View Full Version : Index The Annotated Order of the Stick - A Companion Guide
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 05:36 PM
- The Annotated Order of the Stick -
A Companion Guide
This project is an effort to point out details the casual reader might overlook or not understand. Everything from references to Dungeons and Dragons (D & D), to in-comic event references, or even references to real life things. We'll also point out repeated gags and plot elements, so that when you follow along, you can enjoy the Order of the Stick story to the fullest! Due to these facts, rest assured - this project contains spoilers!
Please know that this project has no plans to leave this website in any type of coding project, or for contribution to the Order of the Stick Wiki. However if you wish to input things you notice on the wiki that this project is missing, or visa versa, please do!
How to Contribute:
Any help you'd care to give to this thread to make it more successful is welcome! However, there are a few things we ask you do before submitting!
Please check the update list to make sure your contribution hasn't already been listed.
Many things are in the comic that I haven't referenced yet. If you don't understand something in-comic, and don't see it here: Let me know!
If you see something that's missing, please post at least a link to the update in question, so that I can quickly reference it. Feel free to set up your own annotations to be added to the list, following my format.
In-comic Spelling and Art errors are not notable contributions. Please don't suggest them.
However MY errors in the Annotation, whether by faulty links, misspellings, or confusing terminology, please let me know so I can make the changes! I don't mind the critque.
Theories and unconfirmed material will not be added, to ensure the accuracy of the thread.
Please refrain from debating any moral details within the comic here, we are not interested in what is Good or Evil, but rather what is Accurate or Not, and I would prefer not getting this thread locked by such conversation.
Isn't this just like the "Things I Haven't Noticed" threads or the "Joke I Didn't Get" threads?
While there are some similarities, those threads have different missions than ours. Many of the details in the annotations have been gleaned from these threads, but ultimately, this thread is farther reaching.
-
Why do you have "X", but not "Y"?
Some things are more notable than others. While the ale at the bar's color might not matter too much, it's neat to note that Azurite Wine is blue, or the Empire of Blood's Wine is red. If it doesn't seem notable enough, go ahead and say so, and I'll take it under consideration. If there's something you think IS notable enough, say so. This is an on going project so your contributions are appreciated!
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Why don't you have a section for Start of Darkness, On the Origin of PC's, and so on?
Until I purchase the extra books, I'm refraining from doing any of the prequels unless they are being referenced in the actual comic, because I can't link them as I can the updates, and I can't review the information without having the hard copy. Therefore, while I encourage these contributions, I'll be putting this in the work post. I plan on purchasing both the prequel OotS books at some point soon, but I'm a little low on funds currently.
Abreviations:
There are 6 classic types of dice required to play D&D:
d4 (4 sided)
d6 (6 sided)
d8 (8 sided)
d10 (10 sided)
d12 (12 sided)
d20 (20 sided)
CP - Copper Pieces
SP - Silver Pieces
GP - Gold Pieces
PP - Platinum Pieces
HP - Hit Points
AC - Armor Class
XP - Experience Points
AoO - Attack of Opportunity
ECL - Equivalent Character Level
WBL - Wealth By Level
STR - Strength Ability
DEX - Dexterity Ability
CON - Constitution Ability
INT - Intelligence Ability
WIS - Wisdom Ability
CHA - Charisma Ability
Experience Points (XP): XP is typically awarded the characters at the completion of a major adventure milestone. When enough XP has been gained, the character goes up a level, much to the delight of the character's player as the character becomes more powerful. XPs are also awarded for defeating monsters.
Attack of Opportunity (AoO): In D&D, when a character drops his defenses due to being busy with something that requires a mental effort, such as spellcasting, ennemies close to him get a free attack.
Equivalent Character Level (ECL): ECL is a characteristic of some monster races, which have more inherent power as humans. In order to make for a balanced party when such races are played, players have to add their race's ECL + their class level to calculate their total level. Other players not using a powerful race will thus need to have a higher class levels for thing to be about equal in character power.
Wealth by Level (WBL): This is a rule that says how much wealth (including magic items) a NPC of a given level is supposed to own. It's a tool for the DM to balance fights, and loot.
Abilities: To create a character in D&D, the players usually roll six ability scores, and assign them to Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma in the order they wish.
Saving Throws: A Saving Throw (or Save for short) is a roll to determine if a creature is affected by some magical or other effect. There are 3 types of Saving Throws: Will (for mind-related effects), Fortitude for health-related effects) and Reflex (for effects that can be defended against with a fast reaction).
Skills:
Suggestions for this section are welcome!
Annotation Index
Reoccurring Gags and Work Space
-
Strips 0001 - 0100 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143841&postcount=3)
Strips 0101 - 0200 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143852&postcount=4)
Strips 0201 - 0300 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143864&postcount=5)
Strips 0301 - 0400 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16144202&postcount=9)
Strips 0401 - 0500 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16144723&postcount=14)
Strips 0501 - 0600 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16144999&postcount=17)
Strips 0601 - 0700 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16147098&postcount=24)
Strips 0701 - 0800 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16147312&postcount=26)
Strips 0801 - 0900 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16151761&postcount=29)
Strips 0901 - 1000 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16170266&postcount=42)
Strips 1001 - 1100 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16172579&postcount=44)
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 05:38 PM
Reoccurring Gags:
Book Titles –
'Start of Darkness' is a reference to 'Heart of Darkness'.
'On the Origin of PCs' is a reference to 'On the Origin of Species'.
'Dungeon Crawling Fools' is not a reference to anything, according to Rich (reference needed).
'No Cure for Paladin Blues' is a reference to the song '(No Cure for the) Summertime Blues', originally by Eddie Cochran, but also covered by The Who (among others).
'War and XPs' is a reference to 'War and Peace'.
'Don't Split the Party' is a reference to ...
Gags:
Stop Opressing Gag –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0202.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0779.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html
Get it off me gag –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html
Lawyers gag -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html
Dimmers gag –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0751.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0821.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0046.html
WWTD - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0170.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0073.html,
Reference - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_would_Jesus_do%3F
Window Break Gag –
Kato’s window break - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0589.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0643.html
Throne room window break - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0284.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html
The gates make a distinctive noise and explosion -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0463.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0899.html,
and the party recognizes it -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0696.html,
Dragon Toy - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0463.html,
Hobgoblins and Gouda - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0463.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0705.html, 514 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0514.html), http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0474.html
Lime Green Boots Gag - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0573.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html,
Flumphs bad things happen to them gag -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0074.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0210.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1090.html
Mail call gag -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0259.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0121.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0033.html.
Bag of Tricks gag -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0163.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0167.html
Order of the Stick Universe –
All the gods in the comic are color-coded for your convenience. The Northern gods have a yellow aura. The Southern gods have a blue aura. In the crayon drawings, the Western gods have a red aura and the now-extinct Greek pantheon of the Eastern gods had a green aura.
Northern Gods: Thor, Loki, Surtur, Hel
Every Dweomer matches their respective caster’s eyes.
Every sending spell in the comic is exactly 25 words.
When a spellcaster is casting a spell at someone else, there's only one layer of colored aura, around the caster and the subject. But when a spellcaster is casting a spell on him/herself, the aura is double-layered - which make sense, as s/he is both caster and subject.
When magic casters get pissed they seem to automatically have magic in hand, like a reflex making of a fist.
Goblins and Hobgoblins have 3 lines for feet instead of one like humans.
Paladins with a light blue belt have a dark blue cloak, and paladins with a dark blue belt have a light blue cloak.
Characters:
DStP clarifies that Lee is yellow (devil), Nero purple (daemon), and Cedrik orange (demon)
Sir Francois was Elan’s travelling companion before he joined the Order of the Stick. We find this out in the On the Origins of the PC’s book, though he makes several appearances within the main story –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html (mention)
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0311.html (mention)
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0415.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0888.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0975.html
Hints as to Malack being a Vampire –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0764.html
Celia's and Roy's moms both want (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0529.html) grandchildren (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html).
Sabine likes mixed drinks with tiny umbrellas - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0252.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0385.html
The three LG Kobolds are called Yikyik, Yokyok, Yukyuk (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0790.html), and the last makes fun of the name YakYak.
Belkar playing with Mr. Scruffy - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0379.html, 405 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0405.html),
Belkar has hair on his head AND his feet.
Belkar cooking reference - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0098.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0261.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0692.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0279.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0834.html
Belkar asks Durkon to make him blind because of something Elan's doing (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html).
Belkar asks Durkon to make him deaf because of something Elan's doing (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0864.html).
Belkar loves helping people - 682 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0682.html) , 685 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0685.html), 687 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0687.html)
Belkar & Unleashing the Fury -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0140.html
Durkon acts as Kazumi's doctor while she's pregnant -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0598.html
Durkon's tree gag -
Strip 150 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0150.html)
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0161.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0169.html
Elan thinks not wearing clothes equals Invisibility:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0665.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0302.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html
Elan making illusion of enemy's female equivelent:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0019.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0066.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0387.html
Elan's singing gag:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0006.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0061.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0109.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0125.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0180.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0181.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0348.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0837.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0867.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0918.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0932.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0935.html
Haley shows interest in Elan before the reveal in –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0088.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0109.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0028.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0161.html
All of Haley’s personalities have a stray hair.
Haley's sap – 750 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html)
Roy architecture references –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0808.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0994.html
Roy heavy metal references - Roy has apparently flipped (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0923.html) through heavy metal albums (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0362.html) before.
Sabine - Devil or Demon?
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0849.html
V always has grapefruit for breakfast at inns -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0127.html,
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0401.html
V’s family threat plot point was built up over a long period of time - 233 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0233.html), 338 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0338.html), 385 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0385.html).
V refers to Miko as that paladin, because she refers to V as Elf.
V's Gender Ambiguity -
28 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0028.html).
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0252.html "Dude"
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0385.html "Sister"
V's Explosive Runes -
91 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html).
V's Forgetting Familiar Trope -
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0155.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0178.html
Linear Guild Opposites –
OotS counterpart
Dungeon of Dorukan
Cliffport/Azure City
Empire of Blood
Girard's Pyramid
Elan
Nale
Nale
Nale
Nale
Haley Starshine
Sabine
Sabine
Sabine
Sabine
Roy Greenhilt
Thog
Thog
Thog
Tarquin
Belkar Bitterleaf
Yikyik
Yokyok
Yukyuk
Kilkil
Mr Scruffy
N/a
N/a
Sir Scraggly
N/a
Vaarsuvius
Zz'dtri
Pompey
Zz'dtri
Zz'dtri
Blackwing
N/a
N/a
Qarr
Qarr
Durkon Thundershield
Hilgya Firehelm
Leeky Windstaff
N/a
Malack
First appearance: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0043.html
Nale: Elan’s twin brother’s name is Nale, which is Elan spelled backwards.
Sabine: Chaotic Evil Female Succubus, whose alignment is opposite to Haley's Chaotic Good. In a relationship with Nale, similar to how Haley is in a relationship with Elan.
Thog: Chaotic Evil Male Half-Orc Barbarian, strong like Roy, but opposite in Intelligence to Roy.
Zz'dtri: Zz’dtri’s tendancy to not speak is directly opposite of Vaarsuvius, is generally particularly verbose. Z's aura is green while V's is purple.
Pompey: Pompey’s belt color is also the color of V's cape, his cape runes are the color of V's clasp, and his clasp is the color of V's robes.
Leeky Windstaff: Leeky is wearing robes that match Durkon’s skin tone, and Leeky’s skin tone matches the color of Durkon’s beard. His beard, hair, and cape also match Durkon’s armor color, and their amulet pendants match the other’s chain.
Work Space
Annotation Project Work:
Cliffport scenes have a change in sky color when Durkon uses control weather, and then fade back to blue over time. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0352.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0357.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0364.html.
What I just noticed:
In 1020, Blackwing can identify the spell on the scroll despite having no idea what he is doing.
In 3.5e, Familiars can use their Sorcerer's/Wizard's/Etc. skill ranks.
Title Project Work:
2 Reference to "being picked last" for sports teams in primary school.
3 See Spot Spot
A play on "See Spot run", a common phrase from the **** and Jane reading books. A series of reading primers for American children tell stolries about the children **** and Jane, and a dog named Spot. They are full of easy to read sentences such as "See Spot play with the ball."
5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Worlds_Collide_(film)
6 The Cleric is 'In'
A parody of the Peanuts comic strip. The character Lucy pretends to be a dolctor, and gives advice to Charlie Brown. She sits by a sign saying "The Doctor is IN"
9 I am Curious, Elan
A reference to the films I Am Curious (Yellow) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Curious_%28Yellow%29) and I Am Curious (Blue) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Curious_%28Blue%29)
20 Arcanolypse Now
A reference to the film Apocalyse Now (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_now) combined with the word arcane. The movie's dialog includeds "I love the smell of napalm in the morning... smells like victory" and "The horror, the horror" which are referenced in the strip.
24 Do You Hear What I Hear?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_You_Hear_What_I_Hear%3F
28 Just Like on Three's Company
Three's Company was an American sitcom. Much of the humour derived from comic misunderstandings, and double entendres.
35 Rogues Gone Wild!
Parody of the Girls Gone Wild (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girls_Gone_Wild_%28franchise%29)series.
36 Building a Better PC Trap
References the saying "to build a better mousetrap (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_mousetrap)"
39 Date with Destiny
A date with Destiny is a phrase usually referring to an inescapable fate. Here it refers to Eugene arranging a romantic encounter (a date) while giving a prophesy (destiny)
40 The Gods Must be Busy
References The Gods Must Be Crazy
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gods_Must_Be_Crazy)
43 What's Behind Door #2?
References a gameshow hosted by Monty Hall, where the contestant was offered a choice of three doors. Behind one door was the star prize, a new car, while the other two concealed a goat.
38 The comic's title refers to Attacks of Opportunity, which allows a person to make a free melee attack on certain conditions
59 The Shot Heard Round the Dungeon
The phrase Shot heard round the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_heard_round_the_world) is used to describe several different historical events.
85 The Elder Puppet
Reference to the "elder gods" in the works of H.P. Lovecraft
95 Dead Men Tell Tales
The usual phrase is dead men tell no tales referring to killing a witness in order to silence him.
120 The End of the Beginning
The title is taken from a speech by Winston Churchill. "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
The same speech also contains the phrase "blood, tears. toil, and sweat" which shall be referenced in a later book.
-----------------
Strip 131: Money Makes the World Go Round
The title comes from a song in the show Cabaret.
-----------------
Strip 144: Pop Goes the Weasel
The title comes from an an English nursery rhyme of obscure origin and meaning.
------------------
Strip 145: Mr(s). Wizard Explains It All
Mr Wizard (the late Don Herbert) was the presenter of a series of educational TV shows that introduced children to science. The use of Mr(s) in the title obscures V's gender. It also provides an early hint that V is married
-------------------
164 Here He Comes, To Save the Day!
The title references the Mighty Mouse theme song.
-------------------
Strip 171: The Prisoner Dilemma
The title references Prisoner's dilemma, a famous logical puzzle and paradox.
-------------------
Strip 181: Cursing the Darkness
The title references a popular saying "It is better to light a little candle than to curse the darkness"
------------------
Strip 183: Spit and/or swallow
The title references .... something that is against the rules of the forum to discuss. And it isn't politics.
----------------
strip 192 Everything Sits Better on a Ritz
The title references a TV advert for Ritz Crackers.
Strips with Matching Titles (or close enough):
This implies that perhaps some of the strip titles that match are intentional, but ultimately Rich chalks it up to forgetfulness (https://twitter.com/RichBurlew/status/893520904571031552).
924 Resource Management (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0924.html) *
433 Resource Management (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0433.html) *
879 Running on Empty (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0879.html)
168 Running on Empty (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0168.html)
877 The Bright Side (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html)
333 The Bright Side (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html)
842 All in the Family (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0842.html)
681 All in the Family (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0681.html)
832 Loose Ends (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0832.html)
72 Loose Ends (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0072.html)
720 Breakfast of Champions (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0720.html)
401 Breakfast of Champions (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0401.html)
590 Role Reversal (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0590.html)
146 Role Reversal (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0146.html)
406 A Moment of Truth (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0406.html)
285 A Moment of Truth (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0285.html)
600 –Headed Down, 897 – Headed Downtown
Strip 431 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0431.html): My Three Xykons
Strip 632 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0632.html): My Three Fiends
Strip 463 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0463.html): Shattered
Strip 636 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0636.html): Shattered, Shattered
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 05:40 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 1 to 100
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Strip 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html): New Edition
In the strip, we see the Order of the Stick updating from D&D 3.0 Edition to the later 3.5 installment (which the title references), which had minor changes to the existing system. We see how the party is affected in each panel:
In panel 3, Durkon feels "more stable" because Dwarves got a +4 to ability checks opposing Bull Rushes or being Tripped in the update to 3.5.
In panel 4, Elan gets a chain shirt because Bards become proficient in them in the update to 3.5.
In panel 6, Roy feels more intimidating because the skill Intimidate becomes a class skill for fighters in the update to 3.5.
In panel 10, Belkar's weapon shrinks because in 3.0, Small characters could use Medium weapons. They would just use them differently (it would be treated as a weapon one size larger). Due to this, his Medium daggers became Small daggers in the update to 3.5.
In the last panel, Elan gets more skill points because Bards went from 4 (pluss INTelligence modifier) skill points per level to 6 (plus INTelligence modifier) skill points per level.
Strip 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html): Second Grade All Over Again The title of this strip refers to the fact that young kids usually pick the weakest (or least liked) kid last when picking teams. In panel 1, Elan is referencing the skill points he received in the previous strip.
Strip 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html): See Spot Spot In Panel 1, Haley mentions her Boots of Speed were lime green so she didn't want to use them. These boots will be referred to again in Strip 608 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html) and Strip 609 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0609.html), playing a role in her long-standing feud with Crystal. In Strip 675 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html), she will solve the problem by having them dyed to match her outfit. In panel 2, Belkar notes he "failed a spot check", which references a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something using the Skill - "Spot". It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session and often if a player rolls, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed.
In panel 4, Belkar references an instance where in D&D, so long as your familiar is within reach, you gain the benefits of any feats they might have - in this case Alertness - which grants you a bonus to the Skills: Listen and Spot.
In panel 6, we see a reference to a common instance in D&D where a player would often forget his or her familiar was present, and so forget to describe its movements on a regular basis. So the familiar would "pop up" whenever its abilities were needed, thus giving the player a reason to describe its location/activity. This becomes a Reoccurring Gag (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143834&postcount=2).
In panel 10, the reference of failing a Skill Check is furthered when they fail a Listen check, which also creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create.
Strip 4 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html): The Power of Music In panel 2, Elan informs Roy that he is using "Inspire Competence", which is a feature of the Bard class. By singing an inspiring tune, Elan improves his allies success odds in a skill check, such as Jump and Bluff, as exhibited in this strip.
In the last panel, Elan says that the ogre must have rolled a "Sense Motive" - another skill in D & D rolled to tell if someone's motives are pure or not.
Strip 5 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0005.html): When Plotlines Collide! In panel 2, Vaarsuvius is shouting "Expeditious Retreat" which is a spell that increases the caster's speed, whether to retreat or not.
Strip 6 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0006.html): The Cleric is 'In' In panel 2, we see the Order of the Stick view Durkon as a box of Band-Aids. In D & D, clerics are often seen this way in adventuring parties, often to the annoyance of the player of the cleric.
In panel 4, Durkon is seen casting 3 healing spells to heal each member in the party, depending on amount of injury. Cure Serious Wounds restores a lot of hit points, while Cure Light Wounds only restores a small amount. Belkar mentions a third healing spell - Cure Moderate Wounds - which heals a medium amount of damage.
Strip 7 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0007.html): ThorPrayer In panel 1, Durkon says he is out of CSW's, which is an abreviation for "Cure Serious Wounds" which Elan's wounds are exibited to be.
In panel 2, we see Durkon praying to his god to regain spells. In the D&D game this is usually a very easy process that gets overlooked as it's the same every day. Not so in this comic.
Strip 8 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0008.html): The Benifit of a High Bluff Score In the last panel, Haley says her father "was a 1st Edition thief", which implies that this was a very long time ago as her father would have experienced conversions to 2nd Edition, then 3rd Edition and finally 3.5.
Strip 9 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html): I am Curious, Elan - No annotations yet
Strip 10 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0010.html): Like Enthrall, Only Boring In panel 1, we see the Goblins in the background are speaking a different language – likely Goblin.
Strip 11 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0011.html): Alignment Differences In panel 1, Roy uses a game mechanic called Coup de Grace (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm#coupdeGrace)
to kill off the sleeping goblins.
In panel 5, Belkar is shown to be unaffected by the Unholy Blight spell, which only harms Good and Neutral creatures. The implication is that his alignment is Evil, a fact that the group chooses to ignore.
Strip 12 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html): Up a Level, Down a Level Panel 4: Haley is referencing the vampire's power to drain energy from people, which may result in character level loss.
In panel 5, we see confusion as the group needs to go up in character level at the same time it goes further down the dungeon's physical levels. In old-school "dungeon crawl" D & D adventures, the toughest monsters would typically reside in the dungeon's lowest levels. In order to be victorious, the characters would have of be of a higher level in their class.
Strip 13 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0013.html): Plot, Ahoy! In panel 7, when Roy cuts off Xykon’s head, the sound effect is Snicker snack!, which is what the Vorpal sword does in the book, Through the Looking Glass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_the_looking_glass).
Strip 14 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html): Why Roy is Always Tired - No annotations yet
Strip 15 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0015.html): Family Time - No annotations yet
Strip 16 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0016.html): Turn of Phrase - No annotations yet
Strip 17 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0017.html): Rapier Wit In panel 4, we see Belkar suggest that he can Sunder Elan's rapier "by speaking to loudly". Since Sunder is a maneuver in D&D which attempts to destroy an opponent's weapon or armor, Belkar is saying that Elan's weapon is very weak.
In panel 8, refers to the Spot and Listen checks gag from strip 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html), only instead with Spot and Hide checks.
Strip 18 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0018.html): Double Surprise In panel 1, Elan mentions Bardic lore, which in D & D is a Bard class feature that can be used to determine if he knows any details about the subject through his knowledge of stories.
In panel 3, we see Belkar and Elan say they are surprised, referring to the surprise round that occurs at the beginning of combat.
In panel 6, the interaction between Elan and Haley is typical of a game session, where the Rogue player, having just acted, doesn't realize it's her turn again due to her high Initiative roll.
In panel 7, we see Haley use a "Sneak Attack". As a Rogue, she can use this when she has the advantage of surprise, which gives bonus damage to her attack. If, on top of that, she wins the Initiative roll [citation needed] over her opponent, then the opponent is caught flat-footed, thus granting the Sneak Attack bonus again.
Strip 19 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0019.html): Evade! In panel 5, Haley is undamaged by the chimera's breath weapon because she, as she states, has Evasion - a Rogue class feature. With it, Haley sustains no damage from a spell when she makes a successful Reflex save. Lacking Evasion, Belkar and Elan take full damage if they fail their own saves, or half damage if they succeed.
Strip 20 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html): Arcanolypse Now In panel 6, Vaarsivius' line, "I love the smell of bat guano in the morning" is a reference to the film Apocalypse Now (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocolypse_Now) in which the character Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore says, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning". Vaarsuvius says "bat guano" because sulfur and bat guano are material components used in the casting of the Fireball spell he/she uses.
In panel 9, Vaarsuvius' spell - Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion is not an actual spell. It is based off of the actual spell - Evard's Black Tentacles.
In the last panel, Trigak's line, "The horror...the horror!" furthers the reference to Apocalypse Now, as it is the same line said by the character Colonel Walter E. Kurtz.
Strip 21 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0021.html): It's All About the Drama In panel 2, when Belkar delivers the killing blow to the chimera, all three heads say Gak, which represents the monster's name - Trigak.
In panel 6, Haley's dialogue about Trigak "swearing to get us and our little dog, too" is a reference to an iconic line from the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(1939_film)). It was said by the Wicked Witch of the West, who was a reoccurring villain in the film.
Strip 22 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0022.html): Leadership in Action - No annotations yet
Strip 23 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0023.html): Meanwhile... - No annotations yet
Strip 24 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0024.html): Do You Hear What I Hear? In the strip, we see Durkon's armor is making loud "clank" noises, which alerts some off panel goblins. The goblins for some reason decide to narrate their actions, which as the comic goes on further frustrates the party.
In panel 3, the goblins mention "XP", which stands for Experience Points. Characters in D & D gain this when they defeat a monster, and use it to advance in levels.
Strip 25 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html): Armor Begone In panel 3, Durkon mentions his Armor Check Penalty, which is a game mechanic which models how hard it is to swim, climb, jump, move silently, etc, in heavy equipment or armor.
In panel 9, the candle materializing above Elan's head is a parody of the Idea Bulb (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IdeaBulb), which traditionally appears above cartoon characters' heads when they have an idea.
Strip 26 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0026.html): Bardic Nudity In panel 1, Belkar mentions a spell named "Dispel Clothes", which is a play on the names of various "Dispel" spells in D&D (such as Dispel Magic, Dispel Chaos etc.). Dispel Clothes is not an actually spell in D & D.
In panel 5, mentions the "Protection from Law" spell, which is a spell meant to protect from someone from magical effects or enemies of the Lawful alignment, similar to Protection from Evil, Good, or Chaos. In this case, Roy is using it as a pun to reference being protected from "the Law".
In panel 6, Belkar says "Stupid p.c. PC's", which stands for "politically correct" "Player Characters".
Strip 27 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0027.html): The Delicate Art of Intraparty Negotiations In panel 5, Roy suggest casting "Cat's Grace" on Elan, which is a spell that provides a bonus to Dexterity, which in turn would provide a bonus to the skill Hide.
In panel 7, Roy invokes the rules to bonus stacking in D & D: Depending on their nature, bonuses may or may not "stack", ie. be cumulative with each other. Counting on Elan's limited knowledge of the D&D rules, Roy is arguing that the bonus from Cat's Grace will not stack with the "bonus" Elan thinks he gets from removing his clothes.
In the last panel, Durkon balks at casting Cat's Grace because it is a Touch spell, which means it is a spell that requires physically touching the target to work. Some spells do not require the caster to touch the target, hence the designation.
Strip 28 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0028.html): Just Like on Three's Company In panel 10, Haley mentions Elan has an 18 Charisma. Charisma is one of the six character abilities in D & D (the others are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom). Charisma represents physical attractiveness, among other personal qualities. The higher the score, the better it is.
Strip 29 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0029.html): Treasure? What Treasure? In panel 2, we see Haley taking on the clichéd Rogue - leveraging her role as a scout to swindle the other characters out of their fair share of treasure.
In panels 3 through 6, Haley demonstrates the power of the Bluff skill when it is high, as it allows her to get away with even the most blatant lies.
Strip 30 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0030.html): Behind the Secret Door In panel 2, Vaarsuvius is reacting to his racial feature that Elves in D & D that allows him to have a better chance at detecting secret doors. The way Vaarsuvius detects the secret door - "Elf sense...tingling", is a reference to the comic book hero, Spider-man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiderman), who has the ability to detect danger. When he does, he states "My Spider senses are tingling".
In panel 3, while normally secret doors are obvious to the reader and not to the characters, the door depicted here is labeled secret door and was noticed by both Elan and Roy, making Vaarsuvius' racial ability obsolete.
In panel 4, we see Vaarsuvius complain that Search is a cross-class for him/her. A cross-class skill is a skill that a specific class isn't very good at (in this case a wizard). So, being an Elven Wizard allows Vaarsuvius to be good at finding secret doors, but not much else.
In panel 7, Elan thinks the creature he encounters is a Mind Flayer, (or an illithid) which is classic and very dangerous monster in D & D. It is famous for its psionic abilities and for feeding on people's brains.
Strip 31 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html): All-You-Can-Eat Brain Buffet In panel 11, Vaarsuvius mentions he/she has an 18 Intelligence. Intelligence is one of the six character abilities in D & D (the others are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma). The higher the score, the better it is.
Strip 32 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html): Biting the Hand that Feeds Me In panel 3, the lawyers Jones and Rodriguez line about the "spooky wizard who lives by the coast" is a reference to Wizards of the Coast, the company that owns and edits the D&D game. In panel 6, Jones mentions that the Mind Flayer was "never released to the SRD". The SRD is the System Reference Document [citation required], a compendium of the D&D game's basic rules. The SRD is freely available to all under the Open Game License, a scheme similar to open source software. Certain iconic monsters such as the Mind Flayer aren't described in the SRD and are thus subject to ordinary copyright rules. Mr. Jones is therefore claiming the mind flayer should not appear or even be named in the comic, thus saving Roy from a nasty fate. In the last panel, the monster depicted is a Beholder (or "Sphere of Many Eyes"). Like the mind flayer, it isn't part of the SRD.
Strip 33 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0033.html): Mail Call - No annotations yet
Strip 34 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0034.html): Math is Fun In this strip, we see a spoof of a classic situation in a D & D session, where players have difficulties remembering the various bonuses that may apply to their attacks depending on circumstances, as the rules are fairly complex. Here Durkon, like many players before him, remembers bonuses belatedly, and the generous DM (or in this case, the author) lets him record the bonuses effects retroactively.
Strip 35 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0035.html): Rogues Gone Wild! In panel 12, we see Durkon suggest to Haley to "Take 20" on her Search for traps. Taking 20 in D & D is a rule for situations where the character isn't pressed for time and can try her skill check any number of times. When taking 20, the die roll is considered to be 20, the maximum for such checks.
Strip 36 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0036.html): Building a Better PC Trap In panel 1, we see Haley mention that the events of the previous strip was just a "wardrobe malfunction" is a reference to the wardrobe malfunction during the 2004 Superbowl XXXVIII Half-time Show (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXXVIII_halftime_show_controversy), which occured the year this strip was written.
Strip 37 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0037.html): Evil, But Cost-Effective In panel 7, when Xykon Chain Lightning’s the Ogre Chieftains to death, the animal head wrap of the left Chieftain opens its eyes in shock.
In the last panel, the Goblins want to propose a 401k plan to Xykon. In the US (where the Order of the Stick is written) a 401(k) is an employer-provided pension plan.
Strip 38 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0038.html): Spontaneous Artistic Expression In panel 4, we see that Roy's strength has been sapped by the poison in the trap from the previous strip. Most poisons in D&D cause "ability damage," which reduces one or more ability scores. In this case Roy has received so many doses of poison that his Strength is reduced to zero (the lowest it can go), which renders him helpless until he is healed.
In the last panel, we see that Belkar and Elan have written "lawful stupid" next to Roy on the wall. Lawful Stupid (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LawfulStupidChaoticStupid) is a derogatory term for characters who adhere to the rules even at a obvious or stupid consequence to themselves or others.
Strip 39 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0039.html): Date with Destiny - No annotations yet
Strip 40 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0040.html): The Gods Must be Busy In panel 1, we see the Gods Thor and Surtur about to battle. They are both gods in one of the classic D & D pantheons. Surtr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surtr_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons)#Surtr), god of the fire giants, is evil and an enemy of Durkon's god, Thor.
In panel 3, the angel speaking to Thor references the prayer answering machine from strip 7 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0007.html).
Strip 41 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html): Just Take the AoO In panel 2, Vaarsuvius mentions he/she must concentrate to avoid incurring an Attack of Opportunity (see Glossary) from the Goblins nearby. This is because it is possible to cast defensively, which denies the possibly of an AoO, but then runs the risk of failing to cast the spell.
In panel 6, Elan sings a parody of the song "Celebration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M)" by Kool & the Gang (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool_and_the_gang).
In panel 7, Elan sings a parody of the song "We Will Rock You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMLiqEqMQyQ)" by Queen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_(band)).
Strip 42 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0042.html): Belkar Unleashed In panel 10, we see Belkar exclaim, "Eat your heart out Elijah Wood!" Elijah Wood was the actor who played the hobbit (which is essentially a halfling) Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(film_series)) film trilogy.
Strip 43 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0043.html): What's Behind Door #2? In the last panel, we see the Order of the Stick encounter their mirrored opposites - The Linear Guild. To find out more about these opposites, reference the Overflow & Gags section.
Strip 44 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0044.html): Meet the Linear Guild In panel 5, we see Nale say that Intelligence was Thog's "dump stat". This term refers to which of the 6 abilities that a player chooses at character creation to have the lowest score for their character.
In panel 6, it is revealed Elan’s twin brother’s name is Nale, which is Elan spelled backwards.
In panel 7, we see Haley identify Zz'dtri is a dark elf, or drow, which was a monster race in early editions of D&D. With the publication of the Unearthed Arcana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unearthed_Arcana), dark elves became, as Nale cites, a playable race.
In panel 8, since the entire drow race was described by the Monster Manual as evil, the vast majority of players who wished to play a drow described their character as a Chaotic Good outcast, which quickly became a huge cliché.
In panel 9, we see Haley point out Zz'dtri's scimitars. Zz'dtri is a parody of the popular novel character, Drizzt Do'Urden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drizzt_Do%27Urden), by fantasy author R.A.Salvatore. Like his model, Zz'dtri has with two scimitars; however, unlike Drizzt, he is a wizard, making the scimitars more of a fashion choice that a preferred fighting method.
Strip 45 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0045.html): Strength in Numbers In panel 2, one of the order guesses the linear guild is a group of doppelgangers, which are D&D monsters that have the power to mimic the appearance of another creature. In this same panel, the order also mentions "A Mirror of Opposition," which is a magical item that creates evil opposites of those who look upon it.
Strip 46 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0046.html): Deep Thoughts In panel 7, Haley tells Roy to "grow a sense motive". With a good score in the Sense Motive skill, Roy might be able to tell that something is amiss in Nale's story.
Strip 47 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0047.html): But is it High Definition? In the last panel, we see Belkar and YikYik fighting on Xykon’s Scrying Ball. The line YikYik says (since Xykon has it set to Spanish in the panel) translates to say, Hey, I think I just failed to notice something!
Strip 48 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0048.html): Stab of Opportunity In panel 4, YikYik mentions that Belkar left his threated area, which provoked him. This is a reference to the rules on Attacks of Opportunity, where leaving an enemy's threatened area (the area he can reach with a weapon) gives him an opportunity to attack.
In panel 6, the Combat Reflexes feat that YikYik mentions allows a character to perform more than one Attack of Opportunity in the same combat round.
Strip 49 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0049.html): Collect the Whole Set In panel 2, we see a typical discussion of the intricacies of rules across multiple editions. The 3rd Edition rule of the Fly spell was more favorable to the wizard that the revised 3.5 version, so some playing groups adopted house rules to continue using the older version. V tries and fails to acquire that special spell by proposing increasingly powerful spells in exchange.
In panel 10, we see the shop selling starter packs and randomized booster packs, which is a reference to the fantasy card game - Magic: The Gathering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_The_Gathering), which is also a product of Wizards of the Coast.
Strip 50 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html): The Semi-Secret Origin of Elan & Nale In Panel 8, we see that Elan and Nale's father has a banner with the letter "T" on it, which makes sense as his name is Tarquin.
In panel 14, we see Nale even as an infant was developing facial hair. Their baby diapers also match their adult tunics: Nale wears red, Elan wears green.
In panel 15, Hilga and Durkon are playing the card game - Go Fish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Fish).
In panel 18, Nale's complicated choice of character classes is a throwback the original, equally complicated Bard class from D&D 1st Edition (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/excerpts/excerpt_ph1_bard.pdf), which involved taking on multiple classes to accomplish. Basically, a Fighter/Rogue/Sorcerer is equivalent to a Bard.
Strip 51 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0051.html): Stupid Isn't Always Cute - No annotations yet
Strip 52 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0052.html): Young Dwarves in Love In panel 12, we see that if Durkon had had more ranks in the skill "Knowledge (Religion)", he'd have known that Loki is an evil god, and an enemy of Thor.
Strip 53 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0053.html): See, They're Flying, Because It's an Air Sigil - No annotations yet
Strip 54 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0054.html): Touch My Sigil - No annotations yet
Strip 55 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html): One for the Old-Schoolers In panel 3, the creature described as "And I don't even know what that one is supposed to be" is a Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, which first appeared S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_to_the_Barrier_Peaks) before it was collected (along with many other monsters that first appeared in "Dragon Magazine" or various adventure modules) into the 1st Edition Dungeons and Dragons: Monster Manual II.
In panel 9, the two monsters in this panel are Flumphs, another example of an outdated monster from an earlier edition. They have good reason to be saddened by Nale's description, because flumphs are Lawful Good, and famously pretty weak. The Flumphs will become a recurring gag which you can find more information about their multiple appearances in the Reoccurring Gag section.
Strip 56 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0056.html): An Alternate Hypothesis In panel 1, we see that Hilgya and Durkon are holding hands.
Strip 57 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0057.html): Inevitable Betrayal? Check. - No annotations yet
Strip 58 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0058.html): First Aid In panel 10, we see that Belkar’s clothing changes color when he is enchanted with Owl’s Wisdom.
Strip 59 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0059.html): The Shot Heard Round the Dungeon In the last panel, we see Haley state she "rolled a natural 20", which is a 20 on a 20-sided die before bonuses. When rolled, it is always a success, no matter how difficult (save impossible) the action taken is.
In this same panel, we see that none of the monsters are attempting to climb the ice after the Talisman of Dorukan is shattered.
Strip 60 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0060.html): Everything Comes Together In panel 5, we see a reference to the prediction from strip 15 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0015.html).
In the last panel, Roy refers to the Linear Guild as a "Bizarro Twin," which is a general term for an alternate self. The name comes from Bizarro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizzaro), who was an evil alternate version of the comic book hero, Superman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman).
Strip 61 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0061.html): Brother Against Brother - No annotations yet
Strip 62 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0062.html): Heavy Metals In panel 4, we see Haley mention Damage Reduction, which is a defensive quality of certain monsters to shrug off damage from weapons. Most of the time, these monsters have a vulnerability to certain types of weapons, that bypasses their damage reduction, such as Cold or Iron, in this case.
In panel 8, we see Haley reference the feat, Manyshot, which allows Haley to shoot multiple arrows in one attack. If the attack is successful, both arrows will hit.
Strip 63 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0063.html): Together, They're Six Feet of Whoop Ass - No annotations yet
Strip 64 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0064.html): Transference In panels 2-5, Thog and Roy are discussing character optimization. The Barbarian class has great advantages, notably the ability to enter a rage, boosting Strength and Constitution in a big way for a short while. The Fighter class has more combat feats, special talents the character can choose to improve his fighting prowess. Thog is a Barbarian who optimized by taking a "dip" of 2 levels of Fighter, for 2 bonus feats, but stopped there since the 3rd Fighter level doesn't carry a bonus feat. However, Roy, as a straight Fighter, uses the Weapon Specialization feat that only Fighters of level 4 or higher can learn.
Strip 65 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0065.html): The Magic Words In panel 5, we see Zz'dtri is unaffected by sleep because Elves are immune to Sleep spells. Forgetting this is particularly ironic from Vaarsuvius, who is also an elf.
In panel 10, we see that since Zz'dtri is a thinly veiled copy of Drizzt (see the entry for strip #44), Vaarsuvius invokes intellectual property law to have him removed from the scene, as happened to the Mind Flayer in strip 32 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html).
Strip 66 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0066.html): Thog's Secret Weakness - No annotations yet
Strip 67 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0067.html): Cliffhanger - No annotations yet
Strip 68 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0068.html): Unconscience This strip illustrates the four basic directions of alignment in the D&D game: Evil, Good, Law, and Chaos (on both axes, the intermediate position is called Neutral).
Strip 69 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html): Hey, It Was Worth a Shot - No annotations yet
Strip 70 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0070.html): That's Just Mean - No annotations yet
Strip 71 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0071.html): Career Girl In panel 7, we see the goblins are carrying boxes labeled "this side up" upside down, "magic tomes" and "DVDs".
Strip 72 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0072.html): Loose Ends - No annotations yet
Strip 73 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0073.html): Thor's Teachings In panel 5, the monster references the"Atkins" diet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkins_diet), which was an extremely popular dieting method in the US in 2004, the year this strip was written.
In panel 7, WWTD is a parody of the classic phrase, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_would_Jesus_do%3F)).
Strip 74 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0074.html): Back from the Pit In panels 10 and 14, the Flumphs, who originally appeared in Strip 55 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html) are used to cushion characters as they fall, as they are famously weak monsters in D&D. This is a recurring appearances gag which you can find more information about their multiple appearances in the Reoccurring Gag section. In panel 12, Hilga references a Will Save (see Glossary for information on saves). In the 2nd edition of the game, Saving Throws mechanics were quite different, and the Sanctuary spell didn't allow one at all.
Strip 75 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0075.html): The Blame Game In panel 6, Belkar refers to Roy's mistake as "Epic-level". Generally Epic level refers to a special set of rules meant for extremely powerful characters (beyond level 20), but in this case he's using it as a pun to say it was a huge mistake.
Strip 76 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0076.html): She's a Sneaky One In panel 5, we see Hilga reference Darkvision, which is a special ability of certain creatures to see in the dark. It doesn't need to be "turned on", but it is indeed used rarely, since adventuring parties nearly always are composed of a mix of difference character races and few of them have this ability.
In panel 10, Hilga references her "Stonecunning," which is an ability Dwarves have that gives them an innate feeling of the way stone constructions, tunnels, etc. are made.
Strip 77 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0077.html): A Battle of Attrition In this strip, we see exhibited how a D&D cleric can convert any of their memorized spells into Cure Wounds spells, so this healing sequence could go on for a while. It is possible to kill an all-cleric party, but it takes more patience than the monster in this strip has.
Strip 78 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0078.html): Unfinished Business - No annotations yet
Strip 79 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0079.html): The Heavens Moved - No annotations yet
Strip 80 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0080.html): Replacement Cleric In panel 12, Roy appears to have actually been smote by Banjo, by a tiny lightning bolt. He doesn’t appear to notice, however.
Strip 81 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0081.html): First Church of Banjo - No annotations yet
Strip 82 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0082.html): Beats Pay-Per-View In panel 1, we see Redcloak complain about Darkvision, because it doesn't work on magical darkness, only natural.
Strip 83 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0083.html): Pillow Talk In panel 10, we see a reference to the fact that Dwarves are naturally resistant to poison, getting a +2 bonus to saves against it.
Strip 84 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0084.html): Saddest. Comic. Ever. In panel 4, Durkon's line - "the right to the pursuit of happiness" refers to one of the most-often quoted phrases from the US Declaration of Independence.
Strip 85 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0085.html): The Elder Puppet In panel 11, we see Roy has the knife Belkar threw in panel 9 sticking out of his rear.
In the last panel, we see Banjulu is reference to H.P.Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Call_of_Cthulhu).
Strip 86 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0086.html): The Most Important Quest - No annotations yet
Strip 87 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html): Bathroom Humor In panel 6, Elan mentions ECL. See the Glossary for more information.
In panel 7, we see that Durkon has toilet paper stuck to his foot.
In the last panel, the female Hobgoblin waiting in line was turned to stone by the Gorgon in front of her.
Strip 88 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0088.html): Getting Closer In panel 8, Roy is holding Belkar behind his head so everyone can fit within the area of the invisibility spell.
Strip 89 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0089.html): Invisibility: The Lazy Artist's Friend In the last panel, we see Roy mention that an Invisibility spell ends whenever the invisible creature makes an attack. However, attacking an invisible creature carries a 50% miss chance, which is what Belkar is referencing.
Strip 90 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0090.html): Consequences of a Failed Skill Check In panel 2, we see the Goblin mention they only have a 10 Intelligence. See the Glossary for more information.
Also in panel 2, the Goblins mention Xvarts, which are another race of goblin-like creatures with a higher intelligence.
Strip 91 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html): Proof That I am Deeply Disturbed This entire strip is a reference to old Hostess comic ads (http://www.seanbaby.com/hostess.htm). These would usually feature the heroes using the eponymous fruit pies or cupcakes to distract the villain, who would be foiled by his lust for delicious partially-hydrogenated artificially-flavored snacks. Fruit Pie the Sorcerer is an obvious take on Fruit Pie the Magician (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_Pie_the_Magician), an old mascot of the company. Further, the title of the comic is a reference to the kind of twisted mind that would lend to a scene in which goblins murder the Hostess mascot.
Strip 92 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0092.html): Reading is Fundamental [list] In Panel 2, Vaarsuvius references the Elves racial ability to detect secret or concealed doors when they come within 5 feet of it, providing they succeed in a search check - which it seems he/she did not.
Strip 93 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0093.html): Teenage Wasteland In the 2nd panel, we see the Goblin with the glasses also has braces for his fangs.
In panel 11, the poster on the left is a poster for the music group – The Cure Light Wounds, which is a reference to the real life band – The Cure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_cure). In this same panel, we also see that teenaged Haley has an eyebrow ring.
Strip 94 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0094.html): The Path to Victory In this strip, spoofs the tendency that typical D&D scenarios have in giving every place a ridiculously descriptive name by the scenario's creator. For instance, sometimes a grandiloquent name could be given to a room even though it isn't particularly important.
