I just realized

[Story]

The Soul Splice plan had better odds of success though.

[Kish]

...Okay, you now seem to be arguing that Vaarsuvius' actions when s/he was at the height of irrationality were actually based on careful thought.

Whether the alternate plan had worse "odds of success" is immaterial. Vaarsuvius...Vaarsuvius must succeed.

[zimmerwald1915]

Indeed. Elan might technically qualify in that he doesn't cast any of his spells all that often, but when he does, he reaches for his highest-level ones first like every other character in the comic, not for lower-level ones because blah blah Batman.

This, like the statement by 137ben that it quotes, is a claim without a foundation. Elan used mass cure light wounds exactly twice: once during the denouement of Don't Split the Party, where it was explicitly the only (and thus both highest-level and lowest-level) healing spell he knew at the time, and once in the fight with Redcloak's sand elemental, where it was also the only healing spell he knew at the time. He's used mending, a cantrip, as many times as he's used mass cure light wounds. He's used lesser confusion as many times. He's used silent image many more times; during Blood Runs in the Family he used it as many times as he used mass cure light wounds (that is, once).

Also, going by Elan's statements at the end of Don't Split the Party, he only just attained Bard 14 after the end of Blood Runs in the Family, and his remaining levels are in Dashing Swordsman.

(This post is in no way an excuse to get a checkmark to appear by the thread.)

[Kish]

I concede; clearly Elan is Batman.

[137beth]

I concede; clearly Elan is Batman.

Therkla agrees.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Therkla agrees.

Well, not entirely. Therkla isn't really much of a Batman wizard, though

[evileeyore]

I concede; clearly Elan is Batman.

Dun-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu-nu! BARDMAN! Bardman!

[martianmister]

Therkla agrees.

Robin =/= Batman.

[Reddish Mage]

I concede; clearly Elan is Batman.

You realize playing that concept out to the fullest makes Elan the most powerful member of the OOTS!?

[Keltest]

You realize playing that concept out to the fullest makes Elan the most powerful member of the OOTS!?

Well, he is the most optimized member (as far as we can tell)

[Reddish Mage]

That's why I like the 9-13 range for my games. Strong enough to take on even a whole pack of housecats, but low-level enough that martial types like my favorite, the Paladin, don't get completely overshadowed.

And looking at the rules for Epic spells... Yeah, I'm going to keep it that way. These are just... Well, stupid.

Incidentally, I think these are the levels where the spellcasters start to overshadow the other players if people are putting in a little effort (I've seen it done earlier).

[orrion]

Well, he is the most optimized member (as far as we can tell)

Huh, I thought optimized bards chose a ranged setup instead of melee.

[Keltest]

Huh, I thought optimized bards chose a ranged setup instead of melee.

Keep in mine, were comparing him against the rest of the Order...

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Keep in mine, were comparing him against the rest of the Order...

What!? Clearly the pure fighter, the blaster mage, and the ranger who uses almost none of his class abilities are paragons of optimization!

[Story]

Pure Fighter with high INT.

[Nilehus]

Pure Fighter with high INT.

To be fair, his STR and CON didn't suffer for it.

... But still...

Single-classed Fighter.

Almost as much of a waste as a Cleric that spends most of his spells on Cure X Wounds.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

To be fair, his STR and CON didn't suffer for it.

... But still...

Single-classed Fighter.

Almost as much of a waste as a Cleric that spends most of his spells on Cure X Wounds.

Yep, like I said, paragons of optimization.

[137beth]

To be fair, his STR and CON didn't suffer for it.

... But still...

Single-classed Fighter.

Almost as much of a waste as a Cleric that spends most of his spells on Cure X Wounds.

And with a high INT, Str, and CON, he would be perfect as a warblade...

[Psyren]

Pure Fighter with high INT.

And with a high INT, Str, and CON, he would be perfect as a warblade...

Funny joke here about Roy's class. SSDT spoiler:

Spoiler

Show

During their fight, 4e Roy remarks on how smart Roy is and asks why he didn't go with Warblade instead of Fighter. Roy snaps "You know as well as I do that dad wouldn't have paid for a PhD program!"

So at least in that continuity, Warblade was something Roy considered to make use of his mental stats.