OOTS #874 - The Discussion Thread

[agnos]

Awesome. Exactly the right move.

[JosephOrJoe]

Gaseous Malack and hanging Malack are both great. Love panel 2 with the surprised look on Durkon's face.

[Secris]

That was perfect, because I was just reading the older comic where Thor argues with... Heta? Whatever her name is. And then BAM, new comic, and now argument between the two. Great battle, too! Thanks Rich!

[Dr. Gamera]

The vampiric lizard man in question was a wizard. Still, the details need not be exactly the same.

What is this "wizard" you speak of? Do you refer to a "magic-user"?

(Sorry, sorry, I'm not able to come up with a more clever 1st edition joke. Lest my picayune response tempt anyone to an even more picayune rebuttal, the lizard man in question had not yet achieved a high enough level to earn the Level Title of "Wizard".)

[MeanMrsMustard]

I absolutely love Belkar's totally blank expression as he attacks Durkon. It really adds to the creepy tone.

[Kaulguard]

Was the tribe two hundred years ago thing just a random background point, or do we know of anything that happened two hundred years ago that might be relevant? I mean, sometimes a hairstyle is just a hairstyle, but I wondered if anyone knew of anything. Nothing is occurring to me, but that means little.

[Anarion]

Uh-oh, Giant, you're in grave danger of having Belkar dominated by the Linear Guild turn into a running gag. Now, we just need to find out Malack's favorite show-tune.

Also, I love the art on the gaseous form. Looks really cool.

[diamondmx]

...what change would that be?

V changed his spell layout to a party-support caster, less on the kill spells, more on the buffs. On the other hand, assuming Durkon is still up (and assuming V does show, something I would bet against - one unexpected interruption is contrived enough to be dramatic, two is just stretching belief) that support casting could easily give the dwarf the advantage.

[Rakoa]

Excellent comic. I hope this battle is long and amazing.

[Shale]

So, what sort of snake thingies come to mind? Only things I can think of are yuan-ti... and they're exceedingly messed up by the point that would be an option. Yuan-ti vampire cleric would be a bit much, too.

Perhaps an "unevolved" lizardfolk (serpentfolk?), owing to his being born/hatched 200-plus years ago?

[Raineh Daze]

Perhaps an "unevolved" lizardfolk (serpentfolk?), owing to his being born/hatched 200-plus years ago?

Snakes started off as lizards or something, some still have vestigial leg bones and the like.

[Rui]

Probably went wrong in my other comments, I know very little of 3.5 clerics (as the one that always play the wizard).
That battle is going to be awesome. And another day looking forward to the update with a little hope that this won't happen so we can get another 9 strip-a-day bonus.

[Themrys]

So, Malack won round 2, eh?

I must say that the cute lady dwarf deserves a medal for her courage. Fighting an elm is no small deal.

Actually, I was surprised the dwarf is female. I wonder why; I really shouldn't be.
That wouldn't have happened to Vaarsuvius.

[Dr. Gamera]

Just noticed that Malack has vampirically dominating eyes in the sixth panel.

[t209]

I kinda laugh at Dwarf's fear of tree stereotypes in OOTS.

[Gift Jeraff]

Maybe Durkon could snap Malack's staff in half and use it as a stake? Would that work?

[mawexzon]

Just noticed that Malack has vampirically dominating eyes in the sixth panel.

I found that really creepy.

[Raineh Daze]

Maybe Durkon could snap Malack's staff in half and use it as a stake? Would that work?

The staff probably has too much HP for that.

[Cuthalion]

Not good. I love the last panel, though.

[Turgon9357]

Maybe Durkon could snap Malack's staff in half and use it as a stake? Would that work?

If the rules don't allow for something like that, Rule of Cool would most definitely override them here.

[zimmerwald1915]

V changed his spell layout to a party-support caster, less on the kill spells, more on the buffs. On the other hand, assuming Durkon is still up (and assuming V does show, something I would bet against - one unexpected interruption is contrived enough to be dramatic, two is just stretching belief) that support casting could easily give the dwarf the advantage.

