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Penny Arcade - Comic - The Gathering Storm

DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin

The Gathering Storm!

Penny Arcade - Comic - The Gathering Storm

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

Read the full story here

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Posts

  • Johnny17Johnny17 Registered User regular
    Part of the notoriety of the ring comes from the fact that it occasionally deceives its master and goes for the next host. I wonder how they'll implement that otherwise it has a good chance of falling into obscurity.

  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    LOL Gabe's face at losing his ice cream, a much more serious matter

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    LOL Gabe's face at losing his ice cream, a much more serious matter

    The serious matter is that he apparently paid somebody to provide him with mint choc chip

    Losing it is a mercy

    [Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
  • OverkillengineOverkillengine Registered User regular
    edited March 2023
    If the standard odeur (it's funny because I spelled it funny!) that MTG tournament players are cloaked in is anything to go by, then I fear that is not mud our prospect gollum is caked with.

    Overkillengine on
  • ironzergironzerg Registered User regular
    To be fair, you don't get gollums. You get A gollum.

    Also, what are the chances of some kid ripping open this pack, and having no idea what it is?

    I have young kids, and for all I know any number of these pokemon or bakugan or digmon or whatever cards that I'm throwing out while I clean out under their computers, do their laundry, vacuum the minivan, or step on while walking in their rooms could be worth lots of money.

    I can just as easily see this thing going in the trash after being used to pick up a smash cockroach.

  • DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    Who will have the willpower needed to toss the card in their fireplace (which they named Mt.Doom) to rid the world of that evil once and for all?

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    Djiem wrote: »
    Who will have the willpower needed to toss the card in their fireplace (which they named Mt.Doom) to rid the world of that evil once and for all?

    I would laugh my ass off if someone did that.

    steam_sig.png
  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    I never expected to see a Tychollum, but here we are.

  • GrendusGrendus Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    LOL Gabe's face at losing his ice cream, a much more serious matter

    The serious matter is that he apparently paid somebody to provide him with mint choc chip

    Losing it is a mercy

    Mint chocolate chip ice cream is like oatmeal raisin cookies. Phenomenal if it's what you were expecting, disappointing if you thought it was just chocolate chip. Which is why they usually color it green, but not always. I've been burned before.

  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    One of the big collectors in the MTG space has a $100k bounty on The One Ring.
    Djiem wrote: »
    Who will have the willpower needed to toss the card in their fireplace (which they named Mt.Doom) to rid the world of that evil once and for all?

    Nah, to generate the proper amount of gnashing of teeth, you have to commit to the bit. Fly to Iceland, hike up a volcano, and toss it in. All while streaming.

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • DelzhandDelzhand Registered User, Transition Team regular
    It's just the variant that's unique, right? If you want the card for the mechanics there are still a conventional number of them available, I think.

  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    Delzhand wrote: »
    It's just the variant that's unique, right? If you want the card for the mechanics there are still a conventional number of them available, I think.

    No - The One Ring is a unique card, with text all in Elven (it's probably not even playable, like the original promo Egyptian God cards in Yu-Gi-Oh.)

    en_T2CA6K33JjSe.png

    WotC is also creating LOTR themed Sol Ring variants in limited quantities, with the elven version capped at 3k, dwarven at 7k, and human at 9k.

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • V1mV1m Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    LOL Gabe's face at losing his ice cream, a much more serious matter

    The serious matter is that he apparently paid somebody to provide him with mint choc chip

    Losing it is a mercy

    I rather like mint choc chip. Although I grant you I rarely like it enough to actually chose it when I have a ice cream now. It was a good option back before the ice cream renaissance brought excellent ice cream to basically everywhere.

  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    I just want to acknowledge that I see all the mint chip hate, and I'm not having it.

    That is all.

  • Hahnsoo1Hahnsoo1 Make Ready. We Hunt.Registered User, Moderator, Administrator admin
    It could be pistachio raisin. Or melon sherbet with berries. You don't know.

    8i1dt37buh2m.png
  • RatherDashing89RatherDashing89 Registered User regular
    edited March 2023
    Delzhand wrote: »
    It's just the variant that's unique, right? If you want the card for the mechanics there are still a conventional number of them available, I think.

    No - The One Ring is a unique card, with text all in Elven (it's probably not even playable, like the original promo Egyptian God cards in Yu-Gi-Oh.)

    en_T2CA6K33JjSe.png

    WotC is also creating LOTR themed Sol Ring variants in limited quantities, with the elven version capped at 3k, dwarven at 7k, and human at 9k.


