Elan's potion

[Linkavitch]

Hey, guy's, if you've seen the new comic yet, here's a question. Is the potion a Healing one, or the Alchemical version of Belkar's Ring of Jumping +20?

[tyckspoon]

It's probably another potion of Heroism- it's the same color as the one he fed to Therkla in the previous comic. Boosts skill checks, among other things.

[Heroic]

I agree. Its a heroism potion. Grrr... I wanted Kubota to die :smalltongue:

[Yendor]

Expeditious Retreat. +12 to Jump checks, sucker! (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0067.html)

[Chronos]

I'm not sure we can tell anything from the color. The last time we saw heroism potions (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0421.html), they were green. A potion of Jump seems much more likely.

[Heroic]

But the potion he gave to Therkla was the same as he drunk and it was a Heroism potion. So I have to disagree with you.
The Giant changed the colour to the potion, or maybe he just forgot about the previous ones.

[MReav]

I believe it was a high caster-level jump spell.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/jump.htm

[Mauve Shirt]

It must be a heroism potion. Maybe they just turn orange after a year. :smalltongue:

[drengnikrafe]

I like the idea of a jump potion with one exception...

What PC in their right mind predicts that they will somehow happen to need a jump potion of high level? Heroism potion seems very likely, based upon the fact we have evidence that Elan had at least one on his person at this time, and it increased a skill (namely jump).

My vote says heroism.

[Flickerdart]

Elan is a Dashing Swordsman. They need to make dramatic entrances often, which means lots of jumping. He could very well have a Potion of Jumping up his sleeve.

[Yendor]

Heroism is nearly useless in this situation. +2 to skill checks? Please.

[MReav]

I like the idea of a jump potion with one exception...

What PC in their right mind predicts that they will somehow happen to need a jump potion of high level?

A: Since when is Elan in something that can be considered a "right mind"?

B: Given the need for dramatic entrances, a Dashing Swordsman totally would. The alternative is that it's a potion of flight.

Ninja'd

[drengnikrafe]

Elan probably already has close to max jump skill points. Plus, if you'll remember back to when Haley picked the lock in Azure City while she was still speaking cryptogramatically, he *may* already have a +2 bonus... sort of. If this is the case, I like the Expeditious Retreat theory better, since it strikes me as... I mean, if you wanted to be dramatic, you would come in at the last possible moment, so to make things even more dramatic, you wait until it's "too late", then move at double speed. Appearantly it also gives bonuses to jump checks (maybe).
Either way, I like it better then the Jump Potion thought.

[Chronos]

Well, strictly speaking, you can't make a potion of Expeditious Retreat, since it's a Personal spell. But yeah, that would be a lot more effective here than a Heroism potion.

[drengnikrafe]

Well, strictly speaking, you can't make a potion of Expeditious Retreat, since it's a Personal spell. But yeah, that would be a lot more effective here than a Heroism potion.

When has Rich let sense and rules get in the way of awesome.

In other news, I concede that point, because I failed to notice the obvious.

[Red XIV]

I believe it was a high caster-level jump spell.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/jump.htm
As a bard, can Elan even learn that spell?

[MReav]

As a bard, can Elan even learn that spell?

No. Which is why he drank the potion.

[Jubal_Barca]

What if it's an antipoison? Ya know, for Kubota's touch attack?

[AceOfFools]

I like the idea of a jump potion with one exception...

What PC in their right mind predicts that they will somehow happen to need a jump potion of high level? Heroism potion seems very likely, based upon the fact we have evidence that Elan had at least one on his person at this time, and it increased a skill (namely jump).

My vote says heroism.

The savy kind that knows they might need to cross vertical distances or chasms at strategic retreat speed, but don't want to blow the gold on a fly potion (3x the cost of the +20 version or 15X the cost of the +10 version).

I can recall four times off the top of my head when a jump spell (albeit not a potion) has saved PC lives.

Also randomly generated treasure.


Elan probably already has close to max jump skill points.

