4 th edition Oots

[StickMan]

We've seen them updated from 3.0 to 3.5 will they make the jump to 4.0 when it comes out?

I can see Rich doing it but only if it does not harm the story.

[PaladinFreak]

I think that would bo cool, but I'm not sure Rich would do that intill a while after it came out.

[Morty]

Well, if races and classes will be changed significantly, the hilarity will ensue when for example Vaarsuvius will notice that his elven abilities s/he so proud of aren't the same anymore. And OoTS trying to learn and remember new rules would be golden.

[chibibar]

Yea. I am guessing that the change will only occur if it is funny.

I know when upgrade from 3.0 to 3.5 it was really funny cause Elan got a Chainmail shirt while Belkar got weapon shrinkage :)

[Porthos]

The change to 4E is going to be Pretty Big News, so I'd expect some sort of mention of it in the comic (even an oblique, "nahh we're sticking with 3.5 in this setting" comment from one of the characters).

Of course, since it has been revealed that the DnD Insider Experience will have a Comic/Humor section, there is nothing to say that the Order of the Stick (4E style) can't have wacky adventures over there. :smallamused:

In fact I'd be fairly surprised if WotC didn't try to get Order of the Stick signed up for it's Digital Insider Experience. :smallsmile:

[malakim2099]

:miko: What? You wish three dimensional representations of stick figures? Clearly this is a sign from the Twelve Gods that you must die! *slash slash slash*

(Since the rumored 4.0 is allegedly mini-heavy)

[ALOR]

In fact I'd be fairly surprised if WotC didn't try to get Order of the Stick signed up for it's Digital Insider Experience. :smallsmile:

I too would be very surprised as well if Oots is not included.

[Porthos]

I too would be very surprised as well if Oots is not included.

Rich has been awfully quiet on the Dragon-OotS front, hasn't he? :smallamused:

I know that he was entertaining ideas of shoping the strip to other Gaming Mags/Outlets (see his comments on other boards). Yet he hasn't breathed a word about the Dragon-OotS strips in quite a long time. It's almost as if he were under a NDA about it or something.

Invent conspiracy theories with little-to-no evidence to back it up? Moi? Surely you jest. :smallbiggrin:

[Spiryt]

Well, depeneds on how much the 4th edition will be different.

For example, suddenly Belkar will be able to cast spells? Beacuse Wisdom would be no longer needed to do so. That would be... freaky. :smallbiggrin:


Anyway, OotS is probably too "serious" comic now (even if of course, is still parodique). Maybe it's only my impression, but it seems to me that jokes like "Oh, I'm being transfered to new edition" or " answering the mails" won't fit any more (as much as I loved them).

[ALOR]

Rich has been awfully quiet on the Dragon-OotS front, hasn't he? :smallamused:

I know that he was entertaining ideas of shoping the strip to other Gaming Mags/Outlets (see his comments on other boards). Yet he hasn't breathed a word about the Dragon-OotS strips in quite a long time. It's almost as if he were under a NDA about it or something.

Invent conspiracy theories with little-to-no evidence to back it up? Moi? Surely you jest. :smallbiggrin:

My thoughts exactly. I would not be surprised if thier is an update about this shortly after the countdown clock on Wizards runs out. consider me a follower of your conspirecy theroy.

[Ithekro]

I was going to say you people are fast. That was announced today.

I could see it happening if Rich has a set of rules and likes the changes enough for it to either be funny or benefit the story at that time. Sort of like a level up to balance their failure of Azure City. But it would depend greatly on what is different in the rules I would assume.

[rollfrenzy]

Just to throw a monkey wrench in and play "baatzu's advocate"



No more new projects. The thing is, most of what I do, you guys don’t see until its finished. I didn’t announce Start of Darkness until it was completed, so no one knew that I had been working around the clock for five months on it. So while I will be taking on no new merchandise projects for a while, you should be aware that there are 4-5 existing projects that are mostly done (some of which would have been available for GenCon). These will still come out as intended, so you should expect to see some new book and board game announcements in the next few months, after which it will taper back a bit. Of course, even then, regular compilations of the online strip will continue for as long as OOTS itself does.

Of course if he's feeling all right...

and he wants to...

and if he doens't consider it a "project"...

[Porthos]

I was going to say you people are fast. That was announced today.

Actually we found out about it last night. :smalltongue: WotC "accidentally" opened up the 4E forums for about 15 minutes last night, and the news spiraled out of control from there. :smallsmile:

[Drider]

I was going to say you people are fast. That was announced today.

I could see it happening if Rich has a set of rules and likes the changes enough for it to either be funny or benefit the story at that time. Sort of like a level up to balance their failure of Azure City. But it would depend greatly on what is different in the rules I would assume.

