PDA

View Full Version : OOTS #267 - The Discussion Thread



Pages : [1] 2

The Giant
2006-01-13, 02:48 PM
New comic is up.

Maxymiuk
2006-01-13, 02:51 PM
You know, this really puts that paladin discussion in Gaming in perspective...

Gengy
2006-01-13, 02:52 PM
Mr Scruffy demands poopsies.

And I for one, would be quick about it. Lol...

soozenw
2006-01-13, 02:55 PM
ah god giant....i laughed so hard i got tears! tears i tell ya!

you are awesome.

Istielthia
2006-01-13, 02:57 PM
Oh dear gods...

Poopsies, please.

I love how he explained everything that people have been debating about for weeks all in one fell swoop.

<3 Giant!

Jareth
2006-01-13, 02:58 PM
The Holy Kitty Litter! That's just pure gold ;D

As for the being of Pure Law & Good... Perhaps its a good thing Belkar is out of the way for a little while. :P

Lila
2006-01-13, 02:58 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

themob212
2006-01-13, 02:59 PM
Wow great comic!

humanpylon
2006-01-13, 02:59 PM
Mr. Scruffy! Priceless.

Odd little note: In the Baldur's gate game the deva's and planetar's were blue and the FALLEN deva's and planetar's were red.

Duraska
2006-01-13, 03:01 PM
Lord Shojo reminds me of Minsc. :)

But I bet Kitty would totally eat Boo.

Marller
2006-01-13, 03:01 PM
All hail Lord Shojo. ;D

Omellette
2006-01-13, 03:02 PM
Haha!

Priceless... It'll be interesting to see how this LG entity judges Roy, who is also LG...

Man, is it Monday yet?

Reaver225
2006-01-13, 03:02 PM
'On second thought, is it too late to go with the old guy and the cat?'

*falls over laughing*

Also, I like the way the light beams move with the party. VAMPIRIC LIGHT BEAMS!

watermammal
2006-01-13, 03:03 PM
The Holy Kitty Litter! That's just pure gold ;D

As for the being of Pure Law & Good... Perhaps its a good thing Belkar is out of the way for a little while. :P

As far as the kitty litter goes, Giant, where do you come up with this stuff?! Awesome.

As for the Being of Pure Law and Good, I have one word for you all:

YIPE!@#$^@#!?!?@!

soni
2006-01-13, 03:04 PM
meow!

Caledonian
2006-01-13, 03:04 PM
I wonder if that Avatar of Law and Good will accept Elan's plea of Not Guilty Due to Diminished Mental Capacity.

Ironically, because no one in the group both a) intended to push the self-destruct rune and b) had the intellect and awareness necessary to recognize the consequences of pushing the self-destruct rune, they are all responsible but no one is guilty.

Let's hope sentencing takes this into account. (Community service, anyone?)

xrestassuredx
2006-01-13, 03:06 PM
Uh oh .. is ignorance a valid plea in a court of "PLG" ?

humanpylon
2006-01-13, 03:06 PM
I love how Roy almost word for word addresses the whole forum discussion on Shojo's right to arrest them. Shojo is the Giant saying "it's my comic deal with it" ;D

Eva_of_Sirrion
2006-01-13, 03:07 PM
Uh oh .. is ignorance a valid plea in a court of "PLG" ?

Ignorance of the law is no excuse...

And I'm quoting a New York City judge on this one. ;D ;)

SITB
2006-01-13, 03:08 PM
Aha! The cat is the masterind here!.

What community service? sending them to guard the other gates until even V is dust? They destroyed one of the cornerstones of the universe they deserve to get punished one way or another...

Great comic anyway.

jogom
2006-01-13, 03:09 PM
this gods stuff sounds like evangelion angels

TheFallenOne
2006-01-13, 03:12 PM
Wait, does this mean they have the same pantheon in the southern lands as the rest of the world we've seen so far? Until now I assumed they have different gods, not the Norse ones we've seen so far

theKOT
2006-01-13, 03:13 PM
Ignorance of the law is no excuse...

And I'm quoting a New York City judge on this one. ;D ;)


Ron White is here and he'd like his joke back. ;)
What a great comic. I wonder what belkar is up to....

Kanashimi
2006-01-13, 03:16 PM
awesome, truly awesome. Gotta love how the "voice of law" is in red; legal ominousness.

Alfryd
2006-01-13, 03:18 PM
Most amusing. I see Roy isn't making any friends here.

"Vengeance shall be brought upon the guilty! There shall be no excuses! A cleansing fire shall burn them!"
Damn straight. How is he on reading minds?

Maxymiuk
2006-01-13, 03:19 PM
Now we know where Miko got her set of morals from. ::)

Sylvius
2006-01-13, 03:20 PM
Wait, does this mean they have the same pantheon in the southern lands as the rest of the world we've seen so far? Until now I assumed they have different gods, not the Norse ones we've seen so far

We don't know that anyone outside the southern lands worships these Gods. The Gods just don't care.

rosebud
2006-01-13, 03:21 PM
You notice how the speech bubble of the being from the Upper Planes speaks in red? Clearly, that individual must be a moderator.

Marcyss
2006-01-13, 03:25 PM
I love this comic, and i'm glad that it is in the main unpredictable.

Mostly I love that it's funny & amusing pretty much every time.

Wonderful job, Giant. as always.

Winged One
2006-01-13, 03:26 PM
You notice how the speech bubble of the being from the Upper Planes speaks in red? Clearly, that individual must be a moderator.
You're right, I didn't catch that. ;D

theKOT
2006-01-13, 03:27 PM
You notice how the speech bubble of the being from the Upper Planes speaks in red? Clearly, that individual must be a moderator.

I think the giant is trying to show how moderators are pure incarnations of Law and Good. Either that, or that is fighter or Red MAge going incognito.

Deuce
2006-01-13, 03:28 PM
Most amusing. I see Roy isn't making any friends here.

"Vengeance shall be brought upon the guilty! There shall be no excuses! A cleansing fire shall burn them!"
Damn straight. How is he on reading minds?

Well if it's Pure Law AND Pure Good, there might be some room for mitigating circumstance. This isn't "Gosh I didn't know stealing was wrong" but more of a "How were we to know self-destructing a castle would lead to the unraveling of the fabric of the Universe?" defense.

Me, I think the Gates have a magic-canical defect (I'd call blowing up after just any passing moron touches a rune a defect ;) ).

Coffee_Dragon
2006-01-13, 03:29 PM
So it's settled then. Shojo is the floor. But what's Boba Fett doing there?

Amalthea
2006-01-13, 03:29 PM
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I want to know if Mr. Scruffy is a consequence of the OotS weakening the fabric of reality...

Zargon
2006-01-13, 03:31 PM
Yay! Great comic today! - lots of info - a nice old man with his kitty and a terrifying LG being - Roy not really helping & the cutest legal advisor anywhere... Mr. Scruffly!
And yes, it is a very good thing for both the party and Belkar that Belkar is not there!

nuwandabob
2006-01-13, 03:31 PM
Another great strip!! Giant, you are simply the best!

Being a lawyer myself, I agree with Caledonian, they are responsible but not guilty. However, it seems that Azure City follows the Common Law system, so they'll probably be found guilty anyway with a jury giving the veredict instead of the judge.
Well... even if they followed de Civil Law system, Lord Shojo doesn't seem like a very knowledgeable guy in legal issues!
Canīt wait to next weeek to see how they get out of this one!
:)

kierthos
2006-01-13, 03:31 PM
Belkar! Stay out of the throne room!

Man, if he goes in there, he's hosed....

chibibar
2006-01-13, 03:32 PM
Belkar! Stay out of the throne room!

Man, if he goes in there, he's hosed....

how about a REALLY big lead sheet of manhood?

Greebo
2006-01-13, 03:32 PM
May I just take a moment to say...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA~!

"poopsies"!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH

*passes out on floor*

Lorde
2006-01-13, 03:36 PM
I love how the being of pure good and law remind me of Miko.

<3

saraswati
2006-01-13, 03:37 PM
Wow! Great comic!

my business cards will now read "Mr. Scruffy, legal advisor". I think it will improve the quality of clients.

I have to say, I am soooo happy the Giant had a fun idea for the cat. I am hoping the cat will take charge, possibly charging the OOTS a hefty fee for legal defense in the court of PLG. "Objection! Mrow!"

I think we are defintiely going to see a good discussion of "absolute" versus "practical" morality.

And some funny jokes!

TheFallenOne
2006-01-13, 03:41 PM
I have to say, I am soooo happy the Giant had a fun idea for the cat. I am hoping the cat will take charge, possibly charging the OOTS a hefty fee for legal defense in the court of PLG. "Objection! Mrow!"

Hasn't Haley suffered enough? ;)

saraswati
2006-01-13, 03:45 PM
Oh, and also, I can't help but say Shojo just perfectly illustrates: "Separation of Church and State good" "Theocracy scary!" (YMMV of course).

Yeah, I'm kinda of bringing in non D & D stuff, but its the Giant's fault for creating an interesting, complex world. I can't help but see a few real life metaphors here and there.

I'm just putting it out there. I won't engage in any heavy debate, I promise.

Wyrm
2006-01-13, 03:48 PM
hehehe, really great ending today. I wonder if by "magical kitty litter" that means it sends the poopsie into it's own kitty litter pocket dimension? Or at least it really does mask the odor when the kitty buries it. That would be magical enough.

ObadiahtheSlim
2006-01-13, 03:52 PM
I wonder if that Avatar of Law and Good will accept Elan's plea of Not Guilty Due to Diminished Mental Capacity.

Ironically, because no one in the group both a) intended to push the self-destruct rune and b) had the intellect and awareness necessary to recognize the consequences of pushing the self-destruct rune, they are all responsible but no one is guilty.

Let's hope sentencing takes this into account. (Community service, anyone?)

If it is a creature of pure law and good, it will most definatly accept such a verdict. It would be very much in line with being Lawful.

