UMB is trained-only, so Roy would have to have taken a level of Rogue and then devoted a lot of his scant skill points to it (UMD then being a cross-class skill so costing 2x skill points).
Yeah, I assume the force field would stop teleportation in or out as well (otherwise it would be useless in a world of magic). I was just trying to think of angles for the fight to go besides “Belkar saves the day somehow”. Rich is always good at surprises.
Tell that to Greebo: Under the table, Greebo sat and washed himself. Occasionally he burped. Vampires have risen from the dead, the grave and the crypt, but have never managed it from the cat. - Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad
But, but, but … that’s against the spirit of Fanwank.
Well sometimes it glows and sometimes it doesn’t. But so far it doesn’t look like it glows randomly, so I’m guessing it’s an emotional barometer of one sort or another.
I’ve gotten spoiled by the fast updates lately. It’s been a week and I’m itching for more.
UMD is trained only, so you have to have a rank in the skill before you can use it. Any class can take ranks in any skill, so Roy wouldn’t have to multiclass to access it, but it would be twice as expensive (and cap out at half the maximum number of ranks). If he took a level in rogue, it wouldn’t be a cross-class skill for him any more, UMD being a class skill for rogues, and he could advance in the skill at the usual rate of 1 point per skill level, up to his character level.
What’s the distinction between using an orb of teleportation and, say, using a bag of many animals, or a ring of jumping?
The first one is useful 
Most magic items are basically plug-and-play. Put on a Ring of Jumping, and jump, and the ring does its thing. No special skills or know-how required, other than how to jump.
However, some types of magic items (mostly scrolls and wands) are basically storage for spells. These are known as “spell completion” items. When a spell caster creates one of these items, they’re essentially putting one of their spells into, in a “partially” cast form. They can then, at any later date, “complete” the spell in the item and cast it, without using up any of their currently memorized spell slots. But completing the spell requires that you have levels in a class that can cast that spell.
The Use Magic Device skill allows a character to circumvent any requirements for using a magic item. Most often, this is used to activate spell completion items like wands or scrolls when the user can’t normally cast the spell contained in the item, but can also be used to bypass other restrictions, such as activating an item that can only be used by elves, and so forth.
Not quite. His cap for the skill would be the same as for a class skill, but it’d still be cross-class for his fighter levels, so any skill points he got from a fighter level, he’d still have to spend at two-to-one.
In any event, though, it’s not known whether the teleport orb is restricted to spellcasters in the first place. Most items that cast spells are, but then, most items that cast spells are wands or scrolls. There are some examples of (non-scroll, non-wand) items that cast spells which can be used by just anyone.
Blast it, poor Durkon. Isn’t there any way for Thor to know that his cleric is trapped inside his own hijacked mind and body?
I’d imagine Thor, and all other gods, understand the mechanism behind vampirism. And Thor is probably aware that Durkon’s been vamped.
He still can’t directly interfere.
What a horrible thought, that we are what we are on our worst day.
Wow. That was an aweseome strip. Very emotionally powerful.
I thought that as well. A very bleak outlook, since I’m sure all of us have had dark thoughts. I’m hoping it’s actions that count. (But then that little voice says, what about inaction?")
vislor
Since we’re waxing philosophical, I would have thought that we all have terrible days and say terrible things - but note that Durkon never acted on those dark thoughts, instead remaining true to his spurious “quest” and even staying loyal to a group of adventurers (the group in which he met Roy) who kept sending him on suicide missions because they thought he was annoying. It’s whether you give in to your worst self that matters, not that it exists.
And after that bit of omphaloskepsis, I’m ready for Belkar to turn up next strip and go all “sexy shoeless god of war” on Durkula’s ass.
I agree, and consider the source. Of course the malevolent vampire spirit handcrafted by Hel is going to tell Durkon that. It’s probably true that Durkula was shaped by Durkon’s worst moments, but you have to admit that he’s a pretty biased viewpoint to be dishing out nuggets of universal wisdom.
Anyway, I think this is setting Durkon up for a moment of character growth, where he accepts his dark days but comes to realize that they don’t define him. Belkar is almost certainly going to participate in smacking down Durkula, but I still think that Durkon is going to play a part in it. A great battle of wills between Durkula and Durkon has been foreshadowed since the end of the previous book.
I’m thinking Durkon epiphany myself. The vampire seems to have brought Durkon’s well repressed resentment to his foremost attention. I don’t have an idea of how, but I bet he will now find something to affect the tide of battle.
Likewise. “Darkest Moment Durkon” seems pretty tame; certainly not the sort to destroy the entire world out of pique.