OOTS #1169 - The Discussion Thread

[Frozenstep]

Wait, who else did this "What am I doing, I'm getting distracted" bit in the comic?
It sounds so familiar, it's unfunny!

One of the frost giants.

[Anarion]

That is a gorgeous blade barrier. I am sad for its brief existence.

[woweedd]

I'm loving the banter.

[Rogar Demonblud]

That much burn could take out a troll.

[zimmerwald1915]

That much burn could take out a troll.

One does not joke about trolls in Durkon's company.

[Shoelessgdowar]

Ah....Family.

I have many questions about Blade Barrier now. Is it based on the weapon culture of the cleric's sect? Or is it something a cleric can just...choose?

If it's the former, what happens in cultures that don't use bladed weapons for some bizarre reason? If it's the latter, I'm left to ponder creative alternative uses for the spell.

That's easy, I have two answers.

1) They're real tools, and so are the blades in their walls.

2) The go green, weed wack people with blades of grass... of course perhaps they cane them, since technically bamboo is a type of grass, so a bamboo rod is a blade of grass. Good way to really give your opponent the shaft.

Hirsutites.

That sounds like a hairy situation. Though Occam's Razor probably says they still have blades as torture devices and grooming supplies.

I meant dies, but with dwarves you can't rule out the odd bite once in awhile.

Well, technically the full version is "Bite the big one", and that is almost never a dwarf (Dwarves are like the second smallest playable species in the Medium Size Category, only Gnomes being less big, anything else playable that is smaller actually being literally in the Small or lower size categories), so it is unlikely a Dwarf can Bite the Big One.

I'm aware of the connotation (every queen fan will be), I just wanted to get that low hanging pun opportunity.

Oppuntunity?

Pungeon Masters always seek maximum punitive damage when attacks of oppuntunity are triggered, just be cautious as to not make them to pungent, as those stink (though even those can be the bomb, just don't let them blow up in your face).

[zimmerwald1915]

That's easy, I have two answers.

1) They're real tools, and so are the blades in their walls.

2) The go green, weed wack people with blades of grass... of course perhaps they cane them, since technically bamboo is a type of grass, so a bamboo rod is a blade of grass. Good way to really give your opponent the shaft.




That sounds like a hairy situation. Though Occam's Razor probably says they still have blades as torture devices and grooming supplies.



Well, technically the full version is "Bite the big one", and that is almost never a dwarf (Dwarves are like the second smallest playable species in the Medium Size Category, only Gnomes being less big, anything else playable that is smaller actually being literally in the Small or lower size categories), so it is unlikely a Dwarf can Bite the Big One.



Pungeon Masters always seek maximum punitive damage when attacks of oppuntunity are triggered, just be cautious as to not make them to pungent, as those stink (though even those can be the bomb, just don't let them blow up in your face).

Gnomes are Small in 3.5.

[The_Weirdo]

Durkon's cousin is a showoff. I like it, that has style!

[woweedd]

That much burn could take out a troll.

You would know. I swear, you people are everywhere in this Playground.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Logann: male dwarf fighter <14

Love these jokes.

[Fyraltari]

If it's the former, what happens in cultures that don't use bladed weapons for some bizarre reason? If it's the latter, I'm left to ponder creative alternative uses for the spell.

It's Blade Barrier, not Bladed Weapon Barrier. Unless you are talking about a weapon that doesn't use any kind of blade at all, it would probably summon cutting tools, and if you are, that culture is so remove from human mentality I don't really see how it could come into war with human(-like creatures). Here's a pretty old knife.

Although this isn't quite the same, since Vampire Gontor mentioned his master getting distracted, I do think of #1126.

Maybe Belkar's shot struck home after all... at least communicating the essential fact that a vampire can be defeated from within. Maybe the real Gontor, with his rhetorical bent, can take it from there.

I always thought we'd get to see what "worst moment" of Gontor's makes his vampire so absurdly preoccupied with place and role. I won't be surprised if that's coming up soon, although I expect I will be surprised by everything else about it, of course.

I would be very surprised if we get to see Gontor's darkest moment because either it works and cheapens Durkon's own triumph or it fails and what was the point of seeing it then? Gontor is just a random NPC the protagonists exchanged two sentences with and who is being used/was turned into a minor antagonist, he's just not that important.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

It is kind of amusing to see Durkon in an upstaging sort of situation for once. I hope they can catch up to Gontor* quickly!

Really? I can't get enough of it!

I would agree. The art just grows more and more beautiful.

[Peelee]

It's Blade Barrier, not Bladed Weapon Barrier. Unless you are talking about a weapon that doesn't use any kind of blade at all, it would probably summon cutting tools, and if you are, that culture is so remove from human mentality I don't really see how it could come into war with human(-like creatures).

With hammers. Warhammer, greathammers, claw hammers of you're more of a dagger person, and in a pinch there's always sledge.

Woe be unto those who dismiss bludgeoning damage!

[JumboWheat01]

Sigdi saying such a mom line and I love it.

[Fyraltari]

With hammers. Warhammer, greathammers, claw hammers of you're more of a dagger person, and in a pinch there's always sledge.

Woe be unto those who dismiss bludgeoning damage!

