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Soup du Jour posted:
 Well then, confirmed theories indeed.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:03
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Where's that eye-popping emoticon? gently caress it, this works 
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Feb 18, 2013 20:04
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It's strange when the OoTS art style ends up making stuff look WAY more brutal.MikeJF posted:One of the more common Skyrim bugs is NPCs losing clothes.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:05
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gently caress yes, undead Belkar. I hope he's able to talk, and that his reaction to being undead is as entertaining as Xykon's was. This also sheds new light on Nale's murder of the cleric's "sons". Perhaps it wasn't as evil a deed as we were led to believe.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:11
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^^^Remember how Xykon felt about Coffee? Belkar's a chef, I don't think he'll enjoy that part so much. Strip title is "Death in the Family". IMO, the claims in this thread that certain scenes in previous strips were foreshadowing are now more or less justified.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:12
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There's just something about comics done by graphics designers and illustrators. At a glance they're unimpressive but drat do these people know how to use their stuff. I mean, just from the theories and this episode's title I knew more or less what had to be coming but scrolling down and seeing the last panel still gave me the shivers in that way more detailed and frequently more realistic comics often don't. And Mr. Scruffy trying to drag Belkar away from Malack is heartbreaking 
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Feb 18, 2013 20:13
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Neraren posted:Belkar and a probable-vampire alone in the same room. Yyyyyup.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:16
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Haha, oh wow. Even though I was expecting it it still was rather good.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:17
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My Lovely Horse posted:And Mr. Scruffy trying to drag Belkar away from Malack is heartbreaking Not to mention him gnawing on Malack's tail two panels before that. Despite getting brushed aside like he's nothing, Mr. Scruffy's doing everything he can to try and save Belkar, even though it's futile. 
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Feb 18, 2013 20:17
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So obviously Belkar would no longer be a player controlled character in most campaigns, but did he just effectively gain about 4 hit dice?
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Feb 18, 2013 20:17
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Immortal Belkar. The world is doomed.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:18
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Oh no! What will this do to Belkar's newly-found moral fiphhahahahahahahha! Seriously, though, this will surely result in more horror let loose upon the world than Malack could have ever imagined.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:19
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greatn posted:So obviously Belkar would no longer be a player controlled character in most campaigns, but did he just effectively gain about 4 hit dice? Level Adjustment of +8. Belkar's an epic level character now. E: VVV Just because he wasn't munchkinized before doesn't mean he was ineffective. He is a sexy shoeless god of death after all. Neraren fucked around with this message at 20:26 on Feb 18, 2013 |
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Feb 18, 2013 20:21
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Wouldn't that just basically make up for lovely design choices like being a halfling ranger-barbarian? The same way Epic Swordsman made Elan not a piece of poo poo. e: What does the Vampire Template give you?
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Feb 18, 2013 20:24
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The Rooster posted:Wouldn't that just basically make up for lovely design choices like being a halfling ranger-barbarian? The same way Epic Swordsman made Elan not a piece of poo poo.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:26
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You know, I'd been discounting the "Malack is a vampire" theory as a red herring mostly because while the not-burning-in-sunlight can be explained by magic items/feats/etc. - although I still think that's pretty lame if it's so simple - what kind of vampire drinks tea? Did he spend a feat on that? So I went back and looked up Malack's first meeting with Durkon...  ...you sneaky loving bastard, Rich. (I'm totally stoked for undead-Belkar, though. I was hoping for it, and was kinda afraid that Rich would feel it was lame and he'd "just" give him a dramatic death.) e: also as a result of the above reread, any good speculation about what the book in #739 may be? NihilCredo fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Feb 18, 2013 |
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Feb 18, 2013 20:28
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I'm looking forward to seeing if Belkar is under Malack's control, even if it's just along the lines of free-willed but loyal to creator, because if he is, there's only one thing the Order can do. Recruit a kobold. e: I remember bloodwart tea was specifically brought up to reinforce the vampire theory back in the day.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:29
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I knew it! I knew it I knew it I knew it! Apparently I never said so in here, but I knew he was a vampire! THAT COUNTS AS CALLING IT OKAY
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Feb 18, 2013 20:30
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NihilCredo posted:You know, I'd been discounting the "Malack is a vampire" theory as a red herring mostly because while the not-burning-in-sunlight can be explained by magic items/feats/etc. - although I still think that's pretty lame if it's so simple - what kind of vampire drinks tea? Did he spend a feat on that?
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Feb 18, 2013 20:30
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Toplowtech posted:Didn't V tell him adoption would be a good alternative and Malack said it wouldn't be the same "special link"?
