OOTS #434 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Laesin]

Xykon just gets ever more adept at winding Roy up without realising why. I love it.

[Andiamo]

YEs! That is hilarious! "Badass!"

[ref]

Ah, poor Roy...

[1337_master]

Damn...Xykon is a Dumbass

[r2e]

Amazing strip :D

[Lasada1984]

Wow. Rarely do I actually laugh out loud when reading a stip, but that comic did just that. Something about Roy's last line was absurdly funny for me...

[The_Weirdo]

And Roy's reason for fighting Xykon gets stupider and stupider... :)

[Fus.Weapon 1337]

Well, he IS right. That is pretty badass.

[NecroPaladin]

Xykon...more evil than before. And thus, more my fave character than ever before.

[Ettlesby]

Hahah, sweet. Killing someone over a crown just to make yourself look cool? Total evil awesomeness.

[Hushdawg]

heh.. amazing.. the crown is nonmagical and just "looks badass"

I love it.. apparently his WIS score went totally into spellcrafting and none into "Craft Badass Accessories"

What's an evil mage to do?

[EvilGasm]

I'm sure this is going to do wonders for the Father-Son Relationship... :smalltongue:

Badass :smallamused:

Evilgasm :smallbiggrin:

Still give it to Evilgasm

[PsyBlade]

And once again the Giant appears to be talking back to the forumers through the comic. I seem to recall people thinking the crown was magical. Well that's over.

[kamoo]

Really BADASS!
it worth my year...

[J.Gellert]

Xykon officially rocks.

REALLY badass!

[Kesnit]

Forgive my bad memory...

The Archmage that Xyklon killed to steal the crown was Roy's father?

[Sinewmire]

Hehe, I just love how Xykon is just so totally opposite to roy.

Melee/Caster
Thinker/Impulsive
Places Value In Objects And Life / Doesn't


Hmm... need to make that last one snappier.

[ImperiousLeader]

On the one hand, I'm wondering about Xykon's INT score. On the other hand, he makes a good point, it is quite badass.

[Renegade Paladin]

No, the archmage that Xykon killed to steal the crown was Roy's father's master.

[Axl_Rose]

Damnit xykon, fight back!

[Kyace]

Well, I guess that explains a lot of the backstory.

[Harr]

"Needless to say, hilarity ensued" was the line that got the LOL out of me.

The whole Roy/Xykon thing should be getting old but it's still hilarious.

[Bunyip]

What I love is that the whole thing goes on while they're both flying over the city on the zombie dragon. These blokes have real focus.:roach:

[Kyace]

Forgive my bad memory...

The Archmage that Xyklon killed to steal the crown was Roy's father?
I think he was Roy's father's mentor.

[Kriel]

I imagine that when this is all said and done, Roy is going to have a few VERY choice words for his dear ol' dad. I also enjoy how they can just have a perfectly normal conversation while flying hundreds of feet in the air where one misstep will spell broken bodies for all involved.

[TroyXavier]

And now the crown proves to be nothing....that's so alpha stonish(inside joke) Anyways, I'm wondering what Roy will do if Xykon you know actually manages to shove him off the dragon like with a spell?

[Legendary]

. . .

God, poor Roy. This entire thing starts out because Xykon wants a crown that has no apparent value. He'd be having a WONDERFUL time right now if it weren't for that minor fact that he was bound by oath to kill Xykon. He wouldn't have met Belkar, or Vaarsuvius, or Elan, or Celia...

God, Roy is such a whiner. :P

[thorfinn]

I feel Roys Pain

[J.Gellert]

It's even funnier because Xykon doesn't wonder where the hell Roy got it from :smallbiggrin:

[Wojiz]

If the crown wasn't magical and was just an ordinary crown, why did it affect Miko's Detect Evil ability...?

[EvilRoeSlade]

Err, despite what Xykon says, the crown IS magical. Remember that if you wear it around your neck you detect as evil. There has to be something up with it.

[SteveMB]

And Roy's reason for fighting Xykon gets stupider and stupider... :)

Well, his original reason, anyway. I can just picture his next chat with dear old Dad....


If the crown wasn't magical and was just an ordinary crown, why did it affect Miko's Detect Evil ability...?

Maybe Durkon's notion (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0202.html) that some of Xykon's evil just rubbed off on it? Mabye something Xykon did had the side effect of enchanting the crown with an evil aura?

[Lefty the Drunken Lush]

First one that really made me laugh on the outside in a while. Good job.

[MinMax]

I think the funny part is that there is a thread on these forums questioning whether or not Xykon will try to get his crown back. Ha! Question answered.

[asqwasqw]

Badass, Really Badass. And all it took was to defeat an archmage. Also like Roy's pause of stupification before he attacks with his sword.

[Elenar]

"Needless to say, hilarity ensued."

Priceless.

[F.H. Zebedee]

Yeesh. Right now, Roy is fighting Xykon over a wardrobe change. That's pretty severe.

And I'm thinking moreso now that frustration instead of outright rage triggers Roy's blade.

[HyramGraff]

Archmages and Roy have one thing in common ... hilarity ensues.

[Querzis]

Poor Roy, if I was him I would hate Xykon so much too...but I'm not him so I like Xykon anyway (sorry Roy).

[Blaznak]

Fun strip! I enjoyed the banter and that sometimes evil's goal is just, well, to be cool looking... Wanting that crown must be similar to wanting a killer pair of shades.

ANYWAYS, did you notice the dragon wings keep going up and down? Nifty!!!

Later....

[Shara_Littlebottom]

Awesome, awesome and even badass strip!

[MReav]

I'm curious, has Xykon even taken any damage? His clothing doesn't look messed up in the slightest.

Wow, Roy seems to get some kind of morale bonus to his saves when dealing with Xykon, because he seems to be making them with some consistency, as opposed to every other time.

[The Extinguisher]

It's even funnier because Xykon doesn't wonder where the hell Roy got it from :smallbiggrin:

Indeed.

*coughFillercough*

[5tephen]

You know - the best thing is the nonchalant way in which Roy gets to just stand there throughout all those "speaking is a free action" panels. That's just gold. It's perfectly the way that in a gaming session you ignore certain practicalities of presented situations, just so you can get on with the damn game.

And Roy and Xykon's relationship just gets better and better.

[SteveMB]

Forgive my bad memory...

