Trident of the Elemental Captain
AuraModerate Evocation; CL 14th
SlotTwo-Handed Weapon; Price 30,195 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
Description
This ornately decorated +2 trident is adorned with ruby’s, sapphires and topazes, and each point is charged with a different elemental energy. As such on hit the trident deals an additional 1 point of fire, cold and electricity damage. This effect stacks with those granted from the flaming, shocking and frost properties. Additionally once per day the user can command the trident to cast a Scorching Ray that fires three rays that must be all against the same target. The first ray dealing cold damage, the second electricity, the last fire.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Scorching Rays, Snowball**, Shocking Grasp.; Cost 15,097 gp
Trident of the Elemental Captain
The Good: Tridents are underused, I was happy to see one get some love, and not deal with fish or water.
The Bad: Some formatting and template errors, most glaring being there is no such thing as a two-handed weapon item slot, it should just read "none". The name also just does not do it for me. I strongly suggest in coming years (if you compete, which I urge you to) to avoid using your items base type in the name.
The Ugly: Alas, elemental damage weapons are nothing new, and the gems fire elemental rays falls pretty flat for me, I can accomplish that same feat with metamagic. Also would have liked to see more word count for description, and I see some SiaC concerns with it as well.
Sanguine kiss
AuraModerate Transmutation; CL 11th
Slotnone; Price 41,320 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
This +1 wounding rapier, accompanied by a sheath of red leather, sports a hilt made of steel thorny stems extending upwards all the way along the blade and downward acting as the guard.
While unsheathed, the wielder can activate the following abilities as a swift action.
Deal 1 negative level upon confirmed critical hits. These temporary hit points last for 24 hours. One day after being struck, subjects must succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude save for each negative level gained or any such levels become permanent.
Once per turn deal 1 constitution damage to a creature hit
slain humanoids immediately rises from death as a vampire spawn under the control of the wielder. A wielder may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than 22 Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit would immediately revert to regular corpses.
Every round the sanguine kiss must deal 10 damage per activated ability to a creature other than constructs, oozes, plants, outsiders with the elemental subtype, undeads or creatures immune to bleed damage. whenever it fails to do so it deals the required amount of damage on its wielder at the end of it's turn.
Whenever the sanguine kiss is sheathed or unwielded by creatures other than constructs, oozes, plants, outsiders with the elemental subtype, undeads or creatures immune to bleed damage, all it's activated powers deactivate and all vampire spawns created immediately revert to regular corpses.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Animate Object, Undead Anatomy II; Cost 20,820 gp
Sanguine kiss
The Good: Rose themes always appeal to me, so kudos there.
The Bad: I find your description confusing, and I do not get a clear image of your item from it. Also blood powers are hard mode, and turn many voters off. There are also some template and formatting errors.
The Ugly: Create vampire spawn goes to far IMO, also Con damage with no save or limit can be abused greatly. Also level drain is not an ability that undead anatomy grants at all, and is a dangerously powerful ability to grant to a weapon for this low a cost. Also while I see the where you were going with the drawback, it can easily get out of hand quickly and kill the wielder.
Books of One
Aura moderate evocation; CL 7th
Slotnone; Price 12,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This unassuming pair of dog-eared tomes appear to be perfect mirrors of one another, including a foreboding dark stain on the fifteenth page.
Any text penned within the pages of one of these books immediately appears on the corresponding page of the other, regardless of distance. Spells specifically targeting the written word, books, or parchment such as erase, illusory script, or secret page have their effects bilocated; the same spell existing on both pages of the pair. Such effects end immediately if they are no longer present in both books of one.
Due to their dual nature, holding one of the pair functions as a “possession or garment” physical connection for the purposes of scrying attempts to discern the owner of the other.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, sending; Cost 6,000 gp
Books of One
The Good: Books don't come up often, good idea to try a less travelled design space.
The Bad: The item description falls really flat for me, and the "foreboding dark stain" bit is far to cliche. Also the name of the item just feels forced.
The Ugly: SiaC communication item, plain and simple, there is no clever mechanics, no wow factor, just utility, sure it a good way to communicate, but PRGSS goes beyond the basics of does it work. This item was far to conservative and predictable for my liking.
Fray’s Fabulous Fireworks
Auramoderate evocation; CL 7th
Slotnone; Price 10,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
Description
This soot-covered leather satchel contains an array of colored fireworks. A firework can be drawn from the satchel and launched as a standard action. It flies 200 feet upwards and up to 60 feet horizontally before exploding in a beautiful pattern matching the firework’s hue. The glowing embers rain down in a 20 foot radius cylinder for 2d4 rounds, causing an effect each round based on the firework’s color. Each creature in the area may make a DC 16 Reflex save to take half damage and avoid any additional effects.
Red: Burning ash deals 2d6 points of fire damage and blocks all sight in the area;
Yellow: Sparkling motes deal 1d6 points of damage and outline all creatures as glitterdust;
Green: Falling spores deal 1d6 points of acid damage and sicken creatures;
Blue: Shards of ice deal 2d6 points of cold damage and create difficult terrain for 1 minute;
Purple: Inky tentacles attempt to grapple creatures as black tentacles, with a CMB of +12;
White: Positive energy cures 1d8+5 points of damage and affects creatures as protection from evil.
Every 24 hours, the satchel generates 3 random fireworks, and any fireworks remaining from the previous day disappear.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, ash storm, ice storm, glitterdust, black tentacles, cure light wounds, protection from evil; Cost 5,000 gp
Fray’s Fabulous Fireworks
The Good: Fireworks are a neat item type, going with magic fireworks was a good idea, plus multi-use is always good.
The Bad: A duration for all abilities of 2d4 rounds seems a bit much, and a set duration is easier to record keep and deal with in game. For some spells it makes sense (like ice storm) but on a lucky roll we are getting 8d8+40 healing for everyone in the area of effect over the course of the 8 rounds.
The Ugly: Construction requirements do not contain spells that deal with the effects being used completely, also ash storm does not deal fire damage, and none of the spells deal acid damage, so curious how those abilities are provided without spell justification.
Array of the Winged Knight
Aura faint evocation and strong necromancy; CL 16th
Slot shoulders; Price 26,260 gp; Weight 7 lbs.
Description
The Array of the Winged Knight is an intricate frame made up of metal feathers which attaches to any set of armor at the shoulders. They are made to impressive and often of the finest metals and covered in jewels. This item is made to be used almost exclusively by a mounted knight and its full powers are only accessible by such a wearer.
The minor power of the Array is that it provides its wearer with a +1 Luck bonus to Armor Class. This power is always active and helps a knight in any battle situation.
The major power of this magic item can only be accessed by a mounted wearer. It has the ability to cast a 60’ cone of fear originating from the wearer once per day. This effect has a DC 19 Will save to negate. Anyone failing this save will be frightened for 2d6 rounds and act as that effect indicates. This power can only be activated by command word and only after the wearer has advance toward his enemies on a mount. This effect is manifest by an eerie rattling of the Array’s metal feathers that echo out over the battlefield.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, symbol of fear; Cost 13,100 gp
Array of the Winged Knight
The Good: Interesting shoulder item, I like the base framework of what they are.
The Bad: SiaC, nothing justifying the +1 luck bonus to AC from the requirements. There are also grammar and formatting errors. You should only list the strongest aura when they are not equal to each other in strength.
The Ugly: Your item description falls apart beyond the basic shape of the metal wings. Vague descriptions rarely convey what you want them to, and this one really loses it's punch for me by being vague. Specifics are good, details make the description.
