# Order of the Stick - Book 5 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323 "2009-08-31T04:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 229
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4562 "2012-08-10T02:06:51Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > I love Z’s whispered mispronunciation of “Gust of Wind”. So much for clearing the smoke. Yes. That was subtle but effective in describing the effects of Durkon’s Holy Word. I believe I should also add, “Thor Be Praised.” Hey. Come on. Thunderstorms are predicted for midnight here. Just covering my bases. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4563 "2012-08-10T02:39:51Z")
I _died_ reading those last few panels. The quantity is certainly suffering a bit from the Kickstarter obligations, but the quality isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4564 "2012-08-10T04:08:30Z")
> [@neofishboy](#): > > Since the first time he did it (“I have deep-seated emotional problems! Die! Die! Die!”), Belkar in mid-air, knives out and grinning, is absolutely one of my favorite things. I’ll also point out that Nale is the first antagonist I can think of who’s ever survived past one frame following that image. Kinda disappoints me, that. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4565 "2012-08-10T04:14:50Z")
Well, Nale _is_ high level. And a primary character. So, just because Belkar rocks and is awesome and all that… well, it just isn’t the right time for Nale to bid farewell to our mortal coil. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4566 "2012-08-10T04:33:21Z")
I’m curious what happened to Kilkil. He wasn’t separated from the main group like Malack and Qarr were. But he isn’t seen in this strip. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4567 "2012-08-10T07:30:36Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Holy Word doesn’t distinguish between Neutral and Evil. Which is really kind of stupid for a [Good] spell. Still, awesome comic, especially the last few panels. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4568 "2012-08-10T08:16:51Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Which is really kind of stupid for a [Good] spell. It’s a Holy Word, not a Nice Word. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4569 "2012-08-10T08:23:48Z")
“What makes a man turn neutral… a lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4570 "2012-08-10T08:54:30Z")
Sabine is in SO much trouble. Just look at that third panel. I’m pretty sure that those feelings are not supposed to be part of her skill set. Also, Belkar. It’s always fun when Belkar gets to do what he does best. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4571 "2012-08-10T09:33:44Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I’ll also point out that Nale is the first antagonist I can think of who’s ever survived past one frame following that image. > > Kinda disappoints me, that. Crystal survived four entire strips: [613](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0613.html) to [616](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0616.html). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4572 "2012-08-10T17:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s a Holy Word, not a Nice Word. Yeah, for that, you want Piffany, in the next comic over. **Peter Morris** , for Belkar (and Nale and possibly Z) to be deafened but not blinded means that they each have exactly as many HD or levels as Durkon has caster level. Technically, Durkon’s caster level should be one more than his actual class level, since he has the Good domain, which would imply that he’s lower-level than Belkar or Nale, but it’s likely that the Giant forgot about or overlooked that detail. Either way, we can at least say that Belkar and Nale are both the same level. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4573 "2012-08-13T11:10:35Z")
How do we know for certain that Durkon has the Good domain?\ If that’s been covered earlier in this monstrosity of a thread, please don’t yell at me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4574 "2012-08-13T15:34:08Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > How do we know for certain that Durkon has the Good domain?\ > > If that’s been covered earlier in this monstrosity of a thread, please don’t yell at me. ☹ According to the [Class and Level Geekery thread](http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230935) on the Giant forums, we know he has it because it’s required to [cast](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0806.html) [Holy Smite](http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holySmite.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4575 "2012-08-13T20:49:57Z")
Very good. Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4576 "2012-08-17T09:03:49Z")
Calm down - there’s not a new post. Unless you count [this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15392973&postcount=4575). But I just want to say that I received my shipping notification yesterday for my Print Only box plus extras, so that warrants a girlish _ **squeeeeeeeeeeee!!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4577 "2012-08-27T21:13:58Z")
[New strip](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0861.html) ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4578 "2012-08-27T21:19:34Z")
Only eight posts have been made on the official forum thread. You work fast. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4579 "2012-08-27T21:22:41Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Only eight posts have been made on the official forum thread. > > You work fast. Luck. It’s embarrassing how often I visit GIDP. “Is it up yet? Is it up yet?!” I’m going to be really pissed if Burlew dies and doesn’t have the plot already written down somewhere… All that said, I cannot wait until Tarquin gets handed his ass by Xykon. I like the guy—and he’s almost as you’d expect a near-Epic LE fighter with high Wis, Chr, and Int to act—but the dude is approaching Marty Sue status. At least he didn’t Vorpal Durkon’s limbs. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4580 "2012-08-27T21:40:21Z")
At the rate he’s updating, Burlew (and the rest of his readership) might die of _old age_ before the strip is completed. Anyway: I wonder where Qarr’s going. Since his teleportation’s instantaneous, you’d figure he would immediately appear in the thick of the battle if that was his destination. Maybe he’s headed back to the Underworld? I also find it interesting that Tarquin deliberately stunned Durkon with the flat of his axe instead of slicing him with it. Keeping his agreement with Malack that Durkon is not to be harmed? With Roy and Tarquin on a collision course, it looks like the next strip, or set of strips, will have them battling again. (See you in another two weeks, heh.) For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, I [opened](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=663115) a new thread for “Past Strips” discussion of OOTS, so people can post in there whenever they want to without getting threatened with the death penalty 'cuz people think they’re announcing the new strip. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4581 "2012-08-27T22:01:09Z")
Is it a bad thing that I name my character “Tarquin” whenever I play Civilization lately? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=228) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=230)