The Archmage that Xyklon killed to steal the crown was Roy's father?

No; Xykon killed the mentor/teacher of Roy's father (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0078.html) while he watched, unable to do anything.

[Darkspear]

Hurray for backstory!

[Grey Watcher]

Wait, Fyron had a kid? Interesting.... Was Eugene trying to avenge a mentor or a fellow student or both?

[Eaquae Legit]

Poor, poor Roy.

[Mattaeu]

Ah, best one in awhile.

Xykon is second only to :mitd:.

Both masters of oblivious humor.

[SteveMB]

God, poor Roy. This entire thing starts out because Xykon wants a crown that has no apparent value. He'd be having a WONDERFUL time right now if it weren't for that minor fact that he was bound by oath to kill Xykon. He wouldn't have met Belkar, or Vaarsuvius, or Elan, or Celia...

Well, he can put this fact to good use when he meets Celia again. (:roy: "You know, if it weren't for that stupid crown, I never would have met that psycho halfling :belkar: ... but then, I never would have met you, either, so I guess I'm lucky after all...." :smallwink:)

[Lord Magtok]

Hey, Xykon stole that crown for the same reason I became a cyborg! Neat!

[MReav]

Wait, Fyron had a kid? Interesting.... Was Eugene trying to avenge a mentor or a fellow student or both?

Never mentioned the son with any type of importance, just that he was a casualty of Xykon (and presumably one of the 5 Fyrons killed in Cliffport). However, the kid was mentioned in the first showdown between Roy and Xykon.

[Guildorn Tanaleth]

Heehee. Poor Roy.

When Xykon said "librarian," with the "oo" coming up in his speech, did anyone else suddenly think of mon--uh, orangutans?

[Caledonian]

I think it's pretty clear that Wisdom was always Xykon's lowest stat. And it must be fairly low.

I can't help but think that most of this war could be avoided if you simply armed each member of the OotS with a Command Undead wand. His will save's got to fail eventually. Control Undead would be harder to pull off, but not impossible. A staff of the spell would be quite expensive, though.

[Roderick_BR]

And once again the Giant appears to be talking back to the forumers through the comic. I seem to recall people thinking the crown was magical. Well that's over.
Or he's taking levels in psyonics :smallbiggrin:

[Mad Scientist]

SO funny the way Xykon never remembers who Roy is! Poor Roy. . .

[Innis Cabal]

i think its going to be good bye Xykon time soon

[NovaSeaker]

On the issue of why the crown makes you detect as evil, the simple answer is that the Detect Evil spell registers "lingering auras".

An Evil aura of Overwhelming power lingers for 1d6 days, while a strong one only does so for 1d6x10 minutes. It's safe to assume that Xykon's aura is then Overwhelming.

...Hmm, this gives us more information too. In order for an undead creature to register as Overwhelming, it needs 21 or more Hit Dice. Since Xykon is a lich and only has Hit Dice from class levels, that means he's an Epic level character.

...This bodes... poorly.

[caboose117]

gotta admit, that crown is awesome. i'd do the same if i were xycon

[ziggurat]

Haha, I did the same thing to a Ferryman in Vivec City in Elder Scrolls III.

They had a conical hat with no functional benefit.

[Valley]

Wait, wait...I thought Xykon found his keys?

:confused:

[M._A._Foxfire]

That is too a magical crown - see, it's floating above Xykon's head! And on a swooping dragon, too. *whistle* Maybe it picked up more from Xykon than he realizes. But yeah, badass. Xykon sure has nerve. Or had nerve, at any rate. Unless he saved his bodyparts after liching himself.

[Big_Robot]

Man, Xykon is such a great villian...just great! :smallsmile:

[PerryTatchett]

Great one. Is it just me or does his swordy only do that funky green energy thingy when he's real real angry? (Bad grammar for emphasis)

[NeonRonin]

Wait, wait...I thought Xykon found his keys?

:confused:

I guess he lost them again. Man, Xykon is such a moron... but he's a FUNNY moron! Good job, Rich!

[chionophile]

Indeed.

*coughFillercough*

This isn't filler, this is back story. If it was filler, it wouldn't give us any new information related to the story. The movie themed strip was filler. The Fruit Pie sorcerer was filler. This is not.


Yeesh. Right now, Roy is fighting Xykon over a wardrobe change. That's pretty severe.

You do realize that Roy's not all that angry that Xykon took the crown, don't you? He's angry because Xykon killed two people for an extremely trivial reason.

[Maerok]

w00t. Avatar-inspiration!!! Required a little bit of editing, but I think I'm pretty good at making something decent with Paint. :-P

[musicnerd]

badass... really badass

:biggrin:

[the_tick_rules]

Haha, I did the same thing to a Ferryman in Vivec City in Elder Scrolls III.

They had a conical hat with no functional benefit.

You can wear those hats? aw man one of them is so dead tomorrow. Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw be darned lol!!!

Wow that thread answered so many questions and speculation about the crown. And eliminated the xykon crown thread.

[Wanderer]

Gah! Develop a better memory you miserable sack of bones!

[Varg]

I've just got back from the kind of day in work that had me contemplating clock-tower-and-sniper-rifle style fun, yet this managed to put a big grin on my face.

Way to go Giant :D

[archon_huskie]

The Crown makes him look stupid honestly.

[ajkkjjk52]

I'm pretty sure his keys are in his pocket. At least, that's what the dead goblin said way back when.

[Aereshaa_the_2nd]

Why is that crown floating above his head? Artistic? Or possibly on the ghost of xykon's hair?

[Suraht]

I haven't laughed so hard that my sides hurt in a long, long time.

Bravo, Giant.

[Atheist_Cleric]

Good strip, id say this confirms that Roy's green energy sword is indeed activated by him getting angry/frustrated. Somebody mentioned that Xykon doesnt even have a scratch, and thats a good point...unless he has a great AC, Roy is definetly hitting him...but even with the +5 sword, strength bonus, and whatever damage the green energy does to undead, Xykon seemingly isnt feeling a thing! Just how much hp does he have...?

[Caledonian]

You do realize that Roy's not all that angry that Xykon took the crown, don't you? He's angry because Xykon killed two people for an extremely trivial reason.

And that the Blood Oath he's supposed to fulfill ultimately traces back to such an extremely trivial reason. A major part of his life has revolved around the series of events started by that stupid crown, and this fills him with a terrible rage.

