Well this item appears to be a converted wondrous item, but it could have so easily been the legal item the designer claims it to be. As it is, it is still a wondrous item. But is it clever enough to beat its competition?
... Tough call. Better name, but way too niche. Both items are flawed in their own ways. I think I have to go with a vote for the designer and choose with the wondrous item.
And then another wondrous item. Sorry, but that is not a weapon just because it can be used as one and you say it is a weapon.
And its competition should have been a set of banded mail, but it is still the right kind of magic item for the competition and kind of clever.
I think I've seen this one mentioned on this thread. Is this name a typo? It is repeated throughout the text, so that seems unlikely. It is a hilarious typo, if it is a typo. If it is not, it is a silly name.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I believe the term you want is technically Theriocephaly. But that would have been over most off our heads.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
So, it's kind of funny, but there's this one item I've seen quite a lot that is, well, not good. It's totally unexplained, and worse, it acts snarky about it, telling me what it does should be obvious. However, even though I won't vote for it, I must say that it has actually inspired me.
I actually want to take the item (and create several more like it) and run a campaign around the PCs acquiring these and discovering how they work and building their power as they go. See, as a GM, I like the vagueness, but as a player/designer/reader, it's just unacceptable.
And another one that is a wondrous item and NOT a weapon.
And even its competition would have been better served as footwear of some kind and may have been such before the first round change.
I wonder how many entries were converted wondrous items. I'll be honest, my entry was converted. Although I was somewhat worried when I created it as a wondrous item that it would be mistaken as the type of item I finally submitted it as. I had nearly 30 wondrous items written up between last years competition and this year's change, about four of which I considered convertible to legal items for this year's round 1. And none of those four where in my top five that I was considering as my 2015 wondrous item entry. I'm not going to force an obvious conversion. I also created three new items before submitting, but settled on the one I submitted on a very close poll of friends. And immediately regretted not submitting the close runner up.
RPG Superstar 2015
,
Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
|
I gotta say, voting has given me a lot of appreciation for the work of a slush editor, and also insight into the way the process works, since a lot of what we are doing kind of mimics that gate-keeping process-- deciding what's good enough to be REALLY looked at, etc (even if I think the RPGSS judges do look at least once at everything?).
To a lot of newbie writers, the idea that your submission can, and usually will, be rejected for something like 'failing to follow manuscript format' is disheartening and seems cruel-- 'if they would only look past that to see how awesome my story is behind that superficial detail!'. But once you've been on the other end of looking at hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of submissions, you simply don't have the time and energy to give the people who DON'T follow directions that extra effort to hunt for the awesome that may or may not be contained within their story. It's simply a math question, where the goal is to process as many submissions as you can as quickly and fairly as you can, and people who messed up on one thing are, statistically, more likely to have messed up on other things. It's a reality of the business.
(And no, I'm not saying I downvote for every missed bold tag, and sometimes I DO see the awesome in an item with many glaring errors-- this is really just meant more as general observation on the way the publishing industry functions, as a necessity, than on RPGSS in particular.)
Steve Helt mentioned that all the judges read all of the incoming entries, even if they are not part of the Top 32 panel.
The rest of your post is incredibly insightful and something I have espoused myself. If you can't show that you're willing to come to the proper ballpark to play, I simply don't have the energy to track you down, even if you are the next Babe Ruth.
GPS check!
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
,
Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8
aka Jrcmarine
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
And then another wondrous item. Sorry, but that is not a weapon just because it can be used as one and you say it is a weapon...
I wish I could talk with you about some of these wondrous items turned weapons. I am curious what criteria you are using to determine if an item was previously a wondrous item prior to the competition. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some weapons and armor that I think were wondrous items prior to the competition.
I am curious because I have a feeling some people might think my entry was a Wondrous Item prior to the competition and it most certainly was not. It was always the type of item it ended up being from the start.
So I guess my question is what makes a weapon/armor appear to be a wondrous item in a previous incarnation?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
It's when you look at the item and realize that it just really shouldn't be a [sword] it's intended to be cloak. It has standard cloak abilities, gives standard cloak buffs, but the designer is claiming it's a [sword] and you think "if you just called it a [armor], I might not have noticed"
Or worse, when they do make it an [armor] but it billows dramatically in the wind like a cloak and claims the free cloak that comes with it is essential to it's powers.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16
,
Star Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8
aka FaxCelestis
|
And then another wondrous item. Sorry, but that is not a weapon just because it can be used as one and you say it is a weapon...I wish I could talk with you about some of these wondrous items turned weapons. I am curious what criteria you are using to determine if an item was previously a wondrous item prior to the competition. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some weapons and armor that I think were wondrous items prior to the competition.
I am curious because I have a feeling some people might think my entry was a Wondrous Item prior to the competition and it most certainly was not. It was always the type of item it ended up being from the start.
So I guess my question is what makes a weapon/armor appear to be a wondrous item in a previous incarnation?
I too have this worry.
