July 11, 2013: 38? Done. FSST

[RidcullyJack]

I'm wondering, did the attack merely not work, or could it have done more than that?

If he focused everything to that number so he has seemingly infinite power points as long as actions don't involve said number... doesn't that make him... you know... use a big chunk of his power points with that action?

I think we're so far into the realm of house rules with "38=immunity" that we can't tell how many power points it might have used for the FSST (failed splishk). I haven't seen a candidate for the splishk skill that can fail entirely; all the suggested means to do this kind of damage always do some damage, even with a successful save.

[Mithcoriel]

What kind of face is Saphire doing in panel 4?? Is she doing a neiner neiner expression at the others?

[HennaGaijin]

LOVE the way each of the Kin's has their own personality, and how well it's illustrated - you can particularly see it by their facial expressions in pannel 4 I think, Ruby is more serious, and Sapphire is more playful as shown by her awesome face-pulling!

I wonder how the Three Kin's are gonna work it out so that EVERYONE can leave the maze? I'm guessing they're going to try to do that... because I can't see them leaving GoldMax (well, they might, but our FMK group won't want to) behind now that he's helped in a big way. plus they'll want to go. And our FMK will want to go.

It could possibly lead to the serpent becomes your prey part of the prophesy in pannel 3 here? I hope not though, just cos I don't want Forgath to die yet! Or ever...

► Show Spoiler

I was going to add a spoiler here to ask about how you change the text of an url, but LOOK I did it! So here's a celebratory spoiler instead!

It would be pretty awesome if Goldmax was Minmaxed for luck - though it would also probably annoying for people playing with him!

"Where's the key to this otherwise-impenetrable door?" "Maybe it's... yep, it's under this rock." "Oh, that was easy."

"How do we defeat this otherwise-invincible monster?" "Maybe it's... allergic to peanuts?" "Oh, that was easy."

"How do we escape this otherwise-inescapable room?" "Maybe there's... a trapdoor under this carpet which contains a safe to which the combination is written on the inside of that otherwise-pointless decorative vase, and the safe contains a cryptic clue to the combination for the door which can be solved using these coloured glow-y lights?" "Oh, that was... easy."

ETC. ETC. ETC.

"How do we find this otherwise-undiscoverable location?" "Maybe it's..." "SHUT UP MINMAX!!!!"

[DrinksTooMuchCoffee]

What kind of face is Saphire doing in panel 4?? Is she doing a neiner neiner expression at the others?

Just thinking hard, is my take on that.

[Quimper]

Wouldn't "amplifying his weakness like sunlight through a magnifying glass" actually mean goldmax should have "splishk" 'ed Psimax with that polearm-hit? He certainly shouldn't deal normal damage to him when finding the "1 in 77,914,839,447" chink in the armor.

[kida]

It's nice to see Herbert doesn't need PCs to play his game.
He has NPCs solving the maze (3.5 K working on the universal machine), enhancing another NPC (goldmax) to fight an unbeatable NPC (Psimax).
Meanwhile The PCs are not doing actions (Forgath isn't able to act for ages) and MM is also paralyzed now.

[rjmann]

It would be pretty awesome if Goldmax was Minmaxed for luck - though it would also probably annoying for people playing with him!

"Where's the key to this otherwise-impenetrable door?" "Maybe it's... yep, it's under this rock." "Oh, that was easy."

"How do we defeat this otherwise-invincible monster?" "Maybe it's... allergic to peanuts?" "Oh, that was easy."

"How do we escape this otherwise-inescapable room?" "Maybe there's... a trapdoor under this carpet which contains a safe to which the combination is written on the inside of that otherwise-pointless decorative vase, and the safe contains a cryptic clue to the combination for the door which can be solved using these coloured glow-y lights?" "Oh, that was... easy."

ETC. ETC. ETC.

"How do we find this otherwise-undiscoverable location?" "Maybe it's..." "SHUT UP MINMAX!!!!"

