OOTS #1243 - The Discussion Thread

[Xihirli]

And a finger of death.

[Crusher]

Haley has not been Meteor Swarm'd in the face.

Though it might not have mattered if she had been, with Evasion and all.

[drazen]

Haley also had a great tumble in Xykon's throne room. If she's not petrified, she can apparently make quite a landing.

[GreatWyrmGold]

The loyalty that Sunny shows Serini is an important quality in an ally.

So is thinking on your feet. He needs to work on that.

So, can Sunny's telekinesis catch them both? Because if they are high enough for stone to shatter on impact...

There might be some shenanigans available (e.g. telekinesing a net and grabbing both with it), but otherwise, Sunny only has one TK eye.

On the other hand, if Serini flew around like that without a contingency plan for if she fell, she wouldn't have lived this long.

What I was not expecting: Haley solos the encounter.

To be fair, the encounter isn't over. Serini probably has enough hit points to stay conscious after hitting the ground, and Sunny's definitely still in the fight. I expect her allies to start joining her in the next few rounds.

[UnintensifiedFa]

With V being a traditional high-Int wizard, and Roy being a non-traditional really smart fighter, it's all too easy to lose sight of just how smart Haley is, until something like this or #327 comes along and reminds you.

I’d like to imagine the entire order (save maybe Elan but even then), is pretty experienced at this whole adventuring thing and knows how to use their tools to their advantage. After all, they are a DnD party, who are always known for craftiness and creative solutions.

[skim172]

So, can Sunny's telekinesis catch them both? Because if they are high enough for stone to shatter on impact...

No worries. There's always the good, ol' Cleric's Feather Fall.

Healers - So You'll Never Have to Learn From Your Mistakes.™

[Liquor Box]

So, can Sunny's telekinesis catch them both? Because if they are high enough for stone to shatter on impact...

From 1241 it appears that Serini and the beholder are within 30 feet of the ground, which is consistent with Serini presumably wanting to stay within her sneak attack range.

Falling damage from 30 feet is 2 to 12 damage, while Hayley should have 16 to 160 hit points. Serini could possibly have fewer than Hayley, but I'd say it would be very unlikely for her to die.

https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1241.html

[Shining Wrath]

That, friends, is Haley's "I am very tired of your {scrubbed}" face. Serini's overconfidence led to her continuing to yack even after Haley whispered "Just keep talking, "mom"". Or maybe she wasn't listening - again, overconfidence.

Serini was willing to kill Haley. Score one for her being a little less than good aligned. I'm not sure glue works on a shattered statue - at least not well enough for "stone to flesh" to fix things. You can't miss any pieces, after all. So now Haley is going to be engaged in a one-on-one duel with a desperate epic level rogue who is invisible and thus gets surprise every round. Not so good, even if it only lasts one round. We're going to be lucky if Haley doesn't need a resurrection.

I half expect Sunny to spin to look at "Mom" with the central eye and turn off her invisibility, though, Sunny is not the brightest sun in the sky.

[Psyren]

That Adamantine Dagger continues to pay dividends I see!

[Yendor]

The loyalty that Sunny shows Serini is an important quality in an ally.

So is thinking on your feet. He needs to work on that.

What feet?

Almost time for Serini to be unmasked. Then maybe we can get some communication going.

[thorr-kan]

<Blackwing>
Rogue fight! Rogue fight!
</Blackwing>

[Metastachydium]

In your smug face, Serini! (And quite literally for that matter!)

[TuringTest]

"Hands and feet are so overpowered!" envy got me a literal laughing out loud, and I don't get many of those.

Also, for all of you complaining that the order of turn doesn't follow rules, you have Serini free-talking for three panels after finishing her turn action, without doing anything else, while Haley gets her own action.

<Blackwing>
Rogue fight! Rogue fight!
</Blackwing>

Rogue fight!

[Shining Wrath]

The loyalty that Sunny shows Serini is an important quality in an ally.

So is thinking on your feet. He needs to work on that.



There might be some shenanigans available (e.g. telekinesing a net and grabbing both with it), but otherwise, Sunny only has one TK eye.

On the other hand, if Serini flew around like that without a contingency plan for if she fell, she wouldn't have lived this long.



