Mage Tournament Help!

[Salt&Burn]

I run a play-by-post rpg called Warlands (http://warlands.b1.jcink.com/index.php), and to celebrate our 10 year anniversary, we're hosting a tournament! There are prizes and XP to be handed out to winners and participants alike. I have several events and varying levels offered for all different types of classes - archery/throwing, joust, gladiatorial games, rogue dauntless, and even drinking games!

What I don't have is a challenge for the mages. >.< We have a dice roller on the site, so that's no problem. We have plenty of spell casters too (and always looking for more if folks want to join). What I really need is some idea to use as a challenge. I debated setting each one up against a creature (varying CR as per the level of the PC), or maybe host a wizards duel, but I wasn't sure how well that would turn out (given whoever got init. would likely win on the higher levels).

So, I turn to my fellow players and DMs here to see if there aren't some other ideas you might offer me. This is the only event I don't have set up yet, and the clock is ticking! We open September 1st, so any and all ideas are more than welcome!

Thanks!
Sato

PS: Any other tournament ideas would be great too! I'm all ears!

[digiman619]

Make up a mock sphere of annihilation; i.e., one that follows the same rules, except being touched by it causes the recipient to be his with a faerie fire effect that lasts for 1 round rather than being destroyed. Then have opposed caster level checks to control it like the actual sphere. Have the two be, say, 15 feet apart, and have the two will the sphere at the other. The loser is clearly identified (via the spell effect) and you can do best of three for the matches. This way you blaster and your diviner have the same chance of winning.

[Gallowglass]

I'm picturing a decathlon (10 events for the 10 anniversary) of "feats" for the wizards to have to overcome that hit the different areas.

Move X tons of material from point A to point B several thousand miles away.
Get sent to a pocket dimension filled with an unknown army of enemies and have to defeat them. 30 minutes prep time.
Find three objects hidden somewhere in the multiverse, you are given descriptions and names.
here's an empty weapon's rack. fill it with 15 +3 frost ranseurs, however you can do so.
reduce this 100' tall adamantine pillar to dust (secret: disintigrate and polymorph any object both reflect on the caster if attempted, only a dc 50 spellcraft check reveals this assuming they bother)


you know, things like that.


The wizard who completes all the tasks fastest wins first prize
The wizard who completes all the tasks cheapest wins a special prize

[KarlMarx]

1 event for each school, plus a general event.

Maybe wizarding duels/caster v caster?

[dascarletm]

For wizard duels, the set up should be as such:

Entering the tournament the wizards are barred any magical items or assistance. Likewise they are analyzed to ensure no such things or buffs exist coming into the duel.

The duel is structured in three segments

Phase 1:
You get X rounds to cast spells that effect yourselves
Phase 2:
You get Y rounds to cast spells that effect the environment/summon (but nothing directly attacking or hampering your opponent. (Example rock to mud under their feet is disallowed, but fogging the arena is.)
Phase 3:
Anything goes.

[Barbarian Horde]

Is asking help for a character concept considered borderline cheating? I mean I don't mind being apart of a think tank.

Best of luck winning though!:smallsmile:

[Sword-Geass]

Complete Arcane has a section on Arcane Events on page 175, from Spell duels to Tournaments. Sadly it's only 4 pages long (and one of the pages is a picture). It was really interesting though.

Hope that gives you some ideas.



Is asking help for a character concept considered borderline cheating? I mean I don't mind being apart of a think tank.

Best of luck winning though!:smallsmile:

I think you missed what the OP was asking... by a lot.

[Tohsaka Rin]

Make up a mock sphere of annihilation; i.e., one that follows the same rules, except being touched by it causes the recipient to be his with a faerie fire effect that lasts for 1 round rather than being destroyed. Then have opposed caster level checks to control it like the actual sphere. Have the two be, say, 15 feet apart, and have the two will the sphere at the other. The loser is clearly identified (via the spell effect) and you can do best of three for the matches. This way you blaster and your diviner have the same chance of winning.

Magical Ping Pong, I like it.

To kick it up a notch, make them stand on a half-court together, and have to whip the sphere off of a wall of force, aiming to hit the other caster on the rebound. Magical Squash.

[digiman619]

Magical Ping Pong, I like it.

To kick it up a notch, make them stand on a half-court together, and have to whip the sphere off of a wall of force, aiming to hit the other caster on the rebound. Magical Squash.

I admit, i cribbed it from The Dresden Files. Admittedly, in the book, it was a chunk or mordite (which is functionally a sphere of annihilation anyway), but I thought a nonlethal version would be appropriate.

[Extra Anchovies]

Make up a mock sphere of annihilation; i.e., one that follows the same rules, except being touched by it causes the recipient to be his with a faerie fire effect that lasts for 1 round rather than being destroyed. Then have opposed caster level checks to control it like the actual sphere. Have the two be, say, 15 feet apart, and have the two will the sphere at the other. The loser is clearly identified (via the spell effect) and you can do best of three for the matches. This way you blaster and your diviner have the same chance of winning.

