. Michael Bay would win this contest hands down.
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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I think you're right that a single class item can be cool and that there can be items that are alluring to all classes that aren't munchkin. I've always thought one of the best items in the game is the Cloak of Resistance, not because it's particularly effective for my fighter or barbarian, but because its an item that the first time it got introduced, I bet everyone wanted one, but someone getting one didn't ruin the game.
But there's a reason why I called it IMHO. I'm not sure I'm right or wrong, I just know what I prefer :D
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It's not easy to define what "Superstar" is, and Alexander Augunas is probably right that no two people evaluated things the same. What it boils down to is, is it Superstar to YOU? Then you should vote for it.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8
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Making an item that everyone wants can be just as much of a trap as making an item that only one person wants. Maybe the sorcerer's the only one in the party who wants the headband of alluring charisma +2 while everyone wants the vest of all your stats get +2, but the latter is the inferior item.
Dedicated Voter Season 6
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I think you're right that a single class item can be cool and that there can be items that are alluring to all classes that aren't munchkin. I've always thought one of the best items in the game is the Cloak of Resistance, not because it's particularly effective for my fighter or barbarian, but because its an item that the first time it got introduced, I bet everyone wanted one, but someone getting one didn't ruin the game.
But there's a reason why I called it IMHO. I'm not sure I'm right or wrong, I just know what I prefer :D
This is an interesting debate. I'd been considering posting the cloak of resistance as my definition of an item that met your criteria, but that I would regard as absolutely not Superstar. I see the cloak of resistance as one of those items that has to be in the game, but has pretty uninspired design. Same thing goes for the ring of protection, ability increase items, basic magic weapons, etc. (Basically all of the Big 5) Sure there's a reason why they are in the game. The mechanical benefit is always there and always useful to your character, but Superstar? Not in my book. But, that's what makes the individual voter thinking very interesting. We all have our own views.
Marathon Voter Season 6
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I actually tend to find that if everyone wants it, it becomes mundane. I enjoy items that serve a function that may not have existed before, and may enhance a party members ability to aid the group and/or adventure. Straight combat enhancers are nice, but that isn't the only aspect of the Pathfinder gameplay. An item that allows furthering of an adventure is just as valuable as the item that makes you impervious to pain. IMO
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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Oh I would definitely say that the Cloak of Resistance is missing the flair that makes an item a SuperStar.
I would have loved to see it called the
Mage Bane Cloak (lesser).
This inky, black cape made of Imp Wing leather, swirls behind the wearer with a seemingly sentient grace. When the wearer is the target of a spell, spell-like ability or any other threat that requires a saving throw, she receives a +1 enchantment bonus to her saves.
If the cape is not used to save against magic at least 1/day it must attuned to arcane magic again. This can be done by casting a single level 1 spell that has a saving throw on the wearer, while she dons the cloak. While attuning the cloak to magic, the wearer must attempt a save against the spell, even if it is harmless.
Now, is this SuperStar? well considering I wrote this in 3 minutes and it's probably filled with errors and doesn't include any formatting, no. But the idea behind the cloak of resistance. An item that has worth for everyone, that makes you want to save up and buy it, is at its core superstar, the rest of it and again, this is just my humble opinion, just requires the right amount of polish and fluff :D
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Maybe the sorcerer's the only one in the party who wants the [i]headband of alluring charisma +2
But see I think I disagree here. Simply from the fact that it's not just a sorcerer who wants a headband of alluring charisma.
My fighter wants it, because it boosts his ability to RP and gives a nice boost to his intimidate.
My paladin wants it, my cleric, he might consider taking it to push his channels higher, Bard definitely wants it.
Wizard, probably not, but you see where I'm going. I probably made the mistake of saying "Everyone" when I really meant the first phrase, Mass Demand, or something useful for a lot of characters.
I would call the iPad an item that has Mass Demand that is SuperStar (I know I'm walking out of the rpg world lol) but think about how simple of an idea the iPad really is, I mean Gene Roddenberry had the basic idea down for it in the 60s lol. There were attempts to make it in the 80s and 90s, but it took the right "flair, design and branding" to take what was an idea that many thought was practical and an obvious evolution of personal computing and turn it into something that had Mass Demand and "WOW" factor.
I like versatility. I like items that give a small constant bonus and a big one or few a day ability. So you are always benefiting from the item, but you can also use it as a trump card when you need to. Like an item that gives +10 to speed, and once a day you can dimension door. Or +2 to initiative and once a day can use haste. stuff like that. +2 to caster level checks and once a day re-roll a caster level check. Stuff like that!
