4 October 2013: Racist Axe

[EatsAbug]

Could Kin be planning to fix the Machine so the FMK don't reset to their starting chamber or forget anything when the maze resets?
After all, it's going to let the kinship retain their memories, so it has the ability to change how the maze operates in fairly subtle ways.

So FMK would stay right in the treasure room, or maybe by the entrance with a key.
After the reset, they just step into the circle to win and get zapped home.

Of course, Ruby's actions may mess up that plan...

[pandaclawz]

So...it's an Axe of Kinslaying. Kin Slaying. I can see some kind of misunderstanding coming up.

[Aegis J Hyena]

So...it's an Axe of Kinslaying. Kin Slaying. I can see some kind of misunderstanding coming up.

Ooooh, I like that pun. Heh. Still, and I don't know if it was brought up in the thread earlier, but the next part we know of due to foreshadowing, Minmax is pulling Oblivious out while addressing Names. So maybe he discards the axe for something else?

[miados]

I'm not familiar with DnD stats - can someone explain how powerful a +7 makes an Axe? Like, is the scale on +1 (sharpens the edge a bit) to +10 (OMG lolaxe that can cut through time!)?

EDIT: Never mind, saw Alarikun's equations above. Also, Kin seems to have some green mugs as well as the Teapot with her? Jade Teacups, maybe?

well you roll a 20 sided dice and add stuff to see if you hit. since the plus adds that much to your chance to hit each number of plus is basically a 5 percent higher chance to hit unless it is already so one sided that you will hit on anything except a critical fail.

[RedwoodElf]

I'm not familiar with DnD stats - can someone explain how powerful a +7 makes an Axe? Like, is the scale on +1 (sharpens the edge a bit) to +10 (OMG lolaxe that can cut through time!)?

EDIT: Never mind, saw Alarikun's equations above. Also, Kin seems to have some green mugs as well as the Teapot with her? Jade Teacups, maybe?

well you roll a 20 sided dice and add stuff to see if you hit. since the plus adds that much to your chance to hit each number of plus is basically a 5 percent higher chance to hit unless it is already so one sided that you will hit on anything except a critical fail.

In addition, it adds 7 to the damage on each hit...since an axe typically does 1-6 damage (Plus Minmax's Strength bonus of +6 Damage) that's a total of 14-19 damage per swing. A sizable chunk o damage.

Still, and I don't know if it was brought up in the thread earlier, but the next part we know of due to foreshadowing, Minmax is pulling Oblivious out while addressing Names. So maybe he discards the axe for something else?

The reason he'd pull Oblivious instead is, he's not fighting a human, thus the axe becomes a +1 instead of a +7.

[Yamadasan]

Yo, whats up. Been lurking a while, might as well join in.

This Axe of Racism is rather kick ass, and will probably come in handy when you're fighting things like other goblin tribes in the future, I mean...that could be a thing right? Them Vipers ain't too big on peace yah know? And then you got Kore and the Alt-Kins...oh the craziness. Seems like one big Plot-weapon to me, help them fight the story-foes more so than the random foes. Humans arn't exactly something Adventures seem to face here.

That said, the Axe of Racism is leading me to believe the get out of the Maze right now, no over-long montague repeat. I'm not sure about the other Kin's but I've a feeling Ruby's going to use that necklace to somehow "shift" her over to their chosen reality. DNA/things of importance might be the thing that's required to shift realities, I don't know it's a guess. Throwing it Oblivion style seems ineffective and roundabout.

The big question, what weapon is Forgath going to get? I likes the look of that shield, but their be far more stuff off-screen he could look at, and he's already got himself two cool rings so I doubt he'll grab a ring or amulet, he needs something special.

After a double check, the Tea Pot has 4 cups....including the tea pot, it might jump 5 people?
I mean, I'm sure not-teleporting with a crazy untrusting ruby colored Kin currently doing something obviously wicked would hurt anybody...right? I mean, it's not like Blue would remember...and Onyx Kin could totally defuse the situation right? Maybe? I don't know too much here.....

I'm just saying, they're leaving this place NOW, give us some more cool loot descriptions and lets go, I want to see the new dungeon with our new extended-sized group of heroes.

[ForgetsHisUID]

Something bothering me about this Racist Axe (*sigh* we are apparently calling it that). Not just that it's Racist.

The bonus this axe grants is similar to the favored enemy bonus Ranger classes can choose, giving them bonuses against a race of their choosing. There is generally, a caveat - choosing your own race as a favored enemy is generally considered an evil act, and is only allowed for evil rangers (in D&D - I believe Pathfinder removed this restriction). Since this world's mechanics are based on D&D, does that mean the Racist Axe is an evil weapon? Most Good communities would certainly have a problem with an adventurer carrying a weapon into town with a massive bonus towards killing its own citizens, at the very least. This weapon could get FMK into trouble.