Blood Volley Blade
Auramoderate transmutation; CL 10th
Slotnone; Price 22,320 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This twisted triple edged +1 Returning Dagger always glistens as blood continually trickles down the grooves between the blades. This thin stream of blood pools near the tip but never drips off. While wielding this weapon a creature is considered to have the Opening Volley feat. On a successful thrown hit a blood volley blade does not return, but lodges in the body of its target and deals 1d4 points of bleed damage. If the bleed condition is removed by a successful heal check or magical healing effect applied before the thrower's next turn the dagger returns to the owners square as normal. While the bleed condition from a blood volley blade is in effect an attacker can retrieve the dagger from the victim's body with a successful steal combat maneuver that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Removing a blood volley blade in this way deals 1d4+1 damage and transforms the dagger into a +1 throwing rapier for 10 rounds. If the blood volley blade hits while thrown in its rapier form, it deals its damage and then transforms back into its dagger form.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bleed, major creation, telekinesis; Cost 11,106 gp
Blood Volley Blade
The Good: Neat take on daggers, I am familiar with the type of dagger your are working with, and that was a cool choice.
The Bad: Blood item, blood items suffer via the voting public, and have become pretty tropey.
The Ugly: Other than bleed, were are not getting allot of bang for our buck. Also changing into a throwing rapier really breaks this one for me, the visual of a rapier as a ranged weapon bugs me pretty hard. I would have much rather seen a different power, even a blood theme one, rather than throwing rapier.
Whip of Wounding Words
Auramoderate evocation and necromancy; CL 7th
Slotnone; Price 58,302 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
Crafted from several shadowy strands, this black whip shifts and coils in answer to a rhythm it alone can sense. Each strand contains an echo of the words that created the multiverse. Caught in twisting shadow, these echoes of creation now wound reality.
The whip of wounding words serves as a +1 whip. In addition, the whip can be used to brand victims with wounding words and to unleash the sundering echoes of creation.
Branding: as a standard action the wielder can make a single, ranged touch attack with the whip. On a success, the shadowy strands of the whip burn words of unmaking upon the target. Treat this effect as inflict serious wounds (DC 16). The whip of wounding can be used to brand a target three times a day.
Echoes of Creation: as a standard action, the wielder can whirl the whip around him. Whispers fly from the shadowy strands, forming harsh echoes that sunder reality. Everyone and everything caught in the 15 feet radius of effect is hit by an effect that combines shatter (DC 16) and sound burst (DC 16). The shatter effect is total and complete, the wielder does not have to choose effects. The echoes of creation break brittle, nonmagical objects, they sunder all solid, nonmagical objects and they damage crystalline creatures in the area of effect. This effect can be used once per day.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Heighten Spell inflict serious wounds, shatter, sound burst; Cost 29,302 gp
Whip of Wounding Words
The Good: Big fan of whips, interesting take of what whips can do.
The Bad: There is too much reinforcement of the sunders reality theme, you present it strongly in your description, you need not spend word count to reinforce it in your mechanics, it just muddies that water there.
The Ugly: SiaC is a concern for me, also you do not take advantage some of the whips inherent abilities.
Abacus of Probable Paradox
Aurafaint divination; CL 1st
Slot wrist; Price 1,500 gp; Weight -
Description
The miniature bamboo slats of this wrist-mounted counting frame encircle countless skewered pebbles. The faint sound of tapping stones echo as the glyph-carved pebbles continually slide to and fro, as if guided by an invisible hand, while the mechanism calculates and verifies some cosmically vast equation.
Three times per day, the wearer of the abacus of probable paradox can perform one of the following:
The wearer gains a subtle focus on the probability of distinct futures and can inexplicably prepare for events which have yet come to pass. This allows the wearer when readying an action, to instead ready two independent actions against two independent conditions, and can act if either (but not both) triggering actions occur.
The abacus also allows the order of the wearer’s actions to become muddled in time, and occur long before their effects have been felt. After completing a readied action, the wearer can choose to have their initiative result remain unchanged and not be updated to the count on which they took their readied action.
Lastly, the abacus allows insight when it has calculated the probability of a particular, distinct future to be zero, allowing the wearer to end a readied action before the start of their next turn (as a free action), and perform a standard action of their choosing. This action cannot be used to interrupt another’s action and is treated as if the wearer’s initial action was to delay.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, guidance; Cost 750 gp
Abacus of Probable Paradox
The Good: Readied actions are undervalued IMO, you work with them pretty heavily which I very much like.
The Bad: Ignoring the forced change to initiative from a readied action being provoked is going a bit far, especially since guidance does not deal with time, yet that effect does.
The Ugly: Craft wondrous item requires a least character level 3, thus minimum caster level has to be 3, it cannot be 1, as the Crafting feat required cannot be ignored.
Star Voter Season 9
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Coin of Chance
Aura light enchantment; CL 3rd
Slot none; Price 1000 gp; Weight -
Description
These old Varisian coins, with the grinning goblin on one side and a goblin skull on the other, were made to give its owner confidence in battle and to dishearten enemies. The fate the coin affects (for good or ill) is that of the owner and his allies, not his enemies. If flipped on heads the coin owner and his allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attacks and saving throws for 3 rounds. If tails comes up the owner and his allies suffer a -1 penalty on attack and saving throws for 1 round. If held at the start of combat, the Coin of Chance can be used as a free action as part of the initiative roll, otherwise activating the coin is a swift action. The Coin of Chance can be used once per minute.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, bless, bane; Cost 500 gp
Armor of the Crow
Aura moderate transmutation and conjuration; CL 9th
Slot armor; Price 46,300 gp; Weight 15 lbs.
Description
This black +2 studded leather armor is entirely embossed with small crow feathers. When the armor is first created there are ten additional, larger crow feathers embossed on the chest, five just above each breast. When the wearer takes damage reducing her hit points to zero or below, but not dead, the armor instantaneously heals the wearer to 1d4 hit points above zero and transforms the wearer (including all of her equipment) into a murder of ten crows for three rounds. During these three rounds the wearer is not in control of the crows and is effectively unconscious. The crows use the three rounds to fly as fast and as far as possible (base fly speed of 40 ft.) to the safest location they can find (based on crow senses – GM’s discretion). At the end of three rounds they land on the ground and the wearer is transformed back to her original form. Each time the armor functions in this manner one of the ten larger crow feathers disappears from the armor. Once all of the larger feathers are gone the armor becomes normal +2 studded leather armor. If the wearer loses enough hit points from one source to become dead, the armor alone transforms into a murder of crows then dissipates into a black vapor, destroyed forever, leaving the body behind.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure serious wounds, beast shape II or Polymorph; Cost 23,325 gp
Armor of the Crow
The Good: As always, I am a child of the 90's, crows have a special place for me, and this item touches on that.
The Bad: Not being in control of your own actions for 3 rounds is not ideal, I get the escape mechanic, but that should still be in the players control. Also armor is not a slot, though there is confusion as older Paizo published books denote it as such, but as per the current template, it is not an actual slot title.
The Ugly: Because the armor is destroyed if the wearer is killed, PC's cannot obtain this from slain foes. Would have liked to see something other than a swarm escape mechanic with minor healing, just didn't grab me as a wow sort of item.
Swashbuckling Sash
Aura faint abjuration and transmutation; CL 7th
Slot belt; Price 12,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This bright red strip of cloth ties simply at the waist, leaving long ends at the wearer’s side. When worn, the ends almost imperceptibly quiver with potential energy. The sash grants the wearer a +5 competency bonus to both Acrobatics and Climb checks. In addition, while climbing the character may cling to a rope or object with the sash instead of a hand, allowing the character to take actions that would requires two hands instead of the usual one hand.