Strip 95 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0095.html): Dead Men Tell Tales - No annotations yet
Strip 96 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0096.html): Gate? What Gate? - No annotations yet
Strip 97 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0097.html): Evil Plans In panel 10, Xykon mentions he is a Lich, which is a powerful spellcaster that turned him or herself into an undead monstrosity through a death magic ritual.
Strip 98 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0098.html): Mmmmm...Tasty In panel 1, the corridor's ridiculous name refers to the fact that we didn't see the party for three strips. It also continues the spoof started in Strip 94 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0094.html).
In panel 6, the term "Trap Sense" refers to the rogue class ability which gives Haley an edge over her companions when it comes to evading traps.
In panel 7, Belkar spoofs one the most famous lines of US political debate history, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator,_you%27re_no_Jack_Kennedy)
In panel 8, the characters reference the Craft skill, which can cover every possible item crafting check, described as Craft(Carpentry), Craft(Weapons), etc. Even though alchemy is an important factor of its own in the 3.5 version of D&D, it is listed just as one of the Craft subcategories, which can be confusing since in version 3.0, it was its own skill.
Strip 99 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0099.html): Grilled to Perfection - No annotations yet
Strip 100 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0100.html): Teenage Boys Are CR 1 - No annotations yet
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 05:41 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 101 to 200
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Strip 101 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0101.html): Man-to-Man Chat - No annotations yet
Strip 102 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0102.html): Lowbrow is the Best Brow In panel 1, Roy mentions the cleric's Turn Undead ability, which can only be used a few times per day to...turn undead.
In Panel 2, Roy uses the Great Cleave feat, which allows another chance to attack every time a creature is killed.
Strip 103 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0103.html): Practice Makes Perfect - No annotations yet
Strip 104 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0104.html): Dramatic Pre-Battle Speech In panel 9, Roy refers to his party as "demihumans". In older editions of D&D, non-human PC races are grouped under this generic term. More modern editions deal with humans as just another race among the others, so the term isn't used much anymore.
Strip 105 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0105.html): Hordes of Xykon - No annotations yet
Strip 106 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0106.html): A Sure Bet In panel 9, Redcloak expresses amazement at how easily Xykon fooled Roy earlier in the strip by saying he had "many skill ranks in Reverse Psychology", which isn't a real D&D skill. Basically, it's D&D humor that translates to "you're really good at reverse psychology!"
Strip 107 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0107.html): Defense is for Losers In panel 3, Belkar is guarding V because in D&D, wizards have great power, but cannot wear armor and have the least hit points of any class (one 4-sided die per level). This is why it is wise to have somebody play the role of bodyguard in the case of a large melee.
In panel 13, V refers to one of D&D's many weird or illogical rules. This rule states that elves are specifically immune to a ghoul's paralyzing touch power, while not ghasts, who are creatures identical to ghouls in virtually every respect, save this one difference. So, V would not be able to distinguish between the two types of enemies, other than by being hit.
Strip 108 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0108.html): Help from Above In panel 3, we see can see Roy in the bottom of the panel, fighting Goblins with his sword glowing.
Strip 109 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0109.html): Tensions Rise In panel 2, Elan guesses that he was able to get through the goblins so well because the goblins failed to understand the rules of Attacks of Opportunity, which is indeed one of the more complex rules in the game. Instead, it was due to Elan's use of the Tumble skill that allowed him to get past the goblins. To see more on Attacks of Opportunity, see the glossary in the first post.
Strip 110 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html): Revenge is Best Served Really Cold - No annotations yet
Strip 111 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0111.html): Inukchuk! - No annotations yet
Strip 112 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0112.html): Shatter The title names the spell that Xykon casts in panel 12. He doesn't utter the name of the spell, but this and the sound effect reveals the spell he used to destroy Roy's sword.
Strip 113 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0113.html): Memories, Like the Edges of My Sword In panel 1, Haley and Elan are still under the effects of Xykon's Symbol of Pain spell cast in Strip 110 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0110.html), while Vaarsuvius is paralyzed from the ghast's touch that occurred in Strip 107 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0107.html).
In panel 2, Redcloak counters Durkon's Turn Undead power by using the evil cleric's opposite power, Bolster Undead. Stab Undead isn't a special power Belkar has, its just making fun of the other two shouting their abilities out loud.
Panel 7: We see Roy’s brother Eric’s first appearance, hiding behind their mother’s chair.
Strip 114 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0114.html): Exciting Climax - No annotations yet
Strip 115 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0115.html): Dust in the Wind In panel 3, Belkar references Lou Ferrigno (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Ferrigno), who is an American actor and bodybuilder, famous for his role as the Incredible Hulk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Hulk_(comic_book)).
Strip 116 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0116.html): Finding Stuff In panel 12, Haley is listing the 3 classifications for magical objects in D&D: minor, major, and the most powerful of all, artifacts.
Strip 117 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0117.html): Delayed Gratification In Panel 3, the Monster in the Dark say's "Whatchootalkin' 'bout, Redcloak?" which is a parody of the catchphrase "What'chu talkin' 'bout, X?" from the TV series, Diffr'ent Strokes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diff%27rent_Strokes). In panel 6, Redcloak reveals that his holy symbol is Xykon's phylactery. A Lich, which is a spellcaster that has used a powerful magic ritual to becomes undead, can hide his/her soul in a magic item called a phylactery, so that they can regenerate after being destroyed. Later, we will see Xykon slowly recovering his body thanks to the phylactery's power.
Panel 8: Xykon is making a baseball analogy, which basically says you shouldn't waste your best trick on a battle you are losing, and opt for looking at the long game.
Strip 118 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0118.html): They Should Childproof Those Things - No annotations yet
Strip 119 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0119.html): Hollywood, Eat Your Heart Out In Panel 1, Belkar shouts, "Game over man! Game over!" This is a direct quote (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsx2vdn7gpY/url) from the movie, Aliens (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliens_(film)). In panel 11, Elan tells Vin Diesel to "Eat your heart out!" This is an idiom which when used, infers that you believe you can do that thing better than the person mentioned. Generally this person is famous for doing that thing. Vin Diesel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vin_Diesel), who is an actor in major action movies. These movies often include escaping large explosions.
Strip 120 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html): The End of the Beginning In panel 2, the Flumphs, who originally appeared in Strip 55 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0055.html) are once again used to cushion characters as they fall, as they are famously weak monsters in D&D. This is a recurring appearances gag which you can find more information about their multiple appearances in the Reoccurring Gag section.
Panel 12: The mysterious character with the blue cloak is Miko, who will be revealed in Strip 200 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0200.html).
Strip 121 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0121.html): The Return of Mail Call Panel 3: Indeed, the d12 (12-sided die) is by far the least used of the classic 6 types of dice required to play D&D. It's main uses are detailed in the panel 4 dialogue.
In panel 5, Belkar believes he can insult barbarians with impunity because the barbarian is the only class that is illiterate at the time of character creation.
In pane 11, the left pirate is uncorking the bottle with a hook hand.
In panel 12, Belkar infers that because he has low ranks in the spot skill, and Ninjas have high ranks in the hide skill, he can't see them.
Strip 122 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0122.html): Adventurers Are Coming! Adventurers Are Coming! This strip spoofs the typically high prices of common goods when adventurers must buy them, revealing that they are actually usually lower until prices inflate when adventurers arrive. In Panel 10, the girl selling apples has changed into skimpier clothes in preparation for the arrival of the Order of the Stick.
Strip 123 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0123.html): Double Your Entendre, Double Your Fun This strip is the source of many opinions as to Vaarsuvius' gender. A closer look at the text shows that the wizard doesn't actually reveal anything in that regard.
Strip 124 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0124.html): Ding! In panel 1, the dialogue between Haley and Roy calls back to a similar exchange that occurred in Strip 12 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html). In panel 8, Belkar attempts to kill something in order to gain enough XP to level up. He doesn't because D&D has rules to prevent players from abusing the system. For example a monster that poses no danger to the character (such as the rat here) doesn't provide any XP at all. For more on XP, see the Glossary.
Strip 125 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0125.html): Free Experience In panel 10, Belkar references the rule in D&D that allows a Dungeon Master to award XP for good roleplaying. Having failed to gain a new level through defeating monsters, Belkar hypocritically exploits the rules with fake sorrow.
Strip 126 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0126.html): Multiclass Struggles In Panel 1, Belkar states he intends to Multiclass. Multiclassing is a way for character to have levels in more than one class, usually at a penalty than someone who is purely that class.
In Panel 5, Elan refers to the D&D ruling that multiclassing can be explained by assuming that learning can occur outside of normal game sessions ("off-panel", in comic terms). Elan exploits this to claim a level in wizards without having actually studied anything.
Strip 127 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0127.html): New Wizard in Town In Panel 2, Elan's staff is topped with a Magic 8-Ball (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_8-Ball), presumably because it has the word "magic" in the title. In panel 1, V is eating a grapefruit because he/she is vegetarian. This is a Reoccurring Gag (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143834&postcount=2).
Strip 128 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0128.html): The More You Know... - No annotations yet
Strip 129 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0129.html): Rock Solid Investment In these panels, Haley spoofs a typical sequence of D&D gameplay: The division of the loot. Often this may cause bickering between players to get equal shares, since it is likely that not everything is of the same value to each player. Rogues like Haley are the only ones with ranks in the Appraise skill, and therefore the only ones able to assess the monetary value of each object. Rogues are also normally not the most trustworthy characters can be known to exploit their companions. This is why the rogue's assessment isn't always trusted, a fact that Haley cleverly uses to trick the others here.
Strip 130 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0130.html): Itempalooza In Panel 2, the Amulet of Natural Armor magically thickens the skin, giving a bonus to Armor Class.
In Panel 3, the Ring of Jumping +20 adds +20 to Belkar's jump skill checks.
In Panel 4, the Ring of Wizardry will allow V to memorize more spells.
In Panel 5, the Bag of Holding can store a huge amount of stuff without actually increasing in weight, because it is stored in an extra-dimensional pocket.
In Panel 7, the Boots of Elvenkind help their wearer reduce the noise they make when they move.
Strip 131 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0131.html): Money Makes the World Go Round In panel 7, Haley's letter foreshadows the plot point that will occur in Strip 758 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html).
Strip 132 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0132.html): Kindred Spirits In Panel 4, Gortok's claims refer to a barbarian's class features, notably - Rage, which boosts a character's Strength and Constitution temporarily. The barbarian also has a higher movement than most characters.
In Panel 5, Gortok's claims reference that a barbarian rolls 1d12 per level for hit points, the highest die of any class.
Strip 133 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0133.html): Standardized Testing In panel 4, we see that Kuurkk the Anemic is paler than everyone else, because he/she is anemic.
Strip 134 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0134.html): Craft (Plotline) In Panel 7, the Blacksmith mentions that clerics have few skill points. Each character class gets a certain number of skill points per level, plus bonus points for high Intelligence. Clerics get a low base number to begin with, and nearly always prioritize other ability scores than Intelligence, typically leaving them with some of the lowest skill point counts in the game.
In Panel 12, Roy references side quests, which are a smaller stories with little or no connection to the main plot.
Strip 135 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0135.html): Potionomics In this comic, V points out that the real-world concept of economy of scale doesn't apply to magic in D&D. Making a potion always costs the same amount, no matter how many you make. Eve and Larry fail to grasp that basic fact, and are indeed headed to bankruptcy.
Strip 136 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0136.html): It's Not a Gaming Session Until Someone Quotes Monty Python
In this strip we have multiple references to Monty Python’s Flying Circus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python%27s_Flying_Circus) sketches. The main exchange between Roy and the Polearm Salesman is an homage to the Cheese Shop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJhq9eq_eJg) Sketch. In page 2, panel 2; the cat dragging in a dead parrot references the Dead Parrot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npjOSLCR2hE) Sketch.
In page 2, panel 4; the dialogue references the Spam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE) sketch.
In page 2, panel 8; we see the cat drag in a python, furthering the reference to Monty Python in general.
Strip 137 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0137.html): Teh Gewd Gods In panel 9, we see that the lawyer puppet has a tiny PCLU lettering on its tiny briefcase, which stands for "Puppet Civil Liberties Union".
In panel 10, Banjo goes from having horns to becoming hornless after he is denied joining the Parthenon by the priest of Freya.
Strip 138 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0138.html): Tomorrow's Technology Today In panel 6, we see Durkon’s turning blue due to asphyxiation from being in an airtight bubble.
Strip 139 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0139.html): How to Keep the Party Together In Panel 11, Roy rolls a 20 on his Bluff check, which allows him to convince the group to come with him even though he is giving increasingly unbelievable lies. Roy states he is untrained in the Bluff skill, which means he didn't put any ranks in this skill. Fortunately for him, a roll of 20 on the skill check allows him to get away with it.
Strip 140 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0140.html): My Little Pony - No annotations yet
Strip 141 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html): Horse Sense - In Panels 1 and 2, the conversation pertains to the fact that the official D&D rules allow characters to ride mounts without any ranks in the Ride skill. But, for the sake of realism, some DMs will rule that at least 1 rank is required for basic riding, which is likely why Roy took 1 in this skill.
In Panel 9, Haley mentions Ride being a cross-class skill. Each class has "class skills", meaning those characters are suited to perform well in those skills. Other skills are called "cross-class skills" for this class: They're usable, but with stiff limitations.
Strip 142 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0142.html): Misdirection and Subterfuge In panel 5, we see some of the townspeople are running away or scared due to seeing Sabine in her natural form.
Strip 143 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0143.html): Do-Over The title and events in the strip reference a phenomenon in D&D where the DM makes an action with a monster or NPC, and a player have an argument to make about that said action. Typically a conversation is had, and if the player convinces the DM, things retroactively occur. In this case, Haley and Roy claim that the horses should get rolls, too. The DM, voiced by the monsters, reluctantly lets that pass, and complains about the discussion slowing the game down. The whole thing turns out to be for nothing as the horses fail their as well.
In Panel 11, the Ogre mentions "Oprah being on at 4", which references a popular American Television show named The Oprah Winfrey Show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oprah_Winfrey_Show).
Strip 144 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0144.html): Pop Goes the Weasel In panel 3, Haley points out that "any other class" has a way to defend themselves without a weapon. While this is not precisely true, the fighter class is centered around the weapons they use as they don't have spells, unarmed combat, or other things to assist them, making Roy effectively useless at the present time. In Panel 5, Roy quotes an iconic line from the fictional western character - Lone Ranger (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Ranger). In panel 10, Durkon references the popular line - "He chose...poorly (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubw5N8iVDHI)" from the film, "Indiana Jones and the last Crusade (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Last_Crusade)".
Strip 145 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0145.html): Mr(s). Wizard Explains It All In this strip, V is exposing a classic case of "meta-gaming", where the character acts in a seemingly illogical way, only because the player knows the dynamics of the game.
In Panel 6, V menitons random encounters, which are fights with monsters without any relation to the plot. Most DMs plan for few of them, so that the game doesn't fall into a string of pointless battles from point A to point B. V exploits this by using lots of spells without any thought of economy.
In Panel 11, the exchange between Elan and V where V says "Knowing is half the battle" is a reference to the final line in each episode of the 1980s G.I. Joe animated TV series (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero_(1985_TV_series)).
Strip 146 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0146.html): Role Reversal In Panel 2, the exchange between Roy and Haley reference how a typical D&D party will stop to rest (no matter the actual time of the day) whenever their resources are running low, such as spells, which can be renewed after a 8 hours of sleep. This brings the full party's power to every important fight, but causes a weird cycle of activity, sometimes known as the "5-minute adventuring day" because spells can get exhausted very quickly in a fight.
Strip 147 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0147.html): The Light at the End of the Tunnel In Panel 1, the roaches make a reference to a reoccurring gag in animated TV series, "The Smurphs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smurfs)" where characters ask, "Is it much farther, Papa Smurph? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0tje6xfWs)".
In Panel 2, Redcloak explains the nature of the phylactery, a powerful device that a lich uses to protect his spirit. As long as the phylactery exists, a lich can't be truly destroyed. This will become a critical plot point in Strip 462 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0462.html) and later.
In Panel 5, the demon roach references "He shoots, he scores" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foster_Hewitt), which is a classic catchphrase in hockey commentary.
Strip 148 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0148.html): Hobgoblins and You In Panel 10, one might be led to believe that Xykon makes a reference to the TV series, Orange is the New Black (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Is_the_New_Black"). However, the strip was made several years before the TV show aired, or before the book it is based on was published. In fact, expressions such as "X is the new black", originating in the fashion industry, have been in existence since at least the 1980s.
Strip 149 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0149.html): Cultural Differences - No annotations yet
Strip 150 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0150.html): A Comic as Lovely as a Tree The title of this strip is a reference to the poem "Trees (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trees_(poem))" by Joyce KIlmer. The poem starts with the lines: "I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree." In Panel 1, "Local" with a number attached would be a typical name for a trade union group in the United States.
In Panel 8, Durkon tries to explain his irrational fear of trees with D&D battle statistics which are correct, and impressive, save for the fact that normal trees can't attack in D&D.
In Panel 11, Durkon makes a reference to the philosophical question, "if a tree falls alone in the forest, does it make a sound?" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_a_tree_falls_in_a_forest)
Strip 151 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0151.html): Learning Experience - No annotations yet
Strip 152 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0152.html): Arrow Time In Panel 3, Durkon's dialogue is a reference to the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC where 300 Spartans defended against a much larger invasion force of Persians. The historian Herodotus writes that when Dienekes, a Spartan soldier, was informed that Persian arrows would be so numerous as "to block out the sun", he retorted, unconcerned: "So much the better...then we shall fight our battle in the shade."
Strip 153 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0153.html): Priorities - No annotations yet
Strip 154 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html): One Bird with Two Dozen Arrows In panel 4, V is referencing a common instance in D&D where a player would often forget his or her familiar was present, and so forget to describe its movements on a regular basis. So the familiar would "pop up" whenever its abilities were needed, thus giving the player a reason to describe its location/activity. This is a Reoccurring Gag (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143834&postcount=2) in the comic.
Strip 155 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0155.html): Time is On My Side In panels 1 - 3, V describes the abilities a Sorcerer's Familiar, and then it disappears when he/she is no longer talking about it. This is a reference to a common instance in D&D where a player would often forget his or her familiar was present, and so forget to describe its movements on a regular basis. This is a Reoccurring Gag (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143834&postcount=2) in the comic.
In Panel 9, Haley exhibits what happens in D&D games when there's downtime: The DM simply skips over the uninteresting hours of the day. The joke comes from the character understanding game table dynamics as real things happening in her own world.
Strip 156 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0156.html): Cunning Escape In panel 1, we see a sign reading Definitely NOT a Bandit Camp, when it most certainly is one. In Panel 4, the boots Elan puts on are the Boots of Elvenkind that he gets in Strip 130 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0130.html), which help their wearer reduce the noise they make when they move.
Strip 157 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0157.html): A Lesson in Leadership - No annotations yet
Strip 158 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0158.html): The Economics of Banditry In Panels 2 - 9, Haley is describing mechanics in D&D rules where value of a character's gear (mostly, magical equipment enhancing their powers) is dependent on their level to balance gameplay. Only high-level character will have the most powerful and expensive magical equipment. Haley is broadly correct: Considering the prices of goods as listed in the rules, it would be difficult for bandits in large numbers to survive solely by preying on adventuring groups they can realistically beat.
In Panel 10, Haley has a typical player reaction of being dismissive of any but the most powerful NPC. Unwise, in this instance...
Strip 159 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0159.html): Plotus Interruptus - No annotations yet
Strip 160 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0160.html): The Jell-O Pit Wasn't Available - No annotations yet
Strip 161 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0161.html): Captives In Panel 1, Haley is referring to the paladin's iconic power to "Smite Evil".
Strip 162 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0162.html): Soliloquy - No annotations yet
Strip 163 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0163.html): A Man, A Dwarf, and a Kitty - No annotations yet
Strip 164 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0164.html): Here He Comes, To Save the Day! - No annotations yet
Strip 165 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0165.html): Hangin' Around In Panel 9, Roy is referencing the D&D rule for sneak attack that allows a rogue to use only when the target is flat footed. In this case, if Roy were surprised by them, it would be a sneak attack, which could have been a lot more dangerous to Roy. [/list]
Strip 166 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0166.html): Wolverine, Eat Your Heart Out The title of this strip, references the saying "Eat your heart out!" This is an idiom which when used, infers that you believe you can do that thing better than the person mentioned. Generally this person is famous for doing that thing. The comic book character"Wolverine" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine_(character)) often would perform a "Fastball Special" where his teammates would throw him at their enemies, which the final panel is parodying with Belkar's "Teatherball Special". In Panel 2, Haley's dialogue refers to the D&D rule that allows characters to speak as a free action. A character can only perform a certain number of actions (one move action and one standard action) in a round of combat, plus any number of free actions, such as speaking. Around a game table, a round of combat (which is supposed to last 6 seconds) will often include long discussions between players, stretching the credibility of this rule. The conversation between Haley, Roy and V is an example of this. In accordance to the rules, their enemies are left waiting during that time.
Strip 167 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0167.html): Don't Question the Color of the Bag The title of this strip refers to Roy's Bag of Tricks, which has the properties of a grey bag of tricks, in that it releases cats, rats, weasels and badgers. However, in the last panel it releases a Rhino, which is only contained in the tan Bag of Tricks. So Roy's bag doesn't actually follow the rules for any particular color of bag of tricks. Rich knew people would try to point this out to him, so "Don't Question the Color of the Bag" means "I know a Bag of Tricks really doesn't work like this" In Panel 1, the Rapid Shot feat allows the archer to fire an additional arrow in the same round, at the expense of accuracy.
Strip 168 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0168.html): Running on Empty In Panel 7, Haley mention's the "DC is just too high." The DC is the Difficulty Class of the spell's saving throw. Samantha is very powerful, and Haley's saving throw failed against her high DC.
Strip 169 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0169.html): The Enemy of My Enemy is a Tree In Panel 2, the bandit leader points out that his daughter never took the Silent Spell or Still Spell feats. Silent Spell allows a cast to use a spell without uttering the magic incantations, while Still Spell eschews the magic gestures. Without those feats, a tied up and gagged sorcerer is powerless.
Strip 170 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0170.html): He's Still a Dwarf at Heart In Panel 10, "WWTD?" ("What Would Thor Do?") on the mug is a spoof on the Christian moral exhortation, "What Would Jesus Do?", often shortened to "WWJD?"
Strip 171 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html): The Prisoner Dilemma In Panel 2, Belkar mentions the Sense Motive skill. Sense Motive lets a character assess others' intentions and discern lies.
In Panel 10, Belkar is quoting the 8th amendment of the US constitution (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Cruel+and+Unusual+Punishment).
Strip 172 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0172.html): Cure Moderate Hurt Feelings In Panel 2, Haley is referencing the In D&D rules, characters abilities change when they age, as reflected in Age Category ranges.
Strip 173 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0173.html): It Is Always Exactly Where They Intend It to Be In Panel 1, Elan is correct - The horses were totally ignored and went off-panel ever since the bandit ambush in Strip 151 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0151.html), and we never saw the Order dropping them off. Roy's comment back is playing up the fact that not everything equally makes sense in D&D rules.
In Panel 1, the sign shows that this horse park is severely overpriced, considering that 5 silver (worth half a gold) would buy meals in a basic quality inn for a day.
Strip 174 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0174.html): Interlude of Dooooooom! In Panel 5, the real Blacksmith from Strip 142 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0142.html)) recounts his ordeal at the hands of Nale and Thog, but coincidentally, his description applies to Elan and Roy. In panel 6, Miko is speaking with Gortok the Destroyer from the Barbarian Guild in strip 132 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0132.html). Miko is holding the same pamphlet that Belkar was given as well.
In Panel 8, Miko is speaking with the weasel from Strip 144 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0144.html).
Strip 175 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0175.html): Darn You to Hex In Panel 2, the map references the early days of D&D where all maps were drawn on a hexagon pattern, reflecting the games origins in tactical war games. V explains in the technical advantages of that pattern in Panel 6 over a more basic square pattern.
In Panel 9, the new monster is a hag, with magical powers to call hexes (or curses) on opponents, which is why she's impressed that Roy is excited about them.
Strip 176 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0176.html): Leaping Lizards In Panel 2, Roy realizes the inherent disadvantage of the hex pattern: Straight runs are a lot harder to assess unless one is moving in one of the 6 hex directions.
In Panel 4, Belkar's use of the Rage ability shows that he indeed took a level of barbarian.
In Panel 7, Roy quotes one of the most quirky rules of the game: It's possible to roll high enough on a long jump that the jump's distance is longer than what the character can move in one round. In that case, movement ends in the next round.
In Panel 10, V's transformation is a result of the hag's hex in Panel 2.
Strip 177 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0177.html): Ch-ch-ch-changes In Panel 12, Belkar tries and fails to resolve the mystery of Vaarsuvius's gender ambiguity.
Strip 178 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0178.html): The Early Bird Catches the Wizard In Panel 1, V mentions Somatic components, which are the gestures necessary to cast the vast majority of spells. V finds only 3 exceptions in the spellbook.
In Panel 3, V echo's the opinions of generations of players who have considered Hold Portal to be one of the least useful spells in the game.
In Panel 11, Blackwing fails to recognize his master, and will only realize his error later in Strip 714 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0714.html).
Strip 179 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0179.html): Liar, Liar In Panel 14, Vaarsuvius parodies a quote from Emperor Palpatine (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000024/quotes), in the film, Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_of_the_Jedi).
Strip 180 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0180.html): Falling for You In Panel 1, Roy shuts down any discussion of the imaginary giants guarding the place which he convinced the party of in Strip 139 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0139.html).
In Panel 3, V mention's a bard is an arcane caster just like a Wizard or Sorceror (as opposed to clerics and druids who are divine casters). The bard is a much less powerful caster than the wizard, but of course there are other reasons for V to dismiss Elan's effectiveness. Nevertheless, Elan uses his Inspire Competence ability to attempt to assist the party's climb.
Strip 181 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0181.html): Cursing the Darkness In Panel 1, Elan uses his Inspire Competence ability in a completely useless manner. The group doesn't need help to walk through a corridor.
In Panel 3, V mention's the Spellcraft skill, which is used to identify magical effects.
In Panel 5, Durkon cannot see because the spell Darkness is a magical darkness so deep that it foils a Dwarf's Darkvision ability.
Strip 182 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0182.html): Probability In Panel 7, V is counting on the fact that a natural roll of 1 is always a failure to defeat the dragon's very high Will save bonus.
Strip 183 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0183.html): Spit and/or Swallow - No annotations yet
Strip 184 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0184.html): Hawaiian Love In panel 1, we see that Haley’s left shoe has come off from the dragon swallowing her, and then throwing her up. In Panel 1, V's dialogue is a reference to the quote, "That will do, pig, that will do (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjQtzV9IZ0Q)," from the film, "Babe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_(film))."
Strip 185 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0185.html): The Time Killers - No annotations yet
Strip 186 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0186.html): Return of the Elf In Panel 8, the Black Dragon sings the nursery song, The Wheels on the Bus (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkgItG7dF28).
Strip 187 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0187.html): Love At First Sight - No annotations yet
Strip 188 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0188.html): A Matter of Perspective Panel 6: V will only fully understand the implications of this in Strip 628 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0628.html).
Strip 189 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0189.html): Tied Up Nicely In Panel 12, Miko mentions the Gather Information skill, which acts as a shortcut for finding out things a character needs to know, without going into the roleplaying of finding knowledgeable people and asking them for information.
Strip 190 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0190.html): A Lesson in Resource Management - No annotations yet
Strip 191 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0191.html): Dungeon Real Estate In Panel 1, the punch line to the Roach's joke is Rocky Road (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_road_(ice_cream)), which is a flavor of ice cream that is popular in the USA.
In Panel 3, Xykon is referring the fact that any dungeon in a D&D scenario is always filled with monsters, often without any story connection so that it is a challenge to explore.
Strip 192 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0192.html): Everything Sits Better on a Ritz In Panel 4, Red Cloak references Spell Resistance, which is an ability of many powerful monsters. The ability makes them impervious to magic unless the caster rolls a die roll that can beat it, a task lower spell casters find hard to accomplish.
Strip 193 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0193.html): Because Good is Dumb - No annotations yet
Strip 194 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0194.html): You Light Up My Life In Panel 2, Xykon references that the D&D Monster Manual has a great many more Evil than Good monsters, precisely for the reason Xykon points out. In panel 4, the Lantern Archons are quoting from DC Comic's Green Lantern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern_(comic_book)). It's the oath that Hal Jordan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Jordan), one of the incarnations of Green Lantern, commonly used to charge his ring.
In Panel 4, the "Kyle" the Demon Roach is talking about is Kyle Raynor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Rayner), one of the other incarnations of the Green Lantern.
In Panel 8, Red Cloak is questioning how XP works for "defeating" monsters. Usually, this means killing them or making them flee. Here, the MITD's "method" is certainly novel.
Strip 195 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0195.html): Book Nook In Panel 1, the dead silver dragon pictured will later be reanimated as a zombie dragon and reappear in Strip 428 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0428.html).
In Panel 5, Xykon mentions the Tome of Clear Thought, which is a very powerful magical item. Reading it will permanently raise the reader's Intelligence score. Xykon contrasts it with Dianetics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianetics), which isn't real science.
Strip 196 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0196.html): The Diary In this strip, the events that Xykon and Redcloak are referring to are recounted in Start of Darkness (http://www.giantitp.com/GIPOTS99.html).
Strip 197 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0197.html): A Change of Scale - No annotations yet
Strip 198 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0198.html): The Great Kazoo This strip's title is a reference to the character The Great Gazoo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gazoo) from the TV cartoon, "The Flintstones (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flintstones)". In panel 1, the Belkar exclaiming "that took WEEKS" and Elan having a sprained wrist was actually a reference to the artist, Rich Burlew, having sprained his wrist in real life, and so there were a few weeks delay between the previous strip and this strip.
In Panel 4, Roy mentions the item Bag of Holding, which can store a huge amount of items, without actually increasing in weight.
In Panel 11, Roy references the Perform and Knowledge skills. There is different Perform skill for every musical instrument or artistic performance type (Perform (Comedy), Perform (Dance), Perform (String Instruments), etc), and a number of different Knowledge skills covering different fields (Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Engineering), etc). Of course, the ones Roy mentions are jokes.
Strip 199 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html): It Was a Dark and Stormy Night The title of this strip is a well known phrase (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_was_a_dark_and_stormy_night) that is used in literature to set a melodramatic mood, and is also used in parody as well. In this case, we have both. In Panel 5, Roy refereces Chicken Little, which is a classic folk tale, also known as Henny Penny (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henny_Penny) in the UK. In panel 7, Elan states that it only ever rains when someone tries to kill someone else, someone is revealed to be a traitor, or someone kisses someone for the first time. Strip 200 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0200.html) shows us that all three of Elan’s statements seem to happen.
Strip 200 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0200.html): The Confrontation On Page 1, panel 4, Haley names the item as a tanglefoot bag, which is an alchemical preparation. The contents spill over the targeted creature, instantly hardening and hampering movement, including that necessary for spellcasting which causes several of V's spells will fizzle in this fight.
On Page 2, panel 1, Windstriker is a loyal, intelligent mount Miko gets as part of her Paladin class feature.
On Page 2, panel 2, Belkar is referencing the rules for Grappling. Grappling is a combat maneuver to restrain your opponents. Large creatures, such as a horse, have a bonus on the roll, while Small creatures such as the Halfling Belkar have a penalty. The rules don't make a distinction for creatures having no hands, so the not-very-realistic tactic of getting a horse to grapple soemone is technically valid.
On Page 2, panel 9, Elan remarks that Miko took no damage from the fireball. Like Haley, Miko has the Evasion ability - If she makes her Reflex save, she takes no damage at all from such an attack, while other characters take half damge on a successful save. Evasion isn't a paladin ability, which means Miko has levels in another class.
On Page 3, panel 6, Belkar's can't use his Wild Empathy ability from the ranger class because Windstriker is a magically bonded Paladin mount. The ability only allows him to befriend a normal animal.
On Page 3, panel 11, Roy references Flanking, which is a tactic by which two can attack someone on either side. This provides a bonus to the attack roll, and opens the possibility of Sneak Attack for rogues.
On Page 4, panel 4, Miko uses Stunning Fist (or Kick), a monk ability. Haley is Stunned, and can't attack for one round.
On Page 4, panel 4, Haley sings the song "I am Henry the 8th, I am" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Henery_the_Eighth,_I_Am), which is a British music hall song
On Page 4, panel 11, Miko is using the Smite Evil paladin ability. It would do a lot of additional damage to Roy if he were of an evil alignment.
In Strip 199 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html), Elan says that only three things happen when it rains - someone tries to kill someone else, someone is revealed to be a traitor, or someone kisses someone for the first time. This strip shows all three of these predictions come true: In page 4, last panel; Miko tries to kill Roy.
In page 2, panel 4; Durkon seems to be betraying the group.
In page 3, panel 4; Haley kisses Elan on the cheek, which is the first time she kisses him.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 05:44 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 201 to 300
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Strip 201 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0201.html): Seeing Signs - No annotations yet
Strip 202 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0202.html): Scanning... - No annotations yet
Strip 203 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0203.html): Just the Facts, Ma'am - No annotations yet
Strip 204 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0204.html): What's My Motivation? - No annotations yet
Strip 205 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0205.html): A Is Always A - No annotations yet
Strip 206 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0206.html): Hidden Benefit of Being an Adventurer - No annotations yet
Strip 207 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0207.html): Now If Only We Could Organize the Fiends Somehow - No annotations yet
Strip 208 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0208.html): A Battle of Wits In Panel 5, Belkar's dialogue references an instance in some video games called integer overflow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integer_overflow), where limited storage within a program could cause such an instance to occur.
Strip 209 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html): Multiclass Discrimination - No annotations yet
Strip 210 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0210.html): Displaced Persons - No annotations yet
Strip 211 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0211.html): The Hook - No annotations yet
Strip 212 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0212.html): Dirt Farm In panel 9, Belkar's line about ogres ogres "making a very agreeable thump when they hit the ground" is a direct quote from the Babylon 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5) TV series. The original quote - "No moral ambiguities, no hopeless battle against ancient and overwhelming forces. They were the bad guys, we were the good guys, and they made a very agreeable thump when they hit the floor!" is from season 3, episode 13; entitled - "A Late Delivery from Avalon".
Strip 213 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0213.html): The Man Knows His Limitations - No annotations yet
Strip 214 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0214.html): No Plan Survives Contact with One's Allies - No annotations yet
Strip 215 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0215.html): Taking Charge - No annotations yet
Strip 216 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0216.html): Perfect Combo - No annotations yet
Strip 217 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0217.html): Now in Ogrevision! - No annotations yet
Strip 218 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0218.html): OD&D - No annotations yet
Strip 219 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0219.html): No Joke Too Cliched In panel 1, Belkar’s line, Ahhh, there it is… is in reference to what he said in Strip 212 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0212.html), in panel 9, where he says that - Ogres make a very satisfying thump when they hit the ground.
Strip 220 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0220.html): For a Reasonable Fee - No annotations yet
Strip 221 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0221.html): Recycling Works - No annotations yet
Strip 222 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0222.html): A Blissful Marriage - No annotations yet
Strip 223 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0223.html): Love, in the Abstract - No annotations yet
Strip 224 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0224.html): Groggy, Groggy, Groggy In panel 2, Roy makes a reference to the video game Guantlet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauntlet_(1985_video_game)), where when someone is low on health, they are referred to as needing food badly.
Strip 225 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0225.html): Checking In - No annotations yet
Strip 226 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0226.html): Who's On the Throne? - No annotations yet
Strip 227 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0227.html): AR&R In panel 1, we see that Roy has been given pink bunny slippers as part of his royal pampering.
In panel 6, the shadow dancer assassin is peeking through the window.
Strip 228 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0228.html): Unlawful Good - No annotations yet
Strip 229 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0229.html): No Offense, Aaron - No annotations yet
Strip 230 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0230.html): The Law Strikes Back - No annotations yet
Strip 231 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0231.html): From the Mouths of Babes - No annotations yet
Strip 232 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0232.html): Because They Got Lonely in the Bag - No annotations yet
Strip 233 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0233.html): No Thread Left Untied - No annotations yet
Strip 234 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html): The Ultimate Sacrifice In Panel 2, Elan states he kept the belt because he "was curious," which is a reference to the title of Strip 9 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html), "I Am Curious, Elan" where they first encounter the belt.
Strip 235 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0235.html): Oddly, He Can Still Get Dressed in Under a Minute - No annotations yet
Strip 236 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0236.html): Mean Girl In panel 8, Haley’s line makes a joke about an evil twin raised by a warlord father, which references Elan’s backstory.
Strip 237 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0237.html): Growing Some - No annotations yet
Strip 238 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0238.html): You Try Rhyming 'Assassin' - No annotations yet
Strip 239 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0239.html): Roy's Angels In Panel 13, V, Roy and Haley's silhouette is a reference to the title card for TV series, "Charlie's Angels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie%27s_Angels)". The strip's title parodies the show by calling it "Roy's Angels" instead.
Strip 240 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0240.html): Next on Fox: When Whores Attack! - No annotations yet
Strip 241 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0241.html): Talking Down - No annotations yet
Strip 242 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0242.html): Chekov's Law Realized In Panel 9, V's dialogue, "I blame Cerebus," references Cerebus the Aardvark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebus_the_Aardvark), an acclaimed comic book series by Dave Sim. It started out as light, episodic, and comedic, then assumed dramatic elements into a more detailed plot arc with coherent continuity. This process is sometimes known as "Cerebus Syndrome" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CerebusSyndrome).
Strip 243 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0243.html): No Flair for the Dramatic In Panel 9, Haley references "Sophie's choice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie%27s_Choice_(novel))", a novel and film about a woman who is forced to make a choice: she can save one and only one of her two children from the Nazi holocaust.
Strip 244 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0244.html): What? It's a Legitimate Magic Item The title of this comic refers Belkar's mention in Panel 12 of the "Rod of Lordly Might (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Rod_of_Lordly_Might)", which indeed has a button that can extend the rod into a climbing pole.
Strip 245 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0245.html): Easy Come, Easy Go - No annotations yet
Strip 246 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0246.html): Rumors of Her Death In Panel 9, Miko points out the King of Somewhere, who can later be seen in Panel 1 of Strip 250 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0247.html) leaving with his guard.
Strip 247 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0247.html): It's Just Aphasia She's Going Through In Panel 5, this is the first time Haley will speak in Cryptogram, and she will continue speaking in Cryptogram until Strip 393 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0393.html). To see what Haley is actually saying, please see the translation thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?4909-What-Haley-Said-Compilation), or visit the Transcription of the Strip (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?338747-The-Transcription-of-the-Stick). In panel 5, Elan thinks Haley's cryptograms are a foreign language. In Strip 384 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0384.html), Nale will have the same reaction.
Strip 248 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0248.html): Blame the Hormones - No annotations yet
Strip 249 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0249.html): Return of the Trouser Titan - No annotations yet
Strip 250 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0250.html): Oh no, he DIDN'T! In Panel 1, we see the King of Somewhere leaving with his guard in the bottom left corner of the panel.
Strip 251 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0251.html): A Piece of His Mind - No annotations yet
Strip 252 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0252.html): Linear Storytelling In Panels 3 & 6, Nale and Sabine have different opinions about V's gender. Nale calls V an "elf-chick", while Sabine calls V an "elf dude".
Strip 253 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0253.html): Larry Gardener and the Angry Half-Orc In panel 1, "Warthog's School for Wizardry and Sorcery" is a play on "Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogwarts)", the central setting of the Harry Potter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter) book series.
In panel 2, we see play on the title character of the Harry Potter series - Larry Gardener. He resembles the book character a great deal, right down to the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.
Strip 254 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0254.html): Half the Elf, Double the Fun In panel 1, we see a continuance of the Harry Potter reference theme from the previous Strip, as "He who must not be named" is a euphemism used by the general populace to refer to the main villian of the series out of fear.
In panel 4, we see a reference tp the pop singer Prince (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_(musician)), who changed his name to an unpronouncable symbol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_logo.svg) in 1991. Due to the unpronouncable nature of this symbol, he was referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince."
In panel 5, the head master introduces Pompey. His name is a play on that Pompey (the opposite of Vaarsuvius in the Linear Guild) is a reference to Mount Vesuvius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius) and Pompeii (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeii). To further the opposite theme, his hair is the same as Vaarsuvius’ robe color, and his robes match Vaarsuvius’ hair color.
In panel 9, we see that Pompey is depicted as a half elf by only having one elf ear. Nale points this out in panel 13, by calling him ear boy.
Strip 255 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0255.html): Meep meep! - No annotations yet
Strip 256 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0256.html): Six Degrees of Evil Separation – In panel 6, Nale references the recent story arc in strip 234 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html) where Roy actually DID have a gender swap, but not for self indulgent reasons at all.
Strip 257 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0257.html): POW! - No annotations yet
Strip 258 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0258.html): I Think That Violates the Geneva Convention - No annotations yet
Strip 259 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0259.html): Son of Mail Call - No annotations yet
Strip 260 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0260.html): The Prison Blues In Panel 2, Durkon's dialogue, "I be a healer not a footstool," is a parody of a running gag line "I'm a doctor, not a ______" frequently said (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdgrby_14XM)by various medical personnel in the TV show and Film series, Star Trek (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek). In Strip 458 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0458.html), Thog will express the exact opposite sentiment when he is locked in the same room.
Strip 261 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0261.html): I Smell a Solo Adventure In panel 5, the line about emotional distress is in reference to strip 225 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0225.html), where Belkar claims he needs his own room due to Durkon’s snoring, which would cause emotional distress.
In panel 10, Belkar knocks the guard against the top of the panel.
Strip 262 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0262.html): All You Need is Love and Improvised Thieves' Tools In Panel 2, Haley's improvised lock picks are pieces of straw (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?6405-OOTS-262-The-Discussion-Thread/page2&p=349744#post349744)from her mattress.
Strip 263 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0263.html): The Great Escape - No annotations yet
Strip 264 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0264.html): I Cannae Tell a Lie - No annotations yet
Strip 265 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0265.html): A Tale of Two Paladins - No annotations yet
Strip 266 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0266.html): Guessing Game - No annotations yet
Strip 267 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0267.html): The Cat Behind the Throne - No annotations yet
Strip 268 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0268.html): The Lawyers Strike Back - No annotations yet
Strip 269 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0269.html): A Familiar Face In panel 2, Durkon is confused as to who Celia is because he was separated from the group when the others met her, in strip 72 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0072.html).
In panel 6, we see that Durkon’s hatred of trees extends to Dryads, where he calls them leafy wankers.
Strip 270 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0270.html): Dueling Egos - No annotations yet
Strip 271 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html): The Prosecution's Case In panel 1, we see that the Chair of Truth has its own spotlight.
In panel 6, we see the old man is the same old man from strip 122 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0122.html).
In panel 7, we see that the psychiatrist that appears in panel 7 is the same one that appears later in strip 346 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0346.html).
Strip 272 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0272.html): The Big Secret - No annotations yet
Strip 273 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html): The Crayons of Time: Doodles on the Sketch Pad of Eternity - No annotations yet
Strip 274 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0274.html): The Crayons of Time: The Snarl - No annotations yet
Strip 275 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0275.html): The Crayons of Time: World 2.0 - No annotations yet
Strip 276 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0276.html): The Crayons of Time: The Order of the Scribble In page 2, last panel, we see the explanation as to why there wasn’t a water dungeon within Dorukan’s Dungeon as depicted in strip 47 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0047.html), and why Celia was able to crash through the ceiling as seen in strip 69 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html) after she was turned to stone.
Strip 277 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html): The Crayons of Time: Breaking Up is Hard to Do - No annotations yet
Strip 278 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0278.html): A New Strategy - No annotations yet
Strip 279 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0279.html): No Soup for You - No annotations yet
Strip 280 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0280.html): The Boot - No annotations yet
Strip 281 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0281.html): Get the Lead Out - No annotations yet
Strip 282 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0282.html): Closing Arguments In this strip, we see that the only time the lawyers get a spotlight during the trial is when they are making their closing arguments.
Strip 283 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0283.html): Rock the Vote - No annotations yet
Strip 284 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0284.html): Shattered Expectations In page 1, last panel; we see Hinjo passing out the groups items as instructed by Shojo, starting with Elan and Haley. Hinjo is still holding Roy’s Bag of Tricks, Shattered Ancestral sword, Club, and Durkon’s Hammer.
In page 2, panel 3; Hinjo completes passing out equipment with Durkon’s hammer.
Strip 285 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0285.html): A Moment of Truth - No annotations yet
Strip 286 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0286.html): A Minor Glitch In Panel 12, V's dialogue "I think I may owe the tables of the world an apology," is a reference to the his dialogue in Strip 285 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0285.html), Panel 5, where he compares Belkar's mental acuity to that of a table.
Strip 287 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0287.html): Paladins Make Good Tour Guides In panel 8, Hinjo is holding a Saphire Guard coupon that says, 6 sp off. SP is short for Silver Pieces.
Strip 288 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0288.html): First Word... - No annotations yet
Strip 289 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0289.html): Senility Now! In panel 4, we see a Shojo with gray hair and no wrinkles or liver spots, showing the passage of time between the event and current time.
Strip 290 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0290.html): Shojo's Big Secret - No annotations yet
Strip 291 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0291.html): Not to Mention Little League - No annotations yet
Strip 292 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0292.html): Non-startling Revelations - No annotations yet
Strip 293 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0293.html): This is Getting to Be a Habit... - No annotations yet
Strip 294 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0294.html): Contracts, Shmontracts - No annotations yet
Strip 295 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0295.html): Belkar Leashed - No annotations yet
Strip 296 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0296.html): Boons - No annotations yet
Strip 297 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0297.html): Sword Speak - No annotations yet
Strip 298 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0298.html): The Future is Forged in the Fires of Today In page 2, panel 3; Elan has received the lollipop he asked for in strip 287 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0287.html).
Strip 299 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0299.html): A Calling Missed - No annotations yet
Strip 300 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html): Pick Your Doom - No annotations yet
bobinchese
2013-10-02, 05:59 PM
Miko isn't present in comic 176.
Muenster Man
2013-10-02, 06:30 PM
This project is an effort to point out details the casual reader might overlook or nto pick up on. Everything from references to Dungeons and Dragons, to in comic references, or even to real life things. We'll point out repeated gags and plot elements, so that when you follow along, you can enjoy the Order of the Stick story to the fullest!
Isn't this just like the "Things I Haven't Noticed" threads or the "Joke I Didn't Get" threads?
While there are some similarities, these threads have different missions than ours. Many of the details in the annotations have been gleaned from these threads, but ultimately, this thread is farther reaching.
Could you explain the purpose of this thread more clearly? I agree that it seems different from other, similar threads, and I would like to contribute but I can't quite figure out what this thread is and is not supposed to cover. Right now it sort of seems to cover a vague "everything," and if that's the case, people can suggest just about anything and it will get very crowded very quickly.
Gnoman
2013-10-02, 06:35 PM
135 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0135.html) – The shop keepers in this update have equally mathematically-challenged counterparts on the Western Continent, shown in the first-panel of update 677 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0677.html).
Afraid you're incorrect here. The latter gag has to do with D&D spell component rules (each spell that requires an expensive component bases that component on the GP value rather than any objective quantity or quality of the item. Thus, if you haggle for less than that rate, your component no longer qualifies for the spell, so you have to buy more), not any mathematically-challenged merchants. There is no connection between the two gags other than "they both take place in a shop."
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 06:50 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 301 to 400
Previous Page (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16143864&postcount=5) | Index (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?306917-The-Annotated-Order-of-the-Stick-A-Companion-Guide) | Next Page (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16144723&postcount=14)
Strip 301 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0301.html): A Brief Intermission - No annotations yet
Strip 302 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0302.html): New Beginnings - No annotations yet
Strip 303 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0303.html): Phrenology Today - No annotations yet
Strip 304 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0304.html): A Leper Can't Change His Spots - No annotations yet
Strip 305 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0305.html): The Epistle of Durkon - No annotations yet
Strip 306 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0306.html): Power Word: Annoy - No annotations yet
Strip 307 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0307.html): Take the Problem By the Hand - No annotations yet
Strip 308 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0308.html): Sword Envy - No annotations yet
Strip 309 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0309.html): My Dinner with Elan - No annotations yet
Strip 310 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0310.html): Advanced Dates & Dinners - No annotations yet
Strip 311 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0311.html): Internal Dialogue In panel 2, we see that Haley’s self loathing ego appears to look exactly how Haley appeared when she was a teenager in Strip 93 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0093.html).
Strip 312 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0312.html): Where the Buffalo Wings Roam - No annotations yet
Strip 313 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0313.html): Words Fail - No annotations yet
Strip 314 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0314.html): Goth Advice - No annotations yet
Strip 315 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0315.html): On Sylph's Wings - No annotations yet
Strip 316 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0316.html): The Moment of Truth - No annotations yet
Strip 317 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0317.html): The Best Part of Waking Up - No annotations yet
Strip 318 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0318.html): The Move Action of Shame In panel 1, you can spot Celia behind the curtain.
In panel 4, we find out from Elan that in addition to the countries known as Nowhere, Somewhere, Anywhere, and Someplace Else, which were revealed in Strip 226 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0226.html), there is also a country known as Neither.
Strip 319 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0319.html): Healthier Living Through Repression In panel 4, Haley’s optimism has the appearance of young Haley in panel 8 of Strip 681 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0681.html).
Strip 320 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0320.html): Bing Crosby's Got Nothing On Us The title refers to the last panel, where there are several signs stating "Road to..." and then a location. Bing Crosby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby) starred in a series of "Road to... (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_...)" comedy films in the 40's, including one which is directly shown on one of the signs in Panel 11 - "Road to Morocco (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_Morocco)". In Panel 11, a sign references the film "Road To Perdition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_Perdition)"
Strip 321 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0321.html): Q & A - No annotations yet
Strip 322 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0322.html): Maybe the Quailtiger? In panel 9, Belkar's dialogue is referencing this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6rHeD5x2tI) tootsie roll pop commercial.
Strip 323 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0323.html): Don't Make Me Turn This Quest Around - No annotations yet
Strip 324 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0324.html): Consult Your Doctor Before Reading This Comic In the last panel, the magic mouth is cut off by Roy. In Strip 564 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0564.html), we see the rest of the speech that we missed.
Strip 325 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0325.html): The Test of the Body - No annotations yet
Strip 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html): Getting Ahead in Business - No annotations yet
Strip 327 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0327.html): The Test of the Mind - No annotations yet
Strip 328 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0328.html): The Test of the Heart In panel 1, Elan points out that the party Thought their way around the test of Body, and Fought their way through the test of Mind.
Strip 329 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0329.html): The All-Seeing Oracle - No annotations yet
Strip 330 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0330.html): Paid in Full In panel 8, the Oracle tells Roy and Elan that they are running late for a pair of family reunions, which tells us that the Oracle is aware of the events in Strip 258 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0258.html), as well as the incoming events.
Strip 331 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html): For the Future In page 1, panel 3; we see a depiction of Tiamat, God of the Dragons.
In page 2, panels 5, 7 and 9; these panels are set up to be congruous, with the oracle pages trisecting it. You can tell by the positioning of the Undead Dragon between the three pages.
Strip 332 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0332.html): The Ephemerality of Memory - No annotations yet
Strip 333 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html): The Bright Side – No annotations yet
Strip 334 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0334.html): If You Want Something Done Right – No annotations yet
Strip 335 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html): A Grand Experiment – No annotations yet
Strip 336 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0336.html): Bedtime for Elan – No annotations yet
Strip 337 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0337.html): Brief and to the Point – No annotations yet
Strip 338 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0338.html): Tactical Priorities In panel 8, Vaarsuvius’ dialogue foreshadows the events in which he/she sells his/her soul to save his/her own family, by saying "One’s family must be defended when the need arises."
Strip 339 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0339.html): C.P.P.D. Blues In panel 2, the crime scene tape says "Ye Olde Crime Scene, Do Not Crosse".
Strip 340 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0340.html): You Should Have Seen What He Did With the Corsage – No annotations yet
Strip 341 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0341.html): Setting Up the Board – No annotations yet
Strip 342 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0342.html): Dangling the Bait – No annotations yet
Strip 343 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0343.html): Served with a Side Order of Whoop-Ass – No annotations yet
Strip 344 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0344.html): A Walk in the Park In panel 8, we see that Leeky (who is Durkon’s Linear Guild opposite) is wearing robes that match Durkon’s skin tone, and Leeky’s skin tone matches the color of Durkon’s beard. His beard, hair, and cape also match Durkon’s armor color, and their amulet pendants match the other’s chain.
Strip 345 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0345.html): He Invented the Magic System – No annotations yet
Strip 346 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0346.html): Swoop, There It Is In panel 5, Leeky Windstaff's animal companion is named "Kitty" and is a hawk, which is a reference to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Hawk,_North_Carolina), where the Wright Brothers conducted their experiments into powered flight.
In panel 7, the psychiatrist appears to be the same one that appears in the trial scene of Strip 271 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0271.html).
Strip 347 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0347.html): On the Map – No annotations yet
Strip 348 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0348.html): Someone Was Looking For You In Panel 1, Belkar says "I think that I shall never see a beating as lovely as that handed out by a tree." This is a reference to the poem "Trees (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trees_(poem))" by Joyce KIlmer. The poem starts with the lines: "I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree." In Panels 5, 6 & 7, the dialogue and appearance of YokYok is a reference to the character Inigo Montoya (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I73sP93-0xA) from the film, "The Princess Bride (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride_(film))". Panel 12 continues this reference, where Belkar yells, "STOP SAYING THAT", which the Six Fingered Man yells in the referenced scene.
Strip 349 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0349.html): Every Couple Has Their Quirks – No annotations yet
Strip 350 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0350.html): At Least You Get Course Credit In panel 1, the Cliffport Police department is shown have red and white flashing lights on top of their horses, and the rookie makes siren noises.
In panel 7, the police call in the SWAT team, which typically stands for "Special Weapons And Tactics" but in this case refers to using fly-SWAT-ters.
Strip 351 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0351.html): Pop Quiz, Hotshot – No annotations yet
Strip 352 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0352.html): The Turnaround – No annotations yet
Strip 353 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0353.html): If a Druid Falls in the City, Does He Make a Noise? In panel 1, we see that one of Thor’s angel is holding a Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Player’s Handbook.
Strip 354 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0354.html): Copper Piece Arcade In panel 9, we see a reference to the classic 1981 Arcade game - Centipede (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centipede_%28video_game%29).
In panel 10, the reference to the Centipede arcade game is furthered when Julia Greenhilt says, "Help! I'm out of quarters!" Like most arcade games, Centipede would allow you to continue after you had "lost" if you put in more quarters.
Strip 355 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0355.html): Sore Loser – No annotations yet
Strip 356 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0356.html): Knight Takes Pawn – No annotations yet
Strip 357 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0357.html): Pen Beats Sword – No annotations yet
Strip 358 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0358.html): A Taste of Victory – No annotations yet
Strip 359 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0359.html): Roll Over – No annotations yet
Strip 360 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0360.html): Hail to the Chief In panel 9, you can see Nale’s sword coming up from behind the Police Chief.
Strip 361 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0361.html): Framing the Picture – No annotations yet
Strip 362 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0362.html): Grand Theft Identity – No annotations yet
Strip 363 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0363.html): I Fought the Law – No annotations yet
Strip 364 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0364.html): Consider Their Lineage – No annotations yet
Strip 365 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0365.html): Caught in the Act In panel 4, Nale says his disguise won't work forever, except for the halfling. In Strip 383 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0383.html), the Halfling - Belkar is the first one to notice, because Nale showers and Belkar can smell him.
In panel 7, when Sabine and Nale kiss, her tail wraps around his leg and she messes up his outfit and hair.
Strip 366 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0366.html): Porting Out In this Strip, the Azurite Spellcaster’s bottle slowly loses liquid as he drinks it.
Strip 367 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0367.html): Innocent Man – No annotations yet
Strip 368 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0368.html): All Along the Watchtower – No annotations yet
Strip 369 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0369.html): Fight! – No annotations yet
Strip 370 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0370.html): Kills 'Em Every Time – No annotations yet
Strip 371 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0371.html): The Road to Heck In panel 9, Xykon misquotes a line from Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_I:_The_Phantom_Menace). The actual line is, "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to suffering."
In panel 10, Red Cloak and Xykon mix up the line from panel 9 with a different line which appears in Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_V:_The_Empire_Strikes_Back). The actual line is, "Luke! Don't give in to hate. That leads to the Dark Side."
In the last panel, you can see two demon roaches having a light saber duel.
Strip 372 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0372.html): Pot v. Kettle – No annotations yet
Strip 373 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0373.html): Caged In page 2, panel 1; when Miko grabs the Demon Roach, it shouts, "Help! Help! I'm being oppressed!" This line is a nearly identical to the line in the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python_and_the_Holy_Grail), in this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8ukak8P2vY) scene.
In page 2, panel 6; we see Miko’s horse Windstrider issues the sound pika when summoned from the pokeball. In Strip 432 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0432.html), we see that this phrase is finished with Hinjo’s dog being summoned from a pokeball, issuing the sound chu.
Strip 374 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0374.html): Black and Blue – No annotations yet
Strip 375 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0375.html): Undeliverable In panel 10, we see that Durkon’s intercepted letter tells us that in the OotS universe – Dwarves have 2 livers.
Strip 376 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0376.html): All Too Easy – No annotations yet
Strip 377 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0377.html): Travel Delays – No annotations yet
Strip 378 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html): He Didn't Even Have to Say Please – No annotations yet
Strip 379 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0379.html): Perform IS on the Aristocrat's Skill List – No annotations yet
Strip 380 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html): While the Fiend's Away... In panel 6, we see the first appearance of the IFCC.
In panel 7, Sabine’s tail curls when she lies to Nale.
Strip 381 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0381.html): Improved Feint – No annotations yet
Strip 382 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0382.html): Risk vs. Reward In panel 5, we see that one of Haley’s personalities is elven – Haley’s Intellect.
Strip 383 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0383.html): What's Really Scary is That He Knows the Words – No annotations yet
Strip 384 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0384.html): Words Get in the Way In panel 2, we see this restaurant is the same restaurant that Roy and Celia went to on their date for New Years in Strip 313 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0313.html). In panel 7, Nale thinks Haley's cryptograms are a foreign language. In Strip 247 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0247.html), Elan had the same reaction.
Strip 385 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0385.html): A Sympathetic Ear In panel 6, Drunk Sabine calls V "sister", in contradiction to her calling V "dude" in Strip 252 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0385.html), panel 6.
Strip 386 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0386.html): Not How She Pictured It, Certainly – In panel 3, the hotel room Nale and Haley enter is #13, which is a number characteristically left out of hotels – generally, there is never a 13th floor, or a 13th room.
Strip 387 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0387.html): The Cliffport Redemption In page 1, last panel; Elan gets an idea…but instead of a light bulb popping up above his head, a lantern pops up.
In page 2, last panel; when Thog rages, his skin gets darker and his pants turn purple, like the comic book character - Incredible Hulk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incredible_Hulk).
Strip 388 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0388.html): The Final Frontier In panel 3, we see that the left-most outfit that is displayed is the outfit Elan chooses to steal.
In panel 5, Elan for the first time is depicted with visible boots in the comic. In Page 2, we see several references to characters and elements from the Final Fantasy VI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_VI), in which one of the main modes of travel is by airship. If you, like thog, do not get the references, here is a list of them: In Panel 4, the characters that are represeneted from left to right are: Setzer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Setzer_Gabbiani) - the Airship Captain, Cyan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Cyan_Garamonde), Celes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Celes_Chere), Terra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Branford), Relm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Relm_Arrowny) and Strago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Strago_Magus). Elan and thog wear costumes that resemble Locke (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Locke_Cole) and Mog (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Mog), respectively. In Panel 4, Cyan's dialogue about three options - Fight, Run or Item, are references to the turn based system of fighting used in Final Fantasy VI. The 4th option is Magic, which comes later in the game (as the dialogue confirms in the panel). In Panel 4, Relm, a character who is an artist in the game complains to her grandfather about not wanting to go to Pratt Institute (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_Institute), which is known for its Fine Arts department. In Panel 4, Strago threatens Relm with the spell Aqua Rake, which is a spell he was able to cast in the game. In Panel 8, the character with the drill is Edgar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characters_of_Final_Fantasy_VI#Edgar_Figaro). In Panel 8, Edgar references Fenix Down (a modified spelling of Phoenix Down), which is the resurrection spell used in the Final Fantasy Series.
Strip 389 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0389.html): As Good an Explanation as is Forthcoming – No annotations yet
Strip 390 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0390.html): In a Class All His Own – No annotations yet
Strip 391 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0391.html): Eye of the Tiger, Baby In the last panel, one of the men in the alligator suit is taking a smoke break.
Strip 392 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0392.html): Death From Above – No annotations yet
Strip 393 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0393.html): Truth In the online version of this Strip, it is named Truth. In the printed version, it is named The Truth Shall Set You Free.
Strip 394 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0394.html): Hell Hath Exactly As Much Fury In panel 9, we see Nale’s fantasy death for Haley was to stab her with a knife in the sternum, which is how he dies in Strip 913 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0913.html).
Strip 395 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0395.html): Two Steps Forward, One Step Back – No annotations yet
Strip 396 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0396.html): The Door Knocks on YOU – No annotations yet
Strip 397 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0397.html): Leggo My Ego! – No annotations yet
Strip 398 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0398.html): We All Just Want to be Held Sometimes In panel 12, while Vaarsuvius, Haley and Durkon are hugging, Thog approaches the group to join in, saying – group hug! Durkon casts the spell Hold Person on him to prevent him from doing so, but it is ironic, since hugging is the equivalent of holding a person.
Strip 399 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0399.html): Death Actually IS Too Good For Them In page 1, panel 8; Haley mentions that there’s probably some kind of ubermagic that would bind his soul, but that it was more on the evil side of the street. Vaarsuvius responds, "And what, exactly, would be the problem in that?" Vaarsuvius later participates in some ubermagic of his/her own when his/her soul is bound by the IFCC in Strip 634 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html).
Strip 400 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0400.html): Your Ship Has Come In – No annotations yet
Miko isn't present in comic 176.
Edited. I meant 174. Kinks to be worked out. :smallwink:
Could you explain the purpose of this thread more clearly? I agree that it seems different from other, similar threads, and I would like to contribute but I can't quite figure out what this thread is and is not supposed to cover. Right now it sort of seems to cover a vague "everything," and if that's the case, people can suggest just about anything and it will get very crowded very quickly.
Sure, some of these are arbitrary, such as this is happening, you might have missed it. Other things are direct references to things, and in those cases I'd like to specifically define. I'm looking for suggestions for organizing - Such as sections - Like the gag call out I'd like to do differently, and I'd also like to do things like point out the intended opposite theme for each of the linear guild regroupings. Things like that. Explaining the title of each Strip is another mission. It is vague on purpose, but with a limit. I'd say notable intricacies, like the empire of blood has red wine, and the azurites have blue. Things of that nature, but not, say, that tree is green. Explaining jokes and references are the main idea, with plot and story references a close second.
Afraid you're incorrect here. The latter gag has to do with D&D spell component rules (each spell that requires an expensive component bases that component on the GP value rather than any objective quantity or quality of the item. Thus, if you haggle for less than that rate, your component no longer qualifies for the spell, so you have to buy more), not any mathematically-challenged merchants. There is no connection between the two gags other than "they both take place in a shop."
Ah. Alright, I'll have to redefine each to explain each, would you have a suggestion as to defining the first gag?
Gnoman
2013-10-02, 06:52 PM
"Mathematically-challenged" is a perfectly good descriptor for the first. The only part that I was challenging was linking an unrelated gag, and explaining why it was unrelated.
bobinchese
2013-10-02, 07:01 PM
289 – In panel 3, we see a Shojo with gray hair and no wrinkles or liver spots, showing the passage of time between the event and current time.
Should read "In panel 4..."
Rogar Demonblud
2013-10-02, 08:00 PM
In Workflow and Gags, for the book titles you can add War and XPs=War and Peace (Both books are hefty bricks as well).
Kornaki
2013-10-02, 08:22 PM
In your description of comic 319, you try to link to 681 but it goes to a different comic.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 08:27 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 401 to 500
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Strip 401 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0401.html): Breakfast of Champions This Strip has the same name as Strip 720 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0720.html) – Breakfast of Champions. In panels 7 and 8, Durkon, Haley and Elan are using chopsticks in this Strip, even for the pancakes. Vaarsuvius, however, is using a spoon for the grapefruit.
Strip 402 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0402.html): Speaking From the Heart – No annotations yet
Strip 403 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0403.html): Leadership Is About the Tough Decisions – No annotations yet
Strip 404 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0404.html): A Paladin's Duty – No annotations yet
Strip 405 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0405.html): The Secrets – No annotations yet
Strip 406 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0406.html): A Moment of Truth – No annotations yet
Strip 407 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0407.html): Breakfast of Champions In panel 6, we see when Miko becomes a fallen Paladin, her clothes change from blue to brown. In the last panel, when Shojo dies, his spotlight goes out.
Strip 408 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0408.html): Fallsville, Population: 1 – No annotations yet
Strip 409 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0409.html): Intercession – No annotations yet
Strip 410 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0410.html): The New Lord in Town – No annotations yet
Strip 411 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0411.html): The Power Behind the Throne – No annotations yet
Strip 412 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0412.html): Catching Up – No annotations yet
Strip 413 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0413.html): Not to Scale – No annotations yet
Strip 414 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0414.html): Noble is Goodble – No annotations yet
Strip 415 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0415.html): Idiot Box In panel 14, the image in the Crystal Ball is a reference to the character's Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins from the Lord of the Rings (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings) series written by JR Tolkien, who must destroy the 'One Ring'. This parody has Frudu and Samwose, who must destroy the 'One Ming'.
Strip 416 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0416.html): It's Battlicious! In panel 1, the woman in the Blind Date episode Xykon is watching comments that her date was really stiff the whole date, which makes sense, since she’s a medusa.
Strip 417 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0417.html): The Most Important Place to Be – No annotations yet
Strip 418 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0418.html): It's a Type of Boat In Panel 10, Belkar's dialogue parodies the iconic line from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_(film)) when Obi-Wan Kenobi senses the destruction of Alderaan.
Strip 419 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0419.html): A Special Pre-Approved Offer – No annotations yet
Strip 420 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.html): The Trial of Belkar Bitterleaf (Abridged) – No annotations yet
Strip 421 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0421.html): Oratory of the Stick
Elan steals from various fictional or historical speeches for his own speech – Page 1, Panel 9: Julius Caesar, Panel 10: Lord of the Rings (Isenguard vs Rohan Battle - Two Towers), Panel 11: Henry V, Panel 12: Lord of the Rings (Return of the King), Page 2, Panel 2: Patton, Panel 3: Independence Day, Panel 4: Braveheart
Strip 422 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0422.html): March to War
The pages in this Strip depict a mirrored positioning of characters. Roy and Xykon mirror each other - which mirrors they are the leaders of the two teams (the Order and Team Evil).
Hinjo and Redcloak mirror each other – which represents them as opposing leaders of their people.
O-Chul and MitD mirror each other – which foreshadows their encounter later in the story.
Strip 423 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0423.html): Periodic Bombardment
Strip 424 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0424.html): A Wizard's Work In page 2, panel 6; the Azurite soldier drops his shield to catch the scroll of dismissal and throws it up to Vaarsuvius in the next panel. Also, as a note, when Vaarsuvius uses the scrolls, the words on the scroll vanish.
Strip 425 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0425.html): War Makes Boys of Us All In panel 4, Elan references the movie 300 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvx7oXqiaMM), or rather – The Battle of Thermopylae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae) in 480 BC where 300 Spartans defended against a much larger invasion force of Persians. The historian Herodotus writes that when Dienekes, a Spartan soldier, was informed that Persian arrows would be so numerous as "to block out the sun", he retorted, unconcerned: "So much the better...then we shall fight our battle in the shade." This is the second reference to Thermopylae via a large mass of arrows. The first of which can be found in Strip 152 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0152.html), which predated the film.
Strip 426 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0426.html): Three of a Kind – No annotations yet
Strip 427 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0427.html): They're Just Another Brick in the Wall – No annotations yet
Strip 428 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0428.html): It Takes a Thief In page 2, panel 4; we see the wind moving the character’s clothing and see a very faint whoosh. They move each flap of the undead dragon’s wings. In page 2, panel 6; Belkar’s referring to Vaarsuvius as It’s Pat is a reference to this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_(Saturday_Night_Live)) SNL skit.
Strip 429 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0429.html): Stay on Target... – No annotations yet
Strip 430 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0430.html): Rematch In page 1, we see that Xykon’s undead dragon is missing its rear left foot. In page 2, panel 1; Xykon says unholy crap, instead of holy crap.
Strip 431 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0431.html): My Three Xykons – No annotations yet
Strip 432 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0432.html): Let Slip the Dogs of War In panel 2, we see that the chef is the same chef who invented "Halfling Drop Soup" in Strip 279 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0279.html).
In panel 10, we see Hinjo’s dog Argent issues the sound chu when summoned from the pokeball. In Strip 373 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0373.html), we see that this phrase is complimented with Miko’s horse being summoned from a pokeball, issuing the sound pika.
In the last panel, we see Belkar mention his jealousy about how Hinjo is "unleashing the fury", and all he gets is a wiener dog. This is a reference to when he says "unleash the fury" in Strip 140 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0140.html).
Strip 433 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0433.html): Resource Management The title of this strip is the same as the title of Strip 924 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0924.html). In panel 6, we see Belkar is not killing Goblins because of his Mark of Justice - but, he kills the Undead Goblin, because the non-living are fair game.
Strip 434 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0434.html): Heavy is the Head – No annotations yet
Strip 435 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0435.html): Amoral Dilemma In page 1, panel 3; the poison bottle shown has a yuck face on it. In page 2, panel 9; the assassin’s head that Belkar decapitated hits a Goblin and kills it.
Strip 436 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0436.html): Non-Military Intelligence [list] In panel 1, the poisoned arrow depicted is from the previous page. The assassin Belkar killed miss fired it into the air as Belkar knocked him off the edge. In the last panel, the Death Knight rips off his Xykon costume just before his charge.
Strip 437 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0437.html): Battle Momentum In the last panel, we see that the guard gets an attack of opportunity by the letters AOO! popping up next to his sword slash.
Strip 438 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0431.html): The Paladin is Your Pal – No annotations yet
Strip 439 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0439.html): Seeing Orange – No annotations yet
Strip 440 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0440.html): Flew the Coop – No annotations yet
Strip 441 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0441.html): Getting Ahead and Staying Ahead – No annotations yet
Strip 442 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0442.html): We Can Do This the Easy Way... – No annotations yet
Strip 443 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html): The First Step is a Doozy In Panel 1, Roy mentions two potions he has on him, and wonders why he even has them. In fact, either of these potions would have gotten him out of trouble in the closet in Strip 234 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html). The Shillelagh Oil would have turned the broom into a formidable weapon, and the Delay Poison would have Delayed Elan's Poison.
Strip 444 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0444.html): He's Dead, Jim – No annotations yet
Strip 445 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0445.html): A Song for the Departed – No annotations yet
Strip 446 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0446.html): Hell of a Job In panel 2, Vaarsuvius is depicted as the purple dot firing the lightning bolt in the background.
Strip 447 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html): Guarding the Sapphire In the last panel on the 2nd row, you see the wondow is boarded up from when Belkar and Miko crashed through it in 284 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0284.html)
Strip 448 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0448.html): Just Crazy Enough to Work In page 2, the last panel; we see the bouncy ball Xykon used with the mark of insanity in the bottom right area of the panel.
Strip 449 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0449.html): Land of the Rising... – No annotations yet
Strip 450 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0450.html): Wands Are for Suckers In the pan shot of the first panel, Roy, Tsukiko, Redcloak, Mitd, Huecuva, the eye of fear and flame and Belkar are seen. Belkar’s position matches the position he was last seen 5 pages before.
Strip 451 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0451.html): Change of Direction – No annotations yet
Strip 452 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0452.html): Breaking and Entering – No annotations yet
Strip 453 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0453.html): Heck of a Fight In page 2, panel 4; the ninja's line about being the last ninja makes him death incarnate is a reference to the Conservation of Ninjitsu (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ConservationOfNinjutsu?from=Main.ConservationOfNin jitsu) trope.
Strip 454 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0454.html): The Longshot In page 2, panel 6; the mammoth is stomping on Azurite Soldiers.
Strip 455 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0455.html): Incoming! – No annotations yet
Strip 456 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0456.html): Saved Game In panel 2, as the mammoth disappears, the Hobgoblin General plummets to the ground. In panel 3, we see the sound effect of the Hobgoblin General landing.
Strip 457 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0457.html): Anti-Human Resources – No annotations yet
Strip 458 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0458.html): Exit Strategy Panel 2 we see that Nale’s goatee is growing back, but hasn’t grown back fully from when he shaved it. In Panel 6, Thog expresses he has always dreamed of being a footstool, which is the exact opposite statement Durkon said in Strip 260 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0260.html)when he is locked in the same room.
Strip 459 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0459.html): Negative Feelings – No annotations yet
Strip 460 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0460.html): Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign – No annotations yet
Strip 461 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0461.html): I've Got a Bad Feeling About This... – No annotations yet
Strip 462 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0462.html): Good Idea, Bad Idea – No annotations yet
Strip 463 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0463.html): Shattered In page 1 - the splash panel - Xykon and Redcloak are seen flying away to escape the explosion of the gate, as well as small pockets of Azure City soldiers amongst the Hobgoblins. In page 2, panel 1; Elan divulges that it is common knowledge that Hobgoblins love Gouda cheese.
Strip 464 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0464.html): Not for Everyone Miko was cut in half during the explosion by the chair she cut in half.
Strip 465 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0465.html): No One Likes a Tattletale – No annotations yet
Strip 466 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0466.html): I Think I Left it in the Bag... In the last panel, the right tower of the ruined castle falls over from the destruction, emphasizing Xykon’s dialogue – I don’t suppose we kept the receipt?
Strip 467 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0467.html): Learn to Play it Right In page 1, panel 10; we see Haley quote singer Kenny Rogers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Rogers) as a saying her father had. Belkar furthers the reference by saying he made some fine roast chicken, since Kenny was also a restaurateur.
Strip 468 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0468.html): Splitting Up is Hard to Do On page 2, panel 9; we see Haley has a tattoo on her upper back. It’s a heart with an arrow through it. She mentions it through cryptogram in the 9th panel of 309 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0309.html).
Strip 469 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0469.html): Crossbones In page 2, panel 10; the goblins mention they handed out the t-shirts too early, which is referencing Strip 455 (ttp://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0455.html), where the goblins got t-shirts because they thought they’d killed the PC’s.
Strip 470 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0470.html): With Three Arrows Left in the Quiver – No annotations yet
Strip 471 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0471.html): A Triumphant Return – No annotations yet
Strip 472 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0472.html): I'll Hold Them Off – No annotations yet
Strip 473 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0473.html): On the Waterfront In page 2, panel 1; The Captain introduces himself as Captain Axe, and has an axe for a hand instead of the usual hook. This is also a subtle reference to Captain Hook from the story – Peter Pan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan).
Strip 474 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0474.html): The Body Snatcher In panel 8, the quote shadow Roy says is referencing The Shadow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shadow). In panel 9, the Hobgoblin vampire Roy has killed has two teeth puncture marks in his neck. In the last panel, a scone is shown wedged into O-Chul’s hands. The demon roach in this panel also has tea and a scone.
Strip 475 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0475.html): Crashing the Party – No annotations yet
Strip 476 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0476.html): I Don't Suppose You Have Any Nutmeg? In panel 6, the demon roach is quoting a Life cereal commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEXzx-TINc).
Strip 477 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0477.html): Shock and Awwwwww – No annotations yet
Strip 478 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0478.html): On Usefulness – No annotations yet
Strip 479 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0479.html): Jaws of Life – No annotations yet
Strip 480 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0480.html): Change of Address Needed – No annotations yet
Strip 481 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0481.html): Cutting the Cord In panel 11, we see the Goblins are still attempting to fire on the ship by the arrows that appear off the edge of the ship.
Strip 482 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0482.html): Leaving Azure City – No annotations yet
Strip 483 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0483.html): Broken Stick – No annotations yet
Strip 484 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0484.html): At the End of the Day Xykon is depicted casting the Cloister spell.
Strip 485 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0485.html): Hey! You! Get Off of My Cloud! In page 2, panel 3, Eugene Greenhilt taunts Roy by making a reference to the story line of the animated Dragonball Z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonball_Z) series. In Dragonball Z, Goku, the main character, is killed protecting the Earth. While he is dead, he goes to the afterlife, where he trains with King Kai, a martial arts master, to become stronger while his friends gather the seven Dragonballs in order to wish him back to life to help fight off the still present threat. In page 2, panel 4, Roy mentions that the last battle was long enough to be a battle in Dragonball Z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonball_Z). This is a reference to the animated series, which was notorious for having incredibly long battles, spanning multiple episodes.
Strip 486 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0486.html): Next on "As the Plane Turns"... In panel 5, the cleric that is saying "Wait a minute, I had a 22!" is the cleric who died in the casting duel with Redcloak in Strip 456 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0456.html). In panel 9, Eugene asks Roy if he remembers her, because she hasn't appeared in the comic since way back in Strip 39 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0039.html).
Strip 487 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0487.html): Their Concierge Service is Heavenly In panel 7, the Bureaucratic Deva references Strip 292 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0292.html), where Eugene took the place of the ‘Being of Pure Law and Good’.
Strip 488 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0488.html): Broken Stick – No annotations yet
Strip 489 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0489.html): Keepin' the Little Man Down In the 11th panel, we see that Belkar’s evil is measured in Kilonazis.
Strip 490 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0490.html): Final Review – No annotations yet
Strip 491 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0491.html): Those Singing Lessons Cost Money, You Know – No annotations yet
Strip 492 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0492.html): Things to Do in Heaven When You're Dead – No annotations yet
Strip 493 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0493.html): Led Zeppelin Lied to Us All In the last panel, we see the Azure City Paladin with the bandana that first appeared in Strip 447 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html) and died in Strip 448 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0448.html) while defending the throne room. He presumably entered the afterlife after his ghost-martyr was defeated in Strip 461 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0461.html).
Strip 494 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0494.html): DMILF – No annotations yet
Strip 495 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0495.html): (Eu)gene Therapy – No annotations yet
Strip 496 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0496.html): Responsible – No annotations yet
Strip 497 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0497.html): The Grand Fighter – No annotations yet
Strip 498 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0498.html): Gone Fishin' – No annotations yet
Strip 499 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0499.html): No Time to Lose – No annotations yet
Strip 500 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0500.html): A Reason to Keep Trying – No annotations yet
"Mathematically-challenged" is a perfectly good descriptor for the first. The only part that I was challenging was linking an unrelated gag, and explaining why it was unrelated.
Alright, well, then it doesn't need to be described as a notable fact, since that's pretty apparent. I'll work on 677's description. Thanks!
289 – In panel 3, we see a Shojo with gray hair and no wrinkles or liver spots, showing the passage of time between the event and current time.
Should read "In panel 4..."
Fixed. :smallredface: I missed that bar...
In Workflow and Gags, for the book titles you can add War and XPs=War and Peace (Both books are hefty bricks as well).
Ah! Someone's looking at that mad slap dash of items! :smallsmile: I'll add it.
In your description of comic 319, you try to link to 681 but it goes to a different comic.
Fixed! Thank you. :smallsmile:
thatSeniorGuy
2013-10-02, 08:34 PM
For #18, you didn't complete the second sentence. I'm guessing you meant to say: "Haley is not surprised as she made her spot/listen check"? (Not sure, haven't actually played 3rd edition.)
What I'd appreciate more is not so much "pointing out of things you may not have noticed within the strips themselves", and much more "pointing out connections to sources/media outside the comic", e.g. GI Joe, Harry Potter, LotR, Star Wars etc.
For instance, Fruit Pie the Sorceror - to this day, I really don't know what that refers to. Ditto the owlbear and 'How many licks does it take...?' It'd be nice to have an Annotation list that explained those things.
But the note for Strip 21, for instance - that's just something within the comic yourself. If you noticed it, you smile - if not, you don't, but I don't think you gain anything from having the joke explained. If anything, I'd feel either (a) mildly disappointed with myself, or (b) mildly irritated at having to read through it, depending on whether or not I'd noticed it myself.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-02, 09:13 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 501 to 600
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Strip 501 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0501.html): No Cure for the Wedding Bell Blues In page 1, panel 2; we see that when the two Azurites are kissing, they make blue hearts instead of red. In page 1, panel 6; we see the Azurites have blue wine. In page 2, panel 3 shows us that Elan got his eye patch during the journey to visit the 4 southern kingdoms. In page 2, panels 1 through 4; Hinjo appears increasingly annoyed as he visits each of the 4 kings and is refused.
Strip 502 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0502.html): And I-I-I-I Will Always Love You - No annotations yet
Strip 503 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0503.html): Surreptitious Admirer - No annotations yet
Strip 504 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0504.html): That's a Surprisingly Common Reaction - No annotations yet
Strip 505 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0505.html): ...Or We Will All Stick Separately - No annotations yet
Strip 506 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0506.html): Flanking Crush - No annotations yet
Strip 507 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0507.html): Fantasy Troll-Playing Game Panel 12 is an exact copy of Panel 11 in Strip 505, where the Scrags first boarded the ship.
Strip 508 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0508.html): Sure Beats Flatware - No annotations yet
Strip 509 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0509.html): It Has Flowers, Hearts, and a DC 30 Lock - No annotations yet
Strip 510 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0510.html): Killer View In Page 1, Panel 8; the image is a parody of the Intel Inside campaign (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel#Intel_Inside) by the company "Intel". In page 2, panel 1; we see Death to Humans written on the outer wall in red (possibly blood). There are also Azurite soldier heads impaled on spikes along the top of the wall.
Strip 511 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0511.html): Guerillas in Their Midst In page 2, panel 4; the dialogue references Harrison Ford, who played the whip carrying character, Indiana Jones (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones).
Strip 512 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0512.html): They've Had Time to Train, Too - No annotations yet
Strip 513 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0513.html): Security Deposit In panel 2, the Security Advisory System is a spoof of USA's Homeland Security Advisory System for terrorism.
Strip 514 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0514.html): Elan Would Be So Proud A box to Haley’s right says Gouda – Product of Cliffport, which has been shown to be a staple food of the Hobgoblins.
Strip 515 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0515.html): A Momentary Experience In the final six panels, the touch of the Wight drains experience, negating Belkar's level gain.
Strip 516 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0516.html): Turning Azurite, I Think I'm Turning Azurite, I Really Think So In panel 1, the thing that Belkar spots is Mr. Scruffy, as we find out by the cat’s appearance from Belkar’s bag in Strip 520 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html). In panel 11, when Tsukiko casts Dominate Person on Thanh, his eyes change color to match Tsukiko's.
Strip 517 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0517.html): Probably Best to Choose at Random The Wight is wearing the shoes he asked for in the last panel of 516 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0516.html). In 524 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0524.html), when Thanh overcomes the Domination spell, he comments on his missing shoes. It wears them in many later strips until Strip 830 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html), where it is presumably eaten or burned to death in the fireplace.
Strip 518 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0518.html): At Least It Wasn't the Fourth Wall Again In the last panel, Haley is blasted so hard from the Electric Orb spell that she gets blasted through the panel border. If you scroll the page over, you can still actually see her outside of the comic border.
Strip 519 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0519.html): Nightmare on Blue Street The title is a spoof of the film A Nightmare on Elm Street (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nightmare_on_Elm_Street). Blue Street is appropriate for Azure City, since it's color theme is blue. In Panel 12, Haley's dialogue references Wes Craven (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Craven), who is a film director known for slasher films (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slasher_film) where the trope Haley mentions is common. He is the director of the film parodied in the Title of the Strip.
Strip 520 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html): The Power of Immediate Gratification - No annotations yet
Strip 521 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0521.html): Remorse - No annotations yet
Strip 522 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0522.html): We're Doomed If She Finds the Map Key - No annotations yet
Strip 523 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0523.html): Orders That Won't Stick - No annotations yet
Strip 524 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0524.html): Pretender to the Throne - No annotations yet
Strip 525 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0525.html): Look More Closelier - No annotations yet
Strip 526 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0526.html): He's Just Pine-ing for the Fjords - No annotations yet
Strip 527 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0527.html): Pep Talk - No annotations yet
Strip 528 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0528.html): The Ghost Screamer In panel 1, we see that when Roy shouts in spirit form, his aura gets pointy. In panel 5, Roy’s line changes depending on the medium you read it in. In the online version of the comic is I wish I could look back through this comic’s archive, and in the printed book he says, I wish I could look back through the previous books.
Strip 529 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0529.html): The Summons - No annotations yet
Strip 530 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0530.html): Regarding the Speed With Which One Removes Band-Aids - No annotations yet
Strip 531 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0531.html): Wake Up Call to Action In page 1, last panel, the dwarf that is depicted is actually a Duergar. We also see in this panel Isamu buying the sap Haley stole off of him when he died, in 521 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0521.html).
Strip 532 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0532.html): The Exposition Fairy In page 1, panel 7; while Xykon is studying Dorukan’s headband, he is holding the gem that Dorukan and Lirian are trapped in the other hand. In page 2, panel 2; we see the other two of the three sigil guardians from Dorukan’s Dungeon that were in Strips 51 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0051.html) and 52 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0052.html). The guardian of the fire sigil orders hot peppers. In page 2, last panel; Lirian is depicted as visiting Dorukon.
Strip 533 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0533.html): Open to Multiple Interpretations - No annotations yet
Strip 534 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0534.html): Medium Creatures - No annotations yet
Strip 535 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0535.html): The Cat Stays in the Picture In panel 2, we see the King of Nowhere actually does look similar to Roy, who was mistaken as him in Strip 226 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0226.html). In the same panel, we see another appearance of the assassins who tried to assassinate Roy when they thought he was the King.
Strip 536 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0536.html): A Brief Tribute - No annotations yet
Strip 537 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0537.html): What Do You Think Comes in a Disguise Kit, Anyway? In panel 8, we see the cart wheel appears stopped, while in the earlier panels it appears to be in motion.
Strip 538 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0538.html): Fiend or Foe? - No annotations yet
Strip 539 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0539.html): Well There is That "Saint" Prestige Class - No annotations yet
Strip 540 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0540.html): Melts in Your Mouth, Not on Your Alignment - No annotations yet
Strip 541 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0541.html): He's a Gamblin'...Thing In panel 4, when Monster in the Darkness bets monopoly money, the roach that says take the bet has the monopoly man hat and mustache, and is standing on a monopoly house, all references to the board game, Monopoly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly_(game)). In Panel 6, the Roaches' dialogue about the Acid-breathing Shark is a direct reference to the Acid Born Shark that Rich Burlew created for the sourcebook, "Dungeonscape (https://www.amazon.com/Dungeonscape-Essential-Adventuring-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786941189/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top). Rich Burluw is essentially poking fun at himself.
Strip 542 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0542.html): In Azure City, Shark Jumps You! In page 2, panel 7; we see that the Acid Breathing Shark is missing teeth where O-Chul punched it in the previous page. We see them floating away in page 2, panel 1.
Strip 543 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0543.html): Shhh! Principal's Coming! Panel 1 implies that the MitD has some instinctual understanding of his powers, as he later does what he is referencing in 661 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0661.html). Panel 3 is a reference to the movie Office Space (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_space ), particularly this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy3rjQGc6lA) scene. The Demon Roach elaborates the memo.
Strip 544 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0544.html): A Lot at Stake - No annotations yet
Strip 545 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0545.html): Someone Should be Wearing Safety Goggles - No annotations yet
Strip 546 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0546.html): O-Chul's Razor The title refers to Occam's razor: "The simplest explanation is the most likely", as Redcloak mentions in Panel 9.
Strip 547 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0547.html): Endurance Feat - No annotations yet
Strip 548 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0548.html): His Most Despicable Act Yet In Panel 9, Red Cloak mentions that he "has bridge to sell to Terabithia". This references the children's book, "A Bridge to Terabithia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_to_Terabithia_(novel))" in which the main characters (who are children) create a fictional place, Terabithia. The joke here is that since Terabithia isn't real, you'd be gullible to purchase a bridge to it.
Strip 549 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0549.html): Grueling Ordeal In Panel 12, O-Chul's dialogue is likely a reference to the earlier events of Miko, and her fall from the Sapphire guard.
Strip 550 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0550.html): +1 BFF In panel 9, O-Chul mentions the game Go which we later see them play in Strip 651 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0651.html).
Strip 551 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0551.html): Slow and Steady, My Ass! - No annotations yet
Strip 552 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0552.html): And Yet the Turtle Got Away on His Own - No annotations yet
Strip 553 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0553.html): Well There is That "Saint" Prestige Class - No annotations yet
Strip 554 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0554.html): You're No Help at All In panel 10, Elan’s line about not leaving one of our own behind is in reference to Banjo, his hand puppet.
Strip 555 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0555.html): Half-Dragons Are Even Worse In panel 4, we find out that the Orcs worship Banjo because his clothes match the makeup of the island – 2 caves on a gray mountain match Banjo’s hat, 3 reefs on a blue sea match Banjo’s robes. In panel 11, we see that Orc tongues are blue.
