Order of the Stick Trivia XXIV: What do I need a twenty for, anyway?

[enq]

Is this enough evidence for not knowing his name? Because if so, there are plenty of data showing that she later does.

Well, she talked about him over and over without throwing his name in, so I think we can assume that she didn't know his name, yes. Your question.

If I ask you to show me Durkon casting a spell with variable effects depending on character level (holy word), would that not be a legitimate question? Even though we clearly see the effect, and it is communicated as such, the lack of explicit mention in the text of HD makes it wrong to ask? Perhaps. I think that was the logic my track question relied on, and maybe that's out of bounds too.

I would not be able to infer that from the strip. I always assumed it meant that it does bad things to Evil creatures depending on type (which is why only Sabine got banished) but Tarquin made his save. Unless there's another strip you have in mind.

But to me, there's still a difference between "not asking about the 3.5 layer of the story" and "ignoring the 3.5 layer of the story". Pricing of magic items is just part of that layer. Like, I don't know, reach. We know (from the text) the half ogre with the spiked chain from strip 216 has a reach of 15 ft. If someone was to ask "show me a strip with a weapon we know the reach of, and a weapon we don't", 216 wouldn't be a valid answer, even though the text doesn't explicitly tell us roy's sword has a normal medium melee 5 ft reach.

I think it would be an okay question, other than perhaps the implication that we'd need to link all other strips to prove we don't know a greatclub's reach. Which, to be fair, counts against my question too, but I tried to make it clear it was only for the purposes of that strip. Find me a strip in which we learn the reach of one weapon but that of another involved is not mentioned. Would work. Not the current question!

If we play the trivia hardcore RAW we'll end up in situations where someone asks to link three strips where Roy does X and then when the answer is given and accepted, someone else points out that in none of those strips was this mysterious bald dark-skinned fighter actually called Roy and so we cannot say unambiguously that this is correct and we'd need a fourth strip that names him. Or that to show that B happened after A chronologically, we need to link every strip after A (and after B) to prove there was no time travel plot twist. The game wouldn't be fun for anyone without flexible rules and assumptions about strip/real-world knowledge, including D&D rules. I just think you went a little far in these two cases. I still don't know what ACF means, even though I've put plenty of hours into D&D CRPGs (though mostly 2E).

[H_H_F_F]

Well, she talked about him over and over without throwing his name in, so I think we can assume that she didn't know his name, yes. Your question.

OQ

I would not be able to infer that from the strip. I always assumed it meant that it does bad things to Evil creatures depending on type (which is why only Sabine got banished) but Tarquin made his save. Unless there's another strip you have in mind.

Interesting! I would've thought that "strong enough to resist it, which I am" is clearly not talking about a save he could've failed just as well - but if you missed that, than that's probably just my familiarity with the spell influencing the way I read the strip. This is how holy word works, if you're interested.

I think it would be an okay question, other than perhaps the implication that we'd need to link all other strips to prove we don't know a greatclub's reach. Which, to be fair, counts against my question too, but I tried to make it clear it was only for the purposes of that strip. Find me a strip in which we learn the reach of one weapon but that of another involved is not mentioned. Would work. Not the current question!

Rereading your question - you're right. You said "unspecified", not "unknown" as I had read and misremembered. Unspecified is indeed correct. Would you agree that "unknown" or the like would be pushing it too far? [EDIT]Wrong again! You said "undefined", which I'd argue is still a bit problematic, and perhaps what led to my confusion. But I understand that I'm being pedantic now, about a language that isn't my native one, so I'll quiet down.[/EDIT]

(very reasonable commentary, followed by): I just think you went a little far in these two cases. I still don't know what ACF means, even though I've put plenty of hours into D&D CRPGs (though mostly 2E).

Probably. I think we're not at any fundamental disagreement here. ACF, by the way, is short for "alternate class feature" - many classes in 3.5 are customizable to a large degree, with many splat books introducing options to replace this or that feature of a per-existing class (like a ranger's 1st level bonus track feat) with something else.

for anyone who missed it: we have an OQ

[b_jonas]

Find a strip where someone doesn't know my name and another one where that same someone does.

