Well the classic beholder effects are: Charm Monster, Charm Person, Death, Disintegration, Flesh to Stone, Cause Grievous Wounds, Telekinesis, Sleep, Slow, and Fear.
Now, eliminating Petrification, we are left with Death, Disintigrate, and Sleep as possible effects Bob could have used. Assuming bodies were left behind, It could have been Death, or sleep. Assuming Bob is trying to trick Meegs, I’m guessing it was a sleep blast that he hopes Meegs assumes was a death ray. Or it could really have been a death ray. Bob has demonstrated in the past that he’s really an evil monster, and he really isn’t a "Friend" of the Bloodhands, more of an associate. Gren is the only person he really cares about, and he wouldn’t hesitate to kill everyone else if it was necessary to keep Gren safe.
That’s not to say he wouldn’t feel bad about doing it afterwards, but again, Gren is his top priority at all times.
Beholders really have a ridiculously wide range of attack options.
There were bodies- or at least some kind of remnants. Look at Meegs’ posture on the last panel, she is clearly looking at something.
But I would argue about Bob not being a friend of the Bloodhands, he stepped up even to other beholders to protect Mrs. B. (Coup d’Drow). What concerns me more, that as I see, Bob is really straight forward, and does not often think far into the future. I’m not sure I would dare to bet whether he came up with something on the way here, or really did what the Rannites asked. Especially seeing in the past, that Rich does not shy away from consequences.
But again, the Rannites must be defeated somehow, and by someone. So I think they are still alive.
Oh, I always thought she is neutral… I saw her as someone definetaly self-centered, who wouldn’t, or just rarely help others, if she had no benefit from it. While she never helped the "bad guys" (until now, that is), she many times sided with the "good ones", though her morals were always questionable. She never striked me as someone brave, so seeing her personality as I described above, it was no surprise that she gave in to the Rannites so quickly. It is possible though, that she didn’t know the consequences of that decision, and we have seen how that cocktail changed definately good people too.
Oh, I always thought Meegs was kind of neutral. I found her to be really self-centered, not or rarely helping others, unless she had some benefit from it. But still, she never sided with the "bad guys" (until now, that is), but sided many times with the "good ones", even though her morals were always questionable. She is not really brave, and puts her interests above anything else… So it wasn’t surprising, that she gave in so quickly to the Rannites -even if she is not evil. I’m guessing she wasn’t exatly aware of the consequences, though I might be wrong. And we have seen already how much that cocktail changed people, who were definetaly good before.
I just wanted to note, that seemingly some comments are not showing up. I wrote a reply for the conversation under Mark’s comment, twice already, sligthly differently, but essentially the same thing, and neither is there. I tried now copying the second version out, but if I try to post it, I get the message "duplicate post detected". Did it happen to otheres as well?
It could be that it’s up for approval for some reason. Sorry, I’ve been absent for a while trying to get this crazy project done (update: I think it’s done!) and survive the crazy humid heatwaves we’ve been getting. But I’m in a position to start focusing on YAFGC again and I’ll look over the comments admin.
Yup. There they are. I think your use of the word ‘cocktail’ upset WordPress and it wanted me to check it over to make sure I was okay with such shocking language.
Thanks, and yes, please. It says the same, so one of these comments is enough. Somewhat it just didn’t occur me, that something I wrote might be listed as a "bad word". But I will keep it in mind, in case it happens again.
Meegs may have been self-aggrandizing & self-centered back then, but that’s not the same as "evil." More like True Neutral.
But the Rannites really did do a number on her. There are not only some magic items cursed to change a character’s alignment scattered around a D&D world, but the way a player’s portrayal of a character may change over time might signify an alignment change.
Not that I’m trying to defend what Meegs is doing, but just pointing out that options are always on the table for a clever DM…
Honestly, she never really struck me as evil, more careless and immature. She was trying to be a powerful sorceress, playing up the Maleficent angle because she thinks it looks ‘cool’.
