Monday, February 25, 2013

Castle Greyhawk: Pants On Fire

Welcome back good readers, it's been a few days now so it's time to plug page twenty-nine of our long-running Castle Greyhawk graphic novel. Follow the link above for additional flavor text by super-scribe Scott Casper. You can also view the latest episode here, courtesy of Maldin's Greyhawk.
Artist's Commentary: This page turned out to be a daunting exercise, but the result is I love drawing that big-lug of an eiger. I employed a few artistic tricks to composing this page that I learned from years of doing Greyhawk comic strips. I won't reveal my exact methods or the blunders I covered up. It's only nitpicking details I would care about anyhow. That said, I'm particular proud (again) of the pose of Yrag sitting up to stab and of the ogre fleeing; he is rather quick for a big guy.
 
Ehlissa burning his britches also brings a question to mind for you readers. Has anyone ever used a torch/spell to set a giant-sized monster's clothes/gear on fire to scare it? I suppose Heat Metal works to make a creature drop an item, but does any version of D&D support rules for burning held/worn articles of clothing, or is this just DM fiat?

4 comments:

Vargr said...

My version of D&D of choice supports what is shown on that strip. There is a thing called "Item Saving Throw". If it is flammable and fails a save vs. fire...well, it catches on fire.

Attacking an enemy from the back is also supported because there is a thing called "facing" which is based on a thing called "reality"

Shoving a torch underneath someone's arse when they are unaware does not cause damage or need an attack roll vs. any AC.

So yeah, I'd say AD&D pretty much supports what Ehlissa did. No GM Fiat needed.

I am sure 3rd and 4th also support it. It is just a matter of having the right combination of feats (Burn Arse? Maybe Improved Burn Arse so as not to provoke an Attack of Oppurtunity), flaking and/or using your daily/encounter power "Flames of Uranus" judiciously. I don't know what effect the ogre's Healing Surges have on putting out the flames though.

Mike Bridges said...

Hilarious! Thanks for shaking my brain Vargr. The item saves in AD&D were much more useful than whatever Sunder/Breaking object rules in later editions. I think in general though, players don't consider these tactics because destroying items (even ogre-undies)is tantamount to destroying loot.

Valkaun_Dain said...

I'm sure the Eiger is carrying his loot in his drawers.

Scott said...

Love the comments here.

If gold pieces started falling out of a fleeing ogre's butt, would you bother to collect them?