OOTS #858 - The Discussion Thread

[Conte_Vincero]

Is anyone expecting something like this to be the next strip?

[Kish]

No.

The Linear Guild will not go down anywhere near that easily.

[Jay R]

How did the Order not recognize Malack in the hallway? Yeah yeah, maybe he's blocked by the mummies. But Kilkil is flying above everyone. They'd definitely recognize him.

"Only when it's funny."

Plot happens when it;'s best for the plot to happen.

[Chessgeek]

They're both valid character interpretations; the only way we could know for certain is if he's put into a situation which forces him to choose between looking awesome and living a life of luxury...

Calling it now; Elan's plan to defeat Tarquin will involve forcing Tarquin to choose between looking awesome and living a life of luxury.

Set the building on fire, and down he goes.

[SoC175]

SO looking forward to red-haired Haley sneaking amongst the red-haired mummies and turning Z into a pincushion. No flesh to stone this time!

Edit: I am assuming, of course, that V told the rest of the Order that Z's anti-wizardry build made him (her?) vulnerable to archers.

Actually a rogue can't sneak attack someone who has concealment.

[Smolder]

I think the most important question raised by this comic is: What's the Order's next move?

They've created a smoke screen in the corridor that we presume will take a round or two to clear. The smoke screen appears to be behind the group of mummies, but in front (blocking line of sight) of the LG.

So they could be planning to take out some mummies while the LG are distracted, which would be a good move if they were sufficiently concerned about mummy rot.

But if they are not concerned about the mummies, perhaps their target is one of the LG. Haley could evade her way through the pack of mummies and get in a shot at someone. Problems: her closest targets would be Tarquin and Nale, and even if she could take one of them out in one hit, it wouldn't be tactically useful. Also, she'd be surrounded by LG and mummies at the end of her turn.

[RMS Oceanic]

Actually a rogue can't sneak attack someone who has concealment.

Haley has Improved Precise Shot; their concealment would be negated if she got right next to them, like when she took out those three rogues in the fog.

[SoC175]

Haley has Improved Precise Shot; their concealment would be negated if she got right next to them, like when she took out those three rogues in the fog.

Actually the concealment from fog or smoke works at melee range.

[RMS Oceanic]

Actually the concealment from fog or smoke works at melee range.

Your ranged attacks ignore the AC bonus granted to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance granted to targets by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment provide their normal benefits against your ranged attacks.

The feat sidesteps concealment unless it's total, and it's not total at melee range.

[snikrept]

Hmm.. it's been established that Haley carries many extradimensional storage devices. Hope that's not an Arrow of Total Destruction!

[Darklady2831]

Hmm.. it's been established that Haley carries many extradimensional storage devices. Hope that's not an Arrow of Total Destruction!

I was about to say this...

Arrow with Portable Hole/Bag of Holding shenanigans attached. I'm throwing it out there that the black stuff isn't a smokescreen, it's a dimensional rift that will either destroy the linear guild completely, or shunt them all to the astral plane.

[Mike Havran]

I was about to say this...

Arrow with Portable Hole/Bag of Holding shenanigans attached. I'm throwing it out there that the black stuff isn't a smokescreen, it's a dimensional rift that will either destroy the linear guild completely, or shunt them all to the astral plane.

The Order isn't going to achieve a one-shot victory like this any time soon.

[Nightpenguin]

I know that the discussion seems to have moved on, but I don't think that Tarquin is using the Snatch Arrows feat or the Gloves of Arrow Snatching (which allow the wearer to use the feat twice a day). The feat says "Thrown weapons can immediately be thrown back at the original attacker (even though it isn’t your turn) or kept for later use." (Technically an arrow isn't a thrown weapon, but it can be used as an improvised one and a free attack is a free attack, even at a -4 penalty.) But Tarquin doesn't throw the arrows, at best he stabs Belkar, something that the feat does not allow.
...

Actually, there are rules for stabbing people with arrows:

An arrow used as a melee weapon is treated as a light improvised weapon (-4 penalty on attack rolls) and deals damage as a dagger of its size (critical multiplier ×2).

Edit: Interestingly, this also means that you can deal slashing damage with an arrow.

[Conte_Vincero]

No.

The Linear Guild will not go down anywhere near that easily.

Actually I was thinking more Angry Belkar emerges out of the mist and starts stabbing the castors, rather than Angry Belkar kills everyone

[Deuce]

. . .

In a world that has the Dashing Swordsman prestige class it is absolutley possible that Tarquin has a different presitge class (call it the Evil Overlord PrC, maybe?) that gives him Drama related benefits.

. . .

I've posted before, though it's be quite a while back, the idea of an evil counterpart to the Dashing Swordsman PRC, called the Magnificent Bastard. Similar abilities, but with tweaks to fit the alignment and role better. I believe that there should be an advantage for a Monolog for instance, but with an ever-increasing risk of it backlashing on you the longer you use it. Needs something that uses the word "gambit" as well, it's a requirement.

