OOTS #658 - The Discussion Thread

[mec]

What a beautiful comic!

In (perhaps) the last five minutes of life, V has managed to grow a pair and start using all available resources. V is a lot more dangerous right now then when they rode in on a soul splice.

Plus many panels of O-Chul.

[KyrtFurey]

Yes, I find the fact I am the one who keeps having to correct people on the rules to be a bit embarassing frankly.

Trust me...you're only embarrassing yourself.

In this case...why can't V be out of Flight spells?

You postlated two cases

1) V was using his pre-existing flight spell from the island, or
2) V has since cast a new one off screen.

However, we don't know what spells V chose to replenish his slots with.
We don't know how many Flight spells he chose to ready.
We do know his existing flight spell was dispelled.
We don't know what flught spell was wa susing...if it was the 1 minute/level Fly then he did indeed cast another offscreen.

We also don't know what spells the other casters knew. And once again, just because you would do something, does not mean V would do the same thing.

Having said that, these past few strips have taken a downturn IMO...some nice character moments, but now very predictable.

EJL

[MisterLeirus]

Ah, he is out of flight spells, I had read fight spells the first time

[Forbiddenwar]

Amazing, just ... amazing. How do you keep this suspense up, Rich? We haven't been able to exhale since V left the Order!!

My face is blue I know it looks green, but it is really blue from not breathing.

[Xentropy]

A question: What, exactly, is the reference in the title? (I'm assuming there IS one, naturally.)

I'm not entirely sure. The only two options I can think of are a reference to the cliche, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," and the Amish town of Bird-in-Hand, PA. Neither really seems to apply here.

Also, what exactly happened to that Meteor Swarm? It looks like Xykon missed O-Chul with it, but that should still mean that both him and V have to make reflex saves just for being in the area of effect, and even those would only make the damage partial.... Yet they don't seem to get any injuries from the Meteor Swarm.... So what gives?

I'm a bit confused about this too. O-Chul may very well have enough health from the potions to survive the hit, but V not only survives but also has his voice back already after having his windpipe crushed in the last comic. Maybe O-Chul layed on hands him when he grabbed him, it just wasn't announced like most abilities in the comic?

[Aaron]

YES!!! Blackwing FTW!!!

I would have never thought of throwing the Plylactery in the Snarl rift. Awsome!!!

[archon_huskie]

Repeat after me:

After me

Spoiler

Show

I, Archon Huskie, solemnly swear (or affirm)
to no longer respond, quote or in any way reffer to Jept Cloak,
to ignore everything he says as his statements are calculated to generated anger and hatred of him and his ideas,
until such time as JeptCloak speaks in a calm tone, cites his sources and sticks to the topic of the discussion.

Ignore List amended

I do not believe that V needs to order Blackwing to fly into the rift. Merely to fly above it and drop it in.

[Juron Pilo]

****ING OWNED.

The familiar takes the phylactery into the gate, destroying it.

^.^'

[DungeonDelver]

If they succeed in completely destroying Xykon's soul, I doubt Xykon would stick around. I don't think D&D has rules for having a soul unmade from creation, so there's no way to know.

[homeosapiens]

The comic rock's. Yet another cliffhanger...


Still i believe it is pretty unreasonable to think V wouldn't prepare Fly or Overland Fly. After all who might think that he wanted to stay in splice all day? And wasnt it said that spells finish while splice finish? It is stretching. You can't rationalize it in any way - but hey! Nobody is perfect! G man is a human too. EoT?Plz.


What's gonna happen next? (dunh dunh dunh)

[Fayd]

You know, V doesn't actually have to sacrifice Blackwing for this. He could just have blackwing fly ABOVE the rift and drop it in, or fly slightly above it while still at it at a high enough velocity that it will fall in due to it's forward momentum.

Also, I wonder if Xycon warded it against falling damage. That would be an unexpected way to break it.

[Porthos]

A question: What, exactly, is the reference in the title? (I'm assuming there IS one, naturally.)

It's an english phrase (related to hunting):
A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush.

It means that having something now (ie a bird you caught) is worth more than something you that you don't have yet, even if it might potentially be more valuable (say a couple of birds in a bush that you may or may not be able to get).