I always thought her was kind of neutral. I found her to be really self-centered, not or rarely helping others, unless she had some benefit from it. But still, she never sided with the "bad guys" (until now, that is), but sided many times with the "good ones", even though her morals were always questionable. She is not really brave, and puts her interests above anything else… So it wasn’t surprising, that she gave in so quickly to the Rannites -even if she is not evil. I’m guessing she wasn’t exatly aware of the consequences, though I might be wrong. And we have seen already how much that cocktail changed people, who were definetaly good before.
Yes!!! My Boo will save the day!!! Peanut Butter & Jellyfish for EVERYONE!
And I don’t think Bob killed the Bloodhand clan. There may be no love lost between him and them, but he knows he can’t defeat Ranna and her followers without them. In times of war, wary alliances have to be formed in order to being an end to evil.
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They’ve bugged out and aren’t dragging prisoners along. So at least as far as Meegs knows, the Bloodhands are petrified or dead, not just paralyzed.
Worrying, but outside her field, Meegs is about as sharp as a spoon. More data needed. Dammit, Grell, where are you?
Let us hope it is just petrified, because couldn’t Bob-2 un-petrify them?
They didn’t have much time to be scared, let alone petrified 😛
Ya, I know, trollin…
So, how long does Beholder poison(?) last, if they gave a blast meant to paralyze, and not kill?
It’s petrification.
Bob didn’t petrify the Bloodhands. I didn’t show clearly the after-effects, but they’re not turned to stone.
Well the classic beholder effects are: Charm Monster, Charm Person, Death, Disintegration, Flesh to Stone, Cause Grievous Wounds, Telekinesis, Sleep, Slow, and Fear.
Now, eliminating Petrification, we are left with Death, Disintigrate, and Sleep as possible effects Bob could have used. Assuming bodies were left behind, It could have been Death, or sleep. Assuming Bob is trying to trick Meegs, I’m guessing it was a sleep blast that he hopes Meegs assumes was a death ray. Or it could really have been a death ray. Bob has demonstrated in the past that he’s really an evil monster, and he really isn’t a "Friend" of the Bloodhands, more of an associate. Gren is the only person he really cares about, and he wouldn’t hesitate to kill everyone else if it was necessary to keep Gren safe.
That’s not to say he wouldn’t feel bad about doing it afterwards, but again, Gren is his top priority at all times.
Beholders really have a ridiculously wide range of attack options.
There were bodies- or at least some kind of remnants. Look at Meegs’ posture on the last panel, she is clearly looking at something.
But I would argue about Bob not being a friend of the Bloodhands, he stepped up even to other beholders to protect Mrs. B. (Coup d’Drow). What concerns me more, that as I see, Bob is really straight forward, and does not often think far into the future. I’m not sure I would dare to bet whether he came up with something on the way here, or really did what the Rannites asked. Especially seeing in the past, that Rich does not shy away from consequences.
But again, the Rannites must be defeated somehow, and by someone. So I think they are still alive.
There’s also paralysis. Beholder’s are not limited to their base spells. They’re individuals, like Bob 🙂
> They’re individuals, like Bob
And this comic.
t!
Yes, t! I agree. YAFGC is not, ahem, beholden, to AD&D rules at all. It is free to wander anywhere Rich’s imagination wishes 🙂
Wait. Has Meegs always been secretly evil or just since the Rannites got her?
https://yafgc.net/comic/0999-congratulations-all-round-then-2/
But, but, but…. Thats 2253 episodes ago. Can’t go around and remember that kind of details…
Hahah! I hear that. I’ve got a whole collection of timelines and character notes just to keep track of minutia like this.
really – that’s why here is an archive
She dressed up as Maleficient for an entire storyline.
The Lost World Arc, I think?
Back then I thought it was a joke, as she was still working for "the good guys". Though there was always something off about her.
