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Yay! Its back again! I stagger my reading of it to Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday cause there aren't enough good webcomics on those days, so I am not the best person to lead a real time discussion, but it really needs a thread. So in Monday's we see the mysterious return of the dark figure. (linky)

Who is starting to sound really, really desperate.

Also, is it just the art upgrade, or does Ellen's green ray seem more... jeeze, what is a same word to use? Powerful? More powerful then usual?

Edited by wingedcatgirl on Oct 10th 2025 at 12:46:21 PM

Freshwater Since: Apr, 2023
#35176: May 22nd 2024 at 11:21:16 AM

[up]

Susan's deck definitely seems like something you bring to your local game shop to have fun. It can probably take your opponent off guard especially if they are playing with a rogue deck but if they are good then by game two they will probably be able to get a good set of counters from their side board and win the match.

Edited by Freshwater on May 22nd 2024 at 11:21:39 AM

HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#35177: May 23rd 2024 at 4:52:19 AM

Double Date 27

I had a comment and thought better of it. Instead, here’s Dan’s commentary on the Facebook page, which “explains” Diane’s outfit.

Dressing up like bowling shoes while going to a bowling alley will help you gain the trust of the bowling shoes, reducing the chances of them turning on you.

Edited by HeraldAlberich on May 23rd 2024 at 7:54:53 AM

DatLonerGirl Gimme your desire... from a top secret place Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Gimme your desire...
#35178: May 23rd 2024 at 5:13:35 AM

W-what happens if they turn on you? sad

Writer, or something. Push the button, if you dare. 🖲️
HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#35179: May 23rd 2024 at 5:30:51 AM

Pratfalls and poor bowling scores, I expect.

ArvidSamuelsson Since: May, 2024
#35180: May 23rd 2024 at 8:03:25 AM

Does the fact that Nanase's guardian form is weaker than Not-Tengu count as Good Is Impotent? As I wrote on Fridge.El Goonish Shive:

** The threat of magic crime is even worse if evil magic users have an advantage due to being evil. Nanase's angel spell is supposed to be so impressive that it requires sacrifice and can only be cast by people with both rare talent (possibly only by people the other side would call royalty) and selflessness, and yet it is weaker than Not-Tengu,note  who has no talent beyond average, implying that he is that formidable solely because he is evil.

Malady replied in a PM to me (quoted with permission):

Not-Tengu also had an advantage due to being boosted by the dam though. Without the dam, they might be on equal footing, and Not-Tengu only had the benefit of experience?

But I don't think the excess ambient energy made Not-Tengu's combat spell stronger, it only allowed him to use it longer; thus anything he can do in Moperville, he can do anywhere as long as it doesn't deplete his magic. Thus the spell is either useless or just as formidable outside Moperville, and his reputation suggests that he is a dangerous fighter even outside Moperville.

Malady (X-Troper)
#35181: May 23rd 2024 at 8:19:22 AM

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/2013-07-16

The dam made his power grow and grow and grow...

And while Nanase can't hurt him, that doesn't mean he can hurt her, as long as she doesn't engage in hand-to-hand. He doesn't have any ranged options?

Edited by Malady on May 23rd 2024 at 8:21:16 AM

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
ArvidSamuelsson Since: May, 2024
#35182: May 23rd 2024 at 8:42:09 AM

The dam made his power grow and grow and grow...
That doesn't address my argument: what spells people have is independent of much much magic energy they have.

And while Nanase can't hurt him, that doesn't mean he can hurt her, as long as she doesn't engage in hand-to-hand. He doesn't have any ranged options?
Nanase doesn't have any ranged attacks either, and Not-Tengu seems to be a somewhat faster flier, at least after he changes to a stronger variant of his combat spell.

Malady (X-Troper)
#35183: May 23rd 2024 at 8:56:49 AM

Transformation spells can be customized at need, to some extent.

Given what we later learn about Elliot's transformation: https://www.egscomics.com/comic/balance-022

It might not be that "Good Is Impotent" so much that "Guardian Forms are much harder to train compared to regular spells like "Tengu" Transformation.

Not-Tengu traded power efficiency for more power "now". Possibly Elliot could do that too, after enough use of the spell.

Edited by Malady on May 23rd 2024 at 8:57:05 AM

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
ArvidSamuelsson Since: May, 2024
#35184: May 23rd 2024 at 10:02:14 AM

Transformation spells can be customized at need, to some extent.
Good point. Customizing spells was hard before magic changed, but Not-Tengu might still have learned it.

Not-Tengu traded power efficiency for more power "now".
Are you suggesting that Not-Tengu's spell is inefficient? I assumed that the guardian form spell is inefficient, because of the sacrifice theme and because it seems so overrated (though the latter argument may be a begging the question fallacy).

Edited by ArvidSamuelsson on May 23rd 2024 at 10:02:27 AM

Malady (X-Troper)
#35185: May 23rd 2024 at 10:08:39 AM

[up] - "Are you suggesting that Not-Tengu's spell is inefficient?"

I'm saying that the speed boost he needed to grab an "angel" made him run out of energy faster than if he didn't?