Strip 556 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0556.html): Nuthin' But Net - No annotations yet
Strip 557 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0557.html): The Puppet Mistress - No annotations yet
Strip 558 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0558.html): Sort of Like a Reverse Psion - No annotations yet
Strip 559 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0559.html): An Introduction to Comparative Theology - No annotations yet
Strip 560 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0560.html): Meanwhile, His Teammate Was in Rhodes In panel 1, they enter a hatch door which is a reference to the television show – LOST (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOST), in which the characters are on an island and find hatches. The logo further’s the reference. There is a smiley face in the logo on the panel. In panel 4, the sign on the wall reads - Greg Initiative, which is a reference to the sit-com Dharma and Greg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_and_greg), since in LOST it's the Dharma Initative. The station is referred to as The Smiley Face, furthering the LOST reference from the 1st panel. In Panel 5, Therkla's dialogue and setting she is in reference Bruce Wayne in Wayne Manor in the Batman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman) Series, and how he was inspired to become a vigilante (in his case a bat, not a ninja). In Panel 11, Cyclops on an island with the men dressed like greeks is a reference to Homer's - The Odyssey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey). You can see a greek-esque ship in faintly in the background. The title of this strip is a reference to Cyclops’ Teammate – Colossus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_%28comics%29), and the Colossus of Rhodes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_of_Rhodes).
Strip 561 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0561.html): Pop Idolatry - No annotations yet
Strip 562 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0562.html): Heroic Fantasy In panels 1 and 2, Lord Kubota is reading the 4th Edition core rulebooks. The box they are in has the Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/) symbol on it. These both reflect the day that this Strip came out, which was the same day those that pre-ordered the 4th Edition rulebooks on Amazon got them. Apparently, Kubota was one of them.
Strip 563 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0563.html): Air Mail - No annotations yet
Strip 564 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0564.html): It's What's For Dinner In the last panel, we see the rest of the Magic Mouth’s interrupted speech from Strip 324 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0324.html).
Strip 565 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0565.html): The Test of the Memory - No annotations yet
Strip 566 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0566.html): One for the FAQ - No annotations yet
Strip 567 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0567.html): The Simplest Explanation - No annotations yet
Strip 568 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0568.html): A Sign That You Have a Problem - No annotations yet
Strip 569 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0569.html): Justice Can Be a Messy Business - No annotations yet
Strip 570 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0570.html): Clean Slate In panel 10 we see Mr. Scruffy dodging Belkar’s puke.
Strip 571 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0571.html): Return Engagement In panel 2, we see that the Teleport spell splits the word Tele-port, between the locations before and after the spell. This is evidenced again in panel 8. In panel 4, we see the Lizardfolk caster has a diamond in his hand as the component for the spell.
Strip 572 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0572.html): The Resistance of Memory In panel 7, the Oracle mentions an important client is flying in. We later find out this client is the Adult Black Dragon that attacks Vaarsuvius in Strip 628 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html).
Strip 573 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0573.html): Slumber Party - No annotations yet
Strip 574 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0574.html): A Seller's Market - No annotations yet
Strip 575 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0575.html): I Think They're in One of the Rulebooks, Right? In panel 9, we see the skull of a Riding Bug, which we later encounter a living version of in Strip 683 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0683.html). In panel 10, Heironymous Grubbwiggler names his assistant as Giro, which is an anagram of Igor. Igor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_(fictional_character)) has been the name of the hunchbacked butler/assistant in several horror films.
Strip 576 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0576.html): Construction Workers In panel 1, Heironymous Grubbwiggler says Roker shall see one more sunrise. He’s referring to the weather man from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Broadcasting_Company ( NBC’s Today ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Today_(NBC_Program)) news show – Al Roker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_roker). NBC is an American television network.
Strip 577 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0577.html): You Can Take the Rogue Out of the City... In panel 4, the sap Haley uses is the one she looted from Isamu’s corpse in Strip 521 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0521.html). He, in turn, bought the sap from the Duergar in 531 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0531.html).
Strip 578 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0578.html): A Slick Getaway In page 2, panel 8; the far right Golem with the baseball head is a reference to the New York Mets baseball team mascot – Mr. Met (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Met ). Since his head is a baseball, he is similar to the other Golems because he has stitches as well.
Strip 579 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0579.html): What They Need is a Writ of Habeas Corpus - No annotations yet
Strip 580 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0580.html): Hey, I Need to Sell Them Somehow In the last panel, we see that Crystal’s tongue is pierced.
Strip 581 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0581.html): A Sight for Sore Eyes In page 1, panel 3; we see that one of Crystal’s opponents in the poker game has an ace tucked in her boot. The other of Crystal’s opponents is Jenny the Bard/Rogue, who is named in Strip Strip 611 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0611.html)
Strip 582 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0582.html): Moonlight Rendezvous - No annotations yet
Strip 583 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0583.html): Love's Sweet Sting In panel 4, Qarr mentions he is missing the Olympics, which is accurate, because the strip was posted in August of 2008, when the 2008 Summer Olympics were being played.
Strip 584 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0584.html): Improbable Causes In page 1, panel 1; we see that in Vaarsuvius’ Veil spell, each size category is depicted as a different type of plant. Dwarves are bushes, and humans and elves are trees. Vaarsuvius’s tree is twisty and sickly, which matches his current physical state.
Strip 585 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0585.html): Immaterial Components In panel 1, Qarr is visible, if just barely.
Strip 586 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0586.html): No Encounter is an Island Unto Itself In panel 2, Therkla hits one guard in the stomach, which makes the sound effect – *gasp!*, and one guard in the crotch, which makes the sound effect – *nuts!*
Strip 587 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0587.html): What to Expect When You're Expecting Assassins In panel 3, Daigo says that he hopes he doesn’t miss all the kicking and immediately in the next panel is interrupted by a kick from a ninja.
Strip 588 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0588.html): His Name Probably Helps, Too - No annotations yet
Strip 589 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0589.html): Entrance Qualifications - No annotations yet
Strip 590 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0590.html): Role Reversal In the last panel, Kazumi has on shackles, likely because she put up such a fight being captured.
Strip 591 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0591.html): Antipathy for the Devil In panel 1, when an enlarged Durkon (from his Thor’s Might spell) drops his hammer, it begins to shrink back to normal size immediately.
Strip 592 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0592.html): Stuck in the Middle - No annotations yet
Strip 593 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html): Another Choice In page 1, panel 9; in the background you can see the devil that was turned to stone poking out of the trees on the island. On page 2, last panel; you can see Lord Kubota beginning to row away in a row boat in the bottom right corner of the panel. It is the same row boat the Elan and Therkla use to get there in Strip 586 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0586.html).
Strip 594 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0594.html): Rock the Boat In panel 1, we see that Lord Kubota doesn’t effectively know how to row a boat. He should be facing the other direction.
Strip 595 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0595.html): Trial of the Century - No annotations yet
Strip 596 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0596.html): Convenience Story - No annotations yet
Strip 597 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0597.html): Threat Assessment - No annotations yet
Strip 598 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0598.html): To Say a Few Words - No annotations yet
Strip 599 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0599.html): Separate Ways - No annotations yet
Strip 600 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html): Headed Down - No annotations yet
What I'd appreciate more is not so much "pointing out of things you may not have noticed within the strips themselves", and much more "pointing out connections to sources/media outside the comic", e.g. GI Joe, Harry Potter, LotR, Star Wars etc.
For instance, Fruit Pie the Sorceror - to this day, I really don't know what that refers to. Ditto the owlbear and 'How many licks does it take...?' It'd be nice to have an Annotation list that explained those things.
But the note for Strip 21, for instance - that's just something within the comic yourself. If you noticed it, you smile - if not, you don't, but I don't think you gain anything from having the joke explained. If anything, I'd feel either (a) mildly disappointed with myself, or (b) mildly irritated at having to read through it, depending on whether or not I'd noticed it myself.
Well, anything you would like pointed out that you don't understand, post the update number and panel, and I'll see if I can explain it, or perhaps someone else can, and then we'll add it. This is an ongoing list, after all! As for explanation of jokes...perhaps we should separate things with in comic jokes to references, as in, two different categories, so people can pick and choose which they go through? I just felt one list was a bit more tidy, and easier to handle/read. As in, I don't see it as likely that people would go through the comic three times, one in each category, or something. But I would love suggestions if you have any!
LOTRfan
2013-10-02, 09:22 PM
I noticed the annotation for 399. While what you wrote is true, I think that the parallel between Varsuvius' being okay with binding Nale's soul to prevent him from being resurrected and the black dragon's plan to bind the souls of his spouse and children to prevent them from being resurrected to be more significant, personally.
That's just my two cents, though.
NerdyKris
2013-10-02, 09:22 PM
For instance, Fruit Pie the Sorceror - to this day, I really don't know what that refers to.
Google "Hostess Fruit Pies". There were absurd comics in the 80's that involved various super heroes defeating the villain by giving them fruit pies to stop them.
Ditto the owlbear and 'How many licks does it take...?'
Google "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop?". It was an ad campaign where an owl would lick the pop two times, then bite it.
DaggerPen
2013-10-02, 10:26 PM
Typos:
18 – In panel 3, we see Belkar and Elan say they are surprised, referring to the surprise round that occurs at the beginning of combat. Haley is unaffected due to
Due to...?
113 – In panel 7, we see Roy’s brother Eric’s first appearance, hiding behind their mother’s chair. He is seen again in update
Update...?
Also, not a typo, but:
254 – In panel 5, the head master introduces Pompey. His name is a play on that Pompey (the opposite of Vaarsuvius in the Linear Guild) is a reference to Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. His hair is the same as Vaarsuvius’ robe color, and his robes match Vaarsuvius’ hair color. In panel 9, we see that Pompey is depicted as a half elf by only having on elf ear. Nale points this out in panel 13, by calling him ear boy.
His belt color is also the color of V's cape, his cape runes are the color of V's clasp, and his clasp is the color of V's robes.
Google "Hostess Fruit Pies". There were absurd comics in the 80's that involved various super heroes defeating the villain by giving them fruit pies to stop them.
Google "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop?". It was an ad campaign where an owl would lick the pop two times, then bite it.
That's fine, and thank you for giving me the missing terms to Google. But my point is still: this is the sort of information that it would be useful to have in a list of annotations.
I've never seen either those comics or that ad campaign. Likewise, I've never heard the slogan "Knowing is half the battle". If I'd never heard of Drizz't Whatsisname, I'd have no idea what 'Zz'dtri' references. And so on. There are hundreds of references like that, which you can't pick up from within the comic no matter how carefully you scrutinise each frame, because they require info that just isn't there.
Some of those are explained in the present set of annotations, but not all. And a lot of what is explained, doesn't require any outside knowledge. So I'm just giving my opinion of what sort of details I'd like to see included in a file/thread like this.
I think a good rule of thumb would be: every annotation should include a link to a page that's not hosted on, or about, this site. Preferably, to a site (like Wikipedia or IMDB) that has a reasonable chance of still being there in 2 or 5 years' time, rather than some random blog. If you can't find anything like that to link to - then maybe it shouldn't be listed at all. (And links to TVTropes should only be counted if the site actually references a trope - as with Redcloak and the lampshade - not merely for using it.)
Gray Mage
2013-10-02, 11:08 PM
I think that if something in the strip is a callback to something that happened previously in the strip, it could be incluided, but stuff from the same page or very close to it shouldn't. The one about page 41 strikes me as something that doesn't need to be in.
Kornaki
2013-10-02, 11:15 PM
Strip 41's note does fall pretty flat amongst the rest of them, but I think there are some fairly hidden jokes within a single comic that are worth noting in this, like 331. I agree though that any outside references in the comic should be explained here. Perhaps a more reasonable rule is that it's only worth making observations linking things that occur in two different parts of the comic. Belkar and the goblin are in the same part of the comic, but 331's note is linking things occurring in several different panels.
Overall though excellent work combing through all those threads and making this!
EDIT TO ADD: Heck, even things like 380 are nice, so maybe the moral of the story is that strip 41's note is alone as being unworthy of its place amongst the rest of this work
Also, you link/cite comic 448 when you really meant 446.
In the description of 729 and 732 your links to comic 732 go to the wrong comic.
You have several comic 741s in a row (in case you can't tell I am consuming the entirety of this as fast as I can)
Your first 754 description is a description of 753
Something that is pointed out in both comics separately but the connection isn't drawn between them is that in 794, Sabine's tail curls around Elan's leg similar to 365 with Nale's leg
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-03, 08:17 AM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 601 to 700
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Strip 601 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0601.html): She Obviously Doesn't Have the Endurance Feet - No annotations yet
Strip 602 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0602.html): Clerical Temp - No annotations yet
Strip 603 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0603.html): Familiarity Breeds Piercing Damage - No annotations yet
Strip 604 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0604.html): Bailout Plan In panel 7, we see that Haley’s wound retroactively gets smaller when she realizes that the rogue didn’t sneak attack her. In panel 8, we are introduced to the Rogue Guild’s Fighter Outreach program member – Yor. Yor backwards is Roy.
Strip 605 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0605.html): Return of the King - No annotations yet
Strip 606 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0606.html): The Philosophy of Chaos In this strip, a sick and dreaming Belkar with Mr. Scruffy watching over him is overlaid over the entire page.
Strip 607 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0607.html): Gherkin Her Chain - No annotations yet
Strip 608 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html): Mean Girls In panel 4, when Crystal attacks the dummy decoy in the shower, the sound effects to the right reference the sounds happening in the shower scene of the Alfred Hitchcock movie – Psycho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(1960_film)). In panel 6, the sap Haley uses is the one she looted from Isamu’s corpse in Strip 521 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0521.html). He, in turn, bought the sap from the Duergar in 531 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0531.html). In panel 9, we see that Ian Starshine’s hair is starting to grey.
Strip 609 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0609.html): It Takes TWO Thieves, Actually - No annotations yet
Strip 610 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0610.html): You're It In page 2, panel 7; Mr. Scruffy is licking Belkar’s hand to try and wake him up.
Strip 611 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0611.html): None Left Standing In page 1, panel 4; the only words not obscured by mist are In danger and Belkar, with Belkar’s outline being visible right next to it. In page 2, panel 4; Mr. Scruffy does claw damage to the Rogue Sorcerer’s face. In page 2, panel 6; Mr. Scruffy also assists Belkar in killing the dwarf.
Strip 612 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0612.html): Technically, the "Fish" Version is a Subset of This One - No annotations yet
Strip 613 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0613.html): I Need a Hero - No annotations yet
Strip 614 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0614.html): A Cut Above In panel 4, Haley references when she cut her hair once before, when she decided she didn’t want to dye it anymore. This is also referenced by her short hair personality in Strip 319 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0319html), expanding that she was "sick of all this emo crap" when she cut her hair.
Strip 615 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0615.html): It's a Real Life-Saver In panel 1, we see that Haley is standing on an armchair in order to reach the bow she takes off the wall. In the last panel, Celia’s wing is damaged in the Charging Grapple Attack.
Strip 616 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0616.html): An Opponent or Rival Whom a Person Cannot Overcome - No annotations yet
Strip 617 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0617.html): Power Meeting - No annotations yet
Strip 618 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0618.html): Flank Cut - No annotations yet
Strip 619 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0619.html): Wow, That's a Spicy Meatball! - No annotations yet
Strip 620 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0620.html): Probably About an "8" - No annotations yet
Strip 621 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0621.html): At Least There Weren't Any Cryptograms - No annotations yet
Strip 622 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0622.html): Don't Hate the Player Character... - No annotations yet
Strip 623 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0623.html): Running Away In panel 8, the Azurite soldier says to Vaarsuvius, I hope you choke on your useless magic, which V does in Strip 657 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0657.html) when Xykon chokes him in panel 13.
Strip 624 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0624.html): This Happens to Telemarketers All the Time - No annotations yet
Strip 625 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0625.html): Bargain Hunter - No annotations yet
Strip 626 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0626.html): Good to the Last Drip - No annotations yet
Strip 627 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0627.html): Power Outage In panel 1, the Adult Black Dragon responds to Vaarsuvius' spell the same way her son, the Young Adult Black Dragon, did in Strip 182 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0182.html). They both respond with a flat - "No."
Strip 628 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0628.html): Every Parent's Worst Nightmare In page 1, panel 7; When the black dragon screams, she spits 2 drops of acid. They start burning holes in the ground where they landed in panel 9. In page 1, panel 10; the important client the Oracle mentions to Roy in Strip 572 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0572.html) was the Adult Black Dragon.
Strip 629 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0629.html): One Chance - No annotations yet
Strip 630 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0630.html): Shoot the Messenger In panels 6, 7 and 10; Qarr says the same exact line in each of his attempts to contact one of Vaarsuvius’ allies. The only difference is in panel 10, Inkyrius says AHHH! instead of Qarr.
Strip 631 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0631.html): Who Doesn't Get Ten of These a Week? In panel 8, we find out that V’s children are adopted.
Strip 632 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0632.html): My Three Fiends - No annotations yet
Strip 633 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html): Where Do You See Yourself in Five Million Years? In page 1, panel 4; we see that two of the souls involved in the soul splice are casters in the necromancy and conjuring – the two schools that Vaarsuvius is barred from.
Strip 634 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html): The Wrong Reasons In page 2, panel 7; we see Qarr has been impaled on a pike.
Strip 635 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0635.html): I See a Red Robe and I Want to Paint it Black - No annotations yet
Strip 636 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0636.html): Shattered, Shattered - No annotations yet
Strip 637 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0637.html): It Only Shows Reality Programming In panels 4 - 10, the fiend, Cedrick, is using the brazier and stand to make a bowl of popcorn.
Strip 638 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0638.html): A Dragon's Victory In page 2, we see that the shape changed Vaarsuvius still has three fingers, unlike the usual dragon that has four.
Strip 639 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html): If They Pull a Knife... The title of the strip is a reference to a quote made by Sean Connery from the film "The Untouchables (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Untouchables_(film))". The full quote is - "If they pull a knife, you pull a gun. If they send one of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue. That's the Chicago way." In other words, the only way to defeat someone more powerful than you is to escalate the violence before they do, which is exactly what V does in this situation. In page 2, panel 6; the continent the spell branches out from matches the maps we see later in Strips 680 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html) and 698 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html). From this, we can see that the point the spell originates is in the Elven Lands, and so we know exactly where Vaarsuvius' home is on the Western Continent.
In page 3, panel 12; we see that V’s Familicide spell unintentionally saves a bunny from the black dragon it was being pursued by.
Strip 640 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0640.html): Madness - No annotations yet
Strip 641 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0641.html): For Every Action - No annotations yet
Strip 642 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0642.html): Choice - No annotations yet
Strip 643 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0643.html): A Wizard Did It In page 1, panel 6; we see the window that Elan crashed through in Strip 589 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0589.html) is boarded up.
Strip 644 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0644.html): An Unsung Legend - No annotations yet
Strip 645 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0645.html): It's Where the Cool Kids Swim In panel 4, we see a poster in the background that says, "In case of fire, use stairs for looting. Saftey a close second!"
Strip 646 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0646.html): ...And It Feels So Good - No annotations yet
Strip 647 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0647.html): Be Prepared In Panels 9 & 10, Elan's dialogue is referencing the events of Strip 593 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html) in which the ninja Therkla died to poison. This is why he takes Neutralize Poison as his 4th Level Spell, so that he never has to be helpless in this situation again.
Strip 648 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0648.html): A Dish Best Served With +1d6 Cold Damage In the last panel, Haley mentions that Crystal said [Haley] could borrow her knife. She is in fact telling the truth. Crystal mentions Haley can do this in 645 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0645.html), in the first panel.
Strip 649 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0649.html): It's a Shame She Didn't Grab That Script While She Was There - No annotations yet
Strip 650 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots06590.html): A Lot Can Happen in Ten Minutes - No annotations yet
Strip 651 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0651.html): Two Eyes in the Dark In panel 7, we see that the game board they are using for their game of Go is scratched into the floor.
Strip 652 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0652.html): No Respect for the Wicked - No annotations yet
Strip 653 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0653.html): Fun While It Lasted Tsukiko has a stuffed Xykon doll that she sleeps with, and slippers that match her different colored eyes. She is also wearing see-through PJ’s. We see the Xykon doll again in Strip 700 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0700.html)
Strip 654 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0654.html): Cages (Steel and Otherwise) The Go game is still depicted as a mess on the floor.
Strip 655 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0655.html): With a Critical Eye - No annotations yet
Strip 656 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0656.html): It Probably Squeaks, Too - No annotations yet
Strip 657 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0657.html): Second Chance - No annotations yet
Strip 658 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0658.html): A Bird in Hand - No annotations yet
Strip 659 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0659.html): Flight of the Phylactery - No annotations yet
Strip 660 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0660.html): Lucky Breaks In panel 9, we see Xykon’s phylactery bounce off of Redcloak’s Statue’s right eye, which is the eye that Redcloak had been stabbed in by O-Chul in Strip 655 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0655.html). The phylactery also makes a different sound when hitting the metal shield in the next panel than it does when hitting stone. In panel 10, we see the man hole cover says Azure City Public Works on it. The caution barrier next to it has torches on it instead of flashing lights.
Strip 661 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0661.html): The Path of Least Expectation Xykon has his hand in O-Chul’s mouth when he is preparing to cast meteor swarm.
Strip 662 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0662.html): The Price is Right - No annotations yet
Strip 663 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0663.html): Or Mention That He's Getting Too Old for This - No annotations yet
Strip 664 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0664.html): Down to Earth - No annotations yet
Strip 665 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0665.html): In the Flesh In panel 8, we see that Celia’s shirt is backless to allow for her wings. In panel 9, it appears that Roy is using Vaarsuvius’ cape to cover himself.
Strip 666 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html): But Seriously, She Won't In panel 1, we see that Roy has changed into his extra set of clothes – the dress clothes he got for his date with Celia in Strip 310 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0310.html).
Strip 667 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html): Mending Wounds In the last panel, we see that Tiamut’s so angry, she’s spewing all 5 (if tiny) breath weapons out of the phone – Fire, lightning, chlorine gas, cold, and acid. In this same panel, when their counting up the time allotted from the soul splice, we can see that Haerta's time was a multiple of 6 seconds, since she broke loose on V's turn in Strip 641 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0641.html), but that Jephton's and Ganonron's time is not a multiple of 6 seconds, since they broke loose on Xykon's turn in Strip 653 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0653.html).
Strip 668 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0668.html): Moving the Pieces In panel 10, we see the Linear Guild set up in the same positioning as the Order of the Stick is in the Giant in the Playground Comics banner (http://www.giantitp.com/Comics.html) of the Order of the Stick comic. Yik Yik, Zz’dtri, and Hilgya are crossed out at the time of their first encounter with the Order of the Stick. Yik Yik was killed, Hilgya left the Guild, and Zz’dtri was taken away by the lawyers.
Strip 669 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0669.html): Logical Conclusions - No annotations yet
Strip 670 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0670.html): The War Council On page 2, panel 8; when the elves teleport in they knock a Hobgoblin off of the cliff. In the next panel, he is still falling off the frame. On page 2, panels 10 and 11; the sending spell the elves cast compromises of exactly 25 words, ending with Liberation commencing.
Strip 671 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0671.html): Also, She Needs Her Clothes Back Now In panel 6, Elan mentions that Hinjo can keep the eyepatch he took from Elan in Strip 502 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0502.html). In the same panel, Belkar references his plan to Daigo to catapult him at the throne room in Strip 461 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0461.html).
Strip 672 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html): A Familiar Conclusion In page 1, panel 2; O-Chul looks at Lien’s shark with apprehension due to the primary form of torture he had when he was a captive in Strip 541 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0541.html), and also references Indiana Jones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_jones), who has a similar line to O-Chul’s, but regarding snakes instead. In page 1, panel 5; we see Durkon begin planning to create Mass Death Ward, which he later completes in Strip 750 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html). In page 1, panel 7; we see Mr. Scruffy and Belkar cuddling. Vaarsuvius sees this and immediately summons his familiar, Blackwing, to make amends – implying he wants the companionship that Belkar has. In page 2, panel 1; we see a reference to Strip 155 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0155.html), where Vaarsuvius first establishes that Blackwing chooses not to talk.
Strip 673 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0673.html): Too Slow - No annotations yet
Strip 674 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html): The Elf Who Cried Raven - No annotations yet
Strip 675 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html): It Costs an Armor Leg In the last panel, Haley mentions that she expected Elan to "spend most of [their gold] purchasing local bridges". This is referencing a scam that began in the early 1900's, where a man by the name of George C. Parker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker) conned people into buying the Brooklyn Bridge. This coined the common saying: "If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you."
Strip 676 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html): There's More Than One Way to Fail a Listen Check - No annotations yet
Strip 677 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0677.html): This Never Happens to Jiminy Cricket In the first panel, we see that the western continent has equally mathematically-challenged counterparts to the shop keepers we saw in Strip 135 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0135.html).
Strip 676 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0678.html): First Step in the Process - No annotations yet
Strip 676 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0679.html): Oh, Right, That Other Problem... - No annotations yet
Strip 680 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html): That's Why It's Called a Running Gag In panel 6, we see that the rulers that Tarquin kills in Strip 725 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0725.html).
Strip 681 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0681.html): All in the Family - No annotations yet
Strip 682 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0682.html): Plus, He Probably Spits, Too - No annotations yet
Strip 683 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0683.html): Whatever You Do, Don't Oscillate In Panel 4, Elan's Half-Camel dialogue references a conversation he and V had in Strip 87 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0087.html). In Panel 5, the man in the right corner is the same man who later gives Roy a Belt of Giant Strength in Strip 687 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0687.html). In Panel 2, we see that Belkar gets visibly sun burnt in the desert because Durkon doesn’t cast Endure Heat on him in Strip Strip 682 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0682.html). It remains until Strip 687 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0687.html) when Durkon heals him.
Strip 684 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0684.html): V Was Only Waiting for This Moment to Arise
In this Strip, Elan makes various references to the music group - The Beatles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles) songs through his puns, since the enemies are insects:
Panel 4: Let It Be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajCYQL8ouqw)
Panel 5: All You Need Is Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-pFAFsTFTI)
Panel 6: Come Together (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEo9Bh679wM)
Panel 7: Here Comes the Sun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGKPHFrHVVY)
Panel 8: Fixing A Hole (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEnZg_xePPs)
Panel 9: Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfnpZhJ8exQ)
Title: Blackbird (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo_DMGc2v5o)
Strip 685 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0685.html): On Friendship Belkar follows through with his threat to piss in their neck hole. Also, his slaver friend, Buggy Lou is a play on words for Bugalú, a form of latin dance. In the last panel, the Bug men have Xs in their eyes, instead of their eyes becoming Xs.
Strip 686 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0686.html): Also, At Lower Altitude - No annotations yet
Strip 687 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0687.html): Actually, That's Probably You When Roy puts on the Belt of Giant Strength, he is then depicted wearing the belt with a green line.
Strip 688 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0688.html): The Comics Must Flow The title references a common saying "The Spice must flow" within the science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, "Dune (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(novel))". Spice was a highly addictive drug in the novel, and it appears in the comic in Panel 2, where Belkar is gifted Spice from the 'spice vendor'. Spice in the novel makes the user's eyes turn blue, which Belkar's do as well. Spice is found on the desert planet, Arrakis, which looks similar to the desert in the western continent in Order of the Stick. Last, Arrakis has colossal worm-like creatures called Sandworms, which appear very similar to the Purple Worm that Belkar attracts with the spice. In panel 6, we see that Mr. Scruffy hears the Purple Worm coming 2 panels before it appears. He’s shown running away in the next two panels.
Strip 689 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0689.html): Live Bait In panel 5, we see evidence that Roy still has on the Ring of Jumping.
Strip 690 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0690.html): Riders on the Worm In panel 2, Durkon shows he finally has picked up on nautical terms, an issue he was displayed to have in Strip 507 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0507.html). In panel 3, Belkar is shown reading the book - Dune (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(franchise)) - to learn about the Worm.
Strip 691 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0691.html): All Available Resources In the last panel, Roy mentions Elan has an 80% chance of tripping over something, which he immediately does – a treasure chest.
Strip 692 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0692.html): Searchin' Panel 10 shows that Elan attacked the cactus in panel nine in order to give Haley the flower that was on it (she is shown holding it and smiling), and he got cactus spines stuck in him for the effort.
Strip 693 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0693.html): Tragically, His Arms Would Be Too Short for the Lute The title is referencing Elan's drawing in Panel 11, as Tyrannosaurus Rex had relatively short arms.
Strip 694 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0694.html): Poor Coordination - No annotations yet
Strip 695 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0695.html): Paranoia Will Destroy Ya In panel 5, we see Girard blames Soon for Kraagor’s death, shown in 276 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0276.html).
Strip 696 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0696.html): Still a Long Way to Go In panel 4, Elan is using the same stick that is used in the Cast of Characters (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/ootscast.html) page that the group is named after. The words that he wrote appear like a quickly typed message that might appear in a comments section on YouTube or from frantically typing on a QWERTY style keyboard.
Strip 697 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0697.html): Stuck in the Sand Trap - No annotations yet
Strip 698 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html): Stopping for Direction In page 2, panel 1; the map shows the Empires of Blood, Sweat, and Tears. We also see the Elven lands in the north area of the continent, separated from the rest of the continent by the Goaway Mountains. In page 2, panel 8; the scrying spell that observes Mr. Scruffy is Zz’dtri’s, as evidenced by being the color of his dwemer.
Strip 699 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0699.html): Escape Clause - No annotations yet
Strip 700 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0700.html): They Would Likely Both Disagree with That Sentiment In panel 1, we see Tsukiko’s stuffed Xykon doll for a second time, lying on her bed. We saw it originally in Strip 653 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0653.html). In this same panel, we see she has a picture of Xykon on Tsukiko’s wall.
That's fine, and thank you for giving me the missing terms to Google. But my point is still: this is the sort of information that it would be useful to have in a list of annotations.
I've never seen either those comics or that ad campaign. Likewise, I've never heard the slogan "Knowing is half the battle". If I'd never heard of Drizz't Whatsisname, I'd have no idea what 'Zz'dtri' references. And so on. There are hundreds of references like that, which you can't pick up from within the comic no matter how carefully you scrutinise each frame, because they require info that just isn't there.
Some of those are explained in the present set of annotations, but not all. And a lot of what is explained, doesn't require any outside knowledge. So I'm just giving my opinion of what sort of details I'd like to see included in a file/thread like this.
Again, link the update page for any cultural references you don't understand, and I'll be happy to set it up on here. While going through each page alone I could do this, it is significantly easier if others do so, especially for things like D and D rules, as I cannot access the site that quotes SRD in my current location. TL;DR - Let me know what you don't understand, and I'll work on putting it in! :smallcool:
Due to...?
For #18, you didn't complete the second sentence. I'm guessing you meant to say: "Haley is not surprised as she made her spot/listen check"? (Not sure, haven't actually played 3rd edition.) Yeah, I'll work on changing that. I went to go look up the D & D terms and then got distracted. Still haven't gotten the term! :smallredface:
I noticed the annotation for 399. While what you wrote is true, I think that the parallel between Varsuvius' being okay with binding Nale's soul to prevent him from being resurrected and the black dragon's plan to bind the souls of his spouse and children to prevent them from being resurrected to be more significant, personally.
That's just my two cents, though.
That's actually one I didn't connect! Hmmm...how to word that in the annotation....
His belt color is also the color of V's cape, his cape runes are the color of V's clasp, and his clasp is the color of V's robes.
Good call, I think I'll add that to my growing Order of the Stick vs Linear Guild section.
I think a good rule of thumb would be: every annotation should include a link to a page that's not hosted on, or about, this site. Preferably, to a site (like Wikipedia or IMDB) that has a reasonable chance of still being there in 2 or 5 years' time, rather than some random blog. If you can't find anything like that to link to - then maybe it shouldn't be listed at all. (And links to TVTropes should only be counted if the site actually references a trope - as with Redcloak and the lampshade - not merely for using it.)
I think that if something in the strip is a callback to something that happened previously in the strip, it could be incluided, but stuff from the same page or very close to it shouldn't. The one about page 41 strikes me as something that doesn't need to be in.
Strip 41's note does fall pretty flat amongst the rest of them, but I think there are some fairly hidden jokes within a single comic that are worth noting in this, like 331. I agree though that any outside references in the comic should be explained here. Perhaps a more reasonable rule is that it's only worth making observations linking things that occur in two different parts of the comic. Belkar and the goblin are in the same part of the comic, but 331's note is linking things occurring in several different panels.
Heck, even things like 380 are nice, so maybe the moral of the story is that strip 41's note is alone as being unworthy of its place amongst the rest of this work
On annotations, I'll be using wikipedia for references to real life things, youtube for specific dialogue reflection, and IMDB works for some things. I will not be using TVtropes if I can help it, and I won't be using links to blogs for anything. I will be post things other than direct explainations to real life references because, as mentioned by Grey and Kornaki, there more than just that in this thread, like call backs, and in OotS universe references and notable facts. Real life references are certainly a priority to have in here, so going forward, if any of you see any that I've missed, give me a link. You can even match my format (which I've set up for ease of everyone) and make your own for me to add.
On the subject of update 41, it's been removed, and moved to the "get it off, get it off" gag topic.
Overall though excellent work combing through all those threads and making this! Thank you! I've been compiling for weeks, and as you can see, there are some errors, but that's because of sheer volume of information processing more than anything, haha. Glad you like it.:smallsmile:
Also, you link/cite comic 448 when you really meant 446.
In the description of 729 and 732 your links to comic 732 go to the wrong comic.
You have several comic 741s in a row (in case you can't tell I am consuming the entirety of this as fast as I can)
Your first 754 description is a description of 753
Something that is pointed out in both comics separately but the connection isn't drawn between them is that in 794, Sabine's tail curls around Elan's leg similar to 365 with Nale's leg
All fixed save the last, because I'll need to do a bit with that one. Didn't even notice it curled around his leg the panel before the one I reference! Nice catches, all around.
Lord Torath
2013-10-03, 08:38 AM
In 415, you misspelled "Francois"
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-03, 09:09 AM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 701 to 800
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Strip 701 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0701.html): Curtains for You In panel 6, we see that when Redcloak looks in the mirror, he is nearly identical to his brother, Right-Eye, who had an eye patch over his right eye in Start of Darkness. In panel 11, the Goblin 4th in from the bottom right most corner Goblin (when following the diagonal of the row) is a more yellow-green than the other Goblins depicted, suggesting a Goblin/Hobgoblin half breed. There are also several blue cloaked hobgoblins in the crowd.
Strip 702 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0702.html): One for the History Books In panel 7, the flag symbolizes – the Dark One (Purple star) standing above the three other stars. The book in the last panel describes the three races that reside within Gobbotopia – Goblins, Bugbears and Hobgoblins, and Green, Brown and Orange stars represent each race respectively in the flag. In the last panel, The Blood Splattered Banner is a parody of The Star Spangled Banner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner).
Strip 703 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0703.html): Meet the New Boss - No annotations yet
Strip 704 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0704.html): Dead Men Give No Speeches - No annotations yet
Strip 705 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0705.html): Those Don't Take Over Until the Graveyard Shift In panel 3, we see that Goblin Dan, who discovered the use for the passed out hydra in Strip 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html), has expanded to Gobbotopia. In panel 7, we see the Goblins have changed the "Azure City Prison" sign to "OUR City Prison". In the last panel, Nui took the colloquial term "skeleton crew", which typically means "lightly staffed" literally, as in "a crew of skeletons." In D&D, skeletons resist damage from non-bludgeoning weapons, she has a brought a Morningstar and a Warhammer. She also has several vials of Holy Water, which can be applied to a weapon for bonus damage against Undead, or thrown like a grenade for damage against Undead.
Strip 706 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0706.html): He's Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today - No annotations yet
Strip 707 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0707.html): That's Probably Why There Are, Like, 17 Types - No annotations yet
Strip 708 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0708.html): An Animated Discussion - No annotations yet
Strip 709 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0709.html): No Scry Zone In the last panel, we see O-Chul was able to fall asleep despite the rain. This is because of Strip 550 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0550.html), were we found out that rain helps O-Chul sleep.
Strip 710 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0710.html): Does He Get XP for Their Buzz? - No annotations yet
Strip 711 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0711.html): The Rouge's Guild In the last panel, the Sisterhood of Aton logo is a parody of the actual cosmetic company – Avon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avon_Products).
Strip 712 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0712.html): Neutralize Elf - No annotations yet
Strip 713 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0713.html): Oh, Right. That. - No annotations yet
Strip 714 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0714.html): This Whole Time, He'd Thought of It as the Snack That Got Away In the last panel, Blackwing finally realizes after 40 Strips (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html) that Haley had revealed that Vaarsuvius was the purple lizard that was in Strip 178 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0178.html).
Strip 715 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0715.html): Wanted In panel 3, we find out that Gannji and Enor found Elan because he visited every tavern in town, which we see in Strip 710 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0710.html).
Strip 716 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html): She Didn't Miss In panel 3, Pterodactyls fly around Gannji’s head instead of birds when he’s stunned.
Strip 717 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0717.html): No Incarceration Without Compensation - No annotations yet
Strip 718 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0718.html): Spring Break Never Dies - No annotations yet
Strip 719 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0719.html): Seat of Power In panel 3, Elan says that if Malack "doesn't tell us this stuff now, he'll just spew it out later in the middle of an action scene." Malack does just this while having his duel with Durkon in Strip 874 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html).
Strip 720 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0720.html): Breakfast of Champions This Strip has the same name as Strip 401 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0401.html)– Breakfast of Champions.
Strip 721 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0721.html): Pain Threshold In the last panel, we can see Enor still holding the chart from the previous panel in his left hand.
Strip 722 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0722.html): Block and Tackle In panel 2, Haley is unharmed by the blade barrier while Vaarsuvius and Elan are, due to her Evasion special ability.
[B]Strip 723 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0723.html): Generally Relative - No annotations yet
Strip 724 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0724.html): It IS Fairly Spicy, However In panel 1, we see Vaarsuvius finally gets his/her Strength healed by Malack after having been poisoned by the magical arrow in Strip 712 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0712.html). V has the arrow in his/her stomach in every strip between these Strips.
Strip 725 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0725.html): The Significantly-More-Secret Origin of Tarquin and Nale In panel 4, we see the military rulers Taquin kills to conquer the area that the Empire of Blood is in are the same rulers we see taking over the kingdom in Strip 680 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html). In panel 5, we again see that the young Nale was already growing facial hair. In panel 7, the Red Dragon depicted is the Empress of Blood before they took over.
Strip 726 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0726.html): Mammals Can't Seem to Get Enough of Those Things - No annotations yet
Strip 727 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0727.html): And It Will Never Work Again - No annotations yet
Strip 728 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0728.html): The Price of Yummies In the last panel, Belkar smells ylang-ylang, which we found out Haley’s Aton moisturizer is made of in Strip 711 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0711.html). We also see that Roy picked up Haley’s bow, which she lost in Strip 713 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0713.html).
Strip 729 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0729.html): No Real Shocker In panel 10, Roy loses Haley’s bow when it is knocked off of his back. Durkon finds it in Strip 732 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0732.html).
Strip 730 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0730.html): Brunchroom Brawl - No annotations yet
Strip 731 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0731.html): Long Tail of the Law - No annotations yet
Strip 732 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0732.html): The Papers Chase In panel 5, Durkon exclaims, "Och, not AGAIN!" This is referencing the last time he was left behind, in Strip 72 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0072.html). Durkon also finds Haley’s bow and Crystal’s knife in the inn, which he picks up to return to Haley when he sees her next. In the last panel, the guard estimates Durkon will be in the Empire for 20 strips. Between this Strip and Strip 818 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0818.html) when the Order of the Stick leave the Empire of Blood, he is in a total of 20 Strips, making the guard correct.
Strip 733 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0733.html): Collect Call In panel 7, Belkar references the year in prison term he still owes from his sentencing in Strip 420 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.html).
Strip 734 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0734.html): Maybe He Can Get Credit for Time Served - No annotations yet
Strip 735 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html): Of Clerks and Clerics - No annotations yet
Strip 736 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0736.html): Do You Like Comics About Gladiators? - No annotations yet
Strip 737 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html): Comparative Mythology In panel 5, we see Mr. Scruffy eating while Malack and Durkon chat. In panel 6, we see that Durkon spikes the tea with some liquor from a flask he was carrying to make the tea taste better. In panel 12, the dwarf Hel and Thor are fighting over has a set of ???’s over his head. In the last panel, we find out that Durkon’s Grandfather was exempt from going to Hel in the afterlife, since he died of liver failure.
Strip 738 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0738.html): Pooling Resources - No annotations yet
Strip 739 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0739.html): A New Friend In panel 5, the library has a sign that says, Dewey decimal system strictly enforced.
Strip 740 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0740.html): The Great(ish) Escape - No annotations yet
Strip 741 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0741.html): Scheduling Conflict In the last panel, the poster shows what Thog will first appear to look like during the Gladiatorial games in Strip 786 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0786.html). The figure he is chopping in half looks uncannily like Roy.
Strip 742 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0742.html): Monkey Do - No annotations yet
Strip 743 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0743.html): Dinner Conversion - No annotations yet
Strip 744 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0744.html): A Tale of Two Suppers In panel 1, we see the serving personnel are all slaves by their minimum clothing and slave collars.
Strip 745 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0745.html): It Does Beat Scissors - No annotations yet
Strip 746 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0746.html): Ask Your Grandparents In panel 10, the monster that is depicted is a character from a TV show that ran from 1947 to 1957 named Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukla,_Fran_and_Ollie), which was a totally improvised, hour long puppet show. The depicted character name is one of the shows namesakes - Ollie, a one toothed dragon.
Strip 747 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0747.html): Make It Three, Just to Be Safe - No annotations yet
Strip 748 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0748.html): Top of the List In the first panel, Belkar compares Roy's fighting skill to a hexblade, a class introduced in the sourcebook Complete Warrior. Hexblades are considered to be weak, lacking any abilities that improve its melee combat skills aside from its proficiencies and attack bonus, needing its curses to soften up the opponent. In the 4th panel, Belkar refers to Bob Saget, who hosted America's Funniest Home Videos. As Belkar implies, the program made heavy use of nut shots. In the last panel, Belkar has a bruise on his face that is shaped like Roy’s sword, where he hit him the previous panel. Belkar's babbling references terminology from the Basic D&D set, where halflings could indeed only advance to 8th level, but advanced in "attack ranks" afterward to increase their prowess.
Strip 749 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0749.html): Savings and Trust - No annotations yet
Strip 750 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html): Making Up for Lost Time - No annotations yet
Strip 751 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0751.html): Tree is Within 10-ft. Radius of Apple - No annotations yet
Strip 752 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0752.html): Picking Locks - No annotations yet
Strip 753 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0753.html): Slash Attack In panel 5, we see Tarquin’s positioning and dialogue mirror Elan’s dialogue and positioning in Strip 141 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0141.html).
Strip 754 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0754.html): Maybe She Ate a Zeppelin In panel 6, Elan shows his papers to the guard to gain entry. In panel 7, you can make out Durkon, Ambassador Gourntonk, Tarquin, and Polozius (Zz'dtri).
Strip 755 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0755.html): Brought to You By Mace-y's In page 1, panel 1; the microphones of the announcers have a drop of blood as the symbol of their network. In page 1, panel 3; the towns the high schools are from are Clotsburg and Platelet, which are references to Blood – the name of the empire. In page 1, panel 4; the musical Rend, is a reference to the actual musical – RENT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent_(musical)). The characters on the float have the appearance of the actual characters, and the song they are singing parodies one of the songs in the show, Seasons of Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj7LRuusFqo). In page 2, panel 1; Sanguine Avenue is a parody of the American children’s show, Sesame Street (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_street). The characters depicted are evil parodies of the actual characters in the show: Little Roc = Big Bird (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bird) (Roc’s are a huge birds in D & D)
Felix the Mensh = Oscar the Grouch
Hurt and Burnie = Burt and Ernie
Oscar and Felix is also a reference to the broadway and TV show, The Odd Couple (urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Odd_Couple), who’s main characters are named Oscar and Felix.
Strip 756 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0756.html): He Sure Dodged an Arrow There - No annotations yet
Strip 757 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0757.html): Something Blue - No annotations yet
Strip 758 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html): Spins of the Father In page 1, panel 9; the throne of the Weeping King – The Throne of Regrets – has what appear to be sad eyebrows sculpted into the top of it. They match the king’s eyebrows. Also his body guard to the left has a helm that’s eye hole is arched to make it appear more sad. In page 2, panel 2; Queen Shvitzer is in a steam room because she rules the Empire of Sweat.
Strip 759 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0759.html): Yes, Apparently In page 1, panel 1; Taquin reveals that the member of his party with the scarf on in panel 2 is Miron Shewdanker, who is the person who wrote Haley’s father’s ransom in Strip 131 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0131.html).
Strip 760 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0760.html): Realizations & Rationalizations In panel 2, a panicked Elan shouts Durkon’s name along with Vaarsuvius and Haley, effectively blowing his cover.