[Rambi]

Well that is a really badass crown... But giving Xykon 3 frames to put it on was the icing on the badassery cake.

[Faramir]

Sigh, I was sure that the crown had some other abilities. I was wrong.

Xykon is really not a details kind of guy.

[Hypothetical]

Xykon just made a HUGE mistake. Remember what happened the last time he pissed Roy off this badly? And this time Roy has an Intact magical sword.

Let the Games begin, indeed.

[Trobby]

All very good observations, but we are all missing the most important part of this entire strip.


Namely, the little strand of red hair that floats away from Roy in panel 4, right when Xykon takes the crown. What's up with that? That's not something The Giant would just put in by mistake...

[Eldritch Knight]

<Insert maniacal laughter here>

[silvadel]

Um -- Xykon could always be -- ya know -- LYING... I mean if you had a really really powerful crown that you just liberated back from an adventurer -- why would you tell him wow -- my crown of doubling my spell ability -- thanks -- now please dont try to take it back....

Naw -- you say aw this thing? It looks cool. Now please get out of my face -- I have work to do.

[the_tick_rules]

Good strip, id say this confirms that Roy's green energy sword is indeed activated by him getting angry/frustrated. Somebody mentioned that Xykon doesnt even have a scratch, and thats a good point...unless he has a great AC, Roy is definetly hitting him...but even with the +5 sword, strength bonus, and whatever damage the green energy does to undead, Xykon seemingly isnt feeling a thing! Just how much hp does he have...?

can't be that many. what's a sorcerer roll, d4 hit die? and as an undead he has no con. But lich's do have like what DR 15/bludgeon, though I dunno if the giant has included that detial.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Namely, the little strand of red hair that floats away from Roy in panel 4, right when Xykon takes the crown. What's up with that? That's not something The Giant would just put in by mistake...


The string the crown was tied around. It snapped when the crown was pulled off, so it flew off.

[Megalomaniac2]

Love the reference to the keys strip. And "Badass... REALLY badass" deserves to be iconed or something. I didn't know that Xykon killed Fyron's son too...

[Darkxarth]

Good strip, id say this confirms that Roy's green energy sword is indeed activated by him getting angry/frustrated. Somebody mentioned that Xykon doesnt even have a scratch, and thats a good point...unless he has a great AC, Roy is definetly hitting him...but even with the +5 sword, strength bonus, and whatever damage the green energy does to undead, Xykon seemingly isnt feeling a thing! Just how much hp does he have...?

I was thinking that exact same thing. Crap, this bodes ill for our heroes, particularly Roy.

Also, I am amused to the HIGHEST degree that Xykon, not only doesn't seem to feel Roy's attack in the last panel, but doesn't notice to the extent that he is able to talk to Roy about what's wrong with him.

Finally, despite all that going over backstory and such about Roy's father's mentor, and the fact that Roy had Xykon's crown, he still has NO idea who he is...

You'd think this would get annoying after a while, but no, still hilarious EVERY time.

[Levant]

Good strip, id say this confirms that Roy's green energy sword is indeed activated by him getting angry/frustrated. Somebody mentioned that Xykon doesnt even have a scratch, and thats a good point...unless he has a great AC, Roy is definetly hitting him...but even with the +5 sword, strength bonus, and whatever damage the green energy does to undead, Xykon seemingly isnt feeling a thing! Just how much hp does he have...?

Liches get fairly high damage reduction versus all weapons that aren't magical and blunt. Fifteen I think. Plus d12 hit dice due to being undead. And I imagine he does have fairly decent AC, whether by magical buffs or whatever.

[Black Mage]

If the crown wasn't magical and was just an ordinary crown, why did it affect Miko's Detect Evil ability...?

When an item is in close proximity to so much evil for an extended amount of time, the evil does "rub off" on it, and sticks. I think it's in the Detect Evil text...or it was somewhere in the Book of Vile Darkness...or both.


A lich’s undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and magic.

And they also get a +5 natural armor bonus. So that's why Roy's hits aren't doing much of anything to Xykon.

Anyways, great comic. :xykon:

[Baalzebub]

:roy: Poor guy.

:xykon: Badass... real badass!

[NeonRonin]

Liches get fairly high damage reduction versus all weapons that aren't magical and blunt. Fifteen I think. Plus d12 hit dice due to being undead. And I imagine he does have fairly decent AC, whether by magical buffs or whatever.

Another thing to take into account is the attack penalties Roy may be incurring for unstable footing. I don't recall what the rules are, but trying to hit someone while you're both on the back of a flying dragon is going to incur some pretty stiff penalties. At least, that's the ruling I'd use as a GM... if I were running it, at least a -6, maybe -8 penalty.

[tmacdevitt]

Meh.
:smallconfused:
One of the few strips that didn't do it for me. Whats the % of 3/434? Damn good streak!

[CGM3]

Is Xykon's behavior reminding anyone else of the late Raul Julia's portrayal of General Bison in the Streetfighter movie? They both have the most oblivious megalomania...

"To you, it was the most memorable day of your life, the day you met General Bison! To me... it was a Tuesday."

As for the crown registering as evil to Miko's paladin-senses, I presume that was just the Giant making a little plot-driven wrinkle in the rules.

[Senko]

Yes but as a previous poster said even overwhelming only lasts 1d6 day's and I thought it had been more than that before she caught up to them and used it.

Also will people stop saying Xyckan keeps losing his key's when its obvious Roy has been stealing them like he did the crown.:smallbiggrin:

[Black Mage]

Meh.
:smallconfused:
One of the few strips that didn't do it for me. Whats the % of 3/434? Damn good streak!

0.007% O_o

[Sturmjaeger]

Where can I get a badass crown like that?

[Black Mage]

Yes but as a previous poster said even overwhelming only lasts 1d6 day's and I thought it had been more than that before she caught up to them and used it.

Also will people stop saying Xyckan keeps losing his key's when its obvious Roy has been stealing them like he did the crown.:smallbiggrin:

Rich is the DM of this game, he can bend the rules. :smallbiggrin:


Where can I get a badass crown like that?
E-bay (E for evil)
Or Walmart...they're pretty evil. They make Balors cry.

