4 October 2013: Racist Axe

[stevedj]

I'm not familiar with DnD stats - can someone explain how powerful a +7 makes an Axe? Like, is the scale on +1 (sharpens the edge a bit) to +10 (OMG lolaxe that can cut through time!)?

It's not quite "Cut Through Time" levels of wonk... but +7 is... pretty absurd.

Before epic-level (20th), you can have, at maximum, a +5 Weapon. It can have other bonuses, such as Flaming (+1d6 Fire Damage), but from the pure +# perspective, the maximum is 5.

Now this +5 adds that number to "To Hit" rolls, as well as to Damage rolls.

Let's go with presuming it's a Battle-Axe. So, Minmax, when attacking humans, gets an ADDITIONAL +7 to hit their Armor Class, on top of his standard +4 (from 4 levels), and his strength modifier (+6 or higher, +8 when Raging). So, to delve into that:

Minmax To Hit:
1d20 + 4 (Base Attack Bonus, Fighter 3 Barbarian 1) + 6 (Strength Modifier) + 1 (http://www.goblinscomic.org/07102005/) + 7 (Racist Axe) = 1d20 + 18

As you can see, Minmax has the same bonus as Kore when NOT raging. When he's raging, he has an even better bonus than Kore (By +2). Now part of this is because Minmax is... well... Minmaxed. His strength is absurdly high (higher than rules would allow). But even with all of that... he'd be down significantly from Kore without that axe.

Minmax Damage:
1d8 (Battle Axe) + 9 (Two-Handed Strength Bonus) + 7 = 1d8+16 or 1d8 + 18 (when Raging)

Your average Human has between 1d4 and 1d8 hit points (Commoner - Warrior Classes) and between 10 and 12 Armor Class (AC). So Minmax could cut a swathe through an army of Humans without much effort with his axe.

Put simply, the Racist Axe is... extremely powerful. In a normal game, it would cost the equivalent of 98,000 Gold Pieces (GP). You would not be able to afford this in a normal game (Wealth by Level) until you were level 13. While it has somewhat limited use, it still counts as a +7 weapon, and is thus way beyond their level.

Wonderful calculations and all, except... Kore isn't Human. So for MM, it is only +1 against Kore.

[Kelten]

Not strictly true Alarikum, the 98,000 only applies for weapons without specifications. Limiting fow will lower the price.
Im betting they Forgath will use it on Kore, as we know minmax will draw his sword again.

[ChuckNorris]

What feats Kore has don't matter too much for attacks don't really matter as:
A) People are talking about Kore disarming Forgath, and he likely doesn't have improved disarm
And B) Going for a grapple would make sense for Kore, given that as far as he knows, Forgath would have almost no chance of hitting him, and Minmax probably couldn't beat him before he killed Forgath.

As I said, Forgath Vs Kore will result in Kore winning.

Even Forgath + Minmax Vs Kore would have the same result. 14 Levels of Paladin, with Full Plate and no moral problems?

Their only chance is teaming up with the GAP at this point.

I never suggested otherwise... All I was arguing is that Kore won't get Minmax's new axe, simply because he doesn't need it

[Kelten]

Forgath knowes hes going to die... think they have any items that give you a second life?

[Alarikun]

Wonderful calculations and all, except... Kore isn't Human. So for MM, it is only +1 against Kore.

You're right. I was using that particular demonstration/example as a means to explain how powerful "+7" is, as per someone's question. It'd certainly be better in Forgath's hands against Kore.

Not strictly true Alarikum, the 98,000 only applies for weapons without specifications. Limiting fow will lower the price.
Im betting they Forgath will use it on Kore, as we know minmax will draw his sword again.

You definitely got me there. It does have a restriction, and isn't strictly a "+7 Item." So, I'll apply the heftiest Cost Penalty there is (Specific Class Requirement, as there's no penalties for limited use that even remotely function off of a similar mechanic. So, a 30% Cost reduction would drop the Weapon down to 68,600 Gold Pieces.

So in the end, Minmax could afford it at 12th level, instead of 13th. Not much of a difference, but a difference nonetheless.

Forgath knowes hes going to die... think they have any items that give you a second life?

Well, all the items in here are custom (made by Thunt) it seems, so it would be pretty damn awesome if he found some kind of resurrection item that brings him back if he dies (even if only once). It could allow the prophecy to come true, and still restrict resurrection in Thunt's world (as it was a magic item that came from the weapon of a God's underling).

I like this idea.

[ForgetsOldName]

I think Kin thinks she knows of a way to get the pot out of the maze.
She does not have the KEN necklace.
I asked this before but it still hasn't been answered by the comic. Could the other Kins get them three more items, for a total of six items they can pull from the maze?

[ChuckNorris]

Anyone got any idea what the white circle under the writing is?

[Never Finishes Anyth]

Anyone got any idea what the white circle under the writing is?

It is a lamp. Each treasure is illuminated by a light in the floor beneath it.
-Never Finishes A

[BreaksGlasses]

Anyone got any idea what the white circle under the writing is?

Chek the previous page, its like a light that iluminates the item over it. You cant see it in this update because its not shaded.

[RocketScientist]

"Hey, guess what's mine!" Forgath looks so exasperated.

[Madraven84]

I'm betting that those mugs or whatever they are will allow Kin to leave the Maze with the Teapot. Maybe something along the line of giving them to MinMax and Forgath and then the Teapot transports with Kin to where the mugs are.

