The OotS Thread III

[Kuja]

OH FUCK.

OH FUCK. OH FUCK. OH FUCK. OH FUCK. OH FUCK.

[Terralthra]

The Oracle did say he'd return posthumously. Didn't say he'd actually be dead-dead.

[Ahriman238]

Nothing's foregone yet, it should take Malack at least 5-6 rounds to kill Durkon with a bite attack. That's an eternity to deal with the grapple rules, not to mention time for help to show up.

'Vampire Durkon' would just feel too cheap narratively right after Dark V.

[Ralin]

Nothing's foregone yet, it should take Malack at least 5-6 rounds to kill Durkon with a bite attack. That's an eternity to deal with the grapple rules, not to mention time for help to show up.

With a combination of 1d4 Con drain plus two levels of energy drain and whatever grapple damage Malack is doing with his no doubt considerable Strength modifier every round?

I mean, I'm aware that technically vampires can't energy drain with a bite attack and off the top of my head I don't think they can deal grapple damage at the same time either, but it certainly looks like Burlew is writing it that way. Or at least as a dual blood drain/energy drain.

[Imperial Overlord]

It's been forever since I've looked at D&D grapple rules and I may have this wrong, but IIRC if you have a grapple hold you have the option of making an attack with your natural weapons, which means both the vampire slam and vampire bite are in.

[Vaporous]

Nothing's foregone yet, it should take Malack at least 5-6 rounds to kill Durkon with a bite attack. That's an eternity to deal with the grapple rules, not to mention time for help to show up.

'Vampire Durkon' would just feel too cheap narratively right after Dark V.

Nah. there are enough differences for it to work. V choose the darkness. Durkon's just being outfought.

This is probably another bait and switch. I'm not sure how the hypnotic gaze works, but if it has to be maintained by concentration, my guess is that belkar gets up and hits malack while he's distracted with durkon.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

By 3.5's rules, it works exactly like Dominate and so Belkar doesn't get a chance to fight it for several days unless given an order against his nature or another spellcaster starts interfering with it, but Burlew's gone by house rules more than once before.

[Crazedwraith]

Nothing's foregone yet, it should take Malack at least 5-6 rounds to kill Durkon with a bite attack. That's an eternity to deal with the grapple rules, not to mention time for help to show up.

'Vampire Durkon' would just feel too cheap narratively right after Dark V.

Nah. there are enough differences for it to work. V choose the darkness. Durkon's just being outfought.

This is probably another bait and switch. I'm not sure how the hypnotic gaze works, but if it has to be maintained by concentration, my guess is that belkar gets up and hits malack while he's distracted with durkon.

Because again he;s going to use the exact same plot device in the exact same way, why again?

if this really is Durkon's end it's really interesting. Belkar's prophesied death has been brought up many times to the extent Roy is more or less planning around it. But Durkon's has been largely ignored in universe. I can see the order really beating themselves up about that.

[Spekio]

Because again he;s going to use the exact same plot device in the exact same way, why again?

if this really is Durkon's end it's really interesting. Belkar's prophesied death has been brought up many times to the extent Roy is more or less planning around it. But Durkon's has been largely ignored in universe. I can see the order really beating themselves up about that.

Because Burlew really likes screwing with his fans? Remeber Undead Miko?

[Crazedwraith]

Yeah, its possible this is not the end of Durkon and someone may intervene. But seriously, he ended a strip with the exact same Malak vamping someone not a few issues ago. He's not going to pull off the exact same bait and switch.

A different bait and switch sure. But panel one of next comic is not going to be belkar stabbing malak and freeing Durkon.

eta: or if that does happen I expect an 'how were you not expecting this' lampshade to malak.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Problem with Belkar saving Durkon: He's under a Hold Person spell. Even if he regains his will he's in no position to fight.

[Spekio]

I`m going to guess V finds them.

[Straha]

877
Spoiler

Durkon gone evil. V potentially possessed. I don't think the Order is going to be able to hold the gate. Maybe this leads to the gate opening and an exploration of the world inside the Snarl?

[Vaporous]

He's not going to pull off the exact same bait and switch.

A different bait and switch sure. But panel one of next comic is not going to be belkar stabbing malak and freeing Durkon.

Well, you called it.

[Mr Bean]

Well Durkon is dead... but is he about to be Vampired?

[Straha]

Isn't that automatic?

[Mr Bean]

Isn't that automatic?

By strict 3.5 reading it has to be constitution loss or level drain to create a Vampire or Vampire Spawn. A Vampire that stabs you in the chest with a sword is not creating a Vampire that way. They have to be actively using a draining attack which can be a blood drain or slam attack. In earlier editions it also requires deliberate after death actions from the vampire.

[Straha]

I know he loses his spells but does he keep his abilities post transformation?

[Mr Bean]

I know he loses his spells but does he keep his abilities post transformation?

Depending on version he will only lose his domains not his spells (Unless domain specific). He's not good with Thor anymore but he can draw on negative energy to fulfill the same requirements. Think about it, Vampire Fighters can still fight, Vampire rangers still hate things, Vampire Barbarians still rage and Vampire Sorcs/Wizards are even nastier. Clerics maintain their edge as well, they only lose access to their old domains and rebuke becomes command undead. They get to pick new domains (Death,Chaos and Evil plus splat books for things like Undeath).

[Straha]

I thought he needed to be in alignment with his god to be able to cast spells, which meant that becoming evil would trigger a loss of everything?

[Ahriman238]

A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.

If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again.

-snip-

Clerics: Vampire clerics lose their ability to turn undead but gain the ability to rebuke undead. This ability does not affect the vampire’s controller or any other vampires that a master controls. A vampire cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery.

I really didn't see that one coming.

Really, really didn't see it.

So the Order is down 1 Wizard (temporarily) and 1 Cleric (looks like forever) plus Belkar is presently being mind-controlled, so that's half the party gone or working for the other side, leaving the Fighter, Rogue and Bard facing an equivalent or higher level evil adventuring party regrouping right outside, with Xykon and Redcloak due any strip now.

They're screwed. Time to see if Girard followed Dorukan's example and included a self-destruct in his Gate and run so we can all make it to the final confrontation at Kraagor/Serini's Gate.

Really, the closest thing to a bright side in this is that Malack HAS to have used up most of his spells.

[Ralin]

I thought he needed to be in alignment with his god to be able to cast spells, which meant that becoming evil would trigger a loss of everything?

Odds are pretty good he'll have a new god soon...

[AniThyng]

Would Thor be able to do anything to keep Durkon's soul with him(thor) though?

[Imperial Overlord]

Really, the closest thing to a bright side in this is that Malack HAS to have used up most of his spells.

No, he hasn't. At roughly 15th level with Wisdom bonus and Domain spells, Malack should have most of his low level spells and 1/2 to 2/3rds of his 5th level + spells.

[lance]

Really, the closest thing to a bright side in this is that Malack HAS to have used up most of his spells.

No, he hasn't. At roughly 15th level with Wisdom bonus and Domain spells, Malack should have most of his low level spells and 1/2 to 2/3rds of his 5th level + spells.

What was the highest level spell that we've seen him cast? Harm and greater dispel?