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  1. - Top - End - #31
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    BRB, stealing this idea for Planar Binding/Gate in my own games. This is just the kind of wacky thing an outsider would care about that a mortal wouldn't even notice.

    Also, the fact that Xykon is a greater source of chaos than literal demons is a pretty interesting (though unsurprising) revelation.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Psyren View Post
    BRB, stealing this idea for Planar Binding/Gate in my own games. This is just the kind of wacky thing an outsider would care about that a mortal wouldn't even notice.

    Also, the fact that Xykon is a greater source of chaos than literal demons is a pretty interesting (though unsurprising) revelation.
    Eh, the demons don't do much other than provide (quality) commentary.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Because Redcloak deserved something today.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Yxylu View Post
    One potential effect of this is that it creates a convenient way to write the quinton out of the story quickly and painlessly. Just have Xykon say the wrong thing. Also, most spellcasting is just naming the spell, not speaking in sentences. That limits Xykon’s power substantially, if the quinton wants to be a stickler for the rules. But what are that odds of that?
    As the proposed solution inherently enforces their production, the odds of that would be exactly 100%.


    Brilliant strip, just beautiful
    Last edited by Taevyr; 2022-08-29 at 10:20 AM.

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    I have not laughed so hard at anything in a long time, including OOTS

    Thank you Rich
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    This is going to bite Xykon. He agreed to ending EVERY sentence with a word with an odd number of letters. But he did NOT specify it was for the duration of the task.

    Those terms and conditions they skipped are going to come back to haunt him, aren't they?

    Also I guess
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    I smell an upcoming situation where Xykon benefits from choosing his words carefully.
    The thing is the Azurites don't use a single color; they use a single hue. The use light blue, dark blue, black, white, glossy blue, off-white with a bluish tint. They sky's the limit, as long as it's blue.

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    I'm betting that instead of using a roundabout word for the Snarl, Xykon will end up having to use its name/title since it's an odd-numbered word. The quinton will pick up on it but due to writing constraints we won't have another neutral party take interest in the fate of this world.

    Although... the entities of Neutral Law would probably be interested in ways to mitigate the Snarl's future shenanigans, so maybe the Quinton will take interest.

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    tongue Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Yxylu View Post
    One potential effect of this is that it creates a convenient way to write the quinton out of the story quickly and painlessly. Just have Xykon say the wrong thing. Also, most spellcasting is just naming the spell, not speaking in sentences. That limits Xykon’s power substantially, if the quinton wants to be a stickler for the rules. But what are that odds of that?
    It's like what Elan said so long ago: "A 10% chance is pretty unlikely, but everyone knows that a one-in-a-million chance is a sure thing!"

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    I love that Xykon just made his life more difficult by switching to odd number of letters. He really has such a child's mentality.

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by drazen View Post
    This is going to bite Xykon. He agreed to ending EVERY sentence with a word with an odd number of letters. But he did NOT specify it was for the duration of the task.
    "for the duration of the task", second panel.

    Xykon proposed an amendment, not a new deal.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Fyraltari View Post
    Because Redcloak deserved something today.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCPux9REXo

    Quote Originally Posted by drazen View Post
    This is going to bite Xykon. He agreed to ending EVERY sentence with a word with an odd number of letters. But he did NOT specify it was for the duration of the task.

    Those terms and conditions they skipped are going to come back to haunt him, aren't they?

    Also I guess
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    Durokan had a premium subscription, no ads during his Gate summon in Start of Darkness!
    Or is that just a Law thing?
    Fighting in that battle likely qualified as an "immediate task." Per the spell entry: "You need not make any agreement or pay any reward for the creature(s) help" for those, ergo no ads.

    Quote Originally Posted by HalfTangible View Post
    "for the duration of the task", second panel.

    Xykon proposed an amendment, not a new deal.
    This, and besides, what good would it do for the agreement to last longer than the Quinton's service? Xykon would simply break it at that point and lose nothing as the Quinton would already be gone.
    Last edited by Psyren; 2022-08-29 at 10:32 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
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  13. - Top - End - #43
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    This is Belkar in the fight with ice giants ALL AGAIN.
    Belkar and Xykon have so much to share!

    (For reference: the DOOMSEALER! https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1054.html)

    Proposal for a Fanfic: Redcload and Right-Eye meets the OotS minus Belkar and by an unordinary number of coincidences, they became allies and go in a quest to kill Xykon and "secure" the gates (don-don!).

    Meanwhile, a malevolus halfling and his just coincidentally lich buddy kidnap a mysterious monster in a box.
    "That was hylarious, Xykon. What are we going to do tomorrow night?"
    "The same thing we do every night, Belkar - try to take over the world!"
    Last edited by Laurentio III; 2022-08-29 at 10:35 AM.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Laurentio III View Post
    Meanwhile, a malevolus halfling and his just coincidentally lich buddy kidnap a mysterious monster in a box.
    "That was hylarious, Xykon. What are we going to do tomorrow night?"
    "The same thing we do every night, Belkar - try to take over the world!"
    This would be a great SS&DT-esque bonus comic: what would happen if Belkar had accepted Tsutsiko's offer to switch sides? Imagine how much fun Xykon would have randomly slaughtering creatures for fun with Belkar.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by LarsWester View Post
    I love that Xykon just made his life more difficult by switching to odd number of letters. He really has such a child's mentality.
    I don't know, loser.
    There are tricks either way, silly.
    You just need to think out of the box... box.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Ultimately evil is always self-defeating.
    Though in Xykon's case it might be the chaotic part playing a greater role.
    Even if I don't think the chaotic good characters would've started this discussion.
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  17. - Top - End - #47
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Just end every sentence with "...so says Xykon." Or go the movie gangster route and say "see."
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by LarsWester View Post
    I love that Xykon just made his life more difficult by switching to odd number of letters. He really has such a child's mentality.
    I wonder if this is true. Are there more words in English (or common) with odd letters or even letters?
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    This is genuinely delightful. Next time my players encounter a high-order modron, I'm stealing this.