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Personally, I think a better rule-of-thumb might be this: Is every member of my gaming group going to be thrilled to see this item included in the game?
I don't need all the characters to want an item, if all the players are going, "Oh, what a cool item; I can't wait for Bruce to be able to use it!". And the GM can absolutely be included in that statement - the item should make the game more fun for him, too (Item requires half an hour of extra prep time before each session? No thanks!).
Superstar items are cool because they change the game by adding in new, exciting abilities. An ability that's appropriate for all characters is one (extremely laudable) way to do that. But:
- It can be hard to pull off, since the different classes are so diverse and used in vastly different ways.
- Many of the best "anybody can use this" items are actually more on the lines of "it doesn't matter which party member hangs on to this, so long as they've got it available," because they're items that aid the entire party.
- There's lots, lots, lots more design space which does base itself on individual classes or class-features, which needn't be ignored.
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Dedicated Voter Season 6
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Now, is this SuperStar? well considering I wrote this in 3 minutes and it's probably filled with errors and doesn't include any formatting, no. But the idea behind the cloak of resistance. An item that has worth for everyone, that makes you want to save up and buy it, is at its core superstar, the rest of it and again, this is just my humble opinion, just requires the right amount of polish and fluff :D
Polish and fluff wouldn't make the cloak any more Superstar for me. My problem with the cloak as a Superstar item is purely mechanical. The mass appeal inherent in the cloak's mechanic makes it an item that exists to fill an obvious design space and hence is not Superstar for me. Could an item with mass appeal be Superstar? Perhaps, but it better do something interesting and original from a design standpoint first.
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I don't mind items that are tailored for a class, though I do get annoyed if they exclude other classes that fit the theme. Cavalier's challenge and paladin's smite evil are pretty similar. Either could be interested in a mounted combat item. I saw a few items this year that favored one over the other when it could have included both.
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Handy Haversack is my measuring stick. It's one of the few items I'll blow the bank to buy at low levels, regardless of build, and I don't ever tire of it at high levels. It's a solid item, with an interesting twist besides just "extra-dimensional space". I'm not saying I want to see variations on it; I'm saying if there wasn't such a thing already, it would be a Superstar submission.
If you were a mage inventor, and came up with a new magic item that you could:
a) sell in a major city as fast as you could make them
b) hold a patent on, because it is not based on prior art
c) not sue or get sued by Apple for
it might be Superstar.
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Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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Now, is this SuperStar? well considering I wrote this in 3 minutes and it's probably filled with errors and doesn't include any formatting, no. But the idea behind the cloak of resistance. An item that has worth for everyone, that makes you want to save up and buy it, is at its core superstar, the rest of it and again, this is just my humble opinion, just requires the right amount of polish and fluff :DPolish and fluff wouldn't make the cloak any more Superstar for me. My problem with the cloak as a Superstar item is purely mechanical. The mass appeal inherent in the cloak's mechanic makes it an item that exists to fill an obvious design space and hence is not Superstar for me. Could an item with mass appeal be Superstar? Perhaps, but it better do something interesting and original from a design standpoint first.
So if the cloak did not exist currently in the game and some one designed it with the right fluff, you don't think it would be superstar?
Ok, I disagree but I can respect your opinion.
Adam, I love your handy haversack comparison. Here is an item that fills an obvious need for all players, what to do with all my loot and solves it in a cool manner with the right amount of fluff and crunch :)
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
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Typically for Superstar I like items that:
An item need not tick off any or all of those boxes to be a Superstar Item but to sway me they certainly help. IMO there is no secret Superstar Rosetta stone but typically we all know it when we see it.
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Dedicated Voter Season 6
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So if the cloak did not exist currently in the game and some one designed it with the right fluff, you don't think it would be superstar?
No I don't. It falls in obvious design space. They aren't wondrous items, but would you consider a +1 weapon to be Superstar? The handy haversack is closer, but awfully close to the bag of holding. The extra twist of putting the item you're trying to get in your hand probably pushes it to Superstar. The bag of holding itself which I believe came first was Superstar, especially the twists about the overload and the portable hole.
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There is no simple definition of what makes a superstar item. Maybe it's simply something that does something in a new/ novel way, or it might just be an extremely well implemented version of something.
The key to a superstar item is a combination of game flavor and well executed mechanics. It's the combination that's important. It's not too tough to come up with something that's appealing to players from a mechanical standpoint. Similarly, some people are good at writing but don't really do well with game mechanics. Making the item appealing to players but that evokes the imagination as well is the tough bit. Does the item seem like a game mechanic or does it seem like something magical. Ideally the item should be something that would sound cool in a story but works well in game too.
