The onyx mine

[Asta Kask]

Animate Dead, Create Undead, and Create Greater Undead all require black onyxes. Shouldn't this mean that Xykon and Redcloak have a major onyx mine somewhere in the vicinity of Azure City?

[Hacktor]

Dude... it's a comic. :|

[Asta Kask]

So?

I'm a nerd. I'm fairly anal about things like this.

[rxmd]

So?

I'm a nerd. I'm fairly anal about things like this.

OK, so if you insist on being anal about this, no, it's not strictly necessary. Xykon can always go on the Plane of Elemental Earth to replenish his supplies. Happy now? :smalltongue:

[Cen]

I'm fairly anal

Is this... some kind of idiom in english or what does that mean??

[73 Bits of Lint]

Is this... some kind of idiom in english or what does that mean??
Anal is short for "Anal Retentive," which comes from Freud and his idea about people becoming crazy/annoying because one of their childhood developmental stages was screwed up. Someone who is anal retentive is obsessed with details and very stubborn to the extent that they start to bother the people around them.
Obligatory Wiki Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anal_retentive)

[lindorm]

Is this... some kind of idiom in english or what does that mean??

In this context it's used in the meaning "anal retentive", i.e. pedantic.

*ninjas!*

[Nerdanel]

I think OOTS is like most campaigns where spell components are ignored unless they are very expensive, like diamonds.

I played wizard in a campaign where I might as well have been given Eschew Materials as a bonus feat for all that material components affected me. It was good.

[Lissou]

Is this... some kind of idiom in english or what does that mean??

Yeah, that confused the hell out of me the first time I saw it, too. I was like "Wow, for all their Puritanisms, they don't feel shy about sharing their sexual preferences, do they?".

But as the other two people said before me, that just means obsessed with details, obsessive, annoying about it, stuff like that.

[73 Bits of Lint]

I think OOTS is like most campaigns where spell components are ignored unless they are very expensive, like diamonds.

I played wizard in a campaign where I might as well have been given Eschew Materials as a bonus feat for all that material components affected me. It was good.
Oh, yeah, I meant to link this in my earlier post. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0220.html)
Understandably, big things (like diamonds) do matter, but small material components are just understood to be on hand in whatever quantity is necessary. Most material components don't make a whole lot of sense anyway.
A Wizard's hands are tied, so he uses Still Spell metamagic to cast a Fireball; well how did he reach into his pocket to get the sulphur if his hands were bound? Not to mention the practicality of carrying around a sack of animal feces and body parts (that can't be healthy).

[Random832]

I think OOTS is like most campaigns where spell components are ignored unless they are very expensive, like diamonds.

I played wizard in a campaign where I might as well have been given Eschew Materials as a bonus feat for all that material components affected me. It was good.

You're supposed to track any material components that cost more than 1gp. Even Eschew Materials doesn't get you out of those, though it does significantly reduce the risk involved with the possibility of losing your spell component pouch. Animate Dead costs 25gp (per HD), and Create Undead / Create Greater Undead cost 50.

[Hexen_Hase]

Maybe I've been influenced by recent MiTD theories, but I instantly thought of this (http://media.strategywiki.org/images/c/c1/Pokemon_095Onix.png)

[daggaz]

Yes. Xykon has a rather extensive system of onyx mines as well as hobgoblin colonies and the supportive traderoutes needed to both keep said gobbos alive and to act as conduits of delivery for the necessary stones. Happy now?

[NerfTW]

Dude... it's a comic. :|

Dude, it's a comic based on D&D, where these things have been brought up and mentioned.

Minor material components are ignored. Notice V never goes searching for bat guano for his fireballs.

Also, Xykon is shown animating a zombie in Start of Darkness without even knowing what the spell is, so one assumes Sorcerors are completely exempt from material components.


Yes. Xykon has a rather extensive system of onyx mines as well as hobgoblin colonies and the supportive traderoutes needed to both keep said gobbos alive and to act as conduits of delivery for the necessary stones. Happy now?

Also mentioned in the strip, where Redcloak says they're opening trade routes.

[Ancalagon]

It seems material components are mostly ignored in OotS - as they probably are in most playing rounds. You sometimes make a remark about sulfur and guano when it's cool, but casting usually just happens without them (if they are not extra-costly).