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Zurai
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

wonderpug wrote:What happens if the familiar dies? Gone for good?
It's dead permanently and V loses a point of Constitution plus some additional hp damage (which could quite possibly kill him/her given how much damage he's seemingly taken fighting Xykon).
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by ImLawBoy »

Clanwolfer wrote:659.

BEST. PAYOFF LINE. EVER.

That will be all.
Yes. Yes it is.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Hrdina »

Spoiler:
the Raven wrote: (quoth the Raven) caw cawcawcaw caw caw caw ... caw caw caw cawcawcaw
So, is V's familiar channeling Bob & Doug MacKenzie? Take off!
Conform or be cast out!
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by SpaceLord »

660
Spoiler:
Ooh, I hope the phylactery goes into the Obligatory Sewer-Themed Labyrinth!!
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

I'm kinda confused about the reason Xykon looks so upset, actually. He doesn't need to know where his phylactery is to reform himself at it. As long as it exists, he's impossible to permanently kill. If it's deep in some random dungeon, that's fine. He's not even a wizard-lich, who would need a spellbook with the phylactery so it could memorize spells. He's a sorcerer. He always has access to all his spells. As soon as he reforms, he can go back to whatever he was doing.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by SpaceLord »

Zurai wrote:I'm kinda confused about the reason Xykon looks so upset, actually. He doesn't need to know where his phylactery is to reform himself at it. As long as it exists, he's impossible to permanently kill. If it's deep in some random dungeon, that's fine. He's not even a wizard-lich, who would need a spellbook with the phylactery so it could memorize spells. He's a sorcerer. He always has access to all his spells. As soon as he reforms, he can go back to whatever he was doing.
He's not upset at his phylactery being out of his reach, he's remembered O-Chul and V being back in the tower. Remember, his alignment has been described as "Distracted Evil." O-Chul should have a bit of Lay on Hands to dole out, and V. probably has had time to cast a spell or two while Xykon was gone. It'll be interesting.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Bakhtosh »

He's also upset that it was almost destroyed.

What's the duration on Mass Hold Person? They'll probably both still be standing there when he gets back.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by SpaceLord »

Bakhtosh wrote:He's also upset that it was almost destroyed.

What's the duration on Mass Hold Person? They'll probably both still be standing there when he gets back.
1/round level. However, each subject gets a saving throw every round. O-Chul and V probably have decent Will saves. We'll see. :ninja:
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by ChrisGwinn »

Zurai wrote:
wonderpug wrote:What happens if the familiar dies? Gone for good?
It's dead permanently and V loses a point of Constitution plus some additional hp damage (which could quite possibly kill him/her given how much damage he's seemingly taken fighting Xykon).
Nah, it's different in 3.0/3.5, which is what OotS is based on.
SRD wrote:If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per sorcerer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a sorcerer’s experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar’s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day. A slain familiar can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, and it does not lose a level or a Constitution point when this happy event occurs.
And I was at a party last weekend where people tried to claim Erfworld was good. I may have snapped at them a little bit.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Odin »

ChrisGwinn wrote:And I was at a party last weekend where people tried to claim Erfworld was good. I may have snapped at them a little bit.
I was unimpressed with the first couple of Erfworld comics and abandoned it until a couple of months ago. However when I was able to see the majority of Book 1 all together, I was really awed by it. I think Erfworld is fantastic. I now like it at least as much as OOTS, possibly a little more.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Peacedog »

ChrisGwinn wrote: And I was at a party last weekend where people tried to claim Erfworld was good. I may have snapped at them a little bit.
Awesome.

This can't be said enough, but 659 was indescribably awesome.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

Sith Lord wrote:I think Erfworld is fantastic. I now like it at least as much as OOTS.
+1.

