New Party Member?

[Drakeburn]

I was completely devastated that Durkon died and became a vampire.

But I just realized that, this being a webcomic based on D&D 3.5, this has me wondering if the Order of the Stick might have someone to take Durkon's place, like a shaman or some other character with a healing class?

Or, is it not going to work according to the plot?

[Aolbain]

I think we are a bit too late in the story to introduce someone completely new. Wouldn't surprise me if O-Chul or the like joined the order but no one would replace Durkons role.

[AngryHobbit]

story based on D&D 3.5 =\= game in D&D 3.5.

I opened a similar thread some time ago. And came to conclusion that we probably won't have a replacement for Durkon.
Adding a new character so late in the story is a perfect "Scrappy" recipe.
They need a healer but there is no good enough substitute:
Of existing characters, O-Chul has low charisma = can't cast Lay of hands
Leeky Windstaff is a druid, but he really has no reason to join OotS.
Hinjo has his people to lead, so, even though he will probably help them, I doubt he will become new party member.
Lien - I don't know.
Celia so far used elemental magic, don't know if she can heal.
I can't remember, is Serini a rogue or a ranger? She may still be alive. Dorukan was alive prior to the beginning of the story, and halflings live longer (of course, if Xykon didn't kill her in order to obtain her diary). She sounds like the best choice to me if she's a ranger.

[Antipode]

Given Belkar's currently abysmal Constitution, I wouldn't be surprised if this story arc is where he snuffs it. If that's the case, the Order of the Stick're presumably on their way to Kraagor's Gate next, where O-Chul and Lien are - picking up two Paladins as replacement party members that "kind of" fill Belkar and Durkon's roles (DPS and Healing at least, though both not as well, and if O-Chul can't tank I'll be a monkey's uncle) when they're going the same direction and've explicitly said they know to contact the Order if they see Xykon or other dicey action going down doesn't sound too unlikely to me.

[Procyonpi]

Clearly, the new party member will be

Spoiler

Show

PSTEVE! The totally cool Psion who just joined the party!

[rodneyAnonymous]

Unless Belkar dies (or something), O-Chul can't join the party: paladins can't knowingly associate with evil characters. (Hinjo had a degree-of-separation-in-command excuse.)

[Mike Havran]

Serini was a rogue, so no healing either. There are Hilgya and Cleric of Loki, but I doubt either of them will join.

My guess is that "Durkon" will join them in his vampiric form. His death was too tough to be reversed soon, and it will bring an interesting possibility for developement.

There is also a possibility that a group of several new characters will temporarily ally and travel with the Order. It's not like there won't be any new characters introduced in the next arc.

[Olinser]

Unless Belkar dies (or something), O-Chul can't join the party: paladins can't knowingly associate with evil characters. (Hinjo had a degree-of-separation-in-command excuse.)

That could be fudged by Roy's excuse to the Deva - Belkar is a prisoner on a work-release program, and Roy (and O-Chul) are his jailors.

So O-chul isn't 'associating' with him. He's imprisoning him.

Semantics, I know, but O-Chul has shown he's much more willing to bend a bit on the Paladin code than Miko was.

After all, he forgave Belkar for literally tossing him to the wolves. I don't think anybody would have blinked if O-Chul had cut him in half the second he saw him.

[AngryHobbit]

Serini was a rogue, so no healing either. There are Hilgya and Cleric of Loki, but I doubt either of them will join.

Well Hilgya maybe won't join them, but Durkon is returning to the Dwarven lands soon, so there's a slight possibility that we might see her again.

[Olinser]

Well Hilgya maybe won't join them, but Durkon is returning to the Dwarven lands soon, so there's a slight possibility that we might see her again.

He's going to return and find out that Hilgya gave birth to his love child. Hilgya's husband will demand satisfaction, and this will result in a war between 2 dwarven clans, bringing the prophecized death and destruction.

[AngryHobbit]

He's going to return and find out that Hilgya gave birth to his love child. Hilgya's husband will demand satisfaction, and this will result in a war between 2 dwarven clans, bringing the prophecized death and destruction.