The first one is easy, it's Nale right as he starts to impersonate Elan, calling Belkar “Belkon” by mistake, in #363 2nd. The second one was harder to find. It's in Girard's Pyramid, after Malack tells about his encounter with Durkon and Belkar, #883 1st. OQ.

[enq]

Interesting! I would've thought that "strong enough to resist it, which I am" is clearly not talking about a save he could've failed just as well - but if you missed that, than that's probably just my familiarity with the spell influencing the way I read the strip. This is how holy word works, if you're interested.

That does make sense, actually.

The first one is easy, it's Nale right as he starts to impersonate Elan, calling Belkar “Belkon” by mistake, in #363 2nd. The second one was harder to find. It's in Girard's Pyramid, after Malack tells about his encounter with Durkon and Belkar, #883 1st. OQ.

Ha. I thought Nale would end up being a trap for this question, as I didn't think he'd ever show he learned the name.

Spoiler: The "someone" of my intended answer was actually...

Show

Lien.

[ZhonLord]

Find me a character who talks about dice rolling, either literally or as a figure of speech, But NOT in reference to D&D mechanics (e.g. 6's on a sneak attack roll and Elan's stealth rolls would not qualify).

[enq]

ZhonLord throws the classic curveball of picking something from a very recent strip... OQ.

[enq]

Who is looking for their mead?

[Metastachydium]

Who is looking for their mead?

Some ogre who doesn't rally exist.

[Rogan]

I'll take the OQ.

Find me two advantages of being incorporeal, please.

[enq]

Find me two advantages of being incorporeal, please.

One of them is but a few strips away from the previous answer...

[ZhonLord]

I'll take the OQ.

Find me two advantages of being incorporeal, please.

evading vomit.

stealthy approaches to dangerous areas. Also advantageous for lovers wanting to get intimate in creative ways.

What is Grubwiggler's first name?

[enq]

stealthy approaches to dangerous areas. Also advantageous for lovers wanting to get intimate in creative ways.

Not going to formally contest this but I'm curious if other people would consider this being incorporeal. Gas is still matter, whereas I don't think ghosts are considered to have mass in the physical sense. Then again... ectoplasma?

[ZhonLord]

Not going to formally contest this but I'm curious if other people would consider this being incorporeal. Gas is still matter, whereas I don't think ghosts are considered to have mass in the physical sense. Then again... ectoplasma?

Then I'll provide another one as backup: it also allows for strategic wall-crossing and amusing jump scares.. If incorpreality didn't have advantages, xykon wouldn't have cast Ghostform.

[Metastachydium]

Not going to formally contest this but I'm curious if other people would consider this being incorporeal. Gas is still matter, whereas I don't think ghosts are considered to have mass in the physical sense.

Wind Walk refers to Gaseous Form when specifying the benefits the brand of disembodiment it provides, which are mechanically distinct from incorporeality. Ghostform, on the other hand, explicitly confers the Incorporeal subtype on the recipient, so the Xykon example dountlessly works.

What is Grubwiggler's first name?

Hieronymus.

[Rogan]

Then I'll provide another one as backup: it also allows for strategic wall-crossing and amusing jump scares.. If incorpreality didn't have advantages, xykon wouldn't have cast Ghostform.

This was my intended second, but I would have accepted the alternative as well.
Evading vomit was always my number 1.

[enq]

Find me three strips in which the same character verbally expresses that they don't want to wear pants.

(302 is not a valid answer)

[H_H_F_F]

Hayley doesn't want to wear these pants anymore. That's one.

Gannji doesn't want to wear a loincloth, not pants, but has been walking around without pants this entire time. Does that one count, too?

[ZhonLord]

Hayley doesn't want to wear these pants anymore. That's one.

Gannji doesn't want to wear a loincloth, not pants, but has been walking around without pants this entire time. Does that one count, too?

