OOTS death pool (new thread)

[Sniffnoy]

Seeing as RSLee seems to have vanished -- he hasn't updated the death pool post with the latest bets in a long time -- I'm going to be taking over the death pool thread. (I sent him a message a week ago asking if this was OK, and he hasn't responded, so I'm taking him as vanished.)

Here then, are the rules, as copied over from the original thread, with some clarifying additions of my own:

For those who are unaware of the term or just have a certain red and black mercenary on the mind, a Dead Pool is a game where you take bets on who will be the next to die. There won't be any actual money up for grabs, of course, so the only real prize is bragging rights.

Whenever a character is killed off, we will begin a new round of betting. Anybody who had bet on that character's death will be awarded a point. Then everybody (even the people who didn't guess right), will be asked to make a new bet for the next round.

I'd like to set a few ground rules, though.

1. a) The character who dies generally has to have at least ten appearances in their name. For example, if the Order of the Stick were to suddenly come across a Cave Troll, you would not be allowed to bet on the Troll. The characters you bet on have to have some significance.

b) If the character happens to be very significant to the story and has had enough dialogue, I am willing to make certain exceptions. I will make it clear which characters qualify.

2. You can only bet on one character at a time.

3. You can not change your bet unless a character has been killed off. For example, if you'd nominated Belkar and a dragon were to swoop in and attack Nale, you wouldn't be allowed to suddenly change your vote to Nale.

3a. If you don't explicitly change your bet, you're assumed to have re-bet on the same person until you state otherwise. Explicitly stating that you're re-betting on the same person has no effect (i.e. you can still change your bet after doing this).

4. You are allowed to bet on the same person more than once. For example, let's say that you had bet on O'Chul. If Lien were to be killed off, you would still be allowed to keep betting on O'Chul's death for as many rounds as you wish.

5. Characters who die in flashbacks do not count. For example, if the comic were to flashback to ten years ago and we saw Girard Draketooth dying of old age, then it would not count as a death. They have to die during the actual events of the comic.

6. Characters who are resurrected still count as having died. If Jirix were to be killed and then immediately resurrected by Redcloak, then it wouldn't change anything. The people who bet on his death would still get the points.

6a. Transitioning directly from life to undeath also counts as a death. Thus, if a character is found to have become undead, this counts as a death, regardless of whether or not he died before becoming undead.

7. Multiple people are allowed to vote for the same character.

8. (a) If a character is put in a dangerous situation and then later discovered to have died off-panel, anybody who bet on that character will be awarded a point upon discovery of the corpse (or undead body). For example, imagine if Belkar were to get lost in the forest. If the Order of the Stick were to stumble upon his corpse several strips later and learned that he had starved to death, then anybody who bet on Belkar would receive a point as soon as his death is confirmed.

(b) However, if this death conflicts with rule 5 and a character from flashbacks is discovered to have retroactively died, then no points will be awarded. For example, if somebody were to bet on Girard Draketooth, and the Order of the Stick stumbled upon his skeleton, then nobody would get a point.

9. If two characters are killed in the same strip, then points will be rewarded to anybody who bet on either character. For example, if Blackwing were to be eaten by a dog at the beginning of a strip and then V were to be killed by the same dog during the last panel of the same strip, then anybody who voted for either V or Blackwing would receive a point.

10. If characters who can't be killed by conventional means are temporarily destroyed, it will count as a death. For example, if Xykon were to be destroyed, then anybody who bet on him will still get points, even if his phylactery survives and he regenerates a few strips later.

11. You are not allowed to bet on a group. You have to choose a specific individual. For example, you would not be able to say "I bet that somebody from the Linear Guild will die". You have to specify which member it will be.

12. Characters who die in supplementary material do not qualify for the Death Pool. They have to die within the actual comic. For example, if "Haleo and Julelan" were to feature the non-canon deaths of Haley and Elan, then it would be ineligible for the pool.

Specific Rulings

-The Demon Roaches do not count on the Death Pool. None of them have any individuality or names.
-The flumphs are also disqualified for a similar reason.
New Rulings:
-If Xykon (or another lich) has his phylactery destroyed while his body is destroyed, this does count as a second death, so long as it occurs in a separate strip; otherwise it does not. More generally, if a character dies twice (according to any of the things that would count here as a death) in one strip, it counts as only one death.

Let me also add: If you are making a post with a bet in it, please be clear about it. That is to say, either include it in the first line (best if the post is just 1 line or so); or else go and bold your bet so it stands out. I will read it and add it even if you don't do this, but it makes it easier for me if you do.

Those of you who placed your bet before Yukyuk's death and haven't since changed it still have the opportunity to do so, of course, should you want.