This is an awesome idea. It could even be made into a team sport, with some of the players making control checks right away and others waiting with readied actions to attempt checks of their own after the first check resolves, to try to move it multiple times. The mechanics could be expanded further. Some ideas:

Control checks are 1d20 + caster level + casting stat, with a result of 20 or greater moving the sphere 10 feet plus 5 feet for every full 5 points by which the check result exceeds 20. Controlling the sphere is a standard action, and the sphere (which occupies a 5-foot cube) cannot end its movement more than 10 feet off the ground. When the sphere moves into a character's space, they are immediately transported to a predetermined location, usually at one edge or corner of the field. Simultaneous checks are all opposed, with only the highest check used when determining the sphere's movement. A character attempting a control check to move the sphere is known as the Full-Frummert, and the sphere is known as the Pritz.
A character within 20 feet of an allied Full-Frummert can attempt to aid them by rolling a control check, dividing the result by 3 (rounding down), and applying the result as an untyped bonus to the Full-Frummert's control check. Aiding characters are known as Leapers.
A character within 30 feet of an enemy Full-Frummert can attempt to hinder them by rolling a control check, dividing the result by 3 (rounding down), and applying the result as an untyped penalty to the Full-Frummert's control check. Hindering characters are known as Finks.
A character within 30 feet of an enemy Leaper can attempt to disrupt them by rolling a control check; if their result equals or exceeds the Leaper's result, the Leaper's check does not apply any bonus to the Full-Frummert's. Anti-Leaper characters are known as Grouches.
A character within 30 feet of an enemy Fink can attempt to disrupt them by rolling a control check; if their result equals or exceeds the Fink's result, the Fink's check does not apply any penalty to the Full-Frummert's. Anti-Fink characters are known as Niblings.
A character can choose to wait for the current control check to resolve and participate in the next check in the round. Waiting characters are known as Brooders.

At the start of each round, all characters roll initiative; actions are declared and taken in reverse initiative order, with the lowest result declaring and acting first and the highest result declaring and acting last.

After initiative is determined, the characters each declare in turn what action they will take. If a team has not yet declared at least one Full-Frummert, its members may only declare as Brooders or Full-Frummerts; once a character has declared that they will be a Full-Frummert, their teammates may choose roles freely. Characters who choose to be brooders reduce their initiative count for the round by 5; if their initiative count was already less than zero, that character may not declare to be a brooder until the next round begins. Once all characters have selected their roles, the turn proceeds as follows.
1. Characters who wish to take a single move action may do so.
2. Grouches and Niblings declare the Leapers or Finks they will attempt to disrupt and roll their control checks. If no valid targets are within range of a particular Grouch or Nibling, their action is lost with no effect.
3. Leapers and Finks declare which allied Full-Frummerts they will attempt to support and roll their control checks. If no Full-Frummerts are within range of a particular Leaper or Fink, their action is lost with no effect. Any who were unopposed by Grouches or Niblings, or whose check results exceeded those of the Grouches or Niblings targeting them, divide their check results by 3 and round down to determine the bonus or penalty they will apply.
4. Full-Frummerts make their control checks. The Full-Frummert with the highest result moves the sphere. In the result of tied control checks, the Full-Frummert with the highest initiative score moves the sphere.
5. Brooders declare the roles they will take for the next control check in the round. If any of them selects to be a Brooder again, their initiative count again decreases by 5 (unless their initiative count was already less than zero, in which case they must declare as something else).
6. Characters who wish to take a single move action may do so if they have any move actions remaining.
7. Repeat from step 1 until all characters have acted.
8. Start the next round.

Yes, it's rather complex, but so is spellcasting! For those who don't get the naming references, I envy your ability to experience this (http://madcoversite.com/quiz_olympics.html) for the first time.

[Shinn]

Why not having some real entertainments mimicked with magic ?
We already have the magic ping-pong, but I always wondered a magic bowling using a Fireball Spell ; a magic paintball with Illusions ambushes and Magic Missile ; or a magic strategy management game using Animate Object/Undeads/Summon Monster.

I also found, in the Tournaments, Fairs and Taverns book, a duel where two spellcasters have to create shadow versions of themselves and watch them fight.

And if you like references, there's also Quidditch...

[Salt&Burn]

You guys are the best! These ideas are fantastic! I've got a few great options that we'll be running with now - but if you have more, please let me know! My players are going to have a hayday with these!

[Calthropstu]

A race. Flying ok, no teleporting. You use all your powers to get through an obstacle course. Again, no spells or powers of the teleportation subschool.
Go round by round, one who gets through in the fewest rounds wins.

I like the decathalon idea, having the race as one of the events.

Other good ones include illusionist creations... have a panel of judges view illusionists illusions giving points for originality, realism etc... kinda like how a beauty contest would be judged.

Conjurers could summon monsters to fight each other pokemon style.

Diviners could play a game of chess. I believe that would be a most interesting competition to simulate.

Necromancers could... ummmm... maybe you should ban necromancy. Not exactly a crowd pleaser.

Evokers could attempt to blast through a wall as quickly as possible.

Teleporters could be sent on a world wide scavenger hunt.

Mind controllers could have a nice competition. The two stand at either end of a 400 foot long arena. And they must make the man walk to them. No damaging powers, just mind control.

[trikkydik]

What about this:

A field of 100 or so punching bags.

Each contestant has 10 seconds (or whatever you deem necessary.) to destroy as many bags as possible.

The winner obviously destroyed the most punching bags.

Also, a race through a magical obstacle course could be fun. Like "magic ninja warrior"

[Extra Anchovies]

For events that involve performing a specific task as quickly as possible, there should be nine trophies per event - one for which spells of any level are allowed, one for which spells of 8th level or less are allowed, one for which spells of 7th level or less are allowed, and so on. Casters would then be awarded for not only speed, but also efficiency. A particularly clever spellcaster who figures out how to beat a challenge with low-level spells before the higher-spell-level trophies are taken could sweep up multiple awards at once.

[ExLibrisMortis]

There are some mage duel rules in Magic of Faerûn. The basic idea is that both participants can't hurt bystanders or leave/affect things outside the arena, all damage is halved and nonlethal (SoDs deal nonlethal damage equal to half max hp), and both mages get an additional counterspell action each round.

[Calthropstu]

Thought of another one.

There is 2 clones of the same warrior. The wizard buffs their clone however they wish. The 2 clones fight. Best of 3. Wizard with better buffs should win.