1. halflings become huge, increasing belkar's size, but weapon's being bigger cause damage to go down, thus more weapon shrinkage.
2.elven wizards are only allowed to be a certain gender.
3.dwarves only choice of gods are:1 nerull 2.obad hei 3. kord
4.bards cast with str, but cha is helpful in combat while str help diplomacy, bluff, and intimidate.
5.monkey stat blocks switch with sharks, causing lien to swim atop a monkey
6.paladin mounts ride you, instead of vice versa

[O.T.R]

Perhaps 4th Ed will only come into the comic upon the success of Redcloak's Plan- if Goblins become a player race with some neat bonuses, alignment choice or their lot is generally improved in 4th Ed. You'd have to refresh my memory, it's been years since I last played.

[Porthos]

While I can see mentions of the Upcoming Changes Storm in the strip, I'll point out that 4E won't be out till May/June/July next year (PHB/MM/DMG respectively - followed by four more "Optional" Core books) with previews out in Dec and Jan. So we got a while before the reality of 4E starts to intrude on the comic. :smallwink:

[Morty]

Perhaps 4th Ed will only come into the comic upon the success of Redcloak's Plan- if Goblins become a player race with some neat bonuses, alignment choice or their lot is generally improved in 4th Ed. You'd have to refresh my memory, it's been years since I last played.

It's not going to happen if you ask me. If there's something I'm certain about 4ed it's that orcs and goblinoids will remain the same cannon fodder as they have always been.

[Hushdawg]

I don't think Rich will do a strip where the characters convert to 4.0 although he may incorporate things from the new version and have the upgrade being done "off panel."

That is, IF he does anything at all.

Rich mentioned in the introduction for Dungeon Crawlin' Fools that he felt the humor from the 3.0 to 3.5 conversion was very dated and that few people actually recall the shake-up that happened at that point.

As for me, it never hit me because my DM had the opinion of "We started the campaign in 3.0 then we finish it in 3.0!!" After the campaign was over and we created new characters THEN we switched to 3.5 edition.

Perhaps the OOTS campaign will take that option as well.
The transfer to 3.5 was due to the campaign just starting and so it wasn't a big deal; but here we are four books into the thing and a lot of story set up around the 3.5 universe.

Changing to 4.0 may eventually become needed; but given his reaction to the 3.5 strip I think he'll just let it happen in between strips and generate a few bonus strips for the book compelation

[SteveMB]

Actually we found out about it last night. :smalltongue: WotC "accidentally" opened up the 4E forums for about 15 minutes last night, and the news spiraled out of control from there. :smallsmile:

"Accidentally"? Surely you aren't suggesting that they'd do a cheap publicity stunt.... :smallwink:

[Wrecan]

IF he does a conversion strip. he'll probably wait until all three corebooks are released by next July. That way, he'll have enough time to figure out all the humorous glitches in the new system.

Or -- since the corebooks are being released one month apart -- we could have a running gag, as the monsters suddenly "upgrade" and then the characters do, and the world changes (with the DMG release).

[chibibar]

"Accidentally"? Surely you aren't suggesting that they'd do a cheap publicity stunt.... :smallwink:

Viral advertising is the best and probably the fastest type :)

[Porthos]

Rich mentioned in the introduction for Dungeon Crawlin' Fools that he felt the humor from the 3.0 to 3.5 conversion was very dated and that few people actually recall the shake-up that happened at that point.

Then again, part of his frustration with the strip is that it is the very first strip and therefore the Rules Conversion Joke might not work as an Opening Strip. Since Rich has continued to pepper the strip with Rules Jokes, even during such Dramatic Arcs as the most recent one, I see no reason why he might not make some sort of reference to the 4th Edition Madness a goin' on. :smallsmile:

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Don't know how Rich will make a joke out of this, but as soon as the countdown timer for the announcement reached Zero, the website crashed...

[Kioran]

I´m afraid of this - I don´t want to imagine Roy as a Warblade...or even worse, the lovely Miss Miyazaki as Crusader. Somethings are simply to disgusting to contemplate.....

[Pokemaster]

Only if the rules come out in the middle of a threeway battle between Xykon, the Order of the Stick and the Linear Guild. All characters convert and spend the next few strips trying to kill each other while trying to figure out how their abilities work.

[malakim2099]

Actually, I expect this to be one of the "Questions from Readers" filler strips, the more I think about it. I don't think they'll bump to 4th ed, since that's a significant change.

[RAGE KING!]

i hope 4th edition doesnt come out, but i agree with everybody else if it does.

Edit - i read the other thread, and i now realize 4th edition is a certainty.

[NeonRonin]

I'm having a headache enough speculating over D&D 4th edition, I'm just hoping for the sake of my remaining mental health that it doesn't cause too much of a firestorm on the OotS side of things. With any luck, we'll be able to continue like nothing ever happened.

