OOTS #1302 - The Discussion Thread

[DaOldeWolf]

Well, that dragon is really tanky. He has taken so much and yet there seems to be no sign of it ending soon.

[Peelee]

B*h*ld*r.

Behold, a beholder so dead that the stars are even in it's spelling!

[TheNecrocomicon]

Well, that dragon is really tanky. He has taken so much and yet there seems to be no sign of it ending soon.

This. Calder just practically had his face broken by an instantaneous size-change inside his mouth. He should at the very least be barely able to speak and unable to bite and possibly breathe fire, and now it looks like he just took a dagger straight to the eye (or eye socket).

What ridiculous uber-mountain of HP does he have? I guess it's as much as the plot/script says he does. And/or he's got some kind of damage reduction going on and/or the Order are rolling really low for their damage.

On the plus side, I'm impressed by Bloodfeast's durability. He(?) should be down by now, then again maybe there have been defensive buffs and potions applied somehow prior to the fight.

Also, I guess as long as the Order are offending Calder's ego and causing him to turn away and monologue, he's not biting and/or breathing on Bloodfeast, who gets to attack with impunity.

[Psyren]

Seven minutes.

That's 7 minutes I didn't need to spend reading the rest of the page before replying

Nice comment from Blackwing.

Nobody:
Blackwing: Hey, remember that time you were evil lol?

[Peelee]

That's 7 minutes I didn't need to spend reading the rest of the page before replying

You make a good point!

[DaOldeWolf]

This. Calder just practically had his face broken by an instantaneous size-change inside his mouth. He should at the very least be barely able to speak and unable to bite and possibly breathe fire, and now it looks like he just took a dagger straight to the eye (or eye socket).

What ridiculous uber-mountain of HP does he have? I guess it's as much as the plot/script says he does. And/or he's got some kind of damage reduction going on and/or the Order are rolling really low for their damage.

On the plus side, I'm impressed by Bloodfeast's durability. He(?) should be down by now, then again maybe there have been defensive buffs and potions applied somehow prior to the fight.

Also, I guess as long as the Order are offending Calder's ego and causing him to turn away and monologue, he's not biting and/or breathing on Bloodfeast, who gets to attack with impunity.

An alternative win con seems more and more likely. Because it doesnt seem like straight fighting is working.

[KorvinStarmast]

How sad it must be to learn you're not the villain, you're just in the way.

Yes, Tarquin likely had the same feeling as the airship flew off.

That is generally called "being a dragon".

I Am SMAUG CALDER!

Was this the first time Serini contributed to the fight?

Not sure, but it was nice to see her let loose with her hand crossbow. Does she get sneak attack damage with all of those flankers?

What ridiculous uber-mountain of HP does he have?

A lot.

Also, I guess as long as the Order are offending Calder's ego and causing him to turn away and monologue, he's not biting and/or breathing on Bloodfeast, who gets to attack with impunity.

Roy's point about resources is spot on.

[arimareiji]

Roy's point about resources is spot on.

A thought that your comment helped me develop: Will Calder be complaining to Serini's department of Dragon Resources?

[Leliel]

Durkon. Honey.

Durkula's oratory comes from copying you, and you heroic-speeched him into obliterating his personality.

Take the compliment, you're just good at speeches, period.

[locksmith of lo]

On the plus side, I'm impressed by Bloodfeast's durability. He(?) should be down by now, then again maybe there have been defensive buffs and potions applied somehow prior to the fight.

blood feast is getting a heal, at least it looks like it, in the 4th panel.

[drazen]

Calder apparently got even more scoops of self esteem in his last bowl of raisin bran than Darth V did in... vis(? ...theirs? 🤷*♂️)

[Mordar]

Behold, a beholder so dead that the stars are even in it's spelling!

Not sure how much he can be holden, though, given his lack of hands. Dead or otherwise.

Still, would be nice for Sunny to hit the disintegration beam any time now...

- M

[Adeptus]

I'm 100% with Roy. Fighting Calder before facing Xykon and Recloak is a full-on disaster. This is how things tend to go, of course.

[KorvinStarmast]

A thought that your comment helped me develop: Will Calder be complaining to Serini's department of Dragon Resources?

Probably, there is a lot of undesired touching going on, some of it pointy.

Still, would be nice for Sunny to hit the disintegration beam any time now...

Oh, yes.

As to other touching:
Liked seeing Minrah touching to heal Bloodfeast.
Nice to see Durkon touching to heal V.
Liked Belkar's "touche" with the thrown dagger.
And like him using the daggers to assist in climbing up the dragon's neck.

Not so touching:
V's dry remark in the last panel was perfect, deadpan saracsm. Loved it.

I guess Belkar's jump/dodge was to avoid the horn and the claw?

[arimareiji]

Probably, there is a lot of undesired touching going on, some of it pointy.

Oh, yes.

As to other touching:
Liked seeing Minrah touching to heal Bloodfeast.
Nice to see Durkon touching to heal V.
Liked Belkar's "touche" with the thrown dagger.
And like him using the daggers to assist in climbing up the dragon's neck.

Not so touching:
V's dry remark in the last panel was perfect, deadpan saracsm. Loved it.

I guess Belkar's jump/dodge was to avoid the horn and the claw?

Slightly surprised you didn't point out how touchy Calder is… though to be fair, he has good cause. Or is that good claws? Maybe even good clause for the T&C of his surrender being cruel and unusual.

