OOTS #1245 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Wizard_Lizard]

Oh wow that was an interesting development!! Nobody expects piercers!!

[Schroeswald]

I think those that complain about the long talky strips must be happy!
cue complaints about everyone tired with all the fighting

[Wraithfighter]

I picture V's glower as being one part annoyance at Serini's belligerence (look, they're dealing with a non-invisible'd rogue, they've got like fifteen spells that they can use to take her out), and one part kicking themselves for not having thought of that back when Belkar was seriously getting on their nerves...

[Phhase]

Ah yes, air freshener. The poor man's tear gas.

[Wintermoot]

Piercer's are my favorite old school D&D monster, so I am getting a big kick out of this update.

[Frozenstep]

Belker actually tried to talk her down. I just want to point that out.

[Psyren]

WTB Bixby's Nonsense-Ending Hand

[Windscion]

Even Belkar feels uncomfortable shanking his aunt.
But my sympathy for Serini is running low at this point. She's really cranky, and it's rubbing off on me.

[Empiar93]

Oh goodie.
The fight’s continuing.

[Ruck]

Hmm, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that Serini has even more tricks up her sleeve, but I really thought we were heading into the denouement of this skirmish. (Which, maybe we still are; it's not like I see Serini winning it, in the end.)

[Tuhlore]

Hmm, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that Serini has even more tricks up her sleeve, but I really thought we were heading into the denouement of this skirmish. (Which, maybe we still are; it's not like I see Serini winning it, in the end.)

She definitely seems on the defensive at the moment. Whether she can regroup or not will be seen, but I'm guessing she has more friends.

[Psyren]

Hmm, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that Serini has even more tricks up her sleeve, but I really thought we were heading into the denouement of this skirmish. (Which, maybe we still are; it's not like I see Serini winning it, in the end.)

She definitely seems on the defensive at the moment. Whether she can regroup or not will be seen, but I'm guessing she has more friends.

I think she's delaying the inevitable.

1) Haley will easily catch her with her 20ft. move.
2) Vaarsuvius does not seem concerned in the slightest, so I fully expect a resilient sphere or grasping hand etc.

[Windscion]

...
2) Vaarsuvius does not seem concerned in the slightest, so I fully expect a resilient sphere or grasping hand etc.

Yeah, I find V's calm somewhat odd. Elan should really being singing the song of freedom at this point, except that per SRD it takes 1 minute uninterrupted, so I guess he's waiting for combat to end?

[Precure]

Serini deceitfully lure them away from the door.

[Coyote0715]

So, what happened to the piercer?

[gatemansgc]

i wonder what other cool creatures she has at her disposal?

[Psychronia]

Get your pouch of Belkar-Repellant Beads today!

[Akari Itagami]

Is that another mimic monster?

[TheNecrocomicon]

Okay, that was kind of cool, but I guess now we know that Serini can pull a functionally unlimited amount of creature allies out of her proverbial behind to prolong the fight as long as story dictates, so I'm guessing we still have a few months to go before any productive dialogue actually takes place between her and the Order, if at all given her determination to be as unreasonable as possible.

This is starting to feel like the whole deal with the Godsmoot and Hel's lengthy conga-line of nesting backup plans.

[elecampane]

I guess V could be calm now because they see Serini as an ally, and perceive her confrontation as either a misunderstanding, or a petulance, something not very serious.

I wonder if there's a way to explain actions here within the framework of the rules, or if we should just see that as an artistic interpretation.
An attack would not break the grapple (or a pin). Serini could've just escaped grapple, I guess, but getting out of a pin would require two grapple checks at least, and she's probably both weaker than Haley due to her old age, and also smaller, getting -4 to her check. She could've used escape artist skill to break the pin/grapple, but that would take at least two rounds.
One possible interpretation would be that the piercer bull rushed Haley moving her out of Serini's space, but it doesn't look drawn that way.

Also, isn't a piercer an older edition (1&2) creature? That would mean it could've been in that cave in the Dorukan dungeon with all the old monsters (oots0055). It could even be a "and I don't even know what that one is supposed to be" creature in panel 3, because the piercers are supposed to have eyestalks.

[georgie_leech]

Well, there was an attempt at physically holding her down and explaining, but it didn't take. I still feel vindicated.

[Psyren]

So, what happened to the piercer?

Is that another mimic monster?

The piercer is a creature from an older edition. I believe it's a vermin. I'm unsure if there's a 3.5 conversion, but they're known for only getting to attack once and then being useless thereafter, so Haley basically ignored the (extremely weak) hit and ran after Serini.

Attempts to modernize them (e.g. Tome of Horrors in PF) made them closer to traps than actual creatures, to represent their one-and-done nature.

[Ezekiel]

Well Serini's plucky at least, but I wonder how long it's going to take the Order to lose patience with a beaten-but-not-willing-to-admit-it old rogue.

[Psyren]

Well Serini's plucky at least, but I wonder how long it's going to take the Order to lose patience with a beaten-but-not-willing-to-admit-it old rogue.

Pretty sure Haley's already there.

[Reboot]

I think she's delaying the inevitable.

1) Haley will easily catch her with her 20ft. move.
2) Vaarsuvius does not seem concerned in the slightest, so I fully expect a resilient sphere or grasping hand etc.

Sunny can still centre-eye any spell V comes up with though.

[Thales]

{scrubbed}

[Truffles]

nice comic man

[DreamCreator]

given this net development. I think it's a reminder that they are in a dungeon, nay a series of dungeons, that has entirely been created and filled by Serini. there is practically no way to beat her as I see it except holding her hostage in some way in order to get out of the space filled with creatures which may be more or less her allies or friends.

Therefore, reasoning with her may be the only possibility. That, or more and more monsters come out of the woodwork until the order is completely overwhelmed and end up in the same situation that the Paladins are in.

Or, maybe there is some daring against all odds escape the Order will undergo to get out of the dungeon. Of course, the odds are all for an against all odds scenario, as Elan just pointed out to me.

[Peelee]

I think she's delaying the inevitable.

1) Haley will easily catch her with her 20ft. move.
2) Vaarsuvius does not seem concerned in the slightest, so I fully expect a resilient sphere or grasping hand etc.

I'm not so sure. She seems to believe she can still win, and seeing as this is all taking place in Serini's Playhouse, I'm reticent to believe it will end so easily. Especially for V, as Resilient Sphere of Grasping Hand, etc. need only for Sunny to open their main eye again to be wasted slots. V is making the right call here by not doing any of that and trying to talk.