[oball]

In the strip where Xykon kills Fyron, he's already wearing the crown. He must have found it and put it on, and then got interrupted by Fyron. Or if Fyron was already wearing it, I guess Xykon could have magicked him into submission, grabbed the crown off his head and put it on, then said "This looks REALLY badass" and killed him.

[Aerysil]

Well, of course Xykon was going to get his crown back, duh!

[Nightfall]

The Badass Crown Company and Emporium. :smallbiggrin:

Somehow as I read Xykon, I'm now hearing David Spade, as he voiced Cuzco in "The Emperor's New Groove."

:xykon: "Let me think about that....no."

[ss49]

Xykon has little to worry about. Remember, in 331, the Oracle said he would be within 1000 ft of Girard's gate before Kraagor's gate. Meaning he will find his way there.

[KurenaiYami]

Oh gods...my lungs...can't...breathe...

[Lord Magtok]

Is the little Xykon smiley going to get a crown, too?

[StreetUrchin]

"Needless to say, hilarity ensued" was the line that got the LOL out of me.

The whole Roy/Xykon thing should be getting old but it's still hilarious.

I wholeheartedly agree...would make a great sig as well

[Ezlo]

I kill for a crown like that as well. Poor Xykon, everyone except Roy loves him.

[Nicoli20]

I feel sorry for Roy, having to put up with that.:smallwink:

[skinkatlarge]

And once again the Giant appears to be talking back to the forumers through the comic. I seem to recall people thinking the crown was magical. Well that's over.I did, based on the fact that the Giant didn't have them Detect Magic or Identify on the crown - which any character I've ever seen would do, for a crown taken from an epic sorcerer lich that causes its wearer to Detect as evil to paladins. I was wrong. :)


The Crown makes him look stupid honestly.Yeah, sorry, it's so dinky. It looks more like a tiara, or something Xykon got with a Barbie doll he bought for the MiTD. Sorry - Barbie doll he killed someone for, to give to the MiTD. Or My Pretty Pony Princess or something. Of course, I'm not gonna tell him that to his ex-face...

[Snake-Aes]

REALLY Badass :D

[Wiione]

So that's why Xykon killed him... Exellent comic!

[StrykerX]

LOL... I just thought of something. Zykon is a sorcerer lich, so he could (and apparently did) use INT and WIS as dump stats. :smallbiggrin:

[kirbsys]

anyone else think that maybe Xykon isnt quite so forgetful as he pretends and he pisses Roy off on purpose?

[Glome]

Xykon has little to worry about. Remember, in 331, the Oracle said he would be within 1000 ft of Girard's gate before Kraagor's gate. Meaning he will find his way there.

Well Xykon doesn't know that, although he's cocky enough that he doesn't he can be defeated anyway. Also, that just means that his phylactery won't get destroyed in this battle, his body can still be destroyed for a few weeks, long enough to take out the rest of Red Cloaks army.

[Misvit]

It's sweet because it's true. Xykon really looks totally killer with the crown while before he was just another skull.

[malakim2099]

anyone else think that maybe Xykon isnt quite so forgetful as he pretends and he pisses Roy off on purpose?

Nah, I think he is that forgetful. His behavior with Redcloak and others seems to trend to the fact that yes, he is an airhead. A very powerful and wicked airhead, but an airhead nonetheless.

And I think that's also why Xykon isn't casting spells right now either, his stability on the dragon combined with being threatened by Roy means his Concentration checks are pretty high as well.

[Mystitat]

Xykon + bling = teh hilariousness. XD

[Casinodwarf]

:roy: "Oh my GODS, I hate you so much!" That is one of the best lines ever. Poor Roy just losing it.

[RyanL330]

Wait...Rich is a FARKer?!?!

[Nahmer]

Is Xykon's behavior reminding anyone else of the late Raul Julia's portrayal of General Bison in the Streetfighter movie? They both have the most oblivious megalomania...

"To you, it was the most memorable day of your life, the day you met General Bison! To me... it was a Tuesday."

Actually, I think their interaction evokes that of a pair of characters from a certain cartoon:

Xykon
"Who is that firebrand, Redcloak?"
Redcloak
"That's Roy Greenhilt."
Xykon
"Greenhilt, eh? New adventurer?"
Redcloak
"Actually, sir, all the recent events of your unlife have revolved around him in some way: he thwarted your campaign to unlock Dorukon's Gate, you killed his father's master, he saved the planet from meltdown..."
Xykon
"Doesn't ring a bell."

Edit: While were at it, Redcloak also fits another character's part pretty well.

[Nightmarenny]

Actually, I think their interaction evokes that of a pair of characters from a certain cartoon:

Xykon
"Who is that firebrand, Redcloak?"
Redcloak
"That's Roy Greenhilt."
Xykon
"Greenhilt, eh? New adventurer?"
Redcloak
"Actually, sir, all the recent events of your life have revolved around him in some way: he thwarted your campaign to unlock Dorukon's Gate, you killed his father's master, he saved the planet from meltdown..."
Xykon
"Greenhilt, eh? Doesn't ring a bell."

Edit: While were at it, Redcloak fits another characters part pretty well to.
I smell a new "letter Comic"

Roy
lets take a look at the next letter.

Letter
What the Real deal with Redcloak, you know what I mean

Roy
Ofcourse we do

*clips of Redcloak doing effiminate and rather Gay things*

Roy
The real deal with Redcloak is he is a goblin of the crimson mantel, he is Xykons side kick and seeks the destruction of the world.

[JediNite]

Quite honestly, what most people seem to be ignoring is the fact that Xykon has great intelligence, but an absolutely abysmal wisdom score. He can barely remember any of his past exploits, he murdered an archmage for a hat, he wanted to assault a highly defensible city with no real plan - he suffers from a lack of self-control. His work is undeniably effective, when done right, but he is handicapped by his lack of wisdom. Redcloak seems to serve as a sort of mobile wisdom score for his master, convincing him when to jump in and when to stand back.

That said, isn't it possible that Xykon just assumed the crown was just another shiny and didn't check for enchantments? Roy's father, while apparently lacking a conscience, is crafty enough to have engineered the entire sequence of events in Azure City. His predictions have yet to be shown false. That said, what are the chances that this blood oath might actually have some yet unforeseen true point?

My two cents on the matter. I've written a wizard very similar to Xykon before - high Int, high Cha, Wis lower than a two-year-old. It helps me get into his head.
-Jedi

[Turcano]

"Needless to say, hilarity ensued."

