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Thealtruistorc
2014-09-06, 08:17 PM
Iron Mage Chat Thread I

This is where you guys are able to discuss spells for Iron Mage. Entries and the contest in general can be talked about or evaluated on this thread.



Contest
Name
First Place
Winner


I
An Apple Core (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?368783-Iron-Mage-let-s-brew-some-awesome-spells!&p=18022577&viewfull=1)
As the Nectar, so the Poison (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18022577&postcount=22)
Cyanide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?76567-Cyanide)


II
A Straight Razor (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?369972-Iron-Mage-II-A-close-shave)
Phase Razor (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18079216&postcount=8)
Syne (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?37866-Syne)


III
A Newspaper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?372306-Iron-Mage-III-Read-All-About-It!)
Indeterminate (not enough votes)
Indeterminate (not enough votes)


IV
A Sausage Link (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?377308-Iron-Mage-IV-Common-Ground)
TBD
TBD

MrNobody
2014-09-07, 02:54 PM
First things first, like i just said in my post for the first challenge : I LOVE THIS CONTEST!!
Quick, requires imagination but not a huge effort (like, for example, the base class contest)... it's good for me!:smallsmile:

One thing, though, has come to my mind: Why is victory not decided by voting?
Did I miss the voting thread or was there no votation?

I'm NOT questioning the victory of Cyanide: i would have voted for him myself!
I only feel that a contest needs a votation to choose who deserves victory, Giving that responsability to a single judge seems a little unfair to me: we are a comunity and in a contest is the comunity that has to choose who wins.
Considering the fast pace of this contest, i suggest to open a single voting thread to be used for every contest, just to not have to create a different voting thread every week!

What do you guys think about this??

Syne
2014-09-07, 03:19 PM
I agree with MrNobody. Things like originality and functionality (in this context) are pretty subjective, and it's not really fair for one person to decide whether or not an entry fits the bill.

Also, there should be more than one winner (e.g. a three place system).

Temotei
2014-09-07, 05:09 PM
Alternatively, we could use something like the Potpourri Contest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?166695-Potpourri-III-Voting-Thread&p=9270254#post9270254)'s voting method. I think that'd be nice.

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-07, 08:13 PM
Originally, I had the idea of having a private panel of judges, but the ones I chose ended up being unreliable, and as a result I wound up with only a few voters. I am switching it to a vote thread, as I want to integrate the community better in this challenge.

For Iron Mage II, the community will be the one to determine the winning spell (no, you may not vote for your own). Each person will be able to vote for first (five points), second (three points), and third place (one point). The spell with the highest point total come Sunday will be declared the winner.

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-11, 07:35 AM
The submission period for Iron Mage II is now over. Let the voting begin!

First off, myself
1. Devil of a good Shave. Not only do I find the whole concept rather funny, but this spell lends itself to a lot of creative and interesting situations, particularly with the secrets of personal grooming. The fact that this is also a subtle reference to Fairy Tail is a nice touch.
2. Phase Razor. This is definitely one spell I would want in my spellbook. It has so many clever and inventive uses, and fulfills a role that few other spells do.
3. Hack Surgery. The versatility and general hilarity of this spell won me over. The idea of cleric-less medical action by way of impromptu wizardry results in a lot of fun.

kestrel404
2014-09-11, 11:54 AM
Here's a link to the currently in-progress competition: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?369972-Iron-Mage-II-A-close-shave

Might want to have that in the top post.

What are people's feelings on contestants voting? Limit it to not-yours? No voting? Do whatever?

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-11, 03:57 PM
Thanks. I clarified earlier that everyone can vote for up to three.

MrNobody
2014-09-12, 10:47 AM
1. Blades of glory. Dying while being transformed in a whirling soul-nado of slashing destruction? Yes please! Always been a huge fan of "I die-you die" options, this is really good!
2. Phase Razor. Really liked the idea of travelling throug planes with a flick of the wrist shredding the fabric of space!
3. Ockham's Razor. A philosophical quote that deserves a vote. I tried myself to figure out how to convert it into a spell but could manage to. Definitely a case of "oh-how-I-would-have-made-it"!

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-14, 10:42 AM
Reminder: As of right now, y'all have 24 hours left to vote on your favorite spells. The top three will be posted, and the one with the most votes will win this week's contest.

