Friendship is Dragons
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Page 56 - Third Time's the Curse
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Newbiespud
15th Dec 2011, 5:00 AM
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34 Comments:
So THAT'S how she's gonna get around the issue, well played. I can only assume that this makes "The Stare" the result of a natural 20
On Intimidate checks, sure. Insight just lets her gleam information from the creature's actions - in this case, "Ow there's a thorn in my foot."
I could go into several anecdotes about a friend of mine who almost always plays Barbarians (since this comic and the joke about the rage power have me thinking about them), most of which include a total breakdown of any semblance of diplomacy because of her itchy trigger finger, but I'll skip it. I've probably told the story about the time she charged a Dragonborn then later claimed she was just walking up to it two or three times here alone.
Suffice it to say, Barbarians are silly and so is my friend. Very, very silly.
On a related note, if you have party members that loudly proclaim when you're introducing what you brought to the table that have no social capabilities and are totally combat-optimized, tie them to a tree (or various bits of furniture if you're indoors) before you start engaging in diplomatic relations. And make sure the knot is on the other side, making it totally impossible for them to untie. If you think they might still figure something out (Rogues especially), confiscate their weapons and leave them 5 feet away on the ground. If combat breaks out, just cut them loose and they can grab their weapons as a minor. Losing the rope and several minor actions will be well worth actually having a chance at legitimate diplomacy.
Suffice it to say, Barbarians are silly and so is my friend. Very, very silly.
On a related note, if you have party members that loudly proclaim when you're introducing what you brought to the table that have no social capabilities and are totally combat-optimized, tie them to a tree (or various bits of furniture if you're indoors) before you start engaging in diplomatic relations. And make sure the knot is on the other side, making it totally impossible for them to untie. If you think they might still figure something out (Rogues especially), confiscate their weapons and leave them 5 feet away on the ground. If combat breaks out, just cut them loose and they can grab their weapons as a minor. Losing the rope and several minor actions will be well worth actually having a chance at legitimate diplomacy.
Almost as silly as my kobold warlocks who do similar things when they're bored.
:3
:3
I find a Sleep spell works sufficiently well against Barbarians that don't have any points in Charisma or Wisdom.
Our party encounters a group of caravaning Dwarves, and we all know our Half-Orc has a dislike for Dwarves after getting tossed out of a bar by one (Half-Orc has his drink spiked by the barkeep, then evicted). He at least had the manners to stay hidden at first while the "normal" party members interacted, but it became rather apparent that he was about to attack them (descendents of said barkeep, evidently). He steps out from behind the trees, I cast Sleep on him, and tada.
Our party encounters a group of caravaning Dwarves, and we all know our Half-Orc has a dislike for Dwarves after getting tossed out of a bar by one (Half-Orc has his drink spiked by the barkeep, then evicted). He at least had the manners to stay hidden at first while the "normal" party members interacted, but it became rather apparent that he was about to attack them (descendents of said barkeep, evidently). He steps out from behind the trees, I cast Sleep on him, and tada.
Remind me to tell you guys about the barbarian who ended up with a 30-something in Wisdom cuz of our DM's constant generosity as far as loot is concerned... >_<
Bored Kobolds are definitely troublesome. Especially if there are Gnomes anywhere nearby. I once ended up destroying an alchemy shop and getting run out of town because the party spent too long shopping.
My Barbs tend to have decent WIS, mostly so they can SPOT A TARGET.
This also conveniently leads to the character knowing they are terrible at diplomacy keeping their mouth shut.
...Though, I enjoy playing odd characters. Like cute halfling girls that happen to go into a tranquil fury and go Dark Knight in combat. "I've got a clear line of sight to their dangly bits, it's just pragmatic!"
This also conveniently leads to the character knowing they are terrible at diplomacy keeping their mouth shut.
...Though, I enjoy playing odd characters. Like cute halfling girls that happen to go into a tranquil fury and go Dark Knight in combat. "I've got a clear line of sight to their dangly bits, it's just pragmatic!"
The problem is that, and I tend to agree and understand...is that Diplomacy doesn't tend to lead to a removal of a threat when it could just decide to kill and loot you...and even then, you tend to miss out on whatever things they had if you talk if their information is the only thing we can give them. Sometimes, and this was very rare is my experience, you can barter with those you diplomaize with..but more often than not, you don't get much.
Ah, the worst character we had that way was a 3.5 DungeonCrasher Fighter/Warforged Juggernaut who did things like suddenly decide to play tackle football with the local children (did I mention he was hundred of pounds of spike covered metal?) or buy livestock to use for training purpose and then spend the whole time he was levelling crashing into them repeatedly. If we weren't an evil party we probably would have been forced to reign him in more. As it was, we just made sure to keep him under control when we planned to return to a place.
Ugh. I hate 'stupid' character archetypes, especially the reckless barbarian. It's become a cliché at this point. How do they even survive in the wild that way?!? No venison for dinner if you charge screaming at the deer.
Mine tend to have a ranger-ish knack for hunting and the outdoors, but with less finesse and more toughness. That, or be a kingly sort - clever, charismatic, and brutal in a fight.
