Results 181 to 210 of 1424
-
2013-02-18, 03:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Ooh, remember in http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0861.html Malack mentions that the trap is airtight? Now we know why that's important (it prevents him from bypassing it using gaseous form).
Prince Fraternal of Pudding, Snuzzlepal, Feezy Squeez Lover, MP, Member of The Most Noble And Ancient Order Of St. George, King of Gae Parabolae.
Lego Ergo Sum
"Everyone's cute if you just look at them the right way"~Rebekah Patton Durham, Princess of Pudding.
"If they have stats, we can kill them... I'd like to point out that we also have stats..." ~ PhoenixGuard09.
Warhammer 40K: Where the faction that is a cross between the Inquisition and Space Nazis are the good guys.
-
2013-02-18, 03:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2012
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
What do we do if we can't control [Belkar]?
We run the clock. Pretty soon, Belkar will be someone else's problem. Someone bony with a black robe and a big scythe. Until then, we'll do what we can to keep him pointed at the bad guys.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html
*Looks at Malack's robes and staff*
Well played Rich, well played
-
2013-02-18, 03:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2010
-
2013-02-18, 03:48 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
No, I didn't see this coming either. And on a personal note, I find the current comic one of the most shocking - no, make that the most shocking - I can remember.
The bright side is - in much the same way as others are hoping this is the end of speculation about Belkar's death - I'm hoping it'll put an end to the blithe assumption "we know Malack is LN..."."None of us likes to be hated, none of us likes to be shunned. A natural result of these conditions is, that we consciously or unconsciously pay more attention to tuning our opinions to our neighbor’s pitch and preserving his approval than we do to examining the opinions searchingly and seeing to it that they are right and sound." - Mark Twain
-
2013-02-18, 03:48 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Marut-2 Avatar by Serpentine
New Marut Avatar by Linkele
-
2013-02-18, 03:49 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2009
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
-
2013-02-18, 03:49 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
I guess this kind of torpedoes the "Durkon/Belkar will die and be replaced in the Order by Malack" theory.
...and it also probably means that we can pencil in Malack as Evil over in Class and Level Geekery.Last edited by rgrekejin; 2013-02-18 at 03:50 PM.
-
2013-02-18, 03:50 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
-
2013-02-18, 03:52 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Plague Doctor by Crimmy
Ext. Sig (Handbooks/Creations)
-
2013-02-18, 03:54 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2003
- Location
- Philadelphia, PA
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
OK, trying not to comment too much on stuff that will be explained in future comics but:
You guys are overthinking the black speech bubble thing. Remember that the speech bubbles are an artifact of the comic strip process, which means they are subservient to the story. Obviously, it was narratively important to hide that Malack was undead, so therefore I decided he only speaks in black speech bubbles when he "vamps out." After all, vampires in fiction have a long history of having traits that only pop out when they feed: their fangs elongate, their eyes turn read, maybe their face gets all demony-looking if you want to go the Buffy the Vampire Slayer route. Changing voice is not outside of that realm.
Also, I already pointed out that Tarquin was able to change his speech balloons just by adopting a different way of speaking. It's not my fault no one extrapolated that to mean that characters—like the one floating next to him—can disguise/change the visual appearance of their balloons.
As far as other questions, you'll have to wait and see.Rich Burlew
Now Available: 2023 OOTS Holiday Ornament plus a big pile of new t-shirt designs (that you can also get on mugs and stuff)!
~~You can also support The Order of the Stick and the GITP forum at Patreon.~~
-
2013-02-18, 03:54 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
No one has noticed yet but in panel 4, Malack says "May your next not lead you..." Does he mean next life. Typo!
-
2013-02-18, 03:55 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2008
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Gender
-
2013-02-18, 03:55 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Vampire Lords return to their original appearance, and Vampires don't usually have pink eyes- I would guess that Malack was albino before becoming a vampire, either way. And, judging by the strip you linked, the Control Winds seems to be aiding the others in their flight as well (although I could just be misreading Malack's intention).
Awesome Shiny Butterfree avatar by Terry576.
-
2013-02-18, 03:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2003
- Location
- Philadelphia, PA
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Rich Burlew
Now Available: 2023 OOTS Holiday Ornament plus a big pile of new t-shirt designs (that you can also get on mugs and stuff)!
~~You can also support The Order of the Stick and the GITP forum at Patreon.~~
-
2013-02-18, 03:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Last edited by hamishspence; 2013-02-18 at 03:58 PM.
Marut-2 Avatar by Serpentine
New Marut Avatar by Linkele
-
2013-02-18, 03:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
- Location
- Manchester, UK
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Of course, Belkar becoming a vampire spawn doesn't necessarily preclude him being destroyed before the end of this arc...heck, a single Turn Undead from Durkon will probably cause his head to explode, or something!
Genuinely didn't expect that Malack would actually turn out to be a vampire, though...nice that the Giant can still surprise us.
-
2013-02-18, 03:57 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Location
- Korea
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Imagining Belkar with the ability to enslave people by looking at them, beat people to death with negative energy fists, have loads of natural armour, be able to summon swarms of disgusting creatures AND being even more badass...it is a scary thought indeed.