Rein
2006-01-13, 04:01 PM
"Vengeance shall be brought upon the guilty! There shall be no excuses! A cleansing fire shall burn them!"

Um....goodluck OOTS! I like to see how they get out of this one! (^_^)

Scorpi
2006-01-13, 04:07 PM
Is it just me or does that guy sound more Lawful Neutral than of "Pure Good and Law"?

"The guilty shall die!"

vs

"The guilty shall be punished in accordance with the circumstances leading up to the crime and with concern for for their own rehabillitation!"

Besides, "Vengeance" is not exactly a sign of a clear compassionate mind.

aaronbourque
2006-01-13, 04:07 PM
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Hahahahahaha.

Hee.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque

Sundog
2006-01-13, 04:08 PM
Aw, Cuteness!

I want a plush Mr. Scruffy - poopsies optional...

OzymandiasVolt
2006-01-13, 04:09 PM
All he said was 'vengeance shall be brought upon the guilty', not 'vengeance shall be brought upon the accused'.

Scorpi
2006-01-13, 04:14 PM
Well, all he said is 'the guilty shall die'. He didn't say 'the accused shall die', now did he?

No but that "no excuses"-thing sounded very much as if you would be "cleansed" no matter if you did it on purpose or not.



Btw "Poopsies" = Genius! Heck yeah! Great comic!

EDIT: Grrrr! Now you made my quote inconsistent! :-/

Zophiel
2006-01-13, 04:19 PM
Perhaps the summoned being's statement was meant to be a satire on what is often stereotyped as the Lawful Good "party line." I know I've encountered boatloads of players who have equated Lawful Good with the creature's statement, especially in the pre-3rd Edition days. In light of that observation, I found what the being said to be very ironic and humorous. :)

Scorpi
2006-01-13, 04:28 PM
Perhaps the summoned being's statement was meant to be a satire on what is often stereotyped as the Lawful Good "party line." I know I've encountered boatloads of players who have equated Lawful Good with the creature's statement, especially in the pre-3rd Edition days. In light of that observation, I found what the being said to be very ironic and humorous. :)

Of course it's funny! I'm just nitpicking! ;D

And yes I've encountered my share of players who think being Lawful Good is about being holier-than-thou and that Paladins are completely devoid of emotions other than anger towards everything "bad".

Buzzaro
2006-01-13, 04:30 PM
As for the being of Pure Law & Good... Perhaps its a good thing Belkar is out of the way for a little while. :P

speaking for myself and myself alone...
Opps, I craped my pants.

I just hope Roy is judged in his Superman Underooes. I'd hate to have them get the wrong impression from background noise from his bling bling.

Kiroho
2006-01-13, 04:31 PM
Belkar! Stay out of the throne room!

Man, if he goes in there, he's hosed....


Oh, I don't know. I can almost see Belkar going all stabbity on the Archangel Boba Fett

Colt
2006-01-13, 04:36 PM
I have one thing to say.

Holy Kittey Litter Batman!!!

Princelarming
2006-01-13, 04:40 PM
Arch-angel Boba Fett, as you so delicately put it, is from another plane of existence...
And while that hasn't stopped true munchkins like our trusted OOTS before, it is likely to mean that a Detect Evil from a Palladin/avatar from another plane of existence is not entirely three-dimentional...
No matter how fast Belkar is with the lead, he'll be read, tried and found guilty of stabbity death...
I vote for him not entering the throne-room, but handling "sweet, sweet" Miko in an out-of-the-way corridor, somewhere far away from Judge "dredd"...

my two copper pennies...

Lila
2006-01-13, 04:41 PM
Perhaps Mr. Scruffy can be OOTS's legal advisor...


AHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHA

Kiroho
2006-01-13, 04:45 PM
Perhaps Mr. Scruffy can be OOTS's legal advisor...


AHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHA


Hmmm . . . doesn't Belkar have a lawyer on retainer ???

Krytha
2006-01-13, 04:48 PM
If Belkar were found guilty of stabbing people repeatedly in the kidneys, would it still apply? The verdict is being passed on the destruction of gates and weakening of universe fabrics... he may still avoid fire and death! (Assuming Miko can catch the little bugger...)

Irie
2006-01-13, 04:52 PM
I have to wonder if maybe they could have put some sort of warning on the self destruct lever. Something along the lines of say "DANGER-may destroy fabric of universe."

Or as the imortal Yzma once said, "Why do we even have that lever!!!"

:)

Lightman
2006-01-13, 04:53 PM
Well, multiple counts of murder doesn't exactly help you...

Great comic!

Beleriphon
2006-01-13, 04:53 PM
That was good stuff. Cats that give legal advise, what will those wonderful Giants think of next?

DeathQuaker
2006-01-13, 04:54 PM
Rah. Totally unexpected and very cool. Actually, I think MOST of the OOTS has a better chance being judged by the angel than by anyone else there.

And Mr. Scruffy is SO being stolen and inserted into my campaign somewhere.

The only question now is how Miko and Belkar are going to fit into this! If I have any complaint about this strip is that the plot moves too slowly at the expense of comedy at times... but that really is a minor complaint, as I have enjoyed reading it more and more as time goes on.

Alfryd
2006-01-13, 05:00 PM
So it's settled then. Shojo is the floor. But what's Boba Fett doing there?
I just got that.

I wonder if that Avatar of Law and Good will accept Elan's plea of Not Guilty Due to Diminished Mental Capacity.
You can still be punished for criminal ineptitude. If Elan isn't mentally competent, then those supervising him are assumed to be responsible for his actions. They may be able to plea insanity due to an 18 charisma, but I doubt it. I'm just hoping that the Avatar will be capable of divining the contents of their hearts and minds, and know that they had no true intention of weakening the fabric of reality.
A Zone of Truth would also be useful. Still, I mean, perfect Goodness. Come on.

Oh, and also, I can't help but say Shojo just perfectly illustrates: "Separation of Church and State good" "Theocracy scary!"
I think any modern judgement would say that combining the head of both organisations in the one person would dangerously compromise the integrity of both offices.

estradling
2006-01-13, 05:00 PM
Or as the imortal Yzma once said, "Why do we even have that lever!!!"

:)


I can answer that one... "To Prevent something worst"

Like a Lich opening the gate and using it to gain ultimate power.. and ruling over all

Yeah weaking the fabric of the universe might be worth that

Kalbereth
2006-01-13, 05:02 PM
Oh...my...god...

Can't...stop...laughing...

Gary_Schaper
2006-01-13, 05:02 PM
I take back my intemperate remarks from the last strip's thread. Mr. Scruffy would own poor Other Rat.

And where's Mr. Rodriguez when you need him? That is one spoooky being of Pure Law and Good.

Max_Sinister
2006-01-13, 05:06 PM
Poor, poor OOTS. Especially Elan. (I'm not even mentioning Belkar.)

For one moment I expected that Miko might decide about their trial, because I KNEW that something worse was coming the way...

And the cat as a legal advisor was again a proof for the genius Rich is!

GeekDaddy
2006-01-13, 05:17 PM
>:( Hrrrmmm. Please tell me my favorite on-line comic (and considering the drivel in the Sunday funnies there days, quite possibly my favorite all around strip) has not just taken a thinly-velied politically saterical turn? Maybe I'm hypersensative to such things and am reading too much into it but...

Scrubbing bubbles!

Or maybe I just forgot to take my medication today?

shemme
2006-01-13, 05:21 PM
Mr. Scruffy's white, triangular head reminded me of Evil the Cat, the catagonist of Earthworm Jim. Hopefully they're not related.

Blackeagle
2006-01-13, 05:21 PM
I have to wonder if maybe they could have put some sort of warning on the self destruct lever. Something along the lines of say "DANGER-may destroy fabric of universe."

Or as the imortal Yzma once said, "Why do we even have that lever!!!"


Well it did say:


Castle Self-Destruct
(Do Not Touch Ever.)
(No, not even then.)

So it's not like Elan wasn't warned.

That Lanky Bugger
2006-01-13, 05:38 PM
Giant, words cannot convey the awesomeness of Today's strip.

rosebud
2006-01-13, 05:39 PM
Well it did say:
Castle Self-Destruct
(Do Not Touch Ever.)
(No, not even then.)So it's not like Elan wasn't warned.
Again, from the Evil Overlord's instruction manual:

I will not include a self-destruct mechanism unless absolutely necessary. If it is necessary, it will not be a large red button labelled "Danger: Do Not Push". The big red button marked "Do Not Push" will instead trigger a spray of bullets on anyone stupid enough to disregard it.

Completely unrelated, I really love the spotlights.

Irie
2006-01-13, 05:40 PM
Well it did say:


Castle Self-Destruct
(Do Not Touch Ever.)
(No, not even then.)

So it's not like Elan wasn't warned.


Good point.

dedicated
2006-01-13, 05:43 PM
>:( Hrrrmmm. Please tell me my favorite on-line comic (and considering the drivel in the Sunday funnies there days, quite possibly my favorite all around strip) has not just taken a thinly-velied politically saterical turn? Maybe I'm hypersensative to such things and am reading too much into it but...

Scrubbing bubbles!

Or maybe I just forgot to take my medication today?
Rich is just poking fun at the people who startyed a thread around the topic that Miko and Shojo had no right to arrest the OOTS because they didn't have jurisdiction in foreign countries.

Daerthax
2006-01-13, 05:49 PM
Mr. Scruffy reminds me of a 'good' Mr. Bigglesworth from Austin Powers or the cat that belonged to Claw from Inspector Gadget.

All-in-all, great site, long time reader, first time writer.

GeekDaddy
2006-01-13, 05:49 PM
Ohhhhhh! OK! I must have missed that one.

Sorry all!

ermmm... Mr. Scruffy rules.

Jarlaxle
2006-01-13, 05:50 PM
Oh God!!

*ROFL*



Lord Shojo reminds me of Minsc. :)

But I bet Kitty would totally eat Boo.




Well, Mr. Scruffy looks awesome but Boo is a "space hamster" don't underestimate him :) ("go for the eyes Boo, go for the eyeees")


About OotS, they are in real trouble, but I think if Elan starts speaking or asking questions to "the being of PL&G", they might have a chance :)

Eriol
2006-01-13, 06:01 PM
>:( Hrrrmmm. Please tell me my favorite on-line comic (and considering the drivel in the Sunday funnies there days, quite possibly my favorite all around strip) has not just taken a thinly-velied politically saterical turn? Maybe I'm hypersensative to such things and am reading too much into it but...

Scrubbing bubbles!

Or maybe I just forgot to take my medication today?
Just remember that in the Order's world, there is no debate over Gods existing, and they speak up much more loudly.

Somewhat different than on Earth.

The Vorpal Tribble
2006-01-13, 06:01 PM
Ahhh, very well done. This is a good example of what I've felt about D&D celestials for some time. They aren't really good, so much as anti-evil.

If they are found guilty they are going to be burned? This is worthy of death? Was any innocent harmed by this potential instability?

Bleh.

(Good comic though, I just have my own D&D pet peeves).

GeekDaddy
2006-01-13, 06:01 PM
About OotS, they are in real trouble, but I think if Elan starts speaking or asking questions to "the being of PL&G", they might have a chance :)




No, I think Haley will do the talking. Her scrambled speech will sound like the dialect of PL&G beings (People's Light and Gas?) and thereby be able to smooth talk their collective way out of this mess.

Or not.

kerberos
2006-01-13, 06:05 PM
Ignorance of the law is no excuse...

And I'm quoting a New York City judge on this one. ;D ;)


No you're quoting some Roman guy. This principle is however often citet as "ignorance of the fact excuses, ignorance of the law does not". Meaning that while ignorance of the law that states that weakening the fabric of the universe is a crime is no excuse, ignorance of the fact that he was weakening the fabric of the universe would be a valid excuse. At least if mr. "Vengeance shall be brought upon the guilty! There shall be no excuses! A cleansing fire shall burn them!" adheres to modern western theories of law....




...Coming to think of it they're all doomed. ;D

Jarlaxle
2006-01-13, 06:05 PM
No, I think Haley will do the talking. Her scrambled speech will sound like the dialect of PL&G beings (People's Light and Gas?) and thereby be able to smooth talk their collective way out of this mess.

Or not.


Yeah, that could be an option, too.

Or not.

:)

kerberos
2006-01-13, 06:07 PM
Oh God!!

*ROFL*




Well, Mr. Scruffy looks awesome but Boo is a "space hamster" don't underestimate him :) ("go for the eyes Boo, go for the eyeees")

Damn you, I was going to say that! :'(

Jarlaxle
2006-01-13, 06:22 PM
Damn you, I was going to say that! :'(



Sorry mate, but I am really happy to see another Boo fan :)

"You and Boo and I... Hamsters and rangers everywhere.. Rejoice!!"

Arkadian
2006-01-13, 06:23 PM
great issue Giant...for some odd reason, when I saw the image of the Law/Good avatar I was thinking that it was the Azure Cities version of The Buddy Christ ala Dogma ???

Then did he raise on high the Holy Kitty Litter of Azure City, saying, "Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst stiffle thine poopies to less odiferous bits, in thy mercy." And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs and toads and tree-sloths and fruit-bats and orangutans and breakfast cereals ... Now did the Lord say, "First thou pourest the Holy Kitty Litter. Then thou must count to three. Three shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither shalt thou count two, excepting that thou then proceedeth to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the number of the counting, be reached, then placest thou the Holy Kitty Litter in the direction of thee Mr Scruffy, who, being congested in my sight, shall relieve himself."....apologies to Monty Python for the butchering.

aaronbourque
2006-01-13, 06:26 PM
Again, from the Evil Overlord's instruction manual:

I will not include a self-destruct mechanism unless absolutely necessary. If it is necessary, it will not be a large red button labelled "Danger: Do Not Push". The big red button marked "Do Not Push" will instead trigger a spray of bullets on anyone stupid enough to disregard it.

Completely unrelated, I really love the spotlights.
Dorukan wasn't an evil overlord (most likely).

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque

Gary_Schaper
2006-01-13, 06:27 PM
If they are found guilty they are going to be burned? This is worthy of death? Was any innocent harmed by this potential instability?
Uh... not yet. What may happen in the long run is another question. The moral calculus becomes: 100% certainty of killing one person, say, vs. a 0.00001% chance of killing everyone in the universe.

Eva_of_Sirrion
2006-01-13, 06:34 PM
It just said "castle self-destruct," not "gate self-destruct-which-will-muck-up-the-fabric-of-existence!" How would we expect Elan to equate one with the other? This is Elan we're talking about here, not Thog!

Zink
2006-01-13, 06:59 PM
Yes, but it still had a warning on it. Anyway...


I love how Roy almost word for word addresses the whole forum discussion on Shojo's right to arrest them. Shojo is the Giant saying "it's my comic deal with it" ;D

It might be that, but from the OotS point of view, Shojo is actually the DM telling the annoyed OotS "It's my game, deal with it".

silvadel
2006-01-13, 07:02 PM
Some paladins have a great white warhorse... THAT paladin has a little white warkitty...

Looks can be decieving...

---

And yes that sounded more lawful neutral or even acheronish than heavenly from the red planetar...

LaValle
2006-01-13, 07:05 PM
Personally I believe that if the high command of the Azure Guard believes it has the right to punish anyone who damaged the gates, that would actually make Shojo partially responsible for the destruction. Since he knew all about the gate and has quite an effective force at his disposal, he should have never allowed the gate to be endangered, much less be taken over by an evil lich. The castle should have had a regiment of the azure guard in it. So under the circumstances lord Shojo could be put on trial for incompetence endangering the whole of creation. And Mr. Scruffy would have a though time getting him off the hook.

Colt
2006-01-13, 07:13 PM
what is Boo from?

LaValle
2006-01-13, 07:17 PM
what is Boo from?
From Space :D Boo is a pet Space Hamster of a barbarian in the game Baldur's Gate.

Silivren
2006-01-13, 07:20 PM
Minsc and Boo were from Baldur's gate (the computer game). Minsc was a Ranger who had suffered a head wound and was... odd. He carried around a Hamster named Boo (he was convinced Boo was a "minature Giant Space Hamster") and talked to it frequently throughout his dialogue.
They were a pretty funny pair, probably the best characters in the game.



"Magic is impressive. But now, Minsc leads. Swords for EVERYONE!"

Oznstuff
2006-01-13, 07:22 PM
When I got to the last panel on today's strip I doubled up laughing so hard I accidently hit the 'foreward' stick on my wheelchair and slammed myself into the desk, fell down on the floor, and never stopped laughing!

Jothki
2006-01-13, 07:25 PM
Minsc and Boo were from Baldur's gate (the computer game). Minsc was a Ranger who had suffered a head wound and was... odd. He carried around a Hamster named Boo (he was convinced Boo was a "minature Giant Space Hamster") and talked to it frequently throughout his dialogue.
They were a pretty funny pair, probably the best characters in the game.



"Magic is impressive. But now, Minsc leads. Swords for EVERYONE!"

Interestingly, Miniature Giant Space Hamsters are actually a real creature found within the Spelljammer setting.

About the seperation of powers, bear in mind that they just summoned a completely unbiased judge.

Silivren
2006-01-13, 07:26 PM
I thought those were just "Giant Space Hamsters"

also, found this article
http://archive.gamespy.com/interviews/october00/minsc/

Nekkira
2006-01-13, 07:27 PM
Just popped by to say....Giant, you are amazingly funny!! I especially love the first panel. Too bad they stopped him, otherwise the whole order might have been ordained paladins!!

Jarlaxle
2006-01-13, 07:34 PM
Interestingly, Miniature Giant Space Hamsters are actually a real creature found within the Spelljammer setting.

About the seperation of powers, bear in mind that they just summoned a completely unbiased judge.


Wow!! I really didn't know that they existed somewhere.. So what's the deal with them? Are they good for anything? :)

And forgive my ignorance, but is this spelljammer setting pre-Baldur's Gate?

Silivren
2006-01-13, 07:38 PM
hahah, Is there anything they dont have in wikipedia?

Giant Space Hamsters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Space_Hamster)

Nightfall
2006-01-13, 07:40 PM
hehehe, really great ending today. I wonder if by "magical kitty litter" that means it sends the poopsie into it's own kitty litter pocket dimension? Or at least it really does mask the odor when the kitty buries it. That would be magical enough.

I don't want to be travelling through the Astral plane when it's time for Mr. Scruffy's Holy Litterbox to empty itself.

Mr. Scruffy could be like Mr. Tickles (I think that's his name) in "Cats & Dogs". "Bad...talking cat!"

Jarlaxle
2006-01-13, 07:51 PM
hahah, Is there anything they dont have in wikipedia?

Giant Space Hamsters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Space_Hamster)


Long Live Wikipedia!!!
3 times for Wikipedia!! Hurraaayy!! Hurraaayyy!! Huurrraaayyy!!!

Silivren
2006-01-13, 07:55 PM
One last link for anyone still interested in Minsc and Boo,

http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/bg/media/files/goodies/

scroll down and look for "Minsc Groove" It gives a pretty good sampling of his best lines :)

Arkadian
2006-01-13, 08:00 PM
And forgive my ignorance, but is this spelljammer setting pre-Baldur's Gate?

Spelljammer comes from 2nd edition of AD&D...ala the pen & paper/roll-dice-kill-things game.

Maharrg
2006-01-13, 08:11 PM
Nice Lighting Giant!

wagomorph
2006-01-13, 08:56 PM
Long Live Wikipedia!!!
3 times for Wikipedia!! Hurraaayy!! Hurraaayyy!! Huurrraaayyy!!!




Siince this is a medieval milieu, Might I suggest Huzzah!. Huzzah!, Huzzah

Martok
2006-01-13, 09:06 PM
Again, from the Evil Overlord's instruction manual:

I will not include a self-destruct mechanism unless absolutely necessary. If it is necessary, it will not be a large red button labelled "Danger: Do Not Push". The big red button marked "Do Not Push" will instead trigger a spray of bullets on anyone stupid enough to disregard it.


