The most Superstar blog for the RPG Superstar season

[Mikko Kallio]

Hi, I'm a freelancer, a former RPG Superstar finalist, and an RPG design blogger. I started my blog A Sword for Hire in March when RPG Superstar 2014 ended, and I've written a lot about my experiences and lessons learned as an RPG Superstar finalist (top 4 in 2014, top 32 in 2012, and alternate in 2011) and a monster design contest judge (Here Be Monsters). Below is list of different kinds of design advice and interviews that may be useful for both RPGSS contestants and aspiring freelancers. Please have a look!

In addition to these articles and interviews, I've assembled a team of writers to blog about RPG Superstar and related subjects throughout the RPGSS season. Jacob W. Michaels (RPGSS top 16 in 2014 & 2012), Joe Kondrak (Here Be Monsters top 5) and I will be updating the blog several times a week with posts both informative and entertaining. So keep an eye on this thread for news about updates. :)

Wondrous item design advice: Mikko's "recipe" for wondrous items

Monster design advice

General: Unwritten rules | Monsters aren't all that different from wondrous items
Descriptive line: Focusing on what makes the monster different | Observations from Here Be Monsters contest
Stat block: Observations from Here Be Monsters contest Part one | Part two | Part three
Special abilities: Observations from Here Be Monsters contest
Write-up, concept, and name: Observations from Here Be Monsters contest
Special: Designing scary monsters

Map-making advice: Making of: House of the Serpent's Son map

General advice for RPG Superstar: General advice

The most Superstar interviews - RPG Superstar 2014 winner & top 4: Victoria Jaczko | Mike Kimmel | Mikko Kallio | Robert Brookes

Freelancing advice

I've interviewed over a dozen publishers and self-publishers. Each interview includes a few questions about hiring freelancers and/or tips for new freelancers.

Third-party publishers: Adventure-A-Week | Dreamscarred Press | Flying Pincushion | Kobold Press | Legendary Games | Raging Swan | Rite Publishing | SagaRPG | Tricky Owlbear

Self-publishing: Eric Morton Presents | Forest Guardian Press | Four Dollar Dungeons | Gamer Printshop | Mór Games

[Jacob W. Michaels]

And my first entry is up: So you want to be a Superstar?

Please check it out and let us know what you think.

[Mazym]

Is there an approved template or templates for these types of items this year? I have the Core Rule Book and can see what is on the page, but there have been several additional, more recent, books put out since. Is the CRB format still good?

[cartmanbeck]

If you guys would like my input on anything, let me know! :)

[Jacob W. Michaels]

The template can be found here.

[Owen K. C. Stephens]

Mazym wrote:

Is there an approved template or templates for these types of items this year? I have the Core Rule Book and can see what is on the page, but there have been several additional, more recent, books put out since. Is the CRB format still good?

The CRB format is, in fact, required. :)

[Jacob Trier]

Mazym wrote:

Is there an approved template or templates for these types of items this year? I have the Core Rule Book and can see what is on the page, but there have been several additional, more recent, books put out since. Is the CRB format still good?

Yes. It's provided with the Round 1 rules, which are found on the Contest page. Be sure to read both the contest rules and the individual round rules VERY carefully. Each year, people inadvertently disqualify themselves by not doing so. We already have the first example of that this year.

[Mazym]

NotMyItem
Aura weak grammar; CL 0th
Slot hand; Price 100 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

Description
This is a template test

Construction
Requirements BigFeat, blasto zappo, lots of dirt; Cost 10 gp

Just checking - I'm the kind of guy who will be DQ'd because of a formatting error.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Mazym, unfortunately formatting errors are pretty common in Superstar (though I'm very curious to see what the one-week deadline will mean in terms of number and quality of entries this year).

Unless the error is something that would put you over 300 words -- say your item is exactly 300 words but you left out "Construction" -- it won't get you DQ'd. That said, a lot of voters certainly use an incorrect template as a reason to choose one item over another.