He said "the same character" for all three, so my guess is the character in question is Elan.

[Metastachydium]

Find me three strips in which the same character verbally expresses that they don't want to wear pants.

(302 is not a valid answer)

Okay, so I'll throw out the easy one and the one with dinosaurs (what? He clearly expresses the desire to be the Elanasaurus Rex twice, and the Elanasaurus doesn't wear pants).

[H_H_F_F]

He said "the same character" for all three, so my guess is the character in question is Elan.

Missed it!

[ZhonLord]

Okay, so I'll throw out the easy one and the one with dinosaurs (what? He clearly expresses the desire to be the Elanasaurus Rex twice, and the Elanasaurus doesn't wear pants).

protection from Law is not Protection from Dress Codes.

I do have a question in mind, if that gets us all three, but I'm not entirely sure the Elanosaurus works because it's not an explicit statement involving pants. Up to enq to confirm.

[H_H_F_F]

(what? He clearly expresses the desire to be the Elanasaurus Rex twice, and the Elanasaurus doesn't wear pants).

NO! Bad plant!

If anyone will attempt to claim that this counts, I will revolt (by which I mean, I will argue about the philosophy of language and contingent vs necessary qualities for the rest of the thread)

[enq]

Yes 27, yes 1116... not really 693. But since there's a question waiting, have an early first hint...

Spoiler: First hint

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The last one is a Banjo teaching. Thinks Elan.

[ZhonLord]

Yes 27, yes 1116... not really 693. But since there's a question waiting, have an early first hint...

Spoiler: First hint

Show

The last one is a Banjo teaching. Thinks Elan.

Ah, I forgot about Therkla encouraging Elan's resistance to pants.

Okay, new question: we've talked about nut shots previously, but when is a time an attempted nut shot ended up not working?

Spoiler: first hint

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A nut shot can fail in multiple ways. For example it can either miss, or it can hit but there's nothing there to damage.

Spoiler: second hint

Show

The failed nut shot was initiated by someone who is neither a core member of the Order, nor a villain.

[Metastachydium]

I'm not entirely sure the Elanosaurus works because it's not an explicit statement involving pants. Up to enq to confirm.

NO! Bad plant!

not really 693.[/SPOILER]

[Sad.] As Elan would say, maybe next time.

[H_H_F_F]

Ah, I forgot about Therkla encouraging Elan's resistance to pants.

Okay, new question: we've talked about nut shots previously, but when is a time an attempted nut shot ended up not working?

Spoiler: first hint

Show

A nut shot can fail in multiple ways. For example it can either miss, or it can hit but there's nothing there to damage.

Spoiler: second hint

Show

The failed nut shot was initiated by someone who is neither a core member of the Order, nor a villain.

Post first hint, I was thinking Miko before the face reveal (nope), or Xykon (maybe?)

[ZhonLord]

Whelp, time's up. The failed nut shot was Serini going for it against Haley while grappled, but it accomplishes nothing because Haley doesn't have the right equipment to deal damage to.

Open question!

[b_jonas]

Drat, we should have found that. All I found was an attack after which someone reacts “you're nuts”, but I don't think that makes it a nut shot. (Good Deeds Gone Unpunished p. 46 8th.)

New question. Find me a speech balloon whose border is thicker than those of the usual speech balloons. Again. But this time, it has to be a dwarf speaking.

[enq]

Seems like the last panel here or here should feature such a balloon, but they don't look thicker.

[Tubercular Ox]

Drat, we should have found that. All I found was an attack after which someone reacts “you're nuts”, but I don't think that makes it a nut shot. (Good Deeds Gone Unpunished p. 46 8th.)

New question. Find me a speech balloon whose border is thicker than those of the usual speech balloons. Again. But this time, it has to be a dwarf speaking.

Kraagor

What is the thing Elan is holding in panel 3 of this strip?

Not really a trivia question, but there's no way I can dream up an actual trivia question.