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2014-06-12, 11:28 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2013
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Here's another way that lightning can be dodged without changing or removing any real-world facts about lightning, but only adding "miracle exceptions/overrides" with magic.
Refer to this: http://what-if.xkcd.com/16/
Assume that the magic that governs the targeting of the lightning is not so precise that it can bullseye you, specifically, for the hit, but that it merely manipulates the ionized path of the lightning bolt through the air to bring the "lightning shadow" into overlap with a three-dimensional sphere around your location such as you are the tallest object within it. At that point the lightning will strike you, based on normal physics.
But, if you MOVE in the window of time after that "lightning shadow" is decided and fixed by the spell but before the time the tip of the traveling lightning bolt reaches that 3D sphere of the "lightning shadow" (or even before it starts, if you can anticipate the casting in some way, such as observing the caster's movements, or knowing the casting time of the spell) just enough that you are no longer IN the "lightning shadow" or are no longer the tallest object in the "lightning shadow", then the lightning will not strike you. It will ground directly to the ground near where you used to be standing, or strike that other tall object instead.
This would require reaction times on the order of nanoseconds, which is superhuman. But relative to having enough constitution to survive being gored by a triceratops, or enough strength to hold a mooring line in a storm immobile with one hand, it is within the same order of superhuman with respect to dexterity as it is to those other stats.
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2014-06-13, 12:28 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2011
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Yes. This is what being a wizard means. From the spells prepared for the day, how do you MacGyver a solution to the problem at hand?
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2014-06-13, 12:34 AM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2008
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2014-06-13, 01:37 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2006
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Why is Blackwing so awesome? He was just a one panel joke about silly player mentalities, how do you reach from that to this?
Founder of the Fanclub of the (Late) Chief of Cliffport Police Department (He shall live forever in our hearts)
CATNIP FOR THE CAT GOD! MILK FOR THE MILK BOWL!
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2014-06-13, 02:18 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2007
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
That V/Blackwing dynamic. So good.
"For you see, I theorize that the halfling does not possess a true sentient brain, like you or I, but rather a simple lump of nerve tissue that serves as a primitive "proto-brain" that can only process two emotional reactions to people: Hate or Lust."
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2014-06-13, 02:22 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2009
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Well...
Thunderstorm
In addition to wind and precipitation (usually rain, but sometimes also hail), thunderstorms are accompanied by lightning that can pose a hazard to characters without proper shelter (especially those in metal armor). As a rule of thumb, assume one bolt per minute for a 1-hour period at the center of the storm. Each bolt causes electricity damage equal to 1d10 eight-sided dice. One in ten thunderstorms is accompanied by a tornado (see below).
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2014-06-13, 04:13 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
So let me get this straight. Literally, and I mean literally, jumping over a lightning bolt is A-OK but putting up a Wall of Force to stop it isn't?
Sometimes I wonder if people remember this comic takes place in a world governed by D&D rules.Last edited by Porthos; 2014-06-13 at 04:14 AM.
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2014-06-13, 06:51 AM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2008
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- Sardinia
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Now we have to see Blacking Roc!! Even if he doesn't get V to act as familiar!
I can't believe there's such a long and heavy discussion going on the physics of lighning and on the effects of spells blocking it. Rich always said he mostly follows the rules of storytelling, rather than real life or D&D true ones. Same for the polymorphing. Rule of cool wins over everything. I thought Elan had taught that enough!!English is not my native language. If you think I’m an illiterate dumb, please give me a chance: maybe I’m only dumb.
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2014-06-13, 07:57 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2012
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- Hey, look! Squirrels!
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
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2014-06-13, 08:29 AM (ISO 8601)
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- May 2008
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- Sardinia
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2014-06-13, 09:55 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2008
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2014-06-13, 10:09 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2006
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- Turku, Finland
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Oooh, a shiny new comic. Liking the new V.
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2014-06-13, 10:25 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2006
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- Meridianville AL
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
It also unquestionably works according to the rules of 3.5 D&D land. Which are explicitly, clearly, and repeatedly explained to be the laws of physics in the comic.
You can ready a standard action. The standard action is an interrupt and goes off PRIOR to the trigger. That's how D&D 3.x works.