And then another wondrous item. Sorry, but that is not a weapon just because it can be used as one and you say it is a weapon...I wish I could talk with you about some of these wondrous items turned weapons. I am curious what criteria you are using to determine if an item was previously a wondrous item prior to the competition. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some weapons and armor that I think were wondrous items prior to the competition.
I am curious because I have a feeling some people might think my entry was a Wondrous Item prior to the competition and it most certainly was not. It was always the type of item it ended up being from the start.
So I guess my question is what makes a weapon/armor appear to be a wondrous item in a previous incarnation?
Me three. All totally abstractly he says: I see how I may be in the same boat, and I see why.
To answer the question: if it's primary function is smacking things around, it's a weapon. If it looks like a weapon, but you really use it for (list of whatever awesome you're looking for), then it's going to feel shoehorned. You know, like a dagger of shoehorning. That probably started life as a shoehorn.
|
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
,
Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8
aka Jrcmarine
|
It's when you look at the item and realize that it just really shouldn't be a [sword] it's intended to be cloak. It has standard cloak abilities, gives standard cloak buffs, but the designer is claiming it's a [sword] and you think "if you just called it a [armor]...
There are many items that possess powers that would normally belong to another type of item. As examples from the core rule book I submit the following:
Breastplate of CommandPlate Armor of the Deep
Frost Brand
Luck Blade
Mace of Terror
Trident of Fish Command
All of these items possess powers that would normally be associated with a different type of magical item, and I doubt they started their life as another type of item prior to their inclusion in the rule book. I grant you that none of these items would be considered "Superstar" but it does make me rethink the wondrous item as a weapon/armor conundrum. I think I am not as quick to slam an entry due to its conversion from a wondrous item. As I mentioned previously, there are some blatant entries that merely exchanged Cloak for Long Sword or Boots for Breastplate. However I think those are the exception rather than the rule.
|
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
,
Marathon Voter Season 6, Dedicated Voter Season 7, Dedicated Voter Season 8
aka Jiggy
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
The biggest tell that an item started life in the Wondrous category is that when donned/activated, it literally physically transforms into a different type of item before you can actually use it. I've seen more than one of these.
|
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
,
Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8
aka Jrcmarine
|
The biggest tell that an item started life in the Wondrous category is that when donned/activated, it literally physically transforms into a different type of item before you can actually use it. I've seen more than one of these.
Thank you for that, Jacob. That is definitely one criteria I can get behind when determining the possible former life of an item.
So I guess my question is what makes a weapon/armor appear to be a wondrous item in a previous incarnation?
Can't speak for James, but here's one example.
In Chronicles of Riddick, Riddick used a cup to kill someone. That doesn't make it a weapon. It's still a cup. How do I know? Because if I go to the list of Pathfinder weapons, I won't find "cup" listed anywhere.
So if I make Riddick's magic tea cup and give it a bunch of non-weapon related abilities, and say that it can also be used as a +3 heartseeker punch dagger, I really haven't made a weapon. I've made a wondrous item that can be used as a weapon.
|
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
,
Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8
aka Jrcmarine
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Jeff, I totally agree with that example and have seen several of those in the competition. The description of the item even indicates that it is something else that can be used as a weapon. The name of the item even dubs it something else.
But what about this?
Riddick's Magic Tea Stirrer
+3 heartseeker punch dagger that allows you to screw off the jeweled hilt thrice per day and drink an invigorating tea that acts as a potion of heroism for 5 rounds?
Jeff, I totally agree with that example and have seen several of those in the competition. The description of the item even indicates that it is something else that can be used as a weapon. The name of the item even dubs it something else.
But what about this?
Riddick's Magic Tea Stirrer
+3 heartseeker punch dagger that allows you to screw off the jeweled hilt thrice per day and drink an invigorating tea that acts as a potion of heroism for 5 rounds?
That would be a magic weapon. A magic weapon with an odd power, but a weapon nevertheless.
So I guess my question is what makes a weapon/armor appear to be a wondrous item in a previous incarnation?
I would say that Alexander, Jacob, Jeff, and others got it right. Note that I was not implying that all the items I saw definitely began life as a wondrous item. Just that they would make more sense as other items, and could therefor be mistaken for conversions. Well, without giving too much away about the particular items I saw today:
Well this item appears to be a converted wondrous item, but it could have so easily been the legal item the designer claims it to be. As it is, it is still a wondrous item. But is it clever enough to beat its competition?
This first one I mentioned was another item entirely that would normally be a wondrous item but turned into an item that was legal for this round. To me that is still a wondrous item, and if I recall correctly, it could have just been the item it turned into and had the same functionality with its main ability (which was pretty cool). The fact that it was a wondrous item item was nearly pointless. I still voted this one up because I thought it was more clever than the other.
And then another wondrous item. Sorry, but that is not a weapon just because it can be used as one and you say it is a weapon.