[Template Fu]

Mazym wrote:

NotMyItem

Aura weak grammar; CL 0th
Slot hand; Price 100 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

Description
This is a template test

Construction
Requirements BigFeat, blasto zappo, lots of dirt; Cost 10 gp

Just checking - I'm the kind of guy who will be DQ'd because of a formatting error.

1 dinner point already! :P *munch*.

Basic item construction items, buttons, shirts, dirt, stones, mud, etc., are NOT listed as "other requirements" - they are usually in the opening description visual line of the description.

"This mound is made of a pile of freshly crumbled dirt"... ;)

"other requirements" mean things like "you must have 6 ranks of Knowledge (Mud Pie Building)", or "the caster must be good aligned", and so on.

*munch* *joy* even practice points are yum! *chew* *slurp*

[Mikko Kallio]

Coming up on A Sword for Hire: A three-part series of mini-articles on magic item design. Watch longsword of fireballs, a SiaC and SAK, evolve into blade of slashing nova and finally into aurora's edge.

I'll post the articles on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, respectively. Stay tuned!

[Master Pugwampi]

Template Fu wrote:

Mazym wrote:

NotMyItem

Aura weak grammar; CL 0th
Slot hand; Price 100 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

Description
This is a template test

Construction
Requirements BigFeat, blasto zappo, lots of dirt; Cost 10 gp

Just checking - I'm the kind of guy who will be DQ'd because of a formatting error.

1 dinner point already! :P *munch*.

Basic item construction items, buttons, shirts, dirt, stones, mud, etc., are NOT listed as "other requirements" - they are usually in the opening description visual line of the description.

"This mound is made of a pile of freshly crumbled dirt"... ;)

"other requirements" mean things like "you must have 6 ranks of Knowledge (Mud Pie Building)", or "the caster must be good aligned", and so on.

*munch* *joy* even practice points are yum! *chew* *slurp*

Yo, Template Fu. You missed that the cost was less than half the price.

*hmmpf*

Some engine of wanton destruction you are! :P

[Template Fu]

Grin. I'm warming up - lol, I am sure those I have already dealt with by PM can attest to that.

The "other requirements" was the main thing to point out - it's one of those most often misunderstood sections of the template ;)

[Mikko Kallio]

cartmanbeck wrote:

If you guys would like my input on anything, let me know! :)

Hey Tyler! I might invite a few RPGSS finalists from past years to write guest posts sometime in the future. I'll let you know if/when that happens!

[Joe Kondrak]

Hi there. As Mikko mentioned above, I'm happy to say I'll be contributing some posts to his blog, A Sword for Hire.

Just now, I added my introductory post, RPG Superstar: A Captivating Tournament.

It's a short post about RPGSS, plus a photograph as a bonus.

[Mikko Kallio]

I created a longsword of fireballs - have a look at it on A Sword for Hire and discuss! Is it a SAK or something else?

Magic Item Advice 1/3: longsword of fireballs

[Jacob W. Michaels]

With Round 1 submissions now done, it's time to start looking at maps.

Host Owen K. C. Stephens recommends looking at some previous Round 4 maps for guides, so with that in mind, here's a look at a few of my favorites.

[Ignotus Advenium]

A new post on A Sword for Hire: Playtesting a Staff

Work on those voter tags, everyone!

[Mikko Kallio]

That's a great photo, Joe! :)

[Jacob W. Michaels]

What's your favorite Superstar item? My latest post has been published

[frank gori]

Snap leaf

[Eric Hindley]

Jacob W. Michaels wrote:

What's your favorite Superstar item? My latest post has been published

Thanks so much for the kinda words! I'm flattered that you consider the shadow falconer's glove to be your all-time favorite! There have been so many great choices over the years.

Im especially fond of the tankard of the cheerful duelist and the batrachian helm myself.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Thanks for reading, Eric!

[Mikko Kallio]

Another great post, Jacob! I also think Eric's s.f.g. is one of the best Top 32 items in the history of RPGSS.

[Mikko Kallio]

Some map-making advice, part 1/3.

Of course, I'm not a judge for round 2, so YMMV. Though round 3 last year went really well for me, I admit I still have a lot to learn about maps.