(Everyone knows this edition upgrade is just another way to milk the players for more money while providing the same- or even worse- quality of gaming material. We're all thinking it, but few of us have the guts to SAY it!!!)

(P.S. If the WotC boys come to take me in the middle of the night because I said it, it's been an honor to share the forums with you guys. :smallbiggrin: )

[Hushdawg]

(Everyone knows this edition upgrade is just another way to milk the players for more money while providing the same- or even worse- quality of gaming material. We're all thinking it, but few of us have the guts to SAY it!!!)


Not to sideline too far off topic; but I said the same thing when someone suggested we go from 2nd edition standard D&D to the "Advanced" edition.

well... I was wrong

I was wrong about 3.0
I was wrong about 3.5

So I'm optimistic about 4.0 and will probably use the release to coerce my wife into joining the role-playing experience (not THAT way, ya stinkin' pervert!). She's afraid of joining because she doesn't want to be embarassed for not knowing the rules. This way I can say "Look honey, everyone's having to learn the rules again anyway."

That's one of the major beauties of new editions of the game coming out is that it increases the comfort level for new people to come into the experience.

[Firestar27]

I was going to say you people are fast. That was announced today.

I could see it happening if Rich has a set of rules and likes the changes enough for it to either be funny or benefit the story at that time. Sort of like a level up to balance their failure of Azure City. But it would depend greatly on what is different in the rules I would assume.

WHAT??!?!?!?!!
DND 4th edition was announced today?
Why wasn't I alerted immediately?
Oh man, and the DnD site's down too.
And I just bought a new 3.5 book.
But I think my DnD group will stick with 3.5. One of our players is new, and he just learned 3.5; no need to teach him 4.0. Not to mention I just love 3.5. I might change over, but I'll more likely by to 4.0 books to see how it has changed.
Unless I'm misunderstanding and 4th Edition wasn't announced.

[PooAvenger]

"I believe we are being converted to the 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons"

"What the hell?! Weren't we converted a year ago?!"

"GIMME MONEY!!"-Wizards Avatar in OotS

Classic.

[jamroar]

WHAT??!?!?!?!!
DND 4th edition was announced today?
Why wasn't I alerted immediately?
Oh man, and the DnD site's down too.
And I just bought a new 3.5 book.
But I think my DnD group will stick with 3.5. One of our players is new, and he just learned 3.5; no need to teach him 4.0. Not to mention I just love 3.5. I might change over, but I'll more likely by to 4.0 books to see how it has changed.
Unless I'm misunderstanding and 4th Edition wasn't announced.

It's announced to be in production. It won't be in shops until May next year.

[Mr Wizard]

Don't know how Rich will make a joke out of this, but as soon as the countdown timer for the announcement reached Zero, the website crashed...


I believe its all fake. I dont believe there could be that much traffic. Its all publicity to reinforce the viral marketing ploy.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=wizards.com%2F

That website contains traffick data for Wizards.com, in two days, it will have been updated to today, just go there and look in two days to see the traffick spike.

Also, lookie here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/welcome&redir=1

A friend of mine found that on the sitemap. I dont know what it is, since I didnt see the website before it went down, and every link takes you to the "site is down" page if you click on it.


EDIT: And to bemore on topic, I believe the Giant will switch to 4th edition and update the comic to it(that is, if The OoTs story goes on that long) as soon as he can. My logic says that since he makes his living through the game, staying up-to-date will be a priority for him, and the update will occur when appropriate so he can focus his undivided attention on 4th edition rather than juggling multiple versions (and to exploit the humor that will no doubt result from it. :smallbiggrin: )

[Porthos]

I believe its all fake. I dont believe there could be that much traffic. Its all publicity to reinforce the viral marketing ploy.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=wizards.com%2F

That website contains traffick data for Wizards.com, in two days, it will have been updated to today, just go there and look in two days to see the traffick spike.

I was able to get in, after an hour of trying, but it was frozen molasses slow. The only way they could fake that is if they were intentionally throttling their servers. And there is no way that happened.

The website crashed under the heavy load. There is no debate about this....

.... Or is ENWorld (which was down for several hours) part of the conspriacy as well. :smallwink:

[Mr Wizard]

I was able to get in, after an hour of trying, but it was frozen molasses slow. The only way they could fake that is if they were intentionally throttling their servers. And there is no way that happened.

The website crashed under the heavy load. There is no debate about this....