Funny, Goldmax's only (apparent) companion was literally soulbound to him, until (possibly) his luck intervened to stop not-Walter from slaughtering FMK 138, who were necessary to his later survival in the tower room (and possibly, his ultimate escape from the Maze and Psimax's oblivion plot). I'd buy that in reality 38, Forgath and any other free-willed companions might abandon the party out of annoyance. Or, it could be a Teela Brown (Ringworld) thing, where Goldmax's innate good luck didn't necessarily apply to his traveling mates, though Grinnorarcen slipping his bondage in what might just be their last trip through the maze seems like rather good luck in his case.

[Lurch]

FINALLY.

As much as I enjoy tense confrontations, sooner or later the tide's gotta shift or it loses credibility. An arrogant, nigh-invulnerable bastard like PsiMax getting his long-overdue comeuppance is the most satisfying thing I've seen since the "rope trick".

[Godbot]

And now comes the question: With the big evil slain, what greater evil will come to take it's place? Because this maze is far from over.

Oh my god, please don't say that

Would this only be the second major "canon" event that suggests Goldmax found a way to game his character build for extreme luck? On his introduction here, he seemed to have successfully guessed not-Walter's name, binding an overwhelmingly strong ally at (almost) the beginning of the campaign. Maybe that just resulted from the infinite possibilities of the universe -- some Minmax facing Grinn would eventually have gotten the right name by pure chance.

That's a neat little theory. And on that page everyone keeps linking, Goldmax very nearly walked in on Kin, Minmax and Forgath stapled to the wall, which would've made for some very easy kills. Oh, and he survived the tower room.

On the other hand, Goldmax is also the sort of guy to hide behind a badass demon and let him do most of the fighting. I'd like to think the reason he didn't get killed alongside everyone else is that he's a bit cowardly - or, to put it another way, he doesn't take stupid risks. He did the smart thing, if not necessarily the bravest thing, and waited behind cover until he could try to kill Psimax while his guard was down instead of joining the initial charge and dying alongside everyone else.

[stevedj]

And now comes the question: With the big evil slain, what greater evil will come to take it's place? Because this maze is far from over.

Oh my god, please don't say that

My theory? The "machine" has a self-destruct mechanism (NOT oblivion, just more of an implosion or whatnot that destroys the maze... all realities still inside basically die). If/When PsiMax dies, the machine starts self-destructing... the Kins realize there is nothing they can do to stop it. This is basically the new "big baddie" for a few strips.

My prediction:

► Show Spoiler

So they make some quick adjustments... perhaps set all their reality #s to the same one (156) so that any of them can trigger the "win", and they ALL escape to our reality (hopefully with a lot of loot!). The machine completes its destruction JUST as our reality escapes in the nick of time!

[Glemp]

I really like the shading.

Also, what is our Minmax doing with his hands in in tenth panel? Was Psimax choking him?

I think he's stopping himself from drawing his sword. It must be quite a struggle for someone focused on combat to such a ridiculous degree.

EDIT: No, that looks totally wrong.

[Unlucky-for-Some]

yeah I am thinking it is more of a "being force choked" pose

[Liesmith]

I wonder if what makes Goldmax more unique is that he's not minmaxed. If he was a more balanced build, that might explain how he can be wise enough to show more caution and restraint than our Minmax, and also how an unarmed cleric can hold it's own against him in a fair fight.

[brnforce]

It's nice to see Herbert doesn't need PCs to play his game.
He has NPCs solving the maze (3.5 K working on the universal machine), enhancing another NPC (goldmax) to fight an unbeatable NPC (Psimax).
Meanwhile The PCs are not doing actions (Forgath isn't able to act for ages) and MM is also paralyzed now.

Nope. You aren't thinking Meta enough. I do think the Kins are NPCs that are being controlled by different Herberts (Herberts in several universes), Goldmax is a PC (the same person that is playing our Minmax, just a different universe), and so is Psimax.