"I will not have my trusted lieutenant kill the child who is destined to overthrow me. I'll do it myself."

Sorry, couldn't help but throw in another one from the EO's manual. ::)



Then did he raise on high the Holy Kitty Litter of Azure City, saying, "Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst stiffle thine poopies to less odiferous bits, in thy mercy." And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs and toads and tree-sloths and fruit-bats and orangutans and breakfast cereals ... Now did the Lord say, "First thou pourest the Holy Kitty Litter. Then thou must count to three. Three shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither shalt thou count two, excepting that thou then proceedeth to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the number of the counting, be reached, then placest thou the Holy Kitty Litter in the direction of thee Mr Scruffy, who, being congested in my sight, shall relieve himself."....apologies to Monty Python for the butchering.

Oh my dear lord, it took me at least 5 minutes before I stopped laughing after reading that. That was brilliant, Arkadian!


By the way, I second everyone else who has said that was a great strip today. Roy's reaction to the Avatar of Doom (well he is, at least as far as OOTS is concerned) was priceless!

And yes, "Mr. Scruffy" was an absolute stitch. :D

Skyserpent
2006-01-13, 09:30 PM
Did anyone else notice that the little cleric dudes of the Azure City don't wear Durkons necklace thingy that it seems all other clerics wear?

Lady_Orc
2006-01-13, 09:30 PM
Perhaps the summoned being's statement was meant to be a satire on what is often stereotyped as the Lawful Good "party line." I know I've encountered boatloads of players who have equated Lawful Good with the creature's statement, especially in the pre-3rd Edition days. In light of that observation, I found what the being said to be very ironic and humorous. :)

That is exactly what I thought too. It was pretty much word for word a perfect parody of people who think 'LG' means 'Smite Makes Right'.

Capfalcon
2006-01-13, 09:33 PM
As usual, another awesome comic.

And, btw, there is a seperation of church and state.
Mr. Scruffy is the head of the church.
Lord Shugo is the head of the state. ;D

Gnomish_Armorer
2006-01-13, 09:54 PM
Wow, those spotlights have good timing...

I think the LG planetar is gonna see Roy's point of view and tell Shojo that he's misinterpreted the alignment.

He will then vanish... Miko and Belkar come rolling into the room, pitched in deadly battle...

Excellent comic as usual...

Zantetsuken_Kokoro
2006-01-13, 09:59 PM
Hrm...well, since their fate will be carried out by an actual higher being and not a human, it's all good. :p

Ilaun_Undil
2006-01-13, 10:19 PM
I can't help get this feeling that that he will end up being a joke. With a cracked old man ruling, who knows what could happen. Well at least we are stinking to the DnD jokes as opposed to "an offer they can't refuse." anyway if the guy is as LG as Miko, it shouldn't be too hard to get away with someting.


also could someone explain pure good?

Kalbereth
2006-01-13, 10:23 PM
Pure good?

Doesn't exist.

Duskrider_Moogle
2006-01-13, 11:30 PM
Guys, don't get me started on Spelljammer and how much I love it. I would suggest that the Twelve Gods exile the Order from this planet and Shojo sets them up with a Spelljamming ship, but I don't think the OotS should follow in Josie and the Pussicats' steps.

Also, I am disappointed in Roy because of his ad-homineming. That was some perfectly sensible stuff; the fact that it was communicated via meowing doesn't change that at all. I mean, one of the smoothest moves ever pulled by a member of the Order was communicated via lizard noises. Come on.

idksocrates
2006-01-13, 11:53 PM
Uh... not yet. What may happen in the long run is another question. The moral calculus becomes: 100% certainty of killing one person, say, vs. a 0.00001% chance of killing everyone in the universe.


well, the gate is already destroyed. killing them now won't make a difference. The deciding factor will be what are the chances of these guys doing it agian. The purpose of punishment is also as an example to others of what happens to people who disobey the law.
The real question is, what is the possible good of punishing them if absolutely no one knows that their being punished? it all goes back to there not being a warning about the gate in the first place.

Eva_of_Sirrion
2006-01-13, 11:56 PM
Guys, don't get me started on Spelljammer and how much I love it. I would suggest that the Twelve Gods exile the Order from this planet and Shojo sets them up with a Spelljamming ship, but I don't think the OotS should follow in Josie and the Pussicats' steps.

Also, I am disappointed in Roy because of his ad-homineming. That was some perfectly sensible stuff; the fact that it was communicated via meowing doesn't change that at all. I mean, one of the smoothest moves ever pulled by a member of the Order was communicated via lizard noises. Come on.

Would you be referring to this? (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=183) ;)

Duskrider_Moogle
2006-01-14, 01:30 AM
precisely.

rosebud
2006-01-14, 01:52 AM
well, the gate is already destroyed. killing them now won't make a difference. The deciding factor will be what are the chances of these guys doing it agian. The purpose of punishment is also as an example to others of what happens to people who disobey the law.DM: Ten thousand lightning bolts strike you for that outburst. You die. Ten thousand wolves descend on your corpse, strip it, devour your flesh, and then each other. A colossal ball of flame incinerates the wolves. You are now very dead. Game over. Thanks for playing and providing me personal amusement, which was the entire point anyhow.

Amoral gods. Gotta love them. Or at least give them proper respect. :)

Jefepato
2006-01-14, 01:54 AM
I have to wonder if Lord Shojo is actually crazy, or if Mr. Scruffy is in fact intelligent and capable of communicating complex legal and theological issues.

The latter is possible. If Shojo is a high-level paladin, then his special mount could actually be smarter than him. (Plus, I don't think the gods would allow a nutjob to be a powerful LG religious leader.)

How could his special mount be a housecat? Maybe paladins who are so old that they must live sedentary lifestyles instead get a companion who can live with them in a less warlike sense. It's not RAW, but it fits.

Silivren
2006-01-14, 02:21 AM
Yep, seems like a distinct possibility. Of course, its also possible he's pulling a yoda and acting senile just to mess with them. Or just being sarcastic. (Why can I have you brought here? Lets ask my cat. What's that? Oh yes, because I can. :P)

edit: I do like your cat-as-mount/familiar idea better though :)

idksocrates
2006-01-14, 02:42 AM
Yep, seems like a distinct possibility. Of course, its also possible he's pulling a yoda and acting senile just to mess with them. Or just being sarcastic. (Why can I have you brought here? Lets ask my cat. What's that? Oh yes, because I can. :P)


That's what my original thought was upon reading the post. Up until the holy kitty litter anyway. :P

xyzchyx
2006-01-14, 03:44 AM
Pure good?

Doesn't exist.
This is a fantasy setting.

It doesn't have to exist for it to be used as if it did exist in a story.

Duskrider_Moogle
2006-01-14, 05:01 AM
Plus, I don't think the gods would allow a nutjob to be a powerful LG religious leader.

Yeah. If that really is the case, though, then the Gods Must Be Crazy.
alternate joke: lol bush sucks lol
Or maybe the Twelve Gods are the King of All Cosmos and all the rest from Katamari Damacy.

Also, re: Silivren - hahaha! That is a pretty funny interpretation of the comic.

Zantetsuken_Kokoro
2006-01-14, 07:38 AM
prediction

Perhaps he's pulling a Yoda for some reason.

Miklus
2006-01-14, 08:54 AM
I remember Baldur's Gate. Minsc was funny, but Xzar the CE necromancer was funnier. I laughed so hard the first time he said "I've seen DRAGONS with feet like rabbits, it's true, I swear!" That was one crazy NPC. :D

Winter_Wolf
2006-01-14, 09:41 AM
Mr. Scruffy. Yeah. Okay. ;D I love it!

People with pets end up developing that kind of attitude that Shojo displays. We talk to them, and they talk to us. Apparently, though, Mr. Scruffy can cram a lot more meaning into a single "meow" than most animals can muster in an hour of roaring, barking, growling, what have you.

And as for putting Shojo in charge, the gods don't have to be crazy. They could have been drunk. You know, like that comic with blindfolded Thor playing "pin the lightning bolt on the world".

I also find it interesting that Shojo has a cat. Usually you don't see good leaders with cats, they've always been evil leaders with cats. Nice spin.

Alfryd
2006-01-14, 10:57 AM
If they are found guilty they are going to be burned? This is worthy of death? Was any innocent harmed by this potential instability?
Theoretically, all of them.

....apologies to Monty Python for the butchering.
It's cool. :)

So under the circumstances lord Shojo could be put on trial for incompetence endangering the whole of creation.
It's possible the Sapphire Guard has limited resources, given they couldn't have been in business for much over a century.

Too bad they stopped him, otherwise the whole order might have been ordained paladins!!
But then they'd have to follow Gestalt multiclassing, and Elan's bardic career would be finished.

...also could someone explain pure good?
Good is a form of conduct, not a substance or property. Except in D&D, which pretends it's both.

Also, I am disappointed in Roy because of his ad-homineming...
I'm disappointed in Roy because the reasons he gave for coming with Miko in the first place remained perfectly valid, her conduct notwithstanding, so he really was willing to drag his friends across half a continent just to get inside her chain-skirt. What kind of leader does that?

Ilanin
2006-01-14, 10:59 AM
I think most people have pretty much dissected this strip now; but there's one thing I've not seen brought up yet.

"A being of pure Law and Good" can be parsed in two different ways, as "A being of pure (Law and Good)", which is the way most people would probably read it and which has been used as the interpretation so far, or as "A being of (pure Law) and (Good)", which seems more consistent with the way it is behaving, and is rather less good of an omen for the gang.

evileeyore
2006-01-14, 11:42 AM
prediction

Perhaps he's pulling a Yoda for some reason.
Use Beige for the spoiler tags. Even Beige on white is hard to see, but white on Beige is still pretty readable.

SPOILER: As you can see here, Beige on white is visible, but illegible.

