The Official Unofficial Top 32 Guildhall

[Mike Kimmel]

Andrew Umphrey wrote:

any thoughts would be appreciated-

-AU

I think the most important thing is that you make the most awesome encounter that you can, regardless of the monster you pick. A popular monster in a boring encounter will get fewer votes than an unpopular monster in an awesome encounter.

[Clay Clouser]

Now that voting has closed are we allowed to comment on our monsters?

[Mike Kimmel]

Ixxix wrote:

Now that voting has closed are we allowed to comment on our monsters?

Yup!

[Tripp Elliott]

Andrew Umphrey wrote:

If I am lucky enough to advance to the top-16, I was wondering if it would be a mark against our encounter if we used a monster that got 3 downvotes from the judges?

Should we wait and make sure the monster we use made the top 16, so we know that at least we are using a monster that the voting public liked?

any thoughts would be appreciated-

-AU

While the point is somewhat moot with 2:38 left before the Round 3 reveal, I was unwilling to wait to see the top 16, as not all monsters will fit into all encounters. Sure folks can say "well a SuperStar can make it work," but I don't buy that. The rules say pick a monster from the top 32, not from the top 16. As a voter, I wouldn't vote against your encounter just because I liked or disliked the monster you chose. I won't hate you if the abilities it has are whack, or any other reason. I view Round 3 as about you taking one of those monsters, as is, and making it the highlight of an encounter in a location of your devising.

So, personally, I say pick the monster from any of the 31 that aren't your own.

[Christopher Wasko]

Andrew Umphrey wrote:

If I am lucky enough to advance to the top-16, I was wondering if it would be a mark against our encounter if we used a monster that got 3 downvotes from the judges?

Should we wait and make sure the monster we use made the top 16, so we know that at least we are using a monster that the voting public liked?

any thoughts would be appreciated-

-AU

I would use any monster with which you think you can make an awesome encounter. Past Superstars have won with three judges' downvotes in the early rounds.

[Jesse Southwick]

Take a monster that fits your encounter and make it shine!

[Mikko Kallio]

Andrew Umphrey wrote:

If I am lucky enough to advance to the top-16, I was wondering if it would be a mark against our encounter if we used a monster that got 3 downvotes from the judges?

Should we wait and make sure the monster we use made the top 16, so we know that at least we are using a monster that the voting public liked?

any thoughts would be appreciated-

-AU

Well, it's the encounter round, so all that should matter is how well designed the encounter is and how much fun it is for the players. In an encounter the monster doesn't exist in a "vacuum", i.e. the monster is just one of the many parts and what matters is how those parts work together. If you manage to make an interesting encounter with a maligned monster, it's a clear sign of Superstar design in my book.

HOWEVER, I have no idea whether the voters agree. A huge risk to take in other words.

Just my 1d4 cp. :D

[Joseph Kellogg]

So we're on the last run of an emissions test here at work. We'll probably wrap up at... about the exact same time the Top 16 are revealed. AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

[Jacob W. Michaels]

What are you emitting?

[Joseph Kellogg]

I'm not emitting anything. The boiler is emitting flue gas.

[Tripp Elliott]

Joseph Kellogg wrote:

I'm not emitting anything. The boiler is emitting flue gas.

Which better explains your press on nails!

[Robert Brookes]

That is a mystery best left unexplained. Like the Tunguska Event, or how magnets work.

[Andrew Marlowe]

Sooo....close....

[Tripp Elliott]

Robert Brookes wrote:

That is a mystery best left unexplained. Like the Tunguska Event, or how magnets work.

Ahhh, petty banter, as we all press "reload" over and over!!

[Emmanuel Greene]

Huzzah! I'm in the Top 16! :-D

Now I better get cracking on that encounter!

[Joseph Kellogg]

Now I can go splurge on that sourcebook to flesh out my encounter. Congrats to everyone else who got in!

[Tripp Elliott]

Congrats! Me too!

Ok, so back to typing. Here's the rub, we play Runelords tonight, I may not be paying attention as much as I should!

Congrats to the 16 who advanced, and to the talented 16 who didn't!

[Brian Duckwitz]

Congrats to the top 16!

Brian Fruzen, now you must represent all Brians and Wisconsin!

[Tyler Cowart]

Congratulations, those who continued on.

I'm a little sad I was in the hospital and had surgery on the submission days for the monster round, it would have been nice to have 3 days to remove the alternate monsters, and change it from dragon to magical beast, and to fix the breath weapon on my steel miser... but on the plus side I recovered, and I look forward to seeing what you guys submit from here!

[Kalervo Oikarinen]

Congrats to the top 16! Especially to my friend Mikko.

Disappointed I didn't make it this time, but I'll use this as a learning experience and come back with a vengeance next year. :p

Now go make some awesome encounters for us to enjoy!

[Mike Kimmel]

Congrats to everyone else who made the top 16. Don't forget to check out the top 16 bios here!

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Oooh, look at our pretty pictures.

(Though I should note for honesty's sake that I'm back to my more-common clean-shaven state.)

Mazel tov, everyone.

[Mike Kimmel]

Jacob W. Michaels wrote:

(Though I should note for honesty's sake that I'm back to my more-common clean-shaven state.)

