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View Full Version : [Spoiler] Xykon's new look in strip 484



Dunamin
2007-08-26, 07:35 PM
So what do you think?

Is it a fancy headband of intellect +6 to increase his capabilities, or just a non-magical gadget he picked up to look badass? I'm thinking it's the latter.

Lira
2007-08-26, 07:38 PM
I think it's Dorukan's. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0196.html) :s No idea what it does though.

Lyinginbedmon
2007-08-26, 07:38 PM
It kinda looks like he suppressed the fires across the city, I'm not sure of the item for that (And I don't know any spell called "Cloister")

BRC
2007-08-26, 07:38 PM
in terms of baddassery crown>headband

the_tick_rules
2007-08-26, 07:40 PM
probably it's just what he said it was, a toy in cereal, though when did he have brakfast, he doesn't have a digestive tract.

Dawnstrider_Moogle
2007-08-26, 07:42 PM
It kinda looks like he suppressed the fires across the city, I'm not sure of the item for that (And I don't know any spell called "Cloister")

That's what I thought at first, but then I realized that that big raging inferno was actually a magical aura - he's not casting a spell, his hand doesn't have the black aura, but the headband's giving off a gold one...

So yeah, it probably IS Dorukan's.

Also I don't think Xykon would have much use for a Headband of Intellect, being a sorceror.

Dunamin
2007-08-26, 07:55 PM
That's what I thought at first, but then I realized that that big raging inferno was actually a magical aura - he's not casting a spell, his hand doesn't have the black aura, but the headband's giving off a gold one...

So yeah, it probably IS Dorukan's.

Also I don't think Xykon would have much use for a Headband of Intellect, being a sorceror.
At first, I didn't catch that the aura that enclosed the city began to emanate from the headband - so yeah, it's probably Dorukan's and I'm guessing it had some sort of magic to ward a huge locale or possibly shield it from divinations. Or it might be something keyed to the gates.

Still, a headband of intellect isn't entirely useless to a sorcerer, even though it doesn't enhance his spellcasting capabilites (it improves Spellcraft, for instance).

Axl_Rose
2007-08-26, 07:55 PM
well, about what Cloister does...


V. To shut away from the world in or as if in a cloister; seclude.

While not intending to do so, maybe it will prevent Durkon and V from communicating with Haley and Belkar

yoshi927
2007-08-26, 08:00 PM
Judging from "cloister" and "off the grid", it's probably casted some form of protection from scrying and a few other choice abjurations.

Brasswatchman
2007-08-26, 08:05 PM
I think it's Dorukan's. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0196.html) :s No idea what it does though.

Well-spotted. Thing is - if it IS Dorukan's - and it seems to be - then Xykon's had it ever since he defeated the old dude before the strip began. So why haven't we seen him wearing it before?

I'm guessing M. Burlew has a reason for it. Spec? My guess would be that the headband is Good-aligned in some way, and Xykon can't use it too often without it putting on the hurt in a big way.

Foxtale
2007-08-26, 08:09 PM
Cloister just looks like a voice ampliphication spell to me.

Dunamin
2007-08-26, 08:19 PM
In technical terms, one mechanic that may be in play is that the headband allows the wearer to use Guards and Wards (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/guardsAndWards.htm) as a spell-like ability. It fits because the spell has a huge area of affect, that could be enhanced by other means.

Regardless of the specifics, perhaps Xykon doesn't use it often because it only works within the vicinity of a hole in the fabric of reality, or it can only be used once a month or such?

Chronos
2007-08-26, 08:56 PM
It fits because the spell has a huge area of affect, that could be enhanced by other means.Not even close, really. Guards and Wards is 200 square feet per level, which at 20th level is a mere 50 feet by 80 feet or the equivalent. This is an entire city we're looking at, at least three miles across. You'd need to increase the dimensions of a G&W spell by a factor of several hundred to get that kind of effect.

Dunamin
2007-08-26, 09:01 PM
I suppose, it just seems the closest match to a core mechanic I could think of at the time.

RiOrius
2007-08-26, 09:08 PM
I would guess that he doesn't wear it often because it isn't very useful in day-to-day activities. If, as we're speculating, it allows the wearer to ward a large area (in this case, the city) from Divinations, then why would you want to have it on all the time? I mean, it doesn't look that cool (makes him look more like a fruit, figuratively speaking, than a badass, his stated goal), and it's not like you'll ever think "Wow, I wish I had the ability to ward this area _now_; in six seconds, after I can pull it from my bag, it'll be too late!"

RAGE KING!
2007-08-26, 10:38 PM
and personally I don't think it looks very badass, so thats another reason not to wear it.

Daedalus73
2007-08-26, 10:42 PM
Nice Snake Plisken reference. Xykon's cool factor +3.