Wanna Be a Superstar? Make Gloves. (Wondrous Item Breakdowns)


RPG Superstar™ General Discussion

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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Hodge Podge

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Last year I realized that the most commonly recurring top 32 item was rather innocuous: gloves.

No one made a fuss about it, no "Not MORE gloves. How unoriginal!" To the contrary, most glove items I've seen through the years have been among the most interesting and popular entries. I think this has to do with hands being very interactive with the environment and easy to marry with visuals. If you think of gloves as code for "I can make my hands do THIS!", it starts making a lot of sense. Hands are synonymous with action, and action almost always tops passivity in this competition.

Anyway, it got me thinking that it would be interesting to do a breakdown of what all the previous items have been so far. I think it will help people when they choose their base items. You can either go safe (gloves), go big (submarines), or go crazy (ears on a string). Or maybe, use this as a list of things NOT to make, and try finding something entirely new?

Please note that I have double-listed some items that straddled boundaries or had multiple components. Also note that I haven't categorized items strictly by item slot or alphabetically, but more by the "idea" of the item. Basically, it's sloppy, but I hope it helps some folks out somehow.

Later, I'm thinking of doing another breakdown list that deals with the themes past items have used, like "ice" or "time" or "swapping out class mechanics".

—~:-:~—

WORN (72):

HANDS (21)
Gloves 19
Gauntlets 2

SHOULDERS (11)
Cloak 6
Mantle 2
Cowl 1
Robe 1
Shawl 1

NECK (11)
Amulet 3
Talisman 2
Necklace 2
Collar 1
Gorget 1
Locket 1
Torc 1

LEGS/FEET (8)
Boots 5
Shoes 1
Sandals 1
Greaves 1

ARMS (7)
Bracelet 5
Bracers 1
Vambrace 1

HEAD (5)
Crown 3
Helm 2

FACE (5)
Veil 3
Mask 2

CHEST (2)
Vest 1
Jacket/Achkan 1

WAIST (2)
Belt 1
Sash 1

UNWORN (126):

TOOLS/UTENSILS (15)
Mirror 2
Key 2
Anvil 1
Shears 1
Drill 1
Knitting Needles 1
Grappling Hook 1
Chalk 1
Stirring Rod 1
Spoon 1 (But no forks!?)
Comb 1
Skein 1
Thread and hook 1
Lens 1
Walking Stick 1

BAUBLES (14)
Gem/Crystal 4
Stone/Rock 3
Orb 3
Figurine 2
Metal Sphere/Bands 1
Statue 1

LIQUID CONTAINERS (13)
Flask 3
Phial/Vial 2
Chalice 2
Goblet 1
Cup 1
Tankard 1
Ampoule 1
Perfume Bottle 1
Bottle 1

BODY PARTS (11)
Eye(s) 2
Heart 2
Foot (on string) 2
Fingers (on string) 1
Bone 1
Ears (on string) 1
Skull (Bomb) 1
Hair Braid 1

PLANT (9)
Leaf/ves 2
Seeds 2
Rose 1
Petals 1
Glass flower 1
Corsage 1
Vine (bracelet) 1

LIGHT SOURCES (8)
Candle 2
Lantern 2
Beacon Lantern 1
Lantern Screen 1
Lamp 1
Torch 1

RELIGIOUS ITEMS (8)
Singing Bowl 1
Reliquary 1
Holy Symbol/Icon 1
Meditation Beads 1
Scapular 1
Shroud 1
Bell 1
Panel/Triptych 1

CONTAINERS (7)
Pouch 1
Bag 1
Medical Chest 1
Box of Vials 1
Locker 1
Box 1
Cage 1

SUBSTANCES (7)
Dust 4
Pigment 1
Soap 1
Elixir 1 (Only one. This surprises me.)

INSTRUMENTS/PERFORMANCE (6)
Flute 2
Horn 2
Lyre 1
Banner 1

FOOD/DRINK/MEDICINE (5)
Tea 1
Bread 1
Sacrament Wafer 1
Confection/Candy 1
Pill 1

VEHICLES/STRUCTURES (5)
Bridge (board w/ nail) 1
Pavilion/Tent 1
Vardo/Wagon 1
Submarine 1
Ship Binnacle 1

MOUNTS/ANIMALS EQUIPS (4)
Saddle 1
Reins 1
Spurs 1
Leash 1

WEAPON-RELATED (4) (Be careful about straying into actual weapon territory.)
Quiver 2
Gun Sight 1
Bomb 1

ANIMATED ANIMALS/TOYS (4)
Wind-up Monkey 1
Snake (Bracelet) 1
Hornet (Necklace) 1
Frog (Statue) 1

DOCUMENTS (3)
Book 3
Map(s) 2
Binder/Folio 1

TIMEPIECES (3)
Hourglass 2
Pocket Watch 1

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9

Yay for only 1 saddle!

