:\ Meh. That was passingly amusing.
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OotS 448
- Thread starter Ridley's Cohort
- Start date
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
I enjoyed this strip. For a moment I actually believed Xykon might have gotten into trouble, and was just using a bluff to get some time. But that wasn't a bluff...
I also like that nobody considered this option (at least not in the last OotS thread here).
I think you could use Symbol of Insanity this way. You can conver it to avoid its triggering, and there is no limit to the surface you can use. The bouncing ball was more or less just a small gadget which wouldn't have been necessary, but made the scene a lot more fun.
(He could have just used a lead sheet with the symbol and pulled it out of a bag of holding and walked/fly around the Paladins - which would have the added benefit that all the confused Paladins would also be unable to detect his alignment! )
I also like that nobody considered this option (at least not in the last OotS thread here).
I think you could use Symbol of Insanity this way. You can conver it to avoid its triggering, and there is no limit to the surface you can use. The bouncing ball was more or less just a small gadget which wouldn't have been necessary, but made the scene a lot more fun.
(He could have just used a lead sheet with the symbol and pulled it out of a bag of holding and walked/fly around the Paladins - which would have the added benefit that all the confused Paladins would also be unable to detect his alignment! )
Sound of Azure
Contemplative Soul
That's.... less than ideal.
Yeah, I agree.
Rideley's Cohort said:
Yeah, I agree.
frankthedm
First Post
The Heroes working together had more than a chance. Spread out across castle walls, suffering a few hits from the natural 20's that will occur every round the Heroes were too busy to stop the BBEG. United, the OotS could have defended the throne room.Someone said:
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It all plays into one of the harsher realties of the D&D system. The foes the players can overcome at higher level will obliterate normal folks like they are nothing should the opportunity be presented.
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DogBackward
First Post
Actually, Xykon wants to use the gate, not destroy it. The only reason he's even in teh city is because the two other gates he tries to use were destroyed. He wants the gate intact, hence paralyzing the pally before he could smash it. The suggestion to destroy the gem came from the floating cleric(?), it wasn't a bluff, and Xykon's "Good idea." response was, I think, sarcasm.
Also, the guy he Magic Missiled was affected, but he was running away, so I guess he figured he'd whack him in case his pursuer didn't catch him. Or some such nonesense.
IceFractal
First Post
Well I liked it.
In the first few panels, I was thinking that Xykon's no-planning attitude may actually have done him in. He was toast, or at least on the path to a fast retreat. But then, it all came together, and mass slaughter has seldom been more entertaining.
You sure you guys aren't Xykon haters?
As for "hand-waving" - I find the conclusion, that a high-level spellcaster would decimate a bunch of much lower-level foes, pretty darn believable.
As for the precise tactics - what would have been the point of him using SoP like Acid Fog/Black Tentacles/Wall of Force? Panels 1-8: Green Fog. Panel 9: Bunch of dead Paladins. Not very amusing.
Also, there's a lot that happens "offscreen". How do we know he just put one symbol on the ball? There may have been half a dozen on there, and the Paladins only have to fail one Will save each. For that matter, it isn't necessary for all of them to fail it. Xykon was shown mopping up with some other spells - all that was needed was to turn the tide.
In the first few panels, I was thinking that Xykon's no-planning attitude may actually have done him in. He was toast, or at least on the path to a fast retreat. But then, it all came together, and mass slaughter has seldom been more entertaining.
You sure you guys aren't Xykon haters?
As for "hand-waving" - I find the conclusion, that a high-level spellcaster would decimate a bunch of much lower-level foes, pretty darn believable.
As for the precise tactics - what would have been the point of him using SoP like Acid Fog/Black Tentacles/Wall of Force? Panels 1-8: Green Fog. Panel 9: Bunch of dead Paladins. Not very amusing.
Also, there's a lot that happens "offscreen". How do we know he just put one symbol on the ball? There may have been half a dozen on there, and the Paladins only have to fail one Will save each. For that matter, it isn't necessary for all of them to fail it. Xykon was shown mopping up with some other spells - all that was needed was to turn the tide.
silentspace
First Post
hard to believe Xykon can't cast defensively 
IceFractal
First Post
Lhorgrim
Explorer
That was an interesting tactic.
Count me with the folks that would have liked to see the Sapphire Guard be slightly more effective than a group of commoners armed with pillows, at least for a few panels.
I have a question. How would that fight have gone if the Order of the Stick had somehow been in the throne room? Assuming a still living Roy and the whole Order there, would the battle have gone any differently "by the rules", or would most of the order failed their saving throws and ended with the same result as we saw?
Count me with the folks that would have liked to see the Sapphire Guard be slightly more effective than a group of commoners armed with pillows, at least for a few panels.
I have a question. How would that fight have gone if the Order of the Stick had somehow been in the throne room? Assuming a still living Roy and the whole Order there, would the battle have gone any differently "by the rules", or would most of the order failed their saving throws and ended with the same result as we saw?
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Giltonio_Santos said:
A high level caster killing a mess of low level shlubbs with 1 high level spell fits Dnd to a T. Heck, at least he put a little flair into it, he could have just cast horrid wilting and probably killed all of them in a single stroke. Or heck, just cast weird and kill them all that way.