And he was running on ambient magic, since he lost his flight and power glow, while the "angels" could still fly in https://www.egscomics.com/comic/2013-08-06

...

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/2013-08-12

He didn't know he was augmenting himself with ambient energy.

Edited by Malady on May 23rd 2024 at 10:10:04 AM

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
ArvidSamuelsson Since: May, 2024
#35186: May 23rd 2024 at 10:51:31 AM

I'm saying that the speed boost he needed to grab an "angel" made him run out of energy faster than if he didn't?
Yes, but I can't believe that the difference is enormous.

And he was running on ambient magic, since he lost his flight and power glow,
I don't see the relevance of this to your argument.

while the "angels" could still fly
I've already acknowledged that the guardian form is able to selectively use ambient energy and explained that this is extremely situational (normally the ambient energy is not even enough to use Tedd's transformation watches, so it wouldn't make a difference to fights like this).

Malady (X-Troper)
#35187: May 23rd 2024 at 11:34:30 AM

[up] - Hmm. So, to compare powers between Not-Tengu and Angel Nanase:

Both can fly, Nanase can fly faster unless Not-Tengu boosts himself. Whether angel form can fly even faster but didn't because they were trying to distract and delay Not-Tengu, is unknown.

Not-Tengu probably has more physical strength, and angel form defenses aren't good enough to make hand-to-hand with Not-Tengu a good idea.

Not-Tengu's physical durability is enough to survive a drop that lasted long enough for him to yell Big "WHAT?!"-s at least three times, and still try to get up.

Good Is Impotent? I wouldn't say that. Just that it's more Villains Act, Heroes React, where Attack is Act and Defense / Flee is React?

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
MurlocAggroB from the second-most ridiculous province of Canada Since: May, 2015
#35188: May 23rd 2024 at 11:44:16 AM

Also note that Nanase says that she and Ellen could maybe take Not-Tengu in a fight, but between his longer reach and horns they'd have a tough time safely landing blows. It's not just "bigger number = stronger", he had a physical advantage.

regulation pigeon
ArvidSamuelsson Since: May, 2024
#35189: May 23rd 2024 at 1:25:38 PM

Both can fly, Nanase can fly faster unless Not-Tengu boosts himself.
I think they are equally fast before Not-Tengu boosts himself. Also, Not-Tengu can boost himself, so I think he is a superior fighter in every way (except possibly manueverability and energy efficiency).

Whether angel form can fly even faster but didn't because they were trying to distract and delay Not-Tengu, is unknown.
That doesn't make sense. At least Ellen was in real danger during the fight.

Also note that Nanase says that she and Ellen could maybe take Not-Tengu in a fight, but between his longer reach and horns they'd have a tough time safely landing blows.
My reading is that they are certain that Not-Tengu would kill them before they could incapacitate him, or at least that it would take luck as it would be more likely that Not-Tengu would kill them first. However, you may be right.

It's not just "bigger number = stronger", he had a physical advantage.
Yes, his size is an important reason he's possibly invincible in close combat. But the important point is that he may be invincible in close combat.

Edited by ArvidSamuelsson on May 23rd 2024 at 1:26:18 AM

MurlocAggroB from the second-most ridiculous province of Canada Since: May, 2015
#35190: May 24th 2024 at 6:22:26 AM

Hope 67

Pandora left Hope with an extremely jank combo deck. No wonder she keeps losing. Also, it looks like True Name matters.

regulation pigeon
HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#35191: May 24th 2024 at 9:13:46 PM

Double Date 28

Yeah but bowling shoes are patterned after, like, Oxford-type dress shoes, so holding up a sneaker will only get you so far.

MurlocAggroB from the second-most ridiculous province of Canada Since: May, 2015
#35192: May 25th 2024 at 8:13:00 AM

I'm with Catalina here. I have no idea what my shoe size is.

regulation pigeon
Will29 (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#35193: May 25th 2024 at 9:43:23 AM

It also doesn't help that shoe sizes are only marginally more consistent than clothing sizes.

HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#35194: May 25th 2024 at 9:55:14 AM

It’s trial-and-error time. Pick out the shoe that matches the sneaker then go up or down a half-size until she gets it right.

HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
#35195: May 26th 2024 at 8:26:44 PM

Hope 68

New meaning to the words “mental block.”

Malady (X-Troper)
#35196: May 27th 2024 at 4:25:16 AM

So Pandora had some preparations set for Hope, Hope wishes she could have had more, but at least some happened.

Disambig Needed: Help with those issues! tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13324299140A37493800&page=24#comment-576
Daremo Misanthrope Supreme from Parts Unknown Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: If it's you, it's okay
#35197: May 27th 2024 at 8:59:42 PM

NP Double Date 29

Physics!

Creed of the Happy Pessimist:Always expect the worst. Then, when it happens, it was only what you expected. All else is a happy surprise.
Daremo Misanthrope Supreme from Parts Unknown Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: If it's you, it's okay
#35198: May 28th 2024 at 8:14:51 PM

Comic Hope 69

Dan uses plot hook! It's super effective!

Creed of the Happy Pessimist:Always expect the worst. Then, when it happens, it was only what you expected. All else is a happy surprise.
HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
HeraldAlberich from Ohio (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

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