It started off really slow, but it definitely stands on its own, now.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by craterus »

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0661.html" target="_blank

the new one is up
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Bakhtosh »

Well, we know one of the monster's powers: Teleport other at will. Could that have been a psionic power?
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

Bakhtosh wrote:Well, we know one of the monster's powers: Teleport other at will.
No, we don't know that. For one thing, there's no such spell as teleport other ;) Nor a psionic power, for that matter.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Unagi »

Zurai wrote:
Bakhtosh wrote:Well, we know one of the monster's powers: Teleport other at will.
No, we don't know that. For one thing, there's no such spell as teleport other ;) Nor a psionic power, for that matter.
We've been shown that someone could have a power granted to them by dieties.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

There's all kinds of things it could possibly be. Heck, it's possible the lower planes trio gated them (though why they'd take the paladin too I don't know). Thus, we can't know for sure that it was the MitD. It's possible that it was, of course. Psionics or Silent metamagic spells, for example, though there are no teleportation spells or powers that would reproduce what just happened.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by craterus »

Is a poorly worded wish a possibility?
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Peacedog »

craterus wrote:Is a poorly worded wish a possibility?
Doesn't have to have been poorly worded.

Via Qt3, Wish Definition. Transporting other people is a cinch.

I also like the theory there that V and O-chul didn't leave together. I'm not sure I'd say I think that's the case, but I could totally see it, and it was a smart way to end the panel.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

Heh. I hadn't considered wish. That's an immensely expensive spell to be tossing around, not to mention there aren't many likely to be able to cast it among the characters we know of.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by wonderpug »

Potential foreshadowing in panel 1 of this comic make Wish a very good possibility.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Gryndyl »

Yeah, my guess is that monster-san is a creature with Wish as a Spell Like Ability, which, if true and if I'm remembering my Monster Manual correctly, means that it's a demon or devil of some significance. At least those are the only monsters I recall that can have Wish as an SLA.

Certainly seems to fit with what we know about monster-san.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by craterus »

wonderpug wrote:Potential foreshadowing in panel 1 of this comic make Wish a very good possibility.
THAT IS AWESOME!
Spoiler:
"Yeah, gee. I don't know why wanting it wasn't enough to make it happen."
"Me neither!"
"I don't know... maybe we can try lava next time? Can you get a lava-breathing shark?"
lol

I have got to go back and read this from the beginning...
Last edited by craterus on Fri Jun 12, 2009 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Peacedog »

craterus wrote:
I have got to go back and read this from the beginning...
If you have the means I HIGHLY recommend getting all the graphic novels.

Firstly, Origins of the PCs and and The Start of Darkness are brand new material not found on line and good reads. I loved Start of Darkness, in fact (Origins is solid), though it should be noted it's designed to be read after book 2 (so the order is: Origins, Dungeon Crawlin Fools, No Cure for the Paladin Blues, Start of Darkness, and War and Xps), because while it is prequel material it contains material that roundabout spoilers a few things in book 2 iirc.

Secondly, the 3 available books contain some bonus content; not extra strips but running commentary by Rich and I really enjoyed that too. Also, Haley translations where appropos.

Thirdly, yay! Support something awesome if you have the means.

There are 3 books for the comic proper, covering up through Azure City. I think we're nearing a fourth book, which I will gladly purchase.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

Gryndyl wrote:Yeah, my guess is that monster-san is a creature with Wish as a Spell Like Ability, which, if true and if I'm remembering my Monster Manual correctly, means that it's a demon or devil of some significance. At least those are the only monsters I recall that can have Wish as an SLA.

Certainly seems to fit with what we know about monster-san.
That might be. Glabrezus (mid-to-high ranking demon) and Pit Fiends (top ranked devil) do have wish as SLAs.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by wonderpug »

craterus wrote:
wonderpug wrote:Potential foreshadowing in panel 1 of this comic make Wish a very good possibility.
THAT IS AWESOME!
Yeah, he is a master at that kind of stuff. One of the best parts of the comic is seeing all these little setups that went right over everyone's heads the first time...even with a horde of D&D geeks analyzing every aspect of each strip.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zarathud »

Zurai wrote:
Gryndyl wrote:Yeah, my guess is that monster-san is a creature with Wish as a Spell Like Ability, which, if true and if I'm remembering my Monster Manual correctly, means that it's a demon or devil of some significance. At least those are the only monsters I recall that can have Wish as an SLA.

