History CombatPragmatist / Webcomics

'''Agatha Heterodyn:e''' Well, I suppose it isn't that much worse than bringing a gun to a [[ClockworkCreature clank]] fight.
** [=DuPree=]. The best example is [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040901 her fight]] with [[spoiler: Zulenna]].

---> '''Sidney:''' ''[to a [[DeathGlare glowering]] Math]'' What? Clearly, one of those statements was false.
** Maxima is the most powerful super in the world by a large margin, to the point that she is capable of literally nuking things and surviving worse. She is also a soldier and was taught to be a ruthlessly efficient fighter. When fighting Vehemence, she had Peggy [[EyeScream shoot him in the eye]] with an [[{{BFG}} anti-materiel rifle]], used the distraction to knock him to the ground, [[GroinAttack stomped on his crotch]] (though he dodged that one) hard enough to leave a ten-foot crater, punched him a hundred feet into a construction site, used a concrete pillar to grind his face in, and then vaporized his arm.

*** During the fight, Sydney realizes that Vehemence gained strength (and energy) through aggression, which is why he started the fight. She also knew he was otherwise an ordinary person; therefore, she had Dabbler distract him by rope-jumping, then had as many of her teammates as possible hold his head underwater in a puddle so that he would have to expend energy to keep from drowning. Thus the offer of 'surrender, or die'.

** Haley has no problem fighting ''very'' dirty. For example, she [[spoiler: ambushed Crystal as she was in the shower, catching her without her weapons, armor, and protective jewelry, and killed her while she was stunned on the floor.]] It might be argued that this is dishonorable, but aside from that being the whole ''point'', Haley is ChaoticGood, not ChaoticStupid. Who could forget her approach to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0327.html the test of the mind]]? Or, for that matter, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0565.html the return trip]]? Considering Haley's class and the above commentary on D&D rogues, this is justified.

*** He was quite willing to fight sneakily with a paladin and either taking potshots or using traps against her. When he knocked her unconscious, however, he actually waited until she woke up again instead of simply killing her. He even let her believe that she had merely become dizzy for a few seconds. He ''did'' steal and drink her healing potions while he had the chance. For [[HeroicComedicSociopath Belkar]], this was less about being honorable and more about pissing her off. Obviously, he can't annoy her if she's out cold. Not to mention that his plan had been [[spoiler:to let her kill him so that she lost her Paladin powers, while he could always get resurrected later]].
*** When Belkar was confronted with the son of a Kobold he had killed, who was in full [[MyNameIsInigoMontoya revenge mode]], he was unable to kill him due to [[spoiler: his Mark of Justice]]. He simply hires mercenaries mid-fight to slay him.

** Miko herself surprisingly pulled this off while appearing to be more of the HonorBeforeReason type. When facing a group of enemies, she rouses them all to wake up, allows them to pick up their weapons, and even lets them eat first, allegedly so it'll be a fair fight. In truth, this was all a ploy to get them into one group so they could all be hit with the same attack.

** The Black Dragon waited to attack Vaarsuuvius until after they had left their allies and had exhausted their higher-level spells.
** Redcloak has always been pragmatic, with examples such as using Titanium Elementals instead of Earth because they are lighter yet just as strong (if distasteful, not being a "classic" element); walking his hobgoblin army into certain death because he only needs them as a distraction (prior to gaining a change of heart regarding racism); creating decoys of Xykon to make the heroes guess which one's real, but then having the real one take an entirely different method of approach with ''greater invisibility''; etc.
** Later during the siege of Azure City, Redcloak averts this when he accepts the duel with the human cleric while he still has an overpowering army (he doesn't want to waste lives on his side).
** Still later, however, he plays it straight when he is proposed to a fair fight [[spoiler: by Thanh]], who is held by an elemental summoned by Redcloak.

--->[[spoiler:'''Zola Anya Talinka Venia Zeblinkya Malfeazium''']]: Bringing a ''knife'' to a ''gun fight'' doesn't seem very smart, now does it?\\
'''Agatha Heterodyne''': Well, I suppose it isn't that much worse than bringing a gun to a [[ClockworkCreature clank]] fight.

--->'''General Zog''': Killink hyu enemies ''alvays'' counts.\\
'''General Zog''': Hmf. Iz still cheating. But in der ''GOOT'' way!

---->'''Belkar''': 50 gp bonus to whoever makes him scream the loudest!
*** Belkar is an even better example in the prequel book ''On The Origin of [=PCs=]'':

** Vaarsuvius shows shades of this, particularly in his/her fight with [[spoiler: Zz'dtri.]]
--->'''[[spoiler: Zz'dtri]]:''' Cheater.\\
'''Vaarsuvius''': Oh heavens! I cannot believe I violated the detailed rules and regulations we agreed upon before starting this contest! We must consult the referee for an appropriate penalty regarding my heinous transgression!

