OOTS #960 - The Discussion Thread

[Snails]

Belkar's phrase is actually the description for how a mercurial weapon feels when you swing it. Of course, those weren't updated to 3E, at least not to the best of my knowledge.

The title "Collision Testing" is a reference to the psionic weapon property Collision. In spirit, it is the same thing as mercurial, only it is made by a psionic crafter. That is why V assumes the psion made it.

Thus V seems to be saying this weapon is exactly a +5 Collision dagger.

I would guess this is important because it means that Belkar has a dagger that can do enough damage to genuinely annoy the HPoH. No, it is no scary threatening. But 5-10 net damage after DR can start to add up quickly.

[Shining Wrath]

Laurin made that dagger. Maybe she Gated to the Plane of Cheap-Petroleum-Based-Immitations-of-Luxury-Goods?

Also, does if Laurin is the one who made it, does it say anything about what she actually thinks of Tarquin that she didn't use real leather?



Stupid Good = Trust always

Smart Good = Trust first, but verify when able (ie Tit-for-Tat, where cooperation is the default first move)

Neutral = Verify first, do not trust until verification is complete

Evil = Do not trust, regardless of verification

The difference between Smart Good with prudent paranoia and Neutral with prudent paranoia is how nicely one treats the object of the paranoia while waiting for verification. As such we do not actually know yet if Haley, or even Roy, is exercising prudent paranoia. As HPoH has not done anything that either of them know about that would count as verification, they are treating him nicely, even if they might privately harbor suspicions and are watching him closely privately (Haley more likely so that Roy, probably). Whereas neutral V is treated HPoH standoffishly while watching for verification.



No actually reason that the axe is guaranteed to be superior to the dagger, though. We don't even know for sure which of the two is Tarquin's primary weapon. The only time we saw him use the axe it was when his intent was to "test" Elan and he wasn't serious. And we do see him use, and carry, the dagger more....

Actually, we do know from the first linked strip that Tarquin got his axe out of storage for the trip with Nale, and used it in combat against the Order. That indicates it is his primary.

[Shining Wrath]

If he had the axe all the way back then, it seems not unreasonable that he, with the wealth he and his team now control, and any leveling up they must surely have done along the way, found a superior weapon to replace the axe as his primary, somewhere along the way.

No reason why that weapon could not be that dagger.

Or the axe was always the best weapon when he decided to spend GP upgrading his weapon, and it's now +20 Vorpal Collision Flaming Icy Screaming Acidic Shocking Everbright (wouldn't want it to be taken out by a Rust Monster).

We just don't know. We do know that when he went out on campaign against someone he respected, he used the axe.

[Keltest]

Or the axe was always the best weapon when he decided to spend GP upgrading his weapon, and it's now +20 Vorpal Collision Flaming Icy Screaming Acidic Shocking Everbright (wouldn't want it to be taken out by a Rust Monster).

We just don't know. We do know that when he went out on campaign against someone he respected, he used the axe.

The counterargument to that is that he was pretending to be Thog, who would look very odd indeed using anything other than a big honking axe.

[Coidzor]

The counterargument to that is that he was pretending to be Thog, who would look very odd indeed using anything other than a big honking axe.

He had it in storage, instead of liquidated, so it was worth keeping around even after he retired from active adventuring, so it's unlikely to be either a shrub's or scrub's or schlub's weapon.

[Keltest]

He had it in storage, instead of liquidated, so it was worth keeping around even after he retired from active adventuring, so it's unlikely to be either a shrub's or scrub's or schlub's weapon.

Tarquin strikes me as the kind to keep his old weapons around if for no other reason than because retired adventurers are supposed to keep old weapons around their homes, even if he doesn't feel genuinely sentimental about it.

[DaggerPen]

Tarquin strikes me as the kind to keep his old weapons around if for no other reason than because retired adventurers are supposed to keep old weapons around their homes, even if he doesn't feel genuinely sentimental about it.

Agreed, but as a counterpoint, I'd say that retired adventurers' weapons are supposed to be fairly powerful, too, for when they are passed on to the next generation or broken out for a last battle.

[Keltest]

Agreed, but as a counterpoint, I'd say that retired adventurers' weapons are supposed to be fairly powerful, too, for when they are passed on to the next generation or broken out for a last battle.

well, Roy's sword was only what, a +3 greatsword before it was reforged? Impressive when youre killing goblins, less so when you're fighting dragons.

[Shining Wrath]

Tarquin strikes me as the kind to keep his old weapons around if for no other reason than because retired adventurers are supposed to keep old weapons around their homes, even if he doesn't feel genuinely sentimental about it.

He's also the sort to spend gold upgrading those weapons because it's what adventurers do, and he has access to vast wealth. If it's all about following the arc of the story, shouldn't the Great Tarquin have a Great greataxe of Great power illustrating his absolute Greatness?

[DaggerPen]

well, Roy's sword was only what, a +3 greatsword before it was reforged? Impressive when youre killing goblins, less so when you're fighting dragons.

True, but I get the impression that Horace was much lower level and less wealthy than Tarquin, who seems to have retired at near or epic levels, so I can't imagine him not upgrading it to the type of thing that would be expected of someone of his level. As you said, impressiveness varies by situation situation - an ancestral weapon inherited early on should be reasonably impressive at start, but shouldn't remain so without upgrades so as not to break the game. But a weapon that a near epic or epic level tyrant breaks out for one last battle should be suitably impressive.

