OOTS #716 - The Discussion Thread

[Faramir]

How is this an improvement over Haley just telling Roy what happened?

She gets to stay with Elan and hopefully keep him from getting killed until the rest of the Order figures out where they are.

[waterpenguin43]

I loved this comic. It makes me glad that though the party is seperate again; Haley and Elan are together. And nobody is dead.

[Porthos]

casting from a scoll isn't instantaneous as far as I know either. It's a standard action.

While there's some debate on whether or not that is true in DnD Proper (Core Rules imply one thing, Rules Compendium says another), in OotS, casting from a scroll has always been shown as a Standard Action. For example, the Sending scrolls Nate used were clearly Standard Actions. Even the "Control Weather" scroll that Durkon used was a Standard Action to activate (the scroll wasn't glowing during the repeated ControlWeatherControlWeatherControlWeather bit while Durkon's Holy Symbol was - this almost certainly refers to the fact that it takes 10 minutes after the spell is cast for the first effects to be seen).

[CWater]

Awesome comic!

"Someone needs to look after the two of you" lol

[DSCrankshaw]

She gets to stay with Elan and hopefully keep him from getting killed until the rest of the Order figures out where they are.

And, as I pointed out earlier, Haley didn't know where they were going. The wanted poster did say.

[Draconi Redfir]

sweet throw by Haley. your awsome Rich!

[Jokasti]

Pterodactyls. Priceless.

[Felecies]

She is going to be just as incapacitated in no time.

Haley made a mistake. Coming from being separated all that time in Azure City, its not without reason.

why would Haley be beat up? When you go for a bounty, healthy people are usualy worth more. I mean they already have her captive why beat her up?

[Nevadie]

Interestingly enough, we may have an HP range for ganji, and possibly a level range after that.

Ganji only seemed to be stunned for one round, long enough for Haley to run up and charge attack. If thats true, that puts his HP at 101-150. Im sure the class geekery thread will deduce something out of that.

Of course, Rich could have not shown a few rounds. Who knows. :P

[Draz74]

More plot holes/interesting speculations in this thread than usual. I'd like to add one more:

Why does Gannji refer to Haley as "your human friend"? Doesn't he think she's a demon -- the demon referred to on the Wanted poster?

[GenPol]

Hah, pretty awesome. I hope Roy finds it before everybody else in the city sees the expensive looking dagger just lying on the ground.

[wodan46]

Haley's reasons were pretty straightforward.

1. She is capable of escaping from imprisonment far more than the other two are.
2. She is capable of bargaining for time far more than the other two are.
3. She is uninjured, they aren't, which is useful in the immediate future.
4. Elan followed by V are the two people in the party she cares the most about, she isn't likely to abandon them, especially after the group just got reunited.

[Magicyop]

Hah! V finally gets to use those eight spellbook pages and 300 gp of ink.

Also, to those wondering what the odds are that Roy or one of the other OotS would find the poster, pretty high. The poster is right in the spot where the order was going to meet. At latest, someone will show up in 1 hour, and at best, someone else will arrive early and find the poster.

Bravo, great comic, eagerly awaiting more.

[Drolyt]

Yay for new comics! Go Giant!

[Dr.Epic]

Another crowning moment of awesome for Haley. Though I'm disappointed we're splitting the party again so soon.

[gosh]

I like this strip - while not quite as funny as the previous strip ("Coordinated soul-selling?") it definitely shows that Gannji and Enor (I'll have to get used to those names) are dumber than they think.

It appears to be in the evening, and it's in the spot the group was supposed to meet at, so I think Roy has a pretty good chance of finding the poster/knife. I also think Haley did the right thing, as she is now able to protect the unconcious/immobilized Elan and V. While normally she wouldn't have known what was on the poster, V's instructions made it clear to her that the poster could tell more about their location than Haley herself could have.

More plot holes/interesting speculations in this thread than usual. I'd like to add one more:

Why does Gannji refer to Haley as "your human friend"? Doesn't he think she's a demon -- the demon referred to on the Wanted poster?

I was also wondering about this...

[Lupy]

It's nice to see the party relying on Roy again.

[MonkeyBusiness]

Alot of people seem to be asking how Haley knew what the poster said. I think she of all people would know how wanted posters look ...

This made me laugh, because it's true!

