HR Search on Macebook: Job Opening for High-Level Cleric

[Finagle]

OOTS now has an opening for a high-level cleric to join them. AFAIK the only two other high level clerics in the world are Evil. The Priest of the 12 Gods is long dead and I don't recall any other high level clerics. Who can join but an ass-pull new character? Am I missing anyone?

I suppose OOTS could go on with only 4 or 5 members, as is modern custom in adventuring parties. Six seems a bit 1st edition, does it not? But what shall they do for a healer? Just use Elan? He can't cast that nifty spell that protects against Xykon's energy drain.

So, put out an ad on Macebook, who replies to be OOTS' new cleric?

[Alaris]

OOTS now has an opening for a high-level cleric to join them. AFAIK the only two other high level clerics in the world are Evil. The Priest of the 12 Gods is long dead and I don't recall any other high level clerics. Who can join but an ass-pull new character? Am I missing anyone?

I suppose OOTS could go on with only 4 or 5 members, as is modern custom in adventuring parties. Six seems a bit 1st edition, does it not? But what shall they do for a healer? Just use Elan? He can't cast that nifty spell that protects against Xykon's energy drain.

So, put out an ad on Macebook, who replies to be OOTS' new cleric?

As stated by several people before, Hilgya (Cleric of Loki) is an option. Albeit an evil option. But less evil than Malak and Redcloak I'd wager.

[SlashDash]

What about the cleric that healed the oracle?

[rodneyAnonymous]

As stated by several people before, Hilgya (Cleric of Loki) is an option. Albeit an evil option. But less evil than Malak and Redcloak I'd wager.

Less evil than Belkar I think.

[Alan_Pehnereas]

Or what if all of Elan's training with healing and curing was actually foreshadowing as to him needing it one day? Maybe Elan can actually take the place of group healer?

[Secris]

If we get a new party member, I'd like to see something other than a normal cleric. I dunno much about the fancy classes, but a Druid might be appropriate. Or even a non-healer... Oooo, can we have a Psion? Please Rich, can we can we? Elan can do the healing, he'll try really hard, I'm sure he will.

[Bird]

There was a joke strip in which a psion joined the Order in SS&DT. ...obviously, it didn't take.

There's the cleric of Loki in Greysky, and Hilgya as others have mentioned, though it would be a big surprise to see either of them as permanent members. Of the two, Hilgya's more likely because of her connection to Durkon.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Order join up with O-Chul and/or Lien for a while. Both of them can heal, though not like Durkon.

Really, though, temporary team-ups aside, I don't expect a new permanent sixth member of the Order. ...whatever permanent means, given the limited length of the strip...

[Mastikator]

Or what if all of Elan's training with healing and curing was actually foreshadowing as to him needing it one day? Maybe Elan can actually take the place of group healer?

Yeah but he won't be able to rez anyone. If they die now, they're gone forever. Only Elan have a happy ending in this, too. And this may be the place where Xykon and Redcloak finally take hold of a gate. An epic battle between the order, team nale and the main villains may be only a dozen strips away.

[Finagle]

So, how many cleric and cleric subtypes do we know, anyway? (http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Characters) I can only find one who's not evil or dead.


Redcloak, evil
Jirix, evil
Malack, evil
Leeky Windstaff, evil
Hilgaya Firehelm, evil (probably)
The cleric of Loki, evil (probably)
Tsukiko, evil and dead
Hurak the High Priest of Thor, dead
Sangwaan, dead
Lirian, dead
Shaman Vurkle

Who else? I got nothing. Mijung Kim? Goblin Cleric #2? Maybe Sir Francois will come back and use his lay on hands?

The High Priest of Odin will doubtless be busy defending his people from death and destruction when Durkon returns, and hence unavailable to join OOTS.

[Needle]

If the Rogue's Guild has it's fairly bit of "strong" characters, and the Loki Priest as a contact, what's stopping any Church from having competent Clerics? Something 13-ish level I guess. Anyways, I find it somewhat unlikely, unless it is a surprise returnee of sorts.

@Finagle, do not forget Jirix, evil on your list :smalltongue:

[snikrept]

Bahh, I bet they'll just give Vamp!Durkon his old job back. Beggars can't be choosers, and their biggest stickler for doing business with Evil Folks just got eliminated!


EDIT: I wonder if Shrewdanker or Ioun Stone Gal is an epic divine caster?
EDIT2: The High Priestess of Ishtar exists (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html), and is presumably opposed to evil, unless Malack killed her for doing that

[Heksefatter]

Hmmm, if we count Shaman Vurgle, who serves Giggles, perhaps Elan could multiclass as a cleric? Didn't he cast call lightning on Roy back in strip no. 80? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0080.html)

Also, said strip was named 'Replacement Cleric' and started with Elan worrying about how the Order would need a new cleric with Durkon gone.

Gentle(wo)men! I believe we have the answer.

[Finagle]

Gentle(wo)men! I believe we have the answer.
Elan is a follower of Banjo the Clown, in order to have any power Banjo needs many more followers. Elan already blew Banjo's chance to get into the Norse Pantheon, maybe the Oriental or Babylonian pantheons will accidentally accept him. Elan's low wisdom does him no favors at clericism.

