The 2025 Pumpkin Spice RPG Contest - FINAL WEEK!

[Steampunkette]

My official entry:

Arsenal of the Pumpkin King
Deep within the Long Night, a mirror-realm of the Material Plane plagued with eternal darkness and monstrous beings once native to Fey Realms, lives the dreaded Pumpkin King. A once powerful fey ruler long since deposed from his position of glory by the current courts and banished to the Long Night against his will. The dread entity seeks to return from the Long Night and bring his army of pumpkin soldiers, grown strong within his twisted realm, upon the Material Plane before making his way to the Courts of the Fey to unseat the usurpers...

Fortunately, no one has been foolish enough to allow the Pumpkin King his escape. But the rewards he offers to those in his service are potent, and dreadful...

Crown of the Pumpkin King
Wondrous Item, Legendary (Requires Attunement)
While this pitted and soot-stained iron crown was built to be worn on the head, there are no humanoids such a crown would fit. Instead of resting comfortably on the top of a massive oblate pumpkin, it is worn around the neck as an oversized gorget or necklace with large defensive spikes., While wearing the crown in this way, even before becoming attuned, you gain the following benefits:

• +1 to AC
• You take an additional point of damage from Weapon Attacks as the crown digs into your flesh.

While attuned to the crown, you gain the following benefits:

• 1/ Short Rest you may cast the Entangle spell with a save DC of 16.
• If you have an Entangle spell active, you may sacrifice 10ft of its area, two squares, to create a Pumpkin Soldier under your control.
• You gain resistance to Poison damage

Finally, if the Crown of the Pumpkin King is placed upon a nonmagical pumpkin of Medium size or larger, the spirit of the Pumpkin King will inhabit the pumpkin and begin to generate its body from other pumpkins and pumpkin vines in the immediate area over the course of 1 minute. During the time the Pumpkin King forms, he will provide answers to questions as the Commune spell. Once the minute has completed, the Pumpkin King will be made manifest.

Long Night Armor
Armor (Any) Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
Armor crafted from the Long Night itself, this suit of magical armor is dark in color and bears a motif of skulls and jack-o-lantern pumpkins that cannot, by any means, be hidden. Magic designed to alter its appearance can change the size, shape, or placement of the motif, but never eliminate it. This armor is favored, to the point of being coveted, by vampires, ghouls, and other creatures of the night.

This armor functions as a +2 armor of the chosen type. While worn at night, it appears to stretch time around the wearer and those within 120ft as you slip between the real world and a dark mirror reality of eternal night. So long as you are moving at a fast pace or higher, each four hours of travel is only one hour of actual time passing. However, while walking the Long Night you still roll random encounters every hour, resulting in four chances of random encounters for every real hour of time that passes.

Time spent walking the Long Night still accrues exhaustion as normal, but it is possible to move 8 hours through the Long Night and still have plenty of darkness for a long rest at night.

Scepter of the Pumpkin King
Maul, Legendary (Requires Attunement)
This 5ft long scepter consists of thick and hardened intertwined vines forming a rough haft beneath a large jack-o-lantern that appears to have begun rotting a day or two ago. The flames within the pumpkin never seem to die out. This item functions in the following ways, even if you are not attuned:

• Functions as a +2 Maul
• +1d6 Fire damage on a successful hit
• Sheds bright light in a 30ft radius and dim light a further 20ft
• Cast Fear once per long rest with a save DC of 16

While attuned to this scepter, you may attempt to take control of any Pumpkin entities within 60ft. This ability functions like the Command Undead spell with a save DC of 16 but only affects pumpkin-entities. You may use this ability a number of times per short rest equal to your proficiency bonus, and a successful saving throw against it does not preclude a Pumpkin Guardian or Pumpkin Soldier from being targeted by the spell on subsequent rounds. If you are also attuned to the Crown of the Pumpkin King, there is no saving throw against this ability.

Finally, you may swing the Scepter of the Pumpkin King at the ground rather than at an enemy. Doing so creates a 30ft cone of Fear and Flame. Creatures in the area must make a DC 16 Constitution save. On a failed save they are frightened of you for up to 1 minute, but may attempt Charisma Saves at the end of each turn to end the effect, and take 4d6 Fire damage. On a successful save they are not frightened and take half of the fire damage rolled.

Seedling Bomb
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
These small turnip-sized jack-o-lanterns glow with an orange flame within. They function as a simple thrown weapon with a range of 20/60 and deal 1d4 bludgeoning and 1d4 fire damage on a successful hit. Plucked from patches in the Long Night, these dangerous little weapons become a problem on impact.