I'm beginning to think that Xykon became a lich just because the live human body can't take that amount of awesome.


Where can I get a badass crown like that?

You have to kill an archmage for one. Weren't you paying attention?

[Jawajoey]

Backstory + Xykonic apathy = still awesome!

[Alex Kidd]

You're right Xykon is channeling Monty Burns, I may to have to join the Xykon fanclub after this one...

[MReav]

*clips of Redcloak doing effiminate and rather Gay things toward Xykon*

Fixed. *Whistles*

[Void_Form]

Badass Crown - Nonmagic item
I'm serious, it just looks cool.
100 gp - No Aura (or perhaps an evil, annoying aura)

I'm tempted to make an irritating quest next time I Dm.
Though perhaps its a little risky.
2x4's are in remarkable supply with my group.

[Dark Wolf]

Evil = bad

therefore, Detect evil = Detect bad

Crown = badass

therefore anyone wearing the crown (even on a string) will register as bad/evil.

[skinkatlarge]

Evil = bad

therefore, Detect evil = Detect bad

Crown = badass

therefore anyone wearing the crown (even on a string) will register as bad/evil.
Therefore Chuck Norris would get every paladin in the world on his case?

[Xenon]

more badass!

wait, if its nonmagical, whys it detect as evil? *ponder* no, dont wanna think what else hes used it for....

[Mr Teufel]

It's like the hat that Jane wears in Firefly.

A Lich that wears a hat like that is afraid of no man.

[Illsbane]

It's more rare these days for it to happen, but I wholeheartedly agree with Roy on this: Xykon is such a ****** ******! How'd he ever get where he is? With that kind of personality, I'd expect an intelligence penalty so low that he couldn't craft his own phylactery! :smallfurious: Eeesh! No wonder Xykon hangs out with Redcloak; he's probably the one to suggest the whole 'use the snarl'-idea and put everything together, while Xykon provides raw power.

[Bilgore]

Good strip, id say this confirms that Roy's green energy sword is indeed activated by him getting angry/frustrated. Somebody mentioned that Xykon doesnt even have a scratch, and thats a good point...unless he has a great AC, Roy is definetly hitting him...
How is Roy hitting him?

Sure, Roy gets angry and the green flame-type aura springs up, but the sword hasn't moved at all--and I'm pretty sure Roy has to actually move the sword if he wants to hit Xykon with it.

[Rift_Wolf]

Therefore Chuck Norris would get every paladin in the world on his case?

Let's face it, only Chuck Norris could possibly save Azure City now!
Oh Lord, I've become an internet cliche...
Excellent comic, though I went back and checked; Xykon was wearing his bad-ass crown when he killed Fyron (He must've put it on straight away, and who can blame him?)
Also, nice disarm check from a guy with 1/2HD bab and no use for a strength score over 12.

[Green Bean]

Quite honestly, what most people seem to be ignoring is the fact that Xykon has great intelligence, but an absolutely abysmal wisdom score. He can barely remember any of his past exploits, he murdered an archmage for a hat, he wanted to assault a highly defensible city with no real plan - he suffers from a lack of self-control. His work is undeniably effective, when done right, but he is handicapped by his lack of wisdom. Redcloak seems to serve as a sort of mobile wisdom score for his master, convincing him when to jump in and when to stand back.

That said, isn't it possible that Xykon just assumed the crown was just another shiny and didn't check for enchantments? Roy's father, while apparently lacking a conscience, is crafty enough to have engineered the entire sequence of events in Azure City. His predictions have yet to be shown false. That said, what are the chances that this blood oath might actually have some yet unforeseen true point?

My two cents on the matter. I've written a wizard very similar to Xykon before - high Int, high Cha, Wis lower than a two-year-old. It helps me get into his head.
-Jedi

Remember, Xykon is a sorceror. All of his power comes from his CHA score. He could have an INT lower than :thog:'s, and it wouldn't affect his spellcasting one bit.


Anyhoo, back OT. Amazing comic, Giant. Hee hee; 'Hilarity ensued'.

[Copacetic]

"Hilarity insued" after I read that comic. was much funness

[Tundar]

Xykon is indeed badass and he's driving Roy nuts while getting even more badass!
Great fun :D

[starwoof]

Roy just looks naked without the crown.

[Tordek]

I dunno, this strip kinda bummed me out. Roy's frustration must be wearing on me, because I really want to see him make SOME sort of progress.

I'll wait and see what happens next.

[Irenaeus]

0.007% O_o

No, its 0.7%, not 0.007%.

I loved the "What's that supposed to..." comment from Xykon after Roy ponts out that his sword is now shatterproof.

[Kaerou]

Badass...

Really badass.

I want to join the Xykon fanclub now ;_;

[pjackson]

Nah, I think he is that forgetful. His behavior with Redcloak and others seems to trend to the fact that yes, he is an airhead. A very powerful and wicked airhead, but an airhead nonetheless.


Well, duh. What else would be inside his skull but air? :smallwink:



And I think that's also why Xykon isn't casting spells right now either, his stability on the dragon combined with being threatened by Roy means his Concentration checks are pretty high as well.
He casts a spell in the first panel

[Caractacus]

Well, I just did my demonstration lecture to make my job permanent and got 'excellent'.

As a reward, I get another smart strip from Rich. :smallcool:

Thanks for thinking of me, mate! :smalltongue:

[Hinton]

Yet another graet strip. A little bit of backstory and some really great lines.

"Needless to say, hilarity ensued."
"Badass....REALLY badass."
""What's it to you anyway?"

I also really like the fact that Xykon getting the crown was nothing more than to get a simple fashion accessory. Very cool.

[Movoza]

Am i right or am i right? :smallbiggrin:

I can only agree.

:smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin:

[B9anders]

as he has said so himself before, Xykon is just a seriously evil badass.

Go team evil!

[geek_2049]

Dudes and dudettes,

I have beeen sayin "oh my gods" since I strarted DnD, just for some perspectivce. Also Thanks Rich :-)

Hail Bacchus, Irrelevant

[Idless]

Good thing talking is a free action

nuff said

...Idless

[Delgarde]

I imagine that when this is all said and done, Roy is going to have a few VERY choice words for his dear ol' dad.