How capable at healing is an Elan-level bard, anyway? Remembering that some of his levels are in a fighting class.

[Tulya]

Hmmm, if we count Shaman Vurgle, who serves Giggles, perhaps Elan could multiclass as a cleric? Didn't he cast call lightning on Roy back in strip no. 80? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0080.html)

That was an exhibition of the enormous magnitude of Banjo's Divine powers channeled towards smiting a heathen. One follower does not a great Deity make.

Anyway, Bards offer very little beyond some inefficient Curing/Mass Curing as far as substituting for a Divine caster goes. Their greatest aptitude in that domain in Core is their Charisma attribute focus coupled with Use Magic Device as a class skill, something a Rogue is nearly as capable in.

The Order of the Stick needs a real divine caster in their party or they're going to be burning through their wealth-by-level with consumables like nobody's business.

[Roland Itiative]

Hilgya coming back would be great for Durkon's ongoing character development, and the Order will probably go to the dwarven lands next, so it wouldn't come completely out of nowhere.

Plus, I hate to feed what may become an alignment debate, but was she ever confirmed Evil? OotS Loki always seemed more mischievous than evil, anyway.

EDIT: OK, she tried to poison her husband, quite an evil act. Still, she seems "less" evil than most evil characters on the comic, and on the OotS, even.

[hamishspence]

At one point in the Dungeon Crawling Fools commentary, I think it said all the Linear Guild were Evil.

[Heksefatter]

The worship of the orcs has no doubt strengthened the divine hand of Banjo...also, Elan could convert the entire Order to Banjoism in a measure of desperation.

Also, Banjo and his brother Giggles have no doubt formed a pantheon by now.

An alternative is Roy becoming a cleric of Banjo, with Elan serving as the prophet (having a role a bit like the Oracle, who is a holy representative of Tiamat, but not a cleric). Or perhaps Banjo is the only god apart from Nergal who will accept Durkon now?

It also fits with Elan's happy ending. What could be happier for Elan than fully establishing Banjoism?

(Yes, I am sitting here, doing some miserably boring measurements and trying to think up insane stuff in order to stand it. Bear with me.)

[Themrys]

The cleric of Loki who helped them earlier had to be taught by Belkar how to solve his problems with violence.
I'm not sure he's that evil. Just as evil as living in that city makes everyone, I guess.

[Thrax]

I could see Redcloak ending up Order's unlikely ally. If Xykon blows something during fight for the Gate and tries to kill Redcloak, the Order might end up accidentally fighting together with Redcloak against a common enemy. With Durkon gone and Redcloak out of Xykon's favour, they might reluctantly ally for a time.

Or we could get a non-cleric healer. A druid perhaps. Didn't artificers also get healing?

OR. Elan can heal with PUNS.

[Crusher]

I could see Redcloak ending up Order's unlikely ally. If Xykon blows something during fight for the Gate and tries to kill Redcloak, the Order might end up accidentally fighting together with Redcloak against a common enemy. With Durkon gone and Redcloak out of Xykon's favour, they might reluctantly ally for a time.

Or we could get a non-cleric healer. A druid perhaps. Didn't artificers also get healing?

OR. Elan can heal with PUNS.

Nah. I guess in theory its possible Xykon could do something so bad that Redcloak would leave him, but Xykon's done some pretty bad things to him and his family already and Redcloak continues sticking it out (He's had some character growth since then but Redcloak has *really* put up with a lot from Xykon over the years).

The real issue is that while Xykon can certainly torture Redcloak into sticking around (by, say, threatening to burn Gobbotopia to the ground) he can't actually afford to kill Redcloak since he knows Redcloak's the only one who knows how the ritual works. He at least thought that he almost got around that with Tsukiko (though its sort of doubtful it actually would have worked), but now that she's toast Xykon doesn't have any other options (that we know about yet, anyway).

[Crusher]

I could see Redcloak ending up Order's unlikely ally. If Xykon blows something during fight for the Gate and tries to kill Redcloak, the Order might end up accidentally fighting together with Redcloak against a common enemy. With Durkon gone and Redcloak out of Xykon's favour, they might reluctantly ally for a time.

Or we could get a non-cleric healer. A druid perhaps. Didn't artificers also get healing?

OR. Elan can heal with PUNS.

Nah. I guess in theory its possible Xykon could do something so bad that Redcloak would leave him, but Xykon's done some pretty bad things to him and his family already and Redcloak continues sticking it out (He's had some character growth since then but Redcloak has *really* put up with a lot from Xykon over the years).

The real issue is that while Xykon can certainly torture Redcloak into sticking around (by, say, threatening to burn Gobbotopia to the ground) he can't actually afford to kill Redcloak since he knows Redcloak's the only one who knows how the ritual works. He almost got around that with Tsukiko, but now that she's toast Xykon doesn't have any other options (that we know about yet, anyway).

Edit - Also, I'm pretty sure Roy would prefer to just die rather than be pun-healed by Elan, if that was even possible.