Three times per day when hit by a melee attack, but before damage is determined, the wearer of a swashbuckling sash may expend a use as an immediate action to gain a +3 Deflection bonus to AC as the end of the sash darts out to parry the blow. If this raises the wearer’s AC above the triggering attack roll then that attack is resolved as a miss.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cat’s grace, shield of faith; Cost 6,000 gp
Swashbuckling Sash
The Good: I remember magical sashes from the old 2nd Ed compendium magicka, and this touches on that, and that makes me smile.
The Bad: You have word count left, I would have spent some on more description, bright red strip of cloth is just to simple and plain, it does not grab readers, and your description is like a first impression and a handshake, make it memorable and firm.
The Ugly: While useful and easy to understand, this item suffers some from SiaC, and could use a requirements justification for a climb bonus, as that is a Strength skill, and strength is not included in the items requirements in any form.
Crystal of the Gathered Mind
Aurafaint divination and enchantment; CL 5th
Slotnone; Price 5,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This three inch crystal orb contains the figure of a green humanoid head with closed eyes. The eyes of the figure open with a bright silver light whenever the orb is used as a focus with any spell-like ability, supernatural ability, or spell which is mind affecting. The eyes of all targets affected by the spell or ability flash silver at that moment and their minds become bound to that of the wielder, giving access to their knowledge and intellect.
This bond exists for 10 minutes, during which time the wielder knows any language known by any of the affected subjects and can substitute a subject’s skill bonus for any Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma based skills used by the wielder while the bond persists. This applies even to those skills which require training and in which the wielder has no skill ranks. The wielder may once per the duration of the bond draw on the mental abilities of the subjects as a free action and add an insight bonus of +1 for each mind in the bond to one action. Doing so imposes a –2 penalty on any actions a bonded subject makes until the start of the wielder’s next turn.
The orb takes the place of any material components 100 gp or less and any focus required for a spell used in conjunction with it other than divine focuses. The crystal can be used alongside a divine focus, however. The wielder can end the bond at any time before the duration runs out.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, seek thoughts (Advanced Players Guide pg. 242); Cost 2,500 gp
Crystal of the Gathered Mind
The Good: Interesting play on a skill item, much better than just a static bonus to a skill(s).
The Bad: Depending on the circumstances not having a limit to the bonus +1 per bonded target can net a petty huge bonus if you are clever and play your cards right.
The Ugly: While you steal the use of skills and languages you do not have, the target retains their use, I would have liked this more if the target(s) lost the use of what ever language or skill the wielder is stealing at the time they use it. IMO that actually is a better penalty than a simple blanket -2, clever use could deny skillful foes some of their tricks of their trade.
Flood in a Bag
Aura moderate conjuration; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 5,235 gp (type I), 10,470 gp (type II), 15,630 gp (type III), 20,940 gp (type IV) gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
Intricate brocade patterns on this blue silk belt pouch depict foam tipped waves poised above a scenic landscape. Closely inspecting the flotsam within these patterns often reveals interesting items.
A command word activates the pouch, expanding it into a Bag of Holding, using the appropriate statistics by type.
Once per day the bearer of a Flood in a Bag can cause water to gush forth from the bag’s mouth by opening it and issuing a second command word; generating up to 4, 8, 12, or 16 five-foot cubes of water per round until the bag is closed (a free action for the user). Cubes must form a contiguous figure radiating outward from the bag’s mouth and last 3 rounds or until the bag closes. Holding the bag open in subsequent rounds is a standard action requiring two hands and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Water within the cubes flows as whitewater rapids (Core Rulebook, 432) directly away from the bag’s mouth. Creatures entirely encompassed within the water move 60 feet downstream at the end of their turn. Those ejected from the water by this movement may attempt a DC 10 Acrobatics check to prematurely end their movement. Creatures only partially within the water are instead knocked prone unless they make a DC 20 Acrobatics check, and are not moved. Swarms caught in the water immediately disperse; reforming 1d4 rounds after the bag is closed.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, control water, secret chest; Cost 2,618 gp (type I), 5,235 gp (type II), 7,815 gp (type III), 10,470 gp (type IV) gp
Flood in a Bag
The Good: Clever use of a standard environmental condition.
The Bad: It is generally not a good idea to name your item something very close to what it does. The name should intrigue the reader, and the description should give us the visual and snag the interest fully. Alas given the name, I get less excited by what comes after.
The Ugly: As a once a day power, this is pretty costly, would rather have seen a fill mechanic, so I can get more use out of the item, but is not free per say (aka takes time and action economy)
Anticipation
Aura moderate divination; CL 5th
Slot slotless; Price 64,000 gp; Weight 12 lbs.
Description
This halberd’s only decoration is an intricate silver etching of an eye, it’s pupil a rose colored gem. The eye seems to stare, almost as if it’s studying you.
This halberd sharpens your wariness, granting a constant +2 insight bonus to initiative. The wielder can choose one target within sight as his focus and after the target is chosen, the halberd mentally aids the wielder in anticipating the target's every move. The wielder gains a +2 insight bonus to Armor Class versus the target but due to this intense focus he suffers a -2 Armor Class penalty versus other foes.
Upon the first successful attack the target must pass a DC 18 Will save, or the mental connection strengthens, granting you a +2 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls versus the target. If the target passes the Will save he blocks further focus and is immune for 24 hours. Due to the mental connection, whenever the target misses you with an attack, the insight bonus to attack and damage increases by 1 (to a maximum of +5) as the target's concentration slackens from anger.
The wielder may change the target being focused on once per round, doing this resets the attack and damage bonus.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, anticipate peril, anticipate thoughts; Cost 32,000 gp
Anticipation
The Good: Really interesting mechanical working here.
The Bad: The weapon does not have the required at least +1 enhancement, which is required to possess (normally) any other special abilites.
The Ugly: Rules language and use are kind of rough, I personally take issues with scaling enhancement bonuses. Also if targets succeed on their saves, this weapon is a very expensive normal halberd.
Stirgenest Quiver
Aura moderate transmutation and necromancy; CL 11th
Slotnone; Price 8,600 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
Description
Resembling an extremely large hornet's nest, a stirgenest quiver can contain up to 20 arrows, bolts, or light piercing throwing weapons. When at least one valid projectile is placed inside, the stirgenest quiver begins to emit a loud buzzing. The noise is not deafening, but does cause the bearer to take a -10 penalty on Stealth checks.
Inside, projectiles quickly take on new, stirge-like qualities: Weapon points become longer and thinner, similar to probosces, little spindly legs emerge, and, most noticeably, two pairs of vestigial wings appear, flapping weakly on the sides of each weapon. These changes do not adversely affect use. When an affected projectile hits a target, its proboscis sinks in, its legs latch on, and it inflicts a -1 penalty to the target's Constitution score. This penalty stacks with other stirgenest quiver projectiles' penalties, but each can be removed as a move action by extracting the proboscis.
Additionally, further attacks with affected projectiles against the target benefit from a "feeding frenzy", gaining an insight bonus to hit equal to the number of projectiles already latched onto the target. This bonus cannot exceed +5.
If a projectile removed from the quiver goes 1 minute without inflicting a Constitution penalty, its stirge-like qualities rapidly fade.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate objects, bleed; Cost 3,800 gp
Stirgenest Quiver
The Good: I loved this item, it oozes flavor, and I love the visuals of the stirge projectiles.
The Bad: I would have wanted a limit on how many projectiles can be attached to any given target, with no limit, I can rapidly kill a low Con folks.
The Ugly: I really wanted some bonus distance and maybe minor ability to ignore some concealment from the awesome stirge ammo, they are so cool visually, I want the visual to translate to mechanics too.
Whip of Wounding Words
Thanks for the good, bad and ugly.
