OoTS 851

[Henry]

The rest - turning the arrow around and stabbing with it - is simply flavoring the mechanic.

As Stoat points out, he didn't need Throw Anything; the description of arrows has rules for using them as hand-weapons.

As for Tarquin, I do believe his son will eventually be his undoing, indirectly or directly, through his attachment or through severely underestimating him. As Elan would point out, the Laws of Plot and Drama almost demand it.

 

[Celebrim]

Also perhaps personal entertainment. I think Tarquin is looking for a fight just for the fun of it. I mean when you're a high-level fighter personally manipulating the politics of half a continent from behind a long succession of disposable thrones, you probably don't face as many suitable challenges as you would like. Especially when you're a huge ham like Tarquin.

I think it is safe to say that it would be out of character for Tarquin to do anything for just one reason.

 

[Celebrim]

As Stoat points out, he didn't need Throw Anything; the description of arrows has rules for using them as hand-weapons.

I'm aware of that, but unless mechanically Tarquin was using the arrow to make a ranged attack, then the only explanation is that he made the attack with the arrow as a AoO and in that case, why make an off-hand attack with an improvised weapon when you have a magic axe in your other hand? It's more mechanically logical if the underlying mechanic was the extra immediate attack you can make as a result of the snatch arrow feat, and the cartoonist/dungeon master/story teller simply narrated it as plunging the arrow into Belkar directly (I would imagine that its easier and more compact to draw it that way).

 

[Cor Azer]

As Stoat points out, he didn't need Throw Anything; the description of arrows has rules for using them as hand-weapons.

As for Tarquin, I do believe his son will eventually be his undoing, indirectly or directly, through his attachment or through severely underestimating him. As Elan would point out, the Laws of Plot and Drama almost demand it.

I believe Tarquin thinks that as well, for the exact same reasons.

He's just going to make sure he goes out epically.

 

[Scott DeWar]

*snip* . . . . .However, if I may make a prediction, Tarquin is only down here to distract the party anyway. His entire attack probably constitutes a feint.

I strongly suspect this.

 

[MarkB]

Going by the previous strip, he's here to get them moving into the temple rather than out of it. In which case he's doing well - he's already bowled Durkon in there.

 

[Argyle King]

So has any fairly tactical RPG (D&D, GURPS, RIFTS, Hero, Rolemaster, friends) ever provided a way to do that stunt where he grabs the arrow and stabs Belkar with it? It seems that comics and movies show us so many cool stunts that don't end up going into our games, because they're too much trouble to work out, or the DM will just make it a less effective move then the standard move, or because if the DM doesn't, players will try and pull it out at every moment.

There are a few different ways to do it in GURPS.

 

[Orius]

I think it is safe to say that it would be out of character for Tarquin to do anything for just one reason.

I'm guessing this fight is going to end with the OotS exhausted, and in disbelief that Thog managed to best them all.

Then Tarquin takes off his helmet, and gets a good laugh.

I think he's here because he wants to hear the OotS's version of what's up with the gates, because he's smart enough to realize that either Nale's not telling him the whole truth about the gates, or possibly doesn't know the whole truth.

And of course he wants to have some fun. Magnificent, exquisite fun.

 

[Truename]

I was curious about whether there was a 4e-equivalent of Tarquin's iconic "snatch arrow out of air and stab enemy" move, so I searched the compendium for martial powers that were immediate interrupts that had the word "ranged" somewhere in the power description. Surprisingly, there aren't many that fit the bill. (And here I thought that 4e had powers for every conceivable scenario, and then some.) Here's what I found:

Body Shield (Fighter Utility 10): "You yank a foe into the path of an enemy's attack." This works pretty well with a touch of reflavoring, except it one does half damage to the enemy and half damage to you. It even has the requirement that you have a hand free.

Moving Target (Rogue Attack 29): "You direct an attack meant for you to another enemy." This one is almost perfect, both mechanically and flavor-wise, except for what you're supposed to have in your hands (which is really code for "you gotta be a rogue"). It's surprisingly high level, and the flavor is beyond bland.

There's no particular point here, I just thought it was interesting.