Why? Roy already knew that Xykon killing his father's teacher was the reason for the whole quest. All that's changed in this strip is the reason for the killing - something Eugene quite likely had no idea of.

[fizzbang]

On the one hand, I'm wondering about Xykon's INT score. On the other hand, he makes a good point, it is quite badass.

Well, from what we've seen of Xykon's attention to the strategic planning and other matters, it seems pretty obvious that his INT is mighty weak.

Then again, since he's a Sorcerer, that doesn't really make a big difference for him. After all, he can rely on CHA for casting spell and looking badass.

[Delgarde]

How is Roy hitting him?

Sure, Roy gets angry and the green flame-type aura springs up, but the sword hasn't moved at all--and I'm pretty sure Roy has to actually move the sword if he wants to hit Xykon with it.


He is. In the second-last panel, he's standing with the sword held casually in one hand. In the last, he's bracing himself and taking a two-handed swing. The trail of green fire presumably marks the path of the blade, starting from behind his head.

[Pvednes]

Hahahahahahah!! THAT'S what it's about? Haahahahahah!

[SteveMB]

I've written a wizard very similar to Xykon before - high Int, high Cha, Wis lower than a two-year-old.
Sounds like our Siamese kitten. :smallsmile:

[carais]

I feel what I did feel back when Xykon was still running around with that crown - no, sorry, your forgetfullness, not really badass, more like a little girl's carnival/Helloween princess crown. :)

[Blood]

Roy gets so much funnier when he's angry. And Xykon seems to be good at making him angry.

[Baalzebub]

Is Xykon's behavior reminding anyone else of the late Raul Julia's portrayal of General Bison in the Streetfighter movie? They both have the most oblivious megalomania...

"To you, it was the most memorable day of your life, the day you met General Bison! To me... it was a Tuesday."

As for the crown registering as evil to Miko's paladin-senses, I presume that was just the Giant making a little plot-driven wrinkle in the rules.

You know, I was just thinking the same thing. :smallbiggrin:

[Fingolfin]

Very good comic, am I right, or am I right? :)

[mikeejimbo]

I was wondering when he'd get that back. And I didn't think it was particularly magic, either.

[Vulion]

...If only Roy had atken a level in barbarian, his rage would be such that Xykon would spend months finding all the pieces of his body.:smallbiggrin:

[lord_khaine]

it would have helped him a lot more if he had though to bring his greatclub, as his own father allready told him, a sword really isnt that effective against a skeleton.

[Albion]

Badass.
REALLY badass.

Unreal! :smallbiggrin:
I DID think the crown was magical, a lot too

[Noneoyabizzness]

dang charisma based casters, always need to look badass

gotta say the fact this banter goes on in the mid air fight scene rocks hardcore

[Fighteer]

it would have helped him a lot more if he had though to bring his greatclub, as his own father allready told him, a sword really isnt that effective against a skeleton.
A non-magical greatclub? Remember, DR 15/bludgeoning and magic.

A +5 greatsword, with Roy's specialization bonus and the undead blasting property is, right now, the only weapon anyone in Azure City has with a hope of harming Xykon. Well, I suppose a direct hit from a catapult might work, but his AC is probably high enough to make that fairly difficult.

Although it irks me slightly that only two members of OotS have managed to secure magical weapons by 13th level, it does make generating near-invincible badguys a lot easier.

[Calemyr]

Where is it said that Haley's bow, Durkon's hammer, or Belkar's daggers are non-magical? We only know Elan's shiny new rapier and Roy's glowing green greatsword are magical because they've been part of the plot.

By the way, is it just me or would now be at least an interesting time to try out that bag of tricks Roy owns. Things can only fly while carrying a light load, right? And with that Ring of Jumping, Roy is the most likely to escape a crash landing unscathed. Not a high chance of working, perhaps, but it would be a badass way to end the fight, no?

(Also, there's nothiing stating the AC gate has to be destroyed. If Xykon were beaten, they could regroup and go after another gate instead. Of course, we all know that this story will end with all the gates being destroyed and the Order doing battle with the Snarl because the gods are useless against it, so that's unlikely...)

[armatil]

this comic:

REALLY badass.

(also: hilarity ensued.)

[Azzurus]

truly laugh-out-loud funny! great comic!!

[Adeptus]

Excellent.

I love how solipsistic* Xykon is. He doesn't really pay attention to detail, or the insignificant creatures around him. It's an interesting take on a what a really powerful magician could well end up like.

Roy hasn't quite managed to become important enough at any point that Xykon would have actually noticed him as a person. He registeres as "a ragtat adventurer", a "swordsman with a dangerous weapon" and the like. So far never as a person with a meaningful identity.

*Basically this means that most things, or at least people, outside Xykon aren't all that real to him. People are just tools and obstacles, usually very easy to brush aside.

[SteveMB]

:roy: "Oh my GODS, I hate you so much!" That is one of the best lines ever. Poor Roy just losing it.

He just found out that the whole blood-oath thing that has overshadowed his life since college started over the equivalent of some gang-banger killing somebody over his cool threads. Poor Roy.




I imagine that when this is all said and done, Roy is going to have a few VERY choice words for his dear ol' dad.
Why? Roy already knew that Xykon killing his father's teacher was the reason for the whole quest. All that's changed in this strip is the reason for the killing - something Eugene quite likely had no idea of.

I don't think Roy is exactly 100% cooly rational on the subject of his father and the blood oath.

[Tach13]

Great comic, made me laugh so much it hurt (honestly, had surgery yesterday and it hurt, lol)
As for Roy's attacks, with the ring of jumping and the likely insane level of Xykon, I'd be going for the dragon. Roy knows he can hit it, and if it goes down with Xykon behind the walls, then the Order can deal with him easier than surrounded by minions.

[Purple_cloack]

No crown: Badass
crown: REALLY badass.

When I see xykon in his huyman form, he is really badass.

[Draz74]

ANYWAYS, did you notice the dragon wings keep going up and down? Nifty!!!

Later....

Yeah, but why does the string that held the crown fly off to the left? Is the dragon flying backwards? Weird inconsistency.

Anyway ... Speculation on Xykon's mental abilities?

[Aegeus]

How can Xykon's crown not be magical, but still float above hs head like that?

[MReav]

How can Xykon's crown not be magical, but still float above hs head like that?

