Logically speaking was there any way out of that one besides aiding O-chul? I mean, is there another plan that doesn't end in "End of the line elf! *kasplode*"

They're both pretty boned but at least V could get out and hold the invisibility long enough to get far enough away to make Xykon confused about his location.

Besides, if I were assaulted by Xykon and lose all of my spellcasting powers my first reflex would be run away and play it by ear as you run, rather than try the leave-no-man-behind approach and hope you can overcome him together with your no-magic and pointy iron bar.

I am predicting Smite Evil against the Phylactery.

for me its mostly that this is exactly the same trick. Elf runs out of spells, casts invisibility, runs away. Reasonable yes, but seeing the exact same unimpressive thing twice isn't good from a reads point of view
can you do that?

I like to use Smite Evil on everything from "my friends' tummy ache" to "that which vexes all men" and "the inevitability of death". I assume this is because the rules don't specifically say you can't. Not that I know what the rules say, it just seems like a fair assumption that I'd make up that joke based on it.

Researchedit: So, you may smite a creature that is not evil to no effect (obviously, that's how you detect evil), but it doesn't say anything about no smiting something evil that is not a creature. Sounds good enough for me.

*pre-emptive Smite Evil on counter-arguments*

It doesn't say specifically, but a DM could flex the rules. As was mentioned, Xykon's crown made Roy seem evil, I'd be okay with a smite working to the same effect.

I'm more inclined to see Xykon choke on a fat Smite and give the Order the time they need to destroy the phylactery themselves, since they'll be more prepared this time.
But that's just it - this isn't the same trick. She was just about to then went, wait, damn it, I'd feel horrible if O-Chuul dies because of me. I need to stop this.

And its fine from a "reads" point of view, really, because that's character consistency.

Xykon is an epic level lich. He's rolling D12s for his hitpoints every level and he's got more than 20 of those - a non-epic multiclassed fighter/paladin isn't gonna phase him with +x damage on a single weapon swing.

I mean seriously look at this template and tell me a 25th level sorcerer with that set of bonuses (His previous hit die? d4.) is even slowing down for anything O'Chul can do.

That may be true but he's already been in a long fight, and it isn't like Burlew adheres strictly to DND rules every episode anyway. After all Soon as an incorporeal spirit was Smiting Evil on him round after round and managed to whack him and Redcloak simultaneously before getting interrupted by Miko.

And I think your math is a bit off - he doesn't have more than 20 levels of d12, you need to be 11th to become a lich anyway and if he was able to whip Fyron and Lirian a new one I'm pretty sure he became a lich wayyyyy later in his levels. As I recall that the events of him turning into a lich were six months before the comic started, and the process of turning into a lich was over four months. I don't see him gaining all that many levels during that time frame.


One thing that I never remember about epic level - does that mean once you become a lich your previous levels become d12 too?

Oh, if only there was a clearly labelled link to pertinent information recently posted in this thread. But alas, you are powerless to edify yourself, and so:

All his HD have been D12 since the minute he stopped breathing.

ALSO: The IFCC is gonna be pissed. From their perspective that was exactly the worst thing V could have done.

Do I detect a little envy on Xykon's part? Since he had his hit dice retroactively upgraded by 200% and all. That hardly counts as earning them "the hard way".

Also, liches (lichen?) are freaking hardcore.