
michael patrick RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Dedicated Voter Season 9 aka michaeljpatrick |

frank gori RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka GM_Solspiral |

![]() |

James Raine wrote:Why is every warhammer of infinite smiting made of mithral and +3?possibly for the same reason that every Holy Avenger is a +2 cold iron longsword (or a +5 holy cold iron longsword in the hands of a paladin), and every dagger of venom is a back +1 dagger with a serrated edge, and mace of smiting is always a +3 adamantine heavy mace... If you tell people that they are supposed to be designing "Specific Weapons" like the ones in the core rulebook, they are going to be taking their cues from the specific weapons in the core rulebook.
I get that's how the items in the book look, but come on. Seriously? Why restrict yourself?

Feros Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9 |

Jeff Lee |

Jeff Lee wrote:Wow. And right after commenting about not expecting to see it, there's my item. Hopefully it's paired with that other item because they both need votes, and not because they're on the same level because...woof.Don't over think it or try to interpret it too much a lot of it is random. in an ideal world every item gets paired with every item across as many voters as possible
I know. It's just the butterflies in the stomach. Reading over my submission again, I didn't see any glaring errors. (I'm glad of that, since I hit the preview button about three dozen times, making corrections and edits, before I finally submitted.)

![]() |

Some of these spelling errors are starting to really make me laugh. I can't mention my latest run-in because it's in the name of the item.
I'm starting to get a little nervous. The ambiguity of the comments in this thread (Although absolutely necessary) is a good encouragement when I think they could be talking about my item.
But now that I hear that a bottom 25% will be pruned...it's a little nerve-wracking.

![]() |

cwslyclgh wrote:I get that's how the items in the book look, but come on. Seriously? Why restrict yourself?James Raine wrote:Why is every warhammer of infinite smiting made of mithral and +3?possibly for the same reason that every Holy Avenger is a +2 cold iron longsword (or a +5 holy cold iron longsword in the hands of a paladin), and every dagger of venom is a back +1 dagger with a serrated edge, and mace of smiting is always a +3 adamantine heavy mace... If you tell people that they are supposed to be designing "Specific Weapons" like the ones in the core rulebook, they are going to be taking their cues from the specific weapons in the core rulebook.
Are you saying that the Sword of Stabbocity shouldn't always have the same enhancement bonus or something? Because if that's what you're saying, you're wrong; that's not how specific weapons work.
There's a rules difference between a named magic weapon and a flat-cost weapon enhancement: the latter can be placed on any weapon, while the former is an all-or-nothing package deal. Try to let the special ability of a flametongue work on any old magic weapon, and you've changed it from a "specific magic weapon" to a "flat-price weapon enhancement". At that point, it's no longer a valid entry for the contest.

Isaac Volynskiy RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka Petty Alchemy |

![]() |

James Raine wrote:cwslyclgh wrote:I get that's how the items in the book look, but come on. Seriously? Why restrict yourself?James Raine wrote:Why is every warhammer of infinite smiting made of mithral and +3?possibly for the same reason that every Holy Avenger is a +2 cold iron longsword (or a +5 holy cold iron longsword in the hands of a paladin), and every dagger of venom is a back +1 dagger with a serrated edge, and mace of smiting is always a +3 adamantine heavy mace... If you tell people that they are supposed to be designing "Specific Weapons" like the ones in the core rulebook, they are going to be taking their cues from the specific weapons in the core rulebook.Are you saying that the Sword of Stabbocity shouldn't always have the same enhancement bonus or something? Because if that's what you're saying, you're wrong; that's not how specific weapons work.
There's a rules difference between a named magic weapon and a flat-cost weapon enhancement: the latter can be placed on any weapon, while the former is an all-or-nothing package deal. Try to let the special ability of a flametongue work on any old magic weapon, and you've changed it from a "specific magic weapon" to a "flat-price weapon enhancement". At that point, it's no longer a valid entry for the contest.
Well, I guess I hate specific weapons then. I'm still voting on merit, don't worry: saying "This ovaltine-forged cinnamon stick +2..." hasn't affected my vote, it just rankles my hackles (or some other mixed metaphor).

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

I'm really getting tired of back stories that imply the item was once mass-produced by the Great Lord So-and-So to be handed out like candy to all his Lordship's peasants/apprentices/cable repairmen, despite the 5- or even 6- figure price tags.
Especially when the backstory also indicates that said mass-produced items are "very rare".

frank gori RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka GM_Solspiral |

![]() |

Feros Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9 |
4 people marked this as a favorite. |

I'm with Jeff - just read at least one comment that I can see being totally about my item.
.....aaaaaaand there goes a fingernail!
Relax. Last year I saw a number of snarky comments about what could have been—and in some cases WERE—about my item.
I still was in the top one hundred and considered by the judges. :)

frank gori RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka GM_Solspiral |

GM_Solspiral wrote:Ok so here's the deal, you have a cool idea and 300 words to show me what you got as a writer. You use under 100 and you're as much a problem as the guy who can't stay under 300.+1
I'm not saying it to be cruel but think from the perspective of a publisher... I need X words on y subject is a common assignment. Under is better than tightly written and over but not by much. Severely under is a problem, forces an editor to either come up with more content or they have to coax you for more. Coaxing for more = managing talent no editor really wants to have to when there's so much talent out there.

Feros Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9 |

Luthia Dedicated Voter Season 8 |

Well, I might be one of the only ones repeatedly seeing snake/serpent/venom items, but my do I see the same of these again and again and again. To the point where they outnumber the weather (all types) items, I've seen, and there's been a fair lot of those too. Also, lava. So much lava/fire/fiery. And blood/pain/bones.
Guess I'm mostly seeing the same stuff as every one else.
I am getting more than a touch tired of items that do not have their names in the main block, only in the top. So far, none that would have gone over word count if they had, but I do not like this template breach. Also too many missing major pieces of the template or having it all but in the craziest order available.
But so far, most votes have been easy or annoying because both items wanted a downvote or and upvote, often for the same reasons. Then it comes down to: your name is annoying, yours is somewhat interesting.
But there's some truly great stuff in there. Though, those GREAT staves you're all talking about? Maybe I'm just too critical, or those are the ones I haven't seen.

frank gori RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka GM_Solspiral |

Even with the snarky comments I might actual have upvoted the item, usually when I comment like that it is because I want the author to find it think it's about them and learn from it next year.
The joke items, the completely unformatted ones, the ones that go over the top with gore, the ones that clearly have drawn inspiration from an identifiable source, or the ones that just clearly never read the forum advice I'm geenrally not bothering to comment on. Those folks are already kicking themselves and will learn and maybe come back better next year.
I see a lot of potential out there this year.

Isaac Volynskiy RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16 , Dedicated Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka Petty Alchemy |

frank gori RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 32 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Marathon Voter Season 9 aka GM_Solspiral |

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

Feros Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9 |

Joseph Kellogg RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka RainyDayNinja |

Feros Champion Voter Season 6, Champion Voter Season 7, Champion Voter Season 8, Champion Voter Season 9 |

Joseph Kellogg RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16 , Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9 aka RainyDayNinja |