.... Or is ENWorld (which was down for several hours) part of the conspriacy as well. :smallwink:


Well I didnt say I was sure it was true. But in two days we certainly will find out. :smallwink:

I am not saying this as someone who is terribly excited about it or a conspiracy nut. I just wanted to check up on some articles when I discovered the website was down, then looked for reasons as to why it was. I dont see any evidence as to how a website which already was receiving a jump in users suddenly not function. I dont believe it until I see evidence to the contrary, and so for the only evidence is this technical difficulties page.

Also you can compare enworld to wizards. Every major Site rankings program puts Wizards way above ENworld. Unless they are on the same server, I think it would take much less to knock that site down.

EDIT: Heck, just switch the graph to the maximum allowable distance alexa has been tracking Wizards.com. Its not even the first time its jumped to these levels.

[Oxymoron]

After reading every little scrap of information about 4th edition I could get my grubby little hands on, I have to say this:

I don`t think The Giant will convert to 4th edition. There are going to be some major changes. Not all core classes will make it. If the bard, ranger or sorcerer class is dropped in 4th edition, then what? Belkar suddenly becomes a fighter, Elan a mime and Xykon a very angry commoner? If the changes are too major, the Giant could hurt the story. It`s a 3,5 campaign and should stay that way.

However, if someone could pull it off in a funny way, it would be the Giant.:smallbiggrin:

[Ariko]

As the above said, and they have stated outright that it is unlikely to be compatible with 3.5 campaigns

[Ecalsneerg]

If they drop Ranger, forget OoTS changing, I will kill someone.

[Aerysil]

:vaarsuvius: : I understand. I believe we are being converted to the new 4th edition.
:roy: : Well I do feel more Persuasive... almost as much as I was Intimidating...
:hinjo: : Me too, yet as much as I was Diplomatic...
:vader: : I find your lack of dissimilarity to Star Wars Saga Edition disturbing...

Where's the Hinjo icon!!!

[Pokemaster]

If they drop Ranger, forget OoTS changing, I will kill someone.

If they drop halflings or rangers... Belkar will probably beat you to it.

On a side note, I read somewhere that gnomes, halflings and half-elves were the most likely to get dropped, because they weren't popular enough. OotS's got Belkar for the halflings and V had his half-elf double, but does anyone remember any gnomes?

[Aerysil]

I believe everyone's favorite bad little druid was a gnome.

Leeky Windstaff, that was it!

[Ecalsneerg]

If they drop halflings or rangers... Belkar will probably beat you to it.


It's a large company. I'll go for one side of the US, he'll come frm the other. We'll meet in the middle.

[Gundato]

There will be at least one (probably more) comics poking fun, since it is just too ripe.

And Half-Elves are still in, but they are now "inspiring" rather than just sub-par Humans.

[TroyXavier]

Bard may get axed...so where will that leave Elan? From what I've read, seems Rangers will be borrowing some stuff from Scout to fill out their levels.

[heroe_de_leyenda]

Halflings are staying, so are Rangers. So Belkar stays.


Here’s a highly probable conversation lifted from the future, one year from today, as two players who’ve just met at a convention discuss their PC choices for their upcoming D&D game.
....
“My elf fighter uses a spear. I like the speed and the option to go past AC. But you’ve got the fighter covered. I’ll play a halfling rogue.”

There you have: halflins are in. Check http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drdd/20070816a

I have read about the Ranger: "Ranger kills the scout and loots his corpse. Sorry scout, you didn't make it" (i have to look fotr the quote, i believe it's from ashockney, who was at the seminar in GenCon

The Half-elf is staying too:

n the final version of 4th Edition, most of your racial traits come into play right out of the gate at 1st level—dwarven resilience, elven evasion, a half-elf’s inspiring presence, and so on
Check http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/drdd/20070816a

[Oxymoron]

If they drop halflings or rangers... Belkar will probably beat you to it.

On a side note, I read somewhere that gnomes, halflings and half-elves were the most likely to get dropped, because they weren't popular enough. OotS's got Belkar for the halflings and V had his half-elf double, but does anyone remember any gnomes?

D&D actually dropping something? Don`t make me laugh. In 3rd edition they had this wonderfull opportunity to get rid of some of the lamer sub-races, but did they? Of course not. Half-elves: This wonderful sub-race that share only the lamest traits from both their parents but none of the good ones. Aquatic elves: Another great sub-race that dies if they stray too far away from the sea.

The rest of the elven sub-races actually don`t suck, but do they really have to create a sub-race compatible for almost every class? Grey elves: with their -2 str and +2 int they make great wizards. Wood elves: why play a half-orc fighter when you can just play a wood elf fighter with the same stats without the -2 cha penalty? (Yes, they still get a -2 penalty to con and no darkvision, but they also get the +2 dex bonus and all the other cool elven traits). And at last the wild elves: +2 dex -2 int and of course NO CON PENALTY! Barbarian elf here I come! Wood elves and wild elves makes poor wizards you say? Yes, but then I will choose the gray elf instead. BLISS! And why must every new book I buy have to have loads of elven prestige classes, while the other demi-races only get a small handfull each? They should call it Dungeons and Elves instead. I don`t HATE elves, but they are kinda FAVORED i think.