** The Black Dragon waited to attack Vaarsuuvius until after s/he had left her allies and had exhausted her higher level spells.
** Redcloak has always been pragmatic, with examples such as using Titanium Elementals instead of Earth because they are lighter yet just as strong (if distasteful, not being a "classic" element); walking his hobgoblin army into certain death because he only needs them as a distraction (prior to gaining a change of heart regarding racism); creating decoys of Xykon to make the heroes guess which one's real, but then having the real one take an entirely different method of approach with Greater Invisibility; etc.

---> '''Redcloak''': Stupid risks are just that: stupid. Crush him.

---> '''Xykon:''' I've found that only two things really matter. Power, in as great a quantity as you can muster, and style... and in a pinch, style can slide.

--->'''Chisulo''': I'm pretty sure that's cheating.\\
'''Tagon''': I'm sorry, did you just say, "Thank you, sir, may I have another?"\\
'''Chisulo''': Thank you, sir! Point...um...taken.

* ''Webcomic/OzzieTheVampire'': Kimmy tricks Glasya-Labolas into turning around, then kicks him in the groin from behind.

* ''Webcomic/AxeCop'' is not above poisoning his enemies, or murdering them in their sleep.

** Maxima is the most powerful super in the world by a large margin, to the point that she is capable of literally nuking things and surviving worse. She is also a soldier, and was taught to be a ruthlessly efficient fighter. When fighting Vehemence, she had Peggy [[EyeScream shoot him in the eye]] with an [[{{BFG}} anti-materiel rifle]], used the distraction to knock him to the ground, [[GroinAttack stomped on his crotch]] (though he dodged that one) hard enough to leave a ten-foot crater, punched him a hundred feet into a construction site, used a concrete pillar to grind his face in, and then vaporized his arm.

** Terezi [[spoiler:knows that Vriska has to be stopped to preserve the timeline and the lives of all the other trolls, and that she would have no chance against her in a fair fight. So she tricks Vriska into a psychological game of chicken and stabs her in the back.]]

** Miko herself surprisingly pulled this off while appearing to be more of the HonorBeforeReason type. When facing a group of enemies, she rouses them all to wake up, allows them to pick up their weapons and even lets them eat first, allegedly so it'll be a fair fight. In truth, this was all a ploy to get them into one group so they could all be hit with the same attack.

** During his gladiator match against Thog, Roy uses discarded crossbow bolts as improvised shivs, [[GrievousBottleyHarm smashes an empty potion bottle into Thog's face,]] throws sand in his eyes, and eventually wins by [[spoiler:goading Thog into dropping the ceiling on himself]].

'''Tagon''': I'm sorry, did you just say, "Thank you sir, may I have another?"\\
'''Chisulo''': Thank you sir! Point...um...taken.

** ''[[BigBookOfWar The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries]]'' deals heavily in this trope; Maxim 31 even explicitly states "Only cheaters prosper". Therefore it's a rare to find a major character who doesn't use this.

*** [[http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=010624 Shoving a gun up someone's nose, then, when they try to dig it out, hit them with a barstool]] [[{{Gorn}} setting the gun off and driving their arm elbow deep into their own head, simultaneously]].

** Maxima is the most powerful super in the world by a large margin, to the point that she is capable of literally nuking things and surviving worse. She is also a soldier, and was taught to be a ruthlessly efficient fighter. When fighting Vehemence, she had Peggy [[EyeScream shoot him in the eye]] with an [[{{BFG}} anti-materiel rifle]], used the distraction to knock him to the ground, stomped on his crotch (though he dodged that one) hard enough to leave a ten-foot crater, punched him a hundred feet into a construction site, used a concrete pillar to grind his face in, and then vaporized his arm.
--->'''Vehemence:''' God ''damnit'' lady!

* TFA Prowl in the ''Webcomic/{{Insecticomics}}'' teaches his class to use any available item as a weapon. When Laserbeak tries to call him on this, [[http://www.insecticons.com/insecticomics/v5/437.html he kicks her aft with a sandwich.]]
* Mr. Raven from ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'':
-->'''Wizard:''' Feigned frailty, no "En guarde"... Have you no honor?\\
'''Raven:''' The lives of my students are more important.
** The [[OurVampiresAreDifferent aberration]] [[KnownOnlyByTheirNickname known only as "Scarf"]] turns out to be the one antagonist who comes the closest to actually killing a major named character - by pulling a gun on them from behind while they're fighting a completely different aberration.
* Karcharoth and Fenrir of ''Webcomic/CryHavoc'' do whatever they think they need to in order to survive and win.
* Rocky the rogue from ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'' stands out in their adventuring group.