Certainly seems to fit with what we know about monster-san.
That might be. Glabrezus (mid-to-high ranking demon) and Pit Fiends (top ranked devil) do have wish as SLAs.
A Pit Fiend would be more amusing of the two options. Monster-san is in a box, and not very fiendish.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Zurai »

Noble Djinni and standard Efreeti also have wish as spell-like abilities, for the record. Noble Djinni can only grant their wishes if they've been captured ... and Monster-san is in a rather cage-like box.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by SpaceLord »

662 is up

Big Bad is pissed. :shock:
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Gryndyl »

Zurai wrote:Noble Djinni and standard Efreeti also have wish as spell-like abilities, for the record. Noble Djinni can only grant their wishes if they've been captured ... and Monster-san is in a rather cage-like box.
My vote is pit fiend. It seems most thematically appropriate as something that Xykon would have summoned as a secret weapon. On the other hand, I suppose it could be something completely unexpected, like a leprechaun or something :o
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Gryndyl »

SpaceLord wrote:662 is up

Big Bad is pissed. :shock:
heh, yeah. I think that's about the strongest profanity that the strip has ever had, not to mention one of the best threats in the entire run :lol:
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Skinypupy »

Gryndyl wrote:
SpaceLord wrote:662 is up

Big Bad is pissed. :shock:
heh, yeah. I think that's about the strongest profanity that the strip has ever had, not to mention one of the best threats in the entire run :lol:
"If I ever see you with more eyes than assholes..." :lol:

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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by craterus »

Gryndyl wrote:
Zurai wrote:Noble Djinni and standard Efreeti also have wish as spell-like abilities, for the record. Noble Djinni can only grant their wishes if they've been captured ... and Monster-san is in a rather cage-like box.
My vote is pit fiend. It seems most thematically appropriate as something that Xykon would have summoned as a secret weapon. On the other hand, I suppose it could be something completely unexpected, like a leprechaun or something :o
I am thinking the monster is one of the evil options (referred to as a moron and talking about how it is about time he did something - like there was an expectation that he would work for them). The paladin spent several panels a ways back (forgot which strip - looked it up 654) talking to him about having the power to leave the "vile path".
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Unagi »

Gryndyl wrote:
Zurai wrote:Noble Djinni and standard Efreeti also have wish as spell-like abilities, for the record. Noble Djinni can only grant their wishes if they've been captured ... and Monster-san is in a rather cage-like box.
My vote is pit fiend. It seems most thematically appropriate as something that Xykon would have summoned as a secret weapon. On the other hand, I suppose it could be something completely unexpected, like a leprechaun or something :o
My thought was Kirin
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Padre »

The really interesting thing is precisely how come The Thing in the Darkness is so stupid, if it is one of these creatures, all of whom are meant to have significant Intelligence. Perhaps it is under some kind of magical compulsion (something like Feeblemind, although it's not THAT stupid) presumign for the moment that something managed to overcome both its significant spell resistance and its Will saving throw.

If so... well, imagine an intelligent thing in the dark.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by TiLT »

My theory has for a long time been that the monster in the dark is actually related to the Snarl somehow, either being a part of it or being its child. This would also make the monster extremely important to the overall story beyond just being Xykon's henchman.
Insert witty comment here.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Odin »

Wow, another new one. Rich is on fire. Seems like he's wrapping up another "book."
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Isgrimnur »

Erfworld has been publishing prose summer updates. There are currently four of them, which means (for now) you can start reading here.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by Bakhtosh »

craterus wrote:
wonderpug wrote:Potential foreshadowing in panel 1 of this comic make Wish a very good possibility.
THAT IS AWESOME!
Spoiler:
"Yeah, gee. I don't know why wanting it wasn't enough to make it happen."
"Me neither!"
"I don't know... maybe we can try lava next time? Can you get a lava-breathing shark?"
lol

I have got to go back and read this from the beginning...
In the previous strip, the demon roach at first refuses to take his bet because "We run a legit operation". The roach must know that the "kid" could wish a result.

It's not that the monster is enfeebled. He's repeatedly referred to as "kid" or young - somehow Xykon found a young, possibly newborn demon/devil and has been taking care of it.
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Re: Order of the Stick 634

Post by SpaceLord »

Guess who's back.

Are we approaching the end of a story arc?
They're going to send you back to mother in a cardboard box...
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