The Glyphstone
2006-01-14, 11:49 AM
But then they'd have to follow Gestalt multiclassing, and Elan's bardic career would be finished.


Not if he takes Devoted Performer (feat from CAdv or CWar, lets you Pal/Bard multiclass - could reasonably be extended to Gestalt as well.)

estradling
2006-01-14, 11:53 AM
it all goes back to there not being a warning about the gate in the first place.


You mean like

Castle Self-Destruct
(Do Not Touch Ever.)
(No, not even then.)

The gate was in the castle so it don't take a bright person to think it might go to. Plus it avoided drawing attention to the gate for anyone that didn't know about it. (Self destruct on castle... standard plot device... Self destruct on gate... hmm why is the gate so important)

Ilaun_Undil
2006-01-14, 12:04 PM
I'm doubting that Pure Good would really work with pure law, I'd like to see this work out in the end. also if the cat is some sort of familiar, or animal companion, it would be smart. for all we know Shojo has an empathic link with the cat, if the cat had to go, well the owner would know. as far as holy kitty litter, some people are more obsessed with their pets than life, so it would logically be that he had blessed kitty litter from one of his clerics. anyway it is Mr. Scruffy and not any other cat.

Jaime
2006-01-14, 12:24 PM
Would you be referring to this? (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=183) ;)
Is the arrow in the dragon's eye a reference to Record of the Loddoss War (where the rogue stabs the dragon in the eye) or is that just me?

Darius Midnite
2006-01-14, 12:27 PM
*shivers* There's something about that avatar of good and law that scares me...

Anyways great strip...
Gotta love that kitty.. ;D

Zantetsuken_Kokoro
2006-01-14, 12:44 PM
Use Beige for the spoiler tags. Even Beige on white is hard to see, but white on Beige is still pretty readable.

SPOILER: As you can see here, Beige on white is visible, but illegible.

Got it.

Athanatos
2006-01-14, 12:45 PM
The cat thing, being a heavily used joke, dissapointed me greatly. Otherwise a very interesting and funny strip.

Terrafire
2006-01-14, 02:28 PM
Its.... just you, Jaime.

theKOT
2006-01-14, 02:34 PM
I'm doubting that Pure Good would really work with pure law, I'd like to see this work out in the end. also if the cat is some sort of familiar, or animal companion, it would be smart. for all we know Shojo has an empathic link with the cat, if the cat had to go, well the owner would know. as far as holy kitty litter, some people are more obsessed with their pets than life, so it would logically be that he had blessed kitty litter from one of his clerics. anyway it is Mr. Scruffy and not any other cat.

Obviously not! How many cats have a law degree from Devry?

McHarty
2006-01-14, 03:02 PM
Has anyone noticed that the PLG being fit the description of the Fenixborn (http://www.giantitp.com/Func0006.html) ? So it would have nothing to do with a Fallen planetar or whatever...


And that would explain how fierce he is to punish evildoers AND the guilty !

Ilaun_Undil
2006-01-14, 05:13 PM
Well if we do get a Fenixborn, we probably have a bad descision. this should be a court to watch. Wonder if there is a Court TV in Azure City. Guess we'll find out.

evileeyore
2006-01-14, 05:14 PM
Use Beige for the spoiler tags. Even Beige on white is hard to see, but white on Beige is still pretty readable.

SPOILER: As you can see here, Beige on white is visible, but illegible.
Testing... testing...

I saw when Zantetsuken_Kokoro quoted the post of mine I am quoting now, the color changed. So I'm testing a theory to see if it auto changes text color to be legible against the background or not.

If you can read this without highlighting, the board hates me.

Ahhhh.... okay I see what is happening. The darker background used for the 'quoted' text is dark enough to make Spoilered Text sho up using Beige. Hmmm, I wish YaBB had spoiler tags....

Zink
2006-01-14, 05:46 PM
Has anyone noticed that the PLG being fit the description of the Fenixborn (http://www.giantitp.com/Func0006.html) ? So it would have nothing to do with a Fallen planetar or whatever...


And that would explain how fierce he is to punish evildoers AND the guilty !

While the PLG resembles a Fenixborn in tons of ways (mainly the red wings, the manner of speech and the flaming, silver weapon), I see two major problems here: The first is the fact the Fenixborn are not, by default, beings of Pure Law (they are generally ethically nuetral), and the second being the size of the PLG - a Fenixborn is a medium creature about 6-7 feet tall, while the PLG appears to be at least large (compared to the clerics, even if they're small).

opherion
2006-01-14, 06:25 PM
I would like to add that no name better than Mr. Scruffy could possibly have been devised for that cat.

Yahoo_Serious
2006-01-14, 06:58 PM
...so instead of providing common sense to brain-damaged CG rangers of the North, the Miniature Giant Space Cat provides legal advice to senile LG paladins of the East...

humanpylon
2006-01-14, 07:59 PM
and miniature giant space dogs just hump the legs of neutral good fighters

JeffreyToTheMax
2006-01-14, 08:51 PM
Ahhh, very well done. This is a good example of what I've felt about D&D celestials for some time. They aren't really good, so much as anti-evil.

If they are found guilty they are going to be burned? This is worthy of death? Was any innocent harmed by this potential instability?

Bleh.
The thing about this is that if a celestial is getting involved in the first place, then it's probably something pretty serious. Presumably, in their eyes at least, killing another would deserve death, and I can't really see them getting involved in anything less.

direkobold
2006-01-14, 08:55 PM
I was looking back through the comics and I as I re-read #196 I noticed that the picture of the adventuring party involved in the gates contains a member identified as "Soon", but who has to be Lord Shojo. Has this already been mentioned by anyone?

direkobold
2006-01-14, 09:01 PM
Nevermind my search on 196 turned up nothing, but once I searched on Soon I discovered it was well covered territory.

theKOT
2006-01-14, 09:04 PM
I was looking back through the comics and I as I re-read #196 I noticed that the picture of the adventuring party involved in the gates contains a member identified as "Soon", but who has to be Lord Shojo. Has this already been mentioned by anyone?

Read the discussion thread for 266. Yes. Many, many times. It is now the consensus of the readership that Shojo is Soon.

Evik
2006-01-14, 09:08 PM
When i started reading this strip i almost expected Mr Scruffy to transform into some terrible creature of vengence or something but i like the summoning of an Outsider to judge the trail just as well :D
Careful what you ask for Roy LOL

dylosaur
2006-01-14, 09:23 PM
I always thought the pure law and good creature was a Flame Archon.

Irie
2006-01-14, 11:51 PM
I wonder if vengance can ever be considered "good." The two seem antithetical to me. Clearly punishment can be part of many good systems but vengence seems out of place. Or perhaps I have just been watching too much Star Wars.

Winged One
2006-01-14, 11:53 PM
No, I agree with you. Vengance is what you get when you take the Good out of Justice.

Disclaimer: There are most definately people who disagree with me, and the above is entirely my opinion.

Caledonian
2006-01-15, 12:02 AM
Justice includes rewarding the worthy and punishing the deserving. Given that the Outer Planar Entity is talking about "the guilty", the concept of 'justice' is therefore too inclusive. 'Vengeance', seeking to bring harm to those that have caused harm, is more in line with the circumstances, as the individuals guilty of destroying the gate have caused great harm to the fabric of reality itself.

Of course, there are no individuals guilty of destroying the gate, merely those responsible. How will the OPE respond? Let's watch...

Gralamin
2006-01-15, 01:15 AM
*snip*
Of course, there are no individuals guilty of destroying the gate, merely those responsible. How will the OPE respond? Let's watch...
umm I'm pretty sure ELAN is RESPONSIBLE

xyzchyx
2006-01-15, 01:37 AM
It's obvious who is _REALLY_ responsible for the destruction of the gate: that would be the person that manufactured the destruct facility for it in the first place.

Generally, self-destruct facilities are placed to ensure that something does not fall into inappropriate hands, but how does something like that jive with the premise that the gate's continued existence is somehow vital to the fabric of reality?

Maxymiuk
2006-01-15, 01:43 AM
If you check the dictionary, vengeance is just a fancy word for revenge.

To that end, I agree with Winged One. Something just rubs me wrong about the idea of making someone suffer for their wrongs while being LG.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for having revenge, when justified. But then, I'm closer to LN with evil tendencies.

Devils_Advocate
2006-01-15, 02:46 AM
I guess I tend to associate words like "vengeance" and "revenge" with the idea of punishing wrongdoing for its own sake. Maybe Winged One and Irie make that association too? But no dictionary definition I found seems to make that distinction. (On the other hand, one associates it with "spite".) The terms generally seem to refer to punishment for wrongdoing, without specifying motive for said punishment. So executing dangerous criminals to ensure they don't commit further crimes could qualify as "vengeance".

I, too, think that punishing people simply in order to hurt them (as opposed to punishing people to prevent further harm to others) is Bad. Hopefully that's not what the extra-planar being meant...

humanpylon
2006-01-15, 03:28 AM
Perhaps a more lawful good statement by Upper Planar Being could have been "Swift Justice will be brought upon the guilty" seeing as vengeance generally requires that a specific person be wronged.

rosebud
2006-01-15, 04:44 AM
It's obvious who is _REALLY_ responsible for the destruction of the gate: that would be the person that manufactured the destruct facility for it in the first place.THANK YOU.

Additionally, blame needs to be placed on the (same) person who failed to defend said gate. If Xykon's occupation didn't warrant destruction of the gate, one could argue the self-destruct should never have existed. Durokan had employees working in the castle well after he was defeated, so a "destroy if I'm defeated order" could have been ordered had that been appropriate.

Durokan has been shown to be repeatedly incompetent. Might even be worth a thread?

Maxymiuk
2006-01-15, 04:51 AM
Ah, but you forget that in the OOTS world incompetence (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=75) is a valid excuse. ;D

Marller
2006-01-15, 06:23 AM
THANK YOU.