* ''Webcomic/ErrantStory'':
** Jon Amraphel is the only main character without any magical ability. How does he cope with fighting MagicKnight elven military, [[WarriorMonk monks]] with BulletTime SuperSpeed, and tiny fairy demigods? By a) being [[TheGunslinger very good with guns]], and b) cheating like hell. Being a semi-retired assassin, he does his best to avoid anything like a face-to-face fight.
** Meji proves she has a pragmatist streak after she [[spoiler:ascends to godhood]]. When Ian fought the elves with [[spoiler:his newly-acquired divine power]], he blew up their city, fought the entire elven army at once, and then fought the fake human god. When the elves threaten Meji, she says that if ''she'' decides to fight them, she'll just stop their hearts.
* Pinton the Pig in ''Future Pig'' is definitely this. See him teach it to a student [[http://www.futurepig.com/fut065.html here.]]
* Dark Pegasus from ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'' not only [[http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_923.php disintegrates an enemy in mid-speech]], but then finishes his speech by mocking his enemies for allowing him to do that.
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'':
** Jack Noir is a big fan of teleporting behind people and stabbing them in the back. Though he is omnipotent, so perhaps he doesn't count.
** Winning his immortality by [[spoiler:killing the Black Queen with the bunny]] does, however.
** Vriska Serket and her ancestor, Marquise Mindfang have no qualms with using their psychic powers to use others to kill or maim their opponents.
** Dave is not above using his friend [[spoiler:who their foe cannot bring himself to harm]] as a HumanShield. AUTO-HARLEY!
** Terezi [[spoiler:knows that Vriska has to be stopped to preserve the timeline and the lives of all the other trolls, and that she would have no chance against her in a fair fight. So she tricks Vriska into a psychological game of chicken and stabs her in the back.]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Pacificators}}'', some of the characters tend to lean towards this (especially those with the [[PlayingWithFire power of fire]] and [[BlowYouAway power of air]]), but Taffe Torbern deserves a special mention. No, it's not her special combo (kick in the knee then a heel palm strike, followed by a GroinAttack), but the fact that she is [[spoiler: [[DisabilitySuperpower deaf.]]]] Observe Gincoi's [[http://www.sailorenergy.net/MangaPacificators/MangaPacisV02CH09P152.html shock]] and [[http://www.sailorenergy.net/MangaPacificators/MangaPacisV02CH09P153.html confusion]] when his [[MakeMeWannaShout attack]] failed.
* Anyone but [[SkilledButNaive Wildfire]] is this in ''Webcomic/{{Exterminatus Now}}''. Special mention goes to "Dirty Harry" Eastwood who, well, [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2007-12-29/comic/black-and-white/dirty-harry-fights-dirty/ fights dirty]], Lothar and his "cunning plans" and Morth who additionally mixes this with {{Pragmatic Villainy}}.
* ''Webcomic/AxeCop'' is not above poisoning his enemies, or murdering them in their sleep.
* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'':
** [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Math]] is confronted by a Wolverine knock-off villain with impenetrable skin and unstoppable claws. Just when Math's looking forward to an [[WorthyOpponent interesting fight]], Sidney uses her [[CombatTentacles whipcoil orb]] to [[http://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/1331 stick the foe's own claws into his chest]].
---> '''Sidney:''' ''[to a [[DeathGlare glowering]] Math]'' What? Clearly, one of those statements was false.
** Maxima is the most powerful super in the world by a large margin, to the point that she is capable of literally nuking things and surviving worse. She is also a soldier, and was taught to be a ruthlessly efficient fighter. When fighting Vehemence, she had Peggy [[EyeScream shoot him in the eye]] with an [[{{BFG}} anti-materiel rifle]], used the distraction to knock him to the ground, stomped on his crotch (though he dodged that one) hard enough to leave a ten-foot crater, punched him a hundred feet into a construction site, used a concrete pillar to grind his face in, and then vaporized his arm.
--->'''Vehemence:''' God ''damnit'' lady!
* ''Webcomic/ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings'':
** Jared was disqualified and barred from trainer battles for allowing his Gyarados to eat opponent Pokemon.
** During the Nomura Syndrome arc, the Commander refuses to follow turn-based RPG rules, and just shoots the random monsters they encounter.
--->'''Commander:''' Import'nt t' draw that fine line between fightin' dirty an' fightin' stupid.\\
'''Jared:''' Well that doesn't seem very sporting...\\
'''Jonesy:''' Excuse me, but remind me again [[CallBack why you were kicked out of the Pokemon League?]]
** He does it again in the same arc during the climactic fight with Gackt, after the latter transforms into his ultimate [[spoiler:well, penultimate]] form. Rather than engage in another lengthy RPG-style duel, he declares that he's gonna "[[Franchise/SailorMoon Moon Tiara Magic]] this bullshit," and simply climbs up and cuts Gackt's throat.
--->'''Jonesy:''' I don't think that's how Moon Tiara Magic works.
* In ''Webcomic/SpyingWithLana'', Lana will pull every trick in the book in order to win a fight.
* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': Spellwrights have a [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen code of rules]] for {{Wizard Duel}}s, which Quigley cheerfully ignores in favour of sneaking spells into his opponents' clothes, deploying pre-made magic devices to get an edge, and using AugmentedReality goggles to fine-tune his spellwork.
-->'''Duane:''' ''M-my cloak! Bad form!'' "A dueling gentleman shall not draw from his opponent's person, clothing, nor weap-"\\
'''Quigley:''' ''[Yanks Duane off his feet by his cloak]'' Mm-hmm.

