Vampiric Gaze

[JackRackham]

I only just realized that the Linear Guild, assuming Malack rejoins them, now have two members with an at-will gaze attack. The remaining members of the order, as pointed out in this last strip, are all vulnerable - with the possible exception of Vaarsuvius (who's low on hp with no healing in sight) and Elan, who's unlikely so solo anyone but Nale, let alone the entire LG.

I mean, I realized before Durkon was even officially vamped that the order is now in no shape to fight, but this kind of takes it to another level.

[factotum]

I'd expect Roy to have a higher than average Will save due to his high mental stats, and the effective caster level of the vampire's gaze is 12, so he probably might have a chance of resisting it. The others, not so much, and Belkar + Elan + Haley versus Roy wouldn't be a great fight.

[Silverionmox]

Assuming that eye contact is necessary to make the gaze work, blindfolds could be useful. Then again, the huge penalty for blindfighting makes that a desperate measure at best, and suicide when fighting more than one strong vampire anyway. Especially when that one vampire has a grapple attack that he can use blindly without much problems. Once you've grappled someone, you don't need eyes to find the throat.

[JackRackham]

I'd expect Roy to have a higher than average Will save due to his high mental stats, and the effective caster level of the vampire's gaze is 12, so he probably might have a chance of resisting it. The others, not so much, and Belkar + Elan + Haley versus Roy wouldn't be a great fight.

His class gets poor will saves. Unless he's taken some particular, very sub-optimal feats to compensate, he does not have a good will save, though I suppose Durkon's gaze attack won't be the strongest in the world.

[quasit]

There's a middle ground between going blindfolded (hard even with blind-fight feat) and rolling a will save every turn or so. Just avoid making eye contact, rules-wise, grants concealment (50% miss chance) from gaze attacks. The vampires will get a bit of concealement in return, thought.
The point is, do the order know beforehand how dominating gaze works or they'd need to figure it out ?

[factotum]

His class gets poor will saves. Unless he's taken some particular, very sub-optimal feats to compensate, he does not have a good will save

Please point out to me where I said he had a *good* Will save. I said he had a higher than average one--this obviously meant higher than average for a fighter, not higher than average for, say, a Cleric.

[ghoul-n]

Durkon's gaze attack

Somehow I'm suddenly all refreshed and have no desire to sleep at all, no sir.

[dps]

His class gets poor will saves. Unless he's taken some particular, very sub-optimal feats to compensate, he does not have a good will save, though I suppose Durkon's gaze attack won't be the strongest in the world.

Given how the Giant tends to write the comic, the characterization of Roy as a reasonably strong-willed person would probably trump his will save derived from his stats and class.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Given how the Giant tends to write the comic, the characterization of Roy as a reasonably strong-willed person would probably trump his will save derived from his stats and class.


He'd use something other than his will save to determine his will save? I doubt it. That is academic, though... success or failure does not depend on a die roll, anyway, I don't think. Someone with a poor save might succeed anyway, if the plot requires it. Even someone with a really terrible save facing a high-DC effect might "get a natural 20".

[gorocz]

Given how the Giant tends to write the comic, the characterization of Roy as a reasonably strong-willed person would probably trump his will save derived from his stats and class.

Exactly. Class save progression is a nice thing when it comes to playing a game. Comic-wise, it'd probably be used as a story element once if it is convenient, but certainly not as a rule when it doesn't make sense from a personality point of view. In such cases, I'd say that good ability score trumps bad class save.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Also remember that Roy's Wisdom score is high enough that a deva asked why he hadn't become a cleric. If that's not a recipe for a decent Will save, what is?

[theinsulabot]

Oddly enough some people on the board insist on strict adherence to DnD principles even when there is direct in comic evidence to the contrary.


Its really weird.

[Lecan]

I'd expect Roy to have a higher than average Will save due to his high mental stats, and the effective caster level of the vampire's gaze is 12, so he probably might have a chance of resisting it. The others, not so much, and Belkar + Elan + Haley versus Roy wouldn't be a great fight.

Durkon concurred. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html)