OOTS #973 - The Discussion Thread

[Bulldog Psion]

The gnomes seem to be taking this in stride to some extent, though.

[Emperordaniel]

Yay for the return of "Plan B".

Don't you mean Plan A?

[oppyu]

Running away is all the plans.

[sabremeister]

Okay, so Haley got her hands on a caster level 5 Wand of Magic Missile and wasted a charge. The expensive arrows all missed somehow and landed in the water. Now they're running away, hopefully to find Roy. That leaves an unconscious Elan lying in the street just waiting for Bozzok to follow Crystal out into the street and slit his throat. And I also remember Wile E Coyote and Roadrunner.

[NerdyKris]

The gnomes are probably waiting for gnome EMS to get there and watching over him.

[eilandesq]

Hmmm. . .

Spoiler

Show

Did we just see Chekhov's Cliff? 20d6 falling damage would devastate a normal flesh golem, assuming the drop is at least 200' and Haley can figure out some way to maneuver C. Golem into making the plunge.

[Benthesquid]

Hmm. Given that we've got a vampire and a Frankenstein's monster on our hands now, clearly Haley and Bandanna will be saved/further menaced by Wolfman!

[littlebum2002]

Good point. I assumed they meant the arrows hit something in the water. It's definitely likely that the fact they were Adamantine arrows and she was saving them to use against Sabine is going to come up, given how she pointed it out.

That does make more sense. I agree, I think Haley will be missing those arrows one day.

(Although I don't think Sabine will be an enemy of the Order anymore, given her mood last time we saw her)

Hmmm. . .

Spoiler

Show

Did we just see Chekhov's Cliff? 20d6 falling damage would devastate a normal flesh golem, assuming the drop is at least 200' and Haley can figure out some way to maneuver C. Golem into making the plunge.

I don't think it's a cliff, I think it's a shore. In the next panel you hear the arrows hitting the water.

[Emperordaniel]

Hmmm. . .

Spoiler

Show

Did we just see Chekhov's Cliff? 20d6 falling damage would devastate a normal flesh golem, assuming the drop is at least 200' and Haley can figure out some way to maneuver C. Golem into making the plunge.

Cliff? What cliff?

[Keltest]

That does make more sense. I agree, I think Haley will be missing those arrows one day.

(Although I don't think Sabine will be an enemy of the Order anymore, given her mood last time we saw her)

It would be somewhat strange to make a point of saying "Haley does not have access to this item that she has had no indication thus far of having access to."

It seems far more likely to me that Rich is either explaining why Haley is unable to just keep shooting arrows at Crystal until she eventually hits (because she will/has run out), or that Haley has access, if limited, to those sorts of arrows now should he need her to in the future.

[eilandesq]

That does make more sense. I agree, I think Haley will be missing those arrows one day.

(Although I don't think Sabine will be an enemy of the Order anymore, given her mood last time we saw her)



I don't think it's a cliff, I think it's a shore. In the next panel you hear the arrows hitting the water.

Spoiler

Show

The island is surrounded by water, so the arrows would hit water in any event, and the railing there implies a drop of some kind past the edge--but I went back and looked at the wide shot of the island and it doesn't look like the inhabited area has any long drops next to it (though the scale isn't quite clear, given that the volcano could be thousands of feet high at least in theory, but might be much shorter).

[Anonymouswizard]

Yay for the return of "Plan B".

They set something on fire?

Let's just hope that Haley remembered to buy wands with buff spells, Expeditious Retreat would help them get away and come up with a plan.

[Gusion]

Oh, just saw Rich's post on page 1. Anyway.

The artwork is a little weird, Crystal looks... washed out in panel 5. Not sure how to explain it.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Don't you mean Plan A?

No, see Plan B refers to a specific kind of bravely running away. Plan A would be a different kind entirely. The distinction is subtle, but important.

That's pretty over-confident of Haley to take all those penalties firing three arrows at once when they're in limited supply like that.

She fired the arrows separately, just condensed into one panel.

[Pinball Wizard]

I've got a theory. This "golem" is actually Jacinda in disguise, with buffs. Just notice how many times she dodges.

[Peelee]

I've got a theory. This "golem" is actually Jacinda in disguise, with buffs. Just notice how many times she dodges.

Why would Jacinda care? Assuming she did, why would she disguise herself? As a corollary, how would she know specifics about Crystal (such as the, "nice boots" line)?

[Keltest]

I've got a theory. This "golem" is actually Jacinda in disguise, with buffs. Just notice how many times she dodges.

That doesn't really fit with how we know the Vector Legion operates, plus its unlikely that they would target Haley and make it look like it came from her past. Tarquin WANTS Elan to come after him, which he wont be doing if some otherwise unrelated antagonist comes and kills his girlfriend.