Atlatl of Volcanic Eruption
Aura strong conjuration; CL 16th
Slotnone; Price 187,200 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
This obsidian +1 flaming atlatl has 4 charges that renew daily at dawn. As a swift action, the wielder spends 1 to 4 charges, summoning an obsidian atlatl dart that makes a ranged touch attack; each charge spent increases its enhancement bonus by +1 and does 1d6 additional points of fire damage.
The wielder targets a square, intersection, or creature on the ground with the atlatl; if targeting a creature, the wielder must spend at least a number of charges equal to the number of squares of its facing. When it hits, a pyramid-shaped volcano erupts from the ground with a square caldera a number of squares across equal to the number of charges used to activate it, its height is double the caldera’s width, and the base of the volcanic pyramid around the caldera is twice as thick as the caldera’s width; its slope has a 45 degree angle.
Creatures in the caldera’s area of effect must make a DC 22 Reflex save or be trapped in it, taking 4d6 points of fire damage each round; a creature hit by the atlatl dart does not get a saving throw. The Climb DC of its interior walls is 30. Creatures attempting to fly or use teleportation magic to escape are caught in an eruption of lava for 16d6 points of fire damage, DC 22 Reflex save for half, and must make a Concentration check or lose the spell.
Creatures leaving the caldera continue to take damage, however the number of damage dice are halved each round.
The volcano vanishes after 16 rounds.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, produce flame or scorching ray, wall of lava; Cost 93,600 gp
Atlatl of Volcanic Eruption
The Good: I have said it before, I have a soft spot for obsidian and fire.
The Bad: Seriously expensive, granted it is powerful, but this really limits use, upper end items generally fare worse than low to mid price.
The Ugly: Auto eruption to prevent escape is going too far, not many (unless fire protected) are going to survive that, squishy types are pretty much going to die, and they are most likely to try flight and teleport. Also normally that ability of wall of lava shrinks it's size we used, I would have like to see that here to balance the power some.
Fragmenting Quarterstaff
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 11th
Slot none; Price 28000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Description
This +1/+1 quarterstaff is slightly longer than a standard quarterstaff being a full 6 feet in length. Once per day as a standard action, the wielder may utter a command word which will cause the staff to break into two 3 foot segments or three 2 foot segments at the wielder’s discretion. Each of the segments acts as an animated object and can be thrown up to 20 feet away where it will attack any enemy as directed by the wielder using the wielder’s attack bonus for a quarterstaff, either single or double ended. A 3 foot segment does one-half the damage of the whole quarterstaff and a 2 foot segment does one-third the damage. After 10 rounds the animated segments spend an additional round to return to the wielder where they reform into a single quarterstaff.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, animate objects; Cost 14000 gp
Fragmenting Quarterstaff
The Good: Staff was a rare choice this year, good instincts on gong that direction.
The Bad: Craft Magical Arms and Armor still applies to this item. It has an enhancement bonus, it is a weapon, thus Craft Wondrous Item is not correct.
The Ugly: Essentially this is sort of a dancing quarter staff, and that is not all that interesting. Also the change do damage just spreads the weapons middling damage out and makes it almost negligible. Now if the staff could make two +1 tonfa with a cool ability on them, now we are talking, as that takes advantage of the staff as a double weapon is a good way.
Cloak of Nine Lives
Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
Slot shoulders; Price 4,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This thick silk cloak is well crafted, with simple but elegantly stitched silver embroidery around the edges. The large, black shaded hood is adorned with nine intricately embroidered feline eyes, in various states of pupil dilation.
As long as the cloak holds its enchantment, all rolls to confirm critical hits against the wearer must roll twice and take the worst result. Each time a critical hit against the wearer fails to confirm, one embroidered eye closes. Additionally, when the wearer would be subject to falling damage, the first damage die is negated and each remaining die is converted to non-lethal damage, up to the number of open eyes on the hood. One embroidered eye closes for each die of damage negated or converted. The cloak cannot convert more damage dice than available open eyes.
The enchantment of the cloak goes dormant when all nine eyes have closed. When the wearer has rested for 8 hours, all closed eyes re-open. The rest does not need to be consecutive.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cat’s grace, feather fall; Cost 2,000 gp
Cloak of Nine Lives
The Good: Cat items generally grab my attention, I am a cat person, good job knowing your audience (plenty of other cat people round the boards)
The Bad: Under-priced most because of the critical hit re-roll power.
The Ugly: I would never use this over boots of the cat, and there should be IMO some requirement that justifies the critical hit re-roll power, and I am not seeing that.
Item Name Avatar of the Elements (Air, Earth, Fire, or Water)
Aura Strong Conjuration, Moderate Transmutation; CL 13th
Slot Shoulders; Price 53,200 gp; Weight 1 lbs.
Description
Seemingly a well-used traveler’s cloak, its true appearance is revealed upon wearing. As it is placed across the wearer’s shoulders this cloak changes based on the element it has been imbued with. A wisp of clouds drifting behind the wearer, a mantle of fire flickering in the wind, a cloak of shale dropping dust and gravel with every step, or a waterfall flowing down the wearer’s back.
Each day the wearer can, on command, choose one of following:
1)As a swift action, take on the small form of the related elemental, as per the Elemental Body I spell, for 5 minutes. The effect is dismissible. This duration need not be continuous, but it must be used in 1 minute increments.
2)As an immediate action, utilize the connection to the Planes to channel that energy into his body, gaining Fast Healing/2 as if on a Positive-Dominant Plane for 10 rounds. This duration need not be continuous, but it must be used in 2 round increments.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Elemental Body I, Regenerate; Cost 26,600 gp
Avatar of the Elements (Air, Earth, Fire, or Water)
The Good: Interesting details of each cloak type by element.
The Bad: SiaC become an elemental power, used the trope of its true appearance is revealed upon wearing." Generally language like this gets down votes.
The Ugly: The only plane that I see noted as Positive-Energy Dominant is the plane of positive energy, no a useful power at all since rarely if ever will an adventure occur there. Something more thematic to the elements (positive energy is not an "element" per say) would have served you better.
Just a random note, I think you misread the item - "gaining fast healing/2 AS IF on a positive-dominant plane", not "if on a positive-dominant plane".
Blackthorn Cudgel
The Good: I like the theme, blackthorn is a neat material, I own a blackthorn cane IRL, so you get points from me there. Greenwood is also a favourite of mine in the special materials category.
The Bad: There are some minor formatting and rules languages issues. Most glaring is the clubs tag line should appear as +2 greenwood wounding club. Special materials should always be denoted in the tag line entry as such.
The Ugly: Bleed just does not do it for me here, there are so many ways to go, this one lets me down. I really liked the item, but very much was looking...
Thanks for the excellent feedback. I love blackthorn and just recently learned about the characteristics of greenwood. I loved the way these two could work together, but the rest of the item really didn't build enough on that. This isn't "RPG Kinda Cool", after all. Next year, I'll use more creativity (and format the thing better). Thanks again for taking the time to give me your thoughts.
Atlatl of Volcanic Eruption
Aura strong conjuration; CL 16th
Slotnone; Price 187,200 gp; Weight 2 lbs.Description
This obsidian +1 flaming atlatl has 4 charges that renew daily at dawn. As a swift action, the wielder spends 1 to 4 charges, summoning an obsidian atlatl dart that makes a ranged touch attack; each charge spent increases its enhancement bonus by +1 and does 1d6 additional points of fire damage.
The wielder targets a square, intersection, or creature on the ground with the atlatl; if targeting a creature, the wielder must spend at least a number of charges equal to the number of squares of its facing. When it hits, a pyramid-shaped volcano erupts from the ground with a square caldera a number of squares across equal to the number of charges used to activate it, its height is double the caldera’s width, and the base of the volcanic pyramid around the caldera is twice as thick as the caldera’s width; its slope has a 45 degree angle.
