Email on RPG Superstar

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Wondrous items are a great wide canvas, but hard to come up with something cool and original within the bounds of the SRD system. I pity the Paizo guys digging through mounds and mounds of generic stuff.

Still, this is pretty neat. I'll take a shot.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

provided you get past the first round, all subsequent rounds are voted on by the general public, so thinking that you have a swell tactic to sway the judges doesn't necessarily mean much this time around after the first round.

Tell your staff you just screwed them out of five dozen donuts Mr. Unswayable!

 

[megamania]

Most curious.......

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

This is very cool. The eligibility rules are a little fuzzy, though. I've never appeared on the cover of a "hardback" RPG book, but I work full time as an RPG writer/designer/editor. I guess I'll just have to ask if I'm eligible. I hope so, this looks like a hell of a lot of fun.

BD

 

[MKMcArtor]

Tell your staff you just screwed them out of five dozen donuts Mr. Unswayable!

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

[Wik]

I had a neat idea, wrote it all up... and then took a look at what "200 words" actually was. I think I was around 320 or so.

So, I'm trying to boil it down a bit, and fiddling with the mechanics. I might do something simpler, though, I think. Probably a good idea.

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

I had a neat idea, wrote it all up... and then took a look at what "200 words" actually was. I think I was around 320 or so.

So, I'm trying to boil it down a bit, and fiddling with the mechanics. I might do something simpler, though, I think. Probably a good idea.

Best thing to do is write-up your item without any backstory, then if there's still room, go back an add a bit. Although, honestly, if you look at the wondrous items in the DMG, none of them have any backstory or extra fluff.

I hit 199 words without a bit of fluff.

BD

 

[Wik]

Best thing to do is write-up your item without any backstory, then if there's still room, go back an add a bit. Although, honestly, if you look at the wondrous items in the DMG, none of them have any backstory or extra fluff.

I hit 199 words without a bit of fluff.

BD

Yeah. But I want to follow the method used in Pathfinder and other Paizo write-ups, that usually have a sentence or two.

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

Yeah. But I want to follow the method used in Pathfinder and other Paizo write-ups, that usually have a sentence or two.

I hear you, but consider the following quote from Clark Peterson, one of the judges for the contest.

"I dont want to tell people what to do or not do. And a line or so of flavor is fun. But we asked for wondrous items.

Ask yourself: Is there even a single wondrous item in the SRD or DMG that has such a personal background as the example above for Icingdeath? I dont think so. We want wondrous items, not artifacts."

Basically, what I take from this, is that your item shouldn't need a line or two fo flavor to stand out. It should be unique and cool just on its own.

BD

 

[Wik]

Ha. I already submitted. And we're seeing eye to eye here, too. Really, what I meant by "Flavour" ended up translating as "This is typically worn by people X, and those who do Y" and a quick description (10 words or so) what it looked like. Really, just a few lines of flavour.

No, my earlier idea was a one-use item that had the user negotiate with a fiend for potential bonuses. And the flavour in that got a little heavy. And there was just too much going on for the item to make it fit in 200 words. Even if it is kind of cool.

Fixed it, and went with something a lot simpler.