[Forikroder]

They're both valid character interpretations; the only way we could know for certain is if he's put into a situation which forces him to choose between looking awesome and living a life of luxury...

Calling it now; Elan's plan to defeat Tarquin will involve forcing Tarquin to choose between looking awesome and living a life of luxury.

you mean like acting in the shadows controlling the leader of a country and never looking like anything more then some general for hire opposed to controlling the country himself?

considering his opinion of Nale i think he puts results far above looking cool

[Boogastreehouse]

There seems to be some sentiment around here that Tarquin is being "too genre-savvy," suggesting that his ability to recognize the trap is about to be sprung is more about him enjoying a position of "more awesome by fiat," to the point where he is essentially being called the "author's pet."

I don't really think that is the case, though. Look at the scenario they are currently in:

Upon arriving at this section of the labyrinth, Roy looked around and said "I think this looks like a pretty good spot (for an ambush)."

(The ending of that sentence was pretty clearly implied, I believe)

If Roy picked out a spot as being good for an ambush, I can't imagine why Tarquin would not also notice that it is a good spot for an ambush. He didn't really have time to figure out why he had a gut feeling, but the area clearly has some characteristics that suggest "ambush."

I fact, I even think the order might be counting on this mysterious-arrow-catching-clever-person being aware enough to appreciate the ambush-value of the place. Him knowing it's a trap just causes him to overconfidently blunder into it.

[ti'esar]

I find it interesting (and amusing) that as of now, when I've really started to dislike Tarquin's fandom and hatedom in equal measure, their rhetoric is beginning to sound suspiciously similar.

[One Step Two]

*snip*

Upon arriving at this section of the labyrinth, Roy looked around and said "I think this looks like a pretty good spot (for an ambush)."

(The ending of that sentence was pretty clearly implied, I believe)

*snip*

Very well, spotted, there's a shifting wall trap, and a few other nasties in that particular spot, I think Roy might be setting up a way to divide the LG.

[Scalenex]

{{scrubbed}}

[Forikroder]

There seems to be some sentiment around here that Tarquin is being "too genre-savvy," suggesting that his ability to recognize the trap is about to be sprung is more about him enjoying a position of "more awesome by fiat," to the point where he is essentially being called the "author's pet."

I don't really think that is the case, though. Look at the scenario they are currently in:

Upon arriving at this section of the labyrinth, Roy looked around and said "I think this looks like a pretty good spot (for an ambush)."

(The ending of that sentence was pretty clearly implied, I believe)

If Roy picked out a spot as being good for an ambush, I can't imagine why Tarquin would not also notice that it is a good spot for an ambush. He didn't really have time to figure out why he had a gut feeling, but the area clearly has some characteristics that suggest "ambush."

I fact, I even think the order might be counting on this mysterious-arrow-catching-clever-person being aware enough to appreciate the ambush-value of the place. Him knowing it's a trap just causes him to overconfidently blunder into it.

Tarquins little grab only put himself at the front of the party it did put the LG (POSSIBLY) in a slightly more advantageous position but theres no evidence that his actions at all inconvenienced the orders ambush

[rgrekejin]

Interestingly, this also means that you can deal slashing damage with an arrow.

Actually, I don't think that's right. The arrow deals as much damage as a dagger of it's size, but in all other respects keeps the stats of an arrow, except as otherwise noted. I think the damage type remains unchanged, as piercing only. I could be wrong, though.

[EmperorSarda]

Does anyone wonder if Tarquin copped a feel when he pushed Sabine out of the way?

[Finagle]

{{scrubbed}}

[Bulldog Psion]

Does anyone wonder if Tarquin copped a feel when he pushed Sabine out of the way?

Moving fast with heavy gauntlets on, I doubt it's possible.

[oppyu]

{{scrubbed}}

[MeanMrsMustard]

A comic for my birthday!
Thankes Rich!

I felt the same way when 855 came out.

[Gift Jeraff]

In regards to Tarquin's past with Sabine, perhaps she was originally sent as a "booby trap" for him, much as she currently is for Nale. I'm sure the IFCC could have used his vast resources to accomplish fairly large-scale goals. But then she was reassigned to Nale when they saw that his exploitable ego, inexperience, overconfidence, and greater capacity for Evil made him a better pawn?

Maybe she was even Tarquin's fifth wife, for added Haley:Sabine parallels. Though Nale schtupping one of his stepmothers might be a bit much for this comic.

[lio45]

{{scrubbed}}

[WindStruck]

I find it interesting (and amusing) that as of now, when I've really started to dislike Tarquin's fandom and hatedom in equal measure, their rhetoric is beginning to sound suspiciously similar.

By now you must know that the Fandom can never be turned from the Tarq Side. So will it be with you!