Creatures in the caldera’s area of effect must make a DC 22 Reflex save or be trapped in it, taking 4d6 points of fire damage each round; a creature hit by the atlatl dart does not get a saving throw. The Climb DC of its interior walls is 30. Creatures attempting to fly or use teleportation magic to escape are caught in an eruption of lava for 16d6 points of fire damage, DC 22 Reflex save for half, and must make a Concentration check or lose the spell.
Creatures leaving the caldera continue to take damage, however the number of damage dice are halved each round.
The volcano vanishes after 16 rounds.Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, produce flame or scorching ray, wall of lava; Cost 93,600 gpAtlatl of Volcanic Eruption
The Good: I have said it before, I have a soft spot for obsidian and fire.
The Bad: Seriously expensive, granted it is powerful, but this really limits use, upper end items generally fare worse than low to mid...
Thanks for the feedback!
I really hated the price of this item. I think in future contests, I'm going to totally ignore the pricing guidelines and just pick a level I want my item to be available at and what percentage of that level's WBL it should cost.
The eruption ability does include a Reflex save for half. Also, reducing the size of the volcano would either open up rifts in its side, allowing others to escape, or shrink, possibly squeezing the others inside it. Also, words were extremely tight on this. I edited and edited and edited to drop the word count.
Would this have been better if it just trapped opponents in a ring of wall of fire?
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Star Voter Season 6, Star Voter Season 9
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First off, thank you for the critique, I appreciate you taking the time to help everyone improve. Now back to my item;
Oh my god, that was a terrible bonehead mistake, considering I had priced it out as a +2. Had it included in the cost and everything. I can't believe I forgot to put down it was a +2 halberd. I was so worried about the mechanics and the math and description of the abilities...even had it looked over by two other people and they didn't catch it either. It's always the simple things you miss. Excuse me while I bang my head against a wall. Oh well next season lol.
@MaxAstro
Yep, looks like I did, IF and AS IF are a big difference, my apologies to the author, that does change things a bit.
Greenwarden Gauntlet
Aura Strong Transmutation; CL 13th
SlotHands; Price 71,750 gp; Weight 1 lbs.
Description
Intricately carved to resemble tree bark, this weapon functions as a +2 greenwood gauntlet when worn individually. Worn as a pair, the gauntlets cover both arms with a bark-like growth providing a +2 natural armor bonus enhancement. Once per day as a standard action, the wearer can merge forms with a tree by placing both hands upon it. While merged, the new form functions like that of a tree animated by a treant's Animate Trees ability. The target tree must be Large size or larger. If of Large size, apply the young creature template to the treant statistics block. This ability has a maximum duration of ten rounds.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, animate plants, barkskin; Cost 35,875 gp
Greenwarden Gauntlet
The Good: Super cool idea, I have a huge soft spot for plant items, and greenwood as a special material gets me to stop and read pretty much every time.
The Bad: While I suspect the listed price is for two gauntlets, some of the language muddies that to the point where I am not quite sure.
The Ugly: There is quite a bit of word count left open, and for the price I guess I wanted a mid-level power along with the AC and (really cool) be a Treant power.
Gebbite Officer's Shield
AuraModerate Illusion; CL 5th
Slotxxxxx; Price 31370 gp; Weight 15 lbs.
Description
This +2 Clangorous Heavy Steel Shield bears the image of an anguished, tongueless face mid-scream. Created during the war between Geb and Nex, the officers of the Gebbite infantry relied on these shields to bolster their troops against their foe's magics. This shield grants the effects of the Improved Shield Bash Feat. Three times per day, when used to make a successful shield bash, the wielder can create a 20-foot cone of silence as per the spell originating from the shield for 5 rounds. The effect moves with the shield and can be rotated without moving as a free action.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Silence, crafter must have the Improved Shield Bash Feat; Cost 15,685 gp
Gebbite Officer's Shield
The Good: Cone of silence is a very cool effect, and I can see lots of ways to use it, well thought out.
The Bad: Not sure going to such a specific name served you as well as something more catchy and evocative. There are some formatting errors as well.
The Ugly: SiaC, a very useful spell effect, but the item leaves me wanting more. Also word count could have been better used with a more image heavy description rather than history of who made and first used it.
Coin of Chance
Aura light enchantment; CL 3rd
Slotnone; Price 1000 gp; Weight -
Description
These old Varisian coins, with the grinning goblin on one side and a goblin skull on the other, were made to give its owner confidence in battle and to dishearten enemies. The fate the coin affects (for good or ill) is that of the owner and his allies, not his enemies. If flipped on heads the coin owner and his allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attacks and saving throws for 3 rounds. If tails comes up the owner and his allies suffer a -1 penalty on attack and saving throws for 1 round. If held at the start of combat, the Coin of Chance can be used as a free action as part of the initiative roll, otherwise activating the coin is a swift action. The Coin of Chance can be used once per minute.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, bless, bane; Cost 500 gp
Coin of Chance
The Good: Nothing says Golarion like big goblin heads.
The Bad: Coins that affect luck/fate are very tropey, and I suspect you suffered a bit because of this. You stayed balanced, but this is far to safe a choice.
The Ugly: SiaC is a design concern here, also there are some moderate template and formatting errors. Light is not an aura strength, you want "faint" there. For the price and effect, debuffing your own allies with this item really brings the monkey wrench.
Axe of the Roaring Crowd
Aura moderate enchantment; CL 7th
Slot none; Price 32,320 gp; Weight 7 lbs.
Description
This +1 furyborn hooked axeappears unremarkable until its wielder fights in front of a crowd. If the bearer of the axe of the roaring crowd is engaged in combat while being observed by at least five onlookers (sentient creatures who do not contribute to either side of the battle, excluding combatants who have yet to act), he can start a performance combat as a free action. When so used, the axe takes on a polished, glinting sheen, the slightest wounds it deals spray great arcs of blood in the air, and its missed strikes ring loudly off enemy armor.
These effects grant the wielder of the axe of the roaring crowd a +1 luck bonus on all performance combat checks. Additionally, during any performance combat, the wielder gains a luck bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls equal to the number of victory points he has.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, divine favor, rage; Cost 16,320 gp
Axe of the Roaring Crowd
The Good: Unique base item choice, and performance combat is not often talked about (see bellow)
The Bad: Same as part of the good, performance combat is not used by everyone, so item loses some viability by requiring these rules. Allowing for them but not requiring them would have served you better (yeah, I know that is a much harder way to go, and eats word count.)
The Ugly: There is some trope to the "true power revealed when" portion, I strongly suggest avoiding this sort of description/surprise language in future RPGSS attempts (I DO want to see you compete again sir!) Also, there is not as much wow factor here as I would want, your mechanics don't live up to the expectation of the items showy nature.
Boots of the Swarming Mischief
Aura faint illusion and conjuration; CL 3rd
Slot feet; Price 15,200 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This footwear, easily overlooked as discarded scraps, appears as a decrepit pair of old boots fashioned from the least quality leather its tattered remains held together with lengths of old twine. When worn in swamplands, or in a sewer it conveys its wearer with the ability to become engulfed within a swarm of rats.
Upon activation, for up to 5 rounds per day the wearer is covered head to toe by hundreds of rats granting them all the traits associated with the swarm subtype as well as, upon a successful melee touch attack, the ability to utilize the rat swarm’s disease attack once per round (see the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary). The wearer, when using the swarm ability, cannot end their turn in an occupied square. While covered by the swarm, the wearer can continue to act as normal as if the swarm was not present. When the five rounds are over, or the swarm is dismissed or dispelled the user is granted invisibility as per the spell for the next 3 rounds, appearing to disperse as part of the rat swarm.