The perfect thing to match his foolish-but-genre-savy "wardering bard" concept; a strong focus on leaping. :smallwink:

5 ranks to bump his tumble is easy to justify, but between his performs (2 that we know of), the serious drain due to being a face (Diplomacy & Intimidate which he's used in [bonus] cannon plus disguise and bluff which he may not have full ranks), cross-class learning that fits the concept, and his int penalty he doesn't have a lot of skill points to throw around.

I mean I'm sure he has some ranks, beating the heavies across the pit waaay back in comic #2, but the sort of dramatic flying leap in 594 is at least DC 30 (7'2" straight up, less if also moving laterally), which isn't a small investment for someone with his strength score, even with +2 from heroism and +2 circumstances from the drama.

...but not outside the realm of possibility if Probability is still turning tricks for drama.

Fun fact; Elan's second line and first song in the online comic celebrate the skill points he gained in the edition shift.

[ericgrau]

Iiiii'm gonna go with a potion of jump +20 or +30 (other possible flavor is +10). Just a hunch, maybe I'm crazy.:smallwink:

[Kurald Galain]

When has Rich let sense and rules get in the way of awesome.

Precisely. So it was obviously a Potion of Awesome.

[Mc. Lovin']

What if it's an antipoison? Ya know, for Kubota's touch attack?

he woulda give it to therkla

[Jubal_Barca]

No, because the Katos arrived with the potions too late. But in time for Elan to antipoison up and go after Kubota.

[Jenx]

It's heroism. It's the same color as the potion he gave our now dead half-orc, and he said its' a potion of heroism. Why it's orange instead of green though, I have no idea. Maybe they do turn orange after a while? :smallbiggrin:

[lord of kobolds]

Elan wouldn't need much of a bonus from potions. Dashing swordsman probably gives large bonuses to any skill which is used for dramatic entrances.

[Theodoriph]

It's probably a heroism potion, and he likely took it to help boost his fort save against poison.

[Starbuck_II]

It's probably a heroism potion, and he likely took it to help boost his fort save against poison.

But the guy already used his ring: What does he have another ring we can't see?

[Theodoriph]

But the guy already used his ring: What does he have another ring we can't see?


So you're claiming that the only possible way someone can be poisoned is via a poison ring? Else, I don't understand your comment.


A more fitting question would have been: "Could Kubota have another dose of poison?" And prior to his capture, the answer was: Yes, he could have another dose of poison.

In such circumstances, caution, along with a high constitution, is a healthy attribute.

[Jenx]

Or maybe Elan simply wanted to drink some potion and throw it away before making a big dramatic leap off the ship, and since it seemed he had Heroism potions on him at the moment, he just downed that.

[Zeebiedeebie]

I think it was a potion of freedom of movement so that he could move around on the boat.--:smallconfused:

[Mando Knight]

I'm not sure we can tell anything from the color. The last time we saw heroism potions (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0421.html), they were green.

But who said that magic potions have to stay the same color? What if they change color so often that it's impossible to say exactly what color a Heroism potion should be?

[AstralFire]

But who said that magic potions have to stay the same color? What if they change color so often that it's impossible to say exactly what color a Heroism potion should be?

You're... you're helping Chronos' point.

[MReav]

What if they are the same colour?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Roy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0443.html) has 2 potions here, one of Shelileigh and one of Delay Poison. Look at the colors.

[Jenx]

Sooo either the potions changed colors, or Elan (a bard. With bardic lore) has no idea what a heroism potion looks like, and mistook another potion for one.

[hamishspence]

Or, possible, colour of potion depends on who's brewing it. I remember that even in pre-advanced D&D, colour was not always a guide to what potion was.

[Ron Miel]

Or possibly you're overthinking a comic drawn with stick figures, where the inconsistent art is deliberately used as a source of humour. You might just as well wonder why Roy's boots look different in the early strips, or whether the big one goes on the right foot or the left.

[Yoyoyo]

Or maybe Elan simply wanted to drink some potion and throw it away before making a big dramatic leap off the ship, and since it seemed he had Heroism potions on him at the moment, he just downed that.

Absolutely! The potion is less important than Elan looking cool and dashing before his big jump.:smallbiggrin: