Belkar's Allosaurus

[Snufkin]

Hi, I basically registered just to ask this -

Is it just me or does Belkar seem to be forming a proper bond with his new friend? Is the allosaurus just a running joke/plot device? Or do you think Belkar is going to have two pets now?

Just wondering about other people's thoughts.

[DoctorIllithid]

He has a name, you know!

Some people...

[Ghost Nappa]

His face does imply some form of good will and empathy towards Bloodfeast, but we obviously need more comics to be sure.

[MtlGuy]

Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator! I love it.

[Damon_Tor]

Just because he's evil doesn't make him incapable of love, it just means his capacity for love is limited to a very small subset of beings. The fact that this subset has expanded from "himself" to "himself, a cat, and a dinosaur" isn't insignificant from a character-development perspective, but it doesn't exactly imply a radical alignment shift either.

[Snufkin]

I hope he stays the size that he has become. It makes the name all the more entertaining.

[Tiiba]

I wonder if the other characters will agree to the name "Bloodfeast". Sure it's cool, but it doesn't roll off the tongue.

What *I* hope is that he won't be written out altogether. Don't do this to me, Rich. He may have started out as a mook's mount, but he's part of the family now.

[Chronos]

If Mr. Extreminator stays with the party, he's going to be back to his proper size pretty quickly. Baleful Polymorph is pretty effective while it lasts, and it doesn't wear off on its own, but all it takes is a Dispel Magic (or, in this case, probably a Greater Dispel Magic) to undo it. That's easy, for the Order of the Stick.

[diretiger]

I don't think that Mr. Scruffy will be willing to share. If the Extreme-inator remains there will be conflict

[Kornaki]

There's a feat for this situation even

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a

[thereaper]

I don't expect it to stick around. It's not Belkar's animal companion, and it takes up way too much panel space to be convenient, so it's likely to be removed eventually.

Let's not forget, they're going to be in a dungeon before too long. There may well not even be enough space to get the allosaurus through the doorways.

[Trillium]

I don't expect it to stick around. It's not Belkar's animal companion, and it takes up way too much panel space to be convenient, so it's likely to be removed eventually.

Let's not forget, they're going to be in a dungeon before too long. There may well not even be enough space to get the allosaurus through the doorways.

I doubt Kraagor's tomb is a dungeon. Will all those monsters - probably very large - it is more likely to be open unflyable location, like Windy Canyon.
And in battle with vicious giant monsters - Bloodfeast will be indispensable.

[nephilia]

I don't expect it to stick around. It's not Belkar's animal companion, and it takes up way too much panel space to be convenient, so it's likely to be removed eventually.

Let's not forget, they're going to be in a dungeon before too long. There may well not even be enough space to get the allosaurus through the doorways.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html
A dungeon that Serini had filled with the most deadly and fierce monsters ever to reflect Kragoor belief on pure streght!!!
And we now for sure that there are at least a roc and a purple worm in that dungeon from the strip (well ok nothing say that those are inside the dungeon and not just outside as guardians! but a dungeon doesnt have to be prison shaped like with stone wall and the usual 3x3 mt dimension all around :P Plus on a second thought she never said dungeon but just tomb :P) :)

[Tiiba]

Just because he's evil doesn't make him incapable of love...

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html

[Chantelune]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0335.html

"Reaction to people". Or are you implying Belkar is lusting after Mr Scruffy ? :smalleek:

[The Succubus]

Thanks to that baleful polymorph, Belkar had his tyrannosaurus wrecked. =|

[MtlGuy]

Thanks to that baleful polymorph, Belkar had his tyrannosaurus wrecked. =|

Such pun-ishment. Almost as bad as when I accidentally tossed a steak down a well in Minecraft and punned myself when I said I guessed that it was a 'misteak'.

[Dwy]

Isn't strictly speaking, having a dispel-activated pocket allosaurus MORE useful than the unmorphed version as soon as the encounter ends? I can easily see V refusing to make it big prematurely. Just as I can imagine Belkar and Blackwing raising the small lizard on their spare time, bonding with it and optimizing it for the moment it steps out of the shadows again.

[F.Harr]

If Mr. Extreminator stays with the party, he's going to be back to his proper size pretty quickly. Baleful Polymorph is pretty effective while it lasts, and it doesn't wear off on its own, but all it takes is a Dispel Magic (or, in this case, probably a Greater Dispel Magic) to undo it. That's easy, for the Order of the Stick.

I like the name "Mr. Extreminator". But I feel that it's a girl.

[b_jonas]

Isn't strictly speaking, having a dispel-activated pocket allosaurus MORE useful than the unmorphed version as soon as the encounter ends? I can easily see V refusing to make it big prematurely. Just as I can imagine Belkar and Blackwing raising the small lizard on their spare time, bonding with it and optimizing it for the moment it steps out of the shadows again.

Hmm, so maybe the monster in the dark is actually a baleful polymorphed allosaurus that is supposed to dispel the polymorph with a magic item on himself at the moment he steps out of the shadow?