Now, then:

The current point totals:

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Pory: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Ravian: 1 point (Yukyuk)
ella ventic: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Seharvepernfan: 1 point (Yukyuk)
ThePhantasm: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Giddon: 1 point (Yukyuk)
PhantomDennis: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Johanz: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Cleverdan22: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Dr. Gamera: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Endon the White: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Petey7: 1 point (Yukyuk)
olthar : 1 point (Yukyuk)
Squark: 1 point (Yukyuk)
Orsen: 1 point (Yukyuk)
GnomeGninjas: 1/2 points (Demon Roaches)

The current bets:

Kilkil:

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RSLee
Squeejee
Cizak
The Glyphstone
EmperorSarda
Zigg'rrauglurr
Ferreroni
Anne Calie
Mr. Pants
ThePhantasm
Syklone
Verithrax
Johanz
Avangor
Toy Killer
Sajach
Ninja Dragon
Vovix
137ben
Olinser
Sorator

Ian Starshine:

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Adoendithas

Zz'dtri:

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ti'esar
GreatEscape_13
Emulgator
EnragedFilia
Gurgeh
Vulkos
Obnoxious Hydra
Emperor Flumph
curtis
Squark
CountD
Nyes the Dark
ThomasMink
Cuthalion
Reltzik

Jirix:

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Mr. Pink
Prowl
SheepInDisguise
bluewurm
ORione
EternalRuin
DemonRoach
twinkletoes

Geoff:

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zimmerwald1915
dps
Alaba Blackveil

Belkar Bitterleaf:

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sparkyinbozo
Anarion
Vemynal
weso12
martianmister
toughluck
Dr. Gamera
Gift Jeraff
Petey7
Silver2195
oppyu
Dracarot
Dark Elf Bard
ella ventic
Bulldog Psion
Hydra Druid
2323mike
Flame of Anor
Icedaemon
Peelee
Sniffnoy
chessdudeguy
Turgon9357
Kish
MeanMrsMustard
Felixc-91

Xykon:

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Agnostik

Mr. Scruffy:

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IrnBruAddict
LudiDrizzt
DrBurr
Iferus
androkguz
The Grimmace
Emperordaniel
Peregrine Crow
lycunadari

Tarquin:

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G-Man Graves
Miklus
Forbiddenwar

Durkon Thundershield:

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Bad Hair Day
Jan Mattys
Knight.Anon
The Squirrel
onionbreath
PhantomDennis
MarchiMcFly
trufflehound
theinsulabot

Thog:

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Sith_Happens
Oscredwin
The Zoat

Nale:

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Ellye
Redgoblin
AlfredAmeoba
squidbreath
bengator
Dragongirl

Elan:

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Uchiha Richard

Enor:

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Hazzardevil

Malack:

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Cisturn
Dark Matter
Seharvepernfan
Pory
Keeper of Starlight
Loreni333
Ulysses WkAmil
Wizard

Miko Miyazaki:

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blackjack217

Haley Starshine:

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The Second

Sabine:

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Lord Ruby34
Rorrik

Niu:

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smasher0404
t209

Blackwing:

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sr123

Qarr:

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Lintecarka
Ravian

Vaarsuvius:

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Sonata Arctica
Gorm_the_DBA
McDougal

Celia:

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Zmeoaice

Empress of Blood:

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Savil

Amun-Zora:

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rewinn

If I've misrecorded your bet, or failed to record it, please let me know.

And, because I want to, some betting stats:

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Number of bets and number of appearances. Note: Number of appearances will not be updated with every comic, so those numbers are not necessarily up to date (they're currently as of #867). Look at the number of appearances thread if you want up-to-date numbers.

bets	app	char
26	373	Belkar Bitterleaf
20	 22	Kilkil
15	 41	Zz'dtri
 9	 96	Mr. Scruffy
 9	317	Durkon Thundershield
 8	 21	Jirix
 8	 35	Malack
 6	 98	Nale
 3	 12	Geoff
 3	 64	Tarquin
 3	 67	Thog
 3	 71	Sabine
 3	344	Vaarsuvius
 2	 18	Niu
 2	 42	Qarr
 1	  8	Amun-Zora
 1	 17	Empress of Blood
 1	 22	Ian Starshine
 1	 23	Enor
 1	 68	Miko Miyazaki
 1	 71	Celia
 1	 72	Blackwing
 1	 94	Xykon
 1	421	Haley Starshine
 1	430	Elan

[137ben]

Add me to the list for Kilkil. He's a linear guild kobold, he is destined to die.

[t209]

Niu! Well, we got enough Wham Episode and either Niu's death or Azurite's civil war could be next for the receiving end of the good side factions.

