This is the thread for discussion of The Order of the Stick plot, characters, etc. We have a separate thread
for discussing game rules and mechanics. Excessive rules discussions here may be thumped as off-topic.
OP edited to make this header - Fighteer
edited 18th Sep '17 1:08:08 PM by Fighteer
Lost in Space
There's also the minor problem that the allosaurus' improved grapple (via its bite attack) can only be used on a smaller creature, and if they're both Gargantuan (or Colossal), it wouldn't work. Again, I suspect some license is being taken with the rules here.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
A procrastination in of itself
I could see a war allosaurus (which this one is) having been trained to use improved grapple on larger creatures.
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
That's Dr. Title, thank you!
Perhaps I was too subtle with my joke about an allosaurus taking a level in rogue.
Well, I don't get it.
Guys, a dinosaur is attacking a dragon!!! That's so inherently cool that no other consideration is even applicable.
Oh, bother.
Ironically, if Calder were a more portly red dragon like the Empress or Themberchaud, this attack wouldn't have been as effective.
Disgusted, but not surprised
Lost in Space
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
The coolness factor cannot be overlooked.
Consider the joke gotten. 
Figure of Hourai
Gotta love how something as basic as a level 1 protection from evil shuts down domination effects for their duration.
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Classic D&D is many things, but balanced gameplay isn't one of them ![[lol]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lol2v12_4863.png "[lol]"){kind=small}
Oh, bother.
TBF, it's necessary sometimes since certain monsters have Domination effects even at lower levels.
I'm reminded of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and its early-game encounters with Succubus enemies. Who also had Energy Drain touch attacks that inflicted negative levels.
Yeah, the early game of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous was some bullshit.
Edited by M84 on Mar 15th 2024 at 4:38:44 PM
Disgusted, but not surprised
That's just part of what I mean with balance though, like low level monsters having high level effect where single casting of it could potentially result in tpk
Sleep spell FTW at low levels...
Can dragons have class levels? They go around killing things and collecting treasure and they live for centuries, gaining enough XP to become a 17th level wizard wouldn't take long compared to waiting to become an innate spellcaster at a certain age
![[nja]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/user_ninja_2074.png "[nja]"){kind=small}
Oh I see Fighteer beat me to this point by a whole page, nm
Edited by johnnye on Mar 18th 2024 at 3:27:39 AM
In general, anything with enough Intelligence (3+) can gain class levels.
But it's not easy for an already powerful being like a dragon. If the powerlevel difference is large enough, you just don't gain any XP from defeating a foe. There's no XP for a classed dragon killing a whole village of lv 1 Commoners.
Of course, dragons are not exactly a player race. They don't need XP to get class levels, they just need the DM to give them some. Because "f*ck you, that's how".
Edited by Kayeka on Mar 18th 2024 at 12:04:00 PM
𐀀𐀩𐀯𐀂𐀰𐀅𐀡𐀄
Dragon Rogues be like:
Secret Signature
When the ABD said she had a passion for arcane spellcasting “even beyond others of [her] kind,” I assume that means she had some Wizard or Sorcerer levels. With that precedent in the setting, Calder could, too.
This is why dragons need to obtain class levels when they're still wyrmlings and only have a challenge rating in the single digits, so that they can actually gain XP. Once they mature getting XP is impractical.
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
When you can live two thousand+ years, the time spent gaining XP isn't really that much of an issue.
𐀀𐀩𐀯𐀂𐀰𐀅𐀡𐀄
plus you could just get items that serve similar purpose no?
Secret Signature
In general nothing is stopping a dragon from gaining "class" levels, but because they're so inherently powerful, and they just grow powerful with age anyway, there's little incentive for many of them to do so. The most powerful "pure" dragon in the Realms, for example, Inferno, is just a great wyrm advanced so far he's CR 40. No class levels or anything!
Those who are statted out with class levels are general considered a) weirdoes among an already eccentric bunch of egotistical flying magical reptiles, or b) actively pursuing something that requires them to be, say archmages or whatever draconic equivalent of Paladins they need to be.
Or that Brass dragon who had 10 Rogue levels because he thought it was a hoot, and spent a lot of time shapechanged as a human anyway.
Oh, bother.
Red Dragons also spend a long time hibernating. That makes it harder to keep gaining experience needed for class levels.
Disgusted, but not surprised
And even if they have all the time in the world, grinding for XP would probably bore them to tears. Better to laze around on your big pile of gold.
Worldbuilding is fun, writing is a chore
Bird mom
Also dragons naturally cast magic like a Sorcerer just from getting older. That's the reason draconic sorcerers exist.
The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.
Worse, they'd have trouble finding foes that can provide them with XP.
I’d call what we’re seeing a solid visual representation of a grapple going into a pin.
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran