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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
If it's magical decay, then why has every single magical weapon the party carries (see: +5 frost bow for Haley, being in a basement for 10+ years) not lost it's power?
Answer: It hasn't becuase there is no magical decay, or so it appears.
So, as always, I'm for it being a trick. If you can't kill a non-epic wizard with no protection on, you can't kill an epic level Paladin (purely damage wise, anyways).
So, we can safely say Girard has lied once. And if we view Girard as being an epic level illusionist who's goal is to trick people away from his gate, things become a bit more suspicous when he starts lying.
<sarcasm>Could it perhaps be, as suprising as it is, that his entire rant might have been a lie? Surely not, because as an illusionist, everything he says HAS to be true. And we still don't have any evidence of him lying!</sarcasm>
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TheSummoner
I'm still fond of the "magical decay" theory. If magic got less potent as time wore on, then the blast would become weaker so long as Girard was not actively maintaining it. It would explain why when it was originally cast, Girard believed it capable of killing Soon, and yet even the squishiest members of the Order survived it when it went off ~50 years later.
Well, as another post mentioned earlier, the squishiest member of the OOtS (V) apparently survived at least 48d6 from two full meteor swarms at near range, cast by an epic sorcerer. And then he survives other abuses like having a big slab of rock hitting him and being strangled. Unless Xykon is throwing a d2 in place of a d6 - V likely has more hit points than even a regular fighter at his level.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mr. Pin
... What are they going to do next? I mean, head to Kraagor's gate? I'm worried about what the linear guild is doing too- they might pop up at any moment. They're never gonna be a match for the order, though.
I'm guessing that....
Spoiler
Show
The OotS is going to have to shadow Xykon now. They don't know what gate he's going to next and the only way to get an idea is to follow him. And they'll have to hurry - the elves will probably let the OotS know when Xykon is leaving but there's no guarantee they'll be able to give them any information about Xykon's whereabouts after he's left. O-Chul and company went to Kraagor's gate, so they can notify Roy if they see Xykon coming and possibly help stall until the OotS gets there, so there's no reason to go there. The only unguarded gate right now (except for maybe Girard himself) is Girard's, so they're going to have to follow Xykon to see if he leads them there. It's the only way they'll be able to find it if that's the direction Xykon is heading.
On the other hand, if Xykon ends up going to Kraagor's gate that could be a good thing, as the OotS would be behind him, and O-Chul and friends would be in front of him.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Well, if V ever said something t-shirt worthy, this is it. "It seems reasonable..."
The funniest thing about Elan's upside-down and backwards message is that it would probably be the MOST likely to have the desired effect--make someone curious enough to stop and read it.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
So we're not looking at the "epic Chaos Hammer" theory? I think that would explain the "LG Roy gets tossed, N V gets injured, the 2 CG characters survive unscathed at ground zero" idea, especially since Chaos Hammer has will for half, and half damage to non lawful, non chaotic people...
if everyone makes their save (roy is implied to have very good wisdom, will is the good save for wizards) this would make sense.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
:elan:SORESIRER! priceless
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Maybe it wasn't magical explosion at all? Girard was epic illusionist not epic evoker, and I doubt he took effort to research some epic "mini nuke" spell instead of some illusion. Maybe he just buried conventional explosives with magically triggered detonator in the sand?
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wou
Maybe it wasn't magical explosion at all? Girard was epic illusionist not epic evoker, and I doubt he took effort to research some epic "mini nuke" spell instead of some illusion. Maybe he just buried conventional explosives with magically triggered detonator in the sand?
"That sort of thing is not in the book. No plastic explosive with magic detonators!"
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
One thing that could explain Elan's lack of damage taken is his Dashing Swordsman PrC. I believe at one point Rich told us that the class features would end up being whatever is dramatically appropriate. And I could see evasion or some other similar ability being appropriate at this time. Or he could have just "jumped to safety" again.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
I'm really wondering if Girard is still alive. Soon was an old man when Shojo was a child. Of course Girard is a spellcaster, so he has a lot of options to extend his lifespan.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Explosions that level mountains but cause nary a scratch on important characters? That's as unlikely as punching the skull off a lich.
That aside, I can buy theatrics as much as I can buy puns inflicting more physical damage. And in this universe, it apparently does.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Elan's Modron
Loves it. Elan's stick-written message was the BEST.
Happy holidays Rich, and everyone! Happy New Year.
Nah. The best part was when you suddenly notice he wrote the message with The Stick. :smallbiggrin:
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Somewhere
Explosions that level mountains but cause nary a scratch on important characters? That's as unlikely as punching the skull off a lich.
That aside, I can buy theatrics as much as I can buy puns inflicting more physical damage. And in this universe, it apparently does.
Plot armor, my friend. 50x the damage reduction of adamantine, no arcane spell failure.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
fractal
"That sort of thing is not in the book. No plastic explosive with magic detonators!"
Whose quote is this? I googled it, and only thing I found was this thread :smallbiggrin:
And why? TNT exists in OotSverse, and making conditional fireball near box of TNT, would be much easier then conditional nuke.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
It just occurred to me that :elan: actually used "!!1!" in written text.