Eldan
2014-09-15, 01:53 AM
3. Ockham's Razor. A philosophical quote that deserves a vote. I tried myself to figure out how to convert it into a spell but could manage to. Definitely a case of "oh-how-I-would-have-made-it"!

Honestly, not that proud of that one. A definite case of "Oh, I should make that! ... how?"
As in, I saw razor, knew I had to use Ockham and then had no idea what to do with it.

kestrel404
2014-09-15, 09:19 AM
OK, I've given it some thought.

1. Edge of Time - I really like this one. Of course, most people think I'm strange because I rather like readied actions - but I've shown the groups I play with that a well worded readied action can be a serious force multiplier. I like that this is a rounds/level spell, that it's touch range, and that it's both simple and inherently complex with numerous uses.
2. Phase Razor - I got the reference even before the note at the bottom (it was the portal effect that gave it away). The only issue I have with this spell is the fact that it's personal range. It should be Touch range, since it's cast on a targetted razor. Because it is personal range, it is open to Persist shenanigans - basically giving you a 3/day Planeshift at the cost of a Reduced Persist - and since it's AT the same level as planeshift, that's a bit of a significant loophole. Still, I'd love to see this applied as a weapon enchantment (only light weapons, equivalent to +5 since it's better than Brilliant Weapon).
3. Devil of a Good Shave - Yes, it's mine. I'm voting for it anyway because I really like it better than all the other options.

Note on Blades of Glory - This is a very interesting spell. I don't care for it, but it has a lot of potential. I don't like it because the suicide portion of the spell basically forces a person who would use the spell to end a campaign with it or else abuse it. Abuse is easy: Use the Share Spells ability of your Familiar to sacrifice your familiar for massive damage. Ice Assassin. Scrolls + Dominate Person. I'm sure there are others, but those are just the ones off the top of my head. Add on top of that the various tricks to put a free Persist on the spell and you've got a recipe for thrown books and pre-emptively dead campaigns. With a bit of tweaking, the spell could be great - but I can see too many ways it can go horribly wrong to like it as-is. If there is an Honorable Mention though, this should get it.

MrNobody
2014-09-15, 05:18 PM
Honestly, not that proud of that one. A definite case of "Oh, I should make that! ... how?"
As in, I saw razor, knew I had to use Ockham and then had no idea what to do with it.

And yet I liked it for being simple, in topic, well balanced, having a nice "background idea". Sometimes even the simplest entries deserves a vote, even if it's only the third place!. :smallsmile:



3. Devil of a Good Shave - Yes, it's mine. I'm voting for it anyway because I really like it better than all the other options.


Got your point but, since this is a contest that have rules, we should try to follow them. You liked Blade of Glory: it wouldn't have been simpler to give it the 3rd place without: a) breaking the rules voting yourself and b) voting it for a non-existing "honorable mention"? :smallconfused:

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-15, 07:45 PM
Alright, let the point totaling begin! (Kestrel, you cannot vote for your own, so your vote for DoaGS doesn't count)

First place, with 9 points, we have Syne's (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?37866-Syne) Phase Razor! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18079216&postcount=8)

Second place is a three-way tie, with Kamai's (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?50783-Kamai) Edge of Time (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18079487&postcount=9). kestrel404's (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?45868-kestrel404) Devil of a Good Shave (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18082634&postcount=10), and ezkajii's (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?94294-ezkajii) Blades of Glory (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18087237&postcount=11) each receiving five points.

Thank you all for participating and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow with Iron Mage III: Read All About It!

kestrel404
2014-09-16, 12:02 PM
Got your point but, since this is a contest that have rules, we should try to follow them. You liked Blade of Glory: it wouldn't have been simpler to give it the 3rd place without: a) breaking the rules voting yourself and b) voting it for a non-existing "honorable mention"? :smallconfused:

(Kestrel, you cannot vote for your own, so your vote for DoaGS doesn't count)

That was why I asked for clarification - I think you edited it into a previous post or something after that? Next time, put stuff like that in the first post of the thread.

And 'honorable mention' was a tradition started by the Iron Chef competition when one of the judges said something like, "This was a good entry, but it breaks too many rules to actually work". Thought it was appropriate.

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-16, 04:59 PM
Contest III: Read All About It! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?372306-Iron-Mage-III-Read-All-About-It!&p=18121236#post18121236) is now up! Happy Brewing!

Eldan
2014-09-17, 02:28 AM
Well, ****. Just saw, upon review, that my spell does just about the same thing as Jormengands. Should I remove it?

