unless it is very egregious, or changes the meaning of the sentence that it appears in so as to cause it to not make sense, I tend to ignore a typo or two in voting, bringing it up only as one of the final few tie-breaking straws that I might have (and very few items are really that close together that it comes up).
Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8
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The real sad thing is seeing folks using +10 bonuses.. I believe Pathfinder generally does +5 as a base max unless there is something outrageous.. Example would be Boots of Elvenkind. Back in the day your butt just didn't get heard wearing these! 3.5 D&D it was an auto pass for Move Silently just about. In Pathfinder those Boots offer you a +5 bonus. That's all.. just saying that is an example to module at. Even Cloak of Elvenkind is another example.
In general I tend to agree with you. A flat +10 bonus to an entire skill is a little extreme. However, a +10 to a very specific subset of a skill (e.g., Perception checks to listen, Bluff checks to pass secret messages, etc.) is much more understandable.
Especially where flavor is awesome.
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okay in the right ensemble from what i have seen in the last three pairings you could be swirling and surrounded with squirrels, crows, ravens, butterflies and stags. look out I cant get a good shot at snow white she is triple protected by critters covering different roles! oh my satchel...those darned squirrels! i imagine a druid getting this expensive outfit for his teenaged daughter. great ideas! great together, unless the crows start pecking at the squirrels who are trying to catch the butterflies among the autumn leaves.
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Ultimate Murderhobo
There will be bloodI am going to write this book.
Count me in Maurice! I want a chapter on responsible dungeon clearing and monster young disposal techniques - I'll accept your help with choosing just the right traps for feeding goblin-, orc- and kobold-kids to. The old otyugh-pit trap gets old pretty quick. And full.
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there is an adventure path waiting to happen in Monster rehab, vampires learning how to meet their needs without meating their friends, raising ogres in a nurturing environment with clear limit setting and replacing difficult behaviours with useful outlets for the urge to smash- Ogre demolitions and farm clearing corp.
the adventure would be working as the resource teacher there at aasimar's academy for wayward critters.
Seeing a bunch of winter/frost/ice based items and for the most part they are pretty good.
It suddenly occurred to me that I have made a major shift in thought and design process this year. I thought I'd share before reveal feedback as I think it is an interesting self observation...
For the previous years, all my items had one thing in common. That thing is that I was trying to show how clever I think I am - that I can mangle rules with balance maintained, that I am wacky clever inspired ideas man, etc.
This year, I look at my item and I realize that this year I have done something different. I left ego at the door and designed purely for having fun at the game table. I don't know if I have been successful or not, but there is a very obvious shift in paradigm in my item and its design.
It will now be very interesting for me to get to item feedback on my item as part of the superstar experience - I always reveal my item as it is the only way I can learn how to improve.
/observation epiphany
Have any of you fellow repeat designers noticed any subtle or not so subtle shifts in your thought and design processes this year?
Last year I had a mechanic (store wasted healing, convert 6 points to 1d6) that popped into my head and I worked from there.
This year I first had a visual thing that inspired me and I started developing that into an item.
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I just had (2) quills together and then (2) Card Deck items. 'Oo' (blink/blink)
I believe a good “Deck item” honestly might need greater than 300 words, just saying it seems folks are cramming great ideas into tiny spaces.
I believe what we need next year is to all make new spells for the first round. I’m telling yah there is a ton of folks wanting to unleash their inner spellcaster. You can see it in these items.
Ok time for another round of coffee. Back to the grind. =o)
Bring on the Figurines of Wondrous Power that turn into flaming motorcycles! (laughs) Well my inner kid can want.
It suddenly occurred to me that I have made a major shift in thought and design process this year. I thought I'd share before reveal feedback as I think it is an interesting self observation...
For the previous years, all my items had one thing in common. That thing is that I was trying to show how clever I think I am - that I can mangle rules with balance maintained, that I am wacky clever inspired ideas man, etc.
This year, I look at my item and I realize that this year I have done something different. I left ego at the door and designed purely for having fun at the game table. I don't know if I have been successful or not, but there is a very obvious shift in paradigm in my item and its design.
It will now be very interesting for me to get to item feedback on my item as part of the superstar experience - I always reveal my item as it is the only way I can learn how to improve.
/observation epiphany
Have any of you fellow repeat designers noticed any subtle or not so subtle shifts in your thought and design processes this year?
I have certainly notice that my style of drafting items has changed. Year 1 through now I have developed better formatting, more depth with fewer words and left awkward mechanics at the door. I have also proof read it for ½ a year and spent lots of time bouncing the idea around during homebrewed game play just to make sure it doesn’t blow up the game.
