March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Discuss the comic here!
User avatar
willpell
Banned
Posts: 2085
Contact:

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by willpell » Sat Mar 23, 2013 4:39 pm

SccrD25 wrote:I have a lot of theories about that mad wizard
brnforce wrote:I think that wizard will be a goblin.
gamecreator wrote:I think that wizard is multispecies hydrid.
As long as that wizard isn't a thinly-disguised author avatar, I'll be happy....
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
My long-neglected blog.

User avatar
ForgetsOldName
Is Heard Often
Posts: 301
UStream Username: TwoCoo
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by ForgetsOldName » Sat Mar 23, 2013 5:18 pm

There's also the Kilkken, which apparently come from a different dimension, and a whole lot of bizarre and pointlessly powerful artifacts and items, such as the Shield of Wonder, the self-loading crossbow, the exploding leash, the Jade Teapot, Oblivious, color-changing armor, treasure plants, Anymugs, Yumyuck moss...what have I missed?

All of these have in common that they would be tremendously hard to make AND that if you could make them, you'd probably have the skills to make something similar but much more practical. Think how much more useful the Shield would be if it randomly one useful thing instead of what it actually does.
The old name was Twocoo. The avatar is the scariest thing in Wizardry I, circa 1981.

User avatar
willpell
Banned
Posts: 2085
Contact:

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by willpell » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:52 pm

I hope not ALL of those things have the same origin though, it'd be way too contrived.
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
My long-neglected blog.

User avatar
Midara
Mumbles Incoherently
Posts: 14

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by Midara » Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:08 am

ForgetsOldName wrote:There's also the Kilkken, which apparently come from a different dimension, and a whole lot of bizarre and pointlessly powerful artifacts and items, such as the Shield of Wonder, the self-loading crossbow, the exploding leash, the Jade Teapot, Oblivious, color-changing armor, treasure plants, Anymugs, Yumyuck moss...what have I missed?
Self-loading crossbow? Where was that?

User avatar
willpell
Banned
Posts: 2085
Contact:

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by willpell » Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:29 am

Midara wrote:Self-loading crossbow? Where was that?
http://www.goblinscomic.com/05312009/
You either die Chaotic, or you live long enough to see yourself become Lawful.
Glemp wrote:To some extent, you need to be arrogant - without it, you are vulnerable being made someone's tool...for Herbert's sake, have the stubbornness not to submit to what you see instantly, because you can only see some facts at a time.
My long-neglected blog.

User avatar
gamecreator
Prattles on Unremittingly
Posts: 3116
Location: Ukraine

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by gamecreator » Sun Mar 24, 2013 4:39 pm

I think that's effect of magical quiver, not crossbow.

User avatar
96harothfee
Mumbles Incoherently
Posts: 12

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by 96harothfee » Sun Mar 24, 2013 5:10 pm

gamecreator wrote:I think that's effect of magical quiver, not crossbow.
Inclined to agree!

User avatar
Liesmith
Indulges in Conversation
Posts: 752
UStream Username: Liesmith

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by Liesmith » Sun Mar 24, 2013 5:17 pm

ForgetsOldName wrote: All of these have in common that they would be tremendously hard to make AND that if you could make them, you'd probably have the skills to make something similar but much more practical. Think how much more useful the Shield would be if it randomly one useful thing instead of what it actually does.
You're assuming that the Shield was designed this way intentionally. Just because someone makes a very powerful item, that doesn't mean they have full control over the process. It's possible that an inexperienced but enthusiastic enchanter tried to cram one too many effects into an enchanted shield and wound up botching all of them in the process. As a result, the shield is extremely powerful, but almost useless.

Although, this is all conjecture because we haven't seen a single magical item being created, if I remember correctly. It's possible that there's an element of balance to the whole process: the more positive effects you imbue an object with, the more negative ones are added as well. The more skillful the enchanter is, or the more reagents he expends, the fewer negative effects are incurred. A +1 word requires a few hundred gold worth of materials to be expended, which is why they're so much more expensive than regular swords...etc.

That's all guessing, though. I don't know much about nothin'.
"All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day. You had a bad day once. Am I right? I know I am. I can tell. You had a bad day and everything changed."
► Show Spoiler

User avatar
raaabr
Likes to Contribute
Posts: 224
Location: Taipei, Taiwan

Re: March 19 2013: Altsplanation 2

Post by raaabr » Mon Mar 25, 2013 4:10 am

Liesmith wrote:
ForgetsOldName wrote: All of these have in common that they would be tremendously hard to make AND that if you could make them, you'd probably have the skills to make something similar but much more practical. Think how much more useful the Shield would be if it randomly one useful thing instead of what it actually does.
You're assuming that the Shield was designed this way intentionally. Just because someone makes a very powerful item, that doesn't mean they have full control over the process. It's possible that an inexperienced but enthusiastic enchanter tried to cram one too many effects into an enchanted shield and wound up botching all of them in the process. As a result, the shield is extremely powerful, but almost useless.

Although, this is all conjecture because we haven't seen a single magical item being created, if I remember correctly. It's possible that there's an element of balance to the whole process: the more positive effects you imbue an object with, the more negative ones are added as well. The more skillful the enchanter is, or the more reagents he expends, the fewer negative effects are incurred. A +1 word requires a few hundred gold worth of materials to be expended, which is why they're so much more expensive than regular swords...etc.

That's all guessing, though. I don't know much about nothin'.
I agree with your second hypothesis. For example, the Axe of Prissan (An incredibly powerful weapon) has the balancing factor of a demon being sealed inside, requiring the wielder to do good acts. Otherwise.......boom.

And the regenerating bolts have the balancing factor of said bolts regenerating slowly and being rather fragile, according to Kin, here: http://www.goblinscomic.com/05312009/

so.....yeah, there are definitely balancing factors in place for most of the magical weapons.
Sometimes I get the feeling that If I was a goblin I would be called "Chews scenery". I have no idea why people might think that!

Post Reply