OOTS #1246 - The Discussion Thread

[Dion]

Can you or somebody else explain to me what Serini's phrase means in the context of a game?

“Nine ball” is a popular pool variation where you sink balls numbered one through nine, in order, into the pockets in the table.

Simking the nine ball in a pocket is how you win the game.

Of course, Serini isn’t exactly winning, so the analogy breaks down.

My wild prediction: Sunny has a cheat sheet on her person, with all the battle moves on it, numbered one through nine. She pulls it out of her pocket and consults it when she’s not sure what Serini is talking about.

[Fyraltari]

A good example of that in the OOTS is in the desert, where V gave the instruction that Xykon is feeling chilly. Notice that it wasn't that obvious at first what it means to everyone (specifically Belkar).

I don't think that one was agreed upon, rather that V came up with it on the spot, so I give it more leniency.

[Larsaan]

You'd think Serini, an Epic Rogue, would know that a code word whose meaning is obvious is a useless code.

I'm actually starting to wonder, is Serini epic level? We know Dorukan and probably Girard were, sure, but they might have gotten there after the Scribblers broke up. And I know a D&D Rogue (especially a 3.5 Rogue) isn't as impressive as something like a World of Warcraft Rogue, but Serini hasn't really shown off any Epic-tier abilities. Hell, she even relies on an invisibility wand over her own stealth skills.

[kiapet]

"She probably knows plot stuff we need to know." Aww, looks like Elan's been rubbing off on Haley

[Seward]

3. Non-lethal use of disintegrate (I appreciate innovative uses of spells).

My sorceress took Disintegrate ONLY for its nonlethal uses. Actually so did my pew-pew Pathfinder Evoker.

Both really liked how it can make corridors, eliminate force barriers and otherwise make it easier to let you or the party do its thing, but it takes a sorcerer spell slots to really go nuts with it and bring it to full potential.

In that mode, it just works. No pesky attack rolls or saving throws to waste your action.

Although a rank or two in Architecture & Engineering or its equivalent is a good idea if you intend to go wild with it underground. Instead of making corridors and eliminating barriers you can instead bring the roof down on yourself.

[hungrycrow]

I'm actually starting to wonder, is Serini epic level? We know Dorukan and probably Girard were, sure, but they might have gotten there after the Scribblers broke up. And I know a D&D Rogue (especially a 3.5 Rogue) isn't as impressive as something like a World of Warcraft Rogue, but Serini hasn't really shown off any Epic-tier abilities. Hell, she even relies on an invisibility wand over her own stealth skills.

She kept adventuring while everyone else guarded their fortresses, so she should have gotten to a higher level than they did. Without epic spells it's kind of hard to tell; her ability with a crossbow doesn't seem epic but her poisons seem pretty effective.

[Fyraltari]

"She probably knows plot stuff we need to know." Aww, looks like Elan's been rubbing off on Haley

Reminder that Haley once travelled to the cast page to steal a diamond from herself.

[KorvinStarmast]

pulls it out of her pocket and consults it when she’s not sure what Serini is talking about.

Sunny doesn't have hands, and I don't see pockets in evidence anywhere (although with a stick figure baseline, perhaps pockets being a detail that isn't usually used informs this observation).
Another thought: beholder with pockets. What, Sunny's a marsupial?
No sale.
(Your point on nine-ball held together pretty well. Been ages since I played it, though).

[Blue Dragon]

Battle of wits! Battle of wits! Battle of wits!

[The MunchKING]

Battle of wits! Battle of wits! Battle of wits!

You think she's got more than 200 cards in her library?

[ManuelSacha]

Well, that's a first...

[Spriteless]

The way the eye moves and the arrows don't is unreal. This mysterious eye monster must be some kind of elemental!

[Hurkyl]

The way the eye moves and the arrows don't is unreal. This mysterious eye monster must be some kind of elemental!

To me the arrows look like they're in a consistent place relative to the large eye.

[Vikenlugaid]

Ooooooooooo!
Caster fight! Caster fight!

[elros]

I'm actually starting to wonder, is Serini epic level? We know Dorukan and probably Girard were, sure, but they might have gotten there after the Scribblers broke up. And I know a D&D Rogue (especially a 3.5 Rogue) isn't as impressive as something like a World of Warcraft Rogue, but Serini hasn't really shown off any Epic-tier abilities. Hell, she even relies on an invisibility wand over her own stealth skills.