TO WAR!!! ALL HAIL IVAN THE SPIRIT CRUSHER!!!
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0083.html

[rodneyAnonymous]

That could be fudged by Roy's excuse to the Deva...

Roy is a fighter; I don't think that excuse would fly very far for a paladin.

[EmperorSarda]

Why can't vampire Durkon be the new party member? It's prophetized that he will return home posthumously, so once the gate explodes and Malack realizes the sheer importance of resisting Xykon, then he releases Durkon from Thrallhood and Durkon rejoins the party.

[Amphiox]

Serini was a rogue, so no healing either.

Serini was a rogue who was thinking about multi-classing to Paladin. In the intervening time it is possible she could have gained quite a few levels in Paladin.

But in terms of party-role, Serini fit more as a replacement for Belkar (if he gets snuffed soon) than Durkon.

And O'Chul could also freely join the Order AFTER Belkar's possibly imminent demise.

But of course O'Chul would be no better a healer than a hypothetical multi-classed Serini.

[Procyonpi]

Serini was a rogue who was thinking about multi-classing to Paladin. In the intervening time it is possible she could have gained quite a few levels in Paladin.

But in terms of party-role, Serini fit more as a replacement for Belkar (if he gets snuffed soon) than Durkon.

And O'Chul could also freely join the Order AFTER Belkar's possibly imminent demise.

But of course O'Chul would be no better a healer than a hypothetical multi-classed Serini.

Considering that he started as a fighter who took charisma a dump stat, he could very well have NO healing. He has no lay on hands and quite possibly no spellcasting if he doesn't have enough levels, as his lack of paladin mount might indicate.

[Olinser]

Considering that he started as a fighter who took charisma a dump stat, he could very well have NO healing. He has no lay on hands and quite possibly no spellcasting if he doesn't have enough levels, as his lack of paladin mount might indicate.

Not necessarily. O-chul hasn't been in any situation where a mount would really come in handy - and when he was Xykon's prisoner, it appears as though the mounts are summoned through an item (*cough* POKEBALL *cough) that was presumably taken from him.

[137beth]

Really? I'm the first one to mention that as a rogue, Serini could use UMD?

Still, it is probably more likely that Durkon will join than Serini, but still, no one mentioned it already

[Forikroder]

in all honesty heres waht i expect to happen

Tarquin doesnt want the gate, hes smart enough to know that Gate will kill anyone who tries to hold it (not directly but holding it is painting a target on your back)

he knows Nale is dumb enough and Roy is competent enough that the OoTS isnt going to die anytime soon

he has a plan, something that KilKil is in on

i see 2 scenarios

1. Tarquin is in cahoots with the IFCC and there master plan finally gets revealed, this pisses of Malack and the LG - Tarquin and KilKil join the OoTS to fight Tarquin and the IFCC team evil arrives, one giant free for all, once the dust settles Durkon is a free man again learns protection from daylight and the OoTS continues the adventure with Durkon enduring the curse until the adventure is over (que character development)

2. Tarquin secret plan is actually an anti- team evil plan and once team evil arrives the LG and the OoTS join and once the dust settles same deal with Durkon

quite frankyl i cant imagine Durkon actually leaving the story at this point with so little attention made to him

[hymie]

Unless Belkar dies (or something), O-Chul can't join the party: paladins can't knowingly associate with evil characters. (Hinjo had a degree-of-separation-in-command excuse.)

1. I thought it was accepted that yes, Belkar is going to die.

2. Doesn't Belkar's lead shield provide plausible deniability?

[Kish]

1. I thought it was accepted that yes, Belkar is going to die.

I wish.

2. Doesn't Belkar's lead shield provide plausible deniability?

Funnily enough, the rule does not say, "Paladins cannot associate with anyone they have Detected Evil on, but are free to associate with anyone they have not Detected Evil on, regardless of how blatantly evil that person may be." Plausible deniability is a courtroom concept. Someone who tries to argue for being Lawful Good, much less for being a paladin, by technicalities is Lawful Neutral at best.