Moving on........Haflings. The hafling race is great and they make some of the best rouges I`ve ever seen, but couldn`t the developers have come up with some better sub-races? You have the tallfellows that are almost like elves and you have the deep hafling that are almost like dwarves. They don`t actually suck, but they aren`t really that creative either. Just cut them from from 2nd edition and paste them to 3rd edition and hope no-one notices. Give me a hafling sub-race that is somewhat original please.

Gnomes: I have nothing against the svirfneblins or the forest gnomes, but when you had to drop a sub-race, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DROP THE TINKER GNOME? You`ve got this crazy sub-race of mad inventors with keen minds (+2 int) but with no common sense (-2 wis). At least the +2 con bonus comes in handy when they blow up their houses. Tinker gnomes were my favorites in second edition.:smalleek:

Dwarves: Ok, now I`m just whining, but since the hill dwarves and mountain dwarfs are exactly the same (except some minor skin and hair differences), why even bother to make them into two separate sub-races?

I truly hope the 4th edition developers try to be more creative next time. If they are going to make a sub-race, they could at least make it interesting. I hope half-elves gets dropped because they aren`t unique. They just share traits with their parents. The half-dwarf, half-gnome and half-halfling would be equally uncreative even if you gave them the best traits from their parent races. Don`t worry though, they won`t remove the hafling and gnome.

[Ecalsneerg]

I never really understood Bard as a PrC. "Ok, I've learned all these bad-ass fighting and magic techniques. Now let's play music to people."

But if Ranger borrows from Scout, I'm happy. I always liked the sound of the Scout class, and so long as the divine spells and access to an animal continues in some form, I'll be happy.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

The announcement of 4th Ed. makes me feel as if I have mayo in my soul. If OotS changed to 4.0 I'd be very, very sad.

[Emperor Ing]

the OOTS suffered a conversion before. Read Strip #1. :smallsmile:

[Adventurer]

I believe that when 4th Edition will come out, the OotS-ers will mention it but will continue playing on 3.5. I'm thinking three scenarios :

1 - a whole strip) There will be a double-sized strip with the characters in OotS changing according to it, then realising they hate it and demanding they turn back to 3.5, which will happen at the strip's end.

2 - a whole line) At some moment of rest, Elan will state "Did you guys hear? D&D 4th edition is out, shouldn't we upgrade to it?" and then Roy or Belkar will exclaim "Not again! We already gave that much money to buy PhB, DMM etc etc, there is no way in the universe that we're going to buy another series of books yet again!" and the strip will continue as per normal.

3 - a single panel ) At some point, Elan will point out "Hey why does this spell/skill/feat work this way? Wasn't it changed in 4th Edition?" and Haley will point out "Elan, we already agreed we would stick to 3.5 because the DM is too lazy to learn the rules all over again, stop bringing that up already".

[Elderac]

I was watching some of the promotional videos and it was said on one of them that they wanted the end product to be recognizable as DnD.

To me that means the races and classes we have now will still remain.

There will be some fine tuning and new options, and some of that was discussed on the site, but I expect that a 4th level fighter or whatnot will not be so different from what we know today so as to be unrecognizable.

I was initially skeptical about the new edition, but after watching and reading some of the material, I think I will enjoy the new edition.

That said, I don't think that we will see an upgrade comic.

[the_tick_rules]

an update, probably, but after a while. it'll take a while playing 4th edition to get enough material to get good jokes off of.

[Grug]

I'm very excited aboubt 4th edition. I am all for rebalancing of classes, expecially since I get very annoyed when my friend goes on about how stupid I am for playing a fighter or Warmage. Racial abilites will be cool too. Imagine an army of orc fighters charging over the land like a windstorm while the dwarves stand strong like a landslide.

Actually, if there's a racial ability, they'll probably get rid of the commoner class and just have poeple be level 2 elves or level 1 dwarves, just like 1st edition. It adds a lot of flavor when a person with a class level has a significant edge over someone who doesn't.

[Doug Lampert]

I believe that when 4th Edition will come out, the OotS-ers will mention it but will continue playing on 3.5. I'm thinking three scenarios :

The problem with all three of those scenarios is that they largely wreck FUTURE jokes about stupid rules. You can't ridicule the rules properly unless you are pointing at the current ruleset.

The problem with converting is that it generates a comic that seems lame a few years later. Which is fine as long as it isn't the FIRST comic in a book or on the website. The problem with not converting is that it eventually generates comics that seem lame RIGHT NOW, which isn't fine at all.