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Feb 18, 2013 20:31
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The Rooster posted:e: What does the Vampire Template give you? Highlights include: * Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a vampire has no Constitution score. * Damage reduction 10/silver and magic * Resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10. * Heal 5 hitpoints per round. If reduced to zero, goes gaseous form to escape. * Dominate Person at will So yeah, Belkar is raised as a superbadass in 1d4 days. greatn posted:Don't you need constitution to rage? Though with the wisdom bump he can now cast zero and first level spells, maybe second. Rage lasts 3 + Con modifier rounds, so now it's just a flat 3 I guess. Oh, also his hitdice are now all retroactively d12s, so he gets a bit hitpoint boost too, in addition to all the normal undead bonuses like being immune to mind affecting spells (and ironically, hold person). Neraren fucked around with this message at 20:38 on Feb 18, 2013 |
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Feb 18, 2013 20:32
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Don't you need constitution to rage? Though with the wisdom bump he can now cast zero and first level spells, maybe second.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:34
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... it suddenly occurs to me that Roy's sword might in the end not strike down the undead he thinks it's going to.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:36
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Would being a Vampire sever his animal companion with Scruffy? That would be sad I suppose though that since Malack himself is clearly some sort of house-ruled vampire, not much can be said.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:41
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Incidentally, I get that with Belkar's proportions and OotS's art style a bitten neck is a tricky thing to draw, but ooouch getting vampirised by the sides of your head looks rather grisly.
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Feb 18, 2013 20:45
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Mr. Scruffy tried so hard!! Awww...
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Feb 18, 2013 20:55
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Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that what will piss Belkar off more isn't that he's a vampire, but that he will effectively be getting zero xp from monsters for a good long while now?
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Feb 18, 2013 21:05
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Con based special abilities become based off of your charisma modifier if you lose your constitution score. Rages last 3+cha mod rounds if you're a vampire.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:11
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No. loving. Way. I would like apologize to every single person that I silently thought was an idiot over the vampire theory.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:12
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Speaking of Level Adjustments, however: When Belkar is first lifted up, there's a big cloud of dark energy around him, and he sizzles for a panel afterward. Is that Level Drain?
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Feb 18, 2013 21:15
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XkyRauh posted:Speaking of Level Adjustments, however: When Belkar is first lifted up, there's a big cloud of dark energy around him, and he sizzles for a panel afterward. Is that Level Drain? Energy Drain (Su) Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round. I assume it was that. You can see Malack's minor battle damage healing in the same panel.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:17
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I don't think it was Energy Drain, or the 4th level version either. Xykon uses that in Start of Darkness and the result are corruption lines all over the victim's skin, not any smoking. (He also uses it on juiced-up Vaarsuvius, but in that case the effect stays only on the soul splices.)
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Feb 18, 2013 21:20
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Colonel Cool posted:No. loving. Way. I was betting on him getting snuffed too. But it's a perfect example of the art of good plotting - 1. either give people what they expect, or what they don't expect 2. know when to do which. By this point everyone's expecting Rich to surprise them, so when he doesn't it's a surprise in its own way.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:22
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NihilCredo posted:I don't think it was Energy Drain, or the 4th level version either. Xykon uses that in Start of Darkness and the result are corruption lines all over the victim's skin, not any smoking. (He also uses it on juiced-up Vaarsuvius, but in that case the effect stays only on the soul splices.) Different thing. Xykon's using a spell, the vampire thing is just an ability that activates when a vampire hits someone.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:22
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Now I'm really curious how (and why) Nale managed to kill a bunch of vampires.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:25
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Also, vampire template might just be why Malack doesn't wear armour. I always assumed he was just a feeble scholarly cleric who didn't have the strength for armour and preferred to stay out of close combat and be a support cleric. But, as a vampire, maybe he stays out of armour because with that bonus +4 dex he's just so agile that he doesn't need to wear any anyway.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:25
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Suddenly, Nale being completely nonchalant about slaughtering Malack's entire family makes a lot more sense. I had thought it was pretty drat out of character for Nale to be so cool about having murdered Malack's family, but the equation changes when it's destroying a bunch of vampire spawn. This also changes his "How's the family?" line from some cold-blooded taunting to "Hey, you defiled any corpses since we last met?" Also, god drat is that last panel brutal.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:27
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My Lovely Horse posted:I'm looking forward to seeing if Belkar is under Malack's control, even if it's just along the lines of free-willed but loyal to creator, because if he is, there's only one thing the Order can do. It'll be O-Chul. He's the tank to counter Vamp-Belkar's DPS, and they've already got a history. NihilCredo posted:
No speculation needed. It's a book about negative energy that Durkon used to research Mass Death Ward.
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Feb 18, 2013 21:29
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Wow. Awesome. Malack's eyes going from a pale pink to bright red when he does the deed really did it for me.
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Feb 18, 2013 22:09
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So given Malack's sudden willingness to restart his family line, as it were... ... what are the chances of Durkon also becoming undead, either from him or Belkar, before the arc is over? Or do we trust Rich not to pull the same loophole in regards to Durkon returning home "posthumously?"
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Feb 18, 2013 22:09
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