While fighting a bunch of Goblins, the Order is suddenly converted to Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Edition.
Cast
- The Order of the Stick
- Seven Goblins
Transcript
- Panel 1
The entire Order are fighting a band of goblins, one rushing at Durkon.
Goblin: Grrr!
- Panel 2
To Durkons' surprise, the goblin bounces off his shield with a boing!
- Panel 3
Haley: What the hell? That goblin was gonna knock you on your ass.
Durkon: I dinnae know. I jus' felt really...stable.
- Panel 4
Some armour appears on Elan from nowhere with a pop!
- Panel 5
Roy: Uhhh...I think it's a chain shirt.
Elan: Sweet!
- Panel 6
Vaarsuvius: I understand. I believe we are being converted to the new 3.5 edition.
Roy: Well, I do feel more intimidating...
Belkar: YES!
- Panel 7
Belkar: I've been doing this ranger crap for 3 years now, it's about time for an upgrade. C'mon, c'mon, Daddy needs some new skill points!
- Panel 8-10
Belkar's dagger gradually shrinks to half the size it was previously.
- Panel 11
Roy: Ooooo... Weapon shrinkage.
Haley: Tee hee, it's so tiny!
Belkar: DAMN IT!
There's a "ping!" above Elan's head.
Elan: Ooh! Skill points!
Belkar: DAMN IT!
D&D Context
- Rule changes in 3.5 edition are reflected by changes to the Order:
- Dwarves have the racial trait of Stability, granting them a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being Bull Rushed or Tripped when standing on the ground; this allowed Durkon to resist the goblins Bull Rush attack.
- Bards and Rangers receive more skill points per level.
- Bards do not suffer penalties for wearing light armor, allowing Elan to wear a Chain Shirt.
- Weapons sizes now match creature sizes - hence, Belkar goes from wielding Medium-sized daggers as an equivalent to short swords, to wielding Small-sized daggers.
- Fighters gained Intimidate as a class skill.
- Goblins in D&D are in fact small-sized creatures, and not medium as depicted in the comic. Apparently, having goblins as medium sized creatures is both easier to draw, and makes them look like more formidable foes to the Order.
- Belkar refers to rangers as "crap," and is gleeful at the idea of an update. Ranger was one of the most heavily buffed classes in the transition between 3.0 and 3.5, receiving increased skill points, a doubling to the bonus provided by Favored Enemy, Animal Empathy being turned from a skill to a core feature, improvements to their bonus feats, animal companions that scale to class features, and a large number of abilities (Endurance, woodland stride, swift tracker, evasion, camouflage, and hide in plain sight) being added wholecloth, though they did take a slight hit to their Hit Dice.
Trivia
- Title meaning: The Order is converted to the New Edition of D&D. New Edition is also the name of a "boy band" from the 1980's.
- Obviously, this is first appearance of Roy, Haley, Elan, Vaarsuvius, Durkon and Belkar, although none of their names are mentioned.
- In Panel 6, Belkar's hand is in front of his dagger, even though he is holding it. By next Panel, his hand is behind the dagger.
- Similarly, in the final panel, Haley's arm is surprisingly long, and she doesn't have any fingers.
- In author commentary for the Dungeon Crawlin' Fools book, Rich Burlew wrote that he regretted starting the comic in medias res with an obscure edition change joke. Because of this, the book version starts with extra pages that properly introduce the setting and the characters.