Unlike years before, I ask myself now the base questions:
Does this item blow up the market? If it would, how can I prevent that? Exclusive to the rich?
Does it blow up the game? Is it balanced, over powered? How can I make sure?
Does the item add flavor to the existing game? What do the players feel about the item? Does it define who they are? What happens if they loss it? Will it ruin their lives?
All these factors I grovel over to make sure the item says, “Balance, Function, Purpose and Flavor” my BFPF of item creation.
Years before I just embellished on a cool idea.
One year I presented an item that was very crafty. It was a wonderful Painting that was a Dimensional space of its own. You could command the painting to open and allow you to get in it or put stuff in it or take stuff out, which of course changed how the painting looked. I saw endless possibilities with this painting.
A small army hiding in it all holding up cups of mead. The king that gets it thinks it’s a peace offering (thus Trojan Horse).
Then I saw a crafty rogue that had a friend drop off the painting at the front door of an art dealer. They of course were in the painting. (sneaky)
A visually stunning item… but.. mechanically broken and disrupted game play like no bodies business.
It was as bad as a group of Chaotic Characters getting their dirty hands on a Crystal Ball so they could scry on a Paladin Maiden in her bathtub. Yes they did this to me and called it their “Ball of Porn”. (sigh) Thank god this version didn’t have Clairaudience or I would have never been able to get them to do anything else. And these were grown men… ROFLMBO…
Who says DM’s don’t have it rough.
Anyways I “always” recall that series of adventures and have burned how folks can use an item for all kinds of things. Before I was a happy crafter, innocent and free. Now, not so much.. yah.. the BOP fixed that problem. lol
there is an adventure path waiting to happen in Monster rehab, vampires learning how to meet their needs without meating their friends, raising ogres in a nurturing environment with clear limit setting and replacing difficult behaviours with useful outlets for the urge to smash- Ogre demolitions and farm clearing corp.
the adventure would be working as the resource teacher there at aasimar's academy for wayward critters.
Sounds Discworldian. I'm in.
Depends on your class. If you're something with a good Fort save, your chances about break even. If you're something with a poor Fort save, then yes, it gets much harder every time you level up.
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OK, here is the initial breakdown on the 658 items I have seen so far. Some categories are catchall terms for items that are similar but not distinct enough to warrant their own entry. Knickknacks are little items like game pieces or other small hand sized items that defy other groupings. Other is for every item that is larger than a Knickknack that does not fir any other group or is really weird. (DQ) means that these are disqualified entries (or will be).
Gloves: 38
Other: 36
Cloak: 31
Amulet: 26
Boots/Footwear: 24
Knickknack: 22
Tool: 19
Book/Writing: 16
Consumable: 16
Stone/Crystal: 14
Mask: 13
Fetish/Talisman: 12
Helm: 12
Headband: 11
Jewelry/Affectations: 11
Gauntlets: 10
Belt: 9
Bracers: 9
Elixir: 9
Sack/Bag/Pouch: 9
Torc: 9
Bottle/Vial: 8
Gem: 8
Lantern/Lamp: 8
Lens: 8
Musical Instrument: 8
Robe: 8
Drinking Implement: 7
Food Related: 7
Gardening Tool/Item: 7
Hat: 7
Mantle: 7
Writing Materials: 7
Crown: 6
Grenade: 6
Mannequin/Doll: 6
Rope: 6
Blanket/Fabric: 5
Goggles: 5
Saddle/Bridle: 5
Vest: 5
Armband: 4
Baldric: 4
Bracelets: 4
Cap: 4
Coat: 4
Collar: 4
Compass: 4
Deck of Cards: 4
Flag/Banner: 4
Monocle: 4
Orb: 4
Quiver: 4
Scarf: 4
Teeth: 4
Work Bench: 4
Brooch: 3
Camping Gear: 3
Candle: 3
Chest/Box: 3
Choker: 3
Clock/Watch: 3
Dice: 3
Dining Implement: 3
Dust/Powder: 3
Earrings: 3
Epaulets: 3
Figurine of Wondrous Power: 3
Hood: 3
Keys: 3
Marbles: 3
Mirror: 3
Ring (DQ): 3
Sash: 3
Scabbard: 3
Sheath: 3
Shirt: 3
Spectacles: 3
Umbrella: 3
Art Object: 2
Bowstring: 2
Card: 2
Cauldron: 2
Cowl: 2
Cufflinks: 2
Eyes: 2
God Tears: 2
Handkerchief: 2
Hourglass: 2
Jacket: 2
Kimono: 2
Money/Coin: 2
Pants/Chaps: 2
Scalpel: 2
Shawl: 2
String: 2
Veil: 2
Whistle: 2
Staff (DQ): 1
Excellent break down.. but I must be getting my Marbles and Dice confused. Could have sworn I have seen more Marbles then 3 and possible more dice. Hard to recall them all if you don't note the names into an excel or something. Great list!