Strip 761 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0761.html): Advanced (S)wordplay - No annotations yet
Strip 762 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0762.html): Just Trying to Help - No annotations yet
Strip 763 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0763.html): Plotting Something In page 1, panel 7; Tarquin picks up a glass of wine (it’s red, which goes with the color scheme of the Empire of Blood). As we progress through the Strip, the wine gets lower as Tarquin sips it. In page 2, panel 11; we see the white structure in the middle of the balcony is where the Empress of Blood has been seated on her throne, which means she’s been within earshot of the comic events since Strip 754 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0754.html). Still, she’s likely been too distracted by the parade, or by being "awesome".
Strip 764 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0764.html): Small Talk In Panel 4, Durkon unknowingly pokes fun at the situation that is literally going on behind him between Haley and Elan, as we already know what Elan is saying, so it doesn't need to be repeated a second time.
Strip 765 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0765.html): The Love of Money In panel 9, we see a sign saying Go Directly to Jail, a reference to the game Monopoly ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly_(game)).
Strip 766 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0766.html): Breaking In is Hard to Do In panel 2, we see on the wooden fence the same poster that was shown in Strip 741 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0741.html).
Strip 767 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0767.html): And Yes, There is a Santa Claus In panel 11, we see that the guard Haley bluffed into thinking he was a wallaby hopping off of the panel.
Strip 768 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0768.html): +2 Embracers - No annotations yet
Strip 769 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0769.html): Because Really, That Would Be Less Improbable - No annotations yet
Strip 770 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0770.html): Hard Time - No annotations yet
Strip 771 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0771.html): Also, "Chib" Would Have Been Acceptable - No annotations yet
Strip 772 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0772.html): Haley's Commitment - No annotations yet
Strip 773 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0773.html): Never Mind, She'd Need a Better Bow to Use It - No annotations yet
Strip 774 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0774.html): Telling Lies - No annotations yet
Strip 775 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0775.html): Welcome to the Arena - No annotations yet
Strip 776 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0776.html): A Sombering Oration - No annotations yet
Strip 777 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0777.html): Under the Arena - No annotations yet
Strip 778 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0778.html): Nitpick Your Battles - No annotations yet
Strip 779 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0779.html): They Follow His Lead - No annotations yet
Strip 780 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0780.html): The Duel Everyone's Been Waiting For In panel 1, in the background we see the feet of the Allosaurus that appears in Strip 784 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0784.html).
Strip 781 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0781.html): Companions - No annotations yet
Strip 782 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0782.html): Not Yet Met His Match In panel 5, Enor is listed as a Blue Dragon Thing for his race. We also see that the fight between #4 and #5, the fighters were named Notseenicus and Offpanélo, which is appropriate since we did not see this fight in the comic. Fighters #8 and #9 names – Vermillius and Ceruleaus are latin-esque for Red and Blue. Their fight was seen in Strip 778 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0778.html), as seen by their respective red and blue armor.
Strip 783 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0783.html): Cold Blooded - No annotations yet
Strip 784 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0784.html): Unexpected - No annotations yet
Strip 785 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0785.html): The Cost of Freedom - No annotations yet
Strip 786 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0786.html): One Step Worse Than "Diminutively" - No annotations yet
Strip 787 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0787.html): No Time for Losers - No annotations yet
Strip 788 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0788.html): A Vexation Or Irritation - No annotations yet
Strip 789 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0789.html): Also, His Popularity Has Waned The strip's title, "Also, His Popularity Has Waned", refers to the decline in sales and popularity of Drizzt since the original strip's publishing. In the last panel, Zz'dtri references parody is a form of fair use, and therefore protected under copyright law. As he was clearly conceived as a parody and commentary on the archetypal "Drizzt clone", this means he's off the hook. This is also a reference to Zz'dtri's last appearance in strip 65.
Strip 790 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0790.html): Unfamiliar In panel 7, Belkar’s classic opposite Kobold in the Linear Guild has a riding dog named Sir Scraggly, extending the opposite them to Mr. Scruffy, with a dog and cat opposite.
Strip 791 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0789.html): Don't Get MAD The title, "Don't Get MAD" refers to both the phrase "don't get mad, get even", and to the term "Multiple Ability Dependency." MAD refers to when a character or class is reliant on having good ability scores in every stat, meaning their overall skills suffer when this isn't possible. This is a point Thog raises, as Roy has well-rounded stats, but isn't as powerful as Thog, who has ignored everything but Strength.
Strip 792 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0792.html): Animal Instincts In panel 4, we see Yuk Yuk’s crossbow bolt bounce off of Vaarsuvius. This is because he/she cast the spell Stoneskin in Strip 790 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0790.html).
Strip 793 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0793.html): Critical Thinking - No annotations yet
Strip 794 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0794.html): We Recommend Tsukiko In panel 8, Sabine reacts to Elan’s kiss not only by being flabbergasted, but her tail curls up.
Strip 795 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0795.html): Back to the Action In page 2, Roy denies that Thog and him have anything in common. Then in panels 7 and 8, at the climax of Roy’s denial speech - Thog reacts to his tooth getting broken the same way Roy reacted to his sword getting broken by Xykon in Strip 114 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0114.html). In the last panel, Thog’s loin cloth turns purple as he begins to rage.
Strip 796 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0796.html): Smash In page 1, panel 7; we see a member of the audience was killed by Roy’s sword. His foam finger read, Thog fan 4 life. This is accurate, as he died while still being a fan of Thog.
Strip 797 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0797.html): Bird Brained - No annotations yet
Strip 798 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0798.html): Change of Plans - No annotations yet
Strip 799 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0799.html): In the Bag - No annotations yet
Strip 800 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0800.html): Right Tool for the Job - No annotations yet
In 415, you misspelled "Francois"
Corrected, and ported down into "appearances of Francois" in the Work area. That section will have its own sections of information at some point, for now, it's being organized. :smallwink: I've only read that book once so I'm glad to have gotten that close to spelling it. :smallbiggrin:
Angel Bob
2013-10-03, 02:03 PM
338 – In panel 8, Vaarsuvius’ dialogue foreshadows the events in which he sells his soul to save his own family, by saying One’s family must be defended when the need arises.
You were pretty good about using "his/her" as Vaarsuvius' pronouns, but ya done goofed on 338. :smalltongue:
Reddish Mage
2013-10-03, 10:11 PM
Just what I wished (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15434383&postcount=452) for. You sir, are either a noble djinni, an efreet, or a high-level spellcaster!
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-03, 10:53 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 801 to 900
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Strip 801 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0801.html): Bound to Happen - No annotations yet
Strip 802 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0802.html): Took a Level in Sauceror - No annotations yet
Strip 803 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0803.html): Saved by the Belt The title references the TV Series,Saved By the Bell (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saved_by_the_Bell). In page 2, panel 8; Mr. Scruffy doesn’t knock YakYak’s riding dog through the wall, but rather a hole in the wall created by the fight between Roy and Thog in Strip 796 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0796.html).
Strip 804 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0804.html): Where Her Loyalties Lie - No annotations yet
Strip 805 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html): Dropping In In panel 2, we see Elan casting an illusion tactic that he learned from Vaarsuvius in Strip 478 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0478.html).
Strip 806 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0806.html): Holy Enunciation In panel 10, Elan misunderstands Durkon’s spell name Holy Word to mean Holey Word, which is why he names things that involve holes like a ditch, trench, or a bagel.
Strip 807 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0807.html): Wild Empathy - No annotations yet
Strip 808 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0808.html): Five Rows Down, Three Columns Over - No annotations yet
Strip 809 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0809.html): Except Maybe the Undead - No annotations yet
Strip 810 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0810.html): The Kind That Makes Friends Easily - No annotations yet
Strip 811 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0811.html): A Touch of Death - No annotations yet
Strip 812 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0812.html): And Yet, the Canned Meat Merchant Still Gets Through The title refers to the word Spam, which has two meanings: A type of canned meat. Unwanted emails or message board posts trying to sell you stuff, or to steal your money through trickery. So, the title says [Spam] still gets through, but substitutes the wrong meaning for Spam.
In Panel 10, the dialogue is a reference to methods used to prevent spam.
Strip 813 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0813.html): Pardon Me - No annotations yet
Strip 814 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0814.html): The Answer is Blowing in the Wind - No annotations yet
Strip 815 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0815.html): Close Call - No annotations yet
Strip 816 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0816.html): General Knowledge - No annotations yet
Strip 817 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0817.html): General Assistance - No annotations yet
Strip 818 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0818.html): Also, the Desert is Dry - No annotations yet
Strip 819 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0819.html): Parental Insight - No annotations yet
Strip 820 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0820.html): Son Catcher - No annotations yet
Strip 821 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0821.html): Raiders of the Lost Plot Arc - No annotations yet
Strip 822 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0822.html): Line Quality - No annotations yet
Strip 823 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0823.html): Yes, It Is - No annotations yet
Strip 824 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0824.html): Losers Weepers - No annotations yet
Strip 825 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0825.html): Good Thing He's Already Partial to Red - No annotations yet
Strip 826 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0826.html): Minimal Resistance - No annotations yet
Strip 827 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0827.html): Crushed - No annotations yet
Strip 828 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0828.html): A Study in Viridian The title of the strip is an allusion the Sherlock Holmes novel "A Study in Scarlet" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Study_in_Scarlet). Viridian is likely referencing Red Cloak's skill color. In panel 5, we see that Redcloak has a picture of the Dark One hanging on the wall of his office.
Strip 829 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0829.html): Ritual Behavior - No annotations yet
Strip 830 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html): Tidying Up - No annotations yet
Strip 831 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0831.html): Two of a Kind Beats King High - No annotations yet
Strip 832 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0832.html): Loose Ends - No annotations yet
Strip 833 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html): Villainy Afoot - No annotations yet
Strip 834 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0834.html): A Seasoned Woodsman - No annotations yet
Strip 835 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0835.html): A Dish Best Served Warm, After All - No annotations yet
Strip 836 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0836.html): Best Laid Plans - No annotations yet
Strip 837 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0837.html): The Name of the Windy - No annotations yet
Strip 838 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0838.html): Either Way, Really - No annotations yet
Strip 839 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0839.html): Finding Something - No annotations yet
Strip 840 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0840.html): Thief's Tool - No annotations yet
Strip 841 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0841.html): Lunchtime In Panel 6, Haley and Roy's dialogue references the conversation from Strip 12 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html).
Strip 842 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0842.html): All in the Family In page 2, panel 5; we see that Orrin Draketooth, who was depicted in Strip 816 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0816.html), was on the illusion schedule for the canyon. In page 2, panel 6; we see what appears to be an overhead map of the Windy Canyon. In page 2, last panel; we see the runes that appeared in the background of Strip 841 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0841.html) is the Girard Draketooth family tree.
Strip 843 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0843.html): Lack of Foresight - No annotations yet
Strip 844 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0844.html): Case In Point In panel 2, we see Girard's gate monitoring device was color coded to match the color themes around each gate shown in Strip 276 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0276.html). Each letter within the sections represents the name of the person who watched over the gate, aside from the white one - Kraagor's Gate.
Strip 845 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0845.html): The Last Laugh - No annotations yet
Strip 846 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0846.html): No Bone Unturned - No annotations yet
Strip 847 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0847.html): Dropping the Ball - No annotations yet
Strip 848 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0848.html): Acid Redux In panel 9, we see Zz’Dtri’s first in comic kill – YukYuk.
Strip 849 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0849.html): Suspicious Agreement - No annotations yet
Strip 850 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0850.html): not-thog In Panel 6, Elan references the adventures he and thog had between Strip 387 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0387.html) and Strip 398 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0398.html).
Strip 851 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0851.html): Passive Voice - No annotations yet
Strip 852 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0852.html): Under the Helmet - No annotations yet
Strip 853 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0853.html): The Dangers of Progress - No annotations yet
Strip 854 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0854.html): Not Much Chance of That - No annotations yet
Strip 855 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html): And They Got Extra Credit For It, Too - No annotations yet
Strip 856 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0856.html): I Guess You Had to Be There - No annotations yet
Strip 857 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0857.html): The Pit of Despair - No annotations yet
Strip 858 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0858.html): Actually, She Did - No annotations yet
Strip 859 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0859.html): Smoked - No annotations yet
Strip 860 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0860.html): Wasn't Going to Listen to Orders Anyway - No annotations yet
Strip 861 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0861.html): You Should've Seen What They Did to His Pelvis - No annotations yet
Strip 862 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0862.html): Pop Goes Pop - No annotations yet
Strip 863 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0863.html): Looking for Regroup - No annotations yet
Strip 864 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0864.html): Bet It Would Get Funded on Kickstarter In panel 11, we see a reference to the Rich Burlew’s (the creator of the comic) thumb injury that caused him to not be able to make comics for three months while he recovered.
Strip 865 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0865.html): Getting Defensive - No annotations yet
Strip 866 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0866.html): Complex Math - No annotations yet
Strip 867 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0867.html): The First Title Also Still Applies - No annotations yet
Strip 868 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0868.html): Unleash the Fury - No annotations yet
Strip 869 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0869.html): Lesson Fail - No annotations yet
Strip 870 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0870.html): Death in the Family - No annotations yet
Strip 871 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0871.html): Just a Couple of Blooddrinkers - No annotations yet
Strip 872 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0872.html): Concession Stand - No annotations yet
Strip 873 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0873.html): Spell Check - No annotations yet
Strip 874 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html): Allies Like This - No annotations yet
Strip 875 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0875.html): Calm, Orderly, and Efficient - No annotations yet
Strip 876 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0876.html): Ensnared - No annotations yet
Strip 877 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html): The Bright Side This Strip is titled the same as Strip 333 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html) – The Bright Side. The significance is startling, because in the 9th panel of Strip 333, Durkon says he feared he'd be eaten by some monster, and in this Strip (877), Malack has been named a monster by Durkon, and then was eaten by him. From panel 1 to the last panel, we see Durkon's skin gets paler as Malack drains his blood.
Strip 878 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0878.html): Little Brother - No annotations yet
Strip 879 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0879.html): Running on Empty In panel 1, we see that Durkon has lost his accent since becoming Malack's Thrall in Strip 878 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0878.html).
Strip 880 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0880.html): Getting the Message - No annotations yet
Strip 881 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0881.html): Temporary Weakness In panel 2, Elan is shedding a tear from Durkon’s death.
Strip 882 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0882.html): It's a Boy! - No annotations yet
Strip 883 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0883.html): Fiend Swap - No annotations yet
Strip 884 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0884.html): Credits and Deductions - No annotations yet
Strip 885 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0885.html): Silence is Golden (Or At Least Electrum) - No annotations yet
Strip 886 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0886.html): Victory Comes From Within
In the pages of this strip, we see multiple tells that the events depicted are an illusion: Page 1: In Panel 1, Redcloak's eye patch is on the wrong eye because none of the Order have seen him with the eye patch on before. Panel 8, Blackwing does not appear with V and none of the damage V suffered is depicted because Roy doesn't know about it but the audience does.
Page 2: In Panel 1, Redcloak doesn't Disintegrate the Forcecage because Roy doesn't know that Redcloak has the Destruction domain (and a general fondness for the Disintegrate spell). In Panel 8, Xykon says Roy's name, another indication that it's an illusion since Xykon can never remember his name.
Strip 887 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0887.html): Happy Ending
In the pages of this strip, we see multiple tells that the events depicted are an illusion: In Panel 1, Redcloak's holy symbol appears to be the phylactery rather than the backup holy symbol he's been using ever since losing the phylactery. In Panel 2, Durkon is alive and well, something the party had hoped Belkar was wrong about. In Panel 5, Tsukiko and the Azure City Resistance are all alive, as the Order wouldn't know they were dead.
Strip 888 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0888.html): Dream Wedding In the last panel, we see in the audience(from left to right), Banjo's Illusionary Girlfriend, Banjo, Sir Francios, Inkyrius, Vaarsuvius, Durkon, Thog, Zz'dtri, a kobold, Leeky Windstaff, and an Empire of Blood Guard.
Strip 889 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0889.html): Get Real - No annotations yet
Strip 890 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0890.html): Dream Free In panel 8, we see that Girards Illusion Runes stop glowing as soon as Belkar is freed from the illusion. In panel 11, we see behind Shojo a poster displaying a part of the Northern Gods circle.
Strip 891 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0891.html): This One's Not Even Realistic - No annotations yet
Strip 892 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0892.html): Walled In - No annotations yet
Strip 893 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0893.html): Closing In - No annotations yet
Strip 894 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0894.html): The Last Room In Panel 7, the words written on the wall reference a common trope (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle) that originated with Super Mario Bros - "Sorry, Your Princess is in Another Castle" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4ucO4xe28c).
Strip 895 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html): Plain Sight - No annotations yet
Strip 896 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0896.html): Two Paths - No annotations yet
Strip 897 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0897.html): Headed Downtown - No annotations yet
Strip 898 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0898.html): Let's Get Ready to Rumble - No annotations yet
Strip 899 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0899.html): Prophecy Fulfilled - No annotations yet
Strip 900 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0900.html): Hole in the Middle In the last panel, the demon roaches get out of a tiny refridgerator, with one wearing a hat and whip, referencing the film, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Kingdom_of_the_Crystal_Skull )", where Indiana Jones survives a nuclear blast by taking refuge in a refrigerator.
Just what I wished (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15434383&postcount=452) for. You sir, are either a noble djinni, an efreet, or a high-level spellcaster!
:smallbiggrin: You're welcome, but I'm none of these! I'm just your humble, cuddly Wombat of Doom. Feel free to help out round these parts, there's quite a bit to do!
You were pretty good about using "his/her" as Vaarsuvius' pronouns, but ya done goofed on 338. :smalltongue:
Doh! Fixed. :smallsigh: I knew that would happen at some point...
Blisstake
2013-10-03, 10:55 PM
[
701 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0701.html) – In panel 6, we see that when Redcloak looks in the mirror, he is nearly identical to his brother, Right-Eye, who had an eye patch over his right eye in Start of Darkness. In panel 10, we see the Goblin 4 in from the bottom right most corner Goblin (when following the diagonal of the row) is a more yellow-green than the other Goblins depicted, suggesting a Goblin/Hobgoblin half breed. There are also several blue cloaked hobgoblins in the crowd.
Nitpicking, but that's in panel 11, not 10.
Gil-Galad II
2013-10-04, 02:51 AM
You were pretty good about using "his/her" as Vaarsuvius' pronouns, but ya done goofed on 338. :smalltongue:
Same in 792...nitpicking, yes, but only cos you asked us to!
Anyway, great work, this could be a great resource for the comic - keep it up!
littlebum2002
2013-10-04, 09:31 AM
This has "Win" written all over it.
Just think of this as the "things you never noticed" thread, except a permanent record version that records them all.
NihhusHuotAliro
2013-10-04, 12:57 PM
The goblin wants the Chaotic evil creature off of it.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html
Tsuk wants the true neutral creature off of her.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html
Sabine wants to Lawful good creature off her.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html
Meaningless yes, but that's the kind of stuff you start to notice rereading when it's been months since a new comic. lol
Xelbiuj is amazingly observant here, and I think that this deserves at least some mention in the annotations.
Also, the stupid ogre from strip four (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html) appears in the last panel of strip 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html)
ti'esar
2013-10-04, 01:53 PM
Xelbiuj is amazingly observant here, and I think that this deserves at least some mention in the annotations.
Also, the stupid ogre from strip four (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html) appears in the last panel of strip 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html)
I think that's just a generic ogre.
Blisstake
2013-10-04, 06:00 PM
Not sure if these deserve special mention, but they weren't on the list:
886: Redcloak's patch is on backward. None of the Order have seen him with the eyepatch before, which is probably why. On page 2, panel 8, Xykon says Roy's name, another indication that it's an illusion since Xykon can never remember his name.
887: Tsukiko and the Azure City Resistance are all alive in the illusion. The Order wouldn't know they were dead.
Edit: 907: Durkon's accent returns in panel 10 when he's no longer under Malack's control. While a Thrall, he was previously speaking without his regular accent.
littlebum2002
2013-10-05, 02:24 PM
The acid shark was punched in 542, not 541. You should also point out that this was a self-lampoon, since Rich actually wrote the source book that shark came out of, and that people actually made fun of it the way the roaches did (not knowing the shark was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek humor)
Ghost Nappa
2013-10-05, 08:35 PM
(754) "Polozius", the elven ambassador identity, Z'zdrti uses is one letter away from "Polonius," the name of a very long-winded character from the Shakespearean tragedy "Hamlet." Zz'drti, as Vaasruvius' "opposite" talks very little. The identity may be a reference to one of Polonius' more well known lines "Brevity is Wit."
Additionally, The Sticktale that Roy tells the Order on the boat after his resurrection is a OotS-stylized version of Hamlet.
Edit: The Giants that Xykon kills and zombifies early on are the same giants he came back with after recruiting at the end of SoD.
We also learn that Right-Eye's daughter has been adopted in SoD. As an odd comparison, Both of Inkyrius and Vaarsuvius' children are adopted.
Cheering on V from other planes: Sabine in 918 and (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0918.html) Roy's father in 664 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0664.html)
Nudity = Invisibility: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0665.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0302.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0027.html
Cuthalion
2013-10-05, 10:16 PM
Also in the "Stop opressing!" gag. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html)
Muenster Man
2013-10-05, 10:33 PM
#256 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0256.html) - Thog breaks the fourth wall when he references the gender-swapping belt storyline he wasn't involved in (Panel 6).
#788 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0788.html) - Thog again shows his ability to break the fourth wall when he references the non-traditional panel layout with Roy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0051.html) (panel 6) and later in the same strip he mentions that he was unsure whether or not he had killed innocents because it was never shown on any panel (panel 10).
Taelas
2013-10-06, 09:01 AM
18 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0018.html) – In panel 3, we see Belkar and Elan say they are surprised, referring to the surprise round that occurs at the beginning of combat. Haley is unaffected due to
Haley is "unaffected" only because she is the one who begins combat. Elan, Belkar and Trigak are all surprised, meaning they didn't expect her to start shooting at the chimaera.
Gnoman
2013-10-06, 07:21 PM
Minor nitpick:
705 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0705.html) – In panel 3, we see the Goblin who discovered the use for the passed out hydra in update 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html) has expanded to Gobbotopia. In the last panel, Nui took the direction that the prison would be guarded by a skeleton crew, meaning instead of Goblins, skeletons would be guarding it. Since in D & D, skeletons can only be damaged by bludgeoning damage, she has a brought a Morningstar and a Warhammer.
While essentially accurate, this could be much better worded, and could explain things a bit better for those not familiar with the idiom. Suggested rewrite:
In the last panel, Nui took the colloquial term "skeleton crew", which typically means "lightly staffed" literally, as in "a crew of skeletons." In D&D, skeletons resist damage from non-bludgeoning weapons, she has a brought a Morningstar and a Warhammer. She also has several vials of Holy Water, which can be applied to a weapon for bonus damage against Undead, or thrown like a grenade for damage against Undead.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-07, 08:20 AM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 901 to 1000
Previous Page (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16151761&postcount=29) | Index (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?306917-The-Annotated-Order-of-the-Stick-A-Companion-Guide) | Next Page (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=16172579&postcount=44)
Strip 901 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0901.html): Friend of a Friend - No annotations yet
Strip 902 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0902.html): Mr. Sandman, Give Me a Scream - No annotations yet
Strip 903 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0903.html): Carefully Couched - No annotations yet
Strip 904 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0904.html): Live by the Technicality... - No annotations yet
Strip 905 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0905.html): Blow the Lid Off In Panel 7, Elan's dialogue references Strip 692 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0692.html), where he fights a cactus to get its flower for Haley.
Strip 906 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0906.html): Nothing Lasts Forever - No annotations yet
Strip 907 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0907.html): Always Hiring In panel 10, Durkon's accent returns, as he is no longer Malack's Thrall. Since becoming Malack's Thrall in Strip 878 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0878.html), he had had no accent.
Strip 908 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0908.html): Reverse Polarity - No annotations yet
Strip 909 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0909.html): Shifting Sands - No annotations yet
Strip 910 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0910.html): Marching On - No annotations yet
Strip 911 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0911.html): Operation Desert Inform - No annotations yet
Strip 912 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0912.html): Working Together - No annotations yet
Strip 913 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0913.html): Independent - No annotations yet
Strip 914 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0914.html): Last in the Coffin - No annotations yet
Strip 915 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0915.html): Custom Framing While You Wait - No annotations yet
Strip 916 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0916.html): Executive Order - No annotations yet
Strip 917 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0917.html): Hold On - No annotations yet
Strip 918 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0918.html): These Last Few Are All from the Same Sender - No annotations yet
Strip 919 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0919.html): I Went Down, Down, Down In panel 7, we see Belkar make a reference to Strip 20 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html), where Vaarsuvius states that he/she "loves the smell of bat guano in the morning." Bat guano is the spell component for the Fireball spell.
Strip 920 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0901.html): No Running, No Hiding - No annotations yet
Strip 921 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0921.html): Shot Down - No annotations yet
Strip 922 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0922.html): Payback - No annotations yet
Strip 923 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0923.html): Breakthrough - No annotations yet
Strip 924 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0924.html): Resource Management The title of this strip is the same as the title of Strip 433 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0433.html).
Strip 925 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0925.html): Catching Up With Family In Panel 9, we see blackwing has caught the bow that Haley drops while being stunned.
Strip 926 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0926.html): Through the Wormhole(s) - No annotations yet
Strip 927 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0927.html): Can't Help Himself - No annotations yet
Strip 928 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0928.html): Go In panel 1, Vaarsuvius says: "I believe Xykon is chilly today," which references that the priority target (which is usually Xykon) is cold, which in this case meant Miron, who is wearing a scarf. This exact style of exchange (down to the confirmation of "I understand") occurs in Strip 716 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html) between Haley and V.
Strip 929 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0929.html): Through - No annotations yet
Strip 930 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0930.html): Overshadowed - No annotations yet
Strip 931 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0931.html): My Two Dads The title of this strip is a reference to the TV sitcom, "My Two Dads (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Two_Dads)". In Panel 2, we see what Elan did off panel before Strip 837 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0837.html). In Panel 6, Laurin can be seen "Pop"ing back into the background.
Strip 932 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0932.html): His Number One Fan - No annotations yet
Strip 933 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0933.html): Getting a Little Carried Away - No annotations yet
Strip 934 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0934.html): All Hands on Deck - No annotations yet
Strip 935 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0935.html): Caster Fight - No annotations yet
Strip 936 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0936.html): End of the Line - No annotations yet
Strip 937 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0937.html): Travel Time - No annotations yet
Strip 938 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0938.html): This is Not a Thing That is Going to Happen - No annotations yet
Strip 939 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0939.html): Donation Drive - No annotations yet
Strip 940 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0940.html): Resisting a Rest - No annotations yet
Strip 941 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0941.html): Relatively OK - No annotations yet
Strip 942 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0942.html): But He Probably Has a Halberd Now In Panel 12, we find out that Geoff's son is the Pole Arm Salesman from Strip 136 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0136.html).
Strip 943 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html): Everyone Hates Goodbye Scenes The "head" Julio mentions in the last panel is the ship's toilet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_%28watercraft%29).
Strip 944 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0944.html): All of the Above, Actually - No annotations yet
Strip 945 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0945.html): Jumbled Up - No annotations yet
Strip 946 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0946.html): It's What's Inside That Counts - No annotations yet
Strip 947 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0947.html): Keep in Mind - No annotations yet
Strip 948 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0948.html): Behind the Eyes - No annotations yet
Strip 949 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0949.html): Method Doctor - No annotations yet
Strip 950 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0950.html): Spell It Out - No annotations yet
Strip 951 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0951.html): Helping Hand - No annotations yet
Strip 952 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0952.html): Weather or Not - No annotations yet
Strip 953 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0953.html): High Pressure Front - No annotations yet
Strip 954 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0954.html): Contractual Riders on the Storm - No annotations yet
Strip 955 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0955.html): Strike Two - No annotations yet
Strip 956 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0956.html): Moving On - No annotations yet
Strip 957 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0957.html): Takes One to Know One - No annotations yet
Strip 958 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0958.html): This Sucks - No annotations yet
Strip 959 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0959.html): It Was Not - No annotations yet
Strip 960 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0960.html): Collision Testing - No annotations yet
Strip 961 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0961.html): Hearing is Believing - No annotations yet
Strip 962 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0962.html): Just Think How Many Times He's Seen Himself Naked - No annotations yet
Strip 963 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0963.html): Internal Struggles In Panel 4, Sigdi reveals Durkon's full name for the first time.
Strip 964 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0964.html): Needs More Gears Though - No annotations yet
Strip 965 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0965.html): The Bargain Hunter - No annotations yet
Strip 966 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0966.html): About Town - No annotations yet
Strip 967 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0967.html): Craft Wondrous Bauble - No annotations yet
Strip 968 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0968.html): Next Week They're Getting Drab - No annotations yet
Strip 969 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0969.html): It's Only His SECOND Favorite Cuisine - No annotations yet
Strip 970 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0970.html): Wandering Eyes - No annotations yet
Strip 971 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0971.html): Blast from the Past - No annotations yet
Strip 972 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0972.html): She Might Even Be a Bit Ahead - No annotations yet
Strip 973 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0973.html): Try, Try Again - No annotations yet
Strip 974 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0974.html): Except, You Know, That - No annotations yet
Strip 975 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0975.html): Up in the Air - No annotations yet
Strip 976 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0976.html): Hard Sell - No annotations yet
Strip 977 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0977.html): Zap - No annotations yet
Strip 978 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0978.html): Rage Against the Lightning of the Dead - No annotations yet
Strip 979 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0979.html): Fault Lines - No annotations yet
Strip 980 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0980.html): Breaking Up - No annotations yet
Strip 981 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0981.html): Followers Follow - No annotations yet
Strip 982 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0982.html): Respirate in Peace - No annotations yet
Strip 983 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0983.html): A Healer's Reason - No annotations yet
Strip 984 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0984.html): Hence the Fence - No annotations yet
Strip 985 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0985.html): Down the Winding Path - No annotations yet
Strip 986 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0986.html): Inn Doubt - No annotations yet
Strip 987 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0987.html): The Soul of Discretion - No annotations yet
Strip 988 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0988.html): Much Less Swordfighting - No annotations yet
Strip 989 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0989.html): Stares and Stripes Forever - No annotations yet
Strip 990 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0990.html): Critiquing Suspicion - No annotations yet
Strip 991 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0991.html): A Sergeant and a Sapper - No annotations yet
Strip 992 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0992.html): Peak Condition - No annotations yet
Strip 993 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0993.html): Moots and Ladders - No annotations yet
Strip 994 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0994.html): Invitation Only - No annotations yet
Strip 995 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0995.html): Welcome to the Church - No annotations yet
Strip 996 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0996.html): Silencing Descent - No annotations yet
Strip 997 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0997.html): Plan B - No annotations yet
Strip 998 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0998.html): Three Sides to Every Story - No annotations yet
Strip 999 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0999.html): The Vote in Gods' Aye - No annotations yet
Strip 1000 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1000.html): Hel Polls for Thee - No annotations yet
Same in 792...nitpicking, yes, but only cos you asked us to!
Anyway, great work, this could be a great resource for the comic - keep it up!
Thanks for the correction! Nitpick away. :smallwink:
And thank you for the compliment. Though, I hope it already IS a great resource for the comic. :smallbiggrin:
Xelbiuj is amazingly observant here, and I think that this deserves at least some mention in the annotations.
This is a gag I've got the links to in the Workspace at the moment. Don't worry, I'll be putting in details with those links, it's just not a high priority as getting the main body organized and working at the moment.
Also, the stupid ogre from strip four (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html) appears in the last panel of strip 326 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0326.html)
I think that's just a generic ogre.
Yeah, while they look similar, so do a lot of creatures, and other ogres for that matter. And since the group "cleared" the level, and then blew up the dungeon, I'm fairly certain that appearance is a case of unconfirmed material.
Not sure if these deserve special mention, but they weren't on the list:
886: Redcloak's patch is on backward. None of the Order have seen him with the eyepatch before, which is probably why. On page 2, panel 8, Xykon says Roy's name, another indication that it's an illusion since Xykon can never remember his name.
887: Tsukiko and the Azure City Resistance are all alive in the illusion. The Order wouldn't know they were dead.
Edit: 907: Durkon's accent returns in panel 10 when he's no longer under Malack's control. While a Thrall, he was previously speaking without his regular accent.
886 is already being worked on in my workspace. I've added some of your contribution to that update.
887 is a good point, and I'll be adding that to my workspace. Any other catches you or anyone else has on these, please mention them!
907 I'll add to my workspace too, but it should be noted that we should also mention when Durkon's speech changed when he was raised as a thrall as well, so if you could grab me that link that would be handy.
The acid shark was punched in 542, not 541. You should also point out that this was a self-lampoon, since Rich actually wrote the source book that shark came out of, and that people actually made fun of it the way the roaches did (not knowing the shark was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek humor)
Fixed. Copy and paste error. :smallredface: I'll note some details about the shark in 541 since that's where it originally appears. Are you aware of which book that was in?
While essentially accurate, this could be much better worded, and could explain things a bit better for those not familiar with the idiom. Suggested rewrite:
In the last panel, Nui took the colloquial term "skeleton crew", which typically means "lightly staffed" literally, as in "a crew of skeletons." In D&D, skeletons resist damage from non-bludgeoning weapons, she has a brought a Morningstar and a Warhammer. She also has several vials of Holy Water, which can be applied to a weapon for bonus damage against Undead, or thrown like a grenade for damage against Undead.
I approve of this rewording, and have changed it to such. If you had any desire to, I wouldn't mind working with you to explain more D and D references in the comic.
Haley is "unaffected" only because she is the one who begins combat. Elan, Belkar and Trigak are all surprised, meaning they didn't expect her to start shooting at the chimaera.
Well, I supposed that Haley, being a rogue, was able to not be surprised in the surprise round. However, Trigak seems to have talked to them first, and then the encounter started, making everyone roll for initiative. That means Trigak being surprised is a reference to everyone being flatfooted the first round perhaps, and that's why everyone but Haley states they are surprised?
#256 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0256.html) - Thog breaks the fourth wall when he references the gender-swapping belt storyline he wasn't involved in (Panel 6).
#788 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0788.html) - Thog again shows his ability to break the fourth wall when he references the non-traditional panel layout with Roy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0051.html) (panel 6) and later in the same strip he mentions that he was unsure whether or not he had killed innocents because it was never shown on any panel (panel 10).
Breaking the fourth wall is a common gag in the comics, however, I can certainly mention that Thog is referencing update 51 in this dialogue. The mention at 256 of another storyline was a reference that the characters involved did not know was a reference. Thog mentioning that he liked it seems to be unknown if it was regarding Sabines comment, or that story line itself. I'll look to find the beginning of the gender changing mini arch, and reference it. Especially since Nale says it would only be for selfish reasons to have done so, which it was quite the opposite in actuality.
Also in the "Stop opressing!" gag. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0895.html)
Added that to the gag strip list under the same heading.
(754) "Polozius", the elven ambassador identity, Z'zdrti uses is one letter away from "Polonius," the name of a very long-winded character from the Shakespearean tragedy "Hamlet." Zz'drti, as Vaasruvius' "opposite" talks very little. The identity may be a reference to one of Polonius' more well known lines "Brevity is Wit."
Perhaps, but wouldn't that be a hard one to connect if Polonius is long winded, and Polozius isn't? I'll leave it out for now, but it's a nice bit of information, so what do other folks think? Anyone else see this?
Additionally, The Sticktale that Roy tells the Order on the boat after his resurrection is a OotS-stylized version of Hamlet.
Is this an in book bonus strip? I can't seem to find this.
Edit: The Giants that Xykon kills and zombifies early on are the same giants he came back with after recruiting at the end of SoD.
We also learn that Right-Eye's daughter has been adopted in SoD. As an odd comparison, Both of Inkyrius and Vaarsuvius' children are adopted.
Until I purchase those books, I'm refraining from doing any of the prequels unless they are being referenced in the actual comic, because I can't link them as I can the updates, and I can't review the information without having the hard copy. Therefore, while I encourage these contributions, I'll be putting this in the work post. I plan on purchasing both the prequel OotS books at some point soon, but I'm a little low on funds currently.
Cheering on V from other planes: Sabine in 918 and (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0918.html) Roy's father in 664 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0664.html)
While this is similar in dialect, and from other planes, I think this is more a coincidence. People often root for the protagonists.
Nudity = Invisibility: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0665.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0302.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html
The last one should be update 25, actually, but I'll put this under gags devoted to Elan, so in the character's section.
littlebum2002
2013-10-07, 03:21 PM
Update 665 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0665.html) – In panel 8, we see that Celia’s shirt is backless to allow for her wings. In panel 9, it appears that Roy is using Vaarsuvius’ cape to cover himself.
1: LOL at the idea that V forever has to wear a cape that was wrapped around naked Roy. How funny would this have been:
"It is never the time! It is never the place! I am telling you now so that it is DONE!"
".....OK... Since we're making confessions, I have something to tell you about your cape..."
2: If Celia needs a backless shirt for her wings to fit through, how did she wear Haley's shirt?
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-07, 03:26 PM
The Annotated Order of the Stick
Strips 1001 to 1100
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Strip 1001 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1001.html): Will Save the Day - No annotations yet
Strip 1002 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1002.html): Mutually Assured Observation - No annotations yet
Strip 1003 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1003.html): An Attack on Two Levels - No annotations yet
Strip 1004 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1004.html): Climbing Tensions - No annotations yet
Strip 1005 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1005.html): Completely Mist the Point - No annotations yet
Strip 1006 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1006.html): Uninterrupted Torment - No annotations yet
Strip 1007 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1007.html): Your Worst - No annotations yet
Strip 1008 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1008.html): Not to Scale - No annotations yet
Strip 1009 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1009.html): Giving Up Hope - No annotations yet
Strip 1010 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1010.html): Green Means Go - No annotations yet
Strip 1011 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1011.html): Red Means Stop - No annotations yet
Strip 1012 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1012.html): Yellow Means Caution - No annotations yet
Strip 1013 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1013.html): Little Empathy - No annotations yet
Strip 1014 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1014.html): Aw, Rats! - No annotations yet
Strip 1015 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1015.html): Climb Every Mountain - No annotations yet
Strip 1016 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1016.html): King of Indecision - No annotations yet
Strip 1017 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1017.html): Personnel Changes - No annotations yet
Strip 1018 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1018.html): Or Perhaps Punch - No annotations yet
Strip 1019 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1019.html): Withdrawn - No annotations yet
Strip 1020 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1020.html): Scroll Left - No annotations yet
Strip 1021 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1021.html): It's a Long List - No annotations yet
Strip 1022 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1022.html): Terms and Conditions Apply - No annotations yet
Strip 1023 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1023.html): Last Call - No annotations yet
Strip 1024 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1024.html): The Unbanished Truth - No annotations yet
Strip 1025 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1025.html): Mark of Distinction - No annotations yet
Strip 1026 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1026.html): Goliath Falls - No annotations yet
Strip 1027 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1027.html): Because Reasons - No annotations yet
Strip 1028 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1028.html): Don't Even Ask About Electrum - No annotations yet
Strip 1029 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1029.html): Budget Flight - No annotations yet
Strip 1030 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1030.html): Naming Names - No annotations yet
Strip 1031 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1031.html): Cold War - No annotations yet
Strip 1032 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1032.html): Other Times, Not So Much - No annotations yet
Strip 1033 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1033.html): Sound Reasoning - No annotations yet
Strip 1034 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1034.html): Always a Good Rule of Thumb - No annotations yet
Strip 1035 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1035.html): Ringing Victory - No annotations yet
Strip 1036 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1036.html): Sound, But in This Case Inaccurate - No annotations yet
Strip 1037 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1037.html): Beast Practices - No annotations yet
Strip 1038 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1038.html): Goblin to Goblin - No annotations yet
Strip 1039 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1039.html): Multiple Choice - No annotations yet
Strip 1040 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1040.html): It Probably Would've Taken 30 Pages - No annotations yet
Strip 1041 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1041.html): Value of an Independent Variable - No annotations yet
Strip 1042 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1042.html): Wait Watchers - No annotations yet
Strip 1043 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1043.html): He Assumed It Was a Cholesterol Thing - No annotations yet
Strip 1044 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1044.html): Mountain Passes - No annotations yet
Strip 1045 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1045.html): Studying Up - No annotations yet
Strip 1046 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1046.html): Literally Heartless - No annotations yet
Strip 1047 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1047.html): Perhaps a Few Mini-Revolutions - No annotations yet
Strip 1048 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1048.html): Parental Bindings - No annotations yet
Strip 1049 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1049.html): An Uplifting Discussion - No annotations yet
Strip 1050 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1050.html): Hard Pass - No annotations yet
Strip 1051 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1051.html): Path of Most Resistance - No annotations yet
Strip 1052 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1052.html): Fired Giants - No annotations yet
Strip 1053 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1053.html): Over the Edge - No annotations yet
Strip 1054 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1054.html): A Kill By Any Other Name - No annotations yet
Strip 1055 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1055.html): All Hands on Trend - No annotations yet
Strip 1056 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1056.html): Top Five, Certainly - No annotations yet
Strip 1057 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1057.html): Suggestive Content - No annotations yet
Strip 1058 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1058.html): Ready, Set, Ready - No annotations yet
Strip 1059 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1059.html): The Fight is Not Over - No annotations yet
Strip 1060 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1060.html): Now Boarding - No annotations yet
Strip 1061 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1061.html): Hangers On - No annotations yet
Strip 1062 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1062.html): Spanner in the Works - No annotations yet
Strip 1063 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1063.html): No Turn Signal - No annotations yet
Strip 1064 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1064.html): Chained of Command - No annotations yet
Strip 1065 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1065.html): Lesson Never Learned - No annotations yet
Strip 1066 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1066.html): Oh Grow Up - No annotations yet
Strip 1067 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1067.html): Bump in the Road - No annotations yet
Strip 1068 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1068.html): Ship Abandon - No annotations yet
Strip 1069 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1069.html): Conditional Diagnosis - No annotations yet
Strip 1070 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1070.html): Half Probably Are - No annotations yet
Strip 1071 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1071.html): Never Failed Him Before - No annotations yet
Strip 1072 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1072.html): Flying Low - No annotations yet
Strip 1073 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1073.html): Catching Up - No annotations yet
Strip 1074 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1074.html): Turning Back - No annotations yet
Strip 1075 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1075.html): Shuffle the Deck - No annotations yet
Strip 1076 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1076.html): Just Drop It - No annotations yet
Strip 1077 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1077.html): All Clear - No annotations yet
Strip 1078 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1078.html): But If You Try Sometimes - No annotations yet
Strip 1079 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1079.html): Threat Level - No annotations yet
Strip 1080 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1080.html): Clever Blasting God Stoppers - No annotations yet
Strip 1081 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1081.html): Ill Intent - No annotations yet
Strip 1082 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1082.html): And Your Souls for Free - No annotations yet
Strip 1083 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1083.html): You Bet - No annotations yet
Strip 1084 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1084.html): Consumers Report - No annotations yet
Strip 1085 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1085.html): Omission Possible - No annotations yet
Strip 1086 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1086.html): Look Inside - No annotations yet
Strip 1087 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1087.html): Masters Mastering Mastery The title of the Strip originally was "Follower Follow", and was renamed once Rich realized that Strip 981 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0981.html) already had that name. This implies that perhaps some of the strip titles that match are intentional, but ultimately Rich chalks it up to forgetfulness.
Strip 1088 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1088.html): Hall Past - No annotations yet
2: If Celia needs a backless shirt for her wings to fit through, how did she wear Haley's shirt?
I'm assuming she cut it to fit, or some such. Who knows? Perhaps it was an error?
Ghost Nappa
2013-10-07, 04:39 PM
Is this an in book bonus strip? I can't seem to find this.
Snips, Snails, and Dragon Tails actually. So another Book-only.
Taelas
2013-10-07, 05:14 PM
Well, I supposed that Haley, being a rogue, was able to not be surprised in the surprise round. However, Trigak seems to have talked to them first, and then the encounter started, making everyone roll for initiative. That means Trigak being surprised is a reference to everyone being flatfooted the first round perhaps, and that's why everyone but Haley states they are surprised?
There's no other provisos for not being surprised than to know that you're about to do battle. Being a rogue has nothing to do with it.
You are surprised (and cannot act) in the surprise round if you are unaware of the fight that is about to start. Under normal circumstances, no one would be surprised in this scenario -- they would just roll for initiative.
The only way for the comic to play out as it did is if Haley initiated the combat, and Trigak was caught so unawares that he was surprised (along with Belkar and Elan). In that situation, Haley gets a surprise round, then since she won initiative, she gets to attack again at the top of the first round. Since Trigak hasn't had his turn, he's flat-footed throughout the sequence.
Ron Miel
2013-10-07, 08:26 PM
#287 - In the last panel, Elan asks Hinjo for a lollipop. In #298 Hinjo has given him one.