[RedwoodElf]

Something bothering me about this Racist Axe (*sigh* we are apparently calling it that). Not just that it's Racist.

The bonus this axe grants is similar to the favored enemy bonus Ranger classes can choose, giving them bonuses against a race of their choosing. There is generally, a caveat - choosing your own race as a favored enemy is generally considered an evil act, and is only allowed for evil rangers (in D&D - I believe Pathfinder removed this restriction). Since this world's mechanics are based on D&D, does that mean the Racist Axe is an evil weapon? Most Good communities would certainly have a problem with an adventurer carrying a weapon into town with a massive bonus towards killing its own citizens, at the very least. This weapon could get FMK into trouble.

It's more of a "Put down the evil turncoats" weapon. A weapon for, for example, Paladins or other "Good guy" characters to use on same-species Antipaladins, Assassins, etc. And unless you run around advertising it's effects to the world, the town isn't going to KNOW that the weapon is a "Same Race Slaying" weapon. And a community of Dwarves wouldn't be worried about it anyway (Unless Forgath was carrying it around, which is unlikely, since Herbert seems to have given him the classic "blunt weapons only" cleric restriction)

[DrinksTooMuchCoffee]

Erm, it's also no worse than carrying a straight +7 vs Everything weapon into town.

[WearsHats]

The axe itself is not inherently evil. (Not even the Axe of Prissan is really evil. It just contains an incredibly evil being.) And picking a favored enemy is a little different. The idea of a favored enemy is that you've dedicated your life to destroying those creatures. In ranger school, you majored in killing them, studying their weak points and so on in detail so you could kill them more effectively. You did this because you have a specific hatred of those creatures. The axe, well, it has a magical bonus against your own kind. But, as has been pointed out, it's not uncommon for tribes or cities of the same race to war with each other. And I'd dare say an axe like that would serve Drizzt well...

I actually wonder if the story of the axe involves an attempt to weaken an enemy race by promoting infighting. Make it, then get it into the hands of an orc or something. It will give him an advantage in fighting other orcs, but that advantage will dissappear when the orc turns against humans.

Or maybe it was made by yet another Drizzt clone. Pretty common, as demonstrated by the drow adventuring party.

Meantime... I'm starting to wonder if Kin will use the teapot with Minmax and Forgath. Maybe staying with Minmax has become more important to her than the quest for her clan's teapot...

[WastesTime]

Forgath is definitely going to use that axe against Kore at some point. Minmax already has a weapon anyway.

[Yamadasan]

I'm still thinking that they'll have the 3 kin's move to our main reality. I mean really, when picking a reality so far the best bet is looking to be ours...the only one we well know very well but still.

And the Racist Axe better always be called the racist axe, because it's racist.

And as they said above, a +7 Racist axe isn't any more dangerous than a +7 Axe would be.

[Loyal Backstabber]

I'm not familiar with DnD stats - can someone explain how powerful a +7 makes an Axe? Like, is the scale on +1 (sharpens the edge a bit) to +10 (OMG lolaxe that can cut through time!)?

EDIT: Never mind, saw Alarikun's equations above. Also, Kin seems to have some green mugs as well as the Teapot with her? Jade Teacups, maybe?

Basically, +7 to attack rolls and damage.

Those are probably teacups. They're not the shape I would expect, but we saw them on the wall around the jade teapot last page, and I think that's the only thing they can be.

[Hertzyscowicz]

I made an account just now to point out the obvious bit of foreshadowing here; Minmax just picked up an axe that functions best against his own kind. That is to say, it's a

► Show Spoiler

Kin-slayer Axe

I'd support "Kinslayer" as a standard modifier to give bonuses against the wielder's race.

Wouldn't "...of racism" imply giving bonuses against every other sentient race, anyway?

EDIT: Posting this got me thinking, and I can imagine someone striking a construct with a greatsword of racism to determine whether it's really sentient. Or stabbing people with a kinslayer dagger to determine whether they are of the wielder's race.

[spiderwrangler]

IF they join up with GAP, and end up facing off against some demonic types, Complains might do well with that axe...

[Sessine]

Wouldn't "...of racism" imply giving bonuses against every other sentient race, anyway?

Yes. Yes, it would. That's why it's funny when Minmax calls the axe racist -- he's got it pretty much exactly backwards.

[Causes_Chaos]

"Hey, guess what's mine!" Forgath looks so exasperated.

He does!


