OOTS #1020 - The Discussion Thread

[IamWeasel]

It's not. It's the spell scroll misfiring.

Probably but we can dream!

Great strip, I do like the animals too.

[JessmanCA]

I wonder what happens if you try that with a scroll of Explosive Runes...

You will locate an animal

[El Dorado]

Who knew Blackwing had (Mis-)Use Magic Device?

[BlackHumor]

that is creative. of course, if I were a player, I'd then start making scrolls then intentionally failing the checks while throwing them like grenades to deal damage....

No you wouldn't. :P

A scroll mishap has a random effect which is not necessarily (and in fact not usually) dealing damage to any enemies in the area. It's just as common to deal damage to yourself specifically as it is to explode.

The one thing an intentional scroll mishap can do pretty consistently is make a loud noise. Which is good if you really need to get someone's attention and are size Tiny. It's not so good if you are an ordinary size PC and have much better ways to deal damage and/or make loud noises without any risk of hurting yourself.

[hroþila]

Nifty little detail with the out of focus backgrounds on the desk.

[Zenzis]

No you wouldn't. :P

A scroll mishap has a random effect which is not necessarily (and in fact not usually) dealing damage to any enemies in the area. It's just as common to deal damage to yourself specifically as it is to explode.

The one thing an intentional scroll mishap can do pretty consistently is make a loud noise. Which is good if you really need to get someone's attention and are size Tiny. It's not so good if you are an ordinary size PC and have much better ways to deal damage and/or make loud noises without any risk of hurting yourself.

Where are you getting your mishap rules?

All I can find is on d20srd under scroll mishaps. (I can't link yet sorry)

It gives some examples of possible mishaps but it seems like in the end it is mostly up to the DM?

[HeadAcheron]

Oh, this is beautiful. This is absolutely beautiful. I never realized that you could weaponize how delicate magic is and how easy it is to make a "mistake"

Go Team Dinosaur!

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Well, that was a pretty successful failure.

[Bird]

Not only is panel 8 my favorite Blackwing line, it may be my favorite 4th-wall line as well. Thanks, Giant!

[Braininthejar2]

that is creative. of course, if I were a player, I'd then start making scrolls then intentionally failing the checks while throwing them like grenades to deal damage....

Reminds me of my wizard purposefully failing a dispel attempt - using a looted bad guy's spellbook with warding spells above his level, as a satchel charge.

[Simons Mith]

I'm glad to see we're back to the main characters at any rate.

[JSSheridan]

Thanks Giant!

[Gift Jeraff]

I wonder why V decided s/he needed a scroll of locate animal?

He's looking for Serini.

[Glich]

Are they gonna survive that blast?

Judging by the giant's fondness for plot armor i would say yes.

[Mith]

Blackwing is one of my favourite characters for a reason.

[xroads]

When in doubt, wild surge!

He's looking for Serini.

Interesting. I've never used the spell, but doesn't Locate Animal just find the nearest animal? I figured the spell was more for if his familiar ever got lost or something.

[Sith_Happens]

Deliberate scroll mishaps? PURE. GENIUS.

Judging by the giant's fondness for plot armor

I believe you meant to say "Considering they both have Evasion (Improved in Blackwing's case)."

[Anarion]

Well, if you're gonna roll the dice, that's not a bad way to do it.

[neriractor]

Judging by the giant's fondness for plot armor i would say yes.

high level familiars and animal companions have evasion so I´ll bet there is a pretty good chance that they survive (also I think Blackwing already knew that before exploding the room)

edit: Swordsage´d


that was a pretty funny strip Giant, keep up the good work.

[Gwynfrid]

Are they gonna survive that blast?

Yup. Familiars have Evasion, so all they need to do is to make the Reflex save (if they don't, that's bad, because looking at the marks on them it seems they have suffered a lot of damage already). On the other hand, swarms take 50% additional damage from area effects like this. It's the perfect trick to use in this situation.

Edit: Ninja'd, of course.

[SaintRidley]

When in doubt, wild surge!



Interesting. I've never used the spell, but doesn't Locate Animal just find the nearest animal? I figured the spell was more for if his familiar ever got lost or something.

Well, the thing is the spell isn't Locate Animal. It's Locate Creature.

Range is a bit short for Serini-finding purposes, but there are uses it can be put to.

[Blanth]

Panel 8 may just become my new personal motto.

[GM_3826]

And throughout all of this the guest character's tiger is conveniently off panel.

[Bedinsis]

I wonder if a message can be discerned from the scroll, like how there was a message in the runes when Darth Vaarsuvius was summoned.

[Porthos]

I scrolled left like the comic told me to and nothing happened!

FOUL! FOUL, I SAY!!! Comic was pretty funny though! :D

[littlebum2002]

Deliberate scroll mishaps? PURE. GENIUS.



I believe you meant to say "Considering they both have Evasion (Improved in Blackwing's case)."

Yup. Familiars have Evasion, so all they need to do is to make the Reflex save (if they don't, that's bad, because looking at the marks on them it seems they have suffered a lot of damage already). On the other hand, swarms take 50% additional damage from area effects like this. It's the perfect trick to use in this situation.

Edit: Ninja'd, of course.

Good to know, I don't regularly play characters with familiars/companions.

[AchtungNight]

"...the GOOD news is that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing!"

Can I get a T-shirt with this line?

[Psyren]

Yup. Familiars have Evasion, so all they need to do is to make the Reflex save (if they don't, that's bad, because looking at the marks on them it seems they have suffered a lot of damage already). On the other hand, swarms take 50% additional damage from area effects like this. It's the perfect trick to use in this situation.

Edit: Ninja'd, of course.

Point of order, the Scruffinator is an animal companion. Still has evasion though.

[Keltest]

Point of order, the Scruffinator is an animal companion. Still has evasion though.

Bloodfeast might be in trouble though.

[Seward]

Are they gonna survive that blast?

Familiars have improved evasion
animal companions have evasion and decent reflex saves
Bloodfeast has a ton of hitpoints

the incapacitated tiger might be in trouble though......