The OotS thread

[Deathstalker]

Oh, so you're some sort of arcane George Mallory, then? You want to fight me 'cause I'm here?

I read Paths of Glory last month, a novelization of Mallory's life. Just pure win.

[Raesene]

654 is up.

A Paladin's code gets a monster to remember a name...

[Crom]

O-Chul is becoming one of my favorite characters.
Spoiler

However, I don't know what he's thinking. It seems clear to me that his duty is to escape and either aid the rebels or get to Hinjo.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Biggest shocker for me was that one of the roaches bought it. I thought those guys would be around for EVER. O'chul's duty is to protect the rift, that's what the Azure Guard does. He's probably hoping he can kill Xykon in the confusion.

[Crom]

Biggest shocker for me was that one of the roaches bought it. I thought those guys would be around for EVER. O'chul's duty is to protect the rift, that's what the Azure Guard does. He's probably hoping he can kill Xykon in the confusion.

The the thing is he can't kill Xykon. Or, more accurately, he can't kill Xykon, Red Cloak and unnamed hobgoblin. I would assume his duty would demand that he not throw away his life pointlessly.

[Black Flow]

Yeah, but he can destroy the phylactery. O'Chul was paralyzed in the throne room when the ghost of Soon Kim stated exactly where it was. According to the comic it takes months to make a new one, assuming that a new one can even be bound to Xykon's soul now that he's already a lich, so destroying it will be a major blow and allow the Order to kill Xykon later if they can face and defeat him before the new one is ready. Plus, it might put a damper on Redcloak's powers for a while, since it's also his holy symbol.

Btw, first post on this board, hey everyone. Did not expect it to be in a non Star Wars topic, but them's the breaks.

[SAMAS]

My guess: O-Chul dies fighting Xykon, but gives V an opening to escape, and maybe takes out that Hobgoblin or maybe even Tsukiko (unlikely) in the process. But you make a good point about that Phylactery.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Oh my god, he killed Roachy! That BASTARD!


O'Chuul may just be hoping that V managed to get Xykon to a point where there's an outside chance of killing him. That or he's hoping to be able to bring the MitD over to his side to take on Xykon. Who knows? Aside from Rich, of course.

[lance]

I figure he will rescue or provide a distraction to allow V to escape.

[Ford Prefect]

It seems fairly clear that we're getting set up for Xykon's pet to rock up and save either V, O'chul or both.

[The Yosemite Bear]

I always thought of it as being some sort of thing that should not be...

[Starglider]

Biggest shocker for me was that one of the roaches bought it. I thought those guys would be around for EVER.

It's a demon roach, it just got sent back to the lower planes, as evidenced by it 'poping out' the way paladin steeds do. That said, it might not be able to re-manifest within the timeframe of the story.

[AMT]

I'm guessing that the creature is actually some good aligned creature, like a Dragon or something, from the way it acts. Probably a baby/juvenile.

[The Yosemite Bear]

well the cute fanged "hello kitty designed by tim burton" look, along with other bits makes me think that we might be talking a lovecraftian nightgaunt.

[Imperial Overlord]

Btw, first post on this board, hey everyone. Did not expect it to be in a non Star Wars topic, but them's the breaks.

Welcome to the board. You have a Caine avatar and a user name of "Black Flow" and you're surprised that your first post is in fantasy? Perhaps you should reevaluate your interests oh mighty Prince of Chaos.

[Peptuck]

655. Smite. Evil.

O-Chul, thou art the most badass of paladins.

[Crazedwraith]

Hah. It's titled "With a Critical Eye"

Is O Chul just supposed to be high level and badass enough to survive a disintegrate to the noggin or is there something else at work?

[Ford Prefect]

He was captain of the Silver Guard, from memory, and we've seen him tank all sorts of ridiculous shit in the past. Xykon sticking him in acid tanks probably just helped him tank up.

EDIT: tank tank tank tank tank

[consequences]

Yeah, you've got to figure that he was getting experience each time he triumphed over one of those death traps. Also, I'm not sure if there are rules for it, but he should damned well get Xp for surviving an encounter with something as high above him in level as Xykon is, certainly in the throne room, and maybe again each time Xykon put him on the ground. Or maybe the Twelve Gods are just backing their boy. Regardless, O-chul was already my favorite paladin ever, now he may be my favorite npc of all time.

Does this make Redcloak's new name Left-eye?

[Imperial Overlord]

O-Chul isn't low level and paladins are saving throw and hitpoint monsters, especially Fortitude saves. Nothing strange about him not dying.

[Solauren]

Isn't O-chul a multi-class Monk/Paladin?

That would make his saving throw levels insane, and explain his general bad-assery.

And yes, every Death Trap he survived and defeated, and encounter with the bad guys, he'd get XP for.

If I recall correctly, he'd be getting full Xp for the trap / monsters involved that he defeated, and I think it's 1/2 for anything that defeats you but you survive.

We have evidence he's survived his 'torture' sessions a number of times. He's swam through and survived (without complaining) a tank full of acid for several rounds, including while being grappled by an Acidborn Shark (ref Dungeonscape). He's apparently defeated several undead gladiators (probably Warrior Skeletons or Death Knights, as standard skeletons wouldn't be a challenge for any Monk/Paladin over 3rd level), possibly at once.

And he's survived several encounters with an epic level Lich. Assume Lich-boy is 26th level (his new current estimated minimum), with the Lich template, he's at least CR 28.

That's alot of XP for someone sitting around in a cage, talking to what I think is a baby epic Dragon.

[Isolder74]

fighter/paladin. Miko was part monk.

[Imperial Overlord]

And he's survived several encounters with an epic level Lich. Assume Lich-boy is 26th level (his new current estimated minimum), with the Lich template, he's at least CR 28.

1) O-Chul doesn't need multiclassing to have good saves and hitpoints. Paladin does that and clearly his levels are good.

2) Both the Sudden Maximize feat and magic items can explain Xykon's maximized energy drain without requiring epic feats on his part. His minimum level is 21.

[Solauren]

And he's survived several encounters with an epic level Lich. Assume Lich-boy is 26th level (his new current estimated minimum), with the Lich template, he's at least CR 28.

1) O-Chul doesn't need multiclassing to have good saves and hitpoints. Paladin does that and clearly his levels are good.

2) Both the Sudden Maximize feat and magic items can explain Xykon's maximized energy drain without requiring epic feats on his part. His minimum level is 21.

Which still makes his Minimum CR 23.

It's also hinted he as a magic item that makes him immune to fire. The only one I can think of off-hand is a Ring of Elemental Immunity (Fire), which requires the Forge Epic Ring feat. Combined with Xykon's epic level casting, this would require a higher character (Ref Epic Level handbook, p134 - p135)

Assuming I'm correct, Forge Epic Ring requires you to have: Knowledge (arcana) 35 ranks, Spellcraft 35 ranks. (Ref p 56, Epic level handbook). Assuming the author being firm and that means rank points, not total value, that would mean Xykon would have to be 32 level.

I am, however, perfectly willing to revaluate that if someone points me to a different WOTC published magic item that grants immunity to fire, or if there was evidence the author is using total value for ranks, and not just skill points allocated.

[Styphon]

Last panel of the first strip (among others) confirms skill points.