High End Carnival Prizes

[Chrion]

My PCs are about to enjoy a carnival put on by the folks at their HQ (they are agents of a larger organization) but they are also pretty high level so I want the carnival prizes to be pretty good stuff. I had in mind stuff ranging anywhere from like 500g to 5000g, but I don't really want them to be just +X weapons. So I was thinking things like:

Pearl of power
Pathfinder pouch
Bag of holding
Figurines of wonderous power

So, things like that. What might be some other fun stuff for super high end carnival game prizes?

[VoodistMonk]

Ring of Sustenance combined with a Ring of Feather Falling... 1250 + (1100×1.5) = 1250 + 1650 = 2900... sells for ~5800... not game-breaking by any means, but nice to have.

Blood Reservoir of Physical Prowess.

Swarmbane Clasp.

+1 cold iron sawback Kunai with the Called enchantment.

[Mark Hoover 330]

Wands full of level 1 and 2 spells that PCs would never take: Endure Elements, Make Whole, Songbird, Clarion Call, Web Shelter

You could also look at so called "quality of life" items like Efficient Quivers, Sleeves of Many Garments or Boots of the Winterlands.

Yet another way to go would be make up your own items. How about a Broom of Sweeping? Crafted with both Prestidigtation and Unseen Servant, this wondrous item will sweep clean any surface... ANY surface. It cleans the floor, the ceiling, the walls, the dishes, the chimney... it EVEN does windows! Note however it can only clean within 30' of it's wielder.

Last but not least, who says the prizes have to be magical? Medals, trophies, and other works of art could be the rewards. Even better, prizes might be choice assignments, lucrative contracts, one free Breath of Life to be administered by the comeliest male/female NPC in the organization capable of casting it, and so on. Think outside the box... and maybe include The Box as one of the prizes!

[yukongil]

prizes? If your carnival's ring toss game isn't making the barbarian lose thousands of gold for the stuffed basalt dragon figurine of wondrous power, what are you even doing?

[Ryze Kuja]

I would custom create items to make it extra special just for them.

[Zotpox]

Animated object plushies with the ability to Familiar bond with a non spellcaster.

Poppets of unusual shape and size.

Adventurer's plates: A 3" by 4" metallic plate that display's in common the effects of a status spell on the holder.

[That Crazy Alchemist]

If they are high level, most of the 500-5000gp range stuff is likely to be fairly pointless to them and are likely to just get sold.

I'd make some custom "carnival-y" items for the carnival prizes prizes instead. Stuff they can only get there. And they should be consumable to make them even more exclusive and special feeling. Things like:

- Luck Tokens. Consumable item, allows you to roll twice and take the better result on any d20 roll. Must be used before the rolls are made.

- Power Plushies. Consummable. Summons a monster the plushy depicts that is under your control as if cast by a Summon Monster spell.

- Belch Beer. Consumable. Drinking this causes you to unleash a hurricane force wind from your mouth per the Control Winds spell (directional) for 1 round. Creatures caught in the area of the winds are sickened for 1d4 rounds.

Etc.

[Claxon]

I mean, it's a carnival. I don't see them catering to adventures, even if it is a part of larger organization.

You're going to get an analog to the kind of carnival prizes you would see today, you know stuffed animals, t-shirts etc.

Nothing of any real value and certainly not anything that would be useful in combat. It honestly just doesn't make sense.

The best you can hope for is to choose some items that would appeal specifically to your player's characters for RP reasons.

Anything that is valuable but well beneath their level is likely to be sold to purchase other things.

[Sysryke]

Most of the games or events should have cheap, negligible, or mundane goodies. But, you could place a few very cherry items at the big draw events. Think of special challenges of show toppers. I'm thinking the hammer and bell game, the motorcycle cage from the Simpsons movie (not sure how to PF convert that), lasting 3 minutes in the ring with the strong man, etc. Come up with a few real challenges at the fair, and let them earn something good there. If the prize is fancy enough, that rare item being on display might be drawing crowds on it's own.

Potentially a good set up for a theft and chase scene, if some unscrupulous NPC (or your own players) decide they want the goodie without earning it fairly.

[Hugo Rune]

If a carnival is offering a high end prize for an event. Then they would be looking to attract and identify the best in a large area. In a feudal society, the prize is likely to include prestige and duty.

Some examples, a suit of magic armour and a position in the King's Personal Bodyguard that is awarded to the winner of a melee.

A magic bow and acceptance into the order of Arcane Archers for the winner of an archery competition.

[Mark Hoover 330]

"Throw the hoop on a bottle, win a prize!" the barker calls. One of the PCs steps up, throws six perfect ringers inside 12 seconds, stunning all onlookers. The barker picks his jaw up off the floor and mutters "go ahead... and choose from among all of the stuffed bears and cupies you see hanging from the booth friend!" The canny, high-level adventurers glance around, spying an ornate wicker box, a curious furry brown-and-white creature peering out from within that screams "MOGWAI!" as it hides from their gaze. "We'll take THAT!" the ring-tosser exclaims proudly, gesturing to the box. The barker strokes his chin, in part to hide a wry grin. "Mmm... the Mogwai is not among the prizes, my friend..." he begins with a cat-like purr in his voice.

I mean, if the PCs are high level adventurers they're not really going to care if they win a 2000 GP hornswaggler or googazzler right? But if they have the chance to win something TRULY one of a kind, something mysterious, something vaguely forbidden...

[Guardianlord]

I did something like this. I involved a mischievous demigod who enchanted the otherwise mundane prizes.
I would suggest some alchemical "Candies" of dubious quality. When consumed (1d6-1 rounds), grant an alchemical stat bonus (1d6-for stat or base it off fixed stat per flavour), (1dx-2) bonus for 10 minutes.

High risk, high reward, stacks with most existing bonuses, consumable, and potentially cursed? (eat too many and something bad can happen).

[VoodistMonk]

Stuff that is nice for anyone, but really super awesome for if you happen to check all the boxes...

Like Dueling Gloves combined with the Gloves of Arcane Striking. Might as well be just normal Dueling Gloves for the person only with or using Weapon Training. Or they might as well be just regular Arcane Striking Gloves for the person with/using Arcane Strike.

But that one person who has Weapon Traing AND uses Arcane Strike? Gloves are pure awesomeness.

[Sean Cannon 565]

"Perfumes" that provide the buffs of powerful spells but are short term. Could have a Perfume of Righteous Might that smells like lilacs, or a Perfume of Freedom of Movement that smells like daffodils. Obviously Righteous Might cannot be made into a potion by raw so this would be homebrew, but that makes it a little more special, adding mechanic-based uniqueness to an already theatrical and thematic item.