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Elan puts his theory about Armor Check Penalty into practice.

Cast[]

Transcript[]

Panel 1

Roy: Stay in the back, Sir Clanksalot. Maybe we can actually earn some XP today.

Panel 2

Elan: Wow, Durkon. You really do make a lot of noise.
Durkon: I cannae help it, laddie. It's me armor.
Durkon's armor rattles as he walks, "clank! clank! clank! clank!"

Panel 3

Durkon: It's called the Armor Check Penaltae, and it be sinkin' me Move Silently check into da nether regions.

Panel 4

Durkon: See far yerself.
Inset close-up of the care label on Durkon's armor:
Full Plate Armor
Size M
AC Bonus +8
Armor Check -6
See reverse for care instructions.

Panel 5

Elan: Wow.
Durkon: B'since I need me armor ta protect me, I mus' live with et.

Panel 6

Elan: You know, ever since I got this chain shirt, I haven't been as good at hiding.
Durkon: Aye, it's the same thing.

Panel 7

Durkon: It's jus' simple fact aboot armor: The less you wear, the harder it be for them ta see ya.
Durkon's armor rattles, "clank! clank! clank! clank!"

Panel 8

Elan: The less I wear...
Elan: ...the harder I am to see.

Panel 9

A candle materializes above Elan's head, "Idea!"

Panel 10

Elan streaks naked through the panel holding his lute and cloak. His groin area is pixelated. Vaarsuvius covers his or her eyes.
Elan: Wooooo! I'm invisible!! You can't see me!
Roy: How I wish that were true.
Belkar: Please cast Blindness on me.

D&D Context[]

  • The actual stats for plate armor in the game appear on Durkon's tag in this strip. "AC" stands for "Armor Class," which is a bonus to your character's defense, which increases how high an opposing attack roll must be to successfully hit the character.
  • Armor Check Penalty is a game mechanic which models how hard it is to swim, climb, jump, move silently, etc. in heavy equipment or armor by applying a penalty to your skill roll for those skills.
  • Blindness/Deafness is a 3rd level cleric spell that causes a target that fails a Fortitude save to become blinded or deafened, at the user's choice.

Trivia[]

  • The candle materializing above Elan's head is a parody of Idea Bulb, a traditional joke of light bulbs appearing above cartoon characters' heads when they have an idea.
  • It is the first appearance of Elan's belief that nudity renders him invisible. It will be a recurring gag in following comics.

External Links[]

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