Paizo's RPG Superstar 2009

[adanedhel9]

'Round about this time last year, someone posted an announcement here concerning Paizo's RPG Superstar contest - an open-call D&D design competition. I know plenty of playgrounders entered, and several did well. I for one had a lot of fun with my entries and learned an immense amount concerning design and writing.

So for all those Homebrewers in the Playground who haven't heard: Paizo has decided to give the masses another go with the all-new 2009 version of the contest. The format is slightly different than last years: it seems to focus more on adventure writing than overall design chops, and it's based on Paizo's Pathfinder system. (I really hope that the latter change doesn't discourage the less-experienced from entering.)

More information is available here (http://paizo.com/rpgsuperstar).

The contest restrictions prevent me from entering again this year, but if I could, I would. I'll be keeping my eye on it for sure, though, and I hope the playground has plenty of representatives in the final rounds.

[Fax Celestis]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES.

I am on this like the 49ers on a football made of GOLD.

[Kellus]

Wow, that could be really fun.

[afroakuma]

Shame I don't know Pathfinder.

If I did, I'd be on it in a heartbeat.

[adanedhel9]

Shame I don't know Pathfinder.

If I did, I'd be on it in a heartbeat.

This is exactly what I'm worried about. I'd be feeling the same way right now if I could enter.

Keep in mind that (at least if last year is any indication) a good idea trumps the mechanical aspects, especially in the early rounds. (My own magic item from last year had some serious issues - it was essentially a win button against incorporeal creatures - but the idea was unique enough to hold the judge's attention.) I would suggest that you keep the contest in mind; if you come up with a kick-ass magic item, then take a few minutes to convert it to Pathfinder. And then play it by ear. What's the worst that could happen?

[RTGoodman]

Shame I don't know Pathfinder.

If I did, I'd be on it in a heartbeat.

Yep, that's exactly how I feel.

I was excited about it last year (even though I didn't make it past the first round), and I was really excited to enter again this year, but I don't think I've never ever LOOKED at any Pathfinder stuff.

Is the whole thing still available for free download somewhere? If not, I'll definitely not be entering, but if so I might take a look and decide from there. I mean, it can't be that different from 3.5 (for the first round, at least), but I imagine at least a few things have changed that might affect what I make.


@adanedhel9: What was your entry last year, if you don't mind my asking (and are allowed to say - I can't remember the rules on that stuff)?

[Meek]

It isn't very different from 3.5 at all. It's like 3.5.5 if anything.

You can get the whole thing off Paizo's site for free.

I'm thinking about joining just to write the stupidest load of crap ever and take up space and time that could have been spent on something more productive, like watching dust float. I want to feel the "What the ****?" just ooze off the texts of whoever is unlucky enough to have to comment on it.

But I think I'm banned from Paizo's forums (though that's only a minor setback).

[Athaniar]

I'm thinking about joining just to write the stupidest load of crap ever and take up space and time that could have been spent on something more productive, like watching dust float. I want to feel the "What the ****?" just ooze off the texts of whoever is unlucky enough to have to comment on it.


Whatever you write, it can't possibly be worse than FATAL.

[adanedhel9]

@adanedhel9: What was your entry last year, if you don't mind my asking (and are allowed to say - I can't remember the rules on that stuff)?

Considering the entire competition was held on a public forum, there's no rules on keeping the entries secret or anything. I can't repost entries in their entirety though.

My round one entry in a nutshell: the torch of solidity gave off light that interfered with an incorporeal creature's incorporealness. Such a creature in range couldn't pass through walls, was vulnerable to physical attacks, etc.

For anyone who's interested, all the entries are still online here (http://paizo.com/rpgsuperstar/rpgSuperstar2008). (Scroll down to the Round 6, Round 5, etc links and follow them into subforums devoted to each round. Within each subforum the links at the top of the page don't work anymore, but you can still access the posts by scrolling down to the actual threads.)

[afroakuma]

If the Pathfinder rules are free then I'll definetely be entering.

Thanks adanedhel9!