[zimmerwald1915]

well, Roy's sword was only what, a +3 greatsword before it was reforged? Impressive when youre killing goblins, less so when you're fighting dragons.

Funnily enough, Horace killed at least two dragons with that sword.

[Keltest]

Funnily enough, Horace killed at least two dragons with that sword.

Exactly my point. A weapon does not need to be especially impressive to be passed down. A non-Tarquin adventurer keeps weapons for sentiment, not contractual retired adventurer obligation, and a sentimental weapon wont necessarily be the most powerful.

[Coidzor]

Depends on the dragon, after all.

[Amphiox]

He had it in storage, instead of liquidated, so it was worth keeping around even after he retired from active adventuring, so it's unlikely to be either a shrub's or scrub's or schlub's weapon.

Well, sometimes the narrative demands an axe, and if it has to be a +4 Axe instead of a +5 dagger, then axe it shall be.

T could well have an example of every single weapon class in storage, because certain kills just scream for certain weapons, and a different one would just screw the narrative.

They'd all be powerful and upgraded, but there'd be no telling which one is the most powerful and upgraded.

[Amphiox]

Thog will come back, am pretty sure of it...


Probaably strip #1000 where Thog omes riding the snarl just for the sake of it

It'll turn out the Thog was a secret agent/living avatar/bodily embodiment of the Snarl all along, with a INT of 30 plus Deification enhancements, obfuscating stupidity the whole time, and he by himself is the ninth faction....

[Emperordaniel]

It'll turn out the Thog was a secret agent/living avatar/bodily embodiment of the Snarl all along, with a INT of 30 plus Deification enhancements, obfuscating stupidity the whole time, and he by himself is the ninth faction....

Thog has multiple personalities??

Quick! We must determine who the other personalities are! (I nominate the High Priest of Hel for one of them. It was even foreshadowed!)

[Snails]

They'd all be powerful and upgraded, but there'd be no telling which one is the most powerful and upgraded.

Narrowly speaking, yes.

But "realistically" speaking...

(1) When it comes down to crunching numbers, Tarquin can probably fight more effectively with a boring +2 greataxe than a +5 Collision dagger. Two-handed weapons are really really good in the hands of strong characters.

(2) A visibly "runed up" weapon like that is never ever ever going to be a mere 50k gp or less weapon. There are no hard and fast rules about that, obviously, but it is a common visual storytelling rule of thumb. (In fact, given Tarquin's personality, he would be the kind to make an open joke about any twist here. Malack: "That is that attractive axe. I do not recognize it." Tarquin: "This worthless thing. I took it off the corpse of some punk. Then had these ominous looking glowing runes added on just for appearances.")

[Aedilred]

Thog has multiple personalities??

Quick! We must determine who the other personalities are!

other thogs also thog

[Gusion]

(In fact, given Tarquin's personality, he would be the kind to make an open joke about any twist here. Malack: "That is that attractive axe. I do not recognize it." Tarquin: "This worthless thing. I took it off the corpse of some punk. Then had these ominous looking glowing runes added on just for appearances.")

What part of his personality makes you think he'd say/do something like that?

He cares deeply about winning. He goes the extra mile for a joke, certainly, but he wouldn't keep and use a worthless axe just because it is pretty.

[ti'esar]

other thogs also thog

Best post in a couple pages.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Best post in a couple pages.

What? How could anything top the discussion on Tarquin's axe?

Seriously though, it was.

[zinycor]

other thogs also thog

Damn we really need a like system on this forum!!!!


thog is the champion, my friends... and Thog keeps on fighting, to the end!!!

[Snails]

What part of his personality makes you think he'd say/do something like that?

He cares deeply about winning. He goes the extra mile for a joke, certainly, but he wouldn't keep and use a worthless axe just because it is pretty.

You misunderstand. He would not keep a worthless axe because it is pretty. But if he had other good reasons for having a worthless axe in hand and it was unusually pretty, then he would very likely joke about.

The argument being put forth by others is that the axe could well be worthless. While not impossible, it seems highly implausible. Implausible because Tarquin does not need to use worthless stuff -- that is quite obvious. But I am further suggesting that if an item so happens to be a fake out (e.g. it has all these badass looking runes that mean nothing), then Tarquin would be very likely joke about that.

[ManicOppressive]

I have to say, as a lurker, this is one of the most inane arguments I've ever seen in one of these threads.

[Keltest]

I have to say, as a lurker, this is one of the most inane arguments I've ever seen in one of these threads.

We argued about 2% milk vs fat free milk in the last one. This doesn't even make my top 20

[Amphiox]

I have to say, as a lurker, this is one of the most inane arguments I've ever seen in one of these threads.

You must not have lurked for very long then, sir....

[ti'esar]

We argued about 2% milk vs fat free milk in the last one.

I would just like to take a moment to say that this is not an exaggeration.

[zimmerwald1915]

I would just like to take a moment to say that this is not an exaggeration.

Is there even a point to having dedicated strip discussion threads?

[Keltest]

Is there even a point to having dedicated strip discussion threads?

They last longer before the evil tangent aliens come down and activate the mind control devices.

[DaggerPen]

Is there even a point to having dedicated strip discussion threads?

Well, sometimes good points or interesting speculation are raised.

It does seem like the most recent threads have been getting more and more readily derailed, though. :/