Whoa! Gloves. Now that is all I will notice when I get my voternaught rolling this year.

Wish I had seen this list earlier...

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8 , Star Voter Season 6

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Yay for only 1 saddle!

Whoa! Gloves. Now that is all I will notice when I get my voternaught rolling this year.

Wish I had seen this list earlier...

I told you not to enter your codpiece of prowess! :-)

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Hodge Podge

2 people marked this as a favorite.

I'd like to point out the distinct lack of fancy hats.

(Also, the animated hornet was described as a pendant, not a necklace. I'm going to say right now, don't scrutinize the numbers here too closely.)

Paizo Employee RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8

Guilty of making gloves for the contest more than once...... only worked out once though :)

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Shawls are clearly an underappreciated design space. Everybody loves a good shawl.

Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

What! No mittens? Or booties!

Not even a Onesie!
For shame!

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka motteditor

There was THE onesie last year, IIRC.

Go, go, Team Mirror!

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9

Jacob W. Michaels wrote:
There was THE onesie last year, IIRC.

Ugh, don't remind me...

Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Matthew Morris wrote:
Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Yay for only 1 saddle!

Whoa! Gloves. Now that is all I will notice when I get my voternaught rolling this year.

Wish I had seen this list earlier...

I told you not to enter your codpiece of prowess! :-)

This time, though, it's larger on the inside than it is on the outside!

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9

1 person marked this as a favorite.
thunderspirit wrote:
Matthew Morris wrote:
Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Yay for only 1 saddle!

Whoa! Gloves. Now that is all I will notice when I get my voternaught rolling this year.

Wish I had seen this list earlier...

I told you not to enter your codpiece of prowess! :-)
This time, though, it's larger on the inside than it is on the outside!

And it grows bigger in the cold.

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32, 2011 Top 4 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka DankeSean

Whoah, what a neat little flashback tool. Nice work, Chris.

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9

Nice Chris,
I think this contest needs more [redacted]. There has only been one and that was in the first year!

EDIT: redacted less I decide something cool to do with that and am the only one. :)

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 8 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7 aka Demiurge 1138

Proud to be the only gorget. So far.

Sovereign Court RPG Superstar 2013 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2011 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7 aka primemover003

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I discarded a gorget last year in favor of my verdant crown of oak and iron. They really are the most stylish of armor-like accessories.

--Jingle Bell Vrock

Marathon Voter Season 7

Thanks for those lists, Chris! The only way to top that would be to actually link all items in their respective categories *inconspicuous hint* :)

I have used a couple of Superstar Wondrous Items in my Eberron game, and so far they have been the items my players have been most interested in and most often talked about. Martyr's Tear, in its original writeup (before UE came out) allowed the party to utterly steamroll an encounter with a bunch of driders, a Figurine of Familiar Power is an all-time favorite of the party's witch ever since she found it, and the Elemental Quiver is an item the party's ranger will probably never sell.


Hard to say how successful gloves have been without knowing how many gloves were submitted.

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9

Chris Shaeffer wrote:

I'd like to point out the distinct lack of fancy hats.

(Also, the animated hornet was described as a pendant, not a necklace. I'm going to say right now, don't scrutinize the numbers here too closely.)

For some reason I am reading the animated hornet AS a fancy hat now.

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8

4 people marked this as a favorite.

Inspired by this and the Exactly 300 Words thread, I ran some stats on the 2013 Top 32:

  • Average (mean) word count: 235.3125
  • Median word count: 235
  • Most common word count (mode): 173 (3 entries)
  • Highest word count: 300
  • Lowest word count: 114
  • Most entries in a 10-word range: 7 (291-300, 290-299)
  • Number of entries that would trip the 285-word error checker: 8 (four Top 16, one Top 8)

  • Average (mean) cost: 8,114 gp
  • Median cost: 6,075 gp
  • Highest cost: 29,400 gp
  • Lowest cost: 50 gp
  • Most common cost (mode): 15,000 gp (3 entries)
  • Most entries in a ~5,000-gp range: 14 (3,000-8,000 and 0-5,000)

  • Average (mean) CL: 7.59375
  • Median CL: 7
  • Highest CL: 14
  • Lowest CL: 3 (4 items)
  • Most common CL (mode): 5 (9 entries)
  • Most entries in a 3-CL range: 13 (5-7 and 3-5)

  • Most common slot: none (15 entries)
  • Least common slot: neck, belt (1 entry each)

Marathon Voter Season 7

Wow, that is very interesting news. Also very helpful for everyone designing a Wondrous Item, since you compare your creation against some hard evidence!

