Class based Jokes

[Orzel]

Between the Order, the Guild, and a few self insertions, we've seen a character of each base class of the 3.5 edition with enough screen time for class based funnies, right?

Right?

[Jaros]

Ummm, yes?

Haven't really seen a non-multiclass Monk though.

So what's this thread about?

[KillianHawkeye]

No. There are a LOT of base classes in 3.5 edition D&D. I can't remember seeing any Spellthiefs or Hexblades or Knights or Swashbucklers or Warlocks or Scouts or Warmages or Psychic Warriors or Wilders or Soulknifes or Shugenjas or Wu Jen or Marshalls or Dragon Shamans or Dragonfire Adepts or Factoti, etc.


So what's this thread about?

Yeah, this. What kind of funnies are you wishing for exactly?

[Hironomus]

No. There are a LOT of base classes in 3.5 edition D&D. I can't remember seeing any Spellthiefs or Hexblades or Knights or Swashbucklers or Warlocks or Scouts or Warmages or Psychic Warriors or Wilders or Soulknifes or Shugenjas or Wu Jen or Marshalls or Dragon Shamans or Dragonfire Adepts or Factoti, etc.



Yeah, this. What kind of funnies are you wishing for exactly?

Not saying I understand the purpose of this thread or anything but I believe he meant core when he said base. Also lots of those classes you mentioned have appeared. Some of them only speculated, others actually named in other books like snips snails and dragon tails.

[Pheldagriff]

Ummm, yes?

Haven't really seen a non-multiclass Monk though.

there was one in "on the Origins of the PCs"
belkar made fun about the general concept of a monk, spending thousands of feats to fight unarmed almost as good as someone with a weapon. why not just pick up a weapon. the monk ran away in tears, seeing the futility of his character build.

[sparkyinbozo]

No. There are a LOT of base classes in 3.5 edition D&D. I can't remember seeing any Spellthiefs or Hexblades or Knights or Swashbucklers or Warlocks or Scouts or Warmages or Psychic Warriors or Wilders or Soulknifes or Shugenjas or Wu Jen or Marshalls or Dragon Shamans or Dragonfire Adepts or Factoti, etc.

There were warlocks and soulknives here: 730 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0730.html).

[Orzel]

So what's this thread about?

It's about the appearances of the D&D classes. Did a member of each class appear in the comic long enough to get a joke in about their class features.

As the OotS is a fighter, rogue, cleric, wizard, bard, and "ranger"/barbarian, we have been gifted with jokes about these seven classes. What about the others? Have the others received their class specific jokes? I know Miko gave us some monk and paladin. Leeky's short stay provided a druid joke or three. Did when ever really get a sorcerer joke?

[Xapi]

It's about the appearances of the D&D classes. Did a member of each class appear in the comic long enough to get a joke in about their class features.

As the OotS is a fighter, rogue, cleric, wizard, bard, and "ranger"/barbarian, we have been gifted with jokes about these seven classes. What about the others? Have the others received their class specific jokes? Just wondering.

The list is from the SRD. I'll write down character whom I recall having jokes made about their abilities or the class cliches.

Barbarian: Thog
Bard: Elan
Cleric: Durkon
Druid: The LG Druid that summoned the treants and then shapeshifted into a Werewolf in Cliffport.
Fighter: Roy
Monk: One in otOoPCs
Paladin: Miko
Ranger: Belkar
Rogue: Haley
Sorcerer: Xykon (I think jokes about his abilities are mostly on SoD though)
Wizard: V

Prestige classes:

Arcane Archer: Nope
Arcane Trickster: Not that I recall
Archmage: Not that I recall
Assassin: Crystal
Blackguard: No, but comments/jokes about the class were made by Sabine Re: Miko's fall.
Dragon Disciple: Not that I recall
Duelist: Nope
Dwarven Defender: Nope
Eldritch Knight: Rings a bell, but I don't think so.
Hierophant: Nope
Horizon Walker: Nope
Loremaster: Nope
Mystic Theurge: Tsukiko
Shadowdancer: I think not
Thaumaturgist: Nope

[Xapi]

Also:

NPC Classes
Adept: Not that I recall.
Aristocrat: Shojo? Was there a joke on this?
Commoner: Evisceratus
Expert: The Oracle. Or was he an Adept?
Warrior: Rings a bell, but I can't put my finger on it.