Additionally, blame needs to be placed on the (same) person who failed to defend said gate. If Xykon's occupation didn't warrant destruction of the gate, one could argue the self-destruct should never have existed. Durokan had employees working in the castle well after he was defeated, so a "destroy if I'm defeated order" could have been ordered had that been appropriate.

Durokan has been shown to be repeatedly incompetent. Might even be worth a thread?
As far a i have gathered out of the comic, the gates shouldn't be destroyed no matter what, as it weakens the fabric of reality.
Xykon couldn't use the gate because it needs someone of "pure" heart to unlock the gate, no reason to destroy it because of some evil invader (as long as the good guys are smart enough to not open it for him).
We don't know how old the gate is and we don't know if not Xykon himself placed the castle self destruct and last but not least let us not forget that the forest gate (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=196) was destroyed in a simple fire (is something fancy really necessary to destroy it?), which reminds me, is the Sapphire guard missing a paladin, (due to death by Xykon?) or did they divine it was a fire?

rosebud
2006-01-15, 07:32 AM
As far a i have gathered out of the comic, the gates shouldn't be destroyed no matter what, as it weakens the fabric of reality.Your comment on Xykon is possible, but Xykon wanted to open, not destroy, the gate. He was mad that Redcloak destroyed Lirian's Gate. Durokan was foolish enough to have been defeated, so he seems foolish enough to have created a self-destruct rune where none belonged. Anyhow, it's yet to be proven that destroying the gate weakens the fabric of the universe. From comic and theatrical standpoints, it strengthened it. :)

Tawkis
2006-01-15, 10:53 AM
No, I agree with you. Vengance is what you get when you take the Good out of Justice.

Disclaimer: There are most definately people who disagree with me, and the above is entirely my opinion.
Actually that's a very good way of putting it. Justice is impartial and fair AND takes mitigating factors, such as Xykon's occupation and attempt to use a rumoured WMD ( :P ) and Elan's phenomenal stupidity.
Really though it was only a matter of time before Xykon kidnapped some poor villager nd forced them to open the gate. He's an evil mastermind, they have to kidnap innocent civilians for their dasterdly purposes.

PS my "A" is rather unresponsive of late.

Ilaun_Undil
2006-01-15, 10:55 AM
Well Lord Shojo seems perty bent on the fact that it is weakening the universe. In my opinion these gates seem perty easy to destroy. If a fire can destroy a Gate, that says to me that these gates were prety crappily built. so therefore it truely is the Saphire Guilds fault for not building them strong enough to survive simple things lik a castle crashing down on top of it.

estradling
2006-01-15, 11:23 AM
Well Lord Shojo seems perty bent on the fact that it is weakening the universe. In my opinion these gates seem perty easy to destroy. If a fire can destroy a Gate, that says to me that these gates were prety crappily built. so therefore it truely is the Saphire Guilds fault for not building them strong enough to survive simple things lik a castle crashing down on top of it.


The gates where not built(By anone we know about).... They were found...

Perhaph they have always been there???

Athanatos
2006-01-15, 11:30 AM
You know, the more I think about it, the more I like the "Soon is Miko's father and Shojo's brother" theory. Shojo would be the elder son, and thus heir to the throne, and Soon would be either an independent adventurer who strayed from the family example or the former Sapphire Commander. Miko says she was orphaned at a young age, and it's not unreasonable to think Soon got killed in one of his many adventures.

Still highly improbable, but I like it.

Arkadian
2006-01-15, 12:04 PM
LG Avatar: The Buddy Christ (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/buddychristintl/)
Shojo: Mr Magoo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Magoo)
Mr Scruffy: Toonces the Cat (http://www.catass.com/toonces/)

Nuff Said...

Alfryd
2006-01-15, 12:05 PM
...so therefore it truely is the Saphire Guilds fault for not building them strong enough to survive simple things lik a castle crashing down on top of it.
The gates were apparently built by Durokan, at around the same time, the sapphire guard was founded. It is possible that they lack sufficient resources to adequately guard all the gates.
As to why, and how, Durokan was able to build gates that so compromise the fabric of reality but can be relatively easily destroyed, this of course makes very little sense. But fantasy universes need to be much more delicate than standard to allow for the possibility that they can be seriously threatened by a plotting supervillain and thus saved by a pack of unlikely heroes. Thus dictate the laws of comedic physics.

Reaver225
2006-01-15, 12:22 PM
I just had a thought, Haley grabbed one bag of treasure out of the inn, and since there was about six bags of treasure in the first place, didn't she get all of hers out? Also, why hasn't Roy yet looted a sword off any of the people that he's defeated?

rosebud
2006-01-15, 12:49 PM
I just had a thought, Haley grabbed one bag of treasure out of the inn, and since there was about six bags of treasure in the first place, didn't she get all of hers out?Ab, gung'f gur jubyr cbvag bs ure ncunfvn. Vg jnf funerq gernfher. Naq rira fb, nal qrfgehpgvba bs gernfher jbhyq or hcfrggvat.(No, that's the whole point of her aphasia. It was shared treasure. And even so, any destruction of treasure would be upsetting.)

Also, why hasn't Roy yet looted a sword off any of the people that he's defeated?Joke. He really wants his family sword reforged. He tried to buy a sword (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=136), but failed. And he initially sold (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=146) the other sword he found. But the bag of tricks has been a repeated source (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=163) of (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=144) amusement (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=167). :)

evileeyore
2006-01-15, 01:20 PM
You know, the more I think about it, the more I like the "Soon is Miko's father and Shojo's brother" theory. Shojo would be the elder son, and thus heir to the throne, and Soon would be either an independent adventurer who strayed from the family example or the former Sapphire Commander. Miko says she was orphaned at a young age, and it's not unreasonable to think Soon got killed in one of his many adventures.

Still highly improbable, but I like it.
I like this theory. It has a certian je ne se qua.

Skyserpent
2006-01-15, 03:53 PM
Roy actually tried to buy a Polearm. He seems partial to two handed weapons to make good use of his Stregnth Score....

redmind0
2006-01-15, 04:14 PM
I thought " Congradulations young paladins" was hi-lar-ee-us

If I was in the OOTS's place useing american law I would plead the Resonable Man would not assume destroying a fortress wold weaken the fabric of the univese.

Amalthea
2006-01-15, 07:31 PM
Ahhh, very well done. This is a good example of what I've felt about D&D celestials for some time. They aren't really good, so much as anti-evil.
I'm not really sure what else you expect from a dualistic world based on the concept that good and evil are engaged in constant, unending war.

Amalthea
2006-01-15, 07:39 PM
No, I agree with you. Vengance is what you get when you take the Good out of Justice.

I disagree. Justice is the quality of being fair. It is conformity to truth, fact, or sound reason.

Vengeance is the infliction of punishment in return for a wrong committed, or retribution.

Justice is is needed to determine whether reward or retribution is merited.

[Edited for accidentally posting early.]

LaValle
2006-01-15, 09:28 PM
You know, the more I think about it, the more I like the "Soon is Miko's father and Shojo's brother" theory. Shojo would be the elder son, and thus heir to the throne, and Soon would be either an independent adventurer who strayed from the family example or the former Sapphire Commander. Miko says she was orphaned at a young age, and it's not unreasonable to think Soon got killed in one of his many adventures.

Still highly improbable, but I like it.

Actually unless Shojo is an elf or at least half elf (unlikely, no pointy ears ;D) I don't think it possible for him to be Soon's older brother. Soon looks at least in his thirties if not forties on a 65 year old picture. I think it's possible that Shojo is Soon's son though, and he took comand of the Sapphire Guard after Soon died. But most likely chestlong mustache is the look for high level samurais this century.

evileeyore
2006-01-15, 09:39 PM
Actually unless Shojo is an elf or at least half elf (unlikely, no pointy ears ;D) I don't think it possible for him to be Soon's older brother. Soon looks at least in his thirties if not forties on a 65 year old picture. I think it's possible that Shojo is Soon's son though, and he took comand of the Sapphire Guard after Soon died. But most likely chestlong mustache is the look for high level samurais this century.
Or younger brother. If Soon is 30something and Shojo is 20something... then 65 years later Shojo would be 90something and a Venerable Paladin...

LaValle
2006-01-15, 09:39 PM
[SPOILER-PREDICTION-SPOILER]
Another Soon centered thought:
Since Soon also built a castle on top of a gate, and his attire suggested he either started the Saphire guard or was a member of it, what do you suppose is the chance the next gate is in the caste the OOTS is in now? And if it is indeed, what is the chance that Elan, or maybe Belkar this time are going to destroy it? Or how about a Hobgoblin raid led by the Supreme Leader Redcloac? Oh god, I can't wait to find out. ;D

rosebud
2006-01-15, 10:03 PM
[SPOILER-PREDICTION-SPOILER]0.95, 0.50, 0.17. Nale/Julia is the wildcard.

Tariskat
2006-01-15, 10:07 PM
Apologies to anyone who has asked or incidentally answered this, but has anything ever said Elan can read, or does on a regular basis? I mean, none of the OoTS characters carry books, except for V out of spell-casting necessity. But maybe Elan hates reading and wouldn't bother with the whole Warning: Do Not Touch business. However, D&D people aren't modern times where most people are schooled at least to a basic reading level. Is this making sense to anyone but me?

Winged One
2006-01-15, 10:10 PM
Everybody with any kind of character levels other than barbarian can read in a D&D game. And Elan did know that it was a self-destruct rune, he was just too stupid to know it would be a bad idea to activate it.

Tariskat
2006-01-15, 10:31 PM
okie doke, that would make sense. (I haven't played D&D before, only threatened to, so I don't know the basic stats of people.)
So Elan is just... dumb. Poor guy.

Athanatos
2006-01-15, 10:40 PM
Or younger brother. If Soon is 30something and Shojo is 20something... then 65 years later Shojo would be 90something and a Venerable Paladin...

Aye. And perhaps Soon turned down the throne so that he could combat evil on a more personal level... leaving his younger brother, of a (possibly) weaker character, as heir to the throne.

idksocrates
2006-01-15, 11:46 PM
Just because he "looks" 40 ish in the picture doesn't mean that he is 40ish. He could just look very mature for his age. Then there's the fact that your determining age based on a FRICK'IN STICK FIGURE PORTRAIT!