[strijder20]

Hmm, so maybe the monster in the dark is actually a baleful polymorphed allosaurus that is supposed to dispel the polymorph with a magic item on himself at the moment he steps out of the shadow?

As amusing as that theory is, it isn't true. Some people have already seen the MiTD (only in Start of Darkness, I think) and were terrified, which isn't exactly the reaction you'd expect from seeing a tiny lizard.

[Dwy]

Hmm, so maybe the monster in the dark is actually a baleful polymorphed allosaurus that is supposed to dispel the polymorph with a magic item on himself at the moment he steps out of the shadow?

Fun that you menioned that, cause the hypohetical Checkov's pocket dinosaur would be a good way to Worf-effect the MitD in an encounter wirhout killing any order members.

[Roland Itiative]

I like the name "Mr. Extreminator". But I feel that it's a girl.
We can't say if it's male or female. So it's clearly an elf.

[Taelas]

Fun that you menioned that, cause the hypohetical Checkov's pocket dinosaur would be a good way to Worf-effect the MitD in an encounter wirhout killing any order members.

If you want a Worf, here's Miko Miyazaki (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0374.html) and Belkar Bitterleaf (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0477.html) both performing the function for the MitD.

So there's little need for additional hypothetical klingons. :smallamused:

[Dwy]

If you want a Worf, here's Miko Miyazaki (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0374.html) and Belkar Bitterleaf (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0477.html) both performing the function for the MitD.

So there's little need for additional hypothetical klingons. :smallamused:

Not really, no, but I like it when monster-san gets to do stuff and gets some screen time, so I'll keep hoping for it though.

[F.Harr]

Fun that you menioned that, cause the hypohetical Checkov's pocket dinosaur would be a good way to Worf-effect the MitD in an encounter wirhout killing any order members.

Worf effect?


We can't say if it's male or female. So it's clearly an elf.

Love it!

[Taelas]

Worf effect?

TV Tropes. I'll spare you a link: basically, it's whenever a tough member of the cast (like Worf) is beaten to a pulp just to show off how dangerous the new villain is.

[Dwy]

Worf effect?
!

Mister Worf's role in combat is a whole lot of the time to get beaten with ease im the first round, just to establish rhat the enemy is a powerful threat.

Edit:ninja'd

[jere7my]

Fun that you menioned that, cause the hypohetical Checkov's pocket dinosaur would be a good way to Worf-effect the MitD in an encounter wirhout killing any order members.

Nah, I think it'd be a better example of Mopping the Non-Flat Floor, or maybe Thoaring it Over the Baboon.

[androkguz]

Such pun-ishment. Almost as bad as when I accidentally tossed a steak down a well in Minecraft and punned myself when I said I guessed that it was a 'misteak'.

You had to share that didn't you? Well, I enjoyed it

[Jay R]

He has a name, you know!

That means he'll last as long as Trigak!


I don't expect it to stick around. It's not Belkar's animal companion, and it takes up way too much panel space to be convenient, so it's likely to be removed eventually.

Let's not forget, they're going to be in a dungeon before too long. There may well not even be enough space to get the allosaurus through the doorways.

Well, he fits now.

[David Argall]

Our ride will be out of the story soon.

They are going to have to travel North a long way and he will be a burden in getting there.

Our current best guess is that the next gate will include a lot of small passages, making him useless.

And by official statistics, he is a wimp. Any foe is going to deem him just a speed bump. Indeed, at the moment, he was/is just a fast car. Nice for getting away, but not much help in the fight.

[Trillium]

Our current best guess is that the next gate will include a lot of small passages, making him useless.

What? Why would a place, filled with strongest (and, quite likely, largest) monsters include a lot of small passages?

[Souhiro]

As a fighter, rogue, cleric monk or pitiful bard, You CAN have a guard dog with you, or a horse, and form a bond like if it's another friendly NPC. It doesn't have to be a class feature: It's just another being.

So I think that should Belkar and Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator survive this encounter, Belkar would ask V or Durkula to have the Baleful Polymorph removed: Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator is getting too popular!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e3PZ8xen60c/UlXIgQXZEoI/AAAAAAAAAqs/V3UqSd7Z_iM/w448-h404-no/BELKAR.jpg

Come on... tell me that this isn't badass enough!

[Chantelune]

Our ride will be out of the story soon.

They are going to have to travel North a long way and he will be a burden in getting there.




An allosaurus ride still beat walking, so unless they somehow manage to force Laurin to open a wormhole for them (and that would be risky as she could wormhole them in a completely unrelated and dangerous place), they lack an efficient mean of transportation aside for Bloodfeast.

[Trillium]

An allosaurus ride still beat walking, so unless they somehow manage to force Laurin to open a wormhole for them (and that would be risky as she could wormhole them in a completely unrelated and dangerous place), they lack an efficient mean of transportation aside for Bloodfeast.