But isn't the teapot the whole reason they came to the Maze of Many to begin with? Why would he think she would choose something else?

[DrinksTooMuchCoffee]

Wouldn't "...of racism" imply giving bonuses against every other sentient race, anyway?

Yes. Yes, it would. That's why it's funny when Minmax calls the axe racist -- he's got it pretty much exactly backwards.

One could be prejudiced against one's own race.

Stupid monkeyboys.

[Thukko]

Why is it when Minmax said, "I read the description", his armor didn't turn red? He said "read" in the past tense, so it would be pronounced like "red".

[Sidewaysgts]

...(1d8+7+6d6)x3 crit damage. Average crit damage 97.5+Triple Strength. Max 153+Triple Strength...

Unless theres something special about this speculative dread bane, "extra" damage dice shouldnt be multiplied.

[MrTNT]

Why is it when Minmax said, "I read the description", his armor didn't turn red? He said "read" in the past tense, so it would be pronounced like "red".

But when he said read, he wasn't implying the color. I don't think it works like the trick with Noe, where it doesn't matter if you say No, Know, or Noe. To change the color of his armor, he has to actually mean to say a color, not a word that sounds like it. Just like he doesn't have to say the actual name of a color to change it to that. For instance, when his eye was regenerated with him IME color, he said, Purpleish, and yet his armor turned purple.

Ha! Fun fact, I'm drunk as all hell, and made an account just to reply to this. (For once I felt like I knew something.) Been lurking for ages! Nice to meet you all.

-Mr TNT

[RocketScientist]

Awesome! Nice to meet you, too. Now, throw your empty glass/cup/bottle to the floor, shout "Another!" and then see if somebody brings you another drink.

What?

[RidcullyJack]

Oh no! A lackey should be at hand to refill one's glass as and when required. Look around; it'll be the man in the old-fashioned suit holding a tray of caviar. He already knows what you want to drink.
If you can't this lackey, or any of the other lackeys, then you're in the wrong house! Relocate to a house with lackeys forthwith.

[Elizabetonth]

I *LOVE* Kin channeling MinMax in the last panel. I giggled at that. I'm not sure how she plans to get it out of the MoM though - with her INT score she's surely aware she can't use it to get out of the maze and still keep it. So either she's given up on returning it, or she has a Plan.

Ah, me too re: the channeling. So sweet! It made me smile. I have no idea how they're going to get out, and, Thunt being the master of plot that he is, I'm bracing myself either for relief at satisfying plans that sort everything out, or for heartbreaking separation of some kind.

[MrTNT]

Slightly off topic story to tell because I've no where else to tell it. I promise there will be on topic discussion after.

So I'm drunk, really srunk. Still. But when I drank through my first 5th of vodka. (I'm drinking for personal emotional issues that aren't to be addressed here.) I decided to drunkenly go to the store to buy more. Well this is several miles down the expressway from my home. So I'm walking, drunk, in pouring rain. (Louisville, KY awesome storm tonight) Down an expressway at 2 in the morning. Minding my own business stumbling along the shoulder. Suddenly I notice flashing lights behind me. Cop has pulled up, and questions me. Being drunk, I can't lie, so I tell him my life story. XD Anyway he invited me to his squad car saying, "The drunk tank, is for drunks making a nuisance of themselves." He then drives me, riding shotgun, to the store so I can buy more liquor, and then is kind enough to take me home, and lets me flip the siren switch on the way! Awesome night, fuck the ex-wife!

Ontopic!

I don't know that the racist ax will be implemented right away. While it's clear that at the moment Minmax is enthralled with the new uber powerful human-slaying weapon. (Human-slaying because Minmax is human.) It's clear through expert (Years in advance) foreshadowing, that Minmax's first reaction is to draw Oblivious in a fight. I imagine he's left the racist ax on his hip, or in a bag along with Forgath's initial hammer. "Shit's heavy bro." I can see them fighting Kore, and with Forgath's sacrifice the rest of the crew, MK-f and GaP are able to escape into the dungeon crawl they were heading for. Thunts made it clear main characters can, and do die. I see no reason, other than sentimentality for Forgath to survive. (Not that I want him to snuff it)

The thing is, with all of Minmax's bonus feats and stuff, he's never mentioned to my drunken knowledge having ambidexterity. So I don't see him trying to wield the racist ax, and Oblivious simultaneously.

As for the Ken necklace. I see our Kin deciding to forsake her quest for love of Minmax, and only once she's left the Maze with F&M does she realize she doesn't have the Ken necklace. So then she has a dynamic of understanding the love she has for the oaf, without the trinket to cement the bond.

But I'm drunk, so what does I noe.

See what I did there. lol! Spell check ftw!