The same way the Cup of the Giant Statue of Arthur Dent on Brontital manages to. Because artistic licence demands it.

[the_tick_rules]

I wonder if the giant has included that? I doubt xykon can have a very high ac even with +5 nat, with no armor, dex score unknown but probably not high, and we've never seen him cast mage armor or have any magical rings of protection or bracers of armor or anything.

[Freelance Henchman]

Somehow Xykon's voice in this strip when he says "Badass...Really Badass" turned into some sort of 70s Harlem-accented Blaxploitation Shaft voiceover. "Xykon - the black undead that don't quit when the questing gets rough, you dig?"

[Sky_Schemer]

Somebody mentioned that Xykon doesnt even have a scratch, and thats a good point

I imagine that part of this is due to the fact that Rich's method of showing injury doesn't translate well to a skeleton.

[Sky_Schemer]

Wow, Roy seems to get some kind of morale bonus to his saves when dealing with Xykon, because he seems to be making them with some consistency, as opposed to every other time.

Well, Roy is a pretty bad-ass fighter and his Fort save is awfully high. Xykon's Wisdom is so low that he's probably not going to figure out that he needs to be using different spells. :smallbiggrin:

[skinkatlarge]

You know, I think you're onto something here:

No wonder Xykon hangs out with Redcloak; he's probably the one to suggest the whole 'use the snarl'-idea and put everything together, while Xykon provides raw power.
And I bet Redcloak's goals are different from what he told Xykon. Accidental forest fire, huh...?

[zombie chick]

woo! great comic. should have realised that xykon would just kill someone for some nifty headgear. im suprised he doesnt have people coming to kill him over blood oaths every week with that kind of attitude.
'give into your anger young greenhilt, strike him down and take your place at my side'

[Fighteer]

Where is it said that Haley's bow, Durkon's hammer, or Belkar's daggers are non-magical? We only know Elan's shiny new rapier and Roy's glowing green greatsword are magical because they've been part of the plot.
It hasn't been established that they are magical, which is essentially the same thing. I don't own the books (yet), but I believe there's some additional exposition on the matter in On the Origin of PCs. Durkon's hammer and shield, for example, are masterwork but not magical, iirc. Someone with more in-depth knowledge might correct me, though.


By the way, is it just me or would now be at least an interesting time to try out that bag of tricks Roy owns. Things can only fly while carrying a light load, right? And with that Ring of Jumping, Roy is the most likely to escape a crash landing unscathed. Not a high chance of working, perhaps, but it would be a badass way to end the fight, no?
I think Roy discarded the bag of tricks after the bandit encounter. Certainly, you'd think there would have been at least some reference to it by now.


(Also, there's nothiing stating the AC gate has to be destroyed. If Xykon were beaten, they could regroup and go after another gate instead. Of course, we all know that this story will end with all the gates being destroyed and the Order doing battle with the Snarl because the gods are useless against it, so that's unlikely...)
Well, yeah, that's the "obvious" conclusion, but it's highly unlikely that the path there will be as simple or straightforward as "Xykon is beaten... again; the gate is destroyed... again; gee, we've only got one left, so we need to REALLY concentrate on stopping him this time guys..."

It's missing something.

[pendell]

Hahahahahahah!! THAT'S what it's about? Haahahahahah!

Somebody tell me ... why is this funny?

Xykon killed a human being AND his son. And he did it simply because he was too lazy to go on EvilBay and purchase or make his own crown. No, he sees something cool someone else has. Cool! Mine now! So I have to kill you to get it? Okay. What's a life or two?

Xykon demonstrates a callous disregard for any life but his own. And he murdered someone very close to Roy's father for no good reason.

I think Roy has an extremely good reason to be angry, and I don't think it's funny at all.

But I thought "badass... REALLY badass" WAS funny. Strange how such an evil villain nonetheless remains charming in some way. I'm perplexed at myself ... despite the fact that Xykon is clearly an evil villain with no regard for life, I'm still tempted to root for him nonetheless over stick-in-the-mud Roy. Weird, huh?

Great job as always, Rich.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[jindra34]

woo! great comic. should have realised that xykon would just kill someone for some nifty headgear. im suprised he doesnt have people coming to kill him over blood oaths every week with that kind of attitude.
'give into your anger young greenhilt, strike him down and take your place at my side'

most people do not have the will/what have you of ROy to keep a blood oath going they also seem to be smart enough to not invest their entire life into trying to stop a level n lich cause ya' know thats suicidal

[Hushdawg]

You know, I think you're onto something here:

And I bet Redcloak's goals are different from what he told Xykon. Accidental forest fire, huh...?


That's a very good point, especially since Redcloak and Miko had automatic antimosity for one another. Perhaps the "Bearers of the Crimson Mantle" are a group of baddies who worship/serve the Snarl just as the paladins of Azure City guard it and keep it from getting free. VERY interesting theorem, kudos.


Woot! my first spoiler! (hope I did it right) :smallbiggrin:

[CGM3]

should have realised that xykon would just kill someone for some nifty headgear. im suprised he doesnt have people coming to kill him over blood oaths every week with that kind of attitude.

For all we know, someone is showing up every week or so to seek revenge on Xykon for something he did to their family/city/faith/nation/people/what-have-you, the Giant just hasn't seen fit to show that yet. Which explains why Xykon doesn't remember Roy; he's merely a face in the crowd. :smallsmile:

[SteveMB]

For all we know, someone is showing up every week or so to seek revenge for something Xykon did against their family/city/faith/nation/peoplewhat-have-you, the Giant just hasn't seen fit to show that yet. Which explains why Xykon doesn't remember Roy; he's just one of the crowd. :smallsmile:

True -- the rest of them might simply get killed before they get anywhere near Xykon, or get killed by Xykon so easily that he doesn't even notice anything but a trivial and quickly forgotten interruption in his routine.

[Hushdawg]

True -- the rest of them might simply get killed before they get anywhere near Xykon, or get killed by Xykon so easily that he doesn't even notice anything but a trivial and quickly forgotten interruption in his routine.

Or it could just be that since they aren't part of the core story of OOTS that they don't appear on-screen.

Just like every encounter with the Klingons wasn't shown on Star Trek because it didn't involve anyone directly related to The Enterprise Crew or the Federation for that matter.

Whoah... I've drawn parallels between D&D, Transformers and Star Trek all in the same day...

I think I gained a geek level.