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Typically for Superstar I like items that:
...
An item need not tick off any or all of those boxes to be a Superstar Item but to sway me they certainly help. IMO there is no secret Superstar Rosetta stone but typically we all know it when we see it.
I cut the quote for brevity, but I wanted to mirror Andrew's statements. These were well thought out criteria that I could stand behind.
One of them that stands out the most to me is the "break the rules in a small but significant way". Wondrous items are your opportunity to do just that. In fact, Superstar items should per a comment from either one of the posts from the judges or a comment made from the panel discussion recorded and available on the messageboard. It's very easy to get stuck in a SAK or SIAC if you do not break the rules just a little.
As for pricing, Alexandar Augunas, this was also addressed by the judges. You didn't have to get it right, just don't get it wrong. Meaning, as long as the item was priced within the ballpark of similarly powerful items, you were going to be okay. This mechanic and the art that goes behind it, could be taught. It's the creativity that seemed to be more of a concern.
I kind of see the definition of Superstar as similar to when we're defining Art or Pornography. You can throw all the logic at if you want, but at the end of the day, you know if when you see it.
But that's just how I roll. I also recognize that there's a distinct difference between "good" and "I really like this". Though ideally I find that the ones I'd mark Superstar had both.
I personally like items that cater to a particular class - and dislike items that make a particular class less useful. If an item makes a party go. “Ooh, it’s a good thing we have a _____ in the party, so they can use that”, that’s not a bad thing for me. But if it makes them go, “Ooh, now we won’t need a _____, since we have this nifty item”, not so much. As a DM, I like being able to reward PC’s for playing characters that might not otherwise be as popular/enemy-munching/etc., as the other players fave choices.
And frankly, after the bazillionth +__ sword/shield/piece of armor found and distributed to the few party members that can use it, the bard/cleric/monk/sorcerer… might be getting a little annoyed. Nice to drop the occasional item that the tank can’t use.
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I play for fun, thus I judge an item 'Superstar' if it adds a significant amount of fun to my game.
It's important that the item be clever, useful, and innovative, but those qualities alone won't suffice. I saw a number of items that were all three and which failed to capture my vote--items that mimic modern technology or make adventuring safe being examples of this.
Instead, I look for items that spark my own creativity. An excellent example was that frog helm from a previous year that allowed you to pull items toward you or be pulled toward heavier items. Or that dead cat thing servant that was creepy as hell and bizarrely useful. Clever, useful, and innovative - but most of all creatively stimulating.
Everybody's idea of fun will vary, but to me any item that allows me to:
- interact with the environment in a novel manner
- challenge or further my PC's IC development
- add new outcomes to a variety of scenarios
- or contribute to the game's atmosphere and mood
- will have a much higher chance of earning my vote.
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This probably goes much deeper than the OP really intended to get, but here's my take:
Criteria for a Superstar Item (in order of importance)
Usefulness: Above all else, a Superstar item is useful. If it isn’t useful, then it isn’t anything. You can write up the best bread oven ever imagined, but characters aren’t carting around a bread oven.
Balance: Anyone can make an item that does everything/anything. But if it breaks the rest of the game, what’s the point? Consumables are the most difficult to balance and match all the other criteria, so think extra hard when making them.
Creativity: Adding bonuses is fine, but not Superstar. A Superstar item should make you want to play the game in a new way, or help you to imagine new possibilities, not just grant bonuses. Conversely, don’t slip into the trap of thinking it needs to do a whole array of different things to be excellent.
Comprehension: If we can’t understand the mechanics, then we can’t use the item. It shouldn’t take multiple reads or an encyclopedic knowledge of the rules to use an item.
Longevity: A Superstar item has playability long after a character gets it. The only exception is consumables, and even then the player should have a tough time deciding to use it as he won’t want to waste it.
Accuracy: Use the proper terms and formatting. Don’t make up new terms when standard terms already exist. Do the math, check spelling and grammar, use the layout that is expected.
Conciseness: Use only the words you need to describe the item. Describe what it looks (/smells/sounds) like and what it does; not an exhaustive history of its maker and everyone that ever touched it. Refer to well known rules rather than repeating them. But don’t be so thrifty that the item can’t be visualized.
Seriousness: A Superstar item can include light-hearted aspects, but avoid jokes or puns. Silliness should be a result of an item, not what it is based upon. Somebody in the game world went to a lot of expense to make the item, so why would it be goofy?