Yeah I thought that there were a lot more torcs than nine, but there it is.
Interesting list Feros. Did you have any overlap in the categories? I counted 3 or 4 that would describe mine.
Yes there were a number of overlaps. I had to make a call on some. And when there were enough of one type in a category (like bracelets in Jewelry/Affectations) I pulled them out and gave them their own space. So lots of overlap.
Glad to see my item comes in on the bottom of that list.
There are some interesting things in here. For example, if you combine gloves and gauntlets, you get 48 items. That's 7% of all the items seen.
Dedicated Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 7
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Have any of you fellow repeat designers noticed any subtle or not so subtle shifts in your thought and design processes this year?
Yes. My first year I designed an 'almost' item. As in it was almost good enough and warranted placement in the special feedback thread. 'Twas the Ponderous Pebble and I had the idea and designed it in a very short span of time.
Last year (and this year, I'm afraid) I tried too hard to force it and both times ended up with a good idea gone wrong. Not godawful, but strained and I can see now that it comes across as uninspired, even though there WAS some inspiration lurking under there somewhere. Of course, I can't say much more than that yet.
However, I did have an epiphany of how my process needs to evolve for next year. Too bad I can't swap out the 10 better items in my head for the one that is currently being voted on. :/
I had quite some items that work on a charge, other than that, not much of a trend visible.
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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Yes there were a number of overlaps. I had to make a call on some. And when there were enough of one type in a category (like bracelets in Jewelry/Affectations) I pulled them out and gave them their own space. So lots of overlap.
Awesome list Feros! I have been doing most of my voting via phone and haven't been saving many. You missed the door, weapon, and one or two others. Can'T wait to see a list that breaks them down by slot when the competition ends.
Yes there were a number of overlaps. I had to make a call on some. And when there were enough of one type in a category (like bracelets in Jewelry/Affectations) I pulled them out and gave them their own space. So lots of overlap.Awesome list Feros! I have been doing most of my voting via phone and haven't been saving many. You missed the door, weapon, and one or two others. Can'T wait to see a list that breaks them down by slot when the competition ends.
Those went into the "Other" category. :)
There are some interesting things in here. For example, if you combine gloves and gauntlets, you get 48 items. That's 7% of all the items seen.But how many are a single glove?
*Michael Jackson* Woo-hoo!
Four of them , I believe. :/
Marathon Voter Season 7
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I assume the reason why gloves such as glove of storing are a "single glove" is to eliminate any confusion toward the storage mechanic, number of items that can be stored, and to ensure that only one item can be stored or removed per round, instead of using some bizarre rules abuse involving switching weapons with no penalties mid-combat.
I somewhat like the variety of having more "single hand" gloves, but it could easily go overkill.
RPG Superstar 2015
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
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I noticed a typo in my son's entry. I proofed it three times for him and he proofed it more. Not sure how we all missed it, but I hope that people will be kind. It's a great item. =)
I missed this post! Your son entered!? That's awesome! I did start a thread for younger entrants. I'm excited when kids get involved, sorry for the excessive use of punctuation.
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I somewhat like the variety of having more "single hand" gloves, but it could easily go overkill.
Agreed. I like single hand gloves very much, as it adds to the random adventurer costume that doesn't look planned. I actually had some gloves in the making, but after reading some of the topics here prior to the contest, I changed my mind to avoid the foreseeable competition of gloves.
The biggest problem with single glove is that you then start getting into the horny issues of game balance vs extra item stacking - I have a left glove and a right glove means I have two items where I would normally have one.
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Nobody ever makes suspenders. :,-(
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Marathon Voter Season 7
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It's sort of an odd situation: Do you really need to have two gloves to be able to make a ranged disarm attempt, as per magnetist's gloves? In other words, why is a "paired" set of gloves required for the magic of the gloves to work?
On the other hand (heh heh), if the you only needed a single glove to produce an effect, why can't you wear something on the other hand?
One option doesn't always make sense from a "flavor" standpoint, and the other option doesn't make sense from a mechanical, balancing standpoint. So, there's the requirement that you can only wear a single hand slot item, and that some gloves require two gloves to function.
Weren't gloves also the largest percentage of items last year, as well, Feros?
Actually, most of the one hand gloves have a "this uses up both hand slots and cannot be combined with another hand slot item, including itself" or something similar. Which makes for a hand that can't wear a magic glove.
Weren't gloves also the largest percentage of items last year, as well, Feros?
I'm not sure. Others were keeping close tabs on that. I just voted a lot last year and only started keeping track near the end.