Secondly, this guy's a paladin - cure disease once a weak, lay on hands. If he doesn't die of old age, sickness could pretty much never kill him.

The maximum age for a human in Dnd is 110 years old. Even if he was 40 in that picture, he'd only be 105. Near death, but if he rolled high enough, not quite dead enough.

Dorni
2006-01-16, 12:24 AM
I just wanted to point out that basing an argument on apparent age isn't a good idea. We have no idea what level Sune reached by the end of his carreer, and there is a stackable epic feat that increases your maxium life span.

kriklaf
2006-01-16, 02:23 AM
Apologies to anyone who has asked or incidentally answered this, but has anything ever said Elan can read, or does on a regular basis?

Further proof that Elan can read and write (and with rather nice penmanship, too):
http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=17

theKOT
2006-01-16, 03:02 AM
Further proof that Elan can read and write (and with rather nice penmanship, too):
http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=17
Don't you mean swordsmanship?

humanpylon
2006-01-16, 04:20 AM
Does that overgrown toothpick of his actually count as a sword? Has he ever actually wounded anything with it? I know Haley hit Miko with it, but she strikes me as a better fighter than Elan anyways.

Mjoellnir
2006-01-16, 06:50 AM
He hit Nale one time, but it seems, that he didn't do any damage.

http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=61

Gilganarz
2006-01-16, 07:23 AM
Does that overgrown toothpick of his actually count as a sword? Has he ever actually wounded anything with it? I know Haley hit Miko with it, but she strikes me as a better fighter than Elan anyways.

Despite his main use as the stupid party member, Elan is actually quite adept at fighting and is suprisingly the most tactically versatile member. He supports his party using bardic music, fights using his rapier and tumbles throughout the battlefield.

Elan was also able to stand up to his brother in combat (who is slightly better at it due to his fighter levels)

Mjoellnir
2006-01-16, 07:58 AM
Hm, wait a moment. Let's say they're both 12th level, Elan as Bard, and Nale as Fighter 4/Rogue 4/Sorcerer 4.

This means that Elans BAB is +9, Nale's +8, Nale has three bonus feats from his fighter levels, but he has a chance for arcane spell failure from his chain shirt. So I wouln't say that Nale is better.

Single Shot Zombie
2006-01-16, 08:08 AM
Hm, wait a moment. Let's say they're both 12th level, Elan as Bard, and Nale as Fighter 4/Rogue 4/Sorcerer 4.

This means that Elans BAB is +9, Nale's +8, Nale has three bonus feats from his fighter levels, but he has a chance for arcane spell failure from his chain shirt. So I wouln't say that Nale is better.

Well, Nale'd probably have at least one Sorc level; he did cast Expeditious Retreat to enable himself to escape from Roy: http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=67

But there isn't much evidence that Nale's levellign is like what you said. And if you include multiclassing penalties, Nale would have had to work harder than his twin brother to reach the same level. And while the OOTS was hunting for starmetal, the remnants of the Linear Guild were........heading to Cliffport to do recruiting. Guess which activity would tend to yield more XP.

Swinging back to topic........wow. Is Shojo senile, or what?

The Doctor
2006-01-16, 08:18 AM
I don't think Elan's swordmanship is going to be required here though.
While it may sound like the equivalent of suicide, maybe it would be better if Roy actually let Elan do the talking this time?

Mjoellnir
2006-01-16, 08:23 AM
You mean because of the high charisma-mod?

Nale is human, so he has no problem with multiclassing, an they will level as fast as the order, simply because they are evil twins. ;)

The Doctor
2006-01-16, 09:06 AM
Well, I bet Elan has some ranks in Diplomacy too.
They are cross-class for Roy, after all.

Kaerou
2006-01-16, 09:50 AM
Hm, wait a moment. Let's say they're both 12th level, Elan as Bard, and Nale as Fighter 4/Rogue 4/Sorcerer 4.

This means that Elans BAB is +9, Nale's +8, Nale has three bonus feats from his fighter levels, but he has a chance for arcane spell failure from his chain shirt. So I wouln't say that Nale is better.

Fighter 4 = 4
Rogue 4 = 3
Sorc 4 = 2

Total: +9 BaB

evileeyore
2006-01-16, 10:20 AM
He hit Nale one time, but it seems, that he didn't do any damage.

http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=61
That would be a 'touche', a fencing term denoting a point was scored. In English we'd say Elan was 'counting coup', that is to touch the enemy with your weapon, but not in such a way as to hurt them. Thus proving your bravery and skills are greater.

Elan was humiliating Nale. He was 'one-upping' him. He was denying.

On that day, in every way, Elan rocketed to the top rungs of my esteem chart. He become not only a valued member of the OotS, but showed his true place as the heart and spirit of the team. Even though Elan could have lost, he preferred to ridicule. I love it.

Jareth
2006-01-16, 10:42 AM
Just as a side note, is anyone else concerned about Roy being judged by the being of Pure Law & Good while he's wearing Xykon's crown?

After all, it confused Miko, didn't it? And the being's "Vengence shall be brought upon the guilty" comment sounded awfully reminiscent of Miko's "My blades will be bathed in the blood of those responsible." pronouncement.

ByzCath
2006-01-16, 10:48 AM
And if you include multiclassing penalties, Nale would have had to work harder than his twin brother to reach the same level.


No multiclassing penalties as long as the two non-favored classes are kept within a couple of levels there is no penalty for multiclassing.



Swinging back to topic........wow. Is Shojo senile, or what?

Or he just likes cats.

Mjoellnir
2006-01-16, 11:15 AM
Fighter 4 = 4
Rogue 4 = 3
Sorc 4 = 2

Total: +9 BaB

Oh sorry, I looked in the fortitude saves for the sorcerer. ;D

aaronbourque
2006-01-16, 11:37 AM
Just as a side note, is anyone else concerned about Roy being judged by the being of Pure Law & Good while he's wearing Xykon's crown?

After all, it confused Miko, didn't it? And the being's "Vengence shall be brought upon the guilty" comment sounded awfully reminiscent of Miko's "My blades will be bathed in the blood of those responsible." pronouncement.
Miko, being Lawful Good, would be honor-bound to inform all the other Detect Evil-happy Paladins the truth about that crown. And Miko, being Miko, would take "Detect Evil-happy Paladins" to mean the rest of the Sapphire Guard.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque

The Glyphstone
2006-01-16, 11:43 AM
I think my brain's gonna explode...it's a holiday, thus no comic today, and I can't wait to find out what happens with the BoPLaG...

[bang]
[splatter]

Thomar_of_Uointer
2006-01-16, 12:29 PM
I don't think Elan's swordmanship is going to be required here though.
While it may sound like the equivalent of suicide, maybe it would be better if Roy actually let Elan do the talking this time?


Of course! He can cast summon plot exposition, after all!

Greebo
2006-01-16, 12:54 PM
I think my brain's gonna explode...it's a holiday, thus no comic today, and I can't wait to find out what happens with the BoPLaG...

[bang]
[splatter]
Not everyone takes this particular holiday. Has TG stated that he will be?

The Doctor
2006-01-16, 01:29 PM
My watch is off.
What particular holiday would that be?

Greebo
2006-01-16, 01:32 PM
My watch is off.
What particular holiday would that be?


Martin Luther King Jr.

Devils_Advocate
2006-01-16, 02:51 PM
I don't think it's ever been Rich's policy to take holidays off. IIRC, he was even going to run a comic during his Christmas vacation, but something came up that prevented him from getting it done ahead of time, or something. So while Rich might not make comics on holidays, he'll still create them ahead of time and post them on those days. At least, that's my impression, and I think he would make a news and/or forum post about it if he were going to do otherwise.

But someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Sylvius
2006-01-16, 02:58 PM
I didn't even know MLK had a day, let alone one that counted as a statutory holiday.


Everybody with any kind of character levels other than barbarian can read in a D&D game.

I hate this new rule. Why is everyone literate?

Caledonian
2006-01-16, 03:03 PM
Because it's a pseudo-medieval setting.

Why do you think everyone's walking around with leather armor and swords? It's a pseudo-medieval setting.

Unfortunately, that seems to be what people associate with "fantasy" - poor Tolkien ripoffs that don't have the internal consistency of Tolkien's worlds.

aaronbourque
2006-01-16, 03:04 PM
Why is everyone literate?
Because D&D doesn't actually model a pseudo-medieval culture and society, with magic. It models a pseudo-rennaisance/elizabethan-era Europe culture and society, with magic.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; and also, to simplify the game.

Samiam303
2006-01-16, 03:33 PM
I hate this new rule. Why is everyone literate?

There's a flaw in Unearthed Arcana called "Illiterate". You CAN make an illiterate character, and gain a bonus feat for it.

evileeyore
2006-01-16, 03:43 PM
There's a flaw in Unearthed Arcana called "Illiterate". You CAN make an illiterate character, and gain a bonus feat for it.

Stupidest rule ever. A feat is way better than 2 skill ranks.

egomann
2006-01-16, 04:06 PM
There's a flaw in Unearthed Arcana called "Illiterate". You CAN make an illiterate character, and gain a bonus feat for it.




I am going to be Illiterate in Six Different Languages.

Deuce
2006-01-16, 04:14 PM
I think I'd rather take Ignorance, and get a "State of Bliss" feat. :P

Caledonian
2006-01-16, 05:04 PM
There *is* supposed to be a new comic today, right?

celticdeltic
2006-01-16, 05:13 PM
Yet there is so be patient or read a random from the archives.

Marlene
2006-01-16, 05:18 PM
oooh. I can tell today is going to be a bad one. No new comic, WoW server down restarted for being crappy preformance issues. (basically no one can get ON the server! Preformance isssues, right). My father in law coming up to visit...man i didn't have to work today, I'd stay in bed. >:(

Sylvius
2006-01-16, 05:34 PM
and also, to simplify the game.