[JeptCloak]

Amazing, just ... amazing. How do you keep this suspense up, Rich? We haven't been able to exhale since V left the Order! My heart's still in my throat! Bravo. Boy, V looks even worse, if possible.

Re: the flight thing. I know it's been four whole strips, JeptCloak, but please direct your attention to #653, bottom left panel. After the Greater Dispel, V crashes to the ground and cries out:

Vaarsuvius: My defenses! My flight spell!

We already knew V had no flight spell! Maybe you didn't hear V through all the gnashing of teeth over V's wizardry not uber alles-ing?

Anyway, what I'd like to see is sort of my prediction, FWIW (and with Rich's incredible storytelling skills, my prediction's definitely not worth much!):

Spoiler

Show

Blackwing takes the phylactery and tosses it into the Rift. Xykon tries to zap the bird, but O-Chul flings himself into the blast of the spell, sacrificing himself.

Thank you for a phenomenal ride so far, Rich. I can't wait to see how this progresses. You're making me chugalug on blood pressure medicine!

No, I got that part... It's just he got all his spells replenished after the splice, so he should have another one to hand since he already cast one that day.

[Kish]

Sometimes I think I should put, "Wizard, not super wizard/sorcerer prestige class" in my sig. Surprisingly often, someone will argue that "Vaarsuvius not casting Spell X is a plot hole."

[Ridureyu]

So the story is again asking us to invent an implausible explanation to cover for the flaws in the story. How surprising.

Yes, I can totally see it now... when they said "the rejuvanating effect of the soul splice will allow you to start with all spell slots fully replenished" what they meant was "in the instant in which you get this power you will off panel have the ability to go through your spell book and consider the spells you wish to use, contemplate the ones you want, memorise them, and then resume laughing madly, all while no time passes and nobody notices". I can't see why I'm so skeptical.

I don't think you're reading the same comic everybody else is. I think you're just screaming and whining, hurt because super-V didn't solve every problem with a hand wave. As a result, you're digging to complain about anything, and even when it has an explanation ("My flight spells! Nooo!" or any other "out of spells" reference), you simply handwave it and make up complaints. For example, the burden of proof is on you to explain how you know for certain that V prepared multiple flight spells specifically in that slot, and not a lot of other spells.


My prediction for the next strip's complaint?

Jeptcloak: "This is preposterous and bad storytelling. The Rift should not be able to destroy the phylactery, because O-Chul's Iron bar and V's Spells couldn't. Therefore, the story has contradicted itself."

or:

"This is preposterous and bad storytelling. Roy can't be black."

[ForestCult4ever]

GAH! OW

DAMMIT! DAMN YOU AND YOUR CLIFFHANGERS! *cough*
*weeze* NO! i cant's wait no more! I must know what happens... no more speculations... NO MORE THEORIES! *HURK!*

*has heart attack*

But besides the drama at the keyboard, awesome comic as always, and dont listen to me, i'm not really complianing about the cliffhangers <3. Go Blackwing! (to your fate worse than death)

[EmeraldPhoenix]

You know, V doesn't actually have to sacrifice Blackwing for this. He could just have blackwing fly ABOVE the rift and drop it in, or fly slightly above it while still at it at a high enough velocity that it will fall in due to it's forward momentum.

In a world where the characters rely on Wily E Coyote for laws of motion? Yeah, sure, that's as likely to happen as Belkar apologizing for something.

[MisterLeirus]

Do we know what may happen if a lich soul is unmade?

Because is not quite the same than the phylacthing being destroyed...
Are there any rules for that? I do not know much about D&D...

[ericgrau]

I knew it! What I did not expect was the long range to the rift, nor the... solution. Hilarious.

[JeptCloak]

Amazing, just ... amazing. How do you keep this suspense up, Rich? We haven't been able to exhale since V left the Order! My heart's still in my throat! Bravo. Boy, V looks even worse, if possible.

Re: the flight thing. I know it's been four whole strips, JeptCloak, but please direct your attention to #653, bottom left panel. After the Greater Dispel, V crashes to the ground and cries out:

Vaarsuvius: My defenses! My flight spell!