    What an awesome strip. Redcloak arguing with Xykon is always fun, and it's cool to see Redcloak actually put some oomph behind this one and get what he wants. Curious to see if this prompts them to have any more debates...

    Also: I love how Xykon does his tiny rebellion against the request by picking odd numbered words instead of even numbered. I can't imagine it will actually affect anything -- I think it really is just like a kid convincing themselves that they're agreeing to something on their own terms by altering the terms insignificantly. Feels like just a straight-up ego move.

    My guess is that this is magically compelled, and Xykon is just forced to keep talking until he hits an odd-numbered word

    EDIT: "[Spell Name], dumbass" is a good fallback and even has precedent from Xykon's fight with Darth Vaarsuvius.
    Last edited by Ionathus; 2022-08-29 at 10:51 AM.

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Xycon is the one mass-murdering maniac I find myself telling "don't ever change, Xycon".

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    This is more crippling than first glance would indicate, because casting a spell counts as a sentence. And as a sorcerer, xykon can't just swap his spells out.

    Let's look at the spells we know xykon has and whether the final words they end on is odd or even:

    Even:
    Superb dispelling, Animate Dead, symbol of pain, [any] teleport, [any] hold person, symbol of insanity, [any] fireball, soul bind, cloister

    Odd:
    Energy drain, Overland Fly, cloudkill, contingency, finger of death, ghostform, meteor swarm, magic missile


    Xykon will either have to not use those spells, or work them into sentences like when he went "MAXIMIZED energy drain, dumbass!" On Varsuvius. Either way, having to stop and think about that in combat will slow him down and might even make him slip up. If he fails to maintain the price, the Quinton might even Gate out the instant he slips.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Alexandrite View Post
    Xykon is definitely going to stick to this deal and there's absolutely no chance of him getting bored and roasting this guy.

    I give him five pages.
    Five? That's alot (although an odd number, hehe). He is pure chaos, I give him 3.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by diplomancer View Post
    Xycon is the one mass-murdering maniac I find myself telling "don't ever change, Xycon".
    ... we know Xykon can discern a "X" by a "Z".
    Can he discern "K" by a "C"?
    If so you are toasted! (comma) Diplomancer!
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by ZhonLord View Post
    This is more crippling than first glance would indicate, because casting a spell counts as a sentence.
    Doesn't have to, he can also integrate them into a sentence, for example:

    So, MAXIMIZED energy drain, dumbass.
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by ZhonLord View Post
    This is more crippling than first glance would indicate, because casting a spell counts as a sentence. And as a sorcerer, xykon can't just swap his spells out.

    Let's look at the spells we know xykon has and whether the final words they end on is odd or even:

    Even:
    Superb dispelling, Animate Dead, symbol of pain, [any] teleport, [any] hold person, symbol of insanity, [any] fireball, soul bind, cloister

    Odd:
    Energy drain, Overland Fly, cloudkill, contingency, finger of death, ghostform, meteor swarm, magic missile


    Xykon will either have to not use those spells, or work them into sentences like when he went "MAXIMIZED energy drain, dumbass!" On Varsuvius. Either way, having to stop and think about that in combat will slow him down and might even make him slip up. If he fails to maintain the price, the Quinton might even Gate out the instant he slips.
    Of the spells you list, though, only a couple (Animate Dead, Hold Person, maybe Teleport) could be considered a sentence (subject and verb). The rest are just dependent clauses or free-floating words, and Xykon can speak “only in sentences ending in words containing an odd number of letters.”

    “Energy Drain” is not a sentence at all, so would violate the terms regardless of the number of letters in “Drain.”

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Wondering if the Giant wrote this with a goal in mind: To set a new upper bound for how silly we could get quibbling over details in his writing, as if they're ironclad rules that Must. Be. Obeyed. by even the writer.

    As opposed to being simple twists and turns in a road that he's still paving toward a destination that he knows and we don't. (^_~)b
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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by littlebum2002 View Post
    I wonder if this is true. Are there more words in English (or common) with odd letters or even letters?
    One could go back and look at all of Xykon's dialogue to see which of those words he uses at the end of a sentence. In this strip he naturally uses even-letter words for the sake of the joke, but maybe it'd be different if you considered his dialogue over the past in-comic week or month.

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    [Q]"for the duration of the task", second panel.

    Xykon proposed an amendment, not a new deal.
    This, and besides, what good would it do for the agreement to last longer than the Quinton's service? Xykon would simply break it at that point and lose nothing as the Quinton would already be gone.[/Q]

    The quinton said for the duration. Xykon most certainly did NOT specify that, nor did he say it was a revision. He said his version was THE deal, take it or leave it. And the order of a(n) (un)lifetime of odd words is functionally negligble from that of the length of the task, on a cosmic scale.

    As for why would it matter, Redcloak only specified the quinton keep a mental record of the dungeon(s) rooms, not that it actually SHARE it with them.

    I'm married to an attorney, I can nitpick all day. 😄
    Last edited by drazen; 2022-08-29 at 11:12 AM.

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    Default Re: OOTS #1266 - The Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by ZhonLord View Post
    This is more crippling than first glance would indicate, because casting a spell counts as a sentence.
    What makes you say that?
    Hate me if you want. But that's your issue to fix, not mine.

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