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka SmiloDan

1 person marked this as a favorite.

The only time I cracked the Top 32 was with gloves. :-D

Dark Archive RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32, 2011 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Boxhead

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Now how many if those gloves entries were single gloves? ;)

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka MythrilDragon

1 person marked this as a favorite.

I think we need More Ears on string...but I might be biased. :)

Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9

Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Wow, that 285 boundary is interesting - every entry I had made up to this year trips that percentage of words used.

Except this year. ;)

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Hodge Podge

*GASP*

With enough number crunching, we can arrive upon THE FORMULA. >:3

Gloves, 235 words, 6000 GP cost, CL 7

Now we just need to crunch themes and mechanics. :D

EDIT: And another correction, the total "Document" count is actually 6, not 3, which should bump the "Unworn" items up to 129.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Darkjoy

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I recently submitted an item not mentioned on the list, feel pretty good about that :-)

Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Andrew Black wrote:
I think we need More Ears on string...but I might be biased. :)

I once submitted teeth on a string. Lets just say it wasn't that well received.

Grand Lodge Marathon Voter Season 7

2 people marked this as a favorite.

Ear-string gloves is going to win it all this year. It's got the best of both worlds.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Hodge Podge

2 people marked this as a favorite.

How about gloves that look like giant ears that you can hold up next to your head (for hearing abilities or something...)?

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka Darkjoy

Chris Shaeffer wrote:
How about gloves that look like giant ears that you can hold up next to your head (for hearing abilities or something...)?

It has that great visual so it's genius from the start.

Really, something like that could work if done well.

Shadow Lodge RPG Superstar 2015 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka mamaursula

5 people marked this as a favorite.

NO CAPES!

Oops, sorry, wrong thread.

Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9

4 people marked this as a favorite.

Ahhh? Isn;'t that my decisi...?

RPG Superstar 2009, Contributor

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Curaigh wrote:
Ahhh? Isn;'t that my decisi...?

Do you remember Thunderhead? Tall, storm powers? Nice man, good with kids.

Grand Lodge Marathon Voter Season 7

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Actually, I was thinking about this thread while on the way to work today, and it got me thinking about why gloves are the most popular item. Then I realized it totally makes sense!

Every item slot tends to be associated with what that body part (or collection of body parts) does. Eye slot items are often goggles or glasses or somesuch, and they enhance the wearer's sight in some way. Usually, they grant a bonus to perception or darkvision, or some other eye-related thing. Duh, right? They're eyes.

Belts are associated with the core, and usually provide passive bonuses. +4 to Strength, bonuses to bull rush, that sort of thing.

Gloves, however, occupy the hand slot. Hands are what people tend to use when they do some really cool thing. They're incredibly versatile, and that versatility can be brought out with wondrous items. People can use hands to manipulate objects, fight, grab things, and so on in strongly cinematic ways.

Think of a really cool fight scene from a fantasy movie or TV show. I'll use Star Wars in this example, because it's pretty hard to spoil the movies since almost everyone has seen them. When characters in the film use the force, or shoot out lightning, they do it out of their hands. Sure, you could make make a belt or headband or whathaveyou that lets you shoot out choke someone from across the room, but Darth Vader would not have looked as cool and evil and badass as he did if he just used think rays to force choke some guy who failed him.

All of the Superstar items have some sort of strong, cinematic feel to them. Often, the items stem from something the PC does. It feels more empowering for a player to grab an arrow out of the air than it does to have the arrow just kinda bounce off their armor, or miss them entirely. Typically, people associate doing, especially doing something cool, with hands.

I probably said a bunch of really obvious stuff, and didn't hit on anything deep or insightful, but I felt like it might be interesting to delve into what exactly our fascination with gloves is.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Hodge Podge

Yeah, that was almost my exact line of thought! I touch on it briefly in the OP. You really elaborated on it though. :)

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka MythrilDragon

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Samuel Stone wrote:
Ear-string gloves is going to win it all this year. It's got the best of both worlds.

Chalange Acepted!

Shadow Lodge RPG Superstar 2015 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka mamaursula

Andrew Black wrote:
Samuel Stone wrote:
Ear-string gloves is going to win it all this year. It's got the best of both worlds.
Chalange Acepted!

But will it have Goblins? ;-)


2 people marked this as a favorite.
mamaursula wrote:
Andrew Black wrote:
Samuel Stone wrote:
Ear-string gloves is going to win it all this year. It's got the best of both worlds.
Chalange Acepted!
But will it have Goblins? ;-)

Goblins are sold separately. Collect them all!