First, good luck making a hammer without cutting tools.

Second, I wasn,'t asking about the technique. Ain't nobody waging war with amoeba.

[ManuelSacha]

Oooooh!
Sick burn!
A shame Durkon will have to spend a Heal spell now...

[NihhusHuotAliro]

Mad props to Logann for straight-up running through a wall of blades just to press a point.

[Peelee]

First, good luck making a hammer without cutting tools.

You hammer it into shape with a rock. Or, as they call it, "Nature's Hammer." They fought other hammer cultures.
This was during the era known as "Hammer Time."

[Fyraltari]

Mad props to Logann for straight-up running through a wall of blades just to press a point.

That Cure Critical Wounds could be missed by someone wounded in ways that couldn't have been avoided (like the dominated guards who the good guys plan to beat up to an inch of their life) or used offensively. eanwhile he looked like after going through that, Gontor could have killed him with a coughing fit.

It was dramatic and ballsy but it wasn,'t the best thought-out plan by a margin.

Somebody needs to learn that "stupid risks are just that: stupid" and that "Noble sacrifices only make sense when they solve the problem at hand."

Edit:

You hammer it into shape with a rock. Or, as they call it, "Nature's Hammer." They fought other hammer cultures.
This was during the era known as "Hammer Time."

Halt! Did you not see what that old knife link was?

Besides you can't sculpt with a hammer, you need a chisel, with a, you know, blade on it.

[Peelee]

That Cure Critical Wounds could be missed by someone wounded in ways that couldn't have been avoided (like the dominated guards who the good guys plan to beat up to an inch of their life) or used offensively. eanwhile he looked like after going through that, Gontor could have killed him with a coughing fit.

It was dramatic and ballsy but it wasn,'t the best thought-out plan by a margin.

Somebody needs to learn that "stupid risks are just that: stupid" and that "Noble sacrifices only make sense when they solve the problem at hand."

None of those lines were said by dwarves.

Also, sure you can sculpt with a hammer. It's just harder. That old knife link was just a sharpened hammer. Very silly, that'll never do good bludgeoning damage.

[Fyraltari]

None of those lines were said by dwarves.

Are you saying that he is purposefully trying to get killed in battle? But wouldn’t that endanger the world for his own convienience and thus be dishonorable?

[zimmerwald1915]

But wouldn’t that endanger the world for his own convienience and thus be dishonorable?

What have you got to say that endangering the world for one's personal convenience is necessarily dishonorable?

[Peelee]

Are you saying that he is purposefully trying to get killed in battle? But wouldn’t that endanger the world for his own convienience and thus be dishonorable?

Short version? No.

Long version?

No decent dwarf would trade a glorious death for a few more decades of weak-willed life. No, sir. Dwarven life is long enough already, and putting your own life above the needs of the community is just self-serving greed.

Look at Sigdi in the first strip she appears in. She is not in combat; she is retired. But when an accident happens in front of her, she springs into action—even though she is less equipped to help than any other adult present. If that dwarven laborer had dragged her off the mountain, she would have died with honor, but she did not help that man because doing so would have allowed her to die with honor. She helped him because it was the right thing to do. That's the dwarven way: Do the right thing regardless of the danger, knowing that if the danger overwhelms you, you'll be rewarded in the next life.

[JT]

Besides you can't sculpt with a hammer, you need a chisel, with a, you know, blade on it.

Sure you can. You chip off small (or not so small) flakes, or powder a small divot, depending on how you strike.

In point of fact, the earliest blades that were made were likely created by pounding one rock with a hammer-stone.

(A “blade” should not be confused with a “point” ... so charring spear-tips to get a pointy stick is not creating a blade.)

[Emperor Time]

Glad Durkon saved his cousin from dying too early on. Because he young enough to have many more chances of dying an honorable death in the future. And can drink with Thor at that time instead.

[Ridureyu]

I'm sorry, but in the comic I'm used to, only the bad guys get to effortlessly dispel their opponent's plans :p

[Fyraltari]

Short version? No.

Long version?

How does that relate to the situation? Sigdi was doing everyhting she could to save that man. If my understanding of what you said Logann was doing is correct, thzat would be like sigdi shoving an able-bodied person (thus with a better chance of rescueing the falling dwarf) out of the way so that she could get the chance to go to Valhalla.

What have you got to say that endangering the world for one's personal convenience is necessarily dishonorable?

Because most examples of honorable deaths we're given in-and-out of comic (azs well as general dwarven attitudes towards life) points to putting the community ahead of oneself as honourable and the opposite as dishonourable.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

Still loving Sigdi.

[Peelee]

How does that relate to the situation?

Sigdi was less equipped to help than any other adult present. Logan is less equipped to help than Durkon. Sigdi helped because it was the right thing to do, regardless of the danger. Logann chased after the Ex-Exarch because it was the right thing to do, regardless of the danger.

The Sigdi example I only left if because the parts that relate to every dwarf frame it through Sigdi's actions there.

Or, of you would like it put another way: Dwarves are weird.

[brian 333]

Still loving Sigdi.

I will be sad when she stays behind to care for Kudzu. Sigdi gets my vote for favorite minor NPC.