#318 - As well as countries named Nowhere, Somewhere, Anywhere, etc, there is also a country named Neither.
#320 - In the final panel, Road To Morocco references a film starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. The strip's title is Bing Crosby's Got Nothing On Us. Road To Perdition is a film starring Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig
#322 - refers to an old TV commercial for Tootsie Pop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6rHeD5x2tI
#326 - Goblin Dan's beard resembles that of Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC.
#331 - Ginko biloba is a herb reputed to help improve memory, concentration and attention span. Presumably Blackwing was asking something like 'How can I get my stupid master to remember I exist?'
The misspelling in the comic- bilboa - is probably an error, not a reference to Bilbo Baggins.
#346 - The hawk is named Kitty. The Wright Brothers conducted their experiments into powered flight at Kitty Hawk.
#350 - the rookie cop is making the siren noise.
- In the real world, a polioce SWAT team uses Special Weapons And Tactics to comat the most dangerous criminals. Here it refers to using flyswatters.
#354 - a reference to the classic video arcade game Centipede.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centipede_%28video_game%29
#356 - the police chief predicts his head will shortly be on a pike.
- Roy refers to Thog as a thug, as he later did in their gladiator combat.
#371 - Xykon and Redcloak muddle up two different quotes. Obi Wan said "Luke! Don't give in to hate. That leads to the Dark Side. " Yoda says "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to suffering."
#373 - "Help! Help! I'm being opressed" is a quote from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. More proof that it's not a gaming session until ...
#374, #375 - MITD is unharmed by blade, but gets a paper cut. Many people have speculated that he must be made of stone.
#379 - Belkar is already bonding with Mr Scruffy.
#385 - Sabine's opinion of V's gender has changed. In this strip she calls V 'sister.' Previously in #252 Sabine calls V a 'dude'.
That'll do for the moment.
Gnoman
2013-10-07, 10:50 PM
Not particularly obscure, but you did say that you were trying to catalogue references.
Strip #253
"Warthog's School" is a play on "Hogwart's", the central setting of the Harry Potter novels. with the syllables reversed and the headmaster being a literal warthog. "Larry Gardner" is a direct parody of the main character of said series.
Strip #254
Panel 1 is a continuation of the Harry Potter reference, as "He who must not be named" is a euphemism used by the general populace to refer to the main villian of the series out of fear. In addition, panel 4 is a dig at the pop singer Prince, who changed his name to an unpronouncable symbol in the mid 1990s. Due to the unpronouncable nature of this symbol, he was referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince."
littlebum2002
2013-10-08, 07:31 AM
The Acid breathing shark was in Dungeonscape, I believe.
ti'esar
2013-10-08, 01:03 PM
As far as explaining obscure references goes, I still have no idea what the much scarier monster (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0746.html) was supposed to be.
hamishspence
2013-10-08, 01:10 PM
As far as explaining obscure references goes, I still have no idea what the much scarier monster (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0746.html) was supposed to be.
That's what the Discussion Thread Index is for. I didn't remember either- but on the first page of the thread discussing 0746, the answer given was:
Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, an influential TV puppet show from the 1950's and 60's. Specifically, that's Ollie, the dragon.
monkeyslinger
2013-10-08, 05:44 PM
591 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0591.html): On page 1, panel 7, the giant devil gives a reference to the Rolling Stones' song "Sympathy For the Devil". The title of the strip, "Antipathy For the Devil", does it as well.
littlebum2002
2013-10-08, 09:11 PM
I think "If you pull the other one it plays Judas Priest" from 637 is a play on the phrase "pull the other one, it's got bells on", a phase some people say when someone is pulling their leg.
Or it could be from a joke about a parrot (pull the left leg, it plays popular band #1, pull the right leg it plays popular band #2. What happens if you pull both legs? It falls off its perch!) but that doesn't fit as well
NihhusHuotAliro
2013-10-09, 12:45 PM
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html
In the third panel, Rich invented a new word: distrcted.
It is presumably a synonym for districted.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-09, 12:53 PM
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html
In the third panel, Rich invented a new word: distrcted.
It is presumably a synonym for districted.
Please see the below text from the OP...
- The Annotated Order of the Stick -
A Companion Guide
Contributors:
In-comic Spelling and Art errors are not notable contributions. Please don't suggest them.
However MY errors in the Annotation, whether by faulty links, misspellings, or confusing terminology, please let me know so I can make the changes! I don't mind the critque.
NihhusHuotAliro
2013-10-09, 12:56 PM
Well, shucks.
Ron Miel
2013-10-09, 01:09 PM
Certainly, the majority of art and spelling errors aren't worth noting. But a few are. I don't think it should be a blanket ban.
For example, I think it's worth noting that Haley has three arms in panel 1.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0011.html
tirsales
2013-10-09, 03:33 PM
In 365 the clothes of Nale are getting ruffled, eg his shirt no longer sits straight on his pants. Not surI if relevant, but as Art Details are pointed out in other numbers as well...
Onyavar
2013-10-09, 05:33 PM
Did you already include all the details from other threads yet? There were the really great "things you didn't notice before" threads.
Just because it isn't covered - who are the final fantasy characters in Azur City? Strip 380 or something, I guess. Just one thing from the top of my head, I assume every strip has many "hidden" details.
Like Vaarsuvius only eating vegetarian meals, all the early clues on Malack being a vampire. There might also be spoilered references to the books (but no annotations and interconnections for the book-only strips themselves!!), and also explanations of every single pun, especially the strip titles. You may think that pop culture is understandable to every reader, but it's not for foreigners or people who don't know a certain work.
If I understand you correctly, that you aim at the above, then your project is very ambitious. It might be very useful for my own pet project on the oots, so keep up your work. :smallsmile:
Muenster Man
2013-10-09, 08:14 PM
Are Elan's lines at the end of #923 a reference to #693 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0693.html) when he was talking to Roy about dinosaurs? It doesn't quite fit, since he doesn't talk about riding dinos in #693, but I can't think of any other reference he could be making.
I haven't seen anything about it on the main discussion thread, although I've only read some of it.
Gnoman
2013-10-10, 07:47 PM
Panel 1, Strip 793
Elan refers to "Run" and "Endurance" as "both solid choices." These feats are among the most infamous "trap" (completely worthless, but take up a valuable feat slot) feats in D&D 3.5.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-14, 12:06 PM
Sorry for the delay, folks! I was away in Maine for a small vacation! But now I'm back, so let's get cracking!
Certainly, the majority of art and spelling errors aren't worth noting. But a few are. I don't think it should be a blanket ban.
For example, I think it's worth noting that Haley has three arms in panel 1.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0011.html
I see no reason to annotate any mistakes Rich has made in the comic. I wish to highlight the intended jokes, references and such, not the mistakes. Honestly, to me it seems like doing so would come across as rude. *shrug* As an artist and writer myself, drawing attention to those sorts of things to me seem like bad form, and so - unless it is an incomic joke that references such a mistake - I'll likely not put it in. Hopefully that makes sense?
In 365 the clothes of Nale are getting ruffled, eg his shirt no longer sits straight on his pants. Not surI if relevant, but as Art Details are pointed out in other numbers as well...
I'm going to add it to the existing information I have there, to add a little more to the details of the kiss. Alone I'd say it wouldn't be notable, but alongside other things I think it works to help it. Thanks for the contribution!
Did you already include all the details from other threads yet? There were the really great "things you didn't notice before" threads.
I've looked through the three incarnations I could find, yes, and got a good number of things from them that are within the lists so far. If you think there's something notable I missed, or a thread that might be of use to help me, send it my way! :smallsmile:
Just because it isn't covered - who are the final fantasy characters in Azur City? Strip 380 or something, I guess. Just one thing from the top of my head, I assume every strip has many "hidden" details.
Indeed, that's a good one...I'll add that to the list of things needing definition. Can you give me a exact page number so I can find it easier, and then I'll add it? Most strips will have a hidden detail of some sort, and I look forward to defining them for the sake of readers who might not get them all.
Like Vaarsuvius only eating vegetarian meals, all the early clues on Malack being a vampire. There might also be spoilered references to the books (but no annotations and interconnections for the book-only strips themselves!!), and also explanations of every single pun, especially the strip titles. You may think that pop culture is understandable to every reader, but it's not for foreigners or people who don't know a certain work.
V eating pomegranates is something I've got in the Character's area, and I'm working on compiling a list of obvious and explainable clues to Malack's vampirism there too. If you have more to add there, I'd love your contributions! I plan on doing book references, but more importantly, when I purchace the books I'll likely add scetions for those as well, aside from "Snips, Snails..." because it's been labeled as "not in cannon".
Explanations of all puns will be on a case by case basis. Some are more obvious than others. I know there are puns some not native to english speakers might not get, so I'll probably keep an open mind in doing so. Strip titles I eventually want to work out on every page, and will likely need help to work them all out. Pop culture references not even I always get, which is why I wanted to start this. If it helps people enjoy the comic more, then I'm happy.
If I understand you correctly, that you aim at the above, then your project is very ambitious. It might be very useful for my own pet project on the oots, so keep up your work. :smallsmile:
Ambitious indeed. I hope to have more people on board with this to help me as time progresses, so I'm not doing this all myself, though I certainly don't mind. I just think with regular contributions, this project will go a lot smoother and faster. :smallsmile:
Are Elan's lines at the end of #923 a reference to #693 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0693.html) when he was talking to Roy about dinosaurs? It doesn't quite fit, since he doesn't talk about riding dinos in #693, but I can't think of any other reference he could be making.
I haven't seen anything about it on the main discussion thread, although I've only read some of it.
It started off here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0726.html), but there have been some other references as it goes along. Your reference, while it refers to dinosaurs, doesn't mention riding them.
Panel 1, Strip 793
Elan refers to "Run" and "Endurance" as "both solid choices." These feats are among the most infamous "trap" (completely worthless, but take up a valuable feat slot) feats in D&D 3.5.
You might also want to explain why they are worthless by stating what they do a bit.
Gnoman
2013-10-14, 12:25 PM
You might also want to explain why they are worthless by stating what they do a bit.
Fair enough, although I felt that that would go into greater detail than the scope of this thread intended (In other words, I felt that pointing out why it was a joke was more important.
From the SRD:
Endurance:
Endurance [General]
Benefit
You gain a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. Also, you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.
Normal
A character without this feat who sleeps in medium or heavier armor is automatically fatigued the next day.
Special
A ranger automatically gains Endurance as a bonus feat at 3rd level. He need not select it.
You spend a feat slot to get a small bonus (easily replicated with a more useful CON-enhancing magic item) to checks that are almost NEVER ROLLED, as low-level spells easily negate all of them on the rare times when they come up.
Run
Run [General]
Benefit
When running, you move five times your normal speed (if wearing medium, light, or no armor and carrying no more than a medium load) or four times your speed (if wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load). If you make a jump after a running start (see the Jump skill description), you gain a +4 bonus on your Jump check. While running, you retain your Dexterity bonus to AC.
Normal
You move four times your speed while running (if wearing medium, light, or no armor and carrying no more than a medium load) or three times your speed (if wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load), and you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC.
Normally, lightly armored characters can run for 80 feet or 120 feet (depending on race/class combo). This feat allows 100 or 150 feet (in other words an extra 4 or 6 squares in combat). Tactically, this almost never matters, as moving at a run prevents you from doing anything else. Outside of combat, your speed is usually augmented by horses or replaced by magical transportation.
Note that most characters only have 7 (+1 for humans) non-bonus feats total.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-14, 12:40 PM
Fair enough, although I felt that that would go into greater detail than the scope of this thread intended (In other words, I felt that pointing out why it was a joke was more important.
From the SRD:
Endurance:
You spend a feat slot to get a small bonus (easily replicated with a more useful CON-enhancing magic item) to checks that are almost NEVER ROLLED, as low-level spells easily negate all of them on the rare times when they come up.
Run
Normally, lightly armored characters can run for 80 feet or 120 feet (depending on race/class combo). This feat allows 100 or 150 feet (in other words an extra 4 or 6 squares in combat). Tactically, this almost never matters, as moving at a run prevents you from doing anything else. Outside of combat, your speed is usually augmented by horses or replaced by magical transportation.
Note that most characters only have 7 (+1 for humans) non-bonus feats total.
Good point. I'll try and make some middle ground between the two.
Ron Miel
2013-10-14, 12:58 PM
I've looked through the three incarnations I could find, yes, and got a good number of things from them that are within the lists so far. If you think there's something notable I missed, or a thread that might be of use to help me, send it my way! :smallsmile:
Jokes I Didn't get I and II. Everything there is something that somebody didn't get, and deserves a note.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32128
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87659
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-14, 12:58 PM
Jokes I Didn't get I and II. Everything there is something that somebody didn't get, and deserves a note.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32128
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87659
I've heard these threads mentioned, but I hadn't had much success in locating them! This will be a big help, thank you!
ChristianSt
2013-10-14, 02:17 PM
Indeed, that's a good one...I'll add that to the list of things needing definition. Can you give me a exact page number so I can find it easier, and then I'll add it? Most strips will have a hidden detail of some sort, and I look forward to defining them for the sake of readers who might not get them all.
Strip in question is 388 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0388.html) - but I I have no clue who they represent (maybe there is something in the discussion thread?), only that is clearly referencing Final Fantasy (most obvious reference should be the Fenix Down)
Kenage
2013-10-14, 03:19 PM
The Final Fantasy characters referenced are from Final Fantasy VI (originally FF III in the U.S. on the Super Nintendo), and more information can be found here:
http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Final_Fantasy_VI_Characters
Elan and Thog take the place of Locke and Mog, respectively. Setzer was the airship captain, and can be seen at the far left of the gangplank in panel 4 of page 2, followed left to right, by Cyan, Celes, Terra, Relm, and Strago. The guy with the drill in the next couple of panels is Edgar.
littlebum2002
2013-10-14, 04:49 PM
Question: in 194, who is Kyle?
Comment: In 198, they mention "that took weeks" and "it would have been quicker if somebody hadn't sprained their wrist".
This is, in fact, a statement pointing out that this particular comic took weeks to draw because Rich broke sprained his wrist.
hamishspence
2013-10-14, 04:54 PM
Question: in 194, who is Kyle?
A Green Lantern- it's a reference to him having not been very popular with the fans, but this dislike not exactly being deserved.
Ron Miel
2013-10-14, 07:53 PM
Also, the speech "In Brightest Day" etc is the oath of the Green Lantermn corps, which they recite while recharging their power rings.
Ron Miel
2013-10-14, 08:43 PM
This is, in fact, a statement pointing out that this particular comic took weeks to draw because Rich broke his wrist.
I did not know that. Guy really has bad luck with his hand, huh?
Broke or sprained?
littlebum2002
2013-10-15, 12:55 PM
Ah, yes, sprained, sorry.
Anyway, I wasn't around at the time, so I don't know all the details, although I am sure they can be found by searching through the forum archives. He does mention the sprained wrist in the "guest comics" section, though.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-15, 01:29 PM
Something I found on the current strip discussion thread -
924 Resource Management (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0924.html)
433 Resource Management (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0433.html)
879 Running on Empty (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0879.html)
168 Running on Empty (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0168.html)
877 The Bright Side (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html)
333 The Bright Side (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0333.html)
842 All in the Family (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0842.html)
681 All in the Family (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0681.html)
832 Loose Ends (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0832.html)
72 Loose Ends (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0072.html)
720 Breakfast of Champions (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0720.html)
401 Breakfast of Champions (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0401.html)
590 Role Reversal (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0590.html)
146 Role Reversal (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0146.html)
406 A Moment of Truth (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0406.html)
285 A Moment of Truth (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0285.html)
Gil-Galad II
2013-10-15, 03:48 PM
Really cool detail I noticed today whilst rereading some comics - Malack spitting blood at Tarquin, panel 7. (http://http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0854.html)
littlebum2002
2013-10-17, 11:04 AM
I found the comment Rich made about the acid-breathing shark here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10722208&postcount=21)
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-17, 11:12 AM
Thank you for all the contributions so far!
A thought I had today - perhaps we should handle chunks at a time. People can still submit suggestions for whatever comic update they'd like, or fixing particular mistakes I've made...
...but over all, we'll focus on a group of updates at a time, starting with the first 100. I figure there's a lot that might be missed without just going page by page and seeing what might need addressing.
So, I'll start -
Things that need Explaining
Update 1 - 3.5 update needs explaining - Dwarves get more stable, Bards get chainshirt proficiency and more skill points per level, not sure about the terminology for Belkar's daggers getting smaller.
Update 2 - Elan singing about his new skill points.
Update 3 - Spot check, Alertness, and Listen Check need to be explained.
Update 4 - Inspiring Competance and Sense motive needs to be explained.
littlebum2002
2013-10-17, 02:41 PM
In 3.0, Small characters could use Medium weapons. They would just use them differently (it would be treated as a weapon one size larger). So Belkar was wielding Medium daggers, but they were treated as a Small Shortsword. When they updated to 3.5, his Medium daggers became Small daggers, which are smaller and weaker.
Poppatomus
2013-10-17, 08:52 PM
Things that need Explaining
Update 3 - Spot check, Alertness, and Listen Check need to be explained.
Not sure if this is how this works but:
Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html), Belkar notes he failed a spot check, which is a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something. It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session, and often if a player rolls (or hears rolled) dice when entering a room or traveling, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed.
Alertness is a feat that provides bonuses to listen and spot checks. In 3.5, so long as your familiar was within reach, you gained the benefits of this feat. although meant to be magical assistants/companions for wizards, players would often forget they were around, and so they would "pop up" whenever their abilities were needed, thus giving players a reason to describe their location/activity.
A listen check is identical to a spot check, except that it represents the ability to notice a sound, rather than to see something. It creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create. As noted above, alertness provides a bonus to listen
Sir_Leorik
2013-10-18, 09:06 AM
Not sure if this is how this works but:
Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html), Belkar notes he failed a spot check, which is a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something. It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session, and often if a player rolls (or hears rolled) dice when entering a room or traveling, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed.
Alertness is a feat that provides bonuses to listen and spot checks. In 3.5, so long as your familiar was within reach, you gained the benefits of this feat. although meant to be magical assistants/companions for wizards, players would often forget they were around, and so they would "pop up" whenever their abilities were needed, thus giving players a reason to describe their location/activity.
A listen check is identical to a spot check, except that it represents the ability to notice a sound, rather than to see something. It creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create. As noted above, alertness provides a bonus to listen
I can confirm based personal experience that players of Wizard or Sorcerer PCs in 3.X would take a familiar for a minor mechanical benefit (a bonus to a skill, extra hit points, a bonus to a saving throw), and then never mention it again. (I know that my Sorcerer was just as guilty... until my Viper familiar saved my party from a TPK when all of us were paralyzed by a Kopru. I remembered the Viper just in time to argue that it deserved a saving throw as well (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0143.html), which it made. And it kept making saves against the Kopru's attack and it crit on it's bite attack, killing the Kopru with it's poisonous bite. For those unfamiliar with the Kopru, they resemble tiny crustaceans with psychic attacks.)
illyahr
2013-10-18, 10:12 AM
Your note for update 485 is slightly incomplete. Eugene is making a Dragonball Z reference.
Goku, the main character, is killed protecting the Earth from the first wave of a three-man invasion. While he is dead, he trains with King Kai, a martial arts master, to become stronger while his friends gather the seven Dragonballs in order to wish him back to life to help fight off the other two members coming to finish the job.
Storm_Of_Snow
2013-10-18, 11:22 AM
No Cure for the Paladin Blues - I'm assuming it's a reference to the song "(No Cure for the) Summertime Blues", originally by Eddie Cochran, but also covered by The Who and a heck of a lot of other people besides.
The Update 575 about Giro. It's an anagram of Igor, not an acronym (if it were an acronym, it would be something like "Grubwiggler's Igor Random Operative" :smallsmile: )
Ghost Nappa
2013-10-19, 09:10 AM
Thank you for all the contributions so far!
A thought I had today - perhaps we should handle chunks at a time. People can still submit suggestions for whatever comic update they'd like, or fixing particular mistakes I've made...
...but over all, we'll focus on a group of updates at a time, starting with the first 100. I figure there's a lot that might be missed without just going page by page and seeing what might need addressing.
So, I'll start -
Things that need Explaining
Update 1 - 3.5 update needs explaining - Dwarves get more stable, Bards get chainshirt proficiency and more skill points per level, not sure about the terminology for Belkar's daggers getting smaller.
Update 2 - Elan singing about his new skill points.
Update 3 - Spot check, Alertness, and Listen Check need to be explained.
Update 4 - Inspiring Competance and Sense motive needs to be explained.
Sense Motive (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Sense_Motive_Skill) is a Wisdom-related skill check usually made in response to a Handle Animal, Diplomacy, or Bluff check. The check is rolled in opposition to one of those three. It is in practice, a roll to see through being manipulated by the other roller. A successful check means that the individual rolling Sense Motive saw through the manipulation, or was not swayed (depending on how much the roll was beaten by.)
Elan is singing about his new skill points is a mechanical thing. Between 3.0 and 3.5, Bards went from 4 + INT Mod skill points per level to 6 + INT mod skill points per level. Elan is assumed to be Level 9 at the time, meaning he got 18 Skill Points (and a chain shirt) from the transition. (Considering how he could have 12 Ranks max in any one skill, this is enough to master a whole new skill, and get decent profiency in a whole new one.)
Bedinsis
2013-10-20, 05:09 PM
Buggy Lou, encountered in #685 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0685.html), had earlier been referenced by Belkar in #171 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html). I don't know if that is interesting enough to warrant a mention.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-21, 11:46 AM
Buggy Lou, encountered in #685 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0685.html), had earlier been referenced by Belkar in #171 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html). I don't know if that is interesting enough to warrant a mention.
While he references a guy who knows a guy, I've never found that to be conclusive enough... I know it seems obvious, but couldn't he know several people like Buggy Lou?
Bedinsis
2013-10-21, 12:12 PM
While he references a guy who knows a guy, I've never found that to be conclusive enough... I know it seems obvious, but couldn't he know several people like Buggy Lou?
It's possible. But I think that the fact that Buggy refers to Belkar as a friend of a friend, a description that Belkar also gave the slaver(who might or might not have been Buggy) is a rather good indicator. I dunno.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-22, 09:19 AM
In 3.0, Small characters could use Medium weapons. They would just use them differently (it would be treated as a weapon one size larger). So Belkar was wielding Medium daggers, but they were treated as a Small Shortsword. When they updated to 3.5, his Medium daggers became Small daggers, which are smaller and weaker.
Added parts of this to the OP, thank you!
Not sure if this is how this works but:
Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html), Belkar notes he failed a spot check, which is a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something. It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session, and often if a player rolls (or hears rolled) dice when entering a room or traveling, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed.
Alertness is a feat that provides bonuses to listen and spot checks. In 3.5, so long as your familiar was within reach, you gained the benefits of this feat. although meant to be magical assistants/companions for wizards, players would often forget they were around, and so they would "pop up" whenever their abilities were needed, thus giving players a reason to describe their location/activity.
A listen check is identical to a spot check, except that it represents the ability to notice a sound, rather than to see something. It creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create. As noted above, alertness provides a bonus to listen
I cut it down some, to attempt to make it shorter and not bunchy. How does it look? Too cluttered?
I can confirm based personal experience that players of Wizard or Sorcerer PCs in 3.X would take a familiar for a minor mechanical benefit (a bonus to a skill, extra hit points, a bonus to a saving throw), and then never mention it again. (I know that my Sorcerer was just as guilty... until my Viper familiar saved my party from a TPK when all of us were paralyzed by a Kopru. I remembered the Viper just in time to argue that it deserved a saving throw as well (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0143.html), which it made. And it kept making saves against the Kopru's attack and it crit on it's bite attack, killing the Kopru with it's poisonous bite. For those unfamiliar with the Kopru, they resemble tiny crustaceans with psychic attacks.)
Haha, I generally run the rule that if you don't remember your familiar, it stays at the place you last remembered it, or in the vicinity. So when the group teleported miles and miles away, there was no chance of having it on hand. There ended up being a side quest to rescue the familiar, that someone had captured.
Your note for update 485 is slightly incomplete. Eugene is making a Dragonball Z reference.
Goku, the main character, is killed protecting the Earth from the first wave of a three-man invasion. While he is dead, he trains with King Kai, a martial arts master, to become stronger while his friends gather the seven Dragonballs in order to wish him back to life to help fight off the other two members coming to finish the job.
Fixed that. The update was written before I had a form going for these. I've changed it to match and echo your contribution.
No Cure for the Paladin Blues - I'm assuming it's a reference to the song "(No Cure for the) Summertime Blues", originally by Eddie Cochran, but also covered by The Who and a heck of a lot of other people besides.
The Update 575 about Giro. It's an anagram of Igor, not an acronym (if it were an acronym, it would be something like "Grubwiggler's Igor Random Operative" :smallsmile: )
Added in the No Cure reference, and also fixed the wording for Igor, and added some information.
Sense Motive (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Sense_Motive_Skill) is a Wisdom-related skill check usually made in response to a Handle Animal, Diplomacy, or Bluff check. The check is rolled in opposition to one of those three. It is in practice, a roll to see through being manipulated by the other roller. A successful check means that the individual rolling Sense Motive saw through the manipulation, or was not swayed (depending on how much the roll was beaten by.)
Elan is singing about his new skill points is a mechanical thing. Between 3.0 and 3.5, Bards went from 4 + INT Mod skill points per level to 6 + INT mod skill points per level. Elan is assumed to be Level 9 at the time, meaning he got 18 Skill Points (and a chain shirt) from the transition. (Considering how he could have 12 Ranks max in any one skill, this is enough to master a whole new skill, and get decent profiency in a whole new one.)
I'll be adding some of these details once I get a wording on "Inspire Competance", but thank you for the submissions thus far. Used some of your explanation on Elan's singing.
Gnoman
2013-10-22, 03:28 PM
Couple of missed things.
In 514, the box Haley is in reads "Imported from Greysky CIty." This is quite accurate, as that's where Haley is from.
In 515, Panel 1, Belkar is lamenting that he can't make the pineapples he is throwing "somehow explode." "Pineapple" is a common slang term for certain types of hand grenades due to a cross-hatched pattern etched on them for easier throwing.
Ron Miel
2013-10-22, 04:32 PM
I thought the cross-hatch pattern was to make the case break apart into shrapnel.
illyahr
2013-10-22, 08:51 PM
I thought the cross-hatch pattern was to make the case break apart into shrapnel.
This. The cross-hatch pattern makes the grenade shell break apart along designated lines for an even shrapnel spread. Otherwise, you might end up with a large chunk flying in one direction with small shards flying in the opposite direction.
Modern grenades do this too, the cross-hatching is just on the inside so it isn't visible.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-23, 06:38 AM
Couple of missed things.
In 514, the box Haley is in reads "Imported from Greysky CIty." This is quite accurate, as that's where Haley is from.
In 515, Panel 1, Belkar is lamenting that he can't make the pineapples he is throwing "somehow explode." "Pineapple" is a common slang term for certain types of hand grenades due to a cross-hatched pattern etched on them for easier throwing.
In 514, I left out that detail because she wasn't imported, and the other person with her wasn't from Greysky. I felt it was more just a worldbuilding thing, since the other box near it had Cliffport. In other words, its debatable whether that was a reference to her history or not, since other outliers exist, so I left it out. If people think this is more clear than I do, however, I'll put it in. So anyone else thinks so, speak up. Democracy time!
515, I'll look into including, with the proper fact if I can find it referenced somewhere online to link. Wikipedia time....
Thank you for your contributions!
F.Harr
2013-10-23, 12:56 PM
An annotation for OtOoPC's.
Spoiler. Sort-of.
V's height is listed as 151 cm. According to Frank Harr's Conversion Spreadsheet that's only 4ft. 11 1/2 in. V's SHORT!
hamishspence
2013-10-23, 01:04 PM
3.5 D&D Elves in general are short. 5 ft is the average, 4'7" the minimum, 5'5" the maximum, using the random tables.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-10-23, 01:06 PM
An annotation for OtOoPC's.
Spoiler. Sort-of.
V's height is listed as 151 cm. According to Frank Harr's Conversion Spreadsheet that's only 4ft. 11 1/2 in. V's SHORT!
3.5 D&D Elves in general are short. 5 ft is the average, 4'7" the minimum, 5'5" the maximum, using the random tables.
Indeed. Also, since it's one of the bonus books, I'll have to back log it until I purchace them, since I can't review or directly reference the material currently. Added this fact to the FAQ, so that people know. :smallredface:
F.Harr
2013-10-23, 01:12 PM
Thanks!
Frank Harr's Conversion Spreadsheet, available only thought Frank Harr: Printer's Pie!
martianmister
2013-10-26, 06:27 PM
I always thought that #406 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0406.html)and #462 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0462.html)'s last three panels are oddly similar in a symbolic way.
rodneyAnonymous
2013-10-26, 07:37 PM
There are several circumstantial similarities: Miko is doing the slashing, she is doing it two-handed (similar motion), she is slashing the same chair. What are the meaningful similarities? Symbolic of what?
Ron Miel
2013-10-26, 08:15 PM
1st panel - Miko raises her sword, while making a speech
2nd panel - A worried paladin tells her not to do it
3rd panel - Miko strikes
Basically, she didn't learn from her mistakes. She is repeating the same action that caused her to fall in the first place.
rodneyAnonymous
2013-10-26, 09:23 PM
Eenteresting.
thereaper
2013-10-30, 05:40 PM
#722: Blackwing follows Haley as she falls.
#732: Durkon says "not again" in reference to getting left behind in the dungeon of Dorukan.
Guy Incognito
2013-10-30, 07:17 PM
This one's something that even D&D fans might not know, since it applied to the changes made between 3rd Edition and 3.5.
#0001 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html): All the changes to occur in the comic are references to the 3.5 upgrade. Elan gains armor and more skill points; the 3e bard had four skill points and could not cast in any armor, while the 3.5 bard had six and could cast in light armor (i.e. a chain shirt). Durkon, as a dwarf, gains Stability, a bonus to AC against a bull rush. Roy claims to "feel more intimidating;" the fighter gained Intimidate as a class skill.
Belkar's is a little more complex. 3e rangers were generally considered a subpar choice (hence "ranger crap"); they had only four skill points, and their abilities were either weaker (a 3e ranger is locked into two-weapon fighting, which was even weaker in 3e than in 3.5, Favored Enemy provided only half the bonus that the 3.5 version did, so a 20th-level ranger only did +5 damage) or just not there (basically everything but spells, track, favored enemy, and TWF). Belkar got his wish, but unfortunately, he also got hit by a reconfiguring of how weapons worked.
In 3rd Edition, all weapons were designed for Medium characters: a halfling used a short sword the same way a human used a longsword. This was what Belkar would have been doing in the 3e days: using two human-sized daggers as short swords. 3.5 did away with this, introducing weapons that were scaled for different-sized creatures to use. However, Belkar was carrying around two daggers, and instead of being converted to halfling-sized short swords, they became halfling-sized daggers. Hence, "weapon shrinkage."
Of course, Belkar's daggers seem to be no smaller than the daggers everyone else uses. Who knows?
Storm_Of_Snow
2013-10-31, 03:47 AM
I remembered to look it up - in Strip 55: The creature described as "And I don't even know what that one is supposed to be" is a Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, first appearing in the 1st edition Monster Manual II (aka. the one with the Tarrasque).
Dr. Simon
2013-10-31, 04:21 AM
Two things -
Belkar's line about the ogres "making a very agreeable thump when they hit the ground" in 212 is a quote from Babylon 5 (as per the name of this website), where G'Kar is enthusing over a fight that he and "King Arthur" have just had with some ruffians threatening an old woman - "No moral ambiguities, no hopeless battle against ancient and overwhelming forces. They were the bad guys, we were the good guys, and they made a very agreeable thump when they hit the floor!"
The titles of Dungeon Crawlin' Fools may be, tenuously, a reference to the Frank Zappa song "Dancin' Fool".
littlebum2002
2013-10-31, 02:40 PM
Probably something to add to the "will add in the future" is explanations for the names of the strips. For instance, strip #2 is called "second grade all over again", probably because Elan was picked last in second grade as well. (Already taken care of)
Of course, that's a huge undertaking, but it would be nice to see it eventually.
Sir_Leorik
2013-10-31, 02:58 PM
I remembered to look it up - in Strip 55: The creature described as "And I don't even know what that one is supposed to be" is a Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, first appearing in the 1st edition Monster Manual II (aka. the one with the Tarrasque).
The Wolf-in-Sheep's-Clothing first appeared in S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, where it was one of many odd-ball monsters appearing inside an alien starship that crashed into a kingdom, and was buried by rubble. It was collected, along with many other monsters that first appeared in "Dragon Magazine" or various adventure modules, in Monster Manual II.
Nimrod's Son
2013-11-01, 01:59 AM
The titles of Dungeon Crawlin' Fools may be, tenuously, a reference to the Frank Zappa song "Dancin' Fool".
Rich has said before that the title of DCF wasn't a reference to anything.
thatSeniorGuy
2013-11-04, 11:59 PM
This was pointed out in the main thread for #928:
I feel the need to point out that this isn't the first time an OOtS member communicated obliquely with V, which makes me think they have some combination of pre-arranged codes for things and practice with ad-libbing in ways they all understand (i.e. "Xykon" just means "a caster" and in this case, V probably ad-libbed "is chilly today" to point out he meant the caster wearing a piece of clothing useful for cold weather). This exact style of exchange (down to the confirmation of "I understand.") occurs in comic 716 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html) between Haley and V.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-11-05, 07:38 AM
This was pointed out in the main thread for #928:
Nice find! I'm gonna be doing an update with may of these findings soon, stand by! Also, I'd like to start interpreting the update titles soon! Anyone want to help me head that project?
Ron Miel
2013-11-05, 11:32 AM
I think many of the titles are pretty straightforward. Do we really need to point out that 1 New Edition refers to the upgrade to 3.5 rules?
Anyway, here's a start, just the ones that need annotation, IMHO.
3 See Spot Spot
A series of reading primers for American children tell stolries about the children **** and Jane, and a dog named Spot. They are full of easy to read sentences such as "See Spot play with the ball."
6 The Cleric is 'In'
A parody of the Peanuts comic strip. The character Lucy pretends to be a dolctor, and gives advice to Charlie Brown. She sits by a sign saying "The Doctor is IN"
9 I am Curious, Elan
A reference to the films I Am Curious (Yellow) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Curious_%28Yellow%29) and I Am Curious (Blue) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Curious_%28Blue%29)
20 Arcanolypse Now
A reference to the film Apocalyse Now (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_now) combined with the word arcane. The movie's dialog includeds "I love the smell of napalm in the morning... smells like victory" and "The horror, the horror" which are referenced in the strip.
28 Just Like on Three's Company
Three's Company was an American sitcom. Much of the humour derived from comic misunderstandings, and double entendres.
35 Rogues Gone Wild!
Parody of the Girls Gone Wild (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girls_Gone_Wild_%28franchise%29)series.
36 Building a Better PC Trap
References the saying "to build a better mousetrap (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_mousetrap)"
39 Date with Destiny
A date with Destiny is a phrase usually referring to an inescapable fate. Here it refers to Eugene arranging a romantic encounter (a date) while giving a prophesy (destiny)
40 The Gods Must be Busy
References The Gods Must Be Crazy
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gods_Must_Be_Crazy)
43 What's Behind Door #2?
References a gameshow hosted by Monty Hall, where the contestant was offered a choice of three doors. Behind one door was the star prize, a new car, while the other two concealed a goat.
59 The Shot Heard Round the Dungeon
The phrase Shot heard round the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_heard_round_the_world) is used to describe several different historical events.
85 The Elder Puppet
Reference to the "elder gods" in the works of H.P. Lovecraft
95 Dead Men Tell Tales
The usual phrase is dead men tell no tales referring to killing a witness in order to silence him.
That's a start.
littlebum2002
2013-11-07, 10:09 AM
Another "Comic Title" comment:
Comic 167 is titled "Don't question the color of the bag". The Bag of Tricks comes in 3 different colors, each of which contains different animals.
Roy's bag (even though it is tan) has the properties of a grey bag of tricks, in that it releases cats, rats, weasels and badgers. However, in the last panel it releases a Rhino, which is only contained in the Tan bag of tricks. So Roy's bag doesn't actually follow the rules for any particular color of bag of tricks, thus "Don't question the color of the bag"
Already taken care of
Ghost Nappa
2013-11-08, 08:34 AM
Roy has apparently flipped (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0923.html) through heavy metal albums (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0362.html) before.
Edit: Potential minor plot hole regarding Bonus Material: In Comic #665b (a bonus comic in Don't Split the Party), Belkar mentions the story of Hamlet by name. In Snips, Snails, and Dragon Tails Elan, Haley, Belkar and Roy tell stories upon the boat ride that occurs between #672 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html) and #673 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0673.html) in the final section of the book. Roy's story is a re-telling of Hamlet. No one in the party recognizes the story, and Belkar accuses Roy of ripping the story almost straight from his own life.
thereaper
2013-11-14, 12:56 AM
925, third to last panel. Blackwing is carrying Haley's bow.
Gift Jeraff
2013-11-14, 01:01 AM
I've been meaning to give this a longer read than I have, but still I applaud what you've done!
martianmister
2013-11-14, 03:16 PM
9 I am Curious, Elan
A reference to the films I Am Curious (Yellow) and I Am Curious (Blue)
I don't think so. :smallredface:
Angel Bob
2013-11-14, 04:15 PM
^ For that record, I doubt "The Cleric is 'In'" references Peanuts specifically -- the phrase "the doctor is in" is fairly commonplace, to my knowledge, and it was neither coined nor popularized by Charles Schultz.
The rest of those titles, though... Geez, I didn't realize how reference-heavy the comic was in its early days. It's rather amusing.
Dr. Gamera
2013-11-15, 07:02 AM
I don't think so. :smallredface:
Why don't you think so? I'm aware that the films are So Not Appropriate for a Family Forum Like This One, but their titles seem to me to be surely the reference for the title of that strip.
Dr. Gamera
2013-11-15, 07:16 AM
^ For that record, I doubt "The Cleric is 'In'" references Peanuts specifically -- the phrase "the doctor is in" is fairly commonplace, to my knowledge, and it was neither coined nor popularized by Charles Schultz.
Surely "The doctor is 'in'" was popularized (though not coined) by Charles Schulz. It's hard to substantiate the popularization of a phrase with such common English words, and hard to find a thoroughgoing examination of its etymology with a Google search, but a Google image search on the phrase makes it clear what position it occupies in pop culture.
Storm_Of_Snow
2013-11-15, 07:41 AM
Why don't you think so? I'm aware that the films are So Not Appropriate for a Family Forum Like This One, but their titles seem to me to be surely the reference for the title of that strip.
Considering the title for the strip where Roy met his mother in Celestia, anything's possible.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-11-15, 07:45 AM
So with my updating, I've hit a snag...where should I place the title of the strip references? Do you folks like the way I have each update, or should each fact of an update be a new bullet? Thoughts?
littlebum2002
2013-11-15, 10:21 AM
1. I think this works for now. One bullet for every strip would be...overwhelming.
2. You should do it the way the archive does it. However, I wouldn't bother putting the strip titles in unless you have something to say about them. Adding the title for every strip just seems like too much work.
2: (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html) Second Grade all over again. The title of this strip refers to how Elan (presumably) always got picked last in second grade.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-11-15, 10:44 AM
1. I think this works for now. One bullet for every strip would be...overwhelming.
2. You should do it the way the archive does it. However, I wouldn't bother putting the strip titles in unless you have something to say about them. Adding the title for every strip just seems like too much work.
2: (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html) Second Grade all over again. The title of this strip refers to how Elan (presumably) always got picked last in second grade.
Well I'm taking about format like this:
For Update 1, I have it like this:
Update 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html) – In the update, we see the Order of the Stick updating from D&D 3.0 to the later 3.5 installment, which had minor changes to the existing system. We see how the party is affected in each panel:
In panel 3, Durkon feels "more stable" because Dwarves got a +4 to ability checks opposing Bull Rushes or being Tripped in the update to 3.5.
In panel 4, Elan gets a chain shirt because Bards become proficient in them in the update to 3.5.
In panel 6, Roy feels more intimidating because the skill Intimidate becomes a class skill for fighters in the update to 3.5.
In panel 10, Belkar's weapon shrinks because in 3.0, Small characters could use Medium weapons. They would just use them differently (it would be treated as a weapon one size larger). Due to this, his Medium daggers became Small daggers in the update to 3.5.
In the last panel, Elan gets more skill points because Bards went from 4 (pluss INTelligence modifier) skill points per level to 6 (plus INTelligence modifier) skill points per level.
And Update 3, I have it like this:
Update 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html) – In panel 2, Belkar notes he "failed a spot check", which references a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something using the Skill - "Spot". It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session and often if a player rolls, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed.
In panel 4, Belkar references an instance where in D&D, so long as your familiar is within reach, you gain the benefits of any feats they might have - in this case Alertness - which grants you a bonus to the Skills: Listen and Spot.
In panel 6, we see a reference to a common instance in D&D where a player would often forget his or her familiar was present, and so forget to describe its movements on a regular basis. So the familiar would "pop up" whenever its abilities were needed, thus giving the player a reason to describe its location/activity.
In panel 10, the reference of failing a Skill Check is furthered when they fail a Listen check, which also creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create.
Should I separate the panel by new paragraphs, turn new paragraphs into bullets, or make it all one paragraph like this:
Update 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html) – In panel 2, Belkar notes he "failed a spot check", which references a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something using the Skill - "Spot". It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session and often if a player rolls, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed. In panel 4, Belkar references an instance where in D&D, so long as your familiar is within reach, you gain the benefits of any feats they might have - in this case Alertness - which grants you a bonus to the Skills: Listen and Spot. In panel 6, we see a reference to a common instance in D&D where a player would often forget his or her familiar was present, and so forget to describe its movements on a regular basis. So the familiar would "pop up" whenever its abilities were needed, thus giving the player a reason to describe its location/activity. In panel 10, the reference of failing a Skill Check is furthered when they fail a Listen check, which also creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create.
littlebum2002
2013-11-17, 05:03 PM
Definitely either of the first two. the last one looks awful.
Both of those look good, but my personal preference is the bullets
EDIT: Also, I love this thread, in case you can't tell. Stuff for #931:
The title is based on "My Two Dads", a cheesy sitcom from the 80's
In Panel 6, Laurin can be seen "Pop"ing back in in the background.
Durkon looks AWESOME in the dark (although that probably isn't worth being in the thread...)
EDIT2:
#639 is called "if they pull a knife". This is a reference to a quote from "The Untouchables".
"If they pull a knife, you pull a gun. If they send one of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue. That's the Chicago way."
Which means, apparently, that V is from Chicago.
EDIT3:
Didn't realize I made the last post, so I deleted the double post
I've got another good one for you!
In #732, Durkon obtains papers that say he can stay in the city for 30 strips.
They don't leave the city until #818.
So, you think "Hey, a Lawful guy like Durkon is overstaying is stay in the city? No way!"
No way, indeed. If you count how many strips Durkon is in from #732 to #818, it's less than 30. So his visa is still good!
Already taken care of
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-05, 11:41 AM
Alright, folks, I've started reformatting the list, starting with updates 1-100. How does it look with the bullets? Also, it seems like I should start adding each update to the list, even if they don't have a notable thing to add (for now). That way, if a title has a notable thing to add, I can list it. Until something is added to the update, I could put something like -
Nothing of note thus far
Thoughts folks?
EDIT:
EDIT3:
Didn't realize I made the last post, so I deleted the double post
I've got another good one for you!
In #732, Durkon obtains papers that say he can stay in the city for 30 strips.
They don't leave the city until #818.
So, you think "Hey, a Lawful guy like Durkon is overstaying is stay in the city? No way!"
No way, indeed. If you count how many strips Durkon is in from #732 to #818, it's less than 30. So his visa is still good!
If you look at 732 -
Update 732 – In panel 5, Durkon finds Haley’s bow and Crystal’s knife in the inn. In the last panel, the guard estimates Durkon will be in the Empire for 20 strips. Between this update and update 818 when the Order of the Stick leave the Empire of Blood, he is in a total of 20 updates, making the guard correct.
- I already make note about that. :smallwink:
Ron Miel
2013-12-06, 12:07 AM
Alright, folks, I've started reformatting the list, starting with updates 1-100. How does it look with the bullets?
It looks good. I like it that way.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-06, 09:51 AM
Alright! So I've done the first 100 in the format I mentioned, making every link and title attached. Any that didn't have an entry yet I put the "Nothing of note thus far" entry in. How does that look to everyone? If it works, I'll likely work on the whole list, and then start working on the titles, and backfilled entries.
The post with all the updates seems a little unwieldy...but what do you folks think?
Gwynfrid
2013-12-08, 09:48 PM
Wow, this is really a project born of love, and a huge amount of work you've undertaken. I think this could grow into a compendium that could be very helpful to newcomers to OOTS.