Rogues in 3.5 had several “dead levels” (and level 20 was infamous for providing nothing), and even epic rogues' levels do not provide that much. The difference of a few levels with rogues is not as great as other classes, especially casters.
That said, Serini was able to create a trap that neutralized an entire high level party, and Haley only avoided being incapacitated because she used full dodge, so that is something.

[danielxcutter]

If she’d used lethal attacks, she’d probably have killed most of the Order already to be honest.

[Yendor]

You think she's got more than 200 cards in her library?

Nah, she's not telegraphing her plans that obviously.

[Larsaan]

That said, Serini was able to create a trap that neutralized an entire high level party, and Haley only avoided being incapacitated because she used full dodge, so that is something.

Nothing particularly Epic Roguish about planning an ambush. Roy's done it, and arguably to greater success than Serini.

Plus, the parts that actually made the ambush (almost) work was A) having something as powerful as a Beholder as an ally, and B) having a knockout venom that seems to bypass any kind of saves (though let's be real, the Order never gets to roll their saves anyway). These are things that could have been utilized by just about any character, be they level 5 or 25. Which isn't to say she's some kind of low-level poser or something, but so far she's leaned entirely on her allies and her gear.

Alternately, Xykon does love his level drain. Could be she lost a bunch to him, and never got them back.

[Potatopeelerkin]

It does look like Haley deliberately used V as a human (elven?) shield- which would make sense if the ray was Sleep, but how could Haley know which ray was going to be used?

I think sleep is likely anyway, since I can't think of what else it could be. I guess it could be petrification. Or Slow, but we've had that already.

[Peelee]

My big thing against Haley using V as a shield - aside from ghat not really being in character for Haley - is that there were three beams and three foes. Are we just assuming that Sunny has terrible aim and the third shot went wild?

[Hurkyl]

My first impression was that Haley just tried to yank V out of the path of the beam and wasn't able to.

[Potatopeelerkin]

My big thing against Haley using V as a shield - aside from ghat not really being in character for Haley - is that there were three beams and three foes. Are we just assuming that Sunny has terrible aim and the third shot went wild?

Well, it wouldn't be in-character if V was adversely affected, but if it was Sleep it wouldn't be a problem since V is an elf.

That being said the ray thing is a good point. I'm not sure exactly what's going on in those two panels. The movement line and the position of V in the previous panel makes it look like Haley picked V up off the floor, but the ray seems to suggest Sunny was aiming at someone flying.

[Jay R]

My wild prediction: Sunny has a cheat sheet on her person, with all the battle moves on it, numbered one through nine. She pulls it out of her pocket and consults it when she’s not sure what Serini is talking about.

Leaving aside the question of whether an unclothed (non-marsupial) monster even has a pocket, what do you think she can pull something out of a pocket with?

[Peelee]

Leaving aside the question of whether an unclothed (non-marsupial) monster even has a pocket

Free Waterfall, Sr. can answer that for you!

[Potatopeelerkin]

Leaving aside the question of whether an unclothed (non-marsupial) monster even has a pocket, what do you think she can pull something out of a pocket with?

Telekinesis?

[Edric O]

Wait... Did they... did they just... split the party??

[Chauncymancer]

Seriously? That's not even code words, that's their superhero names. Sloppy going not using those names when (I imagine) they're in costume. Loose lips sink ships, stuff like that can get Aunt May killed.

This particular comic takes place in a storyline where super-hero identities are made illegal: Peter Parker is part of the faction that publicly releases their legal names, in exchange for witness protection for their family members.

[bt109]

Agreed! I'd bet a truckload of quatloos that Sunny is about to have a chat with Elan, Durkon, Roy, and Minrah that completely changes their (Sunny's) mind on the situation, while the Non-Diplomacy Gang is off chasing Serini...

Since we're placing bets, my bet is that the real payoff of talking to Sunny isn't changing Sunny's mind. Rather, it's getting Sunny to talk about things while Sereni isn't around to tell him to hush.

Seriously, this is going to be like Kids Say the Darndest Things. One of Art's favorite tactics was to ask the kids what they were told not to mention on the air.

[Duiker]

All the discussion about nine-ball and no mention that Sunny has nine eyes?

[Ruck]

Free Waterfall, Sr. can answer that for you!

I didn't realize there were so many Waterfalls; I thought "Wait, isn't that Free Waterfall, Jr.? And isn't he dead?" (The second part, yes; the first part, no.)