Helps that I use my d6s from Risk for rolling characters; they usually serve me well enough to have rounded characters like that.
Not that the minmaxed screaming musclebound brute can't be fun, mind you. ^_^
Mine tend to have a ranger-ish knack for hunting and the outdoors, but with less finesse and more toughness. That, or be a kingly sort - clever, charismatic, and brutal in a fight.
Helps that I use my d6s from Risk for rolling characters; they usually serve me well enough to have rounded characters like that.
Not that the minmaxed screaming musclebound brute can't be fun, mind you. ^_^
In the Pathfinder campaign I'm currently in, I'm playing a Druid/Barbarian. His usual strategy with animals involves attempting to befriend them, but when that fails, he has no compunctions about wailing into them with his spears. He firmly believes that, since nature shows no mercy to its creatures, he is under no obligation to show mercy. He's still likes the forest and all, but he's not your typical "hippie" druid.
"Awww... what cute bunny! Friendly bunny?"
*Angel shakes her head*
"RARGH!"
*Angel shakes her head*
"RARGH!"
Poor, poor barbarian druid. He knows not what he does.
Actually, he's more druid than barbarian. His Rage only tends to trigger when he gets really angry, like the time the party came across a group of forest gnomes that had just murdered a half-dozen dryads.
I was going to say go for catgirls instead, but then I realized. No reason the dryads can't also be catgirls!
Make sure to bring up broken branches and balls of yarn with foot prints on them.
Make sure to bring up broken branches and balls of yarn with foot prints on them.
Hey, just because you love nature doesn't require you to be a hippie. For instance, I'm currently playing a druid who came across a large group of exiled cityfolk (who have never even SEEN the forest), and tried *very hard* to get said cityfolk to let him kill and eat the ones who refuse to stand up and move. After all, in his mind, he's an omnivore, the cityfolk are also omnivores, and there were around a dozen animals who were doomed anyway (i.e., catatonic people)... why shouldn't we use them as prey? It's more human for the catatonic people, since he can be sure to go for a swift killing strike, and it means that the scores of not-imminently-doomed cityfolk have meat that comes from a harmless source.
Needless to say, he often doesn't get along with the paladin.
Needless to say, he often doesn't get along with the paladin.
Every second countless numbers of animals suffer injury, disease, hunger, thirst, fear, and die. That is the truth of nature. Nature is not kind; nature is not cruel; nature just doesn't give a damn. And that's the way it should be.
Its not that nature doesn't care. It's that nature deals with simple cause and affect.
Operating entirely on cause and effect, mechanistically, is one of the definitions of not caring.
Though if I really wanted to I could probably use examples like the Candiru to argue nature actually does have emotions-- a horrible, wicked sense of humor.
Though if I really wanted to I could probably use examples like the Candiru to argue nature actually does have emotions-- a horrible, wicked sense of humor.
EDIT: DO not look that up if you're easily offended, grossed our, or young. I suddenly regret mentioning it, remember kids don't post on forums when you're sleep deprived.
Also, further research indicates that may be a myth. So maybe it's just humans projecting their own wicked sense of humor. Although those flowers that trick wasps into trying to mate with them are another example of nature "playing a cruel joke".
Also, further research indicates that may be a myth. So maybe it's just humans projecting their own wicked sense of humor. Although those flowers that trick wasps into trying to mate with them are another example of nature "playing a cruel joke".
I've played a Barbarian/Druid before. He believes in the concepts of 'survival of the fittest' and 'natural selection'. While he doesn't go out of his way to kill anything weaker than him, he knows there's nothing wrong with culling the herd to produce the best results.
I once had a Bugbear Druid/Barbarian/Artificer/Ranger. Despite the ridiculous build, he did surprisingly well!
I like how Fluttershy's roll effect was in smaller font. It's the little things. Also, did the DM not finish his sentence, or...?
I suspect that the Manticore gets an Immediate Reaction free attack when he's attacked while bloodied. It was less "didn't finish his sentence" as it was "not restating the inevitable."
Solo monsters that get to do stuff every time they're attacked are a fun time! If you have access to the 4e Dark Sun Creature Catalogue, or a D&D Insider account, go look up an Id Fiend.
It's a lizard that preys on fear, and is very fun to use.
It's a lizard that preys on fear, and is very fun to use.
i do not know witch i like better:
1 the FANTABUASOME comic that has renewed my love of tabletop rpg's.
2 the comments.
3 the fact that there i allways more of both!
(fires party cannon!)
1 the FANTABUASOME comic that has renewed my love of tabletop rpg's.
2 the comments.
3 the fact that there i allways more of both!
(fires party cannon!)
Silly Rainbow Dash - everypony knows that if you don't rage on the first round of combat, the combat will be over before you can contribute to it!
Unless you're in 3e, in which case yes, you should save it for the boss encounter because it's incredibly dangerous otherwise.
Unless you're in 3e, in which case yes, you should save it for the boss encounter because it's incredibly dangerous otherwise.
At level one, yes. At high levels you should be raging immediately in every fight in 3.5, too.