Apparently he is familiar with internet grammar. I wouldn't be surprised if he has an account on this very site.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wou
Whose quote is this? I googled it, and only thing I found was this thread :smallbiggrin:
Towards the end of the novel Juxtaposition (wherein a technological planet and a fantasy world collide), the robot Sheen acquires a (supposedly) comprehensive book of magical spells, well-indexed - exactly the sort of thing you ought to be scared about a robot getting ahold of. Even the book, however, has no spells for plastic explosives with magic detonators.
http://www.amazon.com/Juxtaposition-.../dp/0345349342
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
It's funny how I want to neuter Belkar with a lawn mower. :smalltongue:
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wou
Maybe it wasn't magical explosion at all? Girard was epic illusionist not epic evoker, and I doubt he took effort to research some epic "mini nuke" spell instead of some illusion. Maybe he just buried conventional explosives with magically triggered detonator in the sand?
Oh come now, it's not like specialist wizards only cast spells from their specialized school. We've seen V, an evocation specialist, use a sizeable number of spells from everything but her banned schools, for instance. If Girard wanted to kill someone, he'd use some potent destructive magic, not some mundane item, which would certainly be less powerful than the magic.
Zevox
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zevox
Oh come now, it's not like specialist wizards only cast spells from their specialized school. We've seen V, an evocation specialist, use a sizeable number of spells from everything but her banned schools, for instance. If Girard wanted to kill someone, he'd use some potent destructive magic, not some mundane item, which would certainly be less powerful than the magic.
Yes, because magic is all-powerful and has no weaknesses whatsoever!
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
fractal
Yes, because magic is all-powerful and has no weaknesses whatsoever!
No, but it's certainly more powerful than mundane items.
Zevox
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fjolnir
So we're not looking at the "epic Chaos Hammer" theory? I think that would explain the "LG Roy gets tossed, N V gets injured, the 2 CG characters survive unscathed at ground zero" idea, especially since Chaos Hammer has will for half, and half damage to non lawful, non chaotic people...
if everyone makes their save (roy is implied to have very good wisdom, will is the good save for wizards) this would make sense.
That was my first suspicion, too. The problem is that Chaos Hammer is Divine only (I think. My job's web filter suddenly includes d20srd.org :smallfrown:). Going by his statements in 694, we can probably rule out Divine caster levels. So it would seem like he spent some additional XP making a blast to kill someone with more HP and better saves than Roy :smallconfused:. I'm a little disapointed. Maybe he's supposed to teleport in shortly after to finish the job; but several rounds to heal have already passed. At this point, I'm hoping that he was killed or imprisoned shortly after making the message.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
good_lookin_gus
That was my first suspicion, too. The problem is that Chaos Hammer is Divine only (I think. My job's web filter suddenly includes d20srd.org :smallfrown:).
Not only is it divine only, it's domain-specific. If you don't have the Chaos domain, you can't use it even if you're a divine caster.
Zevox
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
martinkou
Well, as another post mentioned earlier, the squishiest member of the OOtS (V) apparently survived at least 48d6 from two full meteor swarms at near range, cast by an epic sorcerer. And then he survives other abuses like having a big slab of rock hitting him and being strangled. Unless Xykon is throwing a d2 in place of a d6 - V likely has more hit points than even a regular fighter at his level.
He did that while spliced. This really doesnt tell us his real hp.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wou
Anyone noticed tha Elan is using the stick form OotS "
coat of arms"? :P
...Good grief, it's The Stick! :D
Thanks for the brilliant comic, Giant! Elan's writing made me crack up and V's "..And that would be wrong" made me crack up again. Well worth waiting for!
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
I kind of like the Epic Chaos Hammer idea.
Good V quotes, good comic.
Edit: Huh. Didn't realize it was domain only. Oh well, nevermind.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zevox
Not only is it divine only, it's domain-specific. If you don't have the Chaos domain, you can't use it even if you're a divine caster.
Zevox
He actually spent the XP for that waste of magic!?! It's Xykon's Moderatly-Escapable Forcecage all over again!
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
:vaarsuvius:"...And that would be wrong"
Well that was fun. As brilliant as always. :smallbiggrin:
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Rock on, Vaarsuvius.
Rock on.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zevox
Oh come now, it's not like specialist wizards only cast spells from their specialized school. We've seen V, an evocation specialist, use a sizeable number of spells from everything but her banned schools, for instance. If Girard wanted to kill someone, he'd use some potent destructive magic, not some mundane item, which would certainly be less powerful than the magic.
Zevox
Sure, but, correct me if I'm wrong, spell that could kill epic level paladin with single explosion should be stronger than, for example, lvl 9 meteor swarm, so it should be epic level one. And from what we know about Girard, he preferred illusions and deceptions instead of brute force, so I hardly can picture him spending considerable time and resources, to research spell being pure brute force instead of something “smarter”.
Unless, he went completely crazy with revenge on Soon, and made that spell just for one reason of killing him, in that case he just epically failed.
Nonmagical explosives could also deteriorate, which would explain why explosion was not strong enough to kill anyone.
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Re: OOTS #696 - The Discussion Thread
Quote:
Originally Posted by V
As the size of an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero.
Please, please, please make this a t-shirt!