GITP Spells Contest: Discussion Thread

[The Neoclassic]

For discussion of the GITP Spell Collection Contest. Please post all entries here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124866).

I just started this new contest. This first round, with the theme "The Wizard's Tomb", is primarily an experiment to gauge interest and see how it works out. Suggestions to improve future rounds of this contest, should there be sufficient interest to continue, are encouraged. :smallsmile:

[The Witch-King]

I like this. I'll have to give it some thought but I definitely intend to participate.

[Kuma Kode]

I'm interested. Though do we need to come up with 5 spells that share a common theme, 5 spells of any theme, or 5 spells that fit the theme of something that would be found within a corpse?

I'm a little unsure of what you mean by fitting the theme of the fluff. I'm assuming you mean obscure spells, not necromancy/corpse-related spells.

[The Neoclassic]

I'm interested. Though do we need to come up with 5 spells that share a common theme, 5 spells of any theme, or 5 spells that fit the theme of something that would be found within a corpse?

I'm a little unsure of what you mean by fitting the theme of the fluff. I'm assuming you mean obscure spells, not necromancy/corpse-related spells.

I'm glad people are interested! As far as spells relating to the theme and fluff, that means that they somehow they tie into the short story, title, and picture. This could be necromancy or corpse-related, or obscure spells, or even spells relating to tomb protection! What does the title of the contest make you think of? The picture? How about the story? The theme is simply put "The Wizard's Tomb"; as long as you can justify (or people can figure out) how your spells relate to that theme, you should be all set!

I hope that's a bit clearer? :smallsmile:

[Kuma Kode]

While I am rather fond of Necromancy spells, I think I'll get outside my comfort zone and do obscure spells. :smallsmile: Expect a submission soonish!

[Sir Shadow]

I may write something up, dunno. I haven't really felt inspired to make spells lately.

[Dragon Elite]

I thought of blades, because the first "tomb" I was in got me killed with a swinging sword. :smallfrown:

[arguskos]

I might do something for this, if I get into it. Can't think of much and I'm kinda busy anyways. I'll see what I can do though. Hope you'll be running more of these spell contests Neoclassic.

[The Neoclassic]

More entries AND more interest. Awesome. :smallcool:


Hope you'll be running more of these spell contests Neoclassic.

I absolutely intend to! As long as this one gets a reasonable number of entries (and there've already been three), I'd love to continue these contests. I realize that not every topic will interest every person, so hopefully anyone who isn't too inspired this time will find the next one more to their liking!

[Thant]

I'll try to make some interesting mambo-jambo, although I'm more of a player and a "d&d spectator" than a full time GM. Hope I'll be creative enough in compare with the rest of the participants!

[Grim ranger]

Hmm...though I am a novice at D&D, I might try my luck with this one. I already have few ideas....

[The Witch-King]

The Scrolls of the Black Hand (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6952783&postcount=7) are up! Please let me know what you think! Thanks!

[BisectedBrioche]

Well, I thought I may as well have a go. Has anyone got any thoughts on The Cryptkeeper's Collection?

[The Neoclassic]

I'm delighted to see all the entries! People have really taken the theme in a lot of different directions, which is fantastic. Keep the spells coming!

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Looks like an interesting contest, and if I have time I'll try to enter something.

Memo to self: spider theme.

[The Witch-King]

Memo to self: spider theme.

Oooh--surprised I didn't think of that given how much I love that theme! I look forward to your entry!

[Kyace]

The Scrolls of the Black Hand (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6952783&postcount=7) are up! Please let me know what you think! Thanks!
Well, since you asked... <.<
I have two major nit-picks with your spells:
One, Jasande's Spare Amulet is a very nice spell and one that casters would likely develop, however since it would allow you magic-item insurance in the form of 1/40th the market price. For example, for a ring of wizardry IV, a 100k gp item, you pay a paltry 2500 and never need to fear its loss. This is very logical and smart for the caster to do. However, when an adventuring party defeat this wizard, likely a grueling process, the party wizard claims the prize of the loot... only for it to return to being a normal ring after a day. By then, the rest of the party may have already spent their share preventing a new 'split'. Even worse, imagine if the wizard didn't just cast it on one item. Your party is going to be angry if all of their magic items revert.
That being said, this is a great thing in the hands of a DM who knows how to use it in moderation: The party beats the BBEG's dragon and think they claim the MacGuffin only for it to revert to normal and lead to a clue to the real BBEG with the real MacGuffin. All in all, not a bad spell, two changes I might suggest to it: a limit of one duplicate item per person at a time and/or make the base item that gains the spell have a market value equal to 1/20 the magic item it copies' market value. For example, maybe the duplicated Ring of Wizard IV reverts to a Ring of Counterspelling with a 1000 gp diamond attached.