To be fair, the encounter isn't over. Serini probably has enough hit points to stay conscious after hitting the ground, and Sunny's definitely still in the fight. I expect her allies to start joining her in the next few rounds.

Eye Tyrants think on their levitation magic, lacking feet.

We see Serini losing her crossbow in the last panel. That means she will have to draw swords to fight. Anyone want to guess what sort of poison she has on her swords? Unless, of course, she was so overconfident she didn't bother because her rain of crossbow bolts was guaranteed to end the battle.

[danielxcutter]

Okay not gonna lie, that was pretty awesome. Was getting worried that the order was starting to look a tad bit incompetent (especially after all they’ve done so far), but I guess they were just caught off guard.

Oh, indeed. The earlier half of this fight was so frustrating for me, you have no idea.

So, can Sunny's telekinesis catch them both? Because if they are high enough for stone to shatter on impact...

Eh, as much as it was an early-comic joke, physics are pretty inconsistent in this setting. Haley would probably have less hit points if she was petrified.

I think all in all a beholder's anti magic field would go a long way to level the playing field between Team Evil and Order of the Stick. All it takes now is to convince Serini to ally up and kill Xykon. Maybe then Redcloak will be forced to actually consider the deal (which works in his favor TBH, he gets everything he says he wants). Then the Dark One could also get his goal achieved the way he originally wanted it. The issue comes down to trust, trusting a side that has previously betrayed you.

I very much doubt it'll be that easy.

What I was expecting: the Order use their turns to undo all the status effects then hopefully pass their saves next round and then begin the comeback.

What I was not expecting: Haley solos the encounter.

She's down. She's not out. But yes, I was more expecting the Order as a whole to be striking back, not Haley being the MVP that much.

And a finger of death.

Eh, Finger of Death's damage is pretty weaksauce.

The loyalty that Sunny shows Serini is an important quality in an ally.

So is thinking on your feet. He needs to work on that.

(*insert joke about Sunny not having feet*)

That, friends, is Haley's "I am very tired of your {scrub the post, scrub the quote}" face. Serini's overconfidence led to her continuing to yack even after Haley whispered "Just keep talking, "mom"". Or maybe she wasn't listening - again, overconfidence.

Serini was willing to kill Haley. Score one for her being a little less than good aligned. I'm not sure glue works on a shattered statue - at least not well enough for "stone to flesh" to fix things. You can't miss any pieces, after all. So now Haley is going to be engaged in a one-on-one duel with a desperate epic level rogue who is invisible and thus gets surprise every round. Not so good, even if it only lasts one round. We're going to be lucky if Haley doesn't need a resurrection.

I half expect Sunny to spin to look at "Mom" with the central eye and turn off her invisibility, though, Sunny is not the brightest sun in the sky.

Serini does think the stakes are high(which they are, just in a different way than she thinks), and there's only so much you can hold back without risking your life or that of your allies. And honestly I don't mind her being Neutral; it's entirely possible to be a perfectly decent person without having an outright Good alignment.

Edit: Also, Sunny's smart enough to use their eyestalks for that.

[Liquor Box]

So now Haley is going to be engaged in a one-on-one duel with a desperate epic level rogue who is invisible and thus gets surprise every round. Not so good, even if it only lasts one round. We're going to be lucky if Haley doesn't need a resurrection.

Minrah is there too, plus anyone who she was able to free from their debuffs.

Also if the beholder turns it anti-magic on the ground now, Serini's invis will be removed. If it turns its anti magic off, then Hayley's can cast fly (and possibly other wand spells) again.

[Mastikator]

Epic spells can bypass antimagic‚ so Superb Dispelling might be able to just disable Sunny's eye (the printed Superb Dispelling can't do that‚ but you never know with epic spells). And even without that‚ if TE isn't trapped in a room where the eye can cover everything‚ Xykon could just step out of the field and Blackfire the hell out of Sunny. He won't survive for long‚ and there's no troll blood available in a fight.

If it takes Xykon 1 turn and one epic level spell slot to stop a beholder's anti magic field, I say beholder well spent. Xykon is an absolutely terrifying monster and delaying him 1 turn is massive

[Trixie_One]

That was significantly more awesome than when a similar move was pulled off against a velociraptor in Jurrasic Park 2.

[Schroeswald]

Hell yeah Haley, showing off why every party needs a rogue. I wonder if this means something about some other member of team evil, I can’t think of any way it could be tho.

[danielxcutter]

If it takes Xykon 1 turn and one epic level spell slot to stop a beholder's anti magic field, I say beholder well spent. Xykon is an absolutely terrifying monster and delaying him 1 turn is massive

It is, but I wouldn't bet a cent on Serini willing to risk Sunny like that.

[Quizatzhaderac]

Love the "Hands and feet are so overpowered" line.

So, can Sunny's telekinesis catch them both? Because if they are high enough for stone to shatter on impact...

Depends on the type of stone.

Almost time for Serini to be unmasked.

Huh? Are you of the opinion that Serini is Aunt Judy or something?

[Thecommander236]

Rogues have an unfair advantage in Dodgeball. That's why I never play anymore.

[SlashDash]

So we're continuing the tradition of sending Haley against flying opponents? She really needed to take that favored enemy thing...



Other than that, I think this critically shifts things in an interesting way.
Either Sunny uses his eye - which pretty much takes away all of Serini's magic items, her invisibility as well leaving her alone again an entire party - all of which are capable fighters
Regardless I'll assume this option is off the table since it's kind of clear Bloodfeast isn't getting involved (and Belkar will shove him as soon as the anti magic is back)

Or of course, leave the anti magic eye out, which means Serini is invisible, but everyone else have their abilities as well.

What's even more important here, is that Sunny is on his own without getting clear orders. Because I'm assuming Serini isn't going to talk which pretty much spells where she is at the moment.


Of course if I were in her position, I'd rush to either Roy or V and do the classic "Surrender or I slit their throats" thing (even if it is a bluff).


On a side note, I wonder if Haley overheard what Sunny was saying. Hearing that he won't cross the line to stone her to death could help them talk their way out of the fight or at least let them put themselves in more dangerous situations knowing Sunny won't go through with it.

[mucat]

How many turns is that? What is everyone else doing?

Elan and Minrah are getting Roy and V back on their feet, and Belkar is shuffling apathetically after them, awaiting direction.

I imagine that when she hits ground level, Serini will find herself surrounded by a fully-armed and operational Order. Well, a semi-armed, quasi-operational Order, but they've got plenty of practice at making that fill the gap...

[masonwheeler]

Good point. Interesting to see that the beholder not only is the sidekick in this team, but he's the gentler one.

It does not reflect well on Serini when a literal monster is less monstrous than her...

[Gusion]

New comic is up.

I wonder how many of the same people who were complaining about the OOTS being "down and out" are now going to complain about Haley being OP.

(my prediction remains they will ultimately come to a type of draw here that results in them talking)

[danielxcutter]

It does not reflect well on Serini when a literal monster is less monstrous than her...

I think the Giant would disapprove of someone being considered less moral just because they're of a "monstrous" race.

[Ivrytwr]

Haley is awesome.
That's it. All I came here to say.
That and Thanks, Giant!

[danielxcutter]

I wonder how many of the same people who were complaining about the OOTS being "down and out" are now going to complain about Haley being OP.

(my prediction remains they will ultimately come to a type of draw here that results in them talking)

If you're trying to call me out, I'm actually very happy the Order's putting up a good fight now.

[2.5 cats]

So now Haley is going to be engaged in a one-on-one duel with a desperate epic level rogue who is invisible and thus gets surprise every round. Not so good, even if it only lasts one round. We're going to be lucky if Haley doesn't need a resurrection.
Minrah is there too, plus anyone who she was able to free from their debuffs.

Also if the beholder turns it anti-magic on the ground now, Serini's invis will be removed. If it turns its anti magic off, then Hayley's can cast fly (and possibly other wand spells) again.

Serini's invisibility being removed would be, to quote Belkar from OtOoPCs, "about #4 on the list of their problems right now". #1 being a full-size allosaurus.

But yeah, definitely not a one-on-one duel. Elan is up and he's going to help V (probably off-camera and V is already getting up). Minrah is up. Belkar is up too, though I'm not sure how effective he'll be while calmed. Elan's neutralize poison spell can get Roy back into the fight on the following round, too.