And conversions are ripe with possible jokes, he's got a month to joke about either having converted the characters but not yet having the DMG to convert the rest of the world, or for the characters to complain about not yet having nifty powers because the world conversion is still waiting. A second month to joke about having both the PHB and DMG but not being able to actually use them properly due to the lack of a MM, and a third month for jokes about converting the monsters.

Unless the comic ends prior to the MM having been out a month or so there WILL be a conversion episode, and set of jokes, at some point.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Well, rather than freak out, and start calling WotC "Wizard$ of the Co$t" and all that, I decided to take a look at what WotC has in mind...

First, it's still D20, and the SRD remains in effect. Wizards/Hasbro has decided that it's better to have one big bucket than a few dozen little buckets.

The game is still "mostly" the same, really making this the Windows 95 to Windows 98 step up rather than the MS-DOS 5.0 to Windows 3.1 leap. Grapple is supposed to be a bit simpler (Rich made a joke about this in the Dragon Comics), and other game play refinements. The two biggest changes are:

1. Easier Character Creation. The interface is computer based, sort of like the "Character Creator" that shipped with 3.0, but in this case, it's supposed to actually work! Your character is built like a WoW/Evercrack character generator, plus it creates a "mini" based on your artwork. The idea is to create a character in minutes instead of 45min to an hour or more. Not sure about the "I only play monsters races" players out there, but there should be a good spread of options.

2. Virtual kitchen table. With more emphasis on minis, and Dungeon Tiles, the DM can map out the dungeon with drag and drop, and characters move through the dungeon seeing only what they can see. There are flip tiles for traps, drawing tools for DMs to add "secret rooms," etc. There's also a Web Server set up, in case your D&D buddies have moved away.

Other things WotC seems to be looking at is "Edition Neutral" source material, to attract the "If it's not Scottish 1st Ed/2nd Ed, it's CRRRRAAAPP!!!" players who never made the leap to 3.x. Story and background info, but no game mechanics.

I have no idea what jokes Rich will make about 4.0, but I'd expect "Our Heroes" to walk through a 3-D transmorgifier, then decide they like being 2-D stick figures and go back through the other way...

Of course, we might have a return to the chuul battle, and a different result.

[Solo]

y
6.paladin mounts ride you, instead of vice versa

Is it wrong of me to be turned on by this?

[GSFB]

I predict the conversion to 4.0 will be in the last comic, just as the conversion to 3.5 was in the first. That makes the most beautiful story arc of all.

Rich will have time to figure out all the weird things that happen with a 3.5 to 4.0 conversion, and will have an opportunity to plan out something really funny.

Like, for instance, imagine if there is some very, very different way to calculate XP, and something very different at high levels (we already know from the releases that 4.0 will be a 30 level system instead of a 20 + epic level system). Now, imagine the end of the final battle. The characters are all 20th level. Xykon is defeated. They are about to get XP and become eligible for epic level rules. V will be able to cast epic level spells, i.e., ULTIMATE ARCANE POWER! Then, at that moment, the conversion occurs...

The party says "hey, I feel weird... what's happening?" "oh no! we're being converted to 4.0!" "dang it! now we can't level up!" "aw crap, now I won't get my ultimate arcane power after all!" Then the MitD, who was about to step out from under the Hello Kitty Umbrella of Darkness to finally enact revenge against the OotS for killing his master, goes "POOF!" and disappears... because he wasn't included in the 4.0 Monster Manual and is magically transported to the holding tank with all the other anomalies (landing on a flumph).

Yes, there will be a 4.0 conversion, at the end, when it will make sense and be funny!

Last line by a member of OotS will be from V, as s/he is casting a Gate spell, "I hear there is an opening for some 20th level adventures in the 'Living Forgotten Realms' campaign... wanna go?"

THE END

[Ecalsneerg]

Grapple is supposed to be a bit simpler (Rich made a joke about this in the Dragon Comics), and other game play refinements.
I never understood this. Grapple is two opposed checks. Where's the complication?

[Kurald Galain]

I never understood this. Grapple is two opposed checks. Where's the complication?

Does starting a grapple provoke an AOO of the one you're grappling? Of anyone else? Is a grappling character flat-footed wrt sneak attack? What about a grapplED character? Can you bull rush while grappling? Can you use small weapons while grappling? What about large weapons? Natural weapons? If you have multiple attacks per round, can you grapple with each of them? What happens to the others if the first works? Etc.

[Uthrac]

Rich "already knows what the last panel will look like."

I don't expect the last comic to be a 4.0 conversion.

[Hagentai]

We've seen them updated from 3.0 to 3.5 will they make the jump to 4.0 when it comes out?