I'd like to help alittle, but maybe you can indicate what kind of help would be most useful to you:
- Help with D&D references? Or rather, help with external references?
- Reviewing what you have gathered so far, and proposing edits? Or rather, proposals for entries for the comics you have nothing for?
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-08, 10:40 PM
Wow, this is really a project born of love, and a huge amount of work you've undertaken. I think this could grow into a compendium that could be very helpful to newcomers to OOTS.
I'd like to help alittle, but maybe you can indicate what kind of help would be most useful to you:
- Help with D&D references? Or rather, help with external references?
- Reviewing what you have gathered so far, and proposing edits? Or rather, proposals for entries for the comics you have nothing for?
Hmm! Offer of help! I'll take whatever you think more rewarding. :) I think for now the second one would be of more help, but if you have suggestions for either option, I'll take it! :smallsmile: Yes, this is a project that proves to the suspicious that I am in fact insane. And I like it that way. If I can help the comic be better enjoyed by those that might miss something or not understand something, then it's worth it in my mind!
Ron Miel
2013-12-10, 07:57 AM
Any that didn't have an entry yet I put the "Nothing of note thus far" entry in. How does that look to everyone?
Not bad, but I think it may be better worded as :"No annotations yet"
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-10, 08:02 AM
Not bad, but I think it may be better worded as :"No annotations yet"
I can change that pretty easily, but is it too overwhelming that they are there at all?
EDIT: Changed them to "No annotations yet" and also got rid of the bullets until such a time as they have annotations.
Ron Miel
2013-12-10, 08:54 AM
Maybe we can give each update a 1 line plot synopsis. I've done the first 25 as an example. What do you think?
Update 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html): New Edition -
The Order are upgraded to 3.5 edition.
In the update, we see the Order of the Stick updating from D&D 3.0 Edition to the later 3.5 installment (which the title references), which had minor changes to the existing system. We see how the party is affected in each panel:
In panel 3, Durkon feels "more stable" because Dwarves got a +4 to ability checks opposing Bull Rushes or being Tripped in the update to 3.5.
In panel 4, Elan gets a chain shirt because Bards become proficient in them in the update to 3.5.
In panel 6, Roy feels more intimidating because the skill Intimidate becomes a class skill for fighters in the update to 3.5.
In panel 10, Belkar's weapon shrinks because in 3.0, Small characters could use Medium weapons. They would just use them differently (it would be treated as a weapon one size larger). Due to this, his Medium daggers became Small daggers in the update to 3.5.
In the last panel, Elan gets more skill points because Bards went from 4 (pluss INTelligence modifier) skill points per level to 6 (plus INTelligence modifier) skill points per level.
Update 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html): Second Grade All Over Again
The Order split into two teams
In panel 1, Elan is referencing the skill points he got in the previous update.
Update 3 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html): See Spot Spot
Sensing danger, the Order attempt a spot check.
In panel 2, Belkar notes he "failed a spot check", which references a dice roll in D&D 3.5 that determines whether or not a character sees something using the Skill - "Spot". It is one of the more common rolls players (or their DMs) make during a gaming session and often if a player rolls, but nothing happens after the roll, there is a sense that you "missed" something, even though the character should not realize a check was failed.
In panel 4, Belkar references an instance where in D&D, so long as your familiar is within reach, you gain the benefits of any feats they might have - in this case Alertness - which grants you a bonus to the Skills: Listen and Spot.
In panel 6, we see a reference to a common instance in D&D where a player would often forget his or her familiar was present, and so forget to describe its movements on a regular basis. So the familiar would "pop up" whenever its abilities were needed, thus giving the player a reason to describe its location/activity.
In panel 10, the reference of failing a Skill Check is furthered when they fail a Listen check, which also creates the same "dice rolled, but no new information" issue that spot checks create.
Update 4 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0004.html): The Power of Music -
The order are threatened by an ogre.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 5 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0005.html): When Plotlines Collide!
The two halves of the order are reunited.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 6 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0006.html): The Cleric is 'In' -
Durkon performs some light healing, but Elan is more seriously hurt.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 7 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0007.html): ThorPrayer
Out of healing spells, Durkon prays to his god for help
- Nothing of note thus far
Update 8 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0008.html): The Benifit of a High Bluff Score -
Haley has a potion for Elan's wounds, but where did she 'find' it?
Nothing of note thus far
Update 9 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html): I am Curious, Elan -
What magic lies in the ogre's belt?
Nothing of note thus far
Update 10 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0010.html): Like Enthrall, Only Boring -
V casts a sleep spell ... sort of.
In panel 1, we see the Goblins in the background are speaking a different language – likely Goblin.
Update 11 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0011.html): Alignment Differences -
Can the Order withstand the power of Evil magic?
Nothing of note thus far
Update 12 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0012.html): Up a Level, Down a Level -
The ambiguities of gaming terms explored.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 13 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0013.html): Plot, Ahoy! -
The mission of the Order explained: defeat Xykon.
In panel 7, when Roy cuts off Xykon’s head, the sound effect is Snicker snack!, which is what the Vorpal sword does in the book, Through the Looking Glass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_the_looking_glass).
Update 14 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0014.html): Why Roy is Always Tired -
Roy has problems assigning Watch duties.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 15 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0015.html): Family Time -
Roy receives a prophecy from the spirit of his late father.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 16 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0016.html): Turn of Phrase -
Roy consults V about his father's visit.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 17 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0017.html): Rapier Wit -
Elan displays his prowess with a blade, and calligraphy skills.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 18 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0018.html): Double Surprise -
Haley shoots at a Chimera.
In panel 3, we see Belkar and Elan say they are surprised, referring to the surprise round that occurs at the beginning of combat.
Update 19 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0019.html): Evade! -
The chimera breathes fire. Elan tries an illusion.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 20 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html): Arcanolypse Now -
V blasts the chimera.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 21 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0021.html): It's All About the Drama -
The chimera is slain.
In panel 2, when Belkar delivers the killing blow to the chimera, all three heads say Gak, which represents the monster's name - Trigak.
Update 22 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0022.html): Leadership in Action -
Roy asks Belkar to use his ranger skills.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 23 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0023.html): Meanwhile... -
Meet Xykon, Redcloak and the MITD
Nothing of note thus far
Update 24 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0024.html): Do You Hear What I Hear? -
The enemy hear the Order approaching.
Nothing of note thus far
Update 25 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0025.html): Armor Begone -
Elan tries a new method to avoid enemy spot and listen checks.
Nothing of note thus far
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-10, 09:00 AM
Ooooh, I like these...hmmm...this would be secondary to the actual annotation, and so I'd likely not be working on this side of things. If other contributors or you were interested in doing this side of things, I'd certainly include it. I just think I'd not be as efficient at summarizing the pages.
Maybe we could do it more like this? -
Update 1: New Edition - The Order is upgraded to 3.5 edition.
Edit: I have a feeling that the character count is going to pose a problem soon rather than later...even with the additional pages. :smallbiggrin:
Edit 2: I have input a whole bunch more annotations that originally had been suggested but not processed. The to do list has gotten a LOT shorter! :smallsmile:
Gwynfrid
2013-12-10, 01:30 PM
Hi! Here are suggestions for the first 20 comics. This is quite a bit of work, I don't think I can do it for more than a few dozen comics...
#3 Haley's boots anecdote will be referred to again in #608 and #609, playing a role in her long-standing feud with Crystal. In #675, she will solve the problem by having them dyed.
#4 Inspire Competence is a feature of the Bard class. By singing an inspiring tune, Elan improves his friends' success odds.
#5 Expeditious Retreat is a spell that increases the caster's speed, whether to retreat or not. In later comics, a magical aura would be visible whenever a spell is being cast.
#6 Panel 2 refers to how most clerics are seen in D&D adventuring parties: The walking Band-Aid box is a cliché, but often a correct one. This has been an annoyance to cleric players since the early days of D&D.
#7 A cleric must pray to his god to regain spells. In the D&D game this is usually a very easy process that gets overlooked as it's the same every day. Not so in this comic.
#8 If Haley's father was a 1st Edition thief, the implication is that this was a very long time ago. Her father would then have experienced conversions to 2nd Edition, then 3rd Edition and finally 3.5.
#11 Panel 1: Roy uses a game mechanic called Coup de Grace to kill off the sleeping goblins. Panel 5: Belkar is shown to be unaffected by the Unholy Blight spell, which harms Good and Neutral creatures. The implication is that his alignment is Evil, a fact that the group chooses to ignore.
#12 Panel 4: Haley is referencing the vampire's power to drain energy from people, which may result in character level loss.
Panel 5: In old-school "dungeon crawl" D&D adventures, the toughest monsters would typically reside in the dungeon's lowest levels. In order to be victorious, the characters would have of be of a higher level in their class. Hence the confusion, as the group needs to go up in character level at the same time it goes further down the dungeon's physical levels.
#17 Panel 4: Sunder is a combat maneuver in the D&D game, the goal of which is to destroy the opponent's weapon or armor.
Panel 8 refers to Spot and Listen checks again, see comic #3.
#18 Panel 1: Bardic lore is a Bard class feature that the bard can use to determine if he has some useful knowledge at hand.
Panel 7: When a Rogue such as Haley has the advantage of surprise, her attack can be a Sneak Attack, with bonus damage. If, on top of that, she wins the Initiative roll over her opponent, then the opponent is caught flat-footed, thus granting the Sneak Attack bonus again. The interaction between Elan and Haley in Panel 6 is typical of a game session, where the Rogue player, having just acted, doesn't realize it's her turn again due to her high Initiative roll.
#19: Panel 5, Evasion is a Rogue class feature. With it, Haley sustains no damage when her Reflex saving throw against the chimera's breath is successful. Lacking Evasion, Belkar and Elan take full damage if they fail their own saves, or half damage if they succeed.
#20: Panel 6: Sulfur and bat guano are material components used in the casting of the Fireball spell. V's line is referencing the famous quote "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" in the movie, Apocalypse Now.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-10, 01:57 PM
Hi! Here are suggestions for the first 20 comics. This is quite a bit of work, I don't think I can do it for more than a few dozen comics...
I hear you. Welcome to my world. :smallbiggrin: It's a hard project, so don't burn yourself out! The D and D reference stuff you have below is really great, and short enough to not take up as much room. I'd love for you to continue along that line. :smallsmile:
#3 Haley's boots anecdote will be referred to again in #608 and #609, playing a role in her long-standing feud with Crystal. In #675, she will solve the problem by having them dyed.
I actually have this listed in the Gags section.
Lime Green Boots Gag - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0003.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0573.html, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0675.html.
#4 Inspire Competence is a feature of the Bard class. By singing an inspiring tune, Elan improves his friends' success odds.
#5 Expeditious Retreat is a spell that increases the caster's speed, whether to retreat or not. In later comics, a magical aura would be visible whenever a spell is being cast.
#6 Panel 2 refers to how most clerics are seen in D&D adventuring parties: The walking Band-Aid box is a cliché, but often a correct one. This has been an annoyance to cleric players since the early days of D&D.
#7 A cleric must pray to his god to regain spells. In the D&D game this is usually a very easy process that gets overlooked as it's the same every day. Not so in this comic.
#8 If Haley's father was a 1st Edition thief, the implication is that this was a very long time ago. Her father would then have experienced conversions to 2nd Edition, then 3rd Edition and finally 3.5.
#11 Panel 1: Roy uses a game mechanic called Coup de Grace to kill off the sleeping goblins. Panel 5: Belkar is shown to be unaffected by the Unholy Blight spell, which harms Good and Neutral creatures. The implication is that his alignment is Evil, a fact that the group chooses to ignore.
#12 Panel 4: Haley is referencing the vampire's power to drain energy from people, which may result in character level loss.
Panel 5: In old-school "dungeon crawl" D&D adventures, the toughest monsters would typically reside in the dungeon's lowest levels. In order to be victorious, the characters would have of be of a higher level in their class. Hence the confusion, as the group needs to go up in character level at the same time it goes further down the dungeon's physical levels.
#17 Panel 4: Sunder is a combat maneuver in the D&D game, the goal of which is to destroy the opponent's weapon or armor.
Panel 8 refers to Spot and Listen checks again, see comic #3.
#18 Panel 1: Bardic lore is a Bard class feature that the bard can use to determine if he has some useful knowledge at hand.
Panel 7: When a Rogue such as Haley has the advantage of surprise, her attack can be a Sneak Attack, with bonus damage. If, on top of that, she wins the Initiative roll over her opponent, then the opponent is caught flat-footed, thus granting the Sneak Attack bonus again. The interaction between Elan and Haley in Panel 6 is typical of a game session, where the Rogue player, having just acted, doesn't realize it's her turn again due to her high Initiative roll.
#19: Panel 5, Evasion is a Rogue class feature. With it, Haley sustains no damage when her Reflex saving throw against the chimera's breath is successful. Lacking Evasion, Belkar and Elan take full damage if they fail their own saves, or half damage if they succeed.
#20: Panel 6: Sulfur and bat guano are material components used in the casting of the Fireball spell. V's line is referencing the famous quote "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" in the movie, Apocalypse Now.
Again, these explainations are excellent! Well done! I'll put them in my "to do" folder in my last post of the OP. :smallsigh: I just cleared that out, too! :smalltongue: No worries. This is great! Keep up the good work, and thank you for the contributions!
Gwynfrid
2013-12-10, 02:21 PM
Ah, I had forgotten about the discussion of boots with Celia. A great running gag over the whole span of the story.
I think it makes more sense to list everything in order, for easy reference by people who are new. The Gags section is kind of a bonus, I would simply copy the running gags there rather than expects folks to look there as well. That said... As the OP writer, it's your call.
Oh, and another thing I should have done in #20 is to cross-reference #919.
My 12-year-old daughter is a fan of the comic, but she's missing most references. When it's a bit more full, I will advise her to read your compendium!
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-11, 08:29 AM
Ah, I had forgotten about the discussion of boots with Celia. A great running gag over the whole span of the story.
I think it makes more sense to list everything in order, for easy reference by people who are new. The Gags section is kind of a bonus, I would simply copy the running gags there rather than expects folks to look there as well. That said... As the OP writer, it's your call.
Oh, and another thing I should have done in #20 is to cross-reference #919.
My 12-year-old daughter is a fan of the comic, but she's missing most references. When it's a bit more full, I will advise her to read your compendium!
Running gags are basically placed there for now until I get them into the annotation in a better format...at least that's my hope. :smallbiggrin: It might end up staying that way too, I'm not decided.
I actually tend to be more in favor of back referencing than cross referencing. As in, 919 references update 20, however, update 20 doesn't reference 919, because it hadn't been made yet. I generally try and avoid linking to future updates because within the story if I were reading through and saw a link as reference, it might spoil something to skip ahead just to see. I much prefer to back reference things as they come up. This is one reason why gags are hard to process.
I think it's wonderful that your daughter is a fan of this comic! Excellent!
Gwynfrid
2013-12-11, 08:50 AM
I actually tend to be more in favor of back referencing than cross referencing. As in, 919 references update 20, however, update 20 doesn't reference 919, because it hadn't been made yet. I generally try and avoid linking to future updates because within the story if I were reading through and saw a link as reference, it might spoil something to skip ahead just to see.
I hadn't thought of that, it makes a lot of sense.
Ron Miel
2013-12-11, 09:17 AM
Just a small correction - the annotations for #353 ought to be for #354.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-11, 09:38 AM
Just a small correction - the annotations for #353 ought to be for #354.
Ack, a silly copy and paste error. Fixed.
Also, did you have any thoughts in my changes to your summary format?
Ron Miel
2013-12-11, 09:44 AM
Also, did you have any thoughts in my changes to your summary format?
I prefer it with the title and summary on separate lines. But it's your thread, and you're entitled to format it however you want. It's just a minor thing either way.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-11, 10:01 AM
I prefer it with the title and summary on separate lines. But it's your thread, and you're entitled to format it however you want. It's just a minor thing either way.
True, I just like input on options. I figured having the summary in the same line as the title separated it from the annotations within the update a bit, and saved a bit on space. As in, we have direct description of the update in the first lines (update number, title, summary) and then anything below that is notable details (references, annotations, so on).
EDIT: Put the non annotated updates into spoilers to not clog up the annotations. This should make things easier for casual readers to find annotations, or find which need annotation. :smallsmile:
EDIT EDIT: Hit my first Character Limit reached on my first post while editing 201 - 300. Moved it down to then next post and bumped everything respectively...I should have reserved another page, me thinks...:smalleek:
Lord Torath
2013-12-11, 02:59 PM
Spelling Alert: In the update to 675, you misspelled "their".
"I before E, except after C. Or when sounded like "A", as in Neighbor and Weigh."
Or in weird words like weird, weir, and their.
Edit: And I misspelled "mispelled" (the double s is correct) :smallredface:
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-13, 02:07 PM
Alright, so about a THIRD of the comic is up-to-date in the current format. Before I get much further, how does it look? I'm currently devoting a little more time to knocking out more of the first 100 annotations a little more thuroughly. You can see those on the last page of the OP. Very rough stuff, and some I'm porting in from other sources, but still.
Anyone got anymore things to contribute - lay 'em on me! Even more recent stuff! Let's knock away some of those spoilers!
Any D & D reference suggestions and term definitions will be VERY helpful, so if that's your thing, have at it! :smallsmile:
How do other people feel about a brief description of each update, as Ron Miel suggested?
Spelling Alert: In the update to 675, you misspelled "their".
"I before E, except after C. Or when sounded like "A", as in Neighbor and Weigh."
Or in weird words like weird, weir, and their.
Edit: And I misspelled "mispelled" (the double s is correct) :smallredface:
Ah yes, my down fall for rushing is to misspell things. Thanks for the clarification, and keep an eye out for more! Fixed now.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-13, 02:28 PM
Looks good. Two remarks:
- Looks like you didn't enter my input fro #11, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20.
- It's "Competence" not "Competance". I know this isn't about fixing the comic's typos, but we don't have to copy them into the thread, I think.
About short descriptions: I don't thing they are absolutely necessary.
About character count per post: I guess you'll eventually be forced to copy this to a new thread, splitting the contents into more posts. Meanwhile, one way to cut on characters is to replace "Update XX" with "#XX" which serves just as well and saves you as much as 1800 characters per post :smallsmile:
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-13, 02:42 PM
Looks good. Two remarks:
- Looks like you didn't enter my input fro #11, 11, 17, 18, 19, 20.
- It's "Competence" not "Competance". I know this isn't about fixing the comic's typos, but we don't have to copy them into the thread, I think.
About short descriptions: I don't thing they are absolutely necessary.
About character count per post: I guess you'll eventually be forced to copy this to a new thread, splitting the contents into more posts. Meanwhile, one way to cut on characters is to replace "Update XX" with "#XX" which serves just as well and saves you as much as 1800 characters per post :smallsmile:
Yeah, I'm compiling and then inputing. I'll get there. :smallwink: I'll change competence tho. Thanks!
The short descriptions I'd likely be more inclined to put in if I had someone actively and continually working on them. I just can't do all this AND that, :smallbiggrin:.
Truuuue...but I like having the Update word in there. :smallbiggrin: I suppose you're right, if push comes to shove.
Ron Miel
2013-12-13, 03:15 PM
I know this isn't about fixing the comic's typos, but we don't have to copy them into the thread, I think.
About short descriptions: I don't thing they are absolutely necessary.
Oh, the irony. :smalltongue:
martianmister
2013-12-13, 03:30 PM
Oh, the irony. :smalltongue:
Irony or brilliance? :smallwink:
Gwynfrid
2013-12-13, 03:56 PM
Irony or brilliance? :smallwink:
Neither. New keyboard I need to get used to, combined with an urgent need for a vacation to rest my poor, overtaxed, aging brain. It's not like g and k are close on the keyboard :smalleek:
Gwynfrid
2013-12-14, 08:04 AM
Here is another small contribution. In the early strips, there really are a lot of references that will be totally obscure to non-D&D players.
#24 This strip pokes fun at the traditional D&D adventure, where the player characters explore the dungeon to find monsters conveniently waiting for them, loaded with treasure, including magic items which they never use against the enemy adventurers. Thanks to the noise of Durkon's armor, we get to see the situation from the perspective of the goblins.
#25 In D&D, the Armor Check Penalty is a game mechanic which models how hard it is to swim, climb, jump, move silently, etc, while wearing heavy equipment or armor. Elan just drives this to its "logical" conclusion.
#26 Panel 5, Protection from Law is a spell meant to protect from magical effects or enemies of the Lawful alignment, similar to Protection from Evil, Good, or Chaos.
Panel 6, "p.c. P.C.'s" = politically correct Player Characters.
#27 Panel 5, Cat's Grace is a spell that provides a bonus to Dexterity, which in turn provides a bonus to the Hide and Move Silently skills.
Panel 7, Roy invokes the bonus stacking rules: Depending on their nature, bonuses may or may not "stack", ie. be cumulative with each other. Counting on Elan's limited knowledge of the D&D rules, Roy is arguing that the bonus from Cat's Grace will not stack with the "bonus" Elan thinks he gets from removing his clothes.
Panel 9, a Touch spell is a spell that requires physically touching the target (Elan in this case) to work.
#28 Panel 10, Charisma is one of the six character abilities in D&D (the others are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom). It represents physical attractiveness, among other personal qualities.
#29 The Rogue leveraging her role as party scout to swindle the other characters out of their fair share of the treasure is an old cliché of D&D games. Adding insult to injury, Haley demonstrates the power of the Bluff skill when it is high enough to get away with the most blatant lies.
#30 Panel 2: Elves in D&D have an innate talent for detecting secret doors.
Panel 4: A cross-class skill is a skill that a class isn't very good at, in this case, a wizard such as Vaarsuvius cannot have a high Search skill. Being an elf allows V a good chance to find secret doors, but not anything else.
Panel 7: The mind flayer, or illithid, is a classic and very dangerous monster in D&D. It is famous for its psionic abilities and for feeding on people's brains.
Gandariel
2013-12-14, 10:45 AM
Update 741:
The bottom part of the banner says "Bread! Circuses!"
This is a reference to the ancient Rome, where it was said that people only wanted "panem et circenses" (bread and gladiator fights) to be happy
Gwynfrid
2013-12-14, 07:04 PM
Here are a few more.
#32 Panel 3: John and Rodriguez refer to Wizards of the Coast, the company that edits the D&D game.
Panel 6: The SRD is the System Reference Document, a compendium of the D&D game's basic rules. The SRD is freely available to all under the Open Game License, a scheme similar to open source software. Certain iconic monsters such as the mind flayer aren't described in the SRD and are thus subject to ordinary copyright rules. Mr. Jones is therefore claiming the mind flayer should not appear or even be named in the comic, thus saving Roy from a nasty fate.
Panel 10: The monster depicted here is a beholder or sphere of many eyes. Like the mind flayer, isn't part of the SRD.
#34 This strip spoofs a classic situation in a D&D session, where players have difficulties remembering the various bonuses that may apply to their attacks depending on circumstances, as the rules are fairly complex. Here Durkon, like many players before him, remembers bonuses belatedly, and the generous DM (or strip's author) lets him record the bonuses effects retroactively.
#35 Panel 12: Taking 20 is a rule for situations where the character isn't pressed for time and can try her skill check any number of times. When taking 20, the die roll is considered to be 20, the maximum for such checks.
#36 "Wardrobe malfunction" is a reference to a famous incident during the Superbowl half-time show (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXXVIII_halftime_show_controversy) in 2004, the year this strip was written.
#37 In the US, a 401(k) is an employer-provided pension plan.
#38 Panel 4: The effect of most poisons in D&D is "ability damage" reducing one or more ability scores. In this case Roy has received so many doses of poison that his Strength is reduced to zero (it can't get any lower), rendering him helpless until healed.
#39 In D&D, creatures in ethereal state are invisible and can pass through material obstacles. Creatures such as ghosts are naturally ethereal, but can become visible to material creatures if they wish to.
#40 Thor and Surtur are gods in one of the classic D&D pantheons. Surtur, god of the fire giants, is evil and an enemy of Durkon's god, Thor.
#41 Panel 2: In D&D, when a character drops his defenses due to being busy with something that requires a mental effort, sch as spellcasting, ennemies close to him get a free attack, called an Attack of Opportunity (AoO). It is however possible to cast defensively, ie. while continuing to dodge enemy attacks. This denies the possibly of an AoO, but runs the risk of failing to cast the spell.
Panel 10: A classic problem with offensive spells with a large area of effect, like Cone of Cold, is the risk of unwittingly harming comrades. In this case, V's mistake is very probably intentional.
#42 Most readers will recognize the name of Elijah Wood, the actor who plays the halfling Frodo in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
#43 Panels 9 and 10 are mirror images: Each Linear Guild member is presented in opposition to an equivalent OOTS character.
#44 The first four panels reinforce the mirror image pattern.
Panel 5: To create a character in D&D, the players usually roll six ability scores, and assign them to Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma in the order they wish. The ability that got the lowest score in the player's choice is dubbed the "dump stat".
Panel 7: Zz'dtri is a dark elf, or drow, which was a monster race in early editions of D&D. With the publication of the Unearthed Arcana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unearthed_Arcana) expansion rulebook in 1985, dark elves became a playable race.
Panel 8: Since the entire drow race was described by the Monster Manual as evil, the vast majority of players who wished to play a drow described their character as a Chaotic Good outcast, which quickly became a huge cliché.
Panel 9: Zz'dtri is a parody of the popular novel character, Drizzt Do'Urden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drizzt_Do%27Urden), by fantasy author R.A.Salvatore. Like his model, Zz'dtri has with two scimitars; however, unlike Drizzt, he is a wizard, making the scimitars more of a fashion choice that a preferred fighting method.
#45 Panel 2: A doppelganger is a D&D monster that has the power to mimik the appearance of another creature. A Mirror of Opposition is a magical item that creates evil opposites of those who look in it.
#46 With a good score in the Sense Motive skill, Roy might be able to tell that something is amiss in Nale's story.
#48 Panel 2: Under the Attack of Opportunity rules, leaving an enemy's threatened area (the area he can reach with a weapon) gives him an opportunity to attack.
Panel 6: The Combat Reflexes feat allows a character to perform more than one attack of Opportunity in the same combat round.
#49 Panel 2 is a typical discussion of the intricacies of rules across multiple editions. The 3rd Edition rule of the Fly spell was more favorable to the wizard that the revised 3.5 version, so some playing groups adopted house rules to continue using the older version. V tries and fails to acquire that special spell by proposing increasingly powerful spells in exchange.
Panel 10: This is a reference by a totally different fantasy game, Magic: The Gathering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_The_Gathering), created by Wizards of the Coast before the company acquired TSR, the original publisher of D&D.
#50 Panel 18: Nale's complicated choice of character classes is a throwback the original, equally complicated Bard class from D&D 1st Edition (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/excerpts/excerpt_ph1_bard.pdf). Back then, to become a bard, a character first had to take several levels in the Fighter class, then several levels in the Thief class, to finally learn to cast druid spells and thus become a bard.
Ron Miel
2013-12-14, 10:26 PM
How do other people feel about a brief description of each update, as Ron Miel suggested?
What does everyone think about this?
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-16, 08:47 AM
Woo boy! I've got some catching up to do! Thanks, Gwynfrid! These are great. Keep 'em coming folks!
A_Moon
2013-12-16, 12:03 PM
Is it worth mentioning that Vaarsuvius is a vegetarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15364500)?
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-16, 02:01 PM
Is it worth mentioning that Vaarsuvius is a vegetarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15364500)?
It's something that definitely is worth mentioning, I just need to figure out where i might best go...for instance, maybe the gag we've got going that V is always depicted as eating a grapefruit in the morning.
@Gwyn: Input up to Update #30.
Update 741:
The bottom part of the banner says "Bread! Circuses!"
This is a reference to the ancient Rome, where it was said that people only wanted "panem et circenses" (bread and gladiator fights) to be happy
Do you have a reference for this one?
Gwynfrid
2013-12-16, 02:43 PM
Google is your friend: panem et circenses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses).
And I got a few more comments in over the week-end.
#52 Panel 12: If Durkon had more ranks in the Knowledge(Religion), ie if he was better at that skill, he'd know that Loki is an evil god, and an enemy of Thor.
#55 Panel 9: The two monsters in this panels are flumphs, another example of an outdated monster from an earlier edition. They have good reason to be saddened by Nale's description, because flumphs are Lawful Good, and pretty weak.
#59 Panel 14: In D&D, a natural roll of 20, that is, 20 on a 20-sided die before bonuses, is always a success, no matter how difficult the action taken is. This means as long as something isn't completely impossible, the chance of success is at least 5%.
#62 Panel 4: As Haley explains here, damage reduction is a defensive quality of certain monsters to shrug off damage from weapons. Most of the time, these monsters have a vulnerability to certain types of weapons, that bypasses their damage reduction.
Panel 8: With the Manyshot feat, Haley can shoot multiple arrows in one attack. If the attack is successful, both arrows will hit.
#64 Panels 2-5: Thog and Roy are discussing character optimization. The Barbarian class has great advantages, notably the ability to enter a rage, boosting Strength and Constitution in a big way for a short while. The Fighter class has more combat feats, special talents the character can choose to improve his fighting prowess. Thog is a Barbarian who optimized by taking a "dip" of 2 levels of Fighter, for 2 bonus feats, but stopped there since the 3rd Fighter level doesn't carry a bonus feat. However, Roy, as a straight Fighter, uses the Weapon Specialization feat that only Fighters of level 4 or higher can learn.
#65 Panel 5: Elves are immune to Sleep spells. Forgetting this is particularly ironic from Vaarsuvius, who is an elf.
Panel 10: Since Zz'dtri is a thinly veiled copy of Drizzt (see #44), Vaarsuvius invokes intellectual property law to have him removed from the scene, as happened to the mind flayer in #32.
#68 This strip illustrates the four basic directions of moral and ethics in the D&D game: Evil, Good, Law, and Chaos (on both axes, the intermediate position is called Neutral). Like many characters before him, Elan finds that Law and Chaos aren't always very clear concepts.
#70 Panel 12: The sylph's eyes turn blue when she uses magic.
#71 Panel 5: A little bit of foreshadowing from Belkar in this panel.
Panel 7: The goblins are carrying boxes labeled "this side up" (upside down, of course), "magic tomes" and "DVDs".
#73 Panel 5: The Atkins diet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkins_diet) was extremely popular in the US in 2004, the year this strip was written.
Panel 7: WWTD is a parody of the classic phrase, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_would_Jesus_do%3F)).
#74 Panel 12: A Saving Throw (or Save for short) is a roll to determine if a creature is affected by some magical or other effect. There are 3 types of Saving Throws: Will (for mind-related effects), Fortitude for health-related effects) and Reflex (for effects that can be defended against with a fast reaction). In the 2nd edition of the game, Saving Throws mechanics were quite different, and the Sanctuary spell didn't allow one at all.
#75 Panel 6: When resting for an extended period of time (at least one night), characters naturally heal a few hit points, but this is a much slower method than magical healing. Leaving the cleric behind is an exceptionally stupid mistake.
Panel 6: Epic levels belong to Epic rules, a special set of rules meant for extremely powerful characters (beyond level 20).
#76 Panel 5: Darkvision is a special ability of certain creatures to see in the dark. It doesn't need to be "turned on", but it is indeed used rarely, since adventuring parties nearly always are composed of a mix of difference character races and few of them have this ability.
Panel 10: Dwarves' "stonecunning" ability gives them an innate feeling of the way stone constructions, tunnels, etc. are made.
#77 D&D cleric can convert any of their memorized spells into Cure Wounds spells, so this healing sequence could go on for a while. It is possible to kill an all-cleric party, but it takes more patience than the monster in this strip has.
#82 Panel 1: Like dwarves, goblins have darkvision. But this ability is foiled by magical darkness.
#83 Panel 10: Dwarves are naturally resistant to poison, getting a +2 bonus to saves against it.
#84 For you non-US readers, in panel 4 the "right to the pursuit of happiness" refers to one of the most-often quoted phrases from the US Declaration of Independence.
#85 The last panel is a reference to H.P.Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu.
#86 Typical dungeon plans, especially those from the early days of the D&D game, don't include any sort of bathroom facilities. Most adventuring groups end up making fun of that quirk at some point.
#87 Panel 6: ECL (Equivalent Character Level) is a characteristic of some monster races, which have more inherent power as humans. In order to make for a balanced party when such races are played, players have to add their race's ECL + their class level to calculate their total level. Other players not using a powerful race will thus need to have a higher class level to be about equal in character power. V's class (wizard) is a primary spellcaster, generally considered to be among the more powerful, which is why Belkar speculates V's presumed "half-camel" race cannot also have high ECL. Naturally, the point is moot since the half-camel race doesn't exist.
#89 Panel 10: V uses an illusion spell to point the way.
Panel 12: An Invisibility spells ends whenever the invisible creature makes an attack. However, attacking an invisible creature carries a 50% miss chance.
#90 Panel 2: The goblins here have apparently read their own entry in the Monster Manual, which states their Intelligence is usually 10, an average score. Xvarts are another race of goblin-like creatures.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-16, 02:58 PM
Looks like I lost my changes...must of accidentally clicked out of the window instead of saving....:smallsigh: So about 11 entries that I'd thought I'd done, so I'd removed from the workspace. There goes todays work! :smallbiggrin:
I need to be more careful! Ah well, at least it wasn't more!
Ron Miel
2013-12-16, 04:35 PM
The bottom part of the banner says "Bread! Circuses!"
This is a reference to the ancient Rome, where it was said that people only wanted "panem et circenses" (bread and gladiator fights) to be happy
Do you have a reference for this one?
Obviously it's a reference to the Star Trek episode (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_Circuses_%28Star_Trek:_The_Original_Seri es%29).
Not really. ;-P
DaggerPen
2013-12-17, 08:23 AM
"'Don't Split the Party' is a reference to '" Is this missing its last half?
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-17, 08:25 AM
"'Don't Split the Party' is a reference to '" Is this missing its last half?
It's apparently not a reference to anything. But I'm looking anyway. :smallbiggrin: Perhaps a roleplaying mantra learned by players?
DaggerPen
2013-12-17, 08:27 AM
Gotcha.
Also, I think the window break gag section is missing this strip - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-17, 09:55 AM
Gotcha.
Also, I think the window break gag section is missing this strip - http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html
Input!
@ Everyone - Did some work adding 301 - 400 titles and spoilers. Got too big again so now we have the first 2 posts hosting 200 updates a post. I'm starting to see a trend.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-17, 09:59 AM
It's apparently not a reference to anything. But I'm looking anyway. :smallbiggrin: Perhaps a roleplaying mantra learned by players?
Yep. Splitting the party is first and foremost a massive headache for the DM. Second, half of the players have to wait (maybe even in a separate room) while the others are moving forward with the DM. That lasts for a while, then the DM switches between the sub-groups and it's the other half who now have to wait. Not fun, and hardly ever worth it for the players and DM. So you don't split the party (or only for a very short time), even if it would make sense to do so from the characters' perspective.
Another reason not to split is of course the resulting sub-groups being much weaker, as the story arc in Book 4 makes clear.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-17, 02:28 PM
Saw this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320380) project start up yesterday. If we do go with the summary per update, this might be a good resource to port in. I've asked the thread if they'd like to merge over should we be good with the summary, and am waiting for an answer. EDIT: They're cool with it. On this side - I see pros and cons to having a summary.
The MAJOR disadvantage is that even more space gets used in the post to things that are explaining references. It might even bring us down to 100 updates a post. That worries me a bit.
The advantage is that each update is explained well, especially if someone was looking for a particular update and the title or annotation didn't give it away.
So far I've gotten 2 people's feedback -
For: 1 , Against: 1
So any other opinions?
Gnoman
2013-12-17, 02:51 PM
Panel 7: Zz'dtri is a dark elf, or drow, which was a monster race in early editions of D&D. With the publication of the Unearthed Arcana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unearthed_Arcana) expansion rulebook in 1985, dark elves became a playable race.
Panel 8: Since the entire drow race was described by the Monster Manual as evil, the vast majority of players who wished to play a drow described their character as a Chaotic Good outcast, which quickly became a huge cliché.
Panel 9: Zz'dtri is a parody of the popular novel character, Drizzt Do'Urden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drizzt_Do%27Urden), by fantasy author R.A.Salvatore. Like his model, Zz'dtri has with two scimitars; however, unlike Drizzt, he is a wizard, making the scimitars more of a fashion choice that a preferred fighting method.
[/SPOILER]
Worth pointing out here:
Drizzt was so popular that he was endlessly copied by players, to the point where "Drizzt Clone" is THE stereotypical character.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-17, 03:35 PM
Worth pointing out here:
Drizzt was so popular that he was endlessly copied by players, to the point where "Drizzt Clone" is THE stereotypical character.
My group wasn't that bad, but I can see your point :smallwink:
Saw this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320380) project start up yesterday. If we do go with the summary per update, this might be a good resource to port in. I've asked the thread if they'd like to merge over should we be good with the summary, and am waiting for an answer. EDIT: They're cool with it. On this side - I see pros and cons to having a summary.
The MAJOR disadvantage is that even more space gets used in the post to things that are explaining references. It might even bring us down to 100 updates a post. That worries me a bit.
The advantage is that each update is explained well, especially if someone was looking for a particular update and the title or annotation didn't give it away.
So far I've gotten 2 people's feedback -
For: 1 , Against: 1
So any other opinions?
Great idea, and their execution is cool. I'm in favor of merging their input into ours. Sure you'll have to go down to 100 strips per post, but I don't have a problem with that. You'll have to make a new thread, I suppose, but that's OK. For ease of navigation, in the OP, you can just add 10 links to the 10 posts covering the 1000 first strips.
EDIT... And you'll need to create about 5 more placeholder posts to hopefully cover the entirety of the story.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-18, 09:17 AM
Great idea, and their execution is cool. I'm in favor of merging their input into ours. Sure you'll have to go down to 100 strips per post, but I don't have a problem with that. You'll have to make a new thread, I suppose, but that's OK. For ease of navigation, in the OP, you can just add 10 links to the 10 posts covering the 1000 first strips.
EDIT... And you'll need to create about 5 more placeholder posts to hopefully cover the entirety of the story.
...Alright, so I have 2 for, and 0 against now. :smallbiggrin:
I may have to make a new thread eventually, but I'll probably plan that out better. I suppose I'll port over the whole list when it's done, and then if people disagree with the wording of one, they can request a change or suggest a new one. :smallsmile:
ION: I finished re-inputting the work I lost into the "To-Do" bin, so now I can start working on it in earnest.
I'll admit, I've become a bit distracted at the moment by organizing another big project of mine: A Transcription of the Comic. I plan on linking most of the notable threads that pertain to the comic to this project (including that one) to better distribute information. Still working on this though! :smallsmile:
If anyone would be interested in contributing to that, I plan on getting most of the current comic done before moving it into the forum, so I know about how much room I might need for the project to be posted. So far I have all but 352 updates done, in various places, with the help of some contributers.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-18, 09:39 AM
I'll admit, I've become a bit distracted at the moment by organizing another big project of mine: A Transcription of the Comic. I plan on linking most of the notable threads that pertain to the comic to this project (including that one) to better distribute information. Still working on this though! :smallsmile:
This already exists, see for example here (http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Like_Enthrall,_Only_Boring). There are some annotations there too, but I think what we're doing is more thorough. A basic transcript, however, would be redundant.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-18, 09:50 AM
This already exists, see for example here (http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Like_Enthrall,_Only_Boring). There are some annotations there too, but I think what we're doing is more thorough. A basic transcript, however, would be redundant.
It's largely incomplete, and not in a great format. Plus it's not on this forum, so I tend to disagree that it is redundant. I'm also linking to the OP the various translation projects in the forum (most notable being the german translation). I don't plan on working on the Wiki (I don't feel like editing all the mistakes and I don't really know how to edit it well), and while it has a lot of information input, I find it largely unwieldy and such. I've seen a transcription attempted once or twice on here, but the project curators dropped off after awhile. Perhaps I can see it to the current updates and further, a feat that even the wiki has not managed. :smallsmile:
Ron Miel
2013-12-18, 10:13 AM
About the character limit :
How about if you put each set of updates in a text file, then provide a download link so people can get them.
I've found a free file hosting site (www.keepandshare.com):
Lets try the first set and see how it works for people.
Annotations list for updates 1 to 100 (http://www.keepandshare.com/doc9/1569/updates-1-to-100-2-rtf-10k?da=y)
Can everyone get that?
Rich text format should work for everyone.
Edit - Actually, I'm not sure if this is viewable for anyone but me. I'll check it out.
Edit again - I've changed the settings. It was private, now marked as public.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-18, 10:16 AM
About the character limit :
How about if you put each set of updates in a text file, then provide a download link so people can get them.
I've found a free file hosting site (www.keepandshare.com):
Lets try the first set and see how it works for people.
Annotations list for updates 1 to 100 (http://www.keepandshare.com/doc9/1569/updates-1-to-100-2-rtf-10k?da=y)
Can everyone get that?
Rich text format should work for everyone.
I actually can't, because of my location when I'm making these (usually at work). I can't even access that page here due to the filter. :smallsigh:
Ron Miel
2013-12-18, 10:22 AM
I can't even access that page here due to the filter. :smallsigh:
Actually, that might be because I had it marked as private. Try again, see if you can get it now.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-18, 10:26 AM
Actually, I had it marked as private. Try again, see if it can be accessed.
The filter here blocks the whole site. I can't access or DL documents here. I'd be willing to host them as an option, but not as THE resource to the thread, mostly because of this.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-18, 10:42 AM
It's largely incomplete, and not in a great format. Plus it's not on this forum, so I tend to disagree that it is redundant. I'm also linking to the OP the various translation projects in the forum (most notable being the german translation). I don't plan on working on the Wiki (I don't feel like editing all the mistakes and I don't really know how to edit it well), and while it has a lot of information input, I find it largely unwieldy and such. I've seen a transcription attempted once or twice on here, but the project curators dropped off after awhile. Perhaps I can see it to the current updates and further, a feat that even the wiki has not managed. :smallsmile:
I am in awe of your ambition :smallsmile:
OK, it's redundant in the sense that the raw data is (should be) the exact same. But if you can provide a better format, that's a lot of value add. I agree the wiki is unwieldy, especially, it wastes a lot of screen space. I also much prefer for this to be gathered here on the forum.
Anyway, if you're aware of it, good enough for me. You can always copy their text wholesale and fix any errors over here. It's not like they have any IP on the text itself.
For my part, I'll see how far I can go on the annotations, but the transcript is too much for me.
Can everyone get that?
Rich text format should work for everyone.
I tried on my phone and I got a bunch of rtf code thrown at my eyes :smallyuk:
I suppose I could always download an app that can read rtf, but we shouldn't expect everybody to do that.
EDIT: Anyway, what's the issue with splitting this over a dozen posts? It's pretty reasonable, considering we'll cover 1000+ strips.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-18, 11:19 AM
I am in awe of your ambition :smallsmile:
OK, it's redundant in the sense that the raw data is (should be) the exact same. But if you can provide a better format, that's a lot of value add. I agree the wiki is unwieldy, especially, it wastes a lot of screen space. I also much prefer for this to be gathered here on the forum.
Anyway, if you're aware of it, good enough for me. You can always copy their text wholesale and fix any errors over here. It's not like they have any IP on the text itself.
For my part, I'll see how far I can go on the annotations, but the transcript is too much for me.
I tried on my phone and I got a bunch of rtf code thrown at my eyes :smallyuk:
I suppose I could always download an app that can read rtf, but we shouldn't expect everybody to do that.
EDIT: Anyway, what's the issue with splitting this over a dozen posts? It's pretty reasonable, considering we'll cover 1000+ strips.
On the Transcription: Thanks. I call it crazy, but you can call it ambition too. :smallbiggrin:
The raw data may be the same in certain lights, but it's going to take a lot of time to slog through modifing it. I don't expect this tangent of work to be posted soon. Either way, the wiki only transcibes up to update 771 or so, with some random exceptions peppered into it.
And no need to join me in crazy town, I was just seeing if I could bolster interest. I still appreciate your work and support here! :smallsmile:
On the Annotation: I think the best option is to have 15+1 for the OP for the Annotation... that leaves me with 50,000 characters for every 100 posts until the comic reaches 1500 updates. I can possibly use the empty posts for things like the not online books/gags/work space in the mean time. I'll need to fill that space, because while double posting in the homebrew forums for projects is acceptable on a case by case basis, it's not as kosher in other areas, and generally only acceptable when I run out of space. Reserving posts here is unlikely to fly well.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-18, 02:06 PM
I have never seen anyone being called out for double posting, especially since the reason for it is explained, as no doubt you will do. I have also seen people reserve post space for future use at the top of the thread for easy reference. When that's useful, there is no reason for anybody to complain, I think.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-18, 02:33 PM
I have never seen anyone being called out for double posting, especially since the reason for it is explained, as no doubt you will do. I have also seen people reserve post space for future use at the top of the thread for easy reference. When that's useful, there is no reason for anybody to complain, I think.