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RPG Superstar 2015
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
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Weren't gloves also the largest percentage of items last year, as well, Feros?
According to one of our numerous Jacobs in another thread pre-contest that was indeed the case, gloves are the most popular item to enter.
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Marathon Voter Season 7
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Actually, most of the one hand gloves have a "this uses up both hand slots and cannot be combined with another hand slot item, including itself" or something similar. Which makes for a hand that can't wear a magic glove.
Exactly. It doesn't make sense in-game to only be able to wear one glove, but is necessary for game balance. If you need to wear two gloves for the magic to activate, it doesn't always make sense. If you can get away with only one glove, it doesn't make sense (in-game) that you can't wear a second glove.
I'm sure someone could make a complicated argument about magical interference between two disparate gloves, but it really just gets overly complicated.
Some gloves are one-handed. Some are two-handed. Both take up the entire hands slot; the reasoning of why is up to the game group.
If you can get away with only one glove, it doesn't make sense (in-game) that you can't wear a second glove.
I'm sure someone could make a complicated argument about magical interference between two disparate gloves, but it really just gets overly complicated.
Well you only get two ring slots, even though (most) adventurers have 10 fingers. So it doesn't seem that strange to me to use up the hands slot even though only one of your hands has the glove physically on it.
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Marathon Voter Season 7
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Well you only get two ring slots, even though (most) adventurers have 10 fingers. So it doesn't seem that strange to me to use up the hands slot even though only one of your hands has the glove physically on it.
This is sort of what I was trying to say; there's really no difference, aside from perhaps a cosmetic difference, in having a "glove" item vs. a "gloves" item.
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Actually, most of the one hand gloves have a "this uses up both hand slots and cannot be combined with another hand slot item, including itself" or something similar. Which makes for a hand that can't wear a magic glove.Exactly. It doesn't make sense in-game to only be able to wear one glove, but is necessary for game balance. If you need to wear two gloves for the magic to activate, it doesn't always make sense. If you can get away with only one glove, it doesn't make sense (in-game) that you can't wear a second glove.
I'm sure someone could make a complicated argument about magical interference between two disparate gloves, but it really just gets overly complicated.
Some gloves are one-handed. Some are two-handed. Both take up the entire hands slot; the reasoning of why is up to the game group.
"We live in a spaceship, dear"
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Nobody ever makes suspenders. :,-(
Challenge accepted.
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"We live in a spaceship, dear"Actually, most of the one hand gloves have a "this uses up both hand slots and cannot be combined with another hand slot item, including itself" or something similar. Which makes for a hand that can't wear a magic glove.Exactly. It doesn't make sense in-game to only be able to wear one glove, but is necessary for game balance. If you need to wear two gloves for the magic to activate, it doesn't always make sense. If you can get away with only one glove, it doesn't make sense (in-game) that you can't wear a second glove.
I'm sure someone could make a complicated argument about magical interference between two disparate gloves, but it really just gets overly complicated.
Some gloves are one-handed. Some are two-handed. Both take up the entire hands slot; the reasoning of why is up to the game group.
*slow clap*
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Boxhead
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Sometimes a single glove makes more sense for an item. Anything that should only help a single hand-like the glove of storing or my shadow falconer's glove sort of need to be on a specific hand anyways.
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Sometimes a single glove makes more sense for an item. Anything that should only help a single hand-like the glove of storing or my shadow falconer's glove sort of need to be on a specific hand anyways.
And if it messes with your adventuring aesthetic, then just say your character wears another similar, non-magical glove on the other hand. Problem solved. No one said you had to be Michael Jackson.
The biggest problem with single glove is that you then start getting into the horny issues of game balance vs extra item stacking - I have a left glove and a right glove means I have two items where I would normally have one.
O_o
A what issue? With the Michael Jackson reference earlier about one glove and now THIS type of issue AA mentions....
One glove? Two gloves?
That's nothing. One of this year's entries is a set of three gloves!
(I'm not kidding.)
Yup, seen it. Made me glad I didn't go with my original idea for submission. (It didn't have three gloves, just a similar theme.)
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Marathon Voter Season 7
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I noticed a typo in my son's entry. I proofed it three times for him and he proofed it more. Not sure how we all missed it, but I hope that people will be kind. It's a great item. =)I missed this post! Your son entered!? That's awesome! I did start a thread for younger entrants. I'm excited when kids get involved, sorry for the excessive use of punctuation.
Yep. My son entered an item that's better than mine. He's also 22...
My wife entered as well. I'm anxiously waiting to see where the item goes. It has huge potential in my campaign, but it's looking like, not much in anyone else's. It also skirts one of Sean's rules.