Once a Seedling Bomb has been thrown it explodes on impact with any object or surface and spreads a series of small, flat, rounded seeds which immediately seek to take root in the square they landed in. If the location does not contain soil of any kind, they instead burrow into wood or stone to a depth of 1 foot and become inert. If they land on soil, however, the area immediately becomes difficult terrain for 1 turn.

At the end of that turn, a number of Pumpkin Nuisances equal to the fire damage rolled are created. These tiny, hostile, gremlin like, creatures are uncontrolled and immediately begin to harass the nearest target, often the person they were thrown at to begin with. They immediately enter the creature's square and attempt to climb on them. The target may make a DC 13 Strength or Dexterity saving throw to keep the Nuisances at bay, but on a failed save they take 1 point of slashing damage and their speed is cut in half. Each Nuisance has 1hp and an AC of 10.

Smashing Pumpkin
Wondrous Item, Rare
This moderately sized jack-o-lantern can be easily hefted in one hand and hurled with as a simple thrown weapon with a range of 20/50. Once it impacts a creature or object, the jack-o-lantern explodes into a 20ft radius burst of flame dealing 6d6 fire damage to all creatures in the area, with a DC 13 Dexterity save for half damage. A creature struck by the smashing pumpkin, directly, does not get a saving throw against the fire damage.
The smashing pumpkin is consumed in this use.

Minions of the Pumpkin King
While the Pumpkin King, himself, is a powerful entity on par with most Warlock Patrons, the minions of the Pumpkin King are much more tangible and immediately threatening.

Pumpkin Soldier
Small (Fey), CR 1/2
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 10 (3d6)
Speed: 30ft
Str: 10 (+0), Dex: 16 (+3), Con: 10 (+0), Int: 9 (-1), Wis: 12 (+1), Cha: 10 (+0)
Saving Throws: Dex +5, Cha +2
Skills: Acrobatics (+5), Survival (+3)

• Cruelty: The Pumpkin Soldier deals +3 (1d6) additional damage when it attacks a creature within the threatened area of an ally. This is applied once per round.
• Shed Light: The Pumpkin Soldier's flaming head shines out in a 15ft radius of bright light with an additional 10ft radius of dim light.
• Sunlight Destruction: With the coming of the dawn, or any spell or effect that mimics true sunlight, a Pumpkin Soldier becomes Inert and is reduced to 0hp until nightfall. In this state, it appears as a normal jack o' lantern.

Actions:

• Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) slashing damage
• Spit Seed: Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 15/50, one target. Hit: 4 (1+3) fire damage.

Pumpkin Soldiers stand between 2 and 5 feet tall and exist in a dazzling array of variety. While their heads are always a pumpkin of some variety carved into a jack o' lantern, their ropey bodies are made of vines wrapped up into each other in varying lengths and thickness. Those with the largest pumpkin varietals for heads tend to be on the shorter sides, crushed down by the weight. While those with smaller pumpkins for heads tend to be taller and more slender. This results in all of them fitting into the small size category regardless of their apparent height.

Servants to the Pumpkin King, these fey creatures seek to conquer in his name, to spread the base of his power over an ever-expanding kingdom of night. However, they are not among the brightest of creatures and can be fooled relatively easily by offering them a handful of sweets as 'tribute' to the Pumpkin King, sparing you any need to battle. If, however, gifted with gold or other 'proper' tribute to the Pumpkin King, you can secure temporary protection from a Pumpkin Soldier to secure your home or campsite until the dawn.

If no tribute is offered, they will seek to conquer and displace anyone in the 'Rightful Realm' of the Pumpkin King.

Pumpkin Guardian
Medium (Fey), CR 1
Armor Class: 13
Hit Points: 30 (5d8+8)
Speed: 30ft
Str: 14 (+2), Dex: 14 (+2), Con: 14 (+2), Int: 10 (+0), Wis: 10 (+0), Cha: 10 (+0)
Saving Throws: Dex +4, Cha +2
Skills: Athletics (+4), Perception (+3), Stealth (+4), Survival (+3)

• Shed Light: The Pumpkin Soldier's flaming head shines out in a 15ft radius of bright light with an additional 10ft radius of dim light.
• Sunlight Destruction: With the coming of the dawn, or any spell or effect that mimics true sunlight, a Pumpkin Guardian becomes Inert and is reduced to 0hp until nightfall. In this state, it appears as a normal jack o' lantern.