Ha! I'm in my new bearded state. I just didn't have any bearded pics on hand. So we balance out.

[Tripp Elliott]

Oy! Why didn't I think to have a dinosaur on my shoulder?

[Rich Malena]

Yeah, my cheekbones were only that fuzzy for that picture, and I tend to take the Amy Pond outlook on the fez.

I'm in shock still. I hope that goes away before my playtest tonight!

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Ninja'd by Mike, I see! Glad we balance out the facial hair, though.

Zahir, it's a shameless plug for James Jacobs' attention. Pay it no mind. :)

[Sam Harris]

Congratulations to the Top 16! Great work, everyone. Looking forward to seeing those encounters.

[Grumpus]

So much for my idea of a museum encounter, where the painting of dogs playing poker is really 4 portrait phantoms all armed with deck of the hellwasps sting.

good luck in the rest of contest everyone!

[Jesse Southwick]

Congrats to those moving on!

I'll confess that I am just happy to have gotten this far.

[Joseph Kellogg]

I'm working on my encounter right now, and I feel so delightfully evil...

[Mike Kimmel]

Top 16 tag by my name, home from work, map in the making, deadline looming. It must be scotch o'clock.

[Brian J. Fruzen]

Brian Duckwitz wrote:

Brian Fruzen, now you must represent all Brians and Wisconsin!

It seems so lonely here now. I will carry the banner of the Brian's proudly!

[Kalervo Oikarinen]

Hmm, time to think about designing something for the next Wayfinder.

Today I'll run my would-have-been *sniff* encounter as warm up before we playtest Mikko's entry.

[Tripp Elliott]

Grumpus wrote:

So much for my idea of a museum encounter, where the painting of dogs playing poker is really 4 portrait phantoms all armed with deck of the hellwasps sting.

Oh crap, I wish I had seen this before I submitted my encounter. My dogs were playing billiards, but still it may be viewed as being unoriginal now! Dangit!

[Joseph Kellogg]

Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan wrote:

Grumpus wrote:

So much for my idea of a museum encounter, where the painting of dogs playing poker is really 4 portrait phantoms all armed with deck of the hellwasps sting.

Oh crap, I wish I had seen this before I submitted my encounter. My dogs were playing billiards, but still it may be viewed as being unoriginal now! Dangit!

Don't worry. As long as those dogs were owned by a Hound Master cavalier, it's still a guaranteed win.

[Christopher Wasko]

Just submitted my entry. Nothing to do now but play the waiting game once again. Good luck to everyone in the Top 16!

[Joseph Kellogg]

Late night colored pencil run!

[Tripp Elliott]

Indeed! Good luck to everyone!

Hope Joseph found the pencils he needed.

[Rich Malena]

Holy cow, folks are done already? I've submitted decently early the last two rounds, but this one is going to take at least until late tomorrow night. Congrats for being done early!

[Mike Kimmel]

I'm in the revising stage on my text and putting finishing touches on my map. Game night tonight (mythic cleric go!) so I'll probably be wrapping up and submitting tomorrow as well.

I can't wait to see what monsters everyone picked! This weekend is going to be killer. I think I'm developing my patience more than anything else by participating in this thing.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Really? I think I'm developing heart palpitations...

;)

[Tripp Elliott]

Arkos wrote:

Holy cow, folks are done already? I've submitted decently early the last two rounds, but this one is going to take at least until late tomorrow night. Congrats for being done early!

I knew I needed to get mine in early if I advanced, so I had the thing at about the 80% mark awaiting the results last night.

I'll admit to not paying complete attention as our party started our assault of Jorgenfist last night, as by game time, I knew I had made it, so I was writing when it wasn't my initiative,

[Mikael Sebag]

Do you guys know if we can add class levels to the Round 2 monster we end up using?

[Jacob W. Michaels]

I don't believe so.

Round 3 rules wrote:

3.Do not use customized monsters or hazards that do not already have a stat block from a Paizo source if the effects of the variation cannot be summed up by adding one line to the stat block (such as a half-fiend troll, a goblin rogue 5, or an advanced spectre)--normally you would include a complete stat block for such a monster, and you won't have room to do so within the 1,500 word limit for your entry.

(Emphasis added by me)

[Mikael Sebag]

Ah, thank you, I completely missed that!

EDIT: Is a trap considered a hazard? The sample format lists them under separate lines, but I'm not sure how to interpret that.

[Tyler Beck]

Submitted! Good Lord it was tough to hit that button! Good luck, everyone!

[Tripp Elliott]

Tyler Beck wrote:

Submitted! Good Lord it was tough to hit that button! Good luck, everyone!

Congrats dude, and good luck!!!

[Emmanuel Greene]

Playtested my encounter with my Wednesday night gaming group, and it went really well. I got some good advice for the location, too. Lots of work to do yet, but the entry is shaping up!

Now I just hope it has mass appeal beyond my little gaming group :-)

[Mikko Kallio]

Playtested it; now doing finishing touches. :)

[Andrew Marlowe]

I'm still trimming and adding and clarifying and trimming and adding...

Hopefully I have it ready by tomorrow night.