Oh, I always thought she is neutral… I saw her as someone definetaly self-centered, who wouldn’t, or just rarely help others, if she had no benefit from it. While she never helped the "bad guys" (until now, that is), she many times sided with the "good ones", though her morals were always questionable. She never striked me as someone brave, so seeing her personality as I described above, it was no surprise that she gave in to the Rannites so quickly. It is possible though, that she didn’t know the consequences of that decision, and we have seen how that cocktail changed definately good people too.
Oh, I always thought Meegs was kind of neutral. I found her to be really self-centered, not or rarely helping others, unless she had some benefit from it. But still, she never sided with the "bad guys" (until now, that is), but sided many times with the "good ones", even though her morals were always questionable. She is not really brave, and puts her interests above anything else… So it wasn’t surprising, that she gave in so quickly to the Rannites -even if she is not evil. I’m guessing she wasn’t exatly aware of the consequences, though I might be wrong. And we have seen already how much that cocktail changed people, who were definetaly good before.
I just wanted to note, that seemingly some comments are not showing up. I wrote a reply for the conversation under Mark’s comment, twice already, sligthly differently, but essentially the same thing, and neither is there. I tried now copying the second version out, but if I try to post it, I get the message "duplicate post detected". Did it happen to otheres as well?
And this post got misplaced. It was not ment to be a reply here…
It could be that it’s up for approval for some reason. Sorry, I’ve been absent for a while trying to get this crazy project done (update: I think it’s done!) and survive the crazy humid heatwaves we’ve been getting. But I’m in a position to start focusing on YAFGC again and I’ll look over the comments admin.
Yup. There they are. I think your use of the word ‘cocktail’ upset WordPress and it wanted me to check it over to make sure I was okay with such shocking language.
Do you want me to delete the duplicates?
Thanks, and yes, please. It says the same, so one of these comments is enough. Somewhat it just didn’t occur me, that something I wrote might be listed as a "bad word". But I will keep it in mind, in case it happens again.
Meegs may have been self-aggrandizing & self-centered back then, but that’s not the same as "evil." More like True Neutral.
But the Rannites really did do a number on her. There are not only some magic items cursed to change a character’s alignment scattered around a D&D world, but the way a player’s portrayal of a character may change over time might signify an alignment change.
Not that I’m trying to defend what Meegs is doing, but just pointing out that options are always on the table for a clever DM…
I always read her as neutral evil. She’s just so selfish.
"Secretly"? This is Ms. Apprentices-Are-Biodegradable we’re talking about.
But she’s even worse now that snakes are rooted in her brain.
Honestly, she never really struck me as evil, more careless and immature. She was trying to be a powerful sorceress, playing up the Maleficent angle because she thinks it looks ‘cool’.
Next try with my take on Meegs:
I always thought her was kind of neutral. I found her to be really self-centered, not or rarely helping others, unless she had some benefit from it. But still, she never sided with the "bad guys" (until now, that is), but sided many times with the "good ones", even though her morals were always questionable. She is not really brave, and puts her interests above anything else… So it wasn’t surprising, that she gave in so quickly to the Rannites -even if she is not evil. I’m guessing she wasn’t exatly aware of the consequences, though I might be wrong. And we have seen already how much that cocktail changed people, who were definetaly good before.
Five platinum says they’re not dead.
I’m wondering if there’s any significance to the color Rich used for the title to this chapter. It looks so much like dried blood.
It *does* add to the grimness of the whole scenario.
Hopefully this is just a ploy so the good guys can continue to work behind the scenes towards Ranna’s defeat…
Paving the way of course, for Cap’n Fang to save the world entirely by accident. 😀
(I’m not laying odds on that happening; I’m a terrible predictor of events. But it’s fun to think of.)
Yes!!! My Boo will save the day!!! Peanut Butter & Jellyfish for EVERYONE!
And I don’t think Bob killed the Bloodhand clan. There may be no love lost between him and them, but he knows he can’t defeat Ranna and her followers without them. In times of war, wary alliances have to be formed in order to being an end to evil.
BERZAP is a great word.
t!
Indeed, I intend to use it more in conversation
Sounds like what my teenage zits did as the flew through the air onto the bathroom mirror 😀