I can see Rich doing it but only if it does not harm the story.

Dear God no.. I might have to upgrade if the writer makes it look to appealing.

[LM TR]

the story is set somewhat in the past, since the 3.5 upgrade was released quite some years ago, but happened in strip #1 which is in-game only weeks away from where the story is now (only some weeks passed from #1-482 that is)

[Porthos]

the story is set somewhat in the past, since the 3.5 upgrade was released quite some years ago, but happened in strip #1 which is in-game only weeks away from where the story is now (only some weeks passed from #1-482 that is)

We have no idea how many Gaming Sessions have taken place from 1-482, nor how often the group meets. Especially when you factor in a sick DM. :smalltongue:

[The Extinguisher]

For all intents and purposes, we should assume there are no players or DM unless discussing them. Also, it's been a few months in-game time, not a few weeks. It took them weeks to get the treasure out of the dragon cave, and probably a few weeks to get to Azure City from in inn, and who knows how long they spent in the dungeon.

Anyway, I don't think that Rich will upgrade. The only reason he could updrage from 3.0 the 3.5 because it was the very first comic. Sure, he has a good year until he needs to, but they are changing a few things around, and that could screw up the comic or the story.

And there will be enough people still playing 3.5 to make 3.5 rule jokes. Converting doesn't seem like the best idea, because we don't even know if 3.5 campaigns will even be compaitable with the new edition.

[The Black Cat]

Haley's father was a first edition Thief. She is a 3rd edition Rogue. Her child will be a 4th edition rogue-ish/bard-ish thing.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

the story is set somewhat in the past, since the 3.5 upgrade was released quite some years ago, but happened in strip #1 which is in-game only weeks away from where the story is now (only some weeks passed from #1-482 that is)

That's something I've been trying to figure out for a while...

How long in "OotS Calandar Time" has passed since the beginning of the story. Mostly because I'm convinced:

Durkon got Hilgya pregnant!

And I'm wondering when that will come back and haunt him.

[Ecalsneerg]

That's something I've been trying to figure out for a while...

How long in "OotS Calandar Time" has passed since the beginning of the story. Mostly because I'm convinced:

Durkon got Hilgya pregnant!

And I'm wondering when that will come back and haunt him.

This would be a great plot arc. Preferably preceded by a flash-back (like Elan racing to Haley's rescue, followed by the story of his break-out. Only this time, the story of the morning sickness!)

[Ganurath]

Well, if races and classes will be changed significantly, the hilarity will ensue when for example Vaarsuvius will notice that his elven abilities s/he so proud of aren't the same anymore. And OoTS trying to learn and remember new rules would be golden.That's actually still fresh, what with Belkar's evasion.

[Hopeless]

It's not going to happen if you ask me. If there's something I'm certain about 4ed it's that orcs and goblinoids will remain the same cannon fodder as they have always been.

Unless of course you're a half orc or orc living near the Silver Marches...

[NerfTW]

That's something I've been trying to figure out for a while...

How long in "OotS Calandar Time" has passed since the beginning of the story. Mostly because I'm convinced:

Durkon got Hilgya pregnant!

And I'm wondering when that will come back and haunt him.

About 6 to 10 months.

The dungeon probably only took a week tops. The trip to the next dungeon probably a few weeks, plus a few weeks hauling loot (joke about a hiatus at the time) then Miko's trip took several weeks according to NCFtPB.

The oracle didn't seem to take more than a week or so tops. Cliffport and Nale's plot was 3 days at most. Then Xykon was only a day's march away the next day. The battle took only one day. Plus the three month gap where Roy has been dead.

[SoD]

*Le gasp*! Maybe that's the ending! Suddenly things start going dark, and everyone looks around, confused...before recoiling in horror, and, inevitably panicing. Elan, still confused, asks:

:elan: Huh? What's going on? Is it Xykon?
:durkon: Nay, it's-
:elan: Is it the tarrasque?
:durkon: Nay lad, it's-
:elan: Is it that damn crab?
:durkon: It be tha 4.0 edition! We ain't compatible!
:elan: ...we're doomed, aren't we?
:haley: Yes honey. I'm sorry.
:elan: Haley??? Where'd you come from?!
:haley: It's our last few seconds. Do you think Rich would be that heartless? *insert long passionate kiss*
:roy: She's got a point.
:durkon: Roy! Ye're back!
:miko: Apparantly so.
:roy: Miko?!
:miko: Yes. I don't kno-
:roy: Don't say anything. *insert passionate kiss*
:vaarsuvius: Well. It seems everything worked out alright.
:belkar: I'll say! Two predictions in one!

And, in mid-leap at Roy and Miko, daggers extended, everything goes dark.

[GenericFighter]

...And, in mid-leap at Roy and Miko, daggers extended, everything goes dark.

