OOTS #1117 - The Discussion Thread

[Jaxzan Proditor]

So far everything is going suspiciously smoothly...it’ll be interesting to see what’s around the corner.

[Jasdoif]

Can it be Hammertime©?

Stop.

Sure, he couldn't have expected the Order to successfully scry on them, but his own plan also seems contingent on Roy taking the dumbest tactic possible.

It wouldn't be the first time HPoH's assumed he's got a monopoly on "clever". I think it's more like Baltic Avenue than Park Place.

[BlueHydra]

Inflatable Chaos Giraffes. I need this to happen. Rich, please.

Also something with the chaos lettered WHAM! would be great. I see a whole new line of merch coming from this last strip.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Right, but that doesn't explain why his expectation for Roy is "charge in blindly" rather than "plan ahead." Sure, he couldn't have expected the Order to successfully scry on them, but his own plan also seems contingent on Roy taking the dumbest tactic possible.

Yes, but the plan also involved taunting him into the attack - that's why he cast sending in the first place: because it worked so well when Nale did it in Cliffport (I'd imagine).

Yes, the plan is ill-conceived because he is ignorant of Hilgya's presence, even though had he listened to his minions he would not have, but it is not completely stupid - it has worked well against Roy in the past.

Of course, it does require Greg to believe that Roy is incapable of learning from his mistakes, and that is indeed one of Greg's failings.

GW

[Rockphed]

Seems Greg keeps severely underestimating the Order. Also seems like none or few of the vampires are Chaotic (and at least one is Lawful).

We can't know if vampires who didn't get slowed were non-lawful, or if they just made their save. Since Vampires get bonuses to almost every ability, I would be surprised if none of them made their save.

[The_Weirdo]

See? Chaos is also more beautiful than Law!

[Turin_19]

"Why, how uncharacteristically careless of you, Vaarsuvius!"



I'm laughing so hard!

[drazen]

Wisdom pump to help with the Will save, maybe?

Looks like Blackwing took no damage on the Chaos Hammer (note V grimacing and having battle damage at the end, while Blackwing just stands there). Can't tell if Blackwing was just outside the spell's area of effect, or if Blackwing is secretly Chaotic.

Also, this means the vampires are not Chaotic and are Neutral Evil? Or Lawful Evil, since they're dwarves?

And Roy's menagerie from the bag of tricks seems to have died. Or are they considered summoned, like the giraffes?

[kaoskonfety]

I'm reminded of a fight where our party Paladin, who was increasingly at odds with the Chaotic Ocean god worshiping priest, called out mid (somewhat losing) battle that control water would be prefect for the ongoing combat with the Black dragon in its moderatly-underwater lair. The aforementioned cleric had in fact prepared Chaos hammer as her domain slot instead of her usual Control Water, as she was expecting the Paladin and her to come to blows that session - I laughed for a good while on that one. So did the Dragon.

[Jasdoif]

Blackwing is Neutral. But Blackwing uses Vaarsuvius's base +10 Will save, has a +2 Wisdom bonus, and has evasion (which shouldn't work on Will-targeting attacks, but w/e).

As the familiar of a level 11+ wizard, Blackwing has spell resistance too; and chaos hammer allows spell resistance. More useful here than evasion, at least.

[Ironsmith]

Oooh, that's gotta hurt...

Also, I'm really appreciating that Durkon* is getting knocked down several pegs here already. A nice change of pace from the godsmoot.

[zimmerwald1915]

Looks like Blackwing took no damage on the Chaos Hammer (note V grimacing and having battle damage at the end, while Blackwing just stands there).

That wrought wing posture doesn't scream "just standing there" to me. And Blackwing was surely within 20 feet of Vaarsuvius the panel before chaos hammer was cast.

I think it's just a case of the spell not doing much damage and black spell-damage lines not showing up against Blackwing's coloration.

[zimmerwald1915]

As the familiar of a level 11+ wizard, Blackwing has spell resistance too; and chaos hammer allows spell resistance. More useful here than evasion, at least.

Oh yeah, that's a thing. SR 21, at Vaarsuvius's level.

[Ninja Dragon]

Assymetry of information is really powerful.

By the way, I like how much Loki (though his cleric) is pulling his weight in this conflict. All because he thinks Earth's people are entertaining.

I wanna see Hel raging at Loki in the next few strips.

[Peelee]

See? Chaos is also more beautiful than Law!

Yeah, I think you're the only one with any skin in that game.