Adding more ways to communicate simplifies the game?

Most parties already had one literate member. The wizard.

Caledonian
2006-01-16, 05:39 PM
You don't understand - I have to leave at 5:00 PM. If the comic isn't up by then, I won't get to see it until Wednesday.

humanpylon
2006-01-16, 05:50 PM
Hey if everyone else in the US can take a day off, I think the Giant deserves one as well. Unfortunately I don't, since I live in Canada and apparantly we don't believe in stat holidays between new years and easter. :P

Tomada
2006-01-16, 05:50 PM
Ok, It would be nice to have someone confirm that Rich is not going to post new comics on holydays, or is he only not posting one THIS holyday?
Or it is a completelly different thing and the comic is just not in the usual time. (note I didn't say 'late' cause it's only going to be late tomorrow.)

Did Rich say anything about not posting comics on holydays?

DeathQuaker
2006-01-16, 06:04 PM
I have not seen anything where Giant has said that he will not post on MLK day. It could be he forgot to say something, or it could be that, as has happened often before, he is simply late because he has other obligations.

My advice? Check back tonight or tomorrow. If there's not one by tomorrow, it's pretty clear he skipped for the holiday and we'll just have to wait till Wednesday. I'll bet you all five bucks that if that is the case, hpwever, the world will not end. :)

As much as I love the OOTS strip (and yes, I have checked in a couple times to see if it posted today :) ) it takes about 20 seconds to read. It's not worth spending several minutes/hours checking and complaining and woe-is-me-ing for 20 seconds of pleasure. We WILL get a comic... just go read something else in the meantime. (And Calydonian: look at it this way: if there is a Monday comic and you don't get to read it until Wednesday, hopefully a comic on Wednesday will ALSO be published, so you'll get 40 seconds of entertainment instead! See? Not so bad.)

There, I've said my piece. Now you can go back to bemoaning the lack of comic as per usual. ;)

Yobgod
2006-01-16, 06:05 PM
Hey if everyone else in the US can take a day off, I think the Giant deserves one as well.

While MLK day is a Federal (aka "Bank") holiday, a rather large number of corporations and small businesses don't choose to observe it. The reasons are a little bit roundabout, but often involve trying to reconcile an employee benefit of "X holidays per year" with the awkwardness of mid-week holidays. MLK Day is one of the holidays that usually gets dropped in order to, for example, make July 4th a 4-day weekend.

In any case, there are plenty of us in the US slaving away as usual today...

humanpylon
2006-01-16, 06:10 PM
And as luck would have it I don't have to work today even though we don't have that holiday. I worked an extra day last week so I get to take today off! ;D

DOOM2099
2006-01-16, 06:11 PM
Must...Have...OotS...




Oh yeah, I had to work today, too... Wassupwiddat?

Tomada
2006-01-16, 06:15 PM
Ok, let's just stop trying to divine if there is going to be a oots today or not.
I only wished to know if there was anything that the Giant said that would make one imply he was not going to post on holydays.
And as I presumed, he didn't state anything in that concern, so, I will be waiting for the comic later today or in the week.

Be patient people.

Alfryd
2006-01-16, 06:20 PM
I reckon the giant is delayed because there is going to be some lengthy and covoluted exposition involved in the upcoming strip.

So I wouln't say that Nale is better.
Nale, as has been long verified, is a highly intelligent imbecile.
I'd reckon with sorc 3, rogue 2, fighter 7. That's probably closest to bard composition without an XP hit. Which is the point.

Even though Elan could have lost, he preferred to ridicule. I love it.
Isn't this typically an antagonist tactic? I mean, Roy did the whole 'grandiose speech before I kill you' schtick with Xykon and look where it got him. My advice? If you're gonna kill someone and know it's the right thing to do, be the 'grim and silent' type.

Just as a side note, is anyone else concerned about Roy being judged by the being of Pure Law & Good while he's wearing Xykon's crown?
ROY! ROY! Put down the F**king Crown!

Unfortunately, that seems to be what people associate with "fantasy" - poor Tolkien ripoffs that don't have the internal consistency of Tolkien's worlds.
Yeah, thing is, Tolkien's worlds are so internally consistent that they're untouchable. It's very hard to construct random epic adventures in them because there are so many checks and balances against really rocking the boat.

Amalthea
2006-01-16, 06:20 PM
oooh. I can tell today is going to be a bad one. No new comic, WoW server down restarted for being crappy preformance issues. (basically no one can get ON the server! Preformance isssues, right). My father in law coming up to visit...man i didn't have to work today, I'd stay in bed. >:(
Dark Iron?

Tharr
2006-01-16, 06:24 PM
I am sure he just finishing up how Belkar kills Miko.
Belkar reminded me of the "Ho Ho Ho now I have a machine gun too."

sniffles
2006-01-16, 06:45 PM
Waaaaahh!! Me want new OotS. :'(

But on the other hand, at least the site is working. Thank goodness for small favors. :)

Raeden
2006-01-16, 06:58 PM
I can hardly believe how some people talk about multiclass XP penalties as if they know about how they work and then not know how they work. If all your classlevels are within a one level range of all ohter classlevels (like 4/4/4 or 3/4/4/) you incur no XP penalty for multiclassing. Also your favored class doesn't count in this range, so a half orc (favored class: barbarian) with fighter 2/ clerric 2 / barbarian 6 wouldn't incur an XP penalty. A half orc fighter 2 / clerric 5/ barbarian 6 would, as his fighter and clerric levels are more than one apart.

To be short: Nale doesn't have an XP penalty as long as at least the two classes in wich he has the fewest levels are within a one level range of each other, as his highest class level counts as his favored class.

Pg. 60 of the PHB

Devoured_Dude
2006-01-16, 07:04 PM
If you think you know when the new strip will be up, do you have to post it to the Spoilers thread? ;D

Sylvius
2006-01-16, 07:07 PM
Nale doesn't have an XP penalty [...] as his highest class level counts as his favored class.

I thought he could choose any of his classes as his favoured class, not necessarily his highest. Or did 3.5 change that?

Sylvius
2006-01-16, 07:09 PM
I live in Canada and apparantly we don't believe in stat holidays between new years and easter. :P

Move to Alberta. They have a stat in February.

Athanatos
2006-01-16, 07:10 PM
Adding more ways to communicate simplifies the game?

Most parties already had one literate member. The wizard.

Which is simpler?

Fighter: I read the sign.

OR

Fighter: I get the mage to read the sign.

Gilganarz
2006-01-16, 07:11 PM
Isn't this typically an antagonist tactic? I mean, Roy did the whole 'grandiose speech before I kill you' schtick with Xykon and look where it got him. My advice? If you're gonna kill someone and know it's the right thing to do, be the 'grim and silent' type.



Actually Elan was proving how you could defeat your opponent without killing him. Elan never wanted to kill his brother, no matter how evil and thus began to show him how 'good it is to be good' by humiliating his more ruthless more intelligent brother in combat.

Roy with his LG alignment probably made his speech to let Xxyxon know why he was going to destroy him. If I was a monster who got assualted by adventurers every second week, I would be touched if one of them actually gave me a reason beyond 'we want your treasure.'

Starbuck_II
2006-01-16, 07:12 PM
I thought he could choose any of his classes as his favoured class, not necessarily his highest. Or did 3.5 change that?

Correct, while it says Any under Favored Class: read the text. It means the highest level class you have.

I don't know why they still all it any. They should change to highest.

The Giant
2006-01-16, 07:32 PM
There IS going to be a strip today. Try back in like two hours (8:30 pm Eastern Standard). I didn't even remember it was MLK day, since I work at home now and don't actually get the day off or anything. I just didn't get up until now because last night I took Nyquil, and it knocked my fevered ass out cold.

The_Stoney_One
2006-01-16, 07:35 PM
:heavens open up:

aaronbourque
2006-01-16, 07:36 PM
There IS going to be a strip today. Try back in like two hours (8:30 pm Eastern Standard). I didn't even remember it was MLK day, since I work at home now and don't actually get the day off or anything. I just didn't get up until now because last night I took Nyquil, and it knocked my fevered ass out cold.
Yeesh. Does the same to me. But Nyquil Daytime makes me feel like I didn't miss out on all the drug-use in college. And Benadril keeps me up for days.

As long as there's a comic today, we can handle lateness.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; we can't always handle it well, is all . . .

Winged One
2006-01-16, 07:36 PM
Ah, that'll do it. Thanks for telling us, we'll wait.

Tanikova
2006-01-16, 08:04 PM
Poor Giant... you get knocked on your keister with viruses about as often as my hubby and both of you seem to underestimate their effects on your male bodies ;) ;)..... I hope you feel better soon....

Gengy
2006-01-16, 08:09 PM
I'd rather have a sleeping Giant due to curing a sickness then a dead one, due to NOT curing the sickness.

Thanks for the info.

Shevaresh
2006-01-16, 08:18 PM
Yeesh. Does the same to me. But Nyquil Daytime makes me feel like I didn't miss out on all the drug-use in college. And Benadril keeps me up for days.

As long as there's a comic today, we can handle lateness.

Aaron "The Mad Whitaker" Bourque; we can't always handle it well, is all . . .

Oh, I know the feeling you are describing quite well.

And I didn't know Benadryl had lactose in it. Explains why my milk-intolerant self got sick last time I (was forced) to take it.

Tharr
2006-01-16, 08:23 PM
If the entire strip is Miko walking in a hallway and nothing happens it because he medical drunk off cold meds would be very weird.

Sylvius
2006-01-16, 08:50 PM
There IS going to be a strip today. Try back in like two hours (8:30 pm Eastern Standard). I didn't even remember it was MLK day, since I work at home now and don't actually get the day off or anything. I just didn't get up until now because last night I took Nyquil, and it knocked my fevered ass out cold.

When it was first developed, Nyquil was seen as an abolute failure for that very reason. It's one of the most powerful sedatives known.

So they built an ad campaign around it.

Dayquil is like shotgunning a 2-4 of Red Bull.