When otherwise not activated, the boots grant the wearer a +4 competence bonus to Disguise checks when attempting to appear as a commoner or beggar.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, invisibility, summon swarm; Cost 7,600 gp
Boots of the Swarming Mischief
The Good: Who does not like a little swarmy turn around now and then, swarms are a pain, may as well have some fun with them, which this item does.
The Bad: Pretty expensive for the amount of time you are able to use the items powers.
The Ugly: Getting some SiaC feel, also the invisibility part of the item, while useful, completely breaks the flavour I think you were going for.
Shah’s Hookah
Aura faint conjuration and enchantment; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 6,500 gp; Weight 10 lbs.
Description
This hookah comes with a highly polished tube intertwined by gleaming golden statuettes of genies. While a Shah's hookah can be prepared with any alchemical substance, some substances may cause irreparable damage to both the users and the item, at the GM’s discretion. Any inherently magical substance (such as potions or alchemist’s extracts) may not be used with this item. A Shah's hookah must be set on the ground and filled with fresh water before it can be used.. It can be used by up to 4 creatures adjacent to it simultaneously, with each of them imbibing a dose as a full-round. Only one dose of a substance within is used during a round of imbibing it, regardless of how many choose to partake. A Shah's hookah can contain up to 10 doses of a single substance, and may be fully loaded as a full-round action.
The hookah, while reducing the damaging portions of drugs and magnifying their effects, make them harder to resist. All numerical effects of alchemical items imbibed from a Shah's hookah have the result increased by 50%; this does not apply to duration. In addition, all ability damage that is taken by drugs and other alchemical items that are imbibed from the Shah’s hookah is reduced by 2 (minimum 0). Finally, users of a Shah's hookah take a -4 penalty on their saving throw against addiction to the drug imbibed from the item.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, heroism, lesser restoration, creator must have 5 ranks in the Craft (alchemy) skill; Cost 3,250 gp
Shah’s Hookah
The Good: Outside the box thinking and some solid design choices.
The Bad: While I personally have no issues with the item type, or what it does, alas some folks will. Just a fact of being human and having opinions.
The Ugly: Making addiction harder to resist (while it makes sense) very well may turn off voters, and makes this item less valuable.
End of page two of CMI, still working to get through them all, but I promise I will before the contest ends. Even though I am heading out for a vacation this Friday, the laptop is coming along, and I will still be working this thread, because you the community of PF deserve it.
Gebbite Officer's Shield
AuraModerate Illusion; CL 5th
Slotxxxxx; Price 31370 gp; Weight 15 lbs.Description
This +2 Clangorous Heavy Steel Shield bears the image of an anguished, tongueless face mid-scream. Created during the war between Geb and Nex, the officers of the Gebbite infantry relied on these shields to bolster their troops against their foe's magics. This shield grants the effects of the Improved Shield Bash Feat. Three times per day, when used to make a successful shield bash, the wielder can create a 20-foot cone of silence as per the spell originating from the shield for 5 rounds. The effect moves with the shield and can be rotated without moving as a free action.Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Silence, crafter must have the Improved Shield Bash Feat; Cost 15,685 gpGebbite Officer's Shield
The Good: Cone of silence is a very cool effect, and I can see lots of ways to use it, well thought out.
The Bad: Not sure going to such a specific name served you as well as something more catchy and evocative. There are some formatting errors as well.
The Ugly: SiaC, a very useful spell effect, but the item leaves me wanting more. Also word count could have been better used with a more image heavy description rather than history of who made and first used it.
Thanks for the feedback.
Some of the formatting errors were from forgetting to copy my final submitted version, some were admittedly there in my submission.
I was hesitant to add more flavor as I might lose the reader with a wall of text but, yeah, I only used about half of my available word count.
Was also hesitant to add more effects to keep the cost manageable but I saw a pretty strong contingent that doesn't mind when you don't follow the item pricing formula exactly.
I learned and continue to learn a bunch from this experience and this community. Thanks again for taking the time to critique my item.
Armor of the Crow
Aura moderate transmutation and conjuration; CL 9th
Slot armor; Price 46,300 gp; Weight 15 lbs.Description
This black +2 studded leather armor is entirely embossed with small crow feathers. When the armor is first created there are ten additional, larger crow feathers embossed on the chest, five just above each breast. When the wearer takes damage reducing her hit points to zero or below, but not dead, the armor instantaneously heals the wearer to 1d4 hit points above zero and transforms the wearer (including all of her equipment) into a murder of ten crows for three rounds. During these three rounds the wearer is not in control of the crows and is effectively unconscious. The crows use the three rounds to fly as fast and as far as possible (base fly speed of 40 ft.) to the safest location they can find (based on crow senses – GM’s discretion). At the end of three rounds they land on the ground and the wearer is transformed back to her original form. Each time the armor functions in this manner one of the ten larger crow feathers disappears from the armor. Once all of the larger feathers are gone the armor becomes normal +2 studded leather armor. If the wearer loses enough hit points from one source to become dead, the armor alone transforms into a murder of crows then dissipates into a black vapor, destroyed forever, leaving the body behind.Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, cure serious wounds, beast shape II or Polymorph; Cost 23,325 gpArmor of the Crow
The Good: As always, I am a child of the 90's, crows have a special place for me, and this item touches on that.
The Bad: Not being in control of your own actions for 3 rounds is not ideal, I get the escape mechanic, but that should still be in the players control. Also armor is not a slot, though there is confusion as older Paizo published books denote it as such, but as per the current template, it...
Thank you for the feedback. I struggled with pricing and added the destroy as a means to keep cost down. I still really do not have a handle on how I would of priced this if I had made it a once per week item and lost the destroy portion. Again thanks.
To be honest, pricing is a crap shoot, generally I try to compare the price I got from the formula (when there is an applicable one) to items of similar power, seems to be a good way to get a baseline.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16
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Dedicated Voter Season 8, Star Voter Season 9
aka Rusty Ironpants
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Vudrani Fighting RopeThe Good: I liked this item, very neat idea, very flavourful and thematically tight.
The Bad: The rope cannot deal any damage as a weapon wihtout grappling, while I get the idea, I would want my fighting rope to be able to deal some damage at least outside of the maneuver.
The Ugly: The rope does not offer us anything beyond its combat maneuver abilities, I guess I am looking for a wow factor that elevates this item, and I just didn't...
Thanks for the feedback. :)
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ok, getting back to the reviews, vacation starts @ 11pm tonight, but laptop is travelling to the fine state of Virginia with me, so look for critiques all next week, likely written from a sandy beach with fine scenery :)
Replication Hammer
Aura strong divination and evocation; CL 13th
Slot none; Price 36,324 gp; Weight 6 lbs.
Description
This polished warhammer is crafted from a single piece of cold iron. Wielders not proficient with this weapon use it as a +1 warhammer. Proficient wielders use it as a +4 warhammer when attempting to sunder a melee weapon that possesses a special ability.
If the weapon targeted by the sunder is destroyed in this manner, the wielder of the Replication Hammer may allow it to absorb one special ability of that weapon. This does not change the Replication Hammer's enhancement bonus. If the weapon that was destroyed had more than one special ability, the wielder of the Replication Hammer may choose which ability to absorb. Upon absorbing a new ability, it loses any absorbed ability it currently possesses. The Replication Hammer always retains the ability to absorb other abilities. the wielder of the Replication Hammer may choose not to absorb an ability.
Construction
Requirements Str 13, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, shatter, limited wish; Cost 18,324 gp
Replication Hammer
The Good: Neat concept, sunder and combat maneuvers deserve to be highlighted more.
The Bad: While the item concept is a decent one, I am not sure for the purposes of RPGSS that an item that steals other items abilities is the best way to go, it does not really show your design chops.