Fun: Creating something that is fun to use/own is actually the most important criteria. But, if done properly, fun should be the automatic byproduct of following all the other criteria.
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Contributor
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Star Voter Season 6
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It's not easy to define what "Superstar" is, and Alexander Augunas is probably right that no two people evaluated things the same. What it boils down to is, is it Superstar to YOU? Then you should vote for it.
Yep, I had this exact thought a few times while voting. Faced with two items that were of similar quality and execution, I'd find myself thinking ... "OK, which of these do I just personally think is cool? Which would I want to use, or which would I want to toss at my players to see how they'd use?"
At times, I felt a little guilty doing this, because I felt like I should be more objective when making those kind of close calls. Glad to hear others also voted for items with personal appeal!
I think we can be as objective as we want, but eventually, there is going to be subjectivity.
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8
aka Jiggy
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Usefulness: Above all else, a Superstar item is useful. If it isn’t useful, then it isn’t anything. You can write up the best bread oven ever imagined, but characters aren’t carting around a bread oven.
And even this is not an absolute, as I have a PC in PFS Organized Play who is an accomplished baker (even owns a bakery in Absalom) and has on more than one occasion actually baked things during a mission.
Usefulness: Above all else, a Superstar item is useful. If it isn’t useful, then it isn’t anything. You can write up the best bread oven ever imagined, but characters aren’t carting around a bread oven.And even this is not an absolute, as I have a PC in PFS Organized Play who is an accomplished baker (even owns a bakery in Absalom) and has on more than one occasion actually baked things during a mission.
Ha ha! I knew there would be one, I just knew it! :D
I follow the line of though of, 'Is this an item that the Group will want?', which follows in so far as:
a) The owner finds it useful, and augments what he can do as a player.
b) The group finds it beneficial, and it does not overshadow another player's utility.
c) The DM finds it easy to adjudicate, and does not weep whenever the player pulls it out.
If you nail all of these steps the item isn't necessarily Superstar, but it is a step above all of the other items. I certainly wouldn't consider an item superstar without meeting these criteria.
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I honestly don't think I can define, except in generalities, what is Superstar. Some just "had it". Others did not.
But what helped me judge was:
1) "That thing" — This is the amorphous and hard to define aspect. It is "the stuff". This will be very subjective to those of us who don't have years of experience in design work.
2) Templating — This was provided. If an employer gave me a resume format and I didn't follow it then I wouldn't really expect a call back from them.
3) Would it make too much work for the GM — This was actually a big decision maker for me. Do I want to spend fifteen or twenty minutes during a session researching how something works? No.
4) Pricing — Sure, you don't have to get it right. But some of those that got it wrong got it REALLY wrong.
I honestly don't think I can define, except in generalities, what is Superstar. Some just "had it". Others did not.
But what helped me judge was:
1) "That thing" — This is the amorphous and hard to define aspect. It is "the stuff". This will be very subjective to those of us who don't have years of experience in design work.
2) Templating — This was provided. If an employer gave me a resume format and I didn't follow it then I wouldn't really expect a call back from them.
3) Would it make too much work for the GM — This was actually a big decision maker for me. Do I want to spend fifteen or twenty minutes during a session researching how something works? No.
4) Pricing — Sure, you don't have to get it right. But some of those that got it wrong got it REALLY wrong.
Agreed at all points, I guess, but 2-4 are somewhat of a given. Rather, I'm really interested in trying to define #1 - how do you get 'that thing'? Obviously there isn't a set formula to follow, but I feel there are steps which can be taken to help get there.
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I'll confess that I am not sure I'm qualified to choose between "cool" and "Superstar", to me they can be one in the same.
I treated each entry like I'd never seen it before, read the text, checked the price, reread the text, checked the requirements, then went to the right column and repeated.
Once I'd seen a 'meh' item several times, I really put the screws to it.
If it was cool, I voted for it. If it was lame or less-cool, nope.
Cool/Superstar to me hit one or several of these-
- the item's 'thing' (what it 'does') was unique enough to be crafted into a wondrous item
- executed its 'thing' in a unique way
- presented its 'thing' with evocative description
- made me think of a way(s) to use the item as a player that was exciting
- complex in mechanics but in line with the rules
- properly priced and template-savvy
^ like theheadkase pointed out upthread, some of them just rang true on first read.
I did trend away from items (mostly recurring ones) that were mechanically broken, jokes, priced too high or low, combat-bonuses-in-a-can, and anything requiring or involving blood or body parts.