[DaOldeWolf]

This strip reminds me why I love making chaotic characters. They just have some of the best designed spells appearance-wise.

[Shining Wrath]

Even when mocking vampire spawn about to get smooshed, V is verbose.

Durkon^T is really getting a lesson in humility.

Chaos Hammer, from the SRD.

You unleash chaotic power to smite your enemies. The power takes the form of a multicolored explosion of leaping, ricocheting energy. Only lawful and neutral (not chaotic) creatures are harmed by the spell.

The spell deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8) to lawful creatures (or 1d6 points of damage per caster level, maximum 10d6, to lawful outsiders) and slows them for 1d6 rounds (see the slow spell). A successful Will save reduces the damage by half and negates the slow effect.

The spell deals only half damage against creatures who are neither lawful nor chaotic, and they are not slowed. Such a creature can reduce the damage by half again (down to one-quarter) with a successful Will save.

All 6 spawn seem to have failed their Will save; they save Will at +5, so that puts Hilgya's save DC as likely pretty darn high (and, of course, rule of narrative trumps probability). So ~23 points of damage to each spawn, and they are slowed for a while. For the rest of their lives, probably; they have about 6 HP left, and someone with Great Cleave is about to enter the fray. Along with Belkar, who is going to stab them in the face with glee.

[Chei]

This strip is a good time all around, and Durkon* totally deserves it for giving up his earlier proactiveness in favor of clichéd villain slouching. And also severely underestimating Roy.

[Sylian]

We can't know if vampires who didn't get slowed were non-lawful, or if they just made their save. Since Vampires get bonuses to almost every ability, I would be surprised if none of them made their save.

Indeed, all we know is that none of them are Chaotic (since then they'd take no damage at all, and all of them clearly took some damage, aside from Blackwing). And hey, this should end any debate on whether V is Chaotic or not! ... No one was debating that in the first place, were they? Well then.

This comic reminds me of this a bit: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0011.html

[Shining Wrath]

Half, but has a much smaller HP pool to draw from. That said, do any of the magical defences help them with it?

GW

About 23 points damage on average, Will save for half and a wizard ought to have a good Will. Let's guess V took 12 points of damage. Not trivial, but not a terrible price to deal 138 points of damage to the spawn.

[Chei]

Huh, is this the first time we're seeing V sprinkle the material components for Stoneskin? That's what the bits of white dust are, right? 250gp of diamond dust?

[EmperorSarda]

Good plan so far. Very good plan. Wasn't expecting Chaos Hammer, since as far as we know (and as it seems in this comic,) V isn't Chaotic, so he was gonna take some damage from it.

What, like 10 hp? It has a max of 5d8, which is halved for neutral creatures, and halved again for making your saving throw. So at most V loses 10 hp.

[Sarbos]

Now I want a plush chaos giraffe...

[zimmerwald1915]

About 23 points damage on average

11. Vaarsuvius is not Lawful.

Then halve it again for Will, and you're left with 5 damage.

[zimmerwald1915]

Huh, is this the first time we're seeing V sprinkle the material components for Stoneskin? That's what the bits of white dust are, right? 250gp of diamond dust?

Yes, though we saw Durkon sprinkle some for his attempted resurrections in the Draketooth pyramid. Art upgrades are very nice. Shall we?

[The_Weirdo]

Yeah, I think you're the only one with any skin in that game.

Here? Maybe, but, even then, I doubt it. You see, Chaotics are the agents of change and evolution. There would have been none if it weren't for us. There was quite a bit. So there are clearly way more than just me.

[ManuelSacha]

Yay for rarely-seen but not entirely unprecedented well-organized OotS!
I bet V is the one who's most enjoying this.

[nocoolnamejim]

Assymetry of information is really powerful.

By the way, I like how much Loki (though his cleric) is pulling his weight in this conflict. All because he thinks Earth's people are entertaining.

I wanna see Hel raging at Loki in the next few strips.

I like this idea but not in the next few strips. I'm ready for some thrilling heroic action scenes.

We can see Hel raging at Loki afterward. :)

[zimmerwald1915]

Yay for rarely-seen but not entirely unprecedented well-organized OotS!
I bet V is the one who's most enjoying this.

What, walking around with flat-out Immunity to Harm?

That's what Wizards do best!

[Particle_Man]

Chaos is more colourful than Law, but then the Slaadi taught us that. ;)

I am wondering when Durkula is going to start taking this battle seriously. Is Durkon just playing the various failures of the Oots in Durkula's head, giving Durkula overconfidence?