[LadyFoxfire]

Arcane Trickster: Chuck (balding thief who got owned by Mr. Scruffy in strip 611) was working on qualifying for this class in Origins.
Shadowdancer: the assassin from the inn says in strip 229 that he's a shadowdancer, which led to the joke about there being no shadows due to the art style.
Aristocrat: Shojo, per strip 289, is a 14th level aristocrat, which makes Roy feel dirty inside.

[Morty]

Warrior: Rings a bell, but I can't put my finger on it.

Chief from the Cliffport police was a 6th level warrior. Presumably, all the policemen as well as the Empire of Blood mooks are warriors as well.

[Gift Jeraff]

Archmage: Fyron and Jephton were archmages, but no jokes were made.
Duelist: Yokyok is assumed to be one, but no jokes were made.
Horizon Walker: I swear I remember a joke about taking a level in it, but I could be wrong.
Thaumaturgist: Elan apparently made a great pun about thaumaturgy that the giant devil didn't hear. Thaumaturgy pretty much just means "magic" in pop culture, but the D&D prestige class focuses on summoning Outsiders so I assume that's what Elan was referring to.

There were at least 3 jokes about sorcerers in the online strip: Haley considers it an insult to say she looks like a sorceress, Roy calls sorcerers dummies when being taught Horace's mageslaying feat thingy, and the divorce papers guy uses it as a way to try to provoke V.

[Zherog]

There were at least 3 jokes about sorcerers in the online strip: Haley considers it an insult to say she looks like a sorceress, Roy calls sorcerers dummies when being taught Horace's mageslaying feat thingy, and the divorce papers guy uses it as a way to try to provoke V.

Wasn't Samantha a sorcerer? (I'm old and my memory regularly fails me...)

[Agnostik]

And V really doesn't like to be mistaken for a warlock, as I recall. :smallwink:

[Xapi]

Chief from the Cliffport police was a 6th level warrior. Presumably, all the policemen as well as the Empire of Blood mooks are warriors as well.

But was there a joke about it?

Anyway, updated list:

Barbarian: Thog
Bard: Elan
Cleric: Durkon
Druid: The LG Druid that summoned the treants and then shapeshifted into a Werewolf in Cliffport.
Fighter: Roy
Monk: One in otOoPCs
Paladin: Miko
Ranger: Belkar
Rogue: Haley
Sorcerer: Xykon in SoD. Also various jokes made in the online comic without an actual character of the class present.
Wizard: V

Prestige classes:

Arcane Archer: Nope
Arcane Trickster: Chuck from the Thieve's Guild on otOoPCs.
Archmage: Two characters, Fyron and Jepton, but no jokes.
Assassin: Crystal
Blackguard: No characters, but comments/jokes about the class were made by Sabine Re: Miko's fall.
Dragon Disciple: Not that I recall
Duelist: Nope. YokYok might be one, so there possibly was a character, but no jokes.
Dwarven Defender: Nope
Eldritch Knight: Rings a bell, but I don't think so.
Hierophant: Nope
Horizon Walker: Not that I recall
Loremaster: Nope
Mystic Theurge: Tsukiko
Shadowdancer: Assasin from strip 229
Thaumaturgist: Nope (Elan's unheard pun doesn't count, I think)

NPC Classes
Adept: Not that I recall.
Aristocrat: Shojo
Commoner: Evisceratus
Expert: The Oracle.
Warrior: Chief of Cliffport, but no jokes about it.

[JCarter426]

No. There are a LOT of base classes in 3.5 edition D&D. I can't remember seeing any Spellthiefs or Hexblades or Knights or Swashbucklers or Warlocks or Scouts or Warmages or Psychic Warriors or Wilders or Soulknifes or Shugenjas or Wu Jen or Marshalls or Dragon Shamans or Dragonfire Adepts or Factoti, etc.
There was one Spellthief. One of the interns in a Snips, Snails, and Dragon Tales strip. I think it was a bonus strip.

[Dr. Gamera]

Druid: The LG Druid that summoned the treants and then shapeshifted into a Werewolf in Cliffport.

Leeky Windstaff, named in his first appearance in A Walk in the Park (#344) (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0344.html). His Wild Shape form appears to have been a dire bear, not a werewolf (which would be ineligible for Wild Shape).

