Maerdwyn
First Post
Ranger Wicket beat me to the post on two counts....
Had a couple ideas for wizardry contests:
1) Five targets are placed far apart from each other around the field. The first of the two constestants to destroy three targets wins. The rules are that the contestants may not target each other with spells and must destroy the tagets only with spells, and may destroy only one target with each spell(or creature summoned by a spell). Wizards are free to counterspell each other or to use spells to protect a target or targets.
2) Arcane treasure hunt: clues requiring various knowledge checks, written in different languages, or solvable only with clever use of magic, lead to a hidden magic item
My idea for a hidden contest had to do with the Thieves' Guild (if one exists in your campaign): Whichever member returns with a valuable and well protected item that the guild leader has planted on a particular (but unnamed) noble attending the fair gets a large prize. The thieves however don't know exactly what they are after - they only have vague hints. To know if they've won, they must show what they have taken to their superiors in the guild. This way, the members have incentive to be truthful in reporting what they steal at the fair. (perhaps the guild extorts protection money from certain nobles in return for an agreement to return anything the thieves steal from them during the contest.
Also, how about a bard contest - best spontaneous satire, for example. The fair's sponsor names someone, and two bards each have a go at making fun of him. Thgis can be a very dangerous contest to win, depending on the importance of the chosen victim of the satire. Use a spot checks if the bard wants to look for a particular physical feature of the person, use local history to see if the bard knows of any of the person's past deeds, etc. Success on any of these checks will give a bonus to the bard's Perform roll. Which ever bard ends up with the highest Perform roll wins the contest
Had a couple ideas for wizardry contests:
1) Five targets are placed far apart from each other around the field. The first of the two constestants to destroy three targets wins. The rules are that the contestants may not target each other with spells and must destroy the tagets only with spells, and may destroy only one target with each spell(or creature summoned by a spell). Wizards are free to counterspell each other or to use spells to protect a target or targets.
2) Arcane treasure hunt: clues requiring various knowledge checks, written in different languages, or solvable only with clever use of magic, lead to a hidden magic item
My idea for a hidden contest had to do with the Thieves' Guild (if one exists in your campaign): Whichever member returns with a valuable and well protected item that the guild leader has planted on a particular (but unnamed) noble attending the fair gets a large prize. The thieves however don't know exactly what they are after - they only have vague hints. To know if they've won, they must show what they have taken to their superiors in the guild. This way, the members have incentive to be truthful in reporting what they steal at the fair. (perhaps the guild extorts protection money from certain nobles in return for an agreement to return anything the thieves steal from them during the contest.
Also, how about a bard contest - best spontaneous satire, for example. The fair's sponsor names someone, and two bards each have a go at making fun of him. Thgis can be a very dangerous contest to win, depending on the importance of the chosen victim of the satire. Use a spot checks if the bard wants to look for a particular physical feature of the person, use local history to see if the bard knows of any of the person's past deeds, etc. Success on any of these checks will give a bonus to the bard's Perform roll. Which ever bard ends up with the highest Perform roll wins the contest
