OOTS #1118 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Connington]

Ha, Elan is Positive Energy incarnate!

[unknownmercury]

Fantastic strip, thank you Giant!

[Deuce]

Oh, Elan - never change.

Things not going too well for Team Bloodsucker. Hope next strip brings us the big Ex-Girlfriend reveal for Durkula.

[Majiy]

What's that about not needing to worry about being in 30 feet for a sneak attack? Older edition rules reference?

[Agi Hammerthief]

mass cure light wounds, Elan?

[Fyraltari]

Somewhere, Leeky Windstaff's ears are ringing and he does not know why.

EDIT: That's two vampires down, 9 to go.

Frankly I'm impressed by how tough that one vampiress was, she got stomped on by giraffes and cleaved by Roy and still wasn't down.

[Nymrod]

What's that about not needing to worry about being in 30 feet for a sneak attack? Older edition rules reference?

You can only deal precision based damage (which includes, among other things, sneak attack) with a ranged attack while within 30 feet of the target

[Yxylu]

What's that about not needing to worry about being in 30 feet for a sneak attack? Older edition rules reference?

Undead are immune to sneak attacks, which normally only work within 30 feet. Since they aren’t affected, getting within range doesn’t help.

[Shining Wrath]

And Ponchella demonstrates she's the smart one. Glad to see the 3rd vampire wasting an action.
I have to admit I'm beginning to get worried about what Durkon^T is going to do when he gets off his throne.

Elan is adorable, as always. Don't harsh the vampires' vibes, man. Be mellow about killing them all.

[Blithesome]

I just have to adore the whole ‘this word means something in game terminology separate from how it’s normally used, and a character confuses its game meaning and regular meaning’ joke- it was good when it was ‘spell levels’ and it was lovely now.

[2D8HP]

"....harshing their vibes"

Huh.

That's one way to put it.

I've always heard it as "harshing their mellow"

Learning is happening!

[Shining Wrath]

Prediction: Durkon^T is going to need healing later in the battle, and because he told Braidella not to waste spell slots on healing him, she won't. It will be the opposite, sort-of, of Durkon standing by and not helping Roy inside the giant frog. Durkon learned not to be passive; Braidella will not work it out in time, because vampire spirits don't learn like mortals do.

[SilverCacaobean]

Oh, man. I was hoping Hilgya would get in. Guess I'll have to wait one more strip to see that...

[Stabbey]

mass cure light wounds, Elan?

Yeah, I was thinking that too. But it's not like playing optimally is a thing which usually happens anyway.

[KorvinStarmast]

New comic is up.

Thank you, Giant, for humor.
The last panel had me chuckling out loud IRL. *applause*

[Peelee]

Prediction: Durkon^T is going to need healing later in the battle, and because he told Braidella not to waste spell slots on healing him, she won't. It will be the opposite, sort-of, of Durkon standing by and not helping Roy inside the giant frog. Durkon learned not to be passive; Braidella will not work it out in time, because vampire spirits don't learn like mortals do.

Oh, I suspect he'll get plenty of healing from Haley's wands.

[Fyraltari]

Prediction: Durkon^T is going to need healing later in the battle, and because he told Braidella not to waste spell slots on healing him, she won't. It will be the opposite, sort-of, of Durkon standing by and not helping Roy inside the giant frog. Durkon learned not to be passive; Braidella will not work it out in time, because vampire spirits don't learn like mortals do.

I like that idea.

[dmc91356]

This continues the "no one expects sonic damage" motif. I like it. I also like Belkar's banter.

[georgie_leech]

Oh, I suspect he'll get plenty of healing from Haley's wands.

We just had a- OISWYDT.

Also, I love the callback to the earlier confrontation with Leeky.

[AutomatedTeller]

Fun comic. I think it's interesting that the clerics are last in against undead, but I guess Hilgya already did something?

I was surprised about the tough vamp, too - Roy and Belkar were one-shotting them in the earlier ambush, after all.

[happycrow]

That was really cute.

[Hardcore]

Hmm, I suspect haley targeting durcula for a reason, that is: according to plan. After all there are numerous weaker targets much closer to her.

[Doug Lampert]

mass cure light wounds, Elan?

He doesn't understand that healing spells hurt undead. So he's not going to do that. He's only semi-competent.

[Shining Wrath]

Fun comic. I think it's interesting that the clerics are last in against undead, but I guess Hilgya already did something?

I was surprised about the tough vamp, too - Roy and Belkar were one-shotting them in the earlier ambush, after all.

Vampires have a lot more HP than vampire spawn. They have D12 hit dice, and have at least 5 class levels, so 12 + 4*6.5 = 38 HP minimum, and possibly quite a bit more.

Oh, I suspect he'll get plenty of healing from Haley's wands.

Strangely, though, she won't feel like a heel for healing her enemy.
Elan may contribute a few Cure spells on his part.

EDIT:

While Elan is not likely to come up with Mass Cure Light Wounds on his own, Haley may suggest it, or he may cast it simply because V and other members of the Order are banged up and he's using it normally. V just took ~45 points of damage, which is quite a lot for a wizard (unless Fort save was made, which is not an elf wizard's forte).

[tyckspoon]

Yeah, I was thinking that too. But it's not like playing optimally is a thing which usually happens anyway.

The Geekery Thread identifies Elan at Bard level 14 or higher. That would give him an Inspire Courage bonus of +3 (to hit, to damage, and to saves against Charm and Fear..which might actually be relevant in this fight.) He's got at least three combatants with him who will likely be throwing three or more attacks a round if they can get full attacks. If they all hit, that's 27 damage a turn he provides by Inspiring Courage. That compares favorably to or better than what he would get from Mass Cure Light for 1d8 + 14 (15 to 22, Will save for half damage, and with most of the Vampires being spellcasters of some variety they probably have pretty decent Will.) Personally, I'd expect Greater Dispel Magic to be the more relevant of his known 5th level spells, although he'll probably need V or Hilgya to identify what needs Dispelling.

[Sylian]

I'm guessing the dwarven cleric is not very high level, if Inflict Moderate Wounds (a level 2 spell) is seen as a "waste". The human vampire seems to be decently high level, though. I'm guessing around 8-10 or so? Her dynamic with Greg seems to be much less "Master, I will follow you" and more like "I'm an individual", so I'm guessing she's not a thrall. I wonder how many (if any) of the other vampires are thralls?

[Darkohaku]

Man, I really love Elan, it's so endearing have a party member with such charisma and naivety.

I'm waiting to see Durkon reaction to Hilgya and his son. It's such a pity no one else could see that reaction.

[Peelee]

Strangely, though, she won't feel like a heel for healing her enemy.

I should hope not, when it's their Achilles' Heel.

[Fyraltari]

I'm guessing the dwarven cleric is not very high level, if Inflict Moderate Wounds (a level 2 spell) is seen as a "waste". The human vampire seems to be decently high level, though. I'm guessing around 8-10 or so? Her dynamic with Greg seems to be much less "Master, I will follow you" and more like "I'm an individual", so I'm guessing she's not a thrall. I wonder how many (if any) of the other vampires are thralls?

Ponchella was an usher at a top-secret ecumenical meeting after all. She most likely belonged to the elite of the Creed. The dwarven Cleric was just another Cleric. Also if it does something that would have hapened gratuitously on its own then it is a waste, no matter how small.