[Dr. Gamera]

Wasn't Samantha a sorcerer? (I'm old and my memory regularly fails me...)

"Technically, a sorceress." (Per Wolverine, Eat Your Heart Out (#166) (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0166.html).)

Both that strip and Running on Empty (#168) (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0168.html) have jokes related to her class.

[Dr. Gamera]

Archmage: Two characters, Fyron and Jepton, but no jokes.

There are archmage jokes when Jephton the Unholy is introduced in Where Do You See Yourself in Five Million Years? (#633) (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html).

[Xapi]

There are archmage jokes when Jephton the Unholy is introduced in Where Do You See Yourself in Five Million Years? (#633) (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html).

I figured that was more of a Sorcerer joke. Care to elaborate?

[Dr. Gamera]

I figured that was more of a Sorcerer joke. Care to elaborate?

It certainly could be just a Sorcerer joke, but "master of arcane flexibility" combined with "I don't need to prepare spell slots!" suggests Arcane Fire and Mastery of Elements to me. Not unambiguously, though, I concede.

[Jaros]

It certainly could be just a Sorcerer joke, but "master of arcane flexibility" combined with "I don't need to prepare spell slots!" suggests Arcane Fire and Mastery of Elements to me. Not unambiguously, though, I concede.

Nah, I definitely saw those two as simply pointing out his advantage to V: spontaneous casting.

[Xapi]

Nah, I definitely saw those two as simply pointing out his advantage to V: spontaneous casting.

Yeah, and that comes from having Sorcerer as a Base Class, not for the Archmage part.

[Dr. Gamera]

Much of my reaction is based on what a vanilla 3.5 sorcerer, as opposed to a sorcerer/archmage, is like: the same darn spells over and over and over again. That's not what I think of when I read "arcane flexibility".

[Jasdoif]

Much of my reaction is based on what a vanilla 3.5 sorcerer, as opposed to a sorcerer/archmage, is like: the same darn spells over and over and over again. That's not what I think of when I read "arcane flexibility".Here's the thing: there's no limit on the number of epic spells known. An epic sorcerer (or other spontaneous caster) can cast any epic spell known with any epic spell slot available; a prepared caster like a wizard has to choose which epic spell to prepare in each epic spell slot. If that wizard knows more spells than he has slots, he has to pick which ones he wants to be able to use that day (and how many times); the sorcerer doesn't have that restriction.

[Jaros]

Well there's two ways you can look at flexibility in this sense. Sure, Wizards have a larger selection of spells to choose from, but for a single day, that wide selection is only an issue at the start. A sorcerer, conversely, can choose from any of her known spells throughout that day, should an event call for e different approach, or something wholly unplanned for happens (and of course the more spells they know, the more flexible they become).

It would often be easier (comparatively) to ambush a Wizard than a Sorcerer.

[Dr. Gamera]

Here's the thing: there's no limit on the number of epic spells known. An epic sorcerer (or other spontaneous caster) can cast any epic spell known with any epic spell slot available; a prepared caster like a wizard has to choose which epic spell to prepare in each epic spell slot. If that wizard knows more spells than he has slots, he has to pick which ones he wants to be able to use that day (and how many times); the sorcerer doesn't have that restriction.

That's a fair point; I've never played an epic-level sorcerer -- only from levels 1 to 18 or so, I think.

[Dr. Gamera]

A sorcerer, conversely, can choose from any of her known spells throughout that day, should an event call for e different approach, or something wholly unplanned for happens (and of course the more spells they know, the more flexible they become).

Sure -- but sorcerers never know very many spells, especially since many lower-level spells aren't useful against tougher opponents. So level-appropriate combat encounters often seem to break down into "I cast Disintegrate -- yet again..."

[Jaros]

Sure -- but sorcerers never know very many spells, especially since many lower-level spells aren't useful against tougher opponents. So level-appropriate combat encounters often seem to break down into "I cast Disintegrate -- yet again..."

True, but in a single one-hour period (after the Wizard has prepared their spells), I'd argue the Sorcerer is more flexible as they have more spells to choose from. What if the Wizard prepared for crowd control only to face a single spellcaster? Of course on a longer basis a Wizard would be more flexible, and especially more useful if they know they're up against in advance, so it just depends in what frame you're talking about.