[Unlucky-for-Some]

That's an interesting idea - it sort of implies therefore that the 'real world'/s is/are part of the Thuntiverse in that they are connected to the MoM by way of their versions of the characters rather than just have all the non-156 characters be NPCs rather than PCs

slightly head-spinning concept

[DrinksTooMuchCoffee]

Nope. You aren't thinking Meta enough. I do think the Kins are NPCs that are being controlled by different Herberts (Herberts in several universes), Goldmax is a PC (the same person that is playing our Minmax, just a different universe), and so is Psimax.

Nope. They're being drawn by alternate Thunts in difference universes.

[Unlucky-for-Some]

Nope. You aren't thinking Meta enough. I do think the Kins are NPCs that are being controlled by different Herberts (Herberts in several universes), Goldmax is a PC (the same person that is playing our Minmax, just a different universe), and so is Psimax.

Nope. They're being drawn by alternate Thunts in difference universes.

That's even more mind-bendy than brnforce's suggestion

[Xavier78]

Why are so many assuming this fight is over? I see no -10. I don't see any negatives at all. Psymax wont die like this. I highly doubt it's even close to over. "Our" Minmax will get the killing blow, count on it.

[SpiderDave]

Sonofacrap. This is the most satisfied I have ever felt seeing someone get stabbed in the chest.

[Liesmith]

So all the alternates of Forgath and Minmax are being played by alternate players and DM'd by alternate Herberts, and they're all being illustrated by alternate Herberts. That means that the focal point of the entire multiverse is these forums. We're basically Sigil.

[Dendr]

It would be pretty awesome if Goldmax was Minmaxed for luck - though it would also probably annoying for people playing with him!

Talking of his luck... He is never going to die. Either he'll get a huuuge problem. Notwalter promised.

BTW, for me, 8th panel is priceless.

Somebody asked about MM's hands on his throat on the 10th panel. I also noticed the bent knee. So... investigated and found the answer. Go 1 page back and spy the last panel. His pose is the same! And now he's just falling down.

[Liesmith]

It would be pretty awesome if Goldmax was Minmaxed for luck - though it would also probably annoying for people playing with him!

Talking of his luck... He is never going to die. Either he'll get a huuuge problem. Notwalter promised.

BTW, for me, 8th panel is priceless.

Somebody asked about MM's hands on his throat on the 10th panel. I also noticed the bent knee. So... investigated and found the answer. Go 1 page back and spy the last panel. His pose is the same! And now he's just falling down.

I remember someone mentioning a theory in a prior thread that Goldmax may be trying to redeem himself to ensure he won't go to hell when he dies. I hope that's the case, because I'd hate for him to be an ass after scoring such an amazingly satisfying hit against the fart-breath dink face.

[Happy Demon]

I find that the prophesy shouldn't be relevant at this point, since they're in the Maze of Many, for all we know Forgath could've already died like the prophesy said he would.

There's many Forgaths, so there's other dwarves which could've killed him.
Screaming... there's a lot of times they die, so yeah, lots of screaming (not very comfortable either).
Snake becomes your prey, there are a lot of Kins there too.
Friends become enemies, almost all of the FMK groups fight each other, cooperation is rare, so he probably fought some MinMaxes.

I find prophesies stupid, since suddenly someone is 100% accurate and can foresee everything... it's not as if the Goblin Seer could do mistakes, like she did with the war camps, ending in their demise and eventually her own.
As if nobody has a choice, everything is predicted, and nobody is guilty for their actions as it's merely what fate decided (it's not a choice, it's merely luck).

[Smurfton]

I don't know why nobody else has thought of this, but the best situation for everybody is if Psimax wins. That way, no more oblivion. No more Oblivious, but....

[mortissimus]

GoldMax is one hell of a warrior if he survived the way to the Tower Room and the room itself with minor scratches most of which seem to be from the fight with the badger. I wonder if he will be the one to kill Psimax...

Maybe he guessed how to get there without fighting so much. He is good at guessing.

It would be pretty awesome if Goldmax was Minmaxed for luck - though it would also probably annoying for people playing with him!

Funny, Goldmax's only (apparent) companion was literally soulbound to him

That is why Grinnorarcen was in such foul mood. Being forced to kill mortals is meh, but being forced to witness Goldmax good luck is just so annoying.