OOTS #977 - The Discussion Thread

[Angelalex242]

I wondered if Rich was paying attention to Golem elemental affinities. Apparently he is! So that's good.

However, looks like these gnomes will soon be gnome on the Elysium range...

[Neoriceisgood]

Well that sure backfired.

[D.One]

I wonder how a golem's damage resistance would fare against the impact of a cannonball (assuming no exploding fragmenting shells....).

Damage Reduction, in RAW, is stated as a number and a condition to overcome it. Let's say, for example, 10/adamantine, wich means that non-adamantine weapons deal 10 less damage point with each strike.

Artillery (even non-adamantine ones) should fare fairly well against DR, compensating lack of the specific material to bypass the DR with sheer power. 3d8 (the regular damage of a common ballista) is more than able to cause some damage even on a 10/adamantine DR.

[CosmicX]

The "Department of Gnomeland Security" made me laugh much harder than any recent oots comic. I'm amazed at how well Rich can employ both comedy and plot to such degrees. Love this so much.

[Legato Endless]

Yeah! How dare the free ice cream vendor hand out a flavor you don't like!

Dismissing someone's critique with the notion the entertainment they consume is free...is rather damning with faint praise, no?
Or if, as must be rather self evident, the price of one's consumption isn't directly proportional to it's quality, than the dismissal seems a tad baseless. Or maybe it was the classic, if you didn't like this one instance, then leave, because heaven knows fans can't have a nuanced option or occasional gripe about something. Regardless, repetitions like this seem rather graceless and in poor taste frankly.

[Itrogash]

In gnome's defence, if I was a Tesla gun operator, I'd use it all the time in any situation. Golem? Zap! Thief? Zap! Jaywalking? Zap! Fire? Zap! Stormy clouds? Zap!

[Peelee]

Self-scrub. I am shamed.

[The Giant]

Stop it.

The thread is for the discussion of the content of the strip, not the pace at which it arrives nor whether other people are allowed to have their own opinion of said content. You are allowed to say it sucks, and you're allowed to argue that no, it doesn't suck. What you can't do is tell someone they have no right to say the comic sucks because it's free (or for any other reason), because they do have that right.

If you don't like this strip, oh well, they can't all be winners. But no attacks on other posters for either liking or disliking it. No oblique complaints about the update schedule. And no statements about how you're not allowed to complain about the update schedule, either.

Just stop it.

[Mauve Shirt]

Omigod your gnomes are adorable Giant.

[Ridin'TheCrash]

damn gollums!
and gnomes!
and hats!

[MrMercury]

Dismissing someone's critique with the notion the entertainment they consume is free...is rather damning with faint praise, no?
Or if, as must be rather self evident, the price of one's consumption isn't directly proportional to it's quality, than the dismissal seems a tad baseless. Or maybe it was the classic, if you didn't like this one instance, then leave, because heaven knows fans can't have a nuanced option or occasional gripe about something. Regardless, repetitions like this seem rather graceless and in poor taste frankly.

Actually, in marketing, price does directly correlate with quality. Those qualities are difficult to find sometimes, sure, but they are there. Well, rather, perceived quality. (Edit: this has nothing to do with my opinion on the strip).

I choose to think of this strip in terms of the compilation book it will be inevitably put in to. In that was, it would be part of a badass chase scene, not a strip that doesn't further the plot (I believe Rich himself states that humour is his top priority; I for one find the gnomeland security pun hilarious). We need to recognize that this will be part of a book, and most published comics have scenes like these.

Additionally, I believe the purpose of the gnomes presence is to stop certain people from asking "don't the gnomes have police? Where were they?"
What better way to show why the gnomes can't deus ex Crystal is by having them show up and actually make the situation work.


I'm a big fan of the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and as a narrative tool, this form of NPC intervention is great for explaining, no, showing why there is no NPCs to dash in and save the day. Simply put, the heros must do as heros do; save the day and save the NPCs, and this strip explains why they must do that.

