MitD XIV: High In Protean

[Emanick]

Yes, but what breed?

I believe the technical term is “zombie.”

[3Power]

I believe the technical term is “zombie.”

Scientific name Canis Mortis.

[Darth Paul]

ESPECIALLY Smaug.

Sounds like we need an air quality test. Due to the elevated Smaug levels in the thread.

[dancrilis]

Barky is Xykon's childhood dog.

Which does not seem to have much to do with the question that is being asked.

On topic: Who is xycon?

[Vrock Bait]

Which does not seem to have much to do with the question that is being asked.

On topic: Who is xycon?

Xyklon the Consequential’s stepbrother.

[belakarhafling]

I meant the thing in the darkness.

[Peelee]

I meant the thing in the darkness.

Ah, gotcha.

Mod powers activate! Form of: Merged Thread!

[The Pilgrim]

Redcloak. Xykon's pet is Redcloak.

[Fyraltari]

A bit off topic, but this whole shutdown has apparently gotten a few creative juices flowing; there's talk of a new show they're going to do on Broadway once it's safe. All the dialogue is going to be puns. Every single line, no exceptions.




It's going to be a play on words.

I HAVE NO REGRETS.

I would actually pay good money to see such a play.

I tremendously enjoy Reflets d’Acide and I can say without exaggeration that 90% of the lines include a play on word of some kind.

[Darth Paul]

Mod powers activate! Form of: Merged Thread!

Like a Force Dyad for threads?

[Peelee]

I would actually pay good money to see such a play.

That's part of what makes it one of my favorite jokes. After the setup, nearly everyone expresses interest, which makes the punchline that much sweeter.

[gatemansgc]

i wonder if MitD will be revealed on the 20th anniversary of his debut? as in, december 21, 2023.

that would be so cool. also shows how long this comic has been a part of everyone's lives.

[Darth Paul]

i wonder if MitD will be revealed on the 20th anniversary of his debut? as in, december 21, 2023.

that would be so cool. also shows how long this comic has been a part of everyone's lives.

Not to seem selfish, but I find myself not wanting to wait quite so long. After all, who knows which of us will still be around in 2023?

[Crusher]

Not to seem selfish, but I find myself not wanting to wait quite so long. After all, who knows which of us will still be around in 2023?

As fate would have it, and this is true, my mother is a professional astrologer. After chatting with her, I'm pretty confident I'll be around to see it.

But you... well, this might be a spoiler, but if you see a penguin with bagpipes... RUN.


No, the other way.

[Fyraltari]

As fate would have it, and this is true, my mother is a professional astrologer. After chatting with her, I'm pretty confident I'll be around to see it.

But you... well, this might be a spoiler, but if you see a penguin with bagpipes... RUN.


No, the other way.

This post would become really ironic if you died before the MitD reveal.

[Darth Paul]

But you... well, this might be a spoiler, but if you see a penguin with bagpipes... RUN.


No, the other way.

I think I would avoid any member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, whether they were playing the bagpipes or not. Hockey players can be bad news. Double for Scots or Irish hockey players, I would imagine.

[NobleCuriosity]

Now that the thread is open for business, I'm just gonna slide in my Protean essay here.

Wow, it’s quite a feeling to leave the thread alone for a year and then come back to find the first commentary post presenting an exhaustive argument for the most supported case...that cites my own post. It’s deeply flattering.

And once again, I support Ruck’s overall message here. Though stating

While the Escape scene is not one where the ProteanÂ’s ability to perform it stands out compared to other species, it does have the capacity to do so (as I explained in part 1), and itÂ’s really a binary yes/no question as to whether a species can. The Protean can.

in the middle of a section talking about how the Protean fitting the scenes better is a huge plus from it is a tad hypocritical. It also doesn’t mention the issue that Greater Teleport working here IS breaking the D&D rules, as Greater Teleport requires the caster to touch the teleported creatures and go along with them. The latter can be explained by V’s stray dimensional anchor, but the former requires the Giant to have canonically altered that aspect of Greater Teleportation (as opposed to just showing it that way for panel composition and artistic license). This is a little unfair after extolling the Protean as being capable of fitting all the big scenes without bending the 3.5e rules at all.

That these are my most salient complaints speaks magnitudes for the quality of that essay. Bravo.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

It also doesn’t mention the issue that Greater Teleport working here IS breaking the D&D rules, as Greater Teleport requires the caster to touch the teleported creatures and go along with them. The latter can be explained by V’s stray dimensional anchor, but the former requires the Giant to have canonically altered that aspect of Greater Teleportation (as opposed to just showing it that way for panel composition and artistic license).

The Giant has altered that aspect, as explained in section 1. Ruck doesn't need to re-explain things that are already stated in the opening post. Whether it was for "for panel composition and artistic license" or for whatever other reason, the fact is that in OotS, teleports frequently do NOT involve touching. Just like with the x-eyed for death, just because it was a joke or for other reasons early on, it is canonical going forward.

Grey Wolf

[NobleCuriosity]

The Giant has altered that aspect, as explained in section 1. Ruck doesn't need to re-explain things that are already stated in the opening post. Whether it was for "for panel composition and artistic license" or for whatever other reason, the fact is that in OotS, teleports frequently do NOT involve touching. Just like with the x-eyed for death, just because it was a joke or for other reasons early on, it is canonical going forward.

Grey Wolf

Huh, so it does! The last time I read that part of the section, I remember it presented that as a possibility, not an accepted fact. My apologies.

[Hardcore]

What become of the vetted alternate list? I am curious about the grey linnorm.

[catagent101]

If you mean 3Power's list, it's on the 1st page of this thread.

Regarding the Gray Linnorm, if I recall correctly it was thrown out because it has 17th level cleric casting, and can thus cast animate dead and variants. This is one of the things 3Power ignores in their list. It's stats are in the Monster Manual II if you want to look at it.

[Hardcore]

If you mean 3Power's list, it's on the 1st page of this thread.

Regarding the Gray Linnorm, if I recall correctly it was thrown out because it has 17th level cleric casting, and can thus cast animate dead and variants. This is one of the things 3Power ignores in their list. It's stats are in the Monster Manual II if you want to look at it.

Thanks! I would have looked it up myself if I had any of the books.

[Lombard]

Gotta admit "High on Protean" is the perfect name for this

[Squire Doodad]

Gotta admit "High on Protean" is the perfect name for this

Sadly, "High in Snorlax" didn't make the cut

[Kelenius]

A small thing occurred to me - in 431, MitD completely misses Redcloak's explanation, but still identifies Divine Power as a cleric-only spell. This is another indicator that he has a good understanding of spellcasting.

[Jasdoif]

A small thing occurred to me - in 431, MitD completely misses Redcloak's explanation, but still identifies Divine Power as a cleric-only spell. This is another indicator that he has a good understanding of spellcasting.

Or he knows most things with "Divine" in their name are associated with clerics, and not with arcane magic.

[Darth Paul]

Gotta admit "High on Protean" is the perfect name for this

Why, thank you! (he said modestly, knowing full well that the title was his own suggestion)

[3Power]

And with #1204 we get a nice little Naga namedrop to get it floating around in the back of everyone's minds before the reveal.

[Ruck]

Remind me, the case for the Ha-Naga is "I want it to be and therefore any contradictory evidence can be discarded"?

[Schroeswald]

Remind me, the case for the Ha-Naga is "I want it to be and therefore any contradictory evidence can be discarded"?

Silly, don’t you know that that’s how this thread works, DUH! That’s why the best fits are the Tarrasque and Snarl Jr. (don’t count that as my guess my current one doesn’t reflect my actual guess already)