We already knew V had no flight spell! Maybe you didn't hear V through all the gnashing of teeth over V's wizardry not uber alles-ing?

Anyway, what I'd like to see is sort of my prediction, FWIW (and with Rich's incredible storytelling skills, my prediction's definitely not worth much!):

Spoiler

Show

Blackwing takes the phylactery and tosses it into the Rift. Xykon tries to zap the bird, but O-Chul flings himself into the blast of the spell, sacrificing himself.

Thank you for a phenomenal ride so far, Rich. I can't wait to see how this progresses. You're making me chugalug on blood pressure medicine!

No, I got that part... It's just he got all his spells replenished after the splice, so he should have another one to hand since he already cast one that day.

[derfenrirwolv]

It references the phrase

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

[Jamie]

Brilliant tension. Looks like we're going to see Xykon's phalyctery destroyed, but also the end of the road for either V or O-Chul, or both.

[mec]

Also, what exactly happened to that Meteor Swarm? It looks like Xykon missed O-Chul with it, but that should still mean that both him and V have to make reflex saves just for being in the area of effect, and even those would only make the damage partial.... Yet they don't seem to get any injuries from the Meteor Swarm.... So what gives?

Xykon said "Another Meteor Swarm" rather than "Meteor Swarm". Perhaps this is another custom spell such as "Xykon's Moderately Inescapable Force Cage". Perhaps "Another Meteor Swarm" is a nerfed version of "Meteor Swarm" for the times when Xykon wants to slow somebody down without killing them.

I don't like that idea, though. It's not funny. And if Xykon really wanted to stop two people from running, he could use some other spell. Such as: Xykon's Moderately Inescapable Force Cage!

[badam104172]

hmm... (ponders)
what happens after the phylactery is destroyed, though? sorry O-Chul, but you're screwed.

[EmeraldPhoenix]

BY A LONG SHOT. And yes. yes i did say something.

I'd just like to brag a little bit about how far ahead I saw this coming. I've got supervision. I'm the oracle. I'm the freaking oracle.

[MisterLeirus]

hmm... (ponders)
what happens after the phylactery is destroyed, though? sorry O-Chul, but you're screwed.

But it is not only the plylactery destroyed, is X soul being unmade... surely he should feel it somehow?

[JeptCloak]

I don't think you're reading the same comic everybody else is. I think you're just screaming and whining, hurt because super-V didn't solve every problem with a hand wave. As a result, you're digging to complain about anything, and even when it has an explanation ("My flight spells! Nooo!" or any other "out of spells" reference), you simply handwave it and make up complaints. For example, the burden of proof is on you to explain how you know for certain that V prepared multiple flight spells specifically in that slot, and not a lot of other spells.


My prediction for the next strip's complaint?

Jeptcloak: "This is preposterous and bad storytelling. The Rift should not be able to destroy the phylactery, because O-Chul's Iron bar and V's Spells couldn't. Therefore, the story has contradicted itself."

or:

"This is preposterous and bad storytelling. Roy can't be black."

Yeh, I'm quite clear on him having lost his flight spell (the one in use), it's just he got his slots replenished, which under any sensible reading means he should now be ablt to cast it again. It's not complicated.

[Porthos]

I'm not sure why your complaining here, Jept. I mean, V using Blackwing to get rid of the phalyctery is, mechanically speaking, just as good as using a fly spell to go over to the Rift and get rid of.

I.e. V is using his powers to give Xykon a huge headache.

I would have thought you would be happy with this development.

[Adeen]

I'd just like to brag a little bit about how far ahead I saw this coming. I've got supervision. I'm the oracle. I'm the freaking oracle.

Congrats! Can I be a pre-cog?

[HamsterOfTheGod]

Anyway, what I'd like to see is sort of my prediction, FWIW (and with Rich's incredible storytelling skills, my prediction's definitely not worth much!):

Spoiler

Show

Blackwing takes the phylactery and tosses it into the Rift. Xykon tries to zap the bird, but O-Chul flings himself into the blast of the spell, sacrificing himself.

I hope not. I'm pulling for the bad guys. Go Team Evil!