OOTS #851 - The Discussion Thread

[saeval]

Ahahaha!

Elan is useful! I wonder if he will catch on Taqruin's grammar.

Btw, how do you catch arrows in D&D? And what's the damage when being stabbed by an arrow?

Snatch Arrow
Prerequisites

Dex 15, Deflect Arrows, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit

When using the Deflect Arrows feat you may catch the weapon instead of just deflecting it. Thrown weapons can immediately be thrown back at the original attacker (even though it isn’t your turn) or kept for later use.

You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat.
Special

A fighter may select Snatch Arrows as one of his fighter bonus feats.

An arrow used as a melee weapon is treated as a light improvised weapon (–4 penalty on attack rolls) and deals damage as a dagger of its size (critical multiplier ×2).

[Surfing HalfOrc]

But didn't Tarquin WANT a fight to the death on the palace steps?

He's determined to achieve immortality, one way or another!

[Stabbey]

Great comic. The Order is probably going to be outmatched still, but at least the last panel shows they can put up a fight.

[Emperordaniel]

3. Hesitating to bash Elan in.

Panel 8:

: thog not want to hurt not-nale. thog like not-nale. thog want all thog's friends to get ice cream together.

[BobVosh]

I wonder what kind of skill check it is to not be in the way.

[Jiggs]

Thant strip was great!!

I think we just saw the one thing Tarquin did not expect *lol*

[Kareasint]

Distraction = FLANK.

Elan had his father's attention for a round. It set Roy and Belkar up nicely.

I figure that Tarquin was waiting for Elan to attack him.

[Euodiachloris]

I wonder what kind of skill check it is to not be in the way.

No doubt that in Roy's opinion, no matter what the check, it took Elan waaaaay to long to learn it needed throwing for.

[meto30]

I always wished to see Tarquin fully in action, in his elements, showing just how awesome a villain he is. Well, I guess that time will come in the future.

[Chantelune]

I wonder what kind of skill check it is to not be in the way.

Probably a will save against his own nature.

[Belril Duskwalk]

That was great. Tarquin finally puts his money where his mouth is, only to be brought down by his own overestimation of Elan's abilities. Beautiful.

And yes, this actually might be the first time we've ever seen the Order do this well three-on-one.

A minor complaint, though - am I the only one who felt the end was slightly abrupt somehow? I feel like this strip might read a bit better in the collection.

If this is the actual end, yes it seems a bit abrupt. But I severely doubt this is anything more than Round 1 goes to The Order. We've still got a good fight left.

[Maryring]

Elan isn't just being useful by "not getting in the way". He is spending his round by activating his bardic music to bolster his allies. Bardic music takes a round to start performing. He can't cast a spell or make an attack in the same round as he starts his performance. Furthermore, he can't cast spells while performing bardic music. Since T seems to have decent AC, empowering his allies with another +3 to hit and damage is gonna be pretty useful for the order.

[Ave]

Except that he is debuffing his own father :D

[elros]

Awesome strip! I think Tarquin didn't want to hurt the Order too bad:
1) He avoided lethal damage, and his only real damage was with an arrow and not his axe,
2) He focused on feats to control the battlefield, which shows his skill and experience,
3) He demonstrated crazy stats (Dex of at least 15 the catch the arrow, who knows what type of Str to throw Durkon in full plate!),
4) He refused to do any damage to Elan.

Can't wait to see the next round!

[JSSheridan]

Thanks Giant!

[Icedaemon]

Tarquin's skills are extremely impressive, but it's clear he's still screwing around a bit. He didn't even really use his axe and except for Belkar, he did nonlethal damage. I think now that he knows the Order is no joke, he's going to start hitting back for real, and it's not going to be pretty.

This... Is actually a valid theory.

Alternatively, he has a build focused on countering enemy attacks and abilities.

[ericgrau]

Nice beard spin, nice cliffhanger. I can't wait for the next one.

In the mean time I might as well jump in on the speculation

Spoiler

Show

I do think Tarquin is toying with them, but I don't think he can take them on 1v5 and did get hurt bad (but far from out). The backup plan via his allies is probably about to take effect.

[DigoDragon]

Was Tarquin trying to avoid hurting his son, or was he genuinely too confused to attack?