Actions:

• Maul: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) bludgeoning damage
• Spit Seed: Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 15/50, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) fire damage.
• Strangle: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10ft, one target that is surprised or grappled by the Pumpkin Guardian. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) bludgeoning damage, and the target is pulled 5ft closer to the Pumpkin Guardian and Grappled (Escape DC: 12). If the target is already grappled, this attack automatically hits. The Pumpkin Guardian can only make one Strangle attempt per round.

Pumpkin Guardians are much taller and more dangerous than their smaller Pumpkin Soldier brethren. Ranging from 6ft to 9ft in height, following the same guidelines in structure as the Pumpkin Soldier, the Pumpkin Guardian is more malleable in its construction. When fighting, they prefer to take their targets by surprise and strangle the life out of them with a number of vines that leap from their form and drag their victim in. However, they're more than happy to wrap some vines around a nearby stone to form a makeshift maul of one of their arms to sling about violently.

If disarmed of the maul, they can spend one action to grab a new stone of appropriate size to wield as a maul on their following turn.

Slightly more intelligent than their smaller soldier brothers, a Pumpkin Guardian may be bribed with a handful of candy and a DC 12 Persuasion or Intimidation check to keep them from conquering you. But they will not protect your property regardless of how much gold you have to offer.

Great Pumpkin
Large (Fey), CR 2
Armor Class: 12 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 59 (7d10+21)
Speed: 40ft
Str: 19 (+4), Dex: 8 (-1), Con: 16 (+3), Int: 10 (+0), Wis: 10 (+0), Cha: 8 (-1)
Saving Throws: Dex +1, Cha +1
Skills: Athletics (+6), Perception (+2), Stealth (+1), Survival (+2)

• Shed Light: The Great Pumpkins flaming head shines out in a 30ft radius of bright light with an additional 20ft radius of dim light.
• Sunlight Destruction: With the coming of the dawn, or any spell or effect that mimics true sunlight, a Great Pumpkin becomes Inert and is reduced to 0hp until nightfall. In this state, it appears as a normal jack o' lantern.

Actions:

• Hammerhand: Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 10ft, one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Medium or Smaller it makes a DC 14 Strength save to avoid being knocked prone.
• Sweeping Strike: Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 5ft, all creatures within 5ft. Hit 8 (1d8+4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is medium or smaller it makes a DC 14 Strength save to avoid being pushed back 10ft.
• Spit Seed: Ranged Weapon Attack: +1, range 30/120, one target. Hit 11 (3d6) fire damage.

Massive and towering entities, the Great Pumpkins are often used by the Pumpkin King as low-grade siege weaponry. Much like the Pumpkin Guardian, they can be disarmed of their Hammerhand, but it is far too large for a medium sized creature to wield as a weapon, and the Great Pumpkin can regenerate their Hammerhand with an action by grabbing a new small boulder.

Great Pumpkins cannot be fooled into service, and instead simply seek to destroy any structure on what they consider to be the Pumpkin King's land. Though they may be temporarily distracted with a handful of sweet treats, and will move up to twice their speed on a turn to try and take a proffered treat, as soon as they spend an action to consume it they will return to their previous activity of crushing any structure in the area, and any creature that attempts to protect those structures.

 

[Gradine]

It's frustrating to feel so stuck, creatively. I want to submit something, but I'm feeling lost in the shadow of my previous entry.

 

[CleverNickName]

It's frustrating to feel so stuck, creatively. I want to submit something, but I'm feeling lost in the shadow of my previous entry.

The struggle is real. My entry isn't the first entry I tried to write (or even the second), because I couldn't stop looking over my own shoulder at the things I'd done before. I don't know if you're looking for advice, but if you are, this is what helped me:

Pumpkin and Spice are always part of the contest, but every year there is a new third word. A pumpkin-spiced something that hasn't been done before. Let that be your main focus. That's how I ended up with a strong, robust, overcaffeinated dragon.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's frustrating to feel so stuck, creatively. I want to submit something, but I'm feeling lost in the shadow of my previous entry.

I would try grabbing a random table, real or virtual, and rolling on it several times and see if any of the nonsense it spits out prompts any ideas.

Alternately, do it the Gygax way and go with a terrible pun. (My entry is built around a terrible pun.)

 

[CleverNickName]

Ah geez. Now I got a new idea for a submission, and I'm trying to decide if I want to keep my dragon or replace it with the New Idea. #PumpkinSpiceProblems

 

[Steampunkette]

Happened to be flying around Salamanca and saw one of the giant Pumpkins trying to hide... figured I'd share it.

Just grab a buncha leaves and pretend to be a tree!