# Order of the Stick - Book 6 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755 "2014-03-03T16:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/341 "2014-06-12T15:29:16Z")
And the spell description for Wall of Force says “flat, vertical plane”. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/342 "2014-06-12T16:41:45Z")
I can see V being able to cast the Wall of Force in time to intercept the strike, as that’s an adaptation of the “ready” action. You could plausibly argue that since Wall of Force is an Evocation spell that V, a specialist Evoker, might have one or two tricks up their sleeve to modify Evocation spells - and let’s face it, V needs _some_ advantage out of one of the worst possible choices for an arcane specialist (Evokers are outperformed by sorcerers with the right spells, and Warmages leave Sorcerers in the dust - if you want to be a blaster, go Warmage); this not to mention V’s inexcusable choice of Conjuration as a banned school. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/343 "2014-06-12T17:37:18Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > And the spell description for Wall of Force says “flat, vertical plane”. Vertical in what frame of reference, though? Everyone and everything in the strip is flying, without the ground in sight. > [@MHaye](#): > > I can see V being able to cast the Wall of Force in time to intercept the strike, as that’s an adaptation of the “ready” action. > > You could plausibly argue that since Wall of Force is an Evocation spell that V, a specialist Evoker, might have one or two tricks up their sleeve to modify Evocation spells - and let’s face it, V needs _some_ advantage out of one of the worst possible choices for an arcane specialist (Evokers are outperformed by sorcerers with the right spells, and Warmages leave Sorcerers in the dust - if you want to be a blaster, go Warmage); this not to mention V’s inexcusable choice of Conjuration as a banned school. Well, V has the Quicken Spell feat, but the Wall of Force didn’t appear to be cast using it. (V [would have said](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0588.html), “Quickened Wall of Force”.) Also, the feat makes the spell take up a slot 4 levels higher, which would mean a 9th level slot. Even if V can cast 9th level spells–which is higher than we have evidence for–Wall of Force seems like an unlikely choice to prepare in one of those slots. > [@Jophiel](#): > > Random thing I noticed: V used to have a gold circlet until he did the whole soul splice thing. Then V’d robe’s turned all evil black and circlet was gone for flowing evil hair. After the splice was dispelled, V was immediately back in the old red robes but the circlet never returned and V went to a pony tail. Just seemed odd that the circlet would go away when the robes reverted to normal. I like the pony tail better anyway. I think that circlet is V’s Headband of Intellect +4, and may have been resized to serve as a ponytail holder in V’s new look. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/344 "2014-06-12T18:14:45Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Vertical in what frame of reference, though? Everyone and everything in the strip is flying, without the ground in sight. Call it DM’s discretion. I probably wouldn’t let the player get away with that, but then Control Weather doesn’t work the way Durkon wanted it to in Cliffport, either. > [@Balance](#): > > I think that circlet is V’s Headband of Intellect +4, and may have been resized to serve as a ponytail holder in V’s new look. [667 Mending Wounds - Giant in the Playground Games](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html) Looks like you’re right about that. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/345 "2014-06-12T18:47:13Z")
Huh. I always assumed the circlet was a solid gold band but then I was basing that off a yellow line in a stick figure based comic. Guess it could just as easily be a fine chain or woven or something. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/346 "2014-06-12T20:27:27Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Huh. I always assumed the circlet was a solid gold band but then I was basing that off a yellow line in a stick figure based comic. Guess it could just as easily be a fine chain or woven or something. Or just magic. Resizing is a pretty standard feature of magic items in game settings. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/347 "2014-06-12T23:09:31Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Heh, the internet seems to be of the opinion that walls of force have to be vertical and that it’s a bit unbelievable that V could create a shield in the instant between when the lightning forms and when it strikes. The spell states : [QUOTE=SRD] The caster can form the wall into a flat, vertical plane whose area is up to one 10-foot square per level. The wall must be continuous and unbroken when formed. If its surface is broken by any object or creature, the spell fails. [/QUOTE] RAW, I see no reason why V couldn’t create a vertical wall of force 1 mm high and plenty-of-square-footage wide/thick. As for the instant casting, that’s what readied actions are for ! 😃 Reaction time, schmeaction time : as we French DMs say, TGCM (“Shut up, it’s magic”) [QUOTE=Balance] Even if V can cast 9th level spells–which is higher than we have evidence for–Wall of Force seems like an unlikely choice to prepare in one of those slots. [/QUOTE] Eh, I dunno, WoF can definitely swing a fight all by itself, and has a cornucopia of utility applications besides. Not sure I’d quicken one, especially considering the grooviness of lvl 9 spells (I’ll have the Time Stops, all of them, please) but it wouldn’t necessarily be a stoopid move, particularly if you’re not planning on needing to Meteor Strike somebody today. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/348 "2014-06-12T23:26:21Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Eh, I dunno, WoF can definitely swing a fight all by itself, and has a cornucopia of utility applications besides. Not sure I’d quicken one, especially considering the grooviness of lvl 9 spells (I’ll have the Time Stops, all of them, please) but it wouldn’t necessarily be a stoopid move, particularly if you’re not planning on needing to Meteor Strike somebody today. I’m not dismissing the usefulness of WoF, by any means. I just doubt that V would consider quickening one a good use of a 9th level slot. If you’re not specifically expecting to need an instant wall that day, Time Stop (as you point out) and Shapechange are better choices. All of which is probably moot, because we’re pretty sure V doesn’t have any 9th-level slots. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/349 "2014-06-13T00:13:29Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > RAW, I see no reason why V couldn’t create a vertical wall of force 1 mm high and plenty-of-square-footage wide/thick. Because a Wall of Force is a _plane_ - it has zero thickness. Normally this would be a problem because such a plane would have to be made of an infinitely strong material, but force _is_ such a material. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/350 "2014-06-13T01:16:58Z")
Meh. Burlew’s the author, not I (or anyone else caviling about his ALREADY-ANNOUNCED-AS-HIS-INTENTION tweaking of the rules to suit the story). But I will observe that with respect to V’s physical orientation at the time of casting, the WoF IS vertical. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/351 "2014-06-13T02:04:17Z")
Blah blah Wall of Force. I just like seeing V’s character growth when interacting with Blackwing. And desperately hope to see a roc-sized Blackwing in the near future. Is there a general “Enlarge” spell you could stack with a Polymorph? I only see Enlarge Person which wouldn’t work. Edit: Animal Growth, I guess. No idea if V knows it. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/352 "2014-06-13T11:08:50Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > I think that circlet is V’s Headband of Intellect +4, and may have been resized to serve as a ponytail holder in V’s new look. Yes, see panel 3 [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html) I got the impression it’s a soft cord, not a solid metal ring. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/353 "2014-06-13T11:39:10Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Blah blah Wall of Force. I just like seeing V’s character growth when interacting with Blackwing. And desperately hope to see a roc-sized Blackwing in the near future. Is there a general “Enlarge” spell you could stack with a Polymorph? I only see Enlarge Person which wouldn’t work. > > Edit: Animal Growth, I guess. No idea if V knows it. Animal Growth is a Druid spell, isn’t it ? _checking, checking_ oh, OK, wizards get it too but later. Wait, what ? In 3.5 it also gave DR 10 and +4 on saves ? AND it affected multiple targets ? That’s bonkers. That being said, he wouldn’t need to Enlarge BlackRoc : [Rocs are naturally Gargantuan sized](http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/roc). I’m not sure you could “legally” Polymorph anything into one though, they have 18HD and in 3.5 Polymorph seems to have a 15HD ceiling. God, I’m glad they simplified all that shapeshifting stuff in PF Or can you just say “I make a Roc with only 15HD” ? Could you polymorph someone into a 15HD housecat ? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/354 "2014-06-13T13:36:54Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > That being said, he wouldn’t need to Enlarge BlackRoc : [Rocs are naturally Gargantuan sized](http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/roc). Maybe not need to… C’mon, an _Enlarged_ roc would be awesome! And it says it works on creatures up to gargantuan sized! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/355 "2014-06-13T20:16:57Z")
Sorry, the table only goes to Gargantuan, no higher. If you grow sizes further, you vanish into the Warp. 😛 ---
**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:** [June 14, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/356 "2014-06-14T00:22:47Z")
The table goes to Colossal, one step above Gargantuan. And V _could_ cast Enlarge Person on Blackwing, provided that e also casts it on emself at the same time: You can share spells with your familiar even if the spell couldn’t ordinarily affect a creature of the familiar’s type. Rocs are still off-limits, though, by virtue of too many HD. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/357 "2014-06-28T12:02:36Z")
New one up [956](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0956.html) Not much interesting to say about this one. ---
**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, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/358 "2014-06-28T16:10:43Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > Not much interesting to say about this one. Except that Belkar is obviously planning something. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/359 "2014-06-28T17:23:34Z")
It’s the end of the prologue. Also, have we seen any gnomes in the strip so far? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/360 "2014-06-28T17:43:12Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > It’s the end of the prologue. Also, have we seen any gnomes in the strip so far? [Solt Lorkyurg](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0539.html) Edit: also wasn’t that druid who was briefly with the Linear Guild a gnome? Too lazy to look him up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=19)