Warning: Use of kobolds with ear-string gloves voids your warranty on both kobold and gloves. Not compatible with OS X.


Pillbug Toenibbler wrote:
mamaursula wrote:
Andrew Black wrote:
Samuel Stone wrote:
Ear-string gloves is going to win it all this year. It's got the best of both worlds.
Chalange Acepted!
But will it have Goblins? ;-)

Goblins are sold separately. Collect them all!

Warning: Use of kobolds with ear-string gloves voids your warranty on both kobold and gloves. Not compatible with OS X.

Void where prohibited.

Shadow Lodge RPG Superstar 2015 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka mamaursula

Pillbug Toenibbler wrote:
mamaursula wrote:
Andrew Black wrote:
Samuel Stone wrote:
Ear-string gloves is going to win it all this year. It's got the best of both worlds.
Chalange Acepted!
But will it have Goblins? ;-)

Goblins are sold separately. Collect them all!

Warning: Use of kobolds with ear-string gloves voids your warranty on both kobold and gloves. Not compatible with OS X.

Andrew Black made it into the Top 32 in 2008 with his goblin ear necklace. I do not have the link, but maybe he will share it with us :-)

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Hodge Podge

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mamaursula wrote:
Andrew Black made it into the Top 32 in 2008 with his goblin ear necklace. I do not have the link, but maybe he will share it with us :-)

Gotcha covered.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Chris Shaeffer wrote:
mamaursula wrote:
Andrew Black made it into the Top 32 in 2008 with his goblin ear necklace. I do not have the link, but maybe he will share it with us :-)
Gotcha covered.

I remember that item. And may I say: Ew.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32 , Star Voter Season 6 aka Electric Monk

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Garrett Guillotte wrote:


  • Lowest word count: 114
  • Lowest cost: 50 gp
  • I think both of these were my little stone. - If I get time to submit this year I'm thining of something very different.

    Grand Lodge Marathon Voter Season 7

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Know Direction's newest podcast has an interview with SKR in which he references this thread and talks about gloves. Just figured I would toss this up here.

    The question starts at 30:35 for those on a time budget.

    Grand Lodge Marathon Voter Season 7

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    Ear-String Gloves of the Sea
    Aura strong divination and transmutation; CL 15th
    Slot hands; Price ZZ gp; Weight -
    Description
    These fish-scaled gloves each have a filigreed ear inlaid across their backs. Three times per day as a standard action, the wearer of the ear-string gloves of the sea may hold the gloves up to his ears and extend his senses as if using clairaudience/clairvoyance, save that he can only select to hear.

    Once per day as a standard action, the wearer of the ear-string gloves of the sea may pull on his ears, causing them to enlarge and envelop him in a Large ear-shaped cocoon with two distended earlobes trailing behind the cocoon. The wearer gains a +4 natural armor bonus to AC, the ability to breathe underwater, two tentacle attacks made with the earlobes, and a swim speed of 60 feet. Any willing creatures in squares adjacent to the wearer at the time of activation may choose to also enter the cocoon, and gain the ability to breathe underwater. All creatures inside the cocoon, save the wearer of ear-string gloves of the sea, gains complete cover from attacks made from outside the cocoon. Damage dealt to the coccoon counts as damage dealt to the wearer of the ear-string gloves of the sea. The wearer may return his ears to their normal size as a free action, losing all benefits of the cocoon.
    Construction
    Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, touch of the sea, interposing hand, clairaudience/clairvoyance; Cost ZZ gp

    Welp, it's super-rough and unpolished and has no gold price attached, but I had free time and the desire to practice, so I went with the safe/big/crazy option. It's a pair of gloves that have ears on a string (...kinda) that can turn into a submarine!

    No, this is not my actual entry.


    I say think outside the box. Or better yet, think inside boxes that were discarded long ago and no one is using any more. Magical bustles, anyone?

    Marathon Voter Season 7

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    ugh so wait, no gloves, no filagree, no gild, no SAKs, no SIACs, no jokes, no vomit, no no no no no no

    I have spent hours now reading about five years worth of no

    Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8 aka Jiggy

    That's okay, all you need is less than 300 words of YES!

    Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka Locke1520

    Lamontius wrote:

    ugh so wait, no gloves, no filagree, no gild, no SAKs, no SIACs, no jokes, no vomit, no no no no no no

    I have spent hours now reading about five years worth of no

    Yeah, in 5 years we've learned a lot of what not to do. What to do can be summed up in one single statement: Be Awesome.

    Oh and of course, I almost forgot: Enter.

    So... Be Awesome and Enter!

    Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8 aka Jiggy

    Come on Lamontius, I wanna see what you come up with!

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