[Forikroder]

id argue taht considering Belakrs current pretend character growth thats turning into not so pretend character growth a Paladin would be able to group with him

[rodneyAnonymous]

For one thing, Belkar doesn't have the lead sheet anymore, and for another, while Detect Evil might tell someone who doesn't know him that he's evil, no spell would be necessary to someone who actually spends any time with him.

[Kish]

Much less to O-Chul--remember, "I will gut you with my hands" O-Chul?

...not that a paladin would be a better healer than a bard anyway, even a single-classed paladin. This isn't World of Warcraft.

[brionl]

Serini was a rogue who was thinking about multi-classing to Paladin. In the intervening time it is possible she could have gained quite a few levels in Paladin.

I'm pretty sure that was just a joke. On the lines of Elan wanting to multi-class to wizard.

[VanaGalen]

I'm pretty sure that was just a joke. On the lines of Elan wanting to multi-class to wizard.

Exactly, it seems Serini (being chaotic herself) simply wanted to tease Soon a bit. Not to mention that rogue with only few levels in paladin has healing capabilities or par with Belkar, I suppose. Moreover since we last saw Serini (in crayons) ~100 years have passed. Serini might be too old for adventuring, if she's alive atm.

O-Chul doesn't have enough charisma for healing, but that's rather unusual for a paladin, so Lien probably can heal. And the Order will probably rendezvous with the paladins at some point. As for the paladin's moral dilemma of associating with Belkar, O-Chul didn't have that problem when making friends with baby-eating MitD. Belkar at least doesn't eat babies.

As for Durkon, he might rejoin the Order after he matures and is released from Malack's command. However, can Malack teach him his uber Protection from Daylight spell? Otherwise Durkon is tied to Malack even after he has his free will back.

I also would love to see Hilgya again. I always thought she had good potential that so far hasn't been developed. I can't really imagine her as the OotS healer, but after Zz'dtri great comeback I'm optimistic she might appear in the next arc.

[AngryHobbit]

As for the paladin's moral dilemma of associating with Belkar, O-Chul didn't have that problem when making friends with baby-eating MitD. Belkar at least doesn't eat babies.

MitD doesn't eat babies. And "at least" argument doesn't change the fact that Belkie kills people for fun. And O-Chul knows that. Anyway O-Chul strikes me as more flexible than other Paladins, so maybe that wouldn't be so much of a problem.

Moreover since we last saw Serini (in crayons) ~100 years have passed. Serini might be too old for adventuring, if she's alive atm.

It's 66 years ago. OOTS considered that Girard could still be alive, which they wouldn't if it was ~100 ago. And Xykon is around Dorukan's age. Halflings live longer than humans, although I'm not sure how much longer. I guess she would be around Tarquin's age in halfling years.

[Mike Havran]

It's 66 years ago. OOTS considered that Girard could still be alive, which they wouldn't if it was ~100 ago. And Xykon is around Dorukan's age. Halflings live longer than humans, although I'm not sure how much longer. I guess she would be around Tarquin's age in halfling years.

If she is alive, that is. Xykon had to get his hands on her most secret diary somehow, and since it's Xykon, he most likely turned into ashes everything that stood in his way.

[Souju]

Something tells me there's more to the Serini issue than being dead or alive...
Remember how Xykon dealt with two of the Scribble members he ran in to...
Something terrible happened to Serini, but it may not be as simple as Xykon killing her.

[AngryHobbit]

Something tells me there's more to the Serini issue than being dead or alive...
Remember how Xykon dealt with two of the Scribble members he ran in to...
Something terrible happened to Serini, but it may not be as simple as Xykon killing her.

I didn't say she isn't dead, i said she wouldn't be that much old if she's alive. It's possible she is some kind of Halflingstein now.

[Mastikator]

No time for a new recruit, team Xykon and team Nale are on the OotS's heels and they're close to finding the gate. Their best chance is to play the two evils against each other. Even so, only Elan has an happy ending, which means they win and Haley probably lives, Belkar is toast for sure, Roy and V have no guarantee that they'll survive this ordeal. Roy has already died once, V might even welcome death.
Things are looking grim for the OotS.