[Emperordaniel]

Wait, someone betted on Miko Miyazaki? Isn't she, like, already LONG dead?

[ti'esar]

Hang on a second - has anyone changed their votes since Yukyuk died?

I'm not going to myself, but I recall it was allowed, and it would give all of those people who bet on Jirix to switch to someone more likely.

[Sniffnoy]

Yes, some people did. Most of those were immediately afterward; only one person changed their bet since RSLee stopped updating it (only one I had to change).

I might compile a list later, I guess, but probably not -- too much work.

[oppyu]

The problem is that with the update [s-word that we don't use ever omitted] the way it is, it can be months between deaths. Most people lose interest in that period, which is why there are still a lot of people betting that Jirix is the next one to go.

[Mike Havran]

Belkar

I'm looking forward to see him die and have his head turned into something funny.

[Flame of Anor]

I'll go with Belkar. His luck fighting kobolds has to end sometime...sometime soon...

[ThomasMink]

I like the guy, but eh.. toss me in there with the Zz'dtri crowd.

[Icedaemon]

Belkar is due a death. Unless Team Evil swoops in and hits the improved linear guild soon, he should be the next one to go.

[Peelee]

Belkar is due a death. Unless Team Evil swoops in and hits the improved linear guild soon, he should be the next one to go.

Agreed. Meant to update my vote after Yukyuk's death, but didn't get around to it. Put me down for the Belkster getting reaped (original bet is for Geoff, if that helps you find mine easier).

[Cuthalion]

I'm in for Zzdtri.

[Sniffnoy]

You know what? I'm going to switch to Belkar as well.

[Savil]

I should bet on someone exotic, so... Empress of Blood

[Chessgeek]

Well, I prefer to think outside of the box. Has anyone by any chance considered Belkar Bitterleaf?
I know I'm playing the longshot, but what can I say? I'm a risk-taker.

[Gorm_the_DBA]

I'm placing 5 quattlous on V expiring next.

[martianmister]

Belkar Bitterleaf

[Sniffnoy]

But you've already bet on Belkar...

[Chessgeek]

But you've already bet on Belkar...

I thought you were allowed to bet on the same person more than once...?(Ground Rule 4)
Or do you mean that martianmister's last bet was on Belkar, and that there was no need to restate it?

[Sniffnoy]

I thought you were allowed to bet on the same person more than once...?(Ground Rule 4)
Or do you mean that martianmister's last bet was on Belkar, and that there was no need to restate it?

The latter; that's how RSLee did it. (And so e.g. if martianmister were to change his mind later, I'd allow it.) Sorry -- I guess that's not in the stated rules; I'll add it.

[Turgon9357]

Please change me from Jirix (my pre-Yukyuk bid) to Belkar.

[t209]

I wish to change my money on Niu to Belkar since people are calling me as "mean" for wanting Niuh to die.
P.S- Also Belkar is going to die (maybe?).

[Emperordaniel]

...I'm still confused as to how someone could bet on an already-long-dead person (Miko Miyazaki). Could someone explain it for me?

[Sniffnoy]

I wish to change my money on Niu to Belkar since people are calling me as "mean" for wanting Niuh to die.
P.S- Also Belkar is going to die (maybe?).

I can't do that. Bets can only be changed if someone's died inbetween, and nobody's died since your bet on Niu.

...I'm still confused as to how someone could bet on an already-long-dead person (Miko Miyazaki). Could someone explain it for me?

Hey, there's nothing in the rules against it! That bet happened back on the original thread. RSLee allowed it and thus so do I. Certainly we can't disallow betting on dead characters in general, since they can come back to life. Sure, it's an extreme longshot (to understate things), but there's no rule against picking badly. That bet happened before Yukyuk's death, so if he wants to change it, he has that option, but, he hasn't done so.

[Silver Swift]

...I'm still confused as to how someone could bet on an already-long-dead person (Miko Miyazaki). Could someone explain it for me?

Here is the original post:

I predict Miko, rezed and killed off in one panel.

I don't believe it was an entirely serious entry, I suspect he was trying to find the biggest longshot possible within the rules.

Also, like Sniffnoy said, betting on long dead characters can be a valid under certain circumstances, otherwise no one could bet on Xykon.

[Emperordaniel]

Thanks for clarifying that for me, both of you.

[bengator]

I will go off the board and say nale. I think malacks going to lose it.

[Seharvepernfan]

Sniffoy, you said that you "added some clarifications" to RSLee's original rules, could you bold the changes or something?

[Olinser]

Put me down for Kilkil first.

(After he goes down right now I'm betting Malack, but we'll cross that when we come to it )