Just because it doesn't get mention or called out for doesn't mean it is an acceptable action. I've also seen reserved posts in anticipation of overflow, but I'll get a ruling from a Mod before I implement such a system, just to be on the safe side. I've seen many rulings pertaining to the Homebrew subsection only saying that they are expressly allowed there, but not anywhere else in the past.
Double posting in all forms (excluding things like large home-brew posts that can have too many characters for one post) is frowned upon. In almost all instances you should avoid it. In general, you should edit it into your existing post.
Still, having a bunch of blank posts isn't really high on my desired list, so filling them with something (even if it's separating the work area and gags and such) seems more attractive than reserved post 1, 2 & 3.
EDIT: Still, next incarnation of this thread, we will likely still be in the 900's, or early 1000's, and so it might stand to reason that I will not need to reserve posts.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-19, 11:16 AM
I had a thought, folks.
What if common D & D terms went into a specific area before the annotations? For common things like XP, GP, CP, Skill Checks, and so on. Then we could just reference that area for each thing. It wouldn't be for everything, but it would avoid common terms being identified over and over in detail in multiple updates. Thoughts? Maybe also a link to the SRD for people to use, and perhaps link terms to the term instead of explaining them, similar to how I don't go into much detail about the movies that are referenced, and link them instead.
What do y'all think?
Gwynfrid
2013-12-19, 11:39 AM
Good idea. But we shouldn't just remove the explanations in the annotations : Instead, the annotations should link to the relevant term in this D&D glossary. In the same way, you can have the annotations linked to your running jokes section.
We can link to the SRD as a bonus, but that doesn't replace our own term descriptions. The SRD is for people who are interested in the rules. The annotations and our glossary section are for people who are interested in how the comic plays with the rules. Not the same audience, so the wording will be different here than the SRD.
By the way, about running gags: I just found that when Haley's boots' magic is activated, they glow lime green again. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0925.html)
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-19, 11:53 AM
Good idea. But we shouldn't just remove the explanations in the annotations : Instead, the annotations should link to the relevant term in this D&D glossary. In the same way, you can have the annotations linked to your running jokes section.
We can link to the SRD as a bonus, but that doesn't replace our own term descriptions. The SRD is for people who are interested in the rules. The annotations and our glossary section are for people who are interested in how the comic plays with the rules. Not the same audience, so the wording will be different here than the SRD.
By the way, about running gags: I just found that when Haley's boots' magic is activated, they glow lime green again. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0925.html)
Agreed, that sounds like a good plan. I suppose the gags can stay at the last post, and the reference guide can be in the first post. I agree that we shouldn't remove the whole explaination, as they dumb it down for the common reader. Adding the links to things will be a good addition. I unfortunatly can't access the SRD site here, so I'll likely have to rely on others to link. :smallannoyed:
For the running gag, what is she activating them to do? They're boots of speed...I don't remember what those do...which means we should probably explain that as an annotation. :smallbiggrin:
Gwynfrid
2013-12-19, 12:12 PM
For the running gag, what is she activating them to do? They're boots of speed...I don't remember what those do...which means we should probably explain that as an annotation. :smallbiggrin:
It's a Haste spell effect.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-19, 12:24 PM
It's a Haste spell effect.
Remind me exactly what Haste does again?
Gwynfrid
2013-12-19, 12:58 PM
Remind me exactly what Haste does again?
Faster movement, extra attack on a full attack, +1 to attack, AC, Reflex. (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Haste)
It's a go-to buff at mid levels, remains very useful at high levels, especially for an archer, who usually makes a full attack every round. It's how Haley can fire 5 arrows (3 for her level, 1 for Rapid Shot, 1 for Haste), so it increases her offense potential by over 25% (25% for the extra arrow, then some for the +1 attack bonus).
EDIT: well over 25% in fact, because out of her 3 regular arrows, one is at -5 to attack, and the other is at -10. The extra arrow from Haste is at her highest attack bonus, so its chances to hit are much better.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-19, 02:59 PM
Alright, created the new section in the first post, and added a few annotations (now up to Update 38). This filled up the character limit, so I moved down the 101 - 200 and bumped the rest down. We are definitely going to need one post per Update grouping.
Ron Miel
2013-12-19, 08:44 PM
update #520 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html)
Belkar uses the same trick he learned from Roy in #146 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0146.html)
thereaper
2013-12-21, 01:27 PM
601. Panel 5. The image of the robot is the same one used in OtOtPCs page 56 panel 15.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-24, 01:24 PM
Guys...I think I'm officially insane....
Order of the Stick Spell Compendium (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321670)
601. Panel 5. The image of the robot is the same one used in OtOtPCs page 56 panel 15.
Thank you for the contribution, but I'm not currently doing references to print-only books.
update #520 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html)
Belkar uses the same trick he learned from Roy in #146 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0146.html)
Are you sure he learned it from Roy? It seems if they were connected there would be more of a reference.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-24, 01:48 PM
Wow.
Soon we'll need to kick off a thread called "The Compendium of OOTS Referencing Projects Started by Wombat". :smallbiggrin:
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-24, 01:51 PM
Wow.
Soon we'll need to kick off a thread called "The Compendium of OOTS Referencing Projects Started by Wombat". :smallbiggrin:
When I expand this compendium, the first post will reference any informational projects in this subforum. So notable threads and such. Then I can reference them here as well. :smallwink:
Gnoman
2013-12-25, 12:08 PM
Missed a reference.
Comic 619 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0619.html)
The last three panels are poking fun at the "edition wars" between 3.5 edition D&D and the then-new 4th edition. A common criticism by supporters of the older edition was that the new edition (which takes a more "Gamist" approach as opposed to the "simulationist" one taken by the older one) was that it too greatly resembled an World of Warcraft-style MMO. In addition to the obvious Mafia jokes, "Mobs" is the generic term for computer-controlled enemies in such games, with the most powerful being called "Boss Monsters." "Aggro", or "aggression" is the mechanic that forces an NPC creature to attack player controlled ones, and "train" is when multiple monsters aggro at once. Belkar's dialoge in the last panel is a clear reference to chatspeak of the type often employed in such games. For the sake of completeness, "Can I get a buff in case we get back to pwning their doods? Kthx." translates to "Could you please provide me with a beneficial enchantment in case we return to easily defeating their people. Thank you in advance."
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-26, 02:06 PM
I've been busy with the start of the Compendium, and it should be slowing down soon as format, entries and such all taper off. What do you guys think about anything about spells get sent over there unless they're a specific reference? I'm also considering doing another project on skills and class abilities...could save us some room here, perhaps? :smallbiggrin:
Gwynfrid
2013-12-26, 11:58 PM
I've been busy with the start of the Compendium, and it should be slowing down soon as format, entries and such all taper off. What do you guys think about anything about spells get sent over there unless they're a specific reference? I'm also considering doing another project on skills and class abilities...could save us some room here, perhaps? :smallbiggrin:
I think all annotations should remain as self contained as possible. If you have to consult multiple references in several threads to understand just one strip, you're going to give up fast. Links to external sources such as spells are fine if they just mean to offer additional information, but let's do that only after the annotation documents the strip itself, in full.
TheWombatOfDoom
2013-12-27, 06:34 AM
I think all annotations should remain as self contained as possible. If you have to consult multiple references in several threads to understand just one strip, you're going to give up fast. Links to external sources such as spells are fine if they just mean to offer additional information, but let's do that only after the annotation documents the strip itself, in full.
Hmmm. Alright, I hear what you are saying. But think about it this way - what if we put something at the top to say - "For all references to spells, go here" at the top. I plan on doing that for things like the transcription, MitD thread, and so on. For instance, describing a spell in this basically would take up at least a bunch of characters to link it to the SRD, or describe it in loose terms. Judging by how many spells there are, that might put us over the character count for even the first 100. Porting a portion of things might be a good way of handling it, especially because of how it is set up in ABC order, for ease of looking up the spell.
I see your point though. Going through another hoop for a certain kind of thing seems a little roundabout. But if we go about it where nothing about spells is listed in each strip and point out a link to where they can find out about spells, that might work. Then again, it might not. That's kinda why I was asking for opinions, and why I appreciate your criticism.
Gwynfrid
2013-12-27, 09:17 AM
Hmmm. Alright, I hear what you are saying. But think about it this way - what if we put something at the top to say - "For all references to spells, go here" at the top.
I see two issues with this idea. One, jumping from place to place is uncomfortable reading, the more so when you have to do it early and often. Two, you're assuming the reader already knows what a spell is and how to spot one in the comic. For me, the annotations should assume very little prior knowledge of anything: that's why I entered notes about references to the game which will sound totally obvious to D&D gamers, and references to US life and culture that Americans will consider no-brainers.
I plan on doing that for things like the transcription, MitD thread, and so on. For instance, describing a spell in this basically would take up at least a bunch of characters to link it to the SRD, or describe it in loose terms. Judging by how many spells there are, that might put us over the character count for even the first 100. Porting a portion of things might be a good way of handling it, especially because of how it is set up in ABC order, for ease of looking up the spell.
On the other hand, I don't think it is generally necessary to describe what spells do. Either it's name explains enough (Protection from Arrows...) or the effect is visible in-panel. There might be a few exceptions, in that case we can enter a few words to explain but that should be fairly rare.
I see your point though. Going through another hoop for a certain kind of thing seems a little roundabout. But if we go about it where nothing about spells is listed in each strip and point out a link to where they can find out about spells, that might work. Then again, it might not. That's kinda why I was asking for opinions, and why I appreciate your criticism.
You're welcome. It's a difficult but worthy project. I hope I can be of some help, because doing this alone would be really though.
Ron Miel
2013-12-29, 10:15 PM
Update #57-60, Thog flies in classic Superman pose, with one arm stretched out before him, and one knee bent.
In #60, Roy refers to a bizarro twin, which is another Superman reference.
ChristianSt
2013-12-30, 06:09 AM
Update #57-60, Thog flies in classic Superman pose, with one arm stretched out before him, and one knee bent.
In #60, Roy refers to a bizarro twin, which is another Superman reference.
I wouldn't count Thog flying style as a Superman pose/reference: Normally the stretched leg/arm in front are on the same side and the bent leg/arm behind is on the other side. (There are some variations to be seen, but the one Thog shows seem to be one of the least frequent one. Much more frequent are poses with both legs straight, or both arms in front - even poses with both arm behinds are more frequent.) [At least that was a google search for "superman flying pose" turned up for me]
If it would be an intended reference I think it would feature a more frequent arm/leg configuration.
I might give you the bizarro twin as a Superman reference. But even on that I'm personally not sure [Wiktionary (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bizarro) lists it as a variant of bizarre (albeit I'm not sure how frequent bizarro is used, at least my auto-correct for English says it is wrong), which is rooted in the Italian bizzarro.]
littlebum2002
2013-12-31, 09:36 AM
Update 443 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html): The First Step is a Doozy – In this comic, Roy mentions two potions he has on him, and wonders why he even has them. In fact, either of these potions would have gotten him out of trouble in the closet in 234 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html). The Shillelagh Oil would have turned the broom into a formidable weapon, and the Delay Poison would have Delayed Elan's Poison.
EDIT: Also, the reference to "Bizarro twin" from comic 60 is almost certainly based on Superman's Evil Opposite twin, who is named.... Bizarro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizarro)
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-01-03, 11:34 AM
Added annotations in the work space up to update 90! That catches me up to the bulk of the submissions from Gwynfrid, as well as some of my own or others.
@littlebum - perhaps he got those after that event to prevent it from happening again?
@littlebum - perhaps he got those after that event to prevent it from happening again?
Indeed, I would be quite disappointed in Roy should he find himself falling from a great height again and reveal that it somehow never occurred to him that he should probably obtain a Potion of Feather Fall and keep it around.
littlebum2002
2014-01-06, 06:09 PM
Update 289 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0289.html): Senility Now! –
The title of this comic comes from the Seinfeld episode Serenity Now! in which one character was encouraged to say the titular phrase when he got worked up, to calm himself down. Instead, he ended up yelling the phrase and getting himself more agitated every time. The Seinfeld Character was "faking" serenity, and Shojo is faking Senility.
In panel 4, we see a Shojo with gray hair and no wrinkles or liver spots, showing the passage of time between the event and current time.
@littlebum - perhaps he got those after that event to prevent it from happening again?
Probably. In my mind, it's incredibly unlikely that he just happened to have those potions lying around. What I see happening is him getting out of that situation alive, going to the first magical shop he sees, and buying whatever items would get him out of that situation in the future (like why Elan learned Neutralize Poison). It's the adventurer's fallacy that if a situation happens, the best thing to do is to buy whatever items would get you out of that situation in the future, even though it's very unlikely you'll get in the exact same situation again.
Ron Miel
2014-01-06, 08:02 PM
An expansion and clarification of an existing note
Update 224: Groggy, Groggy, Groggy –
In panel 2, Roy makes a reference to the video game Guantlet, where when someone is low on health, they are referred to as needing food badly.
Panel 2 is a reference to the Gauntlet series of video games. Players would choose a class and a colour for their character; Blue Warrior was one available choice. Characters could gain life points by finding food. If a character was close to running out of life a voice would intone "[Blue Warrior] needs food badly" (or other character).
littlebum2002
2014-01-07, 11:07 AM
Indeed, I would be quite disappointed in Roy should he find himself falling from a great height again and reveal that it somehow never occurred to him that he should probably obtain a Potion of Feather Fall and keep it around.
That would actually be a pretty good, and pretty deep joke. If he pulled out one next time he was falling, most people would just say "Hey, Roy must have gotten one after he fell the last time". But the people who read this thread would know this isn't the FIRST time Roy stocked up on magical supplies after a disaster.
Also, here's the update on the Doozy strip:
Update 443 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html): The First Step is a Doozy – In this comic, Roy mentions two potions he has on him, and wonders why he even has them.
He probably purchased the items after the events of 234 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0234.html), as either of these two items would have gotten him out of that situation. The Shillelagh Oil would have turned the broom into a formidable weapon, and the Delay Poison would have Delayed Elan's Poison.
It is a common instinct, when an adventurer gets out of a bad situation, to go obtain a way to get out of that situation in the future. (See: Elan learning Neutralize Poison (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0647.html) after Therkla died)
and on that note:
Update 647 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0647.html): Be Prepared – There is a common instinct for an adventurer, after getting out of a bad situation, to then obtain a way to get out of that situation in the future. Since Elan lost someone important to him through poison, he figured it would be useful to learn Neutralize Poison in case that happens again.
This is also the reason this strip is named Be Prepared.
and more:
Update 931 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0931.html): My Two Dads - The title references the sitcom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Two_Dads) from the 80's with the same name In Panel 2, we see what Elan did off panel before update 837 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0837.html).
In Panel 6, Laurin can be seen "Pop"ing back into the background.
Update 639 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html): If They Pull a Knife... – The title references the movie The Untouchables, in which Sean Connery's character states:
"You wanna know how to get [Al] Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way!"
(In other words, the only way to defeat someone more powerful than you is to escalate the violence before they do, which is exactly what V does in this situation)
In page 2, panel 6; the continent the spell branches out from matches the maps we see later in updates 680 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html) and 698 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html). From this, we can see that the point the spell originates is in the Elven Lands, and so we know exactly where Vaarsuvius' home is on the Western Continent.
In page 3, panel 12; we see that V’s Familicide spell unintentionally saves a bunny from the black dragon it was being pursued by.
Update 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0002.html): Second Grade All Over Again - The title of this strip refers to the fact that young kids usually pick the weakest (or least liked) kid last when picking teams. Apparently, Elan was usually picked last in second grade In panel 1, Elan is referencing the skill points he received in the previous update.
Update 167 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0167.html): Don't Question the Color of the Bag -
The title of this strip refers to Roy's Bag of Tricks. Roy's Bag of Tricks is tan, which should produce large animals like bears, lions, and, incidentally, rhinoceroses.
Up until this point his bag has been producing small animals like a grey bag normally would (rats, cats, etc.), so coloring it tan instead of grey would probably just be considered an art decision.
However, once it is shown his bag can produce large AND small animals, it no longer fits the definition of any of the official Bag of Tricks, and Rich knew people would try to point this out to him, so
"Don't Question the Color of the Bag" means "I know a Bag of Tricks really doesn't work like this"
My explanations are very verbose. Just pretend V is writing them.
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-01-07, 11:50 AM
My explanations are very verbose. Just pretend V is writing them.
I'll work on adding these soon, but if you can, try and be as brief as possible in explaining a reference. Unfortunately, because of the word count, the more words the more we'll have to break up the project. :smallfrown:
Guy Incognito
2014-01-07, 09:52 PM
#90 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html)is a reference to old Hostess comic ads (http://www.seanbaby.com/hostess.htm). These would usually feature the heroes using the eponymous fruit pies or cupcakes to distract the villain, who would be foiled by his lust for delicious partially-hydrogenated artificially-flavored snacks. Fruit Pie the Sorcerer is an obvious take on Fruit Pie the Magician (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_Pie_the_Magician), an old mascot of the company. The title of the comic is a reference to the kind of twisted mind that would lend to a scene in which goblins murder the Hostess mascot.
In #98 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0098.html), Vaarsuvius considers making an Alchemy skill check, which Durkon corrects to be Craft (Alchemy). This is a reference to the 3.5 update, in which Alchemy was declared a subset of Crafting (not unjustifiably; half of the uses of Alchemy read "see the Craft skill").
Storm_Of_Snow
2014-01-09, 08:15 AM
601. Panel 5. The image of the robot is the same one used in OtOtPCs page 56 panel 15.
Speaking of, is there a list anywhere of the characters that appear in the potential party members pages of Origin, and who they're supposed to be?
Or is there only Gandalf & Frodo, Elric and Buffy?
Edit: Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet - the last panel of #415 is a parody of Sam & Frodo in Return of the King.
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-01-09, 09:08 AM
Thanks for the submissions! Added them to the cue!
Speaking of, is there a list anywhere of the characters that appear in the potential party members pages of Origin, and who they're supposed to be?
Or is there only Gandalf & Frodo, Elric and Buffy?
I'm not sure, since I don't have the book, and only read it through once. Maybe someone else can enlighten us, however...
DaggerPen
2014-01-12, 03:48 AM
Hey, so according to this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=487424&postcount=83) old comment, the goblins in Update #10 are speaking Ewok. Any Star Wars lovers who can confirm this?
Also, the "Awww, Belkar has a soft spot for small furry creatures.
I wonder if that will be his undoing?" comment in this thread makes me laugh. Even back in #58, huh?
Gnoman
2014-01-13, 12:42 AM
According to Wookiepedia (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ewokese), the text does, in fact, correspond roughly to Ewok, with the differences easily explained by the Giant going by the movie sound instead of looking up the fan dictionary. Yub-Yub, in particular, has long been a reference to the Ewoks.
However, Ewok is derived in part from an actual language, so there is the possibility that the reference was to that.
Domino Quartz
2014-01-13, 02:23 AM
#90 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html)is a reference to old Hostess comic ads (http://www.seanbaby.com/hostess.htm). These would usually feature the heroes using the eponymous fruit pies or cupcakes to distract the villain, who would be foiled by his lust for delicious partially-hydrogenated artificially-flavored snacks. Fruit Pie the Sorcerer is an obvious take on Fruit Pie the Magician (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_Pie_the_Magician), an old mascot of the company. The title of the comic is a reference to the kind of twisted mind that would lend to a scene in which goblins murder the Hostess mascot.
Uh, #90 has nothing to do with Fruit Pie the Sorceror. You're thinking of #91.
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-01-22, 08:56 AM
So, on a purely formatal note, any thoughts to a shorter name to the "Commonly Referenced Terms" section? Additionally, does anyone have some ideas for more terms or things to add to this section, or to the FAQ?
Mordae
2014-01-22, 09:07 AM
So, on a purely formatal note, any thoughts to a shorter name to the "Commonly Referenced Terms" section?
I believe the word you seek is "Glossary".
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-01-22, 09:19 AM
I believe the word you seek is "Glossary".
That...wow...*facepalm*
Perfect. Have a cookie. :smallsmile:
littlebum2002
2014-02-05, 10:50 AM
A lot of people were having trouble with this, so
Update 943 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html): Everyone Hates Goodbye Scenes - The phrase "hit the head" in the last panel is sailor slang for "use the bathroom"
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-02-05, 10:54 AM
A lot of people were having trouble with this, so
Update 943 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html): Everyone Hates Goodbye Scenes - The phrase "hit the head" in the last panel is sailor slang for "use the bathroom"
Excellent. I'll add that in. Thank you for using the format!
Nimrod's Son
2014-02-05, 11:22 AM
The head (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_%28watercraft%29) is the proper name for a ship's toilet. I'm not sure it's really "sailor slang" anymore than someone saying they're going to "hit the showers" after working out is using "athlete slang".
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-02-05, 11:27 AM
I'm not sure I'd call it "sailor slang", though - the head (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_%28watercraft%29) is the proper name for a ship's toilet.
How would you phrase it? Something like -
Julio uses the term "hit the head". The "head" is the proper name for a ships toilet.
Nimrod's Son
2014-02-05, 11:31 AM
How about:
Update 943 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html): Everyone Hates Goodbye Scenes - The "head" Julio mentions in the last panel is the ship's toilet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_%28watercraft%29).
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-02-05, 11:34 AM
Updated! Thank you both!
ti'esar
2014-02-23, 09:48 PM
Noticed this recently: a couple of the southern nations that the refugee fleet visited prior to 501 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0501.html) have been identified in book-only material.
The third is named the Realm of the Dragon, and appeared in a random one-page strip in SSDT, while the second is implicitly the Ghostlands, mentioned as being to the immediate south of Azure City in the traveler's guide included in WXP.
Unrest
2014-03-09, 07:00 PM
Hope Wombat lives, as it's a great thread and I think it should be stickied. I'm rereading, so might as well contribute where I feel someone completely unfamiliar with games could get confused.
// it's still incomplete for complete newbies, but oh well. might add missing things over time.
Update #1 (this bit meant to go before the existing comment)
- each character in the comic (and in an RPG session) has a Race, a Class, and other abilities. Characters controlled by the players of the game, called Player Characters (PCs) are usually humanoid, like humans, dwarves, elves, etc. A class is a vocation which defines their Skills and abilities. Roy (bald with sword) is a human Fighter, Haley (redhead with bow) is a human rogue, Elan (blond with lute) is a human Bard, Durkon (bald with hammer) is a dwarven Cleric (divinely-inspired magic user), Vaarsuvius (purple hair) is an elven Wizard (scholarly magic user), and Belkar (crew-cut with daggers) is a halfling Ranger.
Update #11
- panel 4: "Levels" are a general indicator of power and skilfulness for players and monsters alike, the higher the stronger. Roy references the fact that in D & D, monsters usually have only their "racial levels", so they are e.g. a 9th-level Ogre. If they have class levels, e.g. they're an ogre with 6 levels of Ogre and 3 levels of Fighter (a character class the players can also choose), it means they have access to the abilities of that class, and so are more versatile.
- panel 5: in D&D, all creatures have an alignment, or a kind of specific and objective "moral nature", a combination of Law and Chaos (broadly lawfulness and lawlessness) and Good and Evil, with a Neutral point in between. Belkar is shown to be unaffected by the Unholy Blight spell, which only harms Good and Neutral creatures. The implication is that his alignment is Evil, a fact that the group chooses to ignore. The objective description of alignments in D&D later sets up many of the comic's comments on morality.
Update #12 (also clearing up your point in p.5)
- panel 1: killing monsters, completing quests and other successes earn characters eXperience Points. Upon accumulating a specified amount, they "go up a level" (p.2). "Character levels" are advanced through, from 1 to 20 (the party right now is 9th-level, so going onto being fairly skilled adventurers), and are a general indicator of power and skilfulness for players and monsters alike.
- panel 2: Roy wants to go down the stairs into a lower part of the dungeon they're in (which they entered at ground level). In old-school "dungeon crawl" D & D adventures, the toughest monsters (guarding the most valuable treasure) would typically reside in the dungeon's lowest levels.
- panel 3: Haley mentions the Rogue-class ability Sneak Attack, which deals high damage to unsuspecting enemies. With more Rogue levels, Sneak Attack deals additional damage.
- panel 4: Haley is referencing the vampire's power to drain energy from people, which may result in character level loss.
- panel 8: Magical spells in D&D are grouped in levels from 0 to 9th, with higher levels being more powerful. When advancing to 3rd, 5th, 7th etc. level, wizards gain the ability to cast spells of a higher level, as does Vaarsuvius here. Roy mistakes his statement for a command.
- panel 10: TSR (Tactical Studies Rules) were the original publishers of Dungeons & Dragons (later by Wizards of the Coast).
Update #13
- panel 2: the well-entrenched action-RPG "kick-in-the-door dungeon crawl" play style.
- panel 6: a lich is, as advertised, a very powerful magician that triumphed over death with his magic and assumed a skeletal body. Always Evil. "Undead" is an umbrella term for zombies, moving skeletons, vampires, and other cemetery-related creatures.
- panel 8: the Bard class also has spells, but they're often made fun of because they rarely appear immediately useful. This crops up later in Elan's story.
Update #14
- panel 2: spellcasters in D&D have a specific daily allotment of spells. Once they have cast them all, they have to rest, and then prepare to use them anew.
Update #15
- panel 9: archons are wisp-like celestial creatures.
Update #16
- panel 1: elves in D&D rest by meditating rather than sleeping.
- panel 3: Turn Undead is a trademark Cleric class ability which allows them to scare away undead creatures.
- panel 7: ghasts and ghouls are a type of undead that, among other things, eat dead bodies.
Update #20
- panel 11: Belkar implies that by late afternoon Vaarsuvius usually will have used his most powerful spells, as wizards not only get a specific total number they can cast, but also have to choose how many times they can cast each spell each day.
Update #21
- panel 7: common misconception amongst less subtle players that the only way to gain XP is to kill monsters.
Update #22
- panel 4: Roy is alluding to the fact that only the Ranger class has (easy) access to the Track skill.
Update #25
- panel 4: "AC" means "Armor Class" and measures how difficult it is for one to be hit by an attack.
Update #26
- panel 1: Belkar mentions a spell named "Dispel Clothes", which is a play on the names of various "Dispel" spells in D&D (such as Dispel Magic, Dispel Chaos etc.), which cause the named effect to disappear.
Ron Miel
2014-03-09, 11:19 PM
Update #20
- panel 11: Belkar implies that by late afternoon Vaarsuvius usually will have used his most powerful spells, as wizards not only get a specific total number they can cast, but also have to choose how many times they can cast each spell each day.
No, it's a reference to people being cranky early in the day until they have fully woken up.
ChristianSt
2014-03-10, 05:07 AM
No, it's a reference to people being cranky early in the day until they have fully woken up.
While this is certainly possible (though I find it unlikely, because nothing really implies that V is cranky in the morning), I always have read it the way Unrest states there. (Though I really don't see why the "needs to choose how many/which spells" should matter there.)
But that is somewhat of a problem I generally have with this thread: It is nearly impossible to tell for something, whether it is really a reference to X or if it wasn't intended but someone just figured out fits nicely.
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-03-12, 06:56 AM
Hope Wombat lives, as it's a great thread and I think it should be stickied. I'm rereading, so might as well contribute where I feel someone completely unfamiliar with games could get confused.
// it's still incomplete for complete newbies, but oh well. might add missing things over time.
I do live! I've just been more preoccupied with some real life things/not a lot of input has been given in awhile. Thank you for changing this, and thank you for the support of the project. I look forward to more contributions from you! (I'll go through these when I can, and what I think fits from them to the OP's.
While this is certainly possible (though I find it unlikely, because nothing really implies that V is cranky in the morning), I always have read it the way Unrest states there. (Though I really don't see why the "needs to choose how many/which spells" should matter there.)
But that is somewhat of a problem I generally have with this thread: It is nearly impossible to tell for something, whether it is really a reference to X or if it wasn't intended but someone just figured out fits nicely.
Sometimes it is nearly impossible, yes, but othertimes I tend to lean toward references to gaming more heavily, since that's one of Rich's main influences to the comic, but I do understand your hessitations for intended meanings. Rest assured, I do understand that sometimes a "cigar is just a cigar", and I know I'll be likely be wrong about something or another (or a contributor will be). Still, I think this project is worth it despite this, which I guess is why I enjoy maintaining it. (Also because I'm certifiably insane :smalltongue: )
Even still, I appreciate your input in this thread. Thank you.
ChristianSt
2014-03-12, 08:00 AM
Sometimes it is nearly impossible, yes, but othertimes I tend to lean toward references to gaming more heavily, since that's one of Rich's main influences to the comic, but I do understand your hessitations for intended meanings. Rest assured, I do understand that sometimes a "cigar is just a cigar", and I know I'll be likely be wrong about something or another (or a contributor will be). Still, I think this project is worth it despite this, which I guess is why I enjoy maintaining it. (Also because I'm certifiably insane :smalltongue: )
Even still, I appreciate your input in this thread. Thank you.
Oh no - that wasn't meant as a negative criticism on this thread. I know (or at least I see) that other poster like this and I don't see any reason to try to stop anyone in doing so.
And yes some references seems too obvious to not be intended (like the FF reference in Cliffport or the Lost reference on the Orc Island), but others seems just unintended similarities (like the Thog is flying in Superman pose someone pointed out in the past. I don't know if it has gone in the OP).
There is just a point where "intended reference" crosses over into "random fluke". The problem is that this border point has probably a size similar to the Neutral alignment between Good and Evil. And we just can't tell whether something is on this or on that site of the border.
But I don't "give up" my right to voice my opinion when I think that someones tries to sell something that imo is only a cigar as something else :smallwink: (Because if no one voices his opinion about such things, someday comes the point where this might turn in a haystack of random flukes with some needles of reference thrown into).
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-03-12, 08:24 AM
Oh no - that wasn't meant as a negative criticism on this thread. I know (or at least I see) that other poster like this and I don't see any reason to try to stop anyone in doing so.
And yes some references seems too obvious to not be intended (like the FF reference in Cliffport or the Lost reference on the Orc Island), but others seems just unintended similarities (like the Thog is flying in Superman pose someone pointed out in the past. I don't know if it has gone in the OP).
There is just a point where "intended reference" crosses over into "random fluke". The problem is that this border point has probably a size similar to the Neutral alignment between Good and Evil. And we just can't tell whether something is on this or on that site of the border.
But I don't "give up" my right to voice my opinion when I think that someones tries to sell something that imo is only a cigar as something else :smallwink: (Because if no one voices his opinion about such things, someday comes the point where this might turn in a haystack of random flukes with some needles of reference thrown into).
I wasn't taking it as such, actually! I appreciate you criticisms and honestly, a thread like this needs more than just the curator going nope, yep, or maybe, because otherwise, this is just one persons opinion of the comic being posted, and that means that things will be missed that that one person might have got, that others did not.
No the superman pose didn't go in, as I also think that was a random fluke. I tend to er on the side of caution for things that aren't clearly referencing something, and only go with those that are. In terms of, "Oh, this is a D&D reference that someone who doesn't play might not get", or "Oh this is a TV show reference" or even a "I don't get this reference...". There's also some references to previous comics that not everyone picks up on. I generally try and stick to those topics as much as possible, unless someone brings up a confusion on something, or I've seen confusion on it in the past.
Please keep speaking up! :smallsmile:
littlebum2002
2014-03-18, 09:18 AM
Update 447 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0447.html): Guarding the Sapphire – In the last panel on the 2nd row, you see the wondow is boarded up from when Belkar and Miko crashed through it in 284 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0284.html)
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-05-27, 01:06 PM
After a two month Hiatus, I'm thinking it may be time to work on this again. :smallcool:
Gwynfrid
2014-05-27, 01:13 PM
I'll find it difficult to dedicate time to help but will try my best.
I now have 2 "customers" at home who are asking me questions about strips from time to time - ages 12 and 13 :smallsmile:
Angelalex242
2014-05-27, 04:04 PM
I think a 'translation of all Haley's Cryptograms' might be in order for a companion guide. Just a thought.
Jaxzan Proditor
2014-05-27, 04:35 PM
I think a 'translation of all Haley's Cryptograms' might be in order for a companion guide. Just a thought.
There have been threads that did that, though. Here's (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?4909-What-Haley-Said-Compilation) one, for example.
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-05-27, 05:08 PM
There have been threads that did that, though. Here's (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?4909-What-Haley-Said-Compilation) one, for example.
THat's being handled by a related project - Transcription of the Stick, located in my signature.
Aedilred
2014-07-20, 10:59 PM
I don't know if this has been mentioned before, and I'd be kind of surprised if it hadn't been, so maybe there's a reason it's not been put up already, but whatever: the paladin on Xykon's Teevo in panel 4 of strip #415 is Sir Francois, who Elan used to work for before joining the Order of the Stick. (Origin of PCs).
(At least, he looks exactly like him. Sir F's only been shown in grayscale so it's theoretically possible it could be a different paladin, but the character design is identical).
TheWombatOfDoom
2014-07-21, 06:40 AM
I don't know if this has been mentioned before, and I'd be kind of surprised if it hadn't been, so maybe there's a reason it's not been put up already, but whatever: the paladin on Xykon's Teevo in panel 4 of strip #415 is Sir Francois, who Elan used to work for before joining the Order of the Stick. (Origin of PCs).
(At least, he looks exactly like him. Sir F's only been shown in grayscale so it's theoretically possible it could be a different paladin, but the character design is identical).
It is indeed! I have a list of his appearances in the "overflow and gags" section:
Sir Francois was Elan’s travelling companion before he joined the Order of the Stick. We find this out in the On the Origins of the PC’s book, though he makes several appearances within the main story –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0311.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0415.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0888.html
Jaxzan Proditor
2014-07-21, 02:36 PM
It is indeed! I have a list of his appearances in the "overflow and gags" section:
Sir Francois was Elan’s travelling companion before he joined the Order of the Stick. We find this out in the On the Origins of the PC’s book, though he makes several appearances within the main story –
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0311.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0415.html
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0888.html
Wow, I had no idea he appeared so many times. I should look at this thread more often. :smallwink:
Aedilred
2014-07-21, 05:50 PM
Aha, I missed the overflow and gags section.
In which case, I'll give you a 2-for-1 (or in fact, a 1-for-1) and point out another instance of the "Elan's female adversary illusion", in #387, panel 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0387.html).
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-03, 07:12 AM
Alrighty folks, now that the Transcription project is largely complete, and my wedding and such have passed successfully, I'm bringing this thread back into active status!
Let me know if you find anything to contribute, or if you notice any suggestions mentioned previously that I've missed.
Gwynfrid
2015-03-03, 07:31 AM
Congrats on your wedding!
I might add some contributions at random times. No promises, though... I need some downtime to do that.
Quild
2015-03-03, 07:45 AM
wow, nice work. I wonder how I managed to miss that for so long. I'll take some time to read and see if I see missing things :)
Double congrats then!
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-03, 07:49 AM
Congrats on your wedding!
I might add some contributions at random times. No promises, though... I need some downtime to do that.
Glad to have you still (randomly) with us. It appears that I have my work cut out for me in catching up. Formatting alone looks like it needs improvement. I'm also noticing things that I may need to be put up for voting - things that should or should not be within the annotation. For example, do we really need-
Update 121: The Return of Mail Call –
•In panel 11, the left pirate is uncorking the bottle with a hook hand.
Ron Miel
2015-03-03, 08:01 AM
For example, do we really need-
Update 121: The Return of Mail Call –
•In panel 11, the left pirate is uncorking the bottle with a hook hand.
Yes, I think we need that sort of thing. It is good to point out the little details like this that some people might miss.
Gwynfrid
2015-03-03, 08:30 AM
Yes, I think we need that sort of thing. It is good to point out the little details like this that some people might miss.
It's nice to record that somewhere, but at the same time, it's also kind of a spoiler for things people might like to discover on their own. I suggest using a spoiler labeled "Did you notice?" for such little gems. That's even more work for Wombat though... Consider it just a suggestion. That said, it should be possible to farm out some editing work to contributors like me (provided there's no implied urgency).
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-03, 09:30 AM
It's nice to record that somewhere, but at the same time, it's also kind of a spoiler for things people might like to discover on their own. I suggest using a spoiler labeled "Did you notice?" for such little gems. That's even more work for Wombat though... Consider it just a suggestion. That said, it should be possible to farm out some editing work to contributors like me (provided there's no implied urgency).
Instead, I'd be more inclined to state at the top -
Here be spoilers! This project contains spoilers, such as calling out details that might foreshadow later events, give away immediate plot points, or even just explain a reference you didn't yet know about. This is intentional, and as such, this project should be used as a resource for things you don't understand within the comic, not as a guide to read along with the comic if you are reading through for the first time.
Gwynfrid
2015-03-03, 09:38 AM
Instead, I'd be more inclined to state at the top -
Here be spoilers! This project contains spoilers, such as calling out details that might foreshadow later events, give away immediate plot points, or even just explain a reference you didn't yet know about. This is intentional, and as such, this project should be used as a resource for things you don't understand within the comic, not as a guide to read along with the comic if you are reading through for the first time.
Not quite the same level of spoilers. Of course the guide will containt plot spoilers, that much is obvious and unavoidable. I find it unfortunate, however, that it also spoilers the little details that one might not have noticed even after two of three readings (such as the example of the cork and the pirate's hook). It's a minor quibble, though: Maybe not worth burdening the project too much.
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-03, 09:40 AM
Not quite the same level of spoilers. Of course the guide will containt plot spoilers, that much is obvious and unavoidable. I find it unfortunate, however, that it also spoilers the little details that one might not have noticed even after two of three readings (such as the example of the cork and the pirate's hook). It's a minor quibble, though: Maybe not worth burdening the project too much.
I could include Major and Minor as category levels of spoilers in the description.
Edit: I mean, it does say in the description -
This project is an effort to point out details the casual reader might overlook or not understand.
Gwynfrid
2015-03-03, 10:09 AM
I'm not saying the description at the top is not accurate - it is. There's no fix necessary at that level. My suggestion for an improvement is for the content itself, and I now think it's probably too much work for its value.
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-03, 10:18 AM
I'm not saying the description at the top is not accurate - it is. There's no fix necessary at that level. My suggestion for an improvement is for the content itself, and I now think it's probably too much work for its value.
Ah, got it. Yeah. I tend to agree. It might be nice to have categories or spoilers for certain things, but really, it becomes unwieldy for the reader, and hard to manage on my end. Plus, if I separated them, it might be harder for someone to find what they are looking for.
Quild
2015-03-03, 10:41 AM
It's nice to record that somewhere, but at the same time, it's also kind of a spoiler for things people might like to discover on their own. I suggest using a spoiler labeled "Did you notice?" for such little gems. That's even more work for Wombat though... Consider it just a suggestion. That said, it should be possible to farm out some editing work to contributors like me (provided there's no implied urgency).
Well, that's how I saw the use of this kind of collection. You can search what you missed in a page.
If you put a "Did you notice" how do you treat fifth panel of #560 for example? (which is totally missing from this index)
SPOILER: Did you notice this panel was a reference to Batman (http://seekersofthebat.com/wp-content/uploads/BecomeBat.jpg) (window/curtains/seat, ninja instead of bat, Therkla instead of Bruce).
But what if there is something else in this comic/panel? You'll get "spoiled" of two things while you only wanted to look at one? :smallconfused:
I think whoever wants to play "Where's Waldo" with a page before reading this index can already do it and that there is no need of spoilers.
Also; something else that's missing: The acid-breathing shark in #541 do exist in some manual. Their creator is Rich Burlew, which makes roaches comments more fun.
Ron Miel
2015-03-03, 11:50 AM
I'd suggest putting the annotations under 4 headings, like this:
Update 1234: (http://nowhere) The Louse Trap
Story Notes
Panel 4 : "Do I have something on my face" Nale echoes Elan in strip 141, and Tarquin in strip 753
Panel 12: Haley uses the ninja star she picked up in strip 1011
Cultural references
The title is a parody of Agatha Christie's play The Mousetrap, which is in itself a reference to Hamlet.
Panel 1 "This is a frightened city": another Monty Python reference
for non-gamers
panel 8-11: V's spell works on Xykon, but not Redcloak because it only affects undead.
Did you notice...?
The pommel on the barbarian's sword is a tiny model skull.
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-03, 01:53 PM
I'd suggest putting the annotations under 4 headings, like this:
Update 1234: (http://nowhere) The Louse Trap
Story Notes
Panel 4 : "Do I have something on my face" Nale echoes Elan in strip 141, and Tarquin in strip 753
Panel 12: Haley uses the ninja star she picked up in strip 1011
Cultural references
The title is a parody of Agatha Christie's play The Mousetrap, which is in itself a reference to Hamlet.
Panel 1 "This is a frightened city": another Monty Python reference
for non-gamers
panel 8-11: V's spell works on Xykon, but not Redcloak because it only affects undead.
Did you notice...?
The pommel on the barbarian's sword is a tiny model skull.
I'm not sure that would be effective enough to be useful. But if more people are for it, I can attempt an implementation.
Quild
2015-03-04, 04:32 AM
I had a look at 1-40 and here are some things that may or may not be worth adding:
Update 3:
Panel 3: Haley mentions lime green boots of speed, these are the ones she's wearing in a flashback in #608 and are mocked by Crystal and the ones that she get tanned and wears since #675.
(can also be added to these strips)
Update 5:
Panel 4: Haley mocks that Belkar finally got a spot check right, that's a change with #3!
Update 9 has no annotations yet, maybe it's worth mentionning that:
- The belt of gender changing is the one that comes back in #234
Panel 2/8: Here starts a running gag of betting 10 gold pieces between Haley and Roy. This bet is at least made in #187, #666 and #844.
(can also be added to these strips)
Update 15:
Panel 8: Eugene speak about Roy's "big sword". Roy grumbles that the proper name for the kind of weapon he has is "Greatsword".
Last panel: Eugene asks Roy to "Speak with Dead" once a while. That's purely a joke (from Rich to readers, not from Eugene) since the spell only allows to speak with a corpse that retains memory of what the person knew before death, but does not really allow to speak with the soul of the decesead.
Update 19:
Belkar actually has Evade since he's a ranger of ninth level. Oddly he'll only notice it in #469 (can also be added to this strip?).
Also, here starts a running gag of Elan using female illusions that never works. Well, kinda works in #66 thanks to V but doesn't in #387 and even Elan is aware that it never works. He then changes his illusions with V's help.
(also add?)
Update 31:
V certainly has higher intelligence than Roy, but Roy is here seen as a better choice because he also have decent wisdom (and charisma?)
Update 33:
These questions and the one in #121 were actually real questions from the forum and not made by Rich.
Update 38:
One of the red fake speech bubbles makes Roy say that he has a MBA. This is a reference to the fact that Roy hates the "Fighters are dumb" cliché and that he actually have a Master of Battle Administration (don't remember from where we know that) wich is a pun with the US diploma "Master of Business Administration"
TheWombatOfDoom
2015-03-05, 11:32 AM
I had a look at 1-40 and here are some things that may or may not be worth adding:
Update 3:
Panel 3: Haley mentions lime green boots of speed, these are the ones she's wearing in a flashback in #608 and are mocked by Crystal and the ones that she get tanned and wears since #675.
(can also be added to these strips)
Update 5:
Panel 4: Haley mocks that Belkar finally got a spot check right, that's a change with #3!
Update 9 has no annotations yet, maybe it's worth mentionning that:
- The belt of gender changing is the one that comes back in #234
Panel 2/8: Here starts a running gag of betting 10 gold pieces between Haley and Roy. This bet is at least made in #187, #666 and #844.
(can also be added to these strips)
Update 15:
Panel 8: Eugene speak about Roy's "big sword". Roy grumbles that the proper name for the kind of weapon he has is "Greatsword".
Last panel: Eugene asks Roy to "Speak with Dead" once a while. That's purely a joke (from Rich to readers, not from Eugene) since the spell only allows to speak with a corpse that retains memory of what the person knew before death, but does not really allow to speak with the soul of the decesead.
Update 19:
Belkar actually has Evade since he's a ranger of ninth level. Oddly he'll only notice it in #469 (can also be added to this strip?).
Also, here starts a running gag of Elan using female illusions that never works. Well, kinda works in #66 thanks to V but doesn't in #387 and even Elan is aware that it never works. He then changes his illusions with V's help.
(also add?)
Update 31:
V certainly has higher intelligence than Roy, but Roy is here seen as a better choice because he also have decent wisdom (and charisma?)
Update 33:
These questions and the one in #121 were actually real questions from the forum and not made by Rich.
Update 38:
One of the red fake speech bubbles makes Roy say that he has a MBA. This is a reference to the fact that Roy hates the "Fighters are dumb" cliché and that he actually have a Master of Battle Administration (don't remember from where we know that) wich is a pun with the US diploma "Master of Business Administration"
A number of these suggestions are in the gag's/overflow section in the last post of the OP. Should I keep gags in their own section, or port them into the project proper? Or both?
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