[Feddlefew]

I was thinking either Malack is going to die (again) before the Order sets off for the last gate, freeing Durkon to rejoin the party, or the threat of an epic level sorcerer-lich and a high level cleric suddenly showing up on the EoB's doorstep would cause Malack to send Durkon to help the order.

[Thrax]

Edit - Also, I'm pretty sure Roy would prefer to just die rather than be pun-healed by Elan, if that was even possible.

Hey, you never know the full arsenal of a Dashing Swordsman.

[pendell]

I'm thinking a sufficiently high-leveled Paladin in the party could fill both the priest and fighter slots. O-chul, perhaps, or Lien. I don't think Hinjo will do because he's the king of Azure City in Exile. His responsibilities as a ruler preclude adventuring.

Respectfully,


Brian P.

[snikrept]

O-chul is an interesting case. He's mostly made of fighter levels IIRC. Have we ever seen him casting spells? I can't recall even seeing a lay on hands from him. Maybe I've forgotten.

[gorocz]

The real issue is that while Xykon can certainly torture Redcloak into sticking around (by, say, threatening to burn Gobbotopia to the ground) he can't actually afford to kill Redcloak since he knows Redcloak's the only one who knows how the ritual works. He almost got around that with Tsukiko, but now that she's toast Xykon doesn't have any other options (that we know about yet, anyway).

Third panel from the end. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0662.html) Xykon knows that the ritual isn't something RC came up with, but that it's part of the Crimson Mantle's knowledge.


O-chul is an interesting case. He's mostly made of fighter levels IIRC. Have we ever seen him casting spells? I can't recall even seeing a lay on hands from him. Maybe I've forgotten.

Since Charisma is his dump stat (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0545.html), he probably can't cast Lay on Hands (needs 12 Cha). Paladins cast spell through Wisdom though and we don't know anything about how high his Wis is or if he even has a 4th level of Paladin (we only know he has at least 3, for sure). (The Class Level and Geekery thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253978) is your friend :smallwink:)

[ReaderAt2046]

O-chul is an interesting case. He's mostly made of fighter levels IIRC. Have we ever seen him casting spells? I can't recall even seeing a lay on hands from him. Maybe I've forgotten.

You need at least Cha 12 to use Lay On Hands, and I'm pretty sure O-chul has a Cha penalty. Paladin spells, on the other hand, are based on Wisdom, which he probably has at least a bit of.

[Tetsujin-28]

On the subject of Hilgya, while she is Evil, it's entirely possible that Durkon's chewing out could have caused her to reform and become Good or Neutral. It would fit with Durkon becoming Evil.

[Toy Killer]

Honestly, I was thinking somehow or another, with V being all emotionally distraught (and possibly possessed at any given point in time), along with the missing cleric, The Order may need to swing low just to patch up the loose ends in their party...

How fitting that two disgruntled ex-linear guild members (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0399.html) (last panel) happen to be free (as far as the plot's concerned...) with no interest in working with Nale any longer...

[NerdyKris]

OOTS now has an opening for a high-level cleric to join them. AFAIK the only two other high level clerics in the world are Evil. The Priest of the 12 Gods is long dead and I don't recall any other high level clerics. Who can join but an ass-pull new character? Am I missing anyone?

I suppose OOTS could go on with only 4 or 5 members, as is modern custom in adventuring parties. Six seems a bit 1st edition, does it not? But what shall they do for a healer? Just use Elan? He can't cast that nifty spell that protects against Xykon's energy drain.

So, put out an ad on Macebook, who replies to be OOTS' new cleric?

I think you're confusing Order of the Stick the story with a game session. It's not. There's no reason for them to go find a replacement for Durkon any more than they went off to find a replacement for Roy. This strip isn't about the perfectly optimized party. It's about these five characters and their struggles.

Also, it's not like they're going to just say "Oh well, bye old friend". Of course not. They're going to try to rescue him. Not replace him because he's nothing more than a heal bot.

[pendell]

They may desire dearly to rescue Durkon, but it isn't going to happen immediately. It is very likely they will have to start the next adventure without him, and while the party can do without a meatshield they MUST have a source of healing. So I would expect them to call Kelly Temporary Adventurers even if they aren't looking for a full-time replacement.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Quackenbush]

So, how many cleric and cleric subtypes do we know, anyway? (http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Characters) I can only find one who's not evil or dead.


Redcloak, evil
Jirix, evil
Malack, evil
Leeky Windstaff, evil
Hilgaya Firehelm, evil (probably)
The cleric of Loki, evil (probably)
Tsukiko, evil and dead
Hurak the High Priest of Thor, dead
Sangwaan, dead
Lirian, dead
Shaman Vurkle

Who else? I got nothing. Mijung Kim? Goblin Cleric #2? Maybe Sir Francois will come back and use his lay on hands?


Oh my gosh, it would be so awesome if Shaman Vurkle joined the Order. PRobably not permanently though, just for one arc.

[rodneyAnonymous]

This strip isn't about the perfectly optimized party. It's about these five characters and their struggles.

Even completely in-character, no metagaming at all, the Order would probably recognize that it needs a primary divine caster. Tarquin does (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0822.html), though I'm not sure about the "no metagaming" caveat there.