So, were they listening to Journey during that last conversation?

[Crimson Avenger]

That's something I've been trying to figure out for a while...

How long in "OotS Calandar Time" has passed since the beginning of the story. Mostly because I'm convinced:

Durkon got Hilgya pregnant!

And I'm wondering when that will come back and haunt him.

Wow!!

That's almost as desturbing as the banner link:

Order of the Stick
Role Playing Game
Comedy
Hot Dwarf-on-Dwarf Action

[Green Bean]

Wow!!

That's almost as desturbing as the banner link:

Order of the Stick
Role Playing Game
Comedy
Hot Dwarf-on-Dwarf Action

Pffft. You think that's disturbing? Why don't you stop by the OotS House of Horrors and see if we can't change your mind? :smallbiggrin:

[DreadSpoon]

About 6 to 10 months.

Nope. Notice the chart here:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0489.html

Looks like about a year since Roy met Belkar (which is right before the dungeon) to the current time. Tack on 4 months for the time Roy spent on the mountain, and we've got a little under a year and a half that the the comic has spanned.

[silvadel]

I think it will come down to whether it is funnier for them to stay with 3.5 or to go to 4.0.... If there are TONS of new jokes possible and Rich gets the itch to use them -- well then I expect the characters will be converted. If 4.0 isnt a good source of humor then I expect the OOTS will remain 3.5.

[chrono]

Well, if races and classes will be changed significantly, the hilarity will ensue when for example Vaarsuvius will notice that his elven abilities s/he so proud of aren't the same anymore. And OoTS trying to learn and remember new rules would be golden.

But if the changes are way too big (as in total rework of the system, races, classes, attributes, skills, magic) it would be a change too big to swallow. If the changes in 4.0 are as big as some people believe, there wouldn't be a joke because it would have to go more like "Why aren't we 4.0 yet? Well, it's too much of a hassle."

[Nerdanel]

I think the biggest hitch in the way of 4E is :xykon:. When there is no more sorcerer, the two closest match are wizard and warlock, and honestly they aren't that close.

:xykon: the wizard: "Look at me, I can do advanced calculus in my head!" The change in casting stat from cha to int would have drastic consequences for Xykon's personality, even if he avoided the increase in studiousness by the force of "assumed to have studied before the edition change, even if he really didn't." And if his stats remained the same, he might end up sort of like wizard Elan without being able to cast the more powerful spells due to lack of ability.

:xykon: the warlock: We would get a demonic (what else it would be?) pact from nowhere, and Xykon would be suddenly blasting with eldritch blasts instead of old, trusty fire and lightning and being at least theoretically subservient to some demon or somesuch. And what's the casting stat of a warlock anyway? I can't remember.

Perhaps we might get a homebrewed sorcerer class or Xykon could be the last one stuck in the old edition while everyone else had new and fancy tricks.

[Nattypat]

Wizards said something about sorcerers needing to exist because they had a large portion of the player's handbook only for one class, (wizard)... so if that's true then Xykon is safe

Rangers are getting buffed with scout stuff, (and to my knowledge they wont cast divine spells anyway).

I may have read something that made it sound like bards have hope somewhere... but that may be wishful thinking on my part.

(Maybe if I wish hard enough bards will exist in 4th edition!)

Other than that I'm pretty sure most characters are safe.

[Antamar]

Wizards has said that most 3.5 material and campaigns will be incompatible with 4.0. Also, I remember seeing somewhere that they changed it to all of the Core Rulebooks coming out within a week of each other instead of a month between each. Also, there's no DM and no players (despite original intentions) because of the way the comic has evolved.

[Ganurath]

Rich won't change if the hateful, hateful lies about half-orcs are true. He just introduced Therkla, and Thog is so loved. He wouldn't remove them.

[turkishproverb]

"I believe we are being converted to the 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons"

"What the hell?! Weren't we converted a year ago?!"

"GIMME MONEY!!"-Wizards Avatar in OotS

Classic.

Yea, then I can see Belkar threatening to quit if they change, only to discover after they don't he would've gotten some huge beef.

[Alex Warlorn]

Characters from 3.5 CAN'T be converted to 4E, which means it would be the death of the world as we know it for the Order of the Stick, in other words, the same thing if the Snarl Came out. Maybe the Snarl IS 4E!!!!

[turkishproverb]

Characters from 3.5 CAN'T be converted to 4E, which means it would be the death of the world as we know it for the Order of the Stick, in other words, the same thing if the Snarl Came out. Maybe the Snarl IS 4E!!!!

Anything can be converted, there simply might not be an official method

(or that might be why the books were delayed a month, bwecause they're changing that)

After alll, they managed to convert WEG to d20 star wars.