Oh, and a rules-lawyering loophole your spell leaves open: Your spell has a range of touch with the target of the mastercraft item to become the duplicate. Nowhere does the spell text say that you must have the copied magic item to steal its powers.

The second spell I had an issue with is Zarawendu's Dark Sanction. I take it you're not familiar with Shadowcrafter Mage builds that basically take Shadow illusions and Heighten Spell/Earth Spell/ect. and effectively let the Shadowcrafter cast any two level 9 spells with a level 8 spell slot and a level 1 spell slot. Congrats, this spell would let them do the same with a level 8 spell slot and any number of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on, for any number of 9th level spells. A simple solution might be to merely forbid allowing Heighten Spell from gaining the benefit of this spell, a more indepth solution would be to list which metamagic feats you'd allow to take advantage of this spell.

You know what... I'm going to pigeon-hole that idea of a Dragon-BBEG-MacGuffin switch away for some future game I'll DM. <.< I need to get me a DM folder for ideas like these...

[Lvl45DM!]

Steel singer is up PEACH please
Im not a 3rd edition player so please tell me if ive booped up any basic game mechanics

[Lvl45DM!]

Oh and most of my spells are transmutation cos thats what the friar was going on about in the fluff...was that necessary? cos i had a bitching evocation spell but decided against it

[Kyace]

Oh and most of my spells are transmutation cos thats what the friar was going on about in the fluff...was that necessary? cos i had a bitching evocation spell but decided against it

I don't think there is any requirement for spells beyond them fitting a theme of spells relating to a wizard's tomb, either building it, being found in it or animating protectors for it. The friar thing was fluff to give an example.

[Kyace]

Steel singer is up PEACH please
Im not a 3rd edition player so please tell me if ive booped up any basic game mechanics
Sure things :3
Shining Steel could use a range of 10'. What might be a better way of stating what I think you mean for Shining Steel would be to give it Range 10', Area: 10' circle centered on you (Area and Effect are other fields that can replace Target in the default spell format) and make the metallic item a spell focus. 3.5 doesn't normally use a facing system so I'd suggest making the area of effect be the complete 10' circle and have it affect everyone within range (unless they avert their eyes, using the rules for gaze attacks). You generally don't need to say what the reflex save is but that's not a big deal.

Immunity to Steel: Honestly, you don't really need to explain what metals are ferrous, except to maybe give Steel and Cold Iron as examples. Let the DMs define if Mithral attracts magnets in their campaign. A minor thing, but rust monsters can rust any metal, including gold. Technically, rusting is just an oxidation process which isn't really related to a metals' response to magnets. Every more technically: ferrous just means relating to iron, the word you are looking for is ferromagnetic. :3
As a formatting note, you don't have to say "Arcane Material Component" when the only class to cast a spell is arcane.

Spikesteel: Wizards begin casting level 4 spells at level 7.

Melt Steel: I might suggest adding Melt Steel on the Druid spell list, since they have every other Heat Metal/Chill Metal/Repel Metal spell (and maybe the Wu Jen spelllist since I think they get all Metal affecting spells as well, but everyone picks Wu Jen last for dodgeball too.)

[The Neoclassic]

So many entries! This brings us up to, what, seven? However, Amadi, Kuma Kode, Sir Shadow, and Kyace: You still need to finish yours! No rush; just a reminder since this ends in a bit more than a week. :smallsmile:

If anyone has suggestions for future contests, please let me know. I can't promise I'll use any precisely as is BUT they will be very good inspiration points. Good sources of accompanying pictures would be swell too (preferrably public domain or other ones I'm allowed to use without the artist getting mad).

[Lvl45DM!]

