Could Durkon have killed Malack?

[nogall]

I don't remember if this was discussed when oots 874 first came around, but could Durkon have actually killed Malack just after he used the Heal spell?

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html

We obviously know this didn't happen, but what I mean is:

1) he wasn't able to do it because it was Malack's turn and he transformed to the gaseous form; or

2) Durkon could have killed (or tried to), but he lost time trying to make him surrender, or repent.

If 2 is the case (not a D&D player, not sure how this would work), I'm not complaining that this is one of these "good is dumb" things, but I think if so it might mean something in terms of character development in the future. Not sure what though.

[Lvl45DM!]

Probably 1. He cast his spell and doesn't have any Quickened spells that we know of. So Malack got a go.
Note that by D&D vampires even if he got another shot in Malack still wouldn't have died but he would've been forced to retreat to his coffin til he healed

[Vinsfeld]

Knowing that Malack had a way to dispel the Mass Death Ward, I guess Malack would still win. Without the MDW, Durkon would be victim to a Harm spell pretty easily. If, by any chance, Malack didn't dispell MDW, I think Durkon could've won. But no so sure, though.

If Durkon had all his spells, I think he could have.

[rodneyAnonymous]

2) Durkon could have killed (or tried to), but he lost time trying to make him surrender, or repent.

No. Talking is a free action. It wasn't his turn.

[nogall]

Knowing that Malack had a way to dispel the Mass Death Ward, I guess Malack would still win. Without the MDW, Durkon would be victim to a Harm spell pretty easily. If, by any chance, Malack didn't dispell MDW, I think Durkon could've won. But no so sure, though.

If Durkon had all his spells, I think he could have.


Yes, but I was meaning just after he cast Heal. But, as per Lvl45DM!'s reply, that could only happen if Durkon had a quickened spell ready, which was not the case.

[Vinsfeld]

Yes, but I was meaning just after he cast Heal. But, as per Lvl45DM!'s reply, that could only happen if Durkon had a quickened spell ready, which was not the case.

So I guess number 1 is in order. Since, as already said, talking is a free action.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Also, Quickened Spell is a metamagic feat that I don't think Durkon has demonstrated having, anyway.

[Flame of Anor]

Probably 1. He cast his spell and doesn't have any Quickened spells that we know of. So Malack got a go.
Note that by D&D vampires even if he got another shot in Malack still wouldn't have died but he would've been forced to retreat to his coffin til he healed

That's certainly how I understood the action to take place.

[SavageWombat]

TECHNICALLY, we have this:

Durkon casts Heal. If Malack failed, he's down to about 1 HP. Malack goes gaseous and retreats. This provokes an AoO from Durkon, since (as he went gaseous) he can't take a withdraw action, and since Durkon would surely :smallamused: have a magic weapon at this level, he can hit Malack easily for at least one point.

Apparently Durkon lacks a +1 hammer. Poor guy. Too attached to his ancestral equipment.

[factotum]

and since Durkon would surely :smallamused: have a magic weapon at this level, he can hit Malack easily for at least one point.


Actually, he can't--vampires have damage reduction 10/silver and magic, which means the weapon has to be both magical *and* made of silver to punch through it. Yes, it's possible Durkon could do more than 10 damage with a non-silver weapon to deal that final point of damage, but it's considerably harder.

[Silverionmox]

IMO the sensible thing not to endanger his teammates would have been to grab Belkar and run back to the rest of the party. Self-sacrifice is noble and all, but self-sacrifice when fighting a vampire is... strategically unsound.

[Olinser]

IMO the sensible thing not to endanger his teammates would have been to grab Belkar and run back to the rest of the party. Self-sacrifice is noble and all, but self-sacrifice when fighting a vampire is... strategically unsound.

He tried. Then Belkar got Dominated and Durkon had to heal himself - giving Malack enough time to Harm himself. At that point he was back to square one - I assumed that he couldn't run because Malack was hiding in the doorway he'd come in through.

[SavageWombat]

Actually, he can't--vampires have damage reduction 10/silver and magic, which means the weapon has to be both magical *and* made of silver to punch through it. Yes, it's possible Durkon could do more than 10 damage with a non-silver weapon to deal that final point of damage, but it's considerably harder.

Well, that's the thing, see, in gaseous form the DR is only 10/magic. I'm sure most DMs would interpret that he keeps the old DR, but I'm not sure it's in the RAW.

[Chantelune]

And lifting Belkar to get him to safety might have put Durkon over enough encumbrance to prevent him to be able to run fast enough to get to the party before Malack can catch up.

[factotum]

And lifting Belkar to get him to safety might have put Durkon over enough encumbrance to prevent him to be able to run fast enough to get to the party before Malack can catch up.

Pretty sure a dwarf in heavy armour would already not be able to outrun whatever Malack is wearing little or no armour, although I'm not versed enough in the rules to say that for sure...

[Chantelune]

Well, being a dwarf is already putting a damper over his movement rate, but still. Crawling sur is still going forward as Belkar mentioned in the lattest strip, but not you're best move when having a vampire after you. I'm a little fuzzy on the detail, but doesn't be overencumbered means you're flat-footed or something ?

[KillianHawkeye]

Well, dwarves aren't terribly encumbered by heavy loads. At least, their speed doesn't get reduced any further by it.


I'm a little fuzzy on the detail, but doesn't be overencumbered means you're flat-footed or something ?

No, it just limits your Dex bonus to Armor Class in a way similar to armor. Durkon is probably wearing heavy armor already, so he really wouldn't notice much of a difference if he carried a heavy load or not.