[Lombard]

Wow the dodge.. the DR.. still has sneak attack... from a pure min/maxer perspective she's just gotten stronger and all that happened was her dump stats got worse! Lol I would be like, girl you're not DEAD, you're UPGRADED! You should be thanking me!

[Shennynerd]

Oh, just saw Rich's post on page 1. Anyway.

The artwork is a little weird, Crystal looks... washed out in panel 5. Not sure how to explain it.

That's so that the focus is on Bandana and Haley working out a strategy while Crystal is just in the background stewing.

[kierthos]

How are arrows landing in water Checkov's Arrows? I'm dying to know.

Chekov Underspring, gnomish scuba-diver, retrieves the arrows. Simple.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Why would Jacinda care? Assuming she did, why would she disguise herself? As a corollary, how would she know specifics about Crystal (such as the, "nice boots" line)?

Yeah, I think that if Jacinda came after them, she would just come as herself. Tarquin has no need to hide his actions; given his actions in BRitF he would probably want to motivate Elan to seek revenge on him. The need to know those things about Crystal is also a big, big drawback.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

You know, Hailey... there's wands and then there's wands. Specifically, a Wand of Grease would probably help much better against a flesh golem, since it doesn't permit SR and the Reflex save is probably not all that stellar. Not that the DC is much better with a wand, but at least it's going to have to do the Balance check. Plus there's the whole 'keystone cops' bit about hitting a greasy patch and sliding around that's always good for a couple of yuks.

[NerdyKris]

Thematically, it also doesn't make such sense to go through the whole battle to defeat Tarquin just to have him pop up literally on their tail at their next stop.

[Tragak]

Also, I was wondering for a moment while I saw 973 "Try Try Again", clicked on on it and saw 972's comic. Then a minute or two later, tried again and saw the new one. ^^ Saw the new comic in the same minute it came out. Such wonderful timing. ^^

That is fantastic

[jere7my]

How are arrows landing in water Checkov's Arrows? I'm dying to know.

I don't think they landed in water. I think Pam from Archer caught them off-panel, and she likes them.

[happycrow]

Does anyone reading this actually REMEMBER Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner, or am I totally showing my age?

Oh yes. I wasn't thinking the Giant would go there, but the cliffside water scene definitely would forshadow it in this context.

*also, I am always wrong with this comic.

[NihhusHuotAliro]

Ooh, run away.

Yeah, Elan's not able to run away right now.

If any other enemies of the Order are around, now is a good time to get Elan.

C;mooooooooooon, Crystal. Elan's right there. Earn redemption by killing the most evil character in OOTS! He who blew up all the near-extinct and outdated second edition monsters (in addition to all of the characters in the last panel of strip 89). He was indirectly responsible for Azure City's catapults being destroyed by Scoundrel and the crew of the Mechane. He demoralized the Azure City soldiers when his bard song and the buffs it could have given would have, by numbers, made him by far the most useful of the OOTS, but no, he broke his arm and couldn't play the lute. He robbed that innocent shopkeep of his stuff in comic 388, and he helped repeat murderer Thog escape prison. Elan also wasted the girdle of femininity/masculinity when it could have been used as the ultimate tool in determining V's gender and thus collapsing the waveform and solving the eternal question (or put it on the Snarl and turn it into ???). HE also makes the most terrifying gestures and facial expressions, as seen in panel 111 of 123 (his face... his face) and his horrifying arm in panel three of 266.

He also murders innocent windows, breaking teh hearts of windowmakers everywhere. And, unlike O-CHul, he does not weep for the masterpiece he destroys.

NOTE: THIS IS SILLY POST, NOT SERIOUS POST. DO NOT GET CONFUSED.

[littlebum2002]

It would be somewhat strange to make a point of saying "Haley does not have access to this item that she has had no indication thus far of having access to."

It seems far more likely to me that Rich is either explaining why Haley is unable to just keep shooting arrows at Crystal until she eventually hits (because she will/has run out), or that Haley has access, if limited, to those sorts of arrows now should he need her to in the future.

Yeah, probably that.

Oh, just saw Rich's post on page 1. Anyway.

The artwork is a little weird, Crystal looks... washed out in panel 5. Not sure how to explain it.

That's true. Her outline is gray instead of black. I'm sure it'll get fixed for the book.

[Jasdoif]

That's true. Her outline is gray instead of black. I'm sure it'll get fixed for the book.

I'm fairly sure that's an intentional choice to make it clear that Crystal is in the background of the panel and that Haley and Bandana are in the foreground; the first panel of the last comic did the same with Crystal, Haley and Bandana.

[Tvtyrant]

No Flesh Golem has the ability to dodge like that! She must be a Revenant!

But seriously, that is some hardcore dodging right there.