Considering at times even Elan doesn't understand Elan, I'm going with confusion.

[DrBurr]

Had a good chuckle after reading this one, can't wait to see the revelation of not-thog's identity, which I'm expecting Next strip.

[Joxer t' Mighty]

Getting a definite 'martial adept' vibe from Tarquin. Yeah, he's obviously got some feats (he's high-leveled), but the Durkon Roll has 'Mighty Throw' written all over it.

[Mynoduesp]

Theory: Whilst distracted by Taqruin, Nale and the others will do some sneaky stuff.
Taqruin will proceed to be pissed enough to do some serious damage (perhaps about to finish Elan), when Vaarsuvius will save the day, be that through foiling Taqruin or Nale I am not sure... On second thought Vaarsuvius will probably cause Taqruin to flee, allowing the Order to go after Nale and the rest before they do something bad.

But I guess we'll see.

[Gusion]

So improved trip, improved grapple, combat expertise, improved unarmed strike, deflect arrow, snatch arrow. We know he has improved disarm, dodge, mobility, and arguably improved feint from a previous strip.

So 10 feats. That's really nothing amazing yet given the number of bonus feats a human fighter gets. I'd even throw in Leadership, so that's 11. It is probably safe to assume he has a weapon focus in axe... and a few other feats here and there. But even with all that... nothing point to him being over level 20.

[Gift Jeraff]

Awesome stuff from both Tarquin and the OOTS.

[Brahamut]

I wonder what kind of skill check it is to not be in the way.

Typically that would be tumble, although this is certainly a more creative application.

[octagon]

I'm afraid that even if the Order manages to defeat Tarquin, Malack is going to show up, steamroll them and undo whatever damage they managed to inflict on him.

[Kish]

So improved trip, improved grapple, combat expertise, improved unarmed strike, deflect arrow, snatch arrow. We know he has improved disarm, dodge, mobility, and arguably improved feint from a previous strip.

So 10 feats. That's really nothing amazing yet given the number of bonus feats a human fighter gets. I'd even throw in Leadership, so that's 11. It is probably safe to assume he has a weapon focus in axe... and a few other feats here and there. But even with all that... nothing point to him being over level 20.

Hm, Roy seems to be, featwise, as straightforward and offensive a fighter as could be. Power Attack, Great Cleave, Weapon Specialization. He prefers to stand in one place and dish out a Power Attack.

Is Tarquin his evil opposite because, instead of those feats, he took all those "dance around the battlefield" feats?

I'm afraid that even if the Order manages to defeat Tarquin, Malack is going to show up, steamroll them and undo whatever damage they managed to inflict on him.

Whether Malack will lift a finger for Nale if Tarquin is down is questionable.

Whether Malack will lift a finger against Durkon if Tarquin is down is questionable.

Whether Malack will attack Durkon for Nale is questionable squared.

[ThePhantasm]

Love the strip, but I'm a bit confused by the Tarquin art. I thought the big boot was supposed to be the closer one (to the reader). Maybe that's a false assumption, but it makes Tarquin in panel 3 in particular look a little weird to me.

[Doorhandle]

Elan doing what bards do best, staying out of the way but helping immensely with inspire courage.

I though he was using suggestion so that tarquin would stay there and take it, LIKE A MAN thog!

Also, Idea/theroy: Tarquin will be slain before the disguise comes off, and so his legend will not be remebered, as his people would think he had just disappeared, and Elan would not tell the others/doesn't know it's him.

But if he was dead, he could still be raised and he has no reason to want to dine in hell forever... hrrrm.

[Mr Stereo1]

I don't quite have all the angles worked out yet, but does anyone else think that Tarquin may have charged ahead of the LG in order to fake his own death? Like maybe the next phase of his plans requires bowing out of his current position? (Maybe sticking Nale with the job?)

If he thinks that Elan's plotline could lead to his death, I suppose he could try to switch roles to repentant former villian, and leave Nale with the post of evil overlord. It would require him to completely change direction from his previously stated goals, though, so I think it's more likely he's just trying to have some fun or trip whatever defences the place's guards have before the rest of his party follows him in.

[Rasief]

Since Durkon was thrown inside the pyramid with great strength, it could be possible that he goes through Vaarsivus' way and then find and cure her.