The Ugly: There is no mention of what happens if and when the hammer steals an ability that does not function on its item type. I think the item would have been more interesting if it could also steal armor/shield special abilities, limiting it to weapons halves the effectiveness of a sundering magic weapon.
Bloodseeker Sword
Aura Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th
Slot -; Price 84,815 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
Description
This crimson blade is a +1 wounding blood crystal longsword, it has a disturbing aura that evokes hunger, the pommel and cross-guard is full of thorns with dried blood. Each time the wielder strikes a blow that deals damage with this weapon, the wielder gains temporary hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt. Temporary hit points bestowed by the bloodlseeker sword last for 1 minute. The wielder can give of his own blood to make the bloodlseeker sword more deadly, as a swift action the wielder may pierce himself with the thorns and inflict any amount of bleed damage he wants, the bloodlseeker sword gain one of the following properties according with the bleed damage inflicted:
• Keen (2 points)
• Impact (4 points)
• Speed (6 points)
• Brilliant energy (8 points)
• Vorpal (10 points)
This property last for 1 minute. If the wielder uses this ability again, the first property immediately ends.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, bleed, bull's strength, circle of death, continual flame, gaseous form, haste, keen edge, vampiric touch; Cost 43,315 gp
Bloodseeker Sword
The Good: Blood crystal is a neat special material, glad to see it get a bit of love.
The Bad: Blood for the blood god, blood items suffer pretty hard in RPGSS. ALso such a high clvl means this item would see nearly no use except for end game levels.
The Ugly: Dealing yourself bleed damage to get better abilities while thematic to the item, it not really the best course. The items cost/creation requirements are hard enough, without having to endure 20-100 bleed damage to make your sword work. Also I read the list of powers as a short list of some of the best abilities and not as thematic to your blood theme as they could be.
Revealing Ink
Aura faint enchantment; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 4500 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
Contained in cut lead crystal, revealing ink's multiple colors bloom and fade in intricate patterns. Distinctive hues of the local lands' authorities — perhaps an ecclesiast’s scarlet, a sovereign’s purple, or a legal record’s iron gall — take turns painting the inside of the phial. Put to page, the ink creates official-looking, intimidating marks covering as many as 111 pages, and for 24 hours its complex scent changes with the perceiver’s opinions of relevant government(s) on topics such as utility, hostility, alignment and charisma. Some sleuths use this to help identify the disloyal.
Indispensable when interrogating humanoids, one swallow (22 pages worth) of revealing ink forces a Will save (DC 15). Those who fail vomit ink on one nearby stainable surface, preferring paper or parchment. Folded then opened, the surface reveals an eery, symmetrical image of odd familiarity. Displaying this may cause the victim to believe the blot has revealed the victim's relevant secrets and begin chattering about a prompted topic. Success is automatic if choosing to prompt a topic once. Otherwise, it requires a Bluff check (DC 10, increasing by 5 each subsequent topic). A failed check or 24 hours' passage ends the effect — as does a prompt which reveals the interrogator’s inability to interpret the blot. “Now I will recognize your patron anywhere!” will work. “What does your patron look like?” ends the effect. Subsequent prompts on the current topic are permissible, possibly generating new details. Use the topic's DC (minimum 10, no retries; failure does not end the ink’s effects). The victim may still consider some details of the image too obvious to mention.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, suggestion, charm person; Cost 2250 gp
Revealing Ink
The Good: Went for an outside the box item, and made ink do something interesting.
The Bad: There is allot of wiggle and interpretation room in some of the mechanics of the item. So of it is inherent to the skills being used, but I can see this item giving the GM somewhat of a hard time occasionally.
The Ugly: There are easier ways to interrogate a subject, including zone of truth, not sure that this was the best item for RPGSS. While it is clever and different, it does not have the wow factor that top 32 items tend to need to get there.
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Security Blanket
Aura strong abjuration; CL 13th
Slot none; Price 25,000 gp; Weight 3.
Description
Made of soft, blue wool, this child's blanket looks warm and comfortable. Just touching it causes feelings of security and reassurance to wash over you. Sleeping with this blanket provides a +4 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather.
A creature wrapped in a security blanket gains the effects of sanctuary and remove fear until they remove it. Whenever you are under the influence of a fear effect, you can spend a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity to wrap yourself in the security blanket, even if the effect would not normally let you take any other actions. This is in addition to any actions that may be required to retrieve it from your belongings. Extracting yourself from the blanket is a swift action.
Breaking the sanctuary effect by attacking also destroys the security blanket.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, sanctuary, remove fear, joyful rapture; Cost 6,250 gp
Security Blanket
The Good: Totally unique and original idea, others have said it, but providing a child protection item is right up some games and gamers alley, good call.
The Bad: The very obvious Peanuts reference, while amusing, does not show your design chops. Item description is important, it is wise to envision your own look rather than borrowing, even from a strip as awesome as Peanuts.
The Ugly: Ok, no idea what happened with your price, 25k as market cost, 6,250 as construction, math went wonky somewhere. Also at 25k the item being destroyed by overcoming the sanctuary effect is really harsh and rends the item much less useful because of this.
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Wardrum of the Tactician
Aura moderate abjuration and transmutation; CL 7th
Slot chest; Price 45,360 gp; Weight 15 lbs.
Description
This marching drum is constructed of red-varnished wood and cured calfskin, and is worn attached to a baldric harness decorated with regimental insignia. Small brass fittings, shaped like instruments of war, secure the stretched hide to the drum's frame. The drum is considered a masterwork tool for any Perform (percussion) check, and may be used bare-handed or with drumsticks.
Three times per day, as a standard action that requires both hands and provokes attacks of opportunity, a bearer with the bardic performance class feature may make a Perform (percussion) check to cause one of two effects. Allies must be able to hear the performance to be affected.
Footwork Drill (Su): On a successful check, every ally within 30 feet of the bearer may move five feet as an immediate action. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, nor does it count against movement made on the ally's turn. The DC of this check is 20. For every five by which the bearer exceeds this DC, allies may move another five feet.
Timed Strike (Su): On a successful check, every ally who threatens a single designated foe within 30 feet of the bearer may make an attack of opportunity against the target. The DC of this check is equal to the target's CMB.
Construction
Requirements Combat Reflexes, Craft Wondrous Item, escaping ward, haste, creator must have 5 ranks in Perform (percussion) and the bardic performance class feature; Cost 22,680 gp
Wardrum of the Tactician
The Good: Alas I did not get to see this item during voting, and I wish I had, used to be a percussionist, and I really like martial music, so kudos.
The Bad: A bit confused about some of the skill checks required, seems like one is the bearer of the drum, but not sure about the other.
The Ugly: I think you meant to use CMD for the DC of the Acro skill check for the 2nd power. Easy to typo, but makes a big difference.
Blood Twin’s Quills
Aura Faint Illusion; CL 5th
Slot No Slot; Price 20,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Description
A pair of delicate, gold filigree and crystal quills lie side-by-side in the velvet-lined box. A crystal vial etched with scenes of sacrificial victims completes the set.
The quills function as a Masterwork Artisan Scribe Set, except with used to Scribe Scrolls. When used with that intent, a small incision opens on the caster’s arm. The trickle of blood from the wound fills the crystal vial used for ink. The blood ink activates the second quill and allows the user to make a second, identical scroll. These scrolls can only be read by the scriber and take only the time it would normally take to make one. To anyone but the scriber, the scrolls read as nonsense, even with the use of Read Magic and Comprehend Languages. The scrolls cannot be sold, as they would not work for another user. The scriber takes 1 bleed damage per hour of crafting to account for the ink used. Any healing of the wound while scribing the scrolls will negate the effect of the quills and the second scroll will not be scribed. If the scroll has a material component, you must double it to account for the second scroll.