*ping!*

Ooh skill points!

[AyuVince]

That's a very good point, especially since Redcloak and Miko had automatic antimosity for one another. Perhaps the "Bearers of the Crimson Mantle" are a group of baddies who worship/serve the Snarl just as the paladins of Azure City guard it and keep it from getting free. VERY interesting theorem, kudos.


Woot! my first spoiler! (hope I did it right) :smallbiggrin:

Sorry to spoil your first spoiler :smallwink:, but that theory has already been discussed by other geeks in this forum. Nonetheless, if so many bright people suspect this, you might be on to something.

[atteSmythe]

Somebody tell me ... why is this funny?

It's absurdity humor. It's not funny when a kid gets knifed for his Air Jordans, but a sorcerer killing a librarian who's actually an archmage for a non-magical crown, in a high-magic setting, thus spawning a blood oath and a failed quest for vengeance, now passed on to his son who's already risked life and limb once, thought he succeeded, and now has to do it again, all over a non-magical crown?

That's funny.

[Calemyr]

"This is Lesley Nim, the last of his kin. Xykon was bored, then Les reached for his sword. Poor old Les.

This is Anton Moore, dead to his core. His home town burnt to the ground, now his cries for revenge are the only sound. Moore regrets.

They tracked him down, they faced him down, he showed off his crown and began the round. Init he gets.

A fireball threw them to the wall. Though they burned away, their outlines still stay. Matching sets.

Xykon moved on, never asked why. Do we really care how all his victims die? Moore or Les."

[Adeptus]

For all we know, someone is showing up every week or so to seek revenge on Xykon for something he did to their family/city/faith/nation/people/what-have-you, the Giant just hasn't seen fit to show that yet. Which explains why Xykon doesn't remember Roy; he's merely a face in the crowd. :smallsmile:

Nah, all he has got are some snarky comments. :smallsmile:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0112.html

[Nathander]

I doubt xykon can have a very high ac even with +5 nat, with no armor, dex score unknown but probably not high, and we've never seen him cast mage armor or have any magical rings of protection or bracers of armor or anything.

While we haven't seen him actually cast any protection spells on himself, there's almost certainly a very good chance he has had them cast on him, either by himself or by Redcloak. He did, after all, go into battle with Greater Invisibility cast on himself (while it was part of the trick, it also would have provided him with protection) And while it hasn't been brought up, and thus can't necessarily be considered canon, there is the slight possibility that the robe Xykon wears could be a Robe of the Archmagi. But that's really just guessing.

As for the comic itself, I thought it was fairly entertaining. Not one of the best, but still fun. Xykon putting the crown on was the best part.

[jscheibel]

I may be thinking a bit far ahead but...

I keep waiting for durkon to shine. (he's my favorite character) Though I doubt we'll ever see another thunder clap like that :smallbiggrin: It occurs to me he does best in their darkest hour... It also occurs to me, he's suppose to die and the main evil guy is undead which is a setup for an epic ending... not to deny roy his glory... I think he's getting his right now :smallsmile: I'm just thinking in the end our cleric friend will save the day and die in the process.

Do you all think its to early for something like that to happen?

[Black_Light83]

ha ha ha , i saw some guy who started a thread the day of this comic ( b 4 release) who called it!:smalltongue:

[urodivoi]

I break my long silence on the forum to say:

Oh, jolly well done chap!


"This is Lesley Nim, the last of his kin. Xykon was bored, then Les reached for his sword. Poor old Les.

This is Anton Moore, dead to his core. His home town burnt to the ground, now his cries for revenge are the only sound. Moore regrets.

They tracked him down, they faced him down, he showed off his crown and began the round. Init he gets.

A fireball threw them to the wall. Though they burned away, their outlines still stay. Matching sets.

Xykon moved on, never asked why. Do we really care how all his victims die? Moore or Les."

[Goblin Music]

i saw some thing in the second to last square. Roy's sword was under the undead dragon's cut

[Lumenadducere]

That last line of Roy's made me start cracking up. The "hilarity ensued" bit, too.

And I'm not surprised Xykon's an Epic-Level character. I mean, he IS trying to release a deity-killer to take over the world/universe/multiverse...I'd naturally think that'd require epic levels.

[factotum]

And I'm not surprised Xykon's an Epic-Level character. I mean, he IS trying to release a deity-killer to take over the world/universe/multiverse...I'd naturally think that'd require epic levels.

I don't think even Xykon is stupid enough to actually release the Snarl--he must know that would result in the end of all things (either the Snarl destroys everything, or the gods destroy it all in order to remake the Snarl's prison). I think he means to use the gate to gain some sort of power, but I don't think that involves releasing the Snarl.

(Unless, of course, all the people who say Redcloak has his own agenda are right and he's feeding Xykon false information :smallconfused: )...

[Balance]

But I thought "badass... REALLY badass" WAS funny. Strange how such an evil villain nonetheless remains charming in some way. I'm perplexed at myself ... despite the fact that Xykon is clearly an evil villain with no regard for life, I'm still tempted to root for him nonetheless over stick-in-the-mud Roy. Weird, huh?

Simple enough--he's a powerful sorcerer. Ergo, he must have a high Charisma.

:smallwink:

[Black_Light83]

ha ha ha , lolololol i love xykon so much :xykon: = God on crack

[factotum]

I'd agree, this is one of those "DM things". The player would argue that it was stop at the end that inflicted the damage.


So, Belkar sets up a hinged axe on a doorway that's designed to swing down and decapitate anyone who walks through...does the MoJ trigger when this trap goes off? I say yes, because he's maliciously intending to harm someone. By your argument he could say that the axe was doing the damage, not he himself, and so get round the MoJ.

Similarly, the MoJ has to apply when either the victim or Belkar is inside the city bounds, or else he could use some sort of ranged weapon to kill people from outside the gates!

Any DM worth his salt who set up a situation like this would make the MoJ work as intended regardless of how the player tried to work round it, unless, of course, he WANTED it to fail for some reason.

[TheLeafyNarc]

Just a brief thanks from an old geek who survived his first dungeon in 1979.
I don't get some of the references, but it brings back some good memories, plus it's just plain smart and funny as hell. It's the ONLY web comic I follow, and I'm one of the herd causing server lag around midnight on posting nights. You restore my faith in the internet. THANK YOU.