Zale
2014-09-17, 08:32 PM
I really like this contest, as it gives a chance to make rather quirky spells.

I adore quirky spells, so no matter how this goes it's a winning experience for me.

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-17, 09:43 PM
Well, ****. Just saw, upon review, that my spell does just about the same thing as Jormengands. Should I remove it?

No need to, but you may replace/alter any spells you have made at any time.

MrNobody
2014-09-19, 01:46 PM
I noticed that there were only 3 voters for the last contest... maybe creating a separate voting thread would make it more visible and will attract more voters!
What do you think?

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-26, 04:25 PM
Alright, time for voting. You have until tuesday at midnight to cast your votes for the top three spells.

spikeof2010
2014-09-27, 12:08 AM
1. Reduce/Reuse
2. Wordcrawl
3. Findelwald's Universal Publisher

Eldan
2014-09-27, 04:40 PM
1. False Lead
2. Insidious Extra
3. Condemn

Thealtruistorc
2014-09-28, 09:02 AM
My votes:

1. See of me, become of me. This is a really cool concept for a spell, and the applications are incredibly varied and interesting. I could likely build a campaign entirely around this one spell.

2. Foxgnu's deceptive report. Politics aside, the uses for the ability to alter public opinion magically lend to a lot of funny scenarios.

3. Vunderbolt's Incantation of gainful employment. Profession is rather underutilized in most games, so I feel that this would be a fun spell to utilize in civilized environments. The concept of a spell used by amateur wizards to get jobs also strikes me as funny.

ThirdEmperor
2014-10-05, 01:18 AM
May I make a suggestion?

The people who vote for this contest are the same people who participate, and even then only a small fraction of the competitors bother. I'd imagine things would go much quicker if you simply elected whoever wins as showrunner, and they decide the theme of the next contest and who wins at the end of that one.

LordotTrinkets
2014-10-09, 05:48 PM
Two quick questions, first, when will the next Iron mage challenge be released? I find the entire notion to be cool and would really like to participate in the next one.
Second, I came up with a real hum-dinger of a spell after the newspaper one ended, I'm not expecting it to be voted for, but do you mind if I post it just so I can show the world (or at least the forum) the idea?

Thealtruistorc
2014-10-14, 04:45 PM
Feel free to post it here. I apologize for being gone for so long (been really busy). The new contest is going to be up some time today.

LordotTrinkets
2014-10-14, 10:57 PM
Thanks! The spell's really simple, but it's the sheer application of the spell that I think makes it interesting.

Mortician's Dread
Level: Cleric 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: 1 mile/caster level
Targets: One or more corpses
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: No
Spell Resistance: No

This spellsfunctions in almost every respect like Animate Dead (http://www.dnd-wiki.org/wiki/SRD:Animate_Dead) except for its gruesome power to animate the recently deceased from a distance. Undead created by this process always know the whereabouts of their creator and home in on his location. If a corpse has been dead for more than a month the spell automatically fails for that corpse.

If a corpse is in a coffin but buried, it must spend 1d8+1 hours digging its way out, it then must travel 1d4 hours to you (unless you instruct otherwise, see below). If a corpse is in a coffin but not buried (if it's in a mausoleum, for instance), the skeleton/zombie simply pushes the lid off and travels 1d4 hours to you. The distance traveled may be ruled by the DM to be shorter, for instance, if you live right next to a cemetery, undead created by this spells can be given no commands until they have arrived at your location (except for in the instance below).

Upon casting, you may always choose to free the undead from your power and merely unleash it on the population. If you choose to do so, should you approach any of these particular undead, they always act as though you have turned them.

You cannot make more than twice your caster level in HD of undead with this spell. If this spell is used to create more undead than you have the capacity to control (4 x Caster level in HD), you lose control over the oldest undead you have.

Focus: The obituary section of the newspaper
Material Component: You must crush a black onyx gem worth at least 25 gp per Hit Die of the undead into paste and brush the substance onto the picture of each corpse you intend to animate. The magic of the spell turns these gems into worthless, burned-out shells.

The same changes can also be done to any other spells that animate dead.

Temotei
2014-10-15, 12:49 PM
I imagine the due date for this round is the 23rd of October, not September? :smalltongue:

Thealtruistorc
2014-10-15, 06:33 PM
I imagine the due date for this round is the 23rd of October, not September? :smalltongue:

My bad. Will change as soon as possible