A little blood and sacrifice to get the powers flowing.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Blood Transcription, Illusory Script, Mage Hand, Masterwork Artisan Scribe Set; Cost 10,000 gp
Blood Twin’s Quills
The Good: Scribe scroll was a good place to start from, really nice description of the item.
The Bad: Blood for the blood god. Blood items are a constant trope in the contest, I think you would have been better served avoiding blood. Also, and you already know what is coming, filigree, that is now a four letter word we no longer use. Some template errors as well, slot should read as "none" and no caps in aura info.
The Ugly: Only the scribe being able to use the scrolls hurts some. I totally get the cannot sell portion of the logic, but allies not being able to cast from the scrolls is tough.
Boiling Heart Gauntlet
Aura faint evocation; CL 2nd
Slot hands; Price 8000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
This leather, brass-plated gauntlet is covered in flexible copper tubing running its length, and down each finger. Embedded in the forearm is a small beating heart with copper tubes running through it. When donned the copper tubing extends into the wearer’s flesh. The user can then produce a 15’ cone of steam from the gauntlet’s fingers 10 times per day. This scalding water causes 1d4 points of fire damage and living creatures are sickened for 3 rounds. A reflex save (DC 15) halves the damage and negates the sickened effect.
Alternatively, the gauntlet can be used to produce a rainstorm of boiling water 5-foot square emanating from the air within 30-feet. Living creatures within the area take 2d6 points of fire damage. Each such use expends two daily uses. The bearer can choose to effect up to three more 5-foot adjacent squares at two uses per square. Each such shower remains in effect until the beginning of the user’s next turn. Any creature entering an effected square suffers 1d6 points fire damage. A fortitude save (DC 15) halves the damage.
After four uses are expended in a day, the user is sickened from dehydration and becomes nauseated after eight uses. The user can remove the effects by spending a full-round action drinking water.
While this articulated gauntlet allows the user to wield and carry items in that hand, the hand must be free to use the gantlet’s powers and the user receives a -2 penalty on all precision based tasks involving that hand. If the gauntlet is removed the wearer takes 1 point of damage from withdrawing the embedded tubing.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, produce water, steam memphit heart; Cost 4000 gp
Boiling Heart Gauntlet
The Good: Interesting use of a mephit heart, gotta say, did not see that one coming at all.
The Bad: Steam punkish item that blasts steam, this goes a little to far away from fantasy into another place. Not a bad place, but just does not strike me as a magical item so much as a tech item forced into being magical.
The Ugly: The damage the item deals seems hardly worth the cost and the drain on the wielder. Would have liked to see something steam based that did something other than fire damage. Stat and situation penalties from scalding etc.
Stirgenest Quiver
The Good: I loved this item, it oozes flavor, and I love the visuals of the stirge projectiles.
The Bad: I would have wanted a limit on how many projectiles can be attached to any given target, with no limit, I can rapidly kill a low Con folks.
Actually, you can't—an ability penalty effectively cannot reduce an ability to below 1. :)
Thanks a ton for the examination!
The Bad: The very obvious Peanuts reference, while amusing, does not show your design chops.
Did Peanuts really invent security blankets?
Did Peanuts really invent security blankets?
The Bad: The very obvious Peanuts reference, while amusing, does not show your design chops.No Comfort objects have been around forever but the
Peanuts character's was blue wool...
Whispering Blade
Aura strong evocation and necromancy [evil]; CL 12th
Slot none; Price 84,800 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
Description
These blackened and foul +1 unholy longswords were created during the Shining Crusades to keep the fallen from being revived and to swell the ranks of the Whispering Tyrant.
Once per day as a swift action after a successful attack which reduces a living creature to -1 hit points or less the wielder can activate the weapon to subject the victim to a death knell like effect (DC 19 Will save negates). On a failed saving throw the target is slain by a death effect while the wielder gains 2d10 temporary hit points and +2 profane bonus to strength. These bonuses last for 1 hour. A humanoid slain in this manner rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid of 4 hit dice or more rises as a ghast.
Many of these blades were destroyed by the crusades end and although exceedingly rare, other versions such as axes and polearms are known to exist which can fetch even higher prices on the blackmarket.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Heighten Spell create undead, death knell, unholy blight, creator must be undead; Cost 42,400 gp
Whispering Blade
The Good: Evil folk need good stuff too, nice to see something for the other team.
The Bad: Rather than telling us the when and where in your item description, an actual detailed description of this delightfully evil blade would have served you better.
The Ugly: Denoting that other version of the item exist detracts from immersion. The item gains nothing from this portion.
HUSK OF PROTECTIVE PARCHMENT
Aura Normal Moderate Abjuration; CL 7th
Slot Armor; Price 47,320 gp; Weight 20 lbs. When exhausted, Does not weigh anything with spells stored in the armor.
Description
This set of hide armor looks normal aside from the four pearls sewn into the neckline. However, a wearer with arcane spell powers can store one spell per level up to 4th level, transforming this armor into what appears to be a shirt made of many pieces of parchments layered on top of each other. While the wearer has spells stored in the armor, the armor weighs nothing and has no chance of Arcane Spell Failure, though a Max Dex Bonus of +4 still applies.
The wearer may cast the stored spell as a standard action as a scroll which is taken off the armor. The wearer must be able to cast the stored spell and once it is cast, it is gone until replenished as per pearl of power. For each spell used, the armor loses one point of protection. So if you have used two of the four spells, the armor drops to +2 until replenished. Once all four spells are used, the armor reverts back to a masterwork hide shirt with all bonuses and penalties until the spells are replenished.
Construction
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Mage Armor, Pearls of Power x4 (1st-4th level); Cost 23,820 gp
HUSK OF PROTECTIVE PARCHMENT
The Good: You went for something different than we are used to seeing with armor, pretty interesting concept.
The Bad: The description falls pretty flat for me, regular old hide shirt with some pearls of power on it is not evocative.
The Ugly: Losing all enhancement after spells are exhausted renders this item far less useful. Drawbacks are tricky, and I feel this one goes too far.
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Canvas of the Dreamer
Aura moderate conjuration; CL 7th
Slot none; Price 10,250 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
Awaiting the paints, inks, or charcoal of a master artist, this yard of blank linen canvas transforms a work of art into a powerful servant. An artist makes a Craft (paintings) or related skill check to render on to the canvas an image of a creature of their choice. Composing the image takes at least 10 minutes of dedicated work and a DC 20 skill check. If the check is successful, the artist has bound the creature to the painting. If the check fails, it dispels the magic of the canvas. Images that are not specifically creatures, like an object or landscape, retain that basic shape but otherwise function normally.
Once a creature’s image is bound to the canvas, it can be called for one hour to serve anyone that destroys the canvas. Destruction of the canvas can be done by cutting it, burning it, or similar means, but serves as a 1 round action that provokes an attack of opportunity as if casting a spell to call forth the creature depicted. The called creature is treated as an unfettered eidolon (Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary 3) with 16 evolution points (EP) + 1 EP for every 5 points by which the artist’s check exceeds the DC. The eidolon and its evolutions are chosen by the artist when it is composed, and cannot be altered after the check is made.
The creature’s alignment always matches that of the caller’s and serves them faithfully as if they were a summoned creature. If killed or one hour has passed, the creature reverts back to mere ruined canvas.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, planar ally or planar binding; Cost 5,125 gp
Canvas of the Dreamer
The Good: Very cool way to summon a creature, the use of an eidolon and EP was very clever, good way to represent an artists unique monster painting come to life.
The Bad: Loss of the items magic on a failed attempt is pretty rough. I would have suggested that is suppressed the magic for 24 hours.
The Ugly: 10k is a pretty high cost for a one shot summons.