Agreed at all points, I guess, but 2-4 are somewhat of a given. Rather, I'm really interested in trying to define #1 - how do you get 'that thing'? Obviously there isn't a set formula to follow, but I feel there are steps which can be taken to help get there.
Here's what I judged the items on having "the stuff":
Was it an item that I would envision someone having in their innermost confines of treasure? This should probably be the item kept in the safe with a Minor or Major Image on it. Something like that
Was it too ridiculous in function? SAK and SIAC fell prey to this a lot. Sweet, function 1 and function 2 are tightly themed and are general enough to be usable in lots of different scenarios while being specific enough to show thought behind the development. Function 3...ok I can kinda see that...wait...more?! No..No...NOO!!!!!
Related to ridiculous in function, it does HOW MUCH damage at CL 3rd? For how much gp???!!
Was it evocative of an image in my head. If I couldn't picture it, either because I got bored from the history 2 and a half paragraphs in...or it didn't describe it at all, then I didn't vote it.
Would I, as a craft lover in game, actually craft this item? Would I go out and get some of the outlandishly gross materials? Would I wear or use this thing in public??
Those are the main "the stuff" criteria I had in my head while voting. Each case had different combinations and some things that I didn't mention above.
... how do you get 'that thing'? Obviously there isn't a set formula to follow, but I feel there are steps which can be taken to help get there.
Indeed, I tried quite a few of them this year. Although numbered for convenience, most (all) of these run concurrently at some point or another.
Step 1: Write. Write for the joy of writing. Take notepad and pencil in your pockets for when inspiration strikes. Jot down thoughts and ideas. Cool words you come across. Check out Nanowrimo, and other web based writing competitions as they arise.
Done and still doing, it is hard to get started but soon becomes second nature, I promise.
Step 2: Read. Re-read the rules as a designer and not as a GM or player. Read the forums feedback, winners, etc from all the years of the competition - there is so much rich design advice to be gained, you just have to walk the threads, read them and make notes.
Step 3: Write with a view to getting something published, for example, the excellent community magazine Wayfinder - who are currently looking for Darklands themed submissions.
Submitted to Wayfinder 8 for the first time :) Waiting to see if my stuff got used or not with lots of other people.
Step 4: Participate through the whole contest - even if only as a voter. Look at every entry, read the feedback, not just the judges but from other members of the public - take notes on what you read. Think hard about the points people are making.
This is the biggie, you learn so much from Sean, Clark, Wolfgang, Ryan, and all the other judges past and present and you learn what the general public are looking for too - especially important if the round 1 remains open voting like this year!
Step 5: Even if you make top 32, if you don't go all the way, if you don't make top 32, join the annual "blazing 9" thread where item design is practiced with on-going feedback from like minded designers. You even get a judge or two pop in and give a guiding review or point occassionally (these threads are also a really good read).
Blazing 9 - it's the approximately 9 months between the end of one Superstar competition and the next one.
So in short, the thing you can do to help you get there is work hard and practice lots.
I did that since last years competition and I know I have grown as a designer, whether enough to make top 32 remains to be seen - what I do know so far is that I didn't get culled ( saw my own item ;) ), so I have a shot. Looking at prior years work, I can honestly say that they would have been culled without a doubt.
Yeah, I've been trying to follow all these steps as well. Unfortunately I wasn't able to participate in last year's contest since I discovered Pathfinder shortly after the winner was announcer, but I still went back to read the old thread and such.
Primarily, I had one major criteria and then one minor:
First, and most importantly, did the item spark my imagination and make me say, "I want this in my game!" Only about ten items that I saw did this, sadly. I can't wait till we can talk about the good ones so I can tell the designers of them how jealous I am and if I had seen my own item, I'd have voted for theirs over my own. I've already got plans for one of them in my campaign.
Second, and least important, to me, is it original/imaginative/ truly Wondrous.
Frankly, as a voter, I could care less about template and pricing. Those things can be taught. But creativity, well, that is something much more illusive and less teachable. I voted many times for an incorrect template over a correct one because the incorrect one was imaginative or the correct one was just another retread or something. Same with price.
Template and pricing only came into play for me in tie-breakers: if I don't like either equally, the good template/price won. Same if I liked them both equally.
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...First, and most importantly, did the item spark my imagination and make me say, "I want this in my game!" Only about ten items that I saw did this, sadly...
This!
I believe this the only rule you need to follow but also the hardest one.
I didn't "get" quite some of the items that made it to top32 in the previous years after reading them, but I understood what makes them special after I read the judges commentary and finally after I now experienced first hand what the sorting process is like.