So to answer that, he is probably freaking out. Then when he realizes, he will be quite overjoyed. That is assuming he isn't some crappy, no-willed spawn.
-
2013-02-18, 03:58 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
- Location
- San Francisco
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Oh man, this is awesome! Giant, you are a magnificent storyteller, especially when all your appendages are functioning properly.
Huh, that's pretty interesting. So, is the black speech bubble a consistent tone of voice (like how Xykon described it as sort of a Darth Vader thing), or do they indicate undead in general while still allowing for a significant variety of different voice types?
-
2013-02-18, 03:58 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2012
- Location
- Czech Republic
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Last edited by Mike Havran; 2013-02-18 at 03:58 PM.
There must be some sense of order - personal, political or dramatic - and if no one else is going to bring it to this world, I will.
Silent member of Zz'dtri's #698 Scrying Sensor Explanation Club.
-
2013-02-18, 03:58 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2010
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Last edited by Math_Mage; 2013-02-18 at 03:59 PM.
-
2013-02-18, 03:58 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2010
- Location
- Quebec, Canada
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
WHAT. THE. HELL.
So they really were right? Oh........Well....I am speechless.
So surprising, so shocking, so awesome, and yet.....I'm actually kinda disapointed. I feel Malack just became the cliched evil vampire serving the evil overlord, but I guess it's too early to tell.
-
2013-02-18, 03:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Chicagolandia
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Last edited by Mutant Sheep; 2013-02-18 at 04:00 PM.
-
2013-02-18, 04:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
- Gender
-
2013-02-18, 04:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
On the other hand, the implication that Nale killed a bunch of vampires, as opposed to a bunch of baby lizardfolk, greatly increases my respect for the man's combat prowess, if nothing else.
Last edited by rgrekejin; 2013-02-18 at 04:26 PM.
-
2013-02-18, 04:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2009
- Location
- The land of corn
- Gender
-
2013-02-18, 04:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
He was in direct sunlight, and although the Vampire Lord stats don't seem to specifically call out the flight as a Su ability, it's a fairly justified extrapolation to make that he can't use it in direct sunlight.
Alternately, as others suggested, he cast Control Winds to get the Linear Guild there faster.
I'm a fan of this development. And I hope Malack will continue to act in all ways as a LN cleric of death. Perhaps he reads as Evil to detect spells, but his actions (that we've seen so far) place him pretty firmly on neutral ground, I'd say. However, in retrospect it's fortunate for him that the trap blocked the Holy Word from affecting him, as with a likely +5 level adjustment he may very well have been low enough to be paralyzed.
Belkvamp might end up stuck as the guardian of this gate for the foreseeable future ... I don't see the Order making allowances for his vampire status during travel. Heck, they might just have to kill him. All of them but Elan probably knew it would have to happen someday.Last edited by Da'Shain; 2013-02-18 at 04:07 PM.
-
2013-02-18, 04:05 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2012
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
I figured that pink was the 'not in a feeding frenzy' color. It is possible that he was also albino - but that seems somewhat convoluted. Look at the third panel of the strip I linked to. I took Malack's rhetorical question 'is your vapid devil-whore still keeping you aloft' to indicate that Nale's question 'Malack, is the control winds scroll you cast still active' was also obviously true because he was evidently still flying. That would mean that the reason Malack was still flying was the control winds - not vampire lord flight. I also don't see why he would disguise his vampire nature considering Nale must know of it if he killed Malack's children.
-
2013-02-18, 04:05 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
- Gender
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
You know, the rules for D&D specify that vampire wizards can't keep any familiar other than a rat or bat, but there's no such rule for ranger animal companions, so Scruffy could keep Belkar.
Prince Fraternal of Pudding, Snuzzlepal, Feezy Squeez Lover, MP, Member of The Most Noble And Ancient Order Of St. George, King of Gae Parabolae.
Lego Ergo Sum
"Everyone's cute if you just look at them the right way"~Rebekah Patton Durham, Princess of Pudding.
"If they have stats, we can kill them... I'd like to point out that we also have stats..." ~ PhoenixGuard09.
Warhammer 40K: Where the faction that is a cross between the Inquisition and Space Nazis are the good guys.
-
2013-02-18, 04:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2012
-
2013-02-18, 04:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2007
Re: OOTS #870 - The Discussion Thread
Why?
Literally the only thing this comic changes is it shows us that Malack is an undead character who requires blood to survive. Certainly it changes the tenor of some of his conversations about his "children," but we have no reason to believe he valued them any less, and his apparent reluctance to turn people and create undead pawns willy-nilly are still present. It hasn't changed any of his attitudes or behaviors. He still evidently respects Durkon, still values his family, still demands a level of practicality, and still seems among the more reasonable probably-evil-aligned characters in the comic. Heck, for all we know, he may still be Lawful Neutral - and if he's Evil-aligned purely because of his undead nature, but it hasn't manifested in his actual behavior, then what does it really matter?
Malack is still the same character. We just know one more reason he's acted the way he has.
EDIT: Heck, forget "probably evil-aligned", Malack is one of the most reasonable, intellectual characters in the entire comic.Last edited by Jetrauben; 2013-02-18 at 04:13 PM.