Crazy Thoery: V doesn't have Expedited Fireball at all

[Justyz]

What if V's wisdom has caught up to her intelligence? In that case, she may indeed have an expedited area effect spell - but simply not a fire one.

Let's say, Vitroilic Sphere [[Like in #847]] or anything similar:

So, V would have a spell to cast. It would cause area damage that will harm the ooTS (but will harm their enemies even more) - and now she got to run the idea of using that spell through Roy - got his genuine input (and order), while the vampires wasted a spell slot protecting against a spell that isn't coming.

Too crazy??

[The Aboleth]

What if V's wisdom has caught up to her intelligence? In that case, she may indeed have an expedited area effect spell - but simply not a fire one.

Let's say, Vitroilic Sphere [[Like in #847]] or anything similar:

So, V would have a spell to cast. It would cause area damage that will harm the ooTS (but will harm their enemies even more) - and now she got to run the idea of using that spell through Roy - got his genuine input (and order), while the vampires wasted a spell slot protecting against a spell that isn't coming.

Too crazy??

Not crazy at all, actually: V has already shown he/she is capable of a similar deception in comic #928: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0928.html

It's not a huge leap to theorize that V saying one thing might actually mean another; the problem that I see is that Roy would have to be in on the deception from the get-go, or at least be able to understand somehow that when V says "I have Quickened Fireball prepared" (which isn't noticeably phrased in a way that would tip someone off to a code or double-meaning) V really means "I have Quickened [insert spell here] prepared, instead."

[martianmister]

Not crazy enough.

[Honest Tiefling]

Not crazy enough.

Going to side with this. V is capable of brilliant theory, but I think she's a little detached from reality. Common sense isn't something she's really known for, despite her astounding intelligence. I get the feeling there is a reason Roy is the one who comes up with the tactics...

[Muninn]

It's not a huge leap to theorize that V saying one thing might actually mean another; the problem that I see is that Roy would have to be in on the deception from the get-go, or at least be able to understand somehow that when V says "I have Quickened Fireball prepared" (which isn't noticeably phrased in a way that would tip someone off to a code or double-meaning) V really means "I have Quickened [insert spell here] prepared, instead."

Would Roy have to be in on the deception? From a tactical standpoint, it doesn't really matter to the order what the damage type of the spell is, as long as it's not cold or electricity. If V asks "Hey Roy, can I use an area of effect spell that'll hit us all with some fire damage" and gets the go-ahead, it doesn't really matter much if they cast a sonic or acid spell instead. All that matters is that Roy was able to decide whether having the party take damage was worth Vaarsuvius being able to deal damage to their enemies.

With that being said, I don't actually think there's a deception going on here. V and Roy just screwed up.

[The Aboleth]

Would Roy have to be in on the deception? From a tactical standpoint, it doesn't really matter to the order what the damage type of the spell is, as long as it's not cold or electricity.

On the surface it might not seem to matter, but as a leader I would be pretty upset if a subordinate was deliberately feeding me inaccurate information that affected my tactical planning. I think V has too much respect for Roy to intentionally keep him in the dark, even if doing so might ultimately give them a minor advantage in the short-term.

[D.One]

I think V has the Inteligence to pull out such tactics (Be it another spell, be it a Energy Substituted Fireball).

I think it might work with or without Roy knowing the exact details (they might even have formulated tactics off-panel earlier, as noticed. They might have agreed to something in the lines of "there may come a situation in which I might say I have a spell prepared when I have a similar, but slightly different one, in order to throw our enemies off-guard")

What I don't think, is that V has the Charisma or the Bluff to come up to such lie undetected by someone with high enough Wisdom.


P.S.: On a side note, if V has in fact a Quickened Fireball, and don't use it now, the declaration of having it might be a foreshadowing...

[skim172]

Intriguing. I think it would jibe with what we've seen - there was a time previously when V and Roy shared a tactical plan with non-literal communication. I feel it's implied that in off-panel sequences, the two do occasionally sit down and discuss battle plans and strategies.

That said ... V really likes his fireballs. Fire is clearly his thing. So if he had to prepare one quickened spell - it would probably be a fireball. So I doubt he's lying about that.

But maybe he's not telling the entire truth. As in he has something else as well that hasn't been mentioned. I haven't played DND in years - can you have more than one quickened spell?

[D.One]

But maybe he's not telling the entire truth. As in he has something else as well that hasn't been mentioned. I haven't played DND in years - can you have more than one quickened spell?

A character can't cast more than one quickened spell per round, but there's no restriction about how many quickened spells one may repare - except for the fact that a quickened spells takes a spell slot 4 levels higher than the normal version...

[Fyraltari]

Going to side with this. V is capable of brilliant theory, but I think she's a little detached from reality. Common sense isn't something she's really known for, despite her astounding intelligence. I get the feeling there is a reason Roy is the one who comes up with the tactics...

V has been improving on that. He has already managed to communicate with his allies whithout (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0928.html) being understood by ennemies twice already. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html)

[Kish]

Quickened Fireball. Not Expedited.

[MikelaC1]

Has V even cast a quickened spell before? Could that be part of the code?

[D.One]

Has V even cast a quickened spell before? Could that be part of the code?

Here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0588.html), for example.