# 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:** 47
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/921 "2010-06-25T14:40:22Z")
Half dragon breath is like 1 or 2d6, IIRC. > [@Kobal2](#): > > Yay, bar brawl ! _checks former strips_ Aww, this bar doesn’t seem to have a chandelier. It’s not a proper bar brawl unless someone’s swinging from chandeliers, or at the very least dropping them on someone… Elan’s not there, so it’s not necessary. Still, hopefully, someone’ll get slammed down the entire length of the bar. (Have not yet read it.) ---
**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:** [June 25, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/922 "2010-06-25T20:49:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Now you just need to read _Start of Darkness_ and your journey to the Dark Side will be complete. My JOURNEY to the Dark Side? Look, buster, I used to work for AOL, and I quit because they weren’t Evil enough. Hmph. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/923 "2010-06-26T12:31:06Z")
> [@Wolverine](#): > > [New strip #730](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0730.html) in which we learn Roy has some decent strength to go with his intelligence. “Sparky” weighs about 400 lbs? Nice going leader man. He got a Belt of Giant Strength back in [#687](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0687.html); if you look closely you can see he’s been wearing it since then. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/924 "2010-06-26T13:37:20Z")
Didn’t Roy already have some pretty decent strength to start with, too? Not that any of my characters would ever turn down a Belt of Giant Strength. There’s no such thing as being too strong. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/925 "2010-06-26T13:48:06Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Didn’t Roy already have some pretty decent strength to start with, too? Sure; but there’s “strong guy” strong, and there’s “swing 400 pound lizard guys by the tail” strong. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/926 "2010-06-26T14:10:20Z")
Hey, I SAID that there’s no such thing as being too strong. And I shudder to think what would happen if Belkar got a Girdle of Giant Strength. At least Roy will use his powers only for the good of all…as he sees it, anyway. ---
**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:** [June 26, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/927 "2010-06-26T15:15:23Z")
Belkar would be a kick with the girdle. First off, he’d have to wrap it around himself a few times. Than he’d constantly over-use his strength and demolish things he didn’t want demolished, sort of like a clumsy Superman leaving fingerprints in steel. Yeah, there would be some collateral damage… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/928 "2010-06-26T16:36:08Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Yeah, there would be some collateral damage… Is this not true of Belkar even without any magical augmentation whatsoever? ---
**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:** [June 26, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/929 "2010-06-26T16:50:20Z")
I view collateral damage as unwanted damage that is caused by an action. I think that Belkar views pretty much ALL damage as wanted, unless he, Mr. Scruffy, or his possessions are what is being damaged. I have to say that I’m kind of surprised at Belkar’s attachment to Mr. Scruffy. Maybe Mr. Scruffy is his Animal Companion? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/930 "2010-06-26T17:00:12Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I view collateral damage as unwanted damage that is caused by an action. I think that Belkar views pretty much ALL damage as wanted, unless he, Mr. Scruffy, or his possessions are what is being damaged. I was viewing “collateral damage” from a more objective point of view, but you have a good point. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/931 "2010-06-27T23:37:06Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I have to say that I’m kind of surprised at Belkar’s attachment to Mr. Scruffy. Maybe Mr. Scruffy is his Animal Companion? In the book **Don’t Split the Party** , Rich Burlew said in one of the comments that even as Belkar pretends to have character growth, he’s actually grown as a character because he’s formed a bond with another living creature now. I thought that was cool. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/932 "2010-06-28T06:49:19Z")
Belkar is incredibly fussy about his food, he will attack and kill things for the sheer joy of it, he doesn’t acknowledge anyone as being his superior…he’s a cat! A bipedal cat! No wonder he gets along with Mr. Scruffy so well. I completely agree, bonding with another creature is character development. Belkar doesn’t seem to get any benefit from his relationship with Mr. Scruffy, but he cares for the cat. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/933 "2010-06-28T13:10:56Z")
Can I finally call a new strip? 😃 As guests of the head honcho, you’d think he would have given them visitor passes or something. I guess it’s a dig at Arizona’s new immigrant law… ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/934 "2010-06-28T13:20:55Z")
It helps when you [link](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0731.html) to it, too… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/935 "2010-06-28T13:52:03Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > As guests of the head honcho, you’d think he would have given them visitor passes or something. They’re not guests – we have no idea how Roy and Belkar got to the city. We jumped from V and Haley leaving Roy a note in [716](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html) to Roy and Belkar in the bar in [728](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0728.html). ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/936 "2010-06-28T13:53:59Z")
I like how the people of the empire are “denizens”, not citizens. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/937 "2010-06-28T16:47:16Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > They’re not guests – we have no idea how Roy and Belkar got to the city. We jumped from V and Haley leaving Roy a note in [716](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html) to Roy and Belkar in the bar in [728](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0728.html). They were presumedly already in the city. The group was in the [desert](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0698.html) and the next time we saw them they were inside the [city](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0710.html). (We only see Elan in this strip but there’s no reason to think he arrived ahead of everyone else.) So it does seem kind of strange that they apparently were able to routinely enter the city without anyone asking them for their papers or pointing out the need for them. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/938 "2010-06-28T16:53:12Z")
I just noticed something else rereading those strips. The time-gap appears to be a little bigger than it first appears. The Empire of Blood is not the first city they’ve visited. They left Girard’s fake gate site heading towards Dictatopia. So they’ve presumedly been working their way through the cities on the continent. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/939 "2010-06-28T16:54:01Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So it does seem kind of strange that they apparently were able to routinely enter the city without anyone asking them for their papers or pointing out the need for them. Wind Walk is the best cleric spell ever!! ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/940 "2010-07-02T04:03:30Z")
[Two in a row](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0732.html)! 🆒 The updates are always right after midnight eastern it seems… Tho this one is mostly filler (tho it was nice to know how Durkon was going to deal with this latest twist). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=46) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=48)