Reply With QuoteYou're an English major?Originally Posted by Dirt
Sometimes I wonder if Burlew's illness isn't something we English majors called "writer's block."
You're an English major?
The irony of Dirt's major has serious potential, but let's get the OOTS out of the way first:
619!
Bah, Sebmojo already posted that one.
ARGHHHHH
He has a real aversion to ending subplots, doesn't he.
Yes. Anytime an enemy is flanked or otherwise denied their Dex bonus to armor (flat footed), they are open to sneak attack. That's why thieve's guilds attack in packs to flank.
And a high-level rogue (Haley) getting their sneak attack is the difference between about 2d8 +12 damage to 2d8 +12 +14d6 damage (assuming both arrows hit and she's within 30').
That's 3.5, not 4.0.
Well, no. He ends them when he wants to end them.
Yes, but since her target is a higher-level rogue with Improved Uncanny Dodge, she can't sneak attack him just because of the flank. So I guess maybe she gets *some* bonus for flanking, but for the most part it would have been the same if Belkar was standing on the same side.
On the other hand, since her target is now frozen, presumably she *does* get to sneak attack, if she ever gets around to shooting.
so basically in about 200 more strips this should be mostly tied back together
until of course they come up with "even more improved uncanny dodge" which allows you to dodge even when frozen, petrified, or otherwise held into place
Who says he's a higher level rogue? She's been out adventuring and he's been collecting NPC levels to keep even with her.
Because Hailey has Improved Uncanny Dodge and it can only be overcome by a character that has 4 more Rogue levels than her. In 609, Bozzok gets a sneak attack due to flanking on Hailey, so he is a significantly higher-level Rogue than she is.
This.
It's Crystal who gets the free NPC levels, as a PC nemesis.
I stand corrected.
Geez, that's a lot of text.
"About an 8, really"
I'll admit it. I don't understand the ending.
You don't understand why people would run screaming from a smile like that from a character that has never ever even once considered the possibility of a solution outside of mass slaughter?
I thought that's why the two women ran, but it seems like a dorky over-reaction to me. As if Belkar would kill them. So, I was confused, too.
I'm going to hypothesize that anyone confused by the dorky overreaction doesn't come at the strip with a history of playing tabletop rpgs, where dorky over-reactions can be either distressingly or endearingly common. The last panel's a fond nod to the kind of dynamics that build up in longstanding campaigns as played by friendly geek gatherings.
You are right, at least about me never having played tabletop rpgs. Sounds like you're right about your second point, too!
My science is strong.
Clearly some sort of mind eating under-dweller had quietly replaced Belkar's brain -- obviously they should run for their lives! Seems far fetched, until you consider that it's more probable than actual character growth in a D&D campaign. ;-)
Besides, as Drastic suggests, this is just the sort of thing that crops up in table banter at a casual hack and slash game.
I thought it was a standard comedic trope. Apparently it's popular with DnD players too.
Well, I do come from a tabletop background.
What I'm confused about is not why the two women fled, but how we as readers are supposed to interpret Belkar's statement and smile. Unlike the two women, we know that Belkar is not quite the same as he used to be. It just isn't clear to me if Belkar is being sincere but they were freaked out and assume he's about to kill everyone or if Belkar really is about to do something more typical of the old Belkar. His question to the guild guy was not clear in that regard either.
I thought that very uncertainty was part of what made it so hilarious. We really don't know what Belkar's up to, either. :)
We don't? He's hungry and he wants a freaking sandwich.
I don't think Belkar really does either.
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