Thanks Kyace your suggestions are Ace :D had to be said
and yeah i figured about the druid thing but i wasnt quite sure if you could find a druid version of a spell in a wizards tomb, or whatever figured it should be wizards only, but yeah like i said 3.5 not my strong point so i dont get the spells

oh and someone paid attention in chem class, giving redcloak a run for his money huh?

But yeah i figured as a 1st level mass blindness spell, giving shining steel range is a bit overpowered so yeah has to be centered on you
and im not sure about it but i put melt metal as a higher druid level cos druids arent as good with metals as wizards, and im not putting in wu jen, you play OA you can make your own caster level, it should be the same anyway.

[Kyace]

Should be finished now. Not entirely sure if it is evident but I was trying to write the 5 spells so they showed different aspects of Shribben's career. Any critiques/criticisms welcome.

[BisectedBrioche]

So no one has any criticisms of my entry?

[Lvl45DM!]

so uh..how does this thing work? when do we know who wins, what happens to the winner...is there a winner?

[The Neoclassic]

From the Spells contest page:


The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will run through midnight of October 5th.

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until midnight of October 15th.


Winners of the contest are determined by voting (open to all Playground forum members) and win not only bragging rights, but also a trophy for their signature.

[Lvl45DM!]

Ah wicked fun
does one get a cool thing like "Ogre mage in the playground"
or "Orc with class levels in the playground"??

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Oooh--surprised I didn't think of that given how much I love that theme! I look forward to your entry!

It's finally posted; take a look!

[Lvl45DM!]

Just about your first one...how can they have the illusion of spiders eating them if they are in a darkness and silence effect?

[Sir Shadow]

Illusions can affect more than just your sense of sight. :D

[Lvl45DM!]

Well yeah but if its affecting your sense of touch its less an illusion more an effect
i mean sure you can be just tweaking their mind so it feels like theres spiders but still thats less an illusion than a compulsion

[The Neoclassic]

I'm going to send a friendly reminder to all the individuals who haven't finished their entries yet, since the contest ends in less than a week. Hopefully it'll be helpful rather than annoying and result in fewer unfinished entries.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Just about your first one...how can they have the illusion of spiders eating them if they are in a darkness and silence effect?


Well yeah but if its affecting your sense of touch its less an illusion more an effect
i mean sure you can be just tweaking their mind so it feels like theres spiders but still thats less an illusion than a compulsion

The illusion is of a huge web cocooning them with spiders crawling through it and biting them; as the "cocoon" gets thicker and thicker, it seems to block out all sound and light, hence the silence and darkness. Then they just have spiders nibbling on them for the rest of the effect.

It's Illusion rather than Enchantment because (A) [Charms] and [Compulsions] have strictly defined effects, and this doesn't fit it, and (B) it's somewhat inspired by phantasmal killer in the "Mostly in your head but can still kill you"--though this one's a (Shadow) spell rather than a (Phantasm) because it physically affects the world around the targets.

[The Witch-King]

Well, since you asked... <.<
I have two major nit-picks with your spells

I've been really busy and I'm working out of town but I wanted to thank you for your observations and let you know I made changes along the lines you suggested! Thank you very much!

[The Neoclassic]

Just a reminder: The contest ends at midnight tonight! Finish up those entries! :smallsmile:

[Set]

Just a reminder: The contest ends at midnight tonight! Finish up those entries! :smallsmile:

Heh, I read the 15th, instead of the 5th. Silly person...

[Lvl45DM!]

Uh...now what?

[Dragon Elite]

Uh...now what?

Agreed. What now?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Agreed. What now?

Presumably the coordinator starts up a vote thread? Wake up, Neoclassic

[arguskos]

Presumably the coordinator starts up a vote thread? Wake up, Neoclassic
Already did, awhile ago in fact. I remember voting in it. For you in fact, Dice. ;)

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Already did, awhile ago in fact. I remember voting in it. For you in fact, Dice. ;)

:smallsigh: Only looked on the first two pages, and it was on the third. I trusted Lvl45DM! and Dragon Elite to have checked before me. Tsk tsk.

I'll head over there now. Thanks; glad you liked my entry. ;)

[Sir Shadow]

>:/ she never linked to it! Not in this thread or the actual contest thread...

[PairO'Dice Lost]

>:/ He never linked to it! Not in this thread or the actual contest thread...

Yeah, I pointed that out in the voting thread. Here it is.