This has to be my third favorite, ever, just for working in that punch line so well. I'm amazed such a common saying hasn't been used before. Just waiting for the perfect opportunity.
And I finally clued in, Tarquin isn't full attacking Durkon as a first reaction, because he made a promise to Malack.
What spell is Z'zdtri trying to cast ? Ghostwind ?
Also, how long will that banishment last ?
Z'zdtri's trying to cast Gust of Wind, but is deaf and missed the roll, so it got mispronounced and fizzled. At first I thought Z'zdtri suddenly had an accent, but when I realized that it was indicating the reason for failure I became even more impressed with the level of detail Rich provides. Incredible!
The banishment last 24 hours. And then the banishee still needs to find a way back - they don't automatically return. As far as I know, Sabine can pretty much go back and forth at will, but she could get delayed somehow. But it's at least 24 hours.
Belkar is deafened, eh? I didn't quite realize that Holy Word continues to affect those entering AoE (?).
It doesn't, Belkar was within the AoE when Durkon cast it. The description of Holy Word specifically says that the targets don't need to actually hear the spell to be affected.
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"Of course you should fight fire with fire. You should fight everything with fire." - Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
There are very few personal problems that cannot be solved with a suitable application of high explosives.
"Time to throw the dice." - Mat Cauthon, Wheel of Time
"Nothing good can ever come from staying with normal people."
Great strip! It's nice to see the Order kicking some butt for once, and using some clever strategy to boot. I also can't help but notice Kilkil is nowhere to be seen here, and while I doubt he's dead, he is almost certainly down for the count.
So does this mean that Nale, Belkar, and - assuming he wasn't blinded - Zz'dtri are all exactly equal in level to Durkon? As for Elan's role in this, he does have some illusion magic, and the traps were meant to be supplemented by illusions. I wonder if he can cast anything complex enough to be of any use in that regard.
This is the best strip in a LONG time. This is laugh-out-loud funny. AWESOME!
As expected, Mr. Batman-utility-belt Tarquin is too high level to be affected by the Word. The man's a defensive player all the way, and looks like he always has a backup plan .
And now we know that Sabine missed her saving throw and was banished.
Many questions answered and a funny strip to boost! And, for one brief shining moment, the heroes aren't losing!
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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"Opportunities to do good are everywhere but the darkness is where the light needs to be".
-- Eliezer Yudkowski, author of "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality"
According to the Thread, that would pin Durkon at a minimum of 15th-level, meaning that he's leveled up twice between #556 and now.
Is there anything in that strip that pegs Durkon as exactly level 13, rather than at least level 13? The only evidence I've seen is that he tried to cast Holy Word there, which would be evidence that he's 13 or higher.
Oh wow, that was a fun read. A few more pages of this and people will start whining how the Order never loses and how they should get to the plot already.
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Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by Solaris
If it helps, think of me as the Agent from Serenity. Just not that good a fighter. Also, I have a mustache.
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Originally Posted by kpenguin
I'm probably hilarious far off, aren't I?
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Originally Posted by Telonius
This is not... the greatest story Tolkien ever wrote. No... This is just a tribute.
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Originally Posted by Coidzor
Bah. You've got to believe in the you that believes in the heart of the cards to summon the 7 dragon balls to be the very best like no one ever was!
.; Many thanks piled on top of other thanks with a martini on top to Cuthalion for custom avatar.
Nale should have cast Charm Person instead of Suggestion. Then Belkar would at least regard him as an ally.
How is it that Z'zdtri can't cast spells while deafened, but Nale can?
If Nale is deaf, how can he hear Belkar say "WHAT?"
Why is a succubus, an ancient being of pure evil, in love with a mortal? Sabine is a shapeshifter, she only appears fair in form because she wants to.
Deafened means you get an automatic 20% failure chance applied to spells with verbal components.
Nale does not hear Belkar say what. He's repeating himself about attacking the dwarf because Belkar continued to attack Nale.
Because Sabine might not merely be a stereotype?
Belkar's use in this one is absolutely perfect. Definitely with Roy on this being a feature and not a bug.
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Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
Fantasy literature is ONLY worthwhile for what it can tell us about the real world; everything else is petty escapism.
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Originally Posted by The Giant
No author should have to take the time to say, "This little girl ISN'T evil, folks!" in order for the reader to understand that. It should be assumed that no first graders are irredeemably Evil unless the text tells you they are.
That was simply a genius move. I wonder if Roy's sentence at the end is true and this was planned, or if it was unforeseen, but just happened to work in their favour
This has me wondering, where's Elan? Durkon came from the walls, Belkar from the ceiling, hopefully Elan will rise up out of the floor as that would be awesome.
Okay, that is just beautiful. Banished Sabine, deafened Z & Nale, and paralyzed or worse the kobold. So it's basically the Order vs Tarquin and a non-casting Nale, with the occasional spell from a caster getting through. I think they can handle that fairly well, if Roy planned the next few rounds as well as he did thus far.
That Belkar is also deafened is just icing on the cake. ^.^
(Oh, and Z is trying to cast Gust of Wind, as Nale ordered before the holy word.)
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LGBTitP
Quote:
Originally Posted by ti'esar
I just want to say that if this isn't the weirdest line of argument I've seen this thread take yet, it's not for lack of trying.
If Nale is deaf, how can he hear Belkar say "WHAT?"
He might have read Belkar's lips. "What" is a pretty simple word to recognize that way. He can't do that with Tarquin because of the helmet, of course.
For an uncannily crafty and rarely rattled tactical genius, Tarquin does a lot of the verbal explanations to the guy he knows is deaf, there. Or should know. Or figure out immediately.
Also, doesn't Sabine's banishment give anyone else the feeling that Nale's days are done? I'm not sure anyone left is going to want him alive. Tarquin's losing patience already.
Oh yeah, definitely. After the banishment scene, I was reading the comic with that very anticipation. Nale's schtick has largely played itself out, the dude is clearly outclassed both by the good guys and the more competent baddie on his own team (in name only), and is currently running around like a chicken with his head cut off as the one person who was really watching out for his back has been taken away with some frankly ominous parting words. One way or another, I suspect he's gonna be taken out of commission by the time the arc's done.
Interesting... Belkar has clearly been affected by (i.e. failed his will save against) Nale's Suggestion, but cannot *hear* the suggestion given to him(different capitalisations deliberate).
The rules don't say that a target would be immune to Suggestion by being deaf, but it's kinda funny that they aren't.
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Re: OOTS #860 - The Discussion Thread
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