[drgnkght]

I'm not familiar with DnD stats - can someone explain how powerful a +7 makes an Axe? Like, is the scale on +1 (sharpens the edge a bit) to +10 (OMG lolaxe that can cut through time!)?

EDIT: Never mind, saw Alarikun's equations above. Also, Kin seems to have some green mugs as well as the Teapot with her? Jade Teacups, maybe?

Good catch. Want to lay odds that you have to drink from the cups to teleport?

[speakslittle]

Has anyone been able to pick the text apart?

Weapon Speculation

► Show Spoiler

While it bends the rules, it could be a +1 Dread Axe of Bane. Dread Bane would be +1 normally, +7 against a favored race, with +6d6 damage on a hit.
That'd let forgath pack a surprising punch. A critical hit from such a weapon even has two separate chances at an outright kill.

Critting would force a DC 27 Fortitude save or die, per the Dread property.
Kore's Fort: 9base+Cha+Con. Kore might only fish out an extra 8-10 points of fortitude off his stats. That still leaves us with a decent margin for a crit-kill.

Then we can come at it from a different angle. (1d8+7+6d6)x3 crit damage. Average crit damage 97.5+Triple Strength. Max 153+Triple Strength. If Forgath prepped Bull's Strength, we can add an extra 9 damage from two-handing his weapon.

A crit from Forgath in these circumstances has a chance to outright kill. However, Kore will more likely be forced to yield temporarily to heal up. Paladin healing isn't that strong. He has, at best, 3 lights and 2 moderates, totalling 7d8+29 points of health, not counting potions or remaining Lay on Hands potential.
A crit from Forgath could buy the party a day, maybe 2 or 3. If Kore pushes the fight after a plot-crit, he'll be walking around at between 10 and 30% health. Not odds most would take.

Not that I suspect any of that will actually matter because Kore is an animal.

[WaddleDoo]

I made an account just now to point out the obvious bit of foreshadowing here; Minmax just picked up an axe that functions best against his own kind. That is to say, it's a

► Show Spoiler

Kin-slayer Axe

[Glemp]

I think Kin thinks she knows of a way to get the pot out of the maze.
She does not have the KEN necklace.
I asked this before but it still hasn't been answered by the comic. Could the other Kins get them three more items, for a total of six items they can pull from the maze?

Well, there's 'can' and 'will'...
The Kinship aren't interested in fighting FMK -they're about to get infinite guilt-free level grinds anyway- they're not exactly falling over themselves to help beyond explaining things, which a Kin can't not do if you paid her. Besides, it's possible that like the circles, the shelves of treasure lock to the first group to take something off and only acknowledge that group as capable of taking anything else off - a security feature in case of a last showdown in the treasure room, perhaps, with more than one group trying to grab weapons. It would explain why the Kins aren't taking anything for themselves.

[RocketScientist]

Also, I'd beg to differ with Minmax about never committing racist acts. Cryptic Fall war camp?

[Kennerly]

So...I guess this means Kin is going to use the Jade Tea pot to teleport Minmax and Forgoth away?

[DrinksTooMuchCoffee]

Also, I'd beg to differ with Minmax about never committing racist acts. Cryptic Fall war camp?

Oh, come on. Goblins aren't a race. They're just monsters.

So...I guess this means Kin is going to use the Jade Tea pot to teleport Minmax and Forgoth away?

Looking like it, as it was said that she can't take the Teapot out now anyway.

[raaabr]

Have to wonder why someone would create a weapon that can deal so much damage to YOUR OWN RACE? It's probably another Alt. Universes item, so i'm just throwing out the theory that one of the universes has a massive civil war going on, which would require a weapon like that. Or the person who made it was a wizard (Who just screwed around). Or the person was a mass murderer.

Say, is it possible that there is a counterpart to the weapon that deals insane damage only to other races? We've seen something similar with the Axe of Prissan and the Hammer of Jale (Granted, the Hammer was from a different reality).

[spiderwrangler]

Have to wonder why someone would create a weapon that can deal so much damage to YOUR OWN RACE?

Because humans never kill one another?

[raaabr]

Have to wonder why someone would create a weapon that can deal so much damage to YOUR OWN RACE?

Because humans never kill one another?

Well...

But in the Universe of Goblins, it seems humans killing one another isn't really the major problem (Though it could just be because we haven't seen much of the humans besides brassmoon), but instead the "monsters" outside the walls.

[Marnath]

"Hey, guess what's mine!" Forgath looks so exasperated.

That's just because he forgot that she was only in here for that specific item and told them so that very morning.

[raaabr]

Hmm. Considering how similar Kin reacted to Minmax, I'm just going to throw out the idea that "seeing" another person can result in bits of personality being exchanged.

Or we can go with occam's razor and Kin is just happy that after all this time she's finally found the object of her quest.

[Hjerne]

Something is going to happen that will make it necessary for Kin to fight the Kinship alone. She will use the axe and wipe the floor with them.

[EatsAbug]

So I'm guessing that ALL the items in the treasure room are super powerful in some very limited way.
An axe +7 against your own kind. A teapot that teleports you but gets left behind.

One extra clue to this is the small size of the writing - Forgath has to pretty much lay down and squint at it in order to READ THE FINE PRINT !