It just occured to me. Should TT be beaten, could V or Durkon place a Geas/Quest spell on her, mildly forcing her to safely wormhole them to Kraagor's Gate? Would be interesting to see that spell in OotS.

[Jay R]

It just occured to me. Should TT be beaten, could V or Durkon place a Geas/Quest spell on her, mildly forcing her to safely wormhole them to Kraagor's Gate? Would be interesting to see that spell in OotS.

Not unless Vaarsuvius, or Durkon, or Laurin has some clue as to the location of Kraagor's gate.

[Roland Itiative]

Not unless Vaarsuvius, or Durkon, or Laurin has some clue as to the location of Kraagor's gate.

The Order has coordinates. They were wrong coordinates in the case of Girard's Gate, but Serini was possibly less paranoid about it (and it was her idea to begin with).

[F.Harr]

TV Tropes. I'll spare you a link: basically, it's whenever a tough member of the cast (like Worf) is beaten to a pulp just to show off how dangerous the new villain is.


Mister Worf's role in combat is a whole lot of the time to get beaten with ease im the first round, just to establish rhat the enemy is a powerful threat.

Edit:ninja'd

Kind of like redshirts, then. O.K., thanks.

[Taelas]

Kind of like redshirts, then. O.K., thanks.

Sort of, except that the Worf Effect is for characters that are considered genuinely tough. (The Wolverine from the X-Men often fulfills this role as well.) Redshirts are simply expendable extras.

[David Argall]

What? Why would a place, filled with strongest (and, quite likely, largest) monsters include a lot of small passages?
To keep them from eating each other for one thing.
More general, to keep them in position so anyone after the rift or gate must deal with them. Unless there is a way to make all these lone monsters, mostly of the meat-eating variety, and/or of the kill-anything they see inclination, a co-operative herd, the structure that springs to mind is a series of cages, where one must beat A, then B, then ... Large passageways just help the invader.

[David Argall]

The Order has coordinates. They were wrong coordinates in the case of Girard's Gate, but Serini was possibly less paranoid about it (and it was her idea to begin with).
I'm not absolutely sure Roy has the location of the North rift. He was told of the one, but I don't think the text makes it clear he was told just where the other was as well. I would presume so, but I can think of several reasons why Roy's source might prefer to tell him just of Girard's gate, have him report back, and then tell him of Serini's. I don't find those reasons all that convincing, but not so unconvincing that I can't see others being convinced. So if our writer wants to stick in a hundred strips of them desperately searching for the location, I believe there is nothing in the text really in his way.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Except for the paladins, who can relay the coordinates, either directly when the Order contacts them, or via a status update to Hinjo, who calls the Order. Minor issue.

[Cerussite]

We can't say if it's male or female. So it's clearly an elf.

Or a lizard!

[Jay R]

What? Why would a place, filled with strongest (and, quite likely, largest) monsters include a lot of small passages?

They didn't live there originally; they were brought in from elsewhere. Obviously, if they could leave, they would.

[F.Harr]

Sort of, except that the Worf Effect is for characters that are considered genuinely tough. (The Wolverine from the X-Men often fulfills this role as well.) Redshirts are simply expendable extras.

Well, yeah. The Worf survives and the Redshirt kicks it. But they're both there to cue the audience to take things seriously.

[jogiff]

It's not an Allosaurus. Allosaurus had three fingers on each hand. It's probably a T-Rex

[Bulldog Psion]

It's not an Allosaurus. Allosaurus had three fingers on each hand. It's probably a T-Rex

Actually, it's been called an allosaurus many times in the comic. So the finger thing is unimportant -- in OotS world, allosaurs have 2 fingers.

[Kish]

The allosaur is only down one finger per hand from what s/he would have if s/he wasn't a stick figure; the comic's humans are down two.

[Souhiro]

Actually, it's been called an allosaurus many times in the comic. So the finger thing is unimportant -- in OotS world, allosaurs have 2 fingers.

A clear error! but there's even one worse: Girls have 5 toes in their feet! and clearly Haley don't have five (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/images/oots0184.gif)! Oh My Gosh! The Giant has commited a critical research error! I hate this comic, now! I wont read it, ever, until the giant writes us an apology!

:p

-- Edit: Unless she's wearing some kind of socks or stockings. Then, it's Okay.

[StLordeth]

Being polymorphed saved Bloodfeast's life. Now he can adventure with Belkar as a small companion. Until the polymorph, I thought for sure the Allosaurus was going to die.

[AKA_Bait]

Being polymorphed saved Bloodfeast's life. Now he can adventure with Belkar as a small companion. Until the polymorph, I thought for sure the Allosaurus was going to die.

This raises the question whether Belkar will now take a level in Beastmaster to have more than one animal companion. :smallwink:

[StLordeth]

This raises the question whether Belkar will now take a level in Beastmaster to have more than one animal companion. :smallwink: Beastmaster Barbarian. Nice.