I imagine Haley was able to "know" what the poster said because she made her spot check. This is a comic about gaming, and while a good game doesn't ignore reality, it bends in favor of letting the PC's try to act heroic. Sometimes they succeed, and sometimes reality (or a better set of stats)wins. I would not do what Haley did (even if I could) ... but I would, in a game, ask my DM to let my character try similar stunts. Why not?

I like that OOTS stretches my imagination. I know that The Giant will not try to stretch it so far that the elastic pops and falls shapeless and ruined around my ankles. I know that it's crazy for Roy to be able to leap onto a moving zombie dragon, but I love that he can do the impossible ... and I also love that he dies if he falls off.

It's the Elan Method of storytelling: it doesn't always make "sense", but it does make a great story. And that's why we read it.

MBiz

[ThePhantasm]

I have a feeling that, per the rules of humor and irony, Roy will not immediately figure it out.

[chionophile]

People are making a fuss about Haley not knowing what was on the paper. I'd just like to point out that it doesn't matter what was on the paper. Vaarsuvius said to deliver it to Greenhilt, so that's what Haley did her best to do. She trusts V, remember?

[Lateral]

Yayyy! The half-dragon dude has a name too!

Gannji and Enor... I hope they survive. They sound fun.

Hah! V finally gets to use those eight spellbook pages and 300 gp of ink.

Just cuz I feel like it, I'll say this. It was 7 pages. Power Word Blind is what V scribed. Hey! PW Stun is 8th level! That means the Oots is in the lv15 area! SWEET!

[Tobimaro]

I was hoping for a Haley Sneak Attack, but I guess that this is a better result. She gets to supervise Elan and V (who both need it), and she still tries her best to warn Roy as to what is going on. I just hope that it is Roy that comes along next.

Bad situation: some random person finds the dagger and wanted poster, takes dagger, and throws the paper away.

Worst situation: Nale is in town, and he finds the items. Hilarity ensues.

[Gwynfrid]

People are making a fuss about Haley not knowing what was on the paper. I'd just like to point out that it doesn't matter what was on the paper. Vaarsuvius said to deliver it to Greenhilt, so that's what Haley did her best to do. She trusts V, remember?

On its own, that point wins the debate regarding Haley being clever or stupid, IMHO.

Haley's reasons were pretty straightforward.

1. She is capable of escaping from imprisonment far more than the other two are.
2. She is capable of bargaining for time far more than the other two are.
3. She is uninjured, they aren't, which is useful in the immediate future.
4. Elan followed by V are the two people in the party she cares the most about, she isn't likely to abandon them, especially after the group just got reunited.

Yep. Her actions are wholly in character. On top of the above 4:

5. Haley is a trooper, and as such she hates losing. She doesn't want to be left completely beaten. Outsmarting her enemies is at least a partial victory.

[Yendor]

That would have been a perfect occasion for Power Word Blind. Try reading that Teleport scroll now.

[RMcMurtry]

Vaarsuvius is highly intelligent and has no ranks in social skills; (s)he probably just bought off a charisma penalty last time (s)he leveled.

Elan has high ranks in diplomacy but is still weak when it comes to any sort of intelligence function.

Haley (I expect) has decent stats in intelligence and charisma and ranks in diplomacy (especially since Azure City). Since their captors might well keep the casters gagged (Nale's a sorceror, Elan's a bard, V and Z are both wizards), she might be permitted to speak and deal with the whole situation that way.

[Lateral]

Used power word Stun instead. V probably hadn't prepared PW Blind today, otherwise (s)he wouldn't have blown an 8th level slot.

[Inhuman Bot]

why would Haley be beat up? When you go for a bounty, healthy people are usualy worth more. I mean they already have her captive why beat her up?

You mean slaves?

[ChristianT]

How is this an improvement over Haley just telling Roy what happened?

Without Haley, Elan would be sad and V might freak out again. She's there to make sure they don't get into more trouble.

[kusje]

The improvement is that a paralyzed V and an unconscious Elan will not be alone and imprisoned in a strange country. Haley found a way to alert Roy while still protecting Elan and V.

Uh. Haley will be equally helpless. So now we'll help a disabled Haley, paralyzed V and an unconscious Elan alone and imprisoned in a strange country.

Wouldn't it be much smarter for Haley to stay safe? The rescuers might need all the help they can get.

[Shale]

I doubt it.

One, Haley is a rogue in the mid-teens. They're hard to keep in prison.

Two, Haley's captors think she's a demon. What do you want to bet they think cold iron will be enough to neutralize her?