OOTS #1004 - The Discussion Thread

[Spot]

The likelihood of it happening has zilch to do with D&D rules. It has more to do with whether or not Roy even has a stake with him.

Wait... are you implying that Roy doesn't have a big stake in this?

[littlebum2002]

Wait... are you implying that Roy doesn't have a big stake in this?

Of course not! He just doesn't knew if Roy ordered the Sirloin or the lobster.

[BungleBee]

Git 'im, Roy!!!!

[Steve L]

I believe the point of the final panel is that Roy has tired of the HPoH slamming him and decided to stabilize the situation - albeit in a swordid manner.



Veldrina and Wrecan need to be removed from the story somehow. If there's one person (other than Belkar) in that room that I can see saying "Impulsively, I decide to die to save the world", it's Veldrina.

Veldrina's on the floor. Wrecan is on the balcony.

I don't think it would be an impulsive move on Wrecan's part. If Hel wins, he dies. If he attacks the HPoH, by the rules of the Godsmoot he dies. The difference is that in the former case, his family (see 998) and everyone else in the world dies too while in the latter case, if his intervention messes up Hel's plan they may survive. Plus, he doesn't actually need to attack the HPoH, technically; if he's reaching his hand out towards Roy to shake his hand, offer him a hand up, or to give him an arrow or other wooden object (something that's NOT an attack) and HPoH's attack intended for Roy hits Wrecan instead, that's an attack BY the HPoH not an attack ON the HPoH. It may only be an attack against another cleric's bodyguard by a technicality, but technical correctness is the best kind of correctness.

[AlurenDarkfire]

question, is HpoH tries to use a touch spell on roy, and another bodyguard simply steps in the way and gets hit by it, would that open up HpoH to be mobbed by everyone? also is that something the combat rules allow to happen at all?

I was thinking this earlier. Or the reverse: Durkons tricks or somehow gets around the rules, getting a bodyguard to attack him, so he can retaliate.

[Emperordaniel]

Similar to the Elven Gods, the Dark One is not his own pantheon.

Redcloak believes otherwise.

(It doesn't matter, though, since the Dark One's Pantheon of One was not involved in creating the world - while the Western, Northern, and Southern Pantheons were - and so he's excluded from the Godsmoot anyway.)

[canpinter]

I was thinking this earlier. Or the reverse: Durkons tricks or somehow gets around the rules, getting a bodyguard to attack him, so he can retaliate.

I can see the comic in my head

panel 1. roy beaten on the ground HpoH standing over him "don't worry roy everyone on this world will be joining you shortly"

2. HpoH leaning down with glowing spell hands saying "inflict critical wound"

3. another body guard jumping over roy and taking the hit

4 big splash page of EVERY priest and body guard looking at HpoH with angry eyes

[Ivrytwr]

OMG, OMG, OMG!
Keep the updates coming Giant. I am loving the action.
Thanks!

... Belkar? I wonder if he has hit bottom yet.

[Ankheg]

Even Vaarsuvius could save Belkar, considering his trying to be useful.

[Shining Wrath]

Hmmmm ...

Sudden random thought ...

Of all the characters in the strip, who has the most to atone for? Someone who did something unquestionably evil, and on a massive scale?

It might make for good story telling for V to get a little redemption here.

[ti'esar]

I'm not sure what narrative weight V's participation would have in this fight, though.

[IamWeasel]

There was some heavy hitting in this strip. What a great action sequence!

[StLordeth]

Not disappointed in this fight at all so far. I think Durkon is winning even with the pin to the ground. Belkar will show up any issue now. I really hope this isn't building up to Belkars death.

[Cynric]

Oh man, these pages keep coming thick and fast, and the tension is really... climbing... yeah. Come on Belkar for a surprise intervention!

[zimmerwald1915]

I'm not sure what narrative weight V's participation would have in this fight, though.

She briefly counseled Roy on the matter of Durkon here, and spoke to Belkar about the same here. Other than that, her involvement in this arc - and this whole book, really - has been practically nil. She has been more involved in Durkon's story here than Haley or Elan, but that's not really a high bar.

The question is, are those two scenes adequate foundation for a cavalry moment? The bigger question is, does Roy even need a cavalry moment? My answers are, respectively, "maybe" and "probably not, let's find out."

[Kirgoth]

Hope Roy takes him out solo, he is after all just Xylon light or mabee diet Xylon.

[squab]

If the HPoT finally recognizes the name Thundershield, could she attack Durkula since Durkon's soul is still in the body, thus making him still a cleric of Thor?

That would still be the High Priest of Thor attacking the High Priest of Hel. There might be some loophole involving casting a spell targetting Durkon which negatively affects the HPoH - either by giving Durkon control (at least enough so that Roy can stop the HPoH) or letting Durkon go to the afterlife, thus "killing" the HPoH?

Whatever happens, someone linked to the strip where Durkon is talking to Durkula involving helping someone when he shouldn't have, and not helping when he should have. I feel like that's going to be relevant before the fight is over.

[Trobby]

Ooookay, so question, and sorry if it's been answered before but...

What exactly is Durkon hanging from in the second-to-last panel?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Apparently, sifting through Durkon's memories didn't clue the HPoH in on the fact that Roy can both take and dish out a beating. Maybe the vampire should go back to (k)night school.

[Father Miles]

Can the other bodyguards leave healing potions or other useful magic items on the ground?

[eilandesq]

Given that Roy can't actually inflict a crit on a vampire under 3.5 rules, I wonder if we can take Durkula's impalement as proof that Roy's starmetal sword is ignoring vampiric DR? That would obviously make Roy's chances better, if still looking grim at the moment.

[Lexible]

What exactly is Durkon hanging from in the second-to-last panel?

Vampires, including Durkula, have the spider climb ability, meaning that they can literally stand or walk on vertical surfaces, overhangs and ceilings. So what's he hanging from? His feet, which are just standing on the wall.

Given that Roy can't actually inflict a crit on a vampire under 3.5 rules, I wonder if we can take Durkula's impalement as proof that Roy's starmetal sword is ignoring vampiric DR? That would obviously make Roy's chances better, if still looking grim at the moment.

I do not understand your claim. The great sword in 3.5 has a 19–20 critical threat range, with a x2 multiplier. Vampires in 3.5 have DR 10/silver and magic. Roy's green-hilted great sword is +5, with some additionally deadly effects against the undead, Roy has naturally high Strength boosted by a Belt of Giant Strength putting his Strength far beyond the best gold-medal Olympians' here on Earth for extra attack and damage bonuses. Plus he's a high level fighter, so high BAB.

Nothing in that says that Roy cannot crit a vampire in 3.5.

Can you help understand your reasoning?

[Esprit15]

Undead are immune to critical hits, however.

[Father Miles]

The D&D FAQ also states that you cannot stake a vampire during combat, just in its coffin. That's one of the reasons resurrecting a vampire is so hard: you have to force it to gaseous, then stake it in its coffin before resurrecting.

[Lexible]

Undead are immune to critical hits, however.

Ahhh... excellent. I was spacing general undead immunities.

[littlebum2002]

Nothing in that says that Roy cannot crit a vampire in 3.5.

Can you help understand your reasoning?

Actually, the rules state exactly that. Undead are immune to critical his, since their body organs are about as functional as the environment they grew up in

Ninjad!

[BriarHobbit]

In the fabulous world of D&D and other RPGs, there are exceptions to general rules. I can certainly imagine a non-standard weapon that ignores the undead immunity to critical hits. That last blow certainly looked like a crit to me, undead critical hit immunity not withstanding. Even so, Roy is carrying 4 negative levels. That is not good, but he is sure fighting like a champ.

[littlebum2002]

There's an item in the MIC that does it, and it's entirely possible that the Starmetal does just that. After all, if you're an intelligent fighter who's aiming to destroy an undead creature, you'd try to fix that wouldn't you.

[blunk]

Can the other bodyguards leave healing potions or other useful magic items on the ground?

I was thinking that they could even buff Roy directly, unless there's a blanket rule against bodyguards giving each other massages... and why would there be? There didn't seem to be any rule against even the High Priests buffing each other; just Sunna-HP's ad-hoc objection on deity-vote grounds.

[davidbofinger]

If V intervenes then the clerics may feel obliged to respond with lethal force. Bit if V possessed by the IFCC intervenes, and the IFCC announce the fact V is not in control of the body's actions and the clerics can confirm it, then there's probably no comeback. It might be a nice touch for the IFCC deal to turn out to be a plus. I'm unclear what interests the IFCC would have in the world being destroyed.

Belkar could also intervene with no comeback, presumably by using the staff to impale Durkula through the heart.

Or Roy could just win.

These seem the most likely paths to me, so I'm confident none of them will happen. They never have before.