The Order is going through a boss fight and getting points for lateral thinking.
Cast
Transcript
- Panel 1
Roy: I'll take on the archers. Haley, V: Slow down that wizard!
Haley: She's a sorcerer, actually.
Vaarsuvius: Technically, a sorceress.
- Panel 2
Roy: Wow, I can't tell you how much more fulfilling this battle will be now that I can refer to my enemy by the proper appellation.
Roy: Now stop wasting time and get moving!
Haley: Relax, speaking is a free action.
- Panel 3
Samantha: I don't know who you people are, but I am going to kick your asses!
- Panel 4
Samantha: Fireball!
Vaarsuvius: Counterspell!
- Panel 5
Samantha: Hold Person!
Vaarsuvius: Counterspell!
- Panel 6
Samantha: Chain Lightning!
Vaarsuvius: Counterspell!
- Panel 7
Samantha: Gah! Stop doing that! It's not fair!
Vaarsuvius: On the contrary, counterspelling is a legitimate, if seldom used, means of neutralizing a spellcaster.
Haley: Translation: Choke on it, bitch!
- Panel 8
Samantha: Fine! Keep on counterspelling, if you want.
Samantha: But I get more spells per day than you do, so eventually, you'll run out and then I'll blast you into oblivion and dance on your rotting corpses.
- Panel 9
Vaarsuvius: True, except that we have no need to continue this exercise indefinitely.
Haley: Yeah, we're just keeping you busy while we set up the "Tetherball Special".
- Panel 10
Samantha: What the heck is a—
- Panel 11
Elan bats Belkar, "whop!", into Samantha's back like a tetherball, "WHUMP!"
Samantha: GAAAH!
D&D Context
- Counterspells require the spellcaster to wait until another spellcaster casts a spell, then, as a free action, perform a check to see if they can identify the spell. If successful, they may cast the same spell (if they have it prepared) in a modified version that nullifies the other caster's spell.
- Sorcerers gain more spells per day than Wizards, however they don't gain as many options as Wizards when it comes to spell selection.
- Hold Person is a 3rd-level Sorcerer spell that paralyzes a person unless they succeed a Will save.
- Chain Lightning is a 6th-level Sorcerer spell that shoots a jumping lightning bolt at enemies.
- Fireball is a 3rd-level Sorcerer spell that explodes and deals damage at a target.
- It appears Samantha also has a Protection from Arrows spell cast as she's magically deflecting arrows, although this was not seen in-panel.
- A Free Action is an action that may be performed in combat in addition to the player's regular action for the turn. Speaking is considered a free action if it is brief. This occasionally results in unrealistic dialog taking place during combat.
Trivia
- The title is a reference to Wolverine's "Fastball Special" move in X-Men.
- This is the final appearance of the Light Bandit Guard.