If you have any tips you want to share, fire away. :)

[Joe Kondrak]

For your viewing pleasure: Workin' in the Coal Mine

[James Casey]

Joe Kondrak wrote:

Hi there. As Mikko mentioned above, I'm happy to say I'll be contributing some posts to his blog, A Sword for Hire.

Just now, I added my introductory post, RPG Superstar: A Captivating Tournament.

It's a short post about RPGSS, plus a photograph as a bonus.

Great post, Joe. I enjoyed reading it.

[Ignotus Advenium]

James Casey wrote:

Joe Kondrak wrote:

Hi there. As Mikko mentioned above, I'm happy to say I'll be contributing some posts to his blog, A Sword for Hire.

Just now, I added my introductory post, RPG Superstar: A Captivating Tournament.

It's a short post about RPGSS, plus a photograph as a bonus.

Great post, Joe. I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks James! I hope you return to ASFH and find more that you like. Mikko's and Jacob's posts are very entertaining and informative, and I have a nearly endless supply of photos to contribute.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Why sit back and wait for a game-design career come to you?

Resolve to be proactive

[Mikko Kallio]

In a similar vein, I wrote about my year as a freelancer.

[Ignotus Advenium]

And a few photos to enjoy while you cast your votes, too:

Crossing the Ífingr

[Mike Kimmel]

Great work on the blog, guys. I might have to reference some of these posts in some upcoming Freelance Forge posts & updates.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Some of my favorite items in voting so far have me rethinking what I want to play in Pathfinder.

[Ignotus Advenium]

For your viewing pleasure: Champion Voter?

[Mikko Kallio]

I've been quite busy lately, but I wanted to post something that is... well related to RPG Superstar only in the sense that I created it while I was designing my Pathfinder Society adventure that I got to write by virtue of being one of last year's Top 4.

It's a CR calculator with a GUI! It also has vorpal elephants in it.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Now that the voting is over, stick around, even if you don't make the Top 32.

[Mikko Kallio]

Some really good observations. I hope that people will stick around and comment on the entries -- it's also good practice for the next year.

[Browman]

This is my first year involved in RPGSS, and I intend to comment on every entry.

[Coleman]

I've committed to commenting as much as possible this year. I've participated in the contest a lot in. The past, but haven't always taken part in the commentary here on the boards. I'm posting more this year and I hope to carry that through to the end.

[Curaigh]

Another nice blog Jacob,
Actually I am enjoying the whole series Mikko. I dinnae comment enough in the blog, but you need to know I AM reading and AM enjoying and that I thank you for coming up with this series. :)

[Ignotus Advenium]

Here's something to look at while you think about maps and wait for next week's reveal:

Ambush at Copper Gorge

[Mikko Kallio]

I interviewed this year's six Champion Voters and already published five of the interviews (I'll publish the last one tomorrow).

Frank Gori / GM_Solspiral | Feros | Thomas LeBlanc | William Adley / WinterWalker | William Ward

Also, I just posted some map-making advice. It's just my very subjective opinion on what a good map needs to be successful in RPG Superstar. Link.

[Isaac Volynskiy]

The link for the second William takes me back to the first William @_@

Fortunately I was able to navigate the blog to the correct link.

[Thomas LeBlanc]

Petty Alchemy wrote:

The link for the second William takes me back to the first William @_@

Fortunately I was able to navigate the blog to the correct link.

Okay, it wasn't a click fail on my part then.

[Isaac Volynskiy]

I suppose it would be helpful to post that link.

William Ward

[Jacob W. Michaels]

The proper link

[Mikko Kallio]

Oh, sorry about that! And thanks for posting the proper link! :)

[Lady Firedove]

Neat interviews, Mikko. Way to go, Champion Voters!

Also, I've been enjoying all the blog posts along the way, guys. Good work! :)

[Jacob W. Michaels]

This week's post is up a bit early, since I think everyone will be reading something else around 5 p.m. (Eastern). My advice to the Top 32.

[Kiel Howell]

Great post and perspective Jacob. Thanks!