[KillianHawkeye]

I guess I should have mentioned that I haven't read any of the offline books yet (although I will soon thanks to Kickstarter :smallbiggrin:).

And yeah, I forgot about the warlock and the soulknife in the bar fight scene. That's what I get for going off of memory.

[Dr. Gamera]

True, but in a single one-hour period (after the Wizard has prepared their spells), I'd argue the Sorcerer is more flexible as they have more spells to choose from.

A wizard typically has at least as many different spells to choose from as a sorcerer of the same level (comparing wizard spells prepared versus sorcerer spells known). In particular, a base wizard with intelligence 14 or higher can always prepare at least as many different spells as a sorcerer knows at each spell level (except cantrips), and always more at spell levels 6 and higher (and always more at spell levels 3 and higher for which the wizard's intelligence score is high enough to get bonus spells, and always more at spell levels 1 and higher for which the wizard's intelligence is high enough to get two or more bonus spells.)

The sorcerer is the master of cantrip flexibility, though.

[Hironomus]

Isn't Hank from the theives guild an arcane trickster?

Also for those of you who read snips snails and dragon tails. What class was the other intern? The one with all the blue related abilities?

Oh and lets not forget Psteve

[Tulya]

The kind of superior "Arcane Flexibility" of the Sorcerer referred to is embodied in situations like this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0397.html). There are common spells to both typical Sorcerer and Wizard builds that have a decent probability of relevancy to the situation at any given time. Wizards have to pick and choose how many times they want to prepare any of those spells, and run the risk of being underprepared for the actual scenarios that arise during an adventuring day. Sorcerers will pretty much never be short of those core spells.

It's not the best choice of words, though. The wizard has its own kind of powerful 'arcane flexibility' with its ability to completely transform its list of spells for the day each and every day.

[ThatQuietGuy]

See, now at the phrase "master of arcane flexibility" my mind went immediately to Arcane Reach (which lets you cast touch spells at up to 30 feet), Mastery of Elements (which allows you to cast any elemental spell as a different element), and Mastery of Shaping (which lets you poke holes in your AoEs, usually to keep your allies safe). So I don't know that I would consider it a joke, but I did definitely think it was a reference to the Archmage portion of his classlist. Then again, maybe he just created spells that helped him become a contortionist...

[JCarter426]

Also for those of you who read snips snails and dragon tails. What class was the other intern? The one with all the blue related abilities?
Soulborn, I think.

[Hironomus]

I found another class related joke whilst reading just now. This was in 748.

Belkar Bitterleaf
Come on Roy, What the hell? I've seen more competent battle moves from a hexblade.
Don't think there are actually any hexblades in the comic but still.

[ti'esar]

I found another class related joke whilst reading just now. This was in 748.

Don't think there are actually any hexblades in the comic but still.

Seems like there's a lot of jokes at the expense of non-core classes - V flying off the handle at being called a warlock, Redcloak going with fortune cookies and a magic 8-ball over an 18th-level Incarnum user, the unhappy fate of Psteve...

[Skyrunner]

@The archmage joke (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html) - I first thought it was about being a sorcerer, but the archmage explanation fits too, especially since the archmage apparently needs to sacrifice spell slots for their abilities - hence "I don't need to prepare spell slots!" because he has none left... though its most probably a sorcerer joke.

[JCarter426]

Seems like there's a lot of jokes at the expense of non-core classes - V flying off the handle at being called a warlock, Redcloak going with fortune cookies and a magic 8-ball over an 18th-level Incarnum user, the unhappy fate of Psteve...
The two interns were specifically from a community college, as well.

[Agnostik]

Isn't Hank from the theives guild an arcane trickster?No, the balding guy is an arcane trickster. He casts a sneak attack acid arrow on Belkar. For all we know, Hank is just a rogue.

[Hironomus]

No, the balding guy is an arcane trickster. He casts a sneak attack acid arrow on Belkar. For all we know, Hank is just a rogue.

Hmm could have sworn there was some reference to Hank being an arcane trickster somewhere in the online comic. Oh well guess I'm wrong.

[ti'esar]

No, the balding guy is an arcane trickster. He casts a sneak attack acid arrow on Belkar. For all we know, Hank is just a rogue.