This one was an item that is not normally a weapon, armor, rod, staff, or ring, but the designer said it was a weapon or could be used as such. Fine it can be used as a weapon, but that does not mean it is one. It was an item that has several such examples in wondrous items (and I've seen several in past RPGSS that were not dissimilar). If my players wanted to buy a mundane item of this type they would not likely find one in a weaponsmith's shop.
And another one that is a wondrous item and NOT a weapon.
And this one, much like the last, was classically a wondrous item of which there are several examples. In fact, there was one of this item type in the top 32 last year that could be used as a weapon, but was NOT a weapon and did not require Craft Magic Arms and Armor to craft.
I hope that explains my criteria for determining whether an item should have been (or maybe was once) a wondrous item. And show that I still might up vote such an item if it is still better enough than its competition. And I hope I didn't give too much away about the specific items I saw.
|
RPG Superstar 2015
,
Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Jeff, I totally agree with that example and have seen several of those in the competition. The description of the item even indicates that it is something else that can be used as a weapon. The name of the item even dubs it something else.
But what about this?
Riddick's Magic Tea Stirrer
+3 heartseeker punch dagger that allows you to screw off the jeweled hilt thrice per day and drink an invigorating tea that acts as a potion of heroism for 5 rounds?
Oh thrice the word count's friend, it's thrice daily to save you that one word James ;-)
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
4108 votes in and...
1 !!!!!
...it's been so long! :D
I always feel like an item started life as a wondrous item by looking at the following:
Armors/Weapons/Shields - If the combat-related item gives non-combat related abilities only, I tend to believe it started as a wondrous item. To use the example above, casting heroism grants bonuses to combat, so I'd call it a weapon, too. Armors that grant the ability to disguise themselves I would call armor, since being able to wear armor when you shouldn't is a great advantage.
Rings - If the powers are not suitable for a slot-limited item, then I think either poor design or a wondrous item.
Rods/Staves - I can't really tell. I just assume that none of them are wondrous items, since why pick really hard items to design if you're just converting a wondrous item.
|
RPG Superstar 2015
,
Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka mamaursula
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
While I do not understand how you work because you are not very clear in your description, you are still a better item than the item next to you.
And I apologize if anyone reads my vague descriptions and figures it is referring to your item. It may not be as there are many entries that do these things to one extent or another. If these things fit the item you submitted, you might still have enough mojo to make the top 32. Don't think that one voter's opinion is what everyone thinks of your item. As someone who has entered all eight years of this competition I can tell you that part of a top 32 magic item is subjective to the judges and you should try to use every entry as a learning experience. Take what you may have done wrong and avoid it next year. Take what other people have done wrong and avoid it next year too. I'm fairly certain I'm not going to crack the top 32 this year, but I won't mind. A few voters might see my item as a converted wondrous item, but that is not the biggest flaw in my entry. I should have gone with a item with more mojo. Same problem I had last year.
And I myself converted four wondrous items to other items legal for this year's round one. It is nothing to b e ashamed of, but it should be not be really obvious or your item should not come off as once being a wondrous item.
I took a magic magnifying glass that was already a SIAK and turned it into a staff. It made a better staff and I would not change it back.
I took a set of vambraces and turned it into a whole set of armor. It made better armor, but I discovered two sets of similarly themed armors with a search in the Archives of Nethys so I scrapped it.
I took a set of gloves and started to turn it into a set of armor, but the conversion showed at the seems so I scrapped it. It made better gloves.
And I took a magic [redacted] and turned it into a [redacted]. Though the conversion was not as sure as the first two, I do like the new version better despite that it could have also remained its original wondrous item type. It eliminated the comparison with the item type it ended up being and somewhat circumvented possible lack of knowledge of the item type's history on the part of voters.
I never get tired of seeing this armor. One of these days I may have to see this armor paired up against another suit I really like. That will give me pause.
Nice chakram. But at a glance I misread the title and could not stop chuckling about it.
Capitalization does not work that way.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Voting for me :>
The voting gods are really with me, almost every day I see my item now. Which is only fair because the first 1200 votes I didn't see it at all.
I'd argue for "bearers"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
10 words item name vs. 8 words item name
The vote buttons were practically scraping against one another.
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'd argue for "bearers"
Ring bear...er.
I'd argue for "bearers"
We're already using "bearers" for "owls."
I just had my first "do I vote for my item or don't I" moment. The item it was up against wasn't bad at all. In the end I was still able to vote for my item with a clear conscience, but man I don't like when that happens.
Pretend I did a Gollum rant here, it doesn't translate well tot he written word.
I didn't vote for you a minute ago joke item, and unless you get paired with a complete fail item you aren't getting any votes at all!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
A Ringbearer, carries the ring, but does not wear it.
|
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
,
Marathon Voter Season 7, Marathon Voter Season 8
aka Jrcmarine
|
I have a hard time believing a demon requested someone to create a +1 item that was then subsequently used to great effect against other celestials...
Then again there was no mention of a world, universe, plane or dimension so it must have been a "low powered" campaign.
Most Boring Name Award of 2015 goes to...