You can use 10,560 commoners in a line to move an object 10 miles prior to the first guy finishing picking it up by having each snatch it out of the next guy's hands as he grabs it with a readied action. Then the last one lets it go while it's moving arbitrarily quickly, and it falls straight down and lands at his feet, because that's what happens when you grab something and then let it go which is all he has done.
You can ready an action to interrupt an attack, THAT"S WHAT THE READY ACTION IS THERE FOR! That's how it's SUPPOSED to work! Being able to do things like block lightning with a wall of force is exactly why ready is in the rules.Last edited by Doug Lampert; 2014-06-13 at 10:26 AM.
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2014-06-13, 11:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2013
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- Texas
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2014-06-13, 11:54 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2013
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
The REAL question is whether or not that object experiences relativistic effects in transit. So if it was a clock that was moved, what time does it read at the end?
(And of course, the clock has only one hand, because time in D&D is measured in turns, rather than seconds....)
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2014-06-13, 12:29 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2006
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- Meridianville AL
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2014-06-13, 01:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2013
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- Skyron, Andromeda
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2014-06-13, 01:45 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2012
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- Hey, look! Squirrels!
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
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2014-06-13, 01:50 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2006
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- Left of Center, Right of Left
Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
So, do we get to consider this Chekov's Crow...or Roc...at least?
I mean, come on...you don't tease like that without paying off at some point...
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2014-06-13, 01:56 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2013
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- Skyron, Andromeda
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2014-06-13, 02:53 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2004
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2014-06-13, 05:00 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2014
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- Somewhere eh?
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2014-06-13, 05:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2010
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- Lake Wobegon
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2014-06-13, 05:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2010
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- Dallas, TX
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
The same as any other clock, of course.
If you are mindlessly applying rules as written in defiance of common sense, then you must mindlessly apply rules as written in defiance of common sense. There are no rules for relativistic time dilation, so it doesn't exist.
[I once read about some players trying this with a spear, hoping to demolish a castle with a spear moving at near light speed. If one of my players tried it, I'd be tempted to let it work, and the spear would travel ten miles in six seconds, at which point it would do 1d6 damage. If you insist on RAW, you get RAW.]
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2014-06-13, 05:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2014
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- Somewhere eh?
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2014-06-13, 06:42 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2012
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
That Roc plan sounded like a Chekhov's Gun, if I've ever seen one.
When in doubt, set it on fire, right?
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2014-06-13, 07:19 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2013
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- Texas
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Yes, but it was a Blood Oath, and since Durkula is of Malack's Blood, if he breaks it, it will... well... it will mean Durkula is forfeit, he ceases to exist, cause breaking a blood oath made by a sire is way important... just ask Roy.
Citation Granted, cause Jaxzan will argue with me, and denounce everything I say. It is his way. If I say the sky is blue, he will say, no the sky is whatever color the DM decides it is, and their are clear rules in D&D to define the color of the sky. If I show within those rules the sky is blue he will then argue that this isn't D&D and there is no DM. If he can argue, he will argue, until he thinks he's lost then shout, "You never responded to my comment about the clear rules in D&D, this is not worth talking about, you're wrong because I refuse to accept the option of you being right"
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2014-06-13, 07:46 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2010
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- Lake Wobegon
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2014-06-13, 07:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2009
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- Here.
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Last edited by DaggerPen; 2014-06-13 at 07:49 PM.
I am: Neutral Good: -2 chaos, -21 evil and 15 balance!
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2014-06-13, 08:28 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2013
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Re: OOTS #955 - The Discussion Thread
Youre confusing a sire, as in biological father, with sire as in the one who turned you into a vampire. They are distinctly different things. Furthermore, there was no Blood Oath. There was blood, and Malack made a promise (kinda) but there was no magical ritual compelling him to hold to his oath.
And even if there was, Eugene never saw any effects on him until after he died. As an outsider, Lurky/Malack would be unable to enter any sort of afterlife anyway.
And furthermore (again) Malack died having completed this hypothetical oath, so any descendants would not be bound by it.
You spend like 5 pages dodging questions asking for sources on rules you claimed existed and ignoring the word of Giant, which trumps anything and everything that isn't also word of Giant. I don't see how that's in any way arguing for the sake of arguing.Last edited by Keltest; 2014-06-13 at 09:16 PM.
“Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”