History Webcomic / TheOrderOfTheStick

'''''{{T|ropeCodifier}}he''''' StickFigureComic.

''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots.html The Order of the Stick]]'' is a [[StickFigureComic Stick Figure Webcomic]] by Rich "The Giant" Burlew set in [[RPGMechanicsVerse a world based]] on ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition 3.5 Edition rules]] (an original world, rather than an established setting) centering on the adventures of the eponymous party. The comic is well-loved for its complex plot (with storylines planned years in advance by Burlew), its well-executed MoodWhiplash moments, and its own unique brand of humor, often relying on witty banter, sarcastic pop culture references, and LeaningOnTheFourthWall.

** ''Uncivil Servant'' (Belkar's introduction to the adventuring life)
** ''Haleo and Julelan'' (a retelling of ''[[Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet Romeo and Juliet]]'', starring Haley and Elan)
** ''Spoiler Alert'' (Therkla is sent on a mission by Daimyo Kubota; later collected in ''Good Deeds Gone Unpunished'')
** ''How the Paladin Got His Scar'' (a prequel telling how O-Chul joined the Sapphire Guard; later collected in ''Good Deeds Gone Unpunished'')

''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots.html The Order of the Stick]]'' is a [[StickFigureComic Stick Figure Webcomic]] by Rich "The Giant" Burlew set in [[RPGMechanicsVerse a world based]] on ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition 3.5 Edition rules]] (an original world, rather than an established setting) centering on the adventures of the eponymous party. The comic is well-loved for its complicated plot (with storylines planned years in advance by Burlew), its well-executed MoodWhiplash moments, and its own unique brand of humor, often relying on witty banter, sarcastic pop culture references, and LeaningOnTheFourthWall.

''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots.html The Order of the Stick]]'' is a [[StickFigureComic Stick Figure Webcomic]] by Rich "The Giant" Burlew set in a world based on ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' [[RPGMechanicsVerse 3.5 Edition rules]] (an original world, rather than an established setting) centering on the adventures of the eponymous party. The comic is well-loved for its complicated plot (with storylines planned years in advance by Burlew), its well-executed MoodWhiplash moments, and its own unique brand of humor, often relying on witty banter, sarcastic pop culture references, and LeaningOnTheFourthWall.

* ''[[Recap/TheOrderOfTheStickOnTheOriginOfPCs On The Origin of PCs]]'' (a prequel to ''Dungeon Crawlin' Fools'' which focuses on how Roy and Durkon founded the Order of the Stick)

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[LovableRogue Haley]], [[ReligiousBruiser Durkon]], and [[TheLeader Roy]] [[note]] Also pictured: [[{{Familiar}} Blackwing]] and [[MoralityPet Mr. Scruffy]].[[/note]]]]

# ''Dungeon Crawlin' Fools'' (1-121)
# ''No Cure for the Paladin Blues'' (122-301)
# ''War and [=XPs=]'' (302-484)
# ''Don't Split the Party'' (485-672)
# ''Blood Runs in the Family'' (673-946)
# ''Utterly Dwarfed'' (947-1189)

''The Order of the Stick'' was one of the original reasons for the "[[http://www.giantitp.com Giant in the Playground]]" gaming site, which also hosted the first volume of ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}''. The [=GitP=] forums are almost an unofficial troper forum, thanks in part to the webcomic's [[TroperCriticalMass distinct appeal to tropers]].

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[LovableRogue Haley]], [[ChurchMilitant Durkon]], and [[TheLeader Roy]] [[note]] Also pictured: [[{{Familiar}} Blackwing]] and [[MoralityPet Mr. Scruffy]].[[/note]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[LovableRogue Haley]], [[ChurchMilitant Durkon]], and [[TheLeader Roy]]]][[note]] Also pictured: [[{{Familiar}} Blackwing]] and [[MoralityPet Mr. Scruffy]].[[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[LovableRogue Haley]], [[ChurchMilitant Durkon]], and [[TheLeader Roy]]]]

''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots.html The Order of the Stick]]'' is a [[StickFigureComic Stick Figure Webcomic]] by Rich Burlew set in a world based on ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' [[RPGMechanicsVerse 3.5 Edition rules]] (an original world, rather than an established setting) centering on the adventures of the eponymous party. The comic is well-loved for its complicated plot (with storylines planned years in advance by Burlew), its well-executed MoodWhiplash moments, and its own brand of humor, often relying on sarcastic pop culture references and LeaningOnTheFourthWall.

* Vaarsuvius, a [[InsufferableGenius condescending]] [[SquishyWizard elf wizard]] whose [[AmbiguousGender unknown gender]] is a RunningGag;

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[LovableRogue Haley]], [[TheReliableOne Durkon]], [[TheLeader Roy]]]]

''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots.html The Order of the Stick]]'' is a [[StickFigureComic Stick Figure Webcomic]] by Rich Burlew set in a world based on ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' [[RPGMechanicsVerse 3.5 Edition rules]] (an original world, rather than an established setting) centering on the adventures of the eponymous party. The comic is well-loved for its complicated plot (with storylines planned years in advance by Burlew), its well-executed MoodWhiplash moments, and its own brand of humor, often relying on sarcastic pop culture references.

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[ActionGirl Haley]], [[TheReliableOne Durkon]], [[TheLeader Roy]]]]

* ''Recap/OnTheOriginOfPCs'' (a prequel to ''Dungeon Crawlin' Fools'' which focuses on how Roy and Durkon founded the Order of the Stick)
* ''Recap/StartOfDarkness'' (a prequel focusing on Xykon and Redcloak)

In December 2019, Burlew announced that the next volume of the comic would be the last as he wrapped the story up, but reassured his readers that both previous volumes had taken around five years each to be published so there was still a lot to look forward to.

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[ActionGirl Haley]], [[StraightMan Durkon]], [[TheLeader Roy]]]]

[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheBerserker Belkar]], [[SquishyWizard Vaarsuvius]], [[QuirkyBard Elan]], [[ActionGirl Haley]], [[StraightMan Durkon]], [[TheLeader Roy]] ]]

-->-- ''The Order of the Stick 0: On the Origin of [=PCs=]''

* ''Snips, Snails and Dragon Tales'' (a collection of strips published in ''Magazine/{{Dragon}}'' magazine and about eighty pages of other humorous fluff).

The webcomic pages have also been sold in hardcopy in the following books: