It's level up time, but Belkar is missing out.
Cast
- The Order of the Stick
- A rat
Transcript
- Panel 1
Haley comes running down the stairs.
Haley: Hey geys! Guys! I just went up a level!
Roy: Actually, since you came from upstairs, you just went DOWN a level.
Belkar: Ugh, let's not start that again.
- Panel 2
Haley: No, really, I checked my XP total when I woke up. We must have gotten a story award for completing the Xykon quest.
Elan: Sweet!
Roy: Hold on, let me check my total...
- Panel 3
Each character dings, "DING! DING! DING! DING!"
Roy: Hey! I gained a level too! Nice!
Durkon: Och! Me too!
Elan: Woot!
Vaarsuvius: Exxxxcellent.
- Panel 4
Beat. Belkar waits, but nothing happens.
- Panel 5
Belkar: DAMN IT!
- Panel 6
Belkar notices a rat.
Elan: Gee, Belkar, I guess you were a little behind us on XP when we started.
Belkar: Hold that thought.
- Panel 7
Belkar attacks the rat.
Rat: Squeak?
- Panel 8
Belkar hold the dead rat on his dagger.
Belkar: Crap. Too low of a Challenge Rating, I didn't even earn any XP.
Elan: Awww, that poor little rat! *Sniff*
- Panel 9
Elan: Belkar, stop hurting the rats. You need to defeat something close to the same level as you to earn XP.
Belkar: Hmmmm. Same level, you say?
- Panel 10
Belkar sees Elan as a chunk of XP.
- Panel 11
Belkar is chasing Elan with his daggers.
Belkar: Stand still! I just need to "defeat" you!
Elan: Help! Help! I don't want to be a hat!
D&D Context
- Experience Points (XP) can be given for killing a monster, but also for defeating it in combat without killing (for example, forcing it to flee).
Trivia
- Vaarsuvius's pose and drawn out "Exxxxcellent" when they gain a level is a reference to Mr. Burns from The Simpsons.
- The last line uttered by Elan is a reference to Yikyik's demise in #63, which is becoming a running gag.
- Belkar's line "Ugh, let's not start that again" is a reference to #12, Up a Level, Down a Level.
- Woot! is a common expression in gaming, of uncertain origin.
- This strip establishes the convention used throughout the comic that when a character gains a level, a "DING!" sound is heard over their head.