She really didn't. In the very comic where she said she did, she busted out a level 6 blasting spell, and in her fight with Zz'dtri she fell back on an empowered fireball within a few rounds.

[Winter]

Pretty nice how the fight plays out. Let's see how Durkon reacts when he runs low on his resources.
Now that he froze Belkar again, he cannot even flee and leave him behind...

[mhensley]

I failed my Knowledge: Norse Mythology check. Could someone explain the Thor joke at the end to me?

[Gazebo's Bane]

Hi. Long time admirer; first time poster here. I just registered to, erm, register how much I'm enjoying the way the strip is developing.

Also: dramatic cleric fight is dramatic, and yet time for philosophical discussion of personal identity in the middle of it. Outstanding.

[Raineh Daze]

Hmm.

Honestly, I can't say that V's showing up would do any good if Malack isn't OH-KOed, since what does that lead to? A wizard (d4 HD) who is also an elf (-2 to CON) and has negligible defences against the physical in the same room as something that can turn to gas. Also, no protection against negative energy, unlike the other two.

[Sir_Leorik]

Was the tribe two hundred years ago thing just a random background point, or do we know of anything that happened two hundred years ago that might be relevant? I mean, sometimes a hairstyle is just a hairstyle, but I wondered if anyone knew of anything. Nothing is occurring to me, but that means little.

Its probably nothing more than backstory: Once upon a time there was a tribe of Lizard-folk barbarians. They had a shaman whose name is lost to history. He became a Vampire. As many Vampires do, he adopted the name "Malack". At some point the tribe of Lizard-folk barbarians Malack belonged to was wiped out, probably due to the eternal conflict of the Western Continent. (The bards who tell this tale are unclear if this occurred before or after Malack was sired.)

At some point after losing his tribe, Malack converted to the worship of Nergal and Ereshkigal. (Or he may have been a Cleric of Nergal while still alive, and the term Shaman was just an honorific. The bards disagree on this detail of the story too.) Malack became an adventurer for hire, but he was frustrated by the lack of challenge the opponents he faced rated. (At this point of telling the tale, many bards get pelted with pistachio shells for this atrocious Challenge Rating pun.)

One day Malack encountered a Human fighter from the Northern Continent named Tarquin. Tarquin, smarting from losing custody of one his twin sons in a messy divorce, had journeyed to the Western Continent to try to seize power in a kingdom. He succeeded, only to flee in shame with his son Nale months later.

Today Malack is a minister serving the glorious Empress of Blood. All hail the Empress of Blood! May her Empire grow as prosperous as she has grown in girth! (At this point the secret police show up and arrest the bards for spreading slander about Minister Malack being a Vampire. Everyone else in the tavern is arrested for treason and sold into slavery.) The End.

[Feddlefew]

Maybe Durkon could snap Malack's staff in half and use it as a stake? Would that work?

It's a staff that makes undead- Durkon and the other living beings in the room may be protected from an explosion of negative energy, but who knows what else might happen?

[Raineh Daze]

One day Malack encountered a Human fighter from the Northern Continent named Tarquin. Tarquin, smarting from losing custody of one his twin sons in a messy divorce, had journeyed to the Western Continent to try to seize power in a kingdom. He succeeded, only to flee in shame with his son Nale months later.

They knew each other for ten years prior to that.

[Twilight Jack]

She really didn't. In the very comic where she said she did, she busted out a level 6 blasting spell, and in her fight with Zz'dtri she fell back on an empowered fireball within a few rounds.

V has changed up her approach significantly, but she is still an Evoker, after all. She is pretty much bound to carry a full compliment of blasting spells where ever she goes. There just isn't enough non-blasty evocation out there to allow for anything less.

[Giggling Ghast]

What is this "wizard" you speak of? Do you refer to a "magic-user"?

(Sorry, sorry, I'm not able to come up with a more clever 1st edition joke. Lest my picayune response tempt anyone to an even more picayune rebuttal, the lizard man in question had not yet achieved a high enough level to earn the Level Title of "Wizard".)

Ah yes, "magic-user." I forgot my antiquated 1E lingo.