[LadyEowyn]

Department of Gnomeland Security! I love it. (In contrast to the Department of Homeland Security, which I find rather creepily named.)

Also, I generally don't think it makes sense to complain about the pacing of a webcomic, because we don't know what's important and what's not until each 'book' is over. Webcomics are an odd and counterintuitive way to read a story: like if The Winds of Winter was being released one page at a time. You can't judge the pacing until you can read a storyline all at once.

I'm enjoying Book 6, and think it's moving at a good pace. Thus far, we've had some great character development for Durkon, a couple big action moments (thunderstorm and now Crystal fight), and some major character development for Belkar.

[veti]

Bandana's unwarranted faith in Gnomeland Security was kind of hilarious to see, incidentally. She just seemed so confident that they would make a (positive) difference.

They have made a positive difference. Crystal is now thoroughly distracted, she's taken her eyes off Haley for the first time.

[Shining Wrath]

In gnome's defence, if I was a Tesla gun operator, I'd use it all the time in any situation. Golem? Zap! Thief? Zap! Jaywalking? Zap! Fire? Zap! Stormy clouds? Zap!

But even more awesome than a Tesla Gun would be a Tesla Gun with a damage type selector dial!

Golem? Dial to Fire Zap!
Thief? Dial to Acid Splash!
Jaywalking? Dial to Sonic USE THE CROSSWALK!

and so on.

[MrMercury]

They have made a positive difference. Crystal is now thoroughly distracted, she's taken her eyes off Haley for the first time.

I thought you were talking about bandana for a second there...

[happycrow]

But even more awesome than a Tesla Gun would be a Tesla Gun with a damage type selector dial!

Golem? Dial to Fire Zap!
Thief? Dial to Acid Splash!
Jaywalking? Dial to Sonic USE THE CROSSWALK!

and so on.

Dead Gnome? Replace hat Mystic-Noise!

Loving the quality of the artwork here, too.

[Trubbol]

She is going to show them gnome mercy!

[rbetieh]

She is going to show them gnome mercy!

Gnome wonder we haven't seen more of these guys. The more they appear the shorter the jokes get.

[NihhusHuotAliro]

{scrubbed}

[Amphiox]

See, the Department of Gnomeland Security had its funding held up recently due to an unrelated political dispute in the gnomish government over Dwarven immigration, and they had to cut back on training sessions for new recruits.

And "Dealing with Golems" was the lesson this particular crew just missed....

[zimmerwald1915]

But even more awesome than a Tesla Gun would be a Tesla Gun with a damage type selector dial!

Golem? Dial to Fire Zap!
Thief? Dial to Acid Splash!
Jaywalking? Dial to Sonic USE THE CROSSWALK!

and so on.

I'm assuming it's no coincidence that you have more or less described Magitek Armor.

[Gnoman]

I don't understand the comments about puns. Are there any in this strip?

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I don't understand the comments about puns. Are there any in this strip?

Gnone that I see.

[Shining Wrath]

I don't understand the comments about puns. Are there any in this strip?

Gnope. It's just the gnatural way the Giant expresses himself. He can't help it; he's gnostic.

[Breccia]

So, based on her background, any chance Bandana can use those tank controls? The Crystal Meth golem might be strong, but I'm pretty sure running over her foot and applying the handbrake will buy the pair some time. Or maybe should fire the lightning gun wildly into the sky until someone else in the Order notices.

[TheFool]

Gnome 1: "Oh no! You made the monster worse!!"

Gnome 2: "Or did I make the monster... better?!"

[Torzini]

Gnone that I see.

^ Gnome pun intended

[GM_3826]

Yeah, the pun is really subtle, but it's there. Have you read the rest of this thread? It was in fact stated by someone what it was.

[Emperordaniel]

^ Gnome pun intended

Gnome on, haven't we hat enough puns already?

[One Step Two]

Gnome on, haven't we hat enough puns already?

THats an ungnome quality, it's for each individual to decide the cap of their limits. Some can gnome far and wide, others will be cut off short.