** Winning his immortality by [[spoiler: killing the Black Queen with the bunny]] does, however.

** Dave is not above using his friend [[spoiler: who their foe cannot bring himself to harm]] as a human shield. AUTO-HARLEY!

--->'''Vehemence:''' Jesus ''Christ'' lady!

** In the same fight, no less, rather than letting skill or stats win out, [[spoiler:Zz'dtri]] had specifically tailored all his spells and abilities to counter V's. V takes advantage of the CripplingOverspecialization by mind-controlling Yukyuk, who is a rogue rather than a wizard.

'''General Zog''': Iz ''still cheating''. But in der ''GOOT'' way!

* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': Spellwrights have a code of rules for {{Wizard Duel}}s, which Quigley cheerfully ignores in favour of sneaking spells into his opponents' clothes, deploying pre-made magic devices to get an edge, and using AugmentedReality goggles to fine-tune his spellwork.

** Tagon. His first pugil-stick practice with Schlock involved [[spoiler:slicing Schlock, and his pugil stick, in half with a concealed RazorFloss wire hidden in his shoes. Don't worry, Schlock can survive that sort of thing.]]. His second, against the neophant Chisulo, involved lobbing the pugil stick into his opponent's {{eye|Scream}} from across the ring. And then, at a later wargame with sticky rounds as ordnance, he cheated by asking the ship to [[GravityMaster use some applied gravitics to mess with the enemy team's shots]].

** In the same fight, no less, rather than letting skill or stats win out, [[spoiler:Zz'dtri]] had specifically tailored all his spells and abilities to counter V's.

---> '''Xykon:''' ... I've found that only two things really matter. Power, in as great a quantity as you can muster, and style... and in a pinch, style can slide.

---> THAT'S how I use my Intelligence score in combat, dumbass!

** Tagon. His first pugil-stick practice with Schlock involved [[spoiler:slicing Schlock, and his pugil stick, in half with a concealed RazorFloss wire hidden in his shoes. Don't worry, Schlock can survive that sort of thing.]]. His second, against the neophant Chisulo, involved lobbing the pugil stick into his opponent's {{eye|Scream}} from across the ring. And then, at a later wargame with sticky rounds as ordnance, he cheated by asking the ship to [[GravityMaster use some applied gravitics to mess with the enemy team's shots]]. ''[[BigBookOfWar The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries]]'' deals heavily in this trope; Maxim 31 even explicitly states "Only cheaters prosper".

** Maxim #31 of the oft-quoted "Seventy Maxims o Maximally Effective Mercenaries" is 'Only cheaters prosper'. Therefore it's a rare to find a major character who doesn't use this.

** He does it again in the same arc during the climactic fight with Gackt, after the latter transforms into his ultimate [[spoiler:well, penultimate]] form. Rather than engage in another lengthy RPG-style duel, he declares that he's gonna "[[SailorMoon Moon Tiara Magic]] this bullshit," and simply climbs up and cuts Gackt's throat.

** Tagon. His first pugil-stick practice with Schlock involved [[spoiler:slicing Schlock, and his pugil stick, in half with a concealed RazorFloss wire hidden in his shoes. Don't worry, Schlock can survive that sort of thing.]]. His second, against the neophant Chisulo, involved lobbing the pugil stick into his opponent's {{eye|Scream}} from across the ring. ''[[BigBookOfWar The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries]]'' deals heavily in this trope; Maxim 31 even explicitly states "Only cheaters prosper".

** Meiji proves she has a pragmatist streak after she [[spoiler:ascends to godhood]]. When Ian fought the elves with [[spoiler:his newly-acquired divine power]], he blew up their city, fought the entire elven army at once, and then fought the fake human god. When the elves threaten Meiji, she says that if ''she'' decides to fight them, she'll just stop their hearts.