[gatemansgc]

Funny how Durkon has to argue it wasn't him when Belkar had actually be saying that from the start.

that's just belkar being belkar to durkon LOL

also i'm glad V is all healed now, they had to have barely any hit dice left.

[danielxcutter]

I'm 100% with Roy. Fighting Calder before facing Xykon and Recloak is a full-on disaster. This is how things tend to go, of course.

I'm rather uninclined to expect that they'll be forced to do that, though. Even in ideal circumstances, fighting Xykon is arguably still suicide considering how many stupid defenses he has, some of which practically shut down half of the party without even casting a spell. Immediately after fighting Calder would turn even a fighting retreat into "Meteor Swarm, oh hey I killed all of them, sweet".

[Lord Haart]

Any chance we get the first panel without the speech bubbles? Please?

Also, +1 to those who noticed, and appreciated, Minrah healing (or buffing) Bloodfeast. That's the kind of team spirit I love to see.

[Psyren]

I'm 100% with Roy. Fighting Calder before facing Xykon and Recloak is a full-on disaster. This is how things tend to go, of course.

I'm not totally on top of the time crunch, but they may actually be able to squeeze in a long rest before Team Evil finishes the Gauntlet. In which case, Calder strengthening the Order (both narratively by impressing Serini, and mechanically by giving the paladins and Minrah badly-needed XP) could be a very good thing ultimately.

[SpykeMH]

"The bard's dad had some good ones too"

"Just how many of you are villains or related to one?!"

[danielxcutter]

I'm not totally on top of the time crunch, but they may actually be able to squeeze in a long rest before Team Evil finishes the Gauntlet. In which case, Calder strengthening the Order (both narratively by impressing Serini, and mechanically by giving the paladins and Minrah badly-needed XP) could be a very good thing ultimately.

Well yeah, Redcloak expected it to take two days and Xykon's getting in their way. I'd be surprised if they didn't manage to get one rest given that it's only been a couple hours at most.

[137beth]

V's given better villain monologues too (and that was actually V).

[Naysmith]

How sad it must be to learn you're not the villain, you're just in the way.

Tarquin would like to know your location.

That dragon has an overdeveloped sense of ego. It's going to get him into trouble some day.

Like right now?

That is generally called "being a dragon".

Agreed, 100%

I do think V's villain speeches were excellent, they should be proud of them.

V's given better villain monologues too (and that was actually V).

Before finishing their fall from grace, too, no less!

[Provengreil]

I'm rather uninclined to expect that they'll be forced to do that, though. Even in ideal circumstances, fighting Xykon is arguably still suicide considering how many stupid defenses he has, some of which practically shut down half of the party without even casting a spell. Immediately after fighting Calder would turn even a fighting retreat into "Meteor Swarm, oh hey I killed all of them, sweet".

I'm still thinking that the Order will be at least mostly rested while Xykon will not. Remember, Xykon is actively rushing ahead of the Quinton to get chances to kill things: he's presumably not only not conserving spells, but is likely burning higher slots than necessary. Still very, very dangerous but something the Order can win against, especially if the MitD finishes a rebellious character arc.

[Peelee]

Not sure how much he can be holden, though, given his lack of hands. Dead or otherwise.

Would it help to be Holden Caulfield?

That dragon has an overdeveloped sense of ego.

That is generally called "being a dragon".

What ridiculous uber-mountain of HP does he have?

That, too, is generally called "being a dragon".

[KorvinStarmast]

Slightly surprised you didn't point out how touchy Calder is… though to be fair, he has good cause. Or is that good claws? Maybe even good clause for the T&C of his surrender being cruel and unusual.

I don't have a well enough developed residual lizard brain to discern whether or not Bloodfeast's bites are love nips (like our puppy does these days to my hands) or "tear you up" bites.

Calder has a very high charisma (as dragons do), is a saurian (or at least close enough to being so) and thus might be stunningly beautiful in Bloodfeast's eyes to the point of being irresistible.
Bloodfeast's thought bubble might be: "It's a lizard thing, you wouldn't understand!"

Or, Bloodfeast may be in it for the bloodshed and gore. I mean, he does hang around with Belkar.

[HeeJay]

If I was trapped in the nightmare situation of having my body frozen in time but my mind working, I would spend a lot of time crafting Perfect Villain Speeches for All Occasions.

But then again, I am a bard in real life.

[arimareiji]

I don't have a well enough developed residual lizard brain to discern whether or not Bloodfeast's bites are love nips (like our puppy does these days to my hands) or "tear you up" bites.

Calder has a very high charisma (as dragons do), is a saurian (or at least close enough to being so) and thus might be stunningly beautiful in Bloodfeast's eyes to the point of being irresistible.
Bloodfeast's thought bubble might be: "It's a lizard thing, you wouldn't understand!"

Or, Bloodfeast may be in it for the bloodshed and gore. I mean, he does hang around with Belkar.

Or Bloodfeast is part-Klingon, and in response to your first sentence is thinking "Why not both?"

...oh no. My perverse brain has now conjured a line of Klingons dancing to this:

[alceryes]

I guess Calder's jaw wasn't broken/mangled by Bloodfeast's change. Shame.
Enter Sunny and Pally's soon...?

[Mordar]

Would it help to be Holden Caulfield?

I don't get it. I must not be catching your wry humor.

- M