Technically, all we know about the balding guy is that he was a rogue/caster combo of some kind.

[Agnostik]

Hmm could have sworn there was some reference to Hank being an arcane trickster somewhere in the online comic. Oh well guess I'm wrong.Yes, I thought so at first too. Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0581.html) is the strip where we learn there is an arcane trickster in the Guild, and Hank is shown in the same frame, which is why I also thought Haley was referring to him. And in this strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0611.html) the balding guy casts arcane spells. Not saying that he is necessarily the trickster in question, but it would be natural if he was. Hank never casts anything or even fights, so only Rich knows his class.

It wouldn't be weird if Hank was an arcane trickster, he certainly has the INT for it. Hank is cool. :smallredface:

[Hironomus]

Yes, I thought so at first too. Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0581.html) is the strip where we learn there is an arcane trickster in the Guild, and Hank is shown in the same frame, which is why I also thought Haley was referring to him. And in this strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0611.html) the balding guy casts arcane spells. Not saying that he is necessarily the trickster in question, but it would be natural if he was. Hank never casts anything or even fights, so only Rich knows his class.

It wouldn't be weird if Hank was an arcane trickster, he certainly has the INT for it. Hank is cool. :smallredface:

Ah yes. That is definitely where my confusion came from. However since to my knowledge we still haven't seen the guild trickster I am probably just going to continue thinking of Hank as an arcane trickster. Because you are right, he is pretty cool.


Technically, all we know about the balding guy is that he was a rogue/caster combo of some kind.

I haven't read it but in OtOoPCs there was apparently a thieves guild member (possibly the balding guy?) trying to qualify for that class. I suppose its possible he actually did take levels in it by DStP but Haley's knowledge of the trickster would indicate otherwise. It also kind of makes me feel like its a high profile member (Hank) even more.

[Gift Jeraff]

Chuck (the balding guy) tells Haley he's only 2 levels away from qualifying for Arcane Trickster at the beginning of Origins.

[Dr. Gamera]

No specific class among Incarnate/Soulborn/Totemist, but all three as a group are briefly joked about in O-Chul's Razor (#546) (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0546.html).

[KillianHawkeye]

@The archmage joke (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html) - I first thought it was about being a sorcerer, but the archmage explanation fits too, especially since the archmage apparently needs to sacrifice spell slots for their abilities - hence "I don't need to prepare spell slots!" because he has none left... though its most probably a sorcerer joke.

An archmage can't possibly sacrifice all the spell slots that a sorcerer gets (they get a lot). The fact that they don't have to prepare their spells in advance is the trademark ability of the sorcerer and has nothing to do with archmages.

[kickassfrog]

Wasn't Samantha a sorcerer? (I'm old and my memory regularly fails me...)

Yeah, but you would think at least Xykon would get in a good joke or two about being a sorcerer.

[ti'esar]

Yeah, but you would think at least Xykon would get in a good joke or two about being a sorcerer.

Being a sorcerer is a major part of Xykon's personality - there just aren't (m)any jokes about it, mainly because it seems to be one of the few things he really takes seriously.

[Elfinor]

No. There are a LOT of base classes in 3.5 edition D&D. I can't remember seeing any Spellthiefs or Hexblades or Knights or Swashbucklers or Warlocks or Scouts or Warmages or Psychic Warriors or Wilders or Soulknifes or Shugenjas or Wu Jen or Marshalls or Dragon Shamans or Dragonfire Adepts or Factoti, etc. There is also a Hexblade joke (though no actual Hexblade) in Comic 748: Top of the List (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0748.html)

[Raimun]

Fyron Pucebuckle (Eugene's master) is mentioned to be an archmage in Start of Darkness.

I would suspect Aarindarius and Dorukan are also archmages but it's never been confirmed.

Fyron was kind of funny because he seemed to be more down to earth than you'd expect an archmage to be.

Aarindarius is imagined by V to be powerful enough to fight old and powerful dragons while reading a book.

Dorukan designed his epic spell Cloister with booty calls in mind.

[ti'esar]

Although it's not clear whether that means they have the prestige class, or simply "archmage" as a title.

[Xapi]

Yeah, but you would think at least Xykon would get in a good joke or two about being a sorcerer.

There are plenty in SoD, IIRC.