    I don't know Black Speech, but I am pretty sure that's still essentially a variant design on this card: 0380_The_One_Ring_EN.png
    So technically it is a variant design, though it's not as if anyone is going to play the Black Speech one in a game.

    RatherDashing89 on
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    Delzhand wrote: »
    It's just the variant that's unique, right? If you want the card for the mechanics there are still a conventional number of them available, I think.

    No - The One Ring is a unique card, with text all in Elven (it's probably not even playable, like the original promo Egyptian God cards in Yu-Gi-Oh.)

    en_T2CA6K33JjSe.png

    WotC is also creating LOTR themed Sol Ring variants in limited quantities, with the elven version capped at 3k, dwarven at 7k, and human at 9k.


    I don't know Black Speech, but I am pretty sure that's still essentially a variant design on this card: 0380_The_One_Ring_EN.png
    So technically it is a variant design, though it's not as if anyone is going to play the Black Speech one in a game.

    Yeah, it's ultimately a very fancy proxy.

    Also, the set depicts Aragorn as black. This is having the expected effect in the usual dark recesses of nerd culture.

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • TastyfishTastyfish Registered User regular
    I thought you meant as in Mana, that'd be a particularly dark take on him coming back to become King. Take the throne only to then be immediately prepare to sacrifice all of your new subjects as an end game gambit - I mean it kind of checks out.

  • Emperor MegamanEmperor Megaman Registered User regular
    One of the big collectors in the MTG space has a $100k bounty on The One Ring.
    Djiem wrote: »
    Who will have the willpower needed to toss the card in their fireplace (which they named Mt.Doom) to rid the world of that evil once and for all?

    Nah, to generate the proper amount of gnashing of teeth, you have to commit to the bit. Fly to Iceland, hike up a volcano, and toss it in. All while streaming.

    I would find it awesome if there was a lad or lass mad enough to do this.
    I don't particularly want this card destroyed or anything, but you know just to take the whole thing to it's weirdest conclusion.
    have a person of humble origin get the card, amass a band of trusty companions travels, and climb a Volcano to destroy it.

  • Anon von ZilchAnon von Zilch Registered User regular
    Also, the set depicts Aragorn as black. This is having the expected effect in the usual dark recesses of nerd culture.

    I can almost taste their tears, nyum-nyum.

  • RatherDashing89RatherDashing89 Registered User regular
    Delzhand wrote: »
    It's just the variant that's unique, right? If you want the card for the mechanics there are still a conventional number of them available, I think.

    No - The One Ring is a unique card, with text all in Elven (it's probably not even playable, like the original promo Egyptian God cards in Yu-Gi-Oh.)

    en_T2CA6K33JjSe.png

    WotC is also creating LOTR themed Sol Ring variants in limited quantities, with the elven version capped at 3k, dwarven at 7k, and human at 9k.


    I don't know Black Speech, but I am pretty sure that's still essentially a variant design on this card: 0380_The_One_Ring_EN.png
    So technically it is a variant design, though it's not as if anyone is going to play the Black Speech one in a game.

    Yeah, it's ultimately a very fancy proxy.

    Also, the set depicts Aragorn as black. This is having the expected effect in the usual dark recesses of nerd culture.

    I'm curious if this is new art made for this set, or preexisting art.

  • LttlefootLttlefoot Registered User regular
    If you think black aragorn is the first thing like that they've done, you haven't been paying attention for the last twelve years

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    You're right, I haven't

    What else have they done?

    [Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
  • DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    You're right, I haven't

    What else have they done?

    Black Lotus

  • Golden YakGolden Yak Burnished Bovine The sunny beaches of CanadaRegistered User regular
    Also, the set depicts Aragorn as black. This is having the expected effect in the usual dark recesses of nerd culture.

    Whereas my reaction to this sort of thing is more like this:

    https://youtu.be/2xa0Llxpjgg?t=5

    Which I think is at least a little better.

    H9f4bVe.png
  • DrascinDrascin Registered User regular
    ironzerg wrote: »
    To be fair, you don't get gollums. You get A gollum.

    Also, what are the chances of some kid ripping open this pack, and having no idea what it is?

    I have young kids, and for all I know any number of these pokemon or bakugan or digmon or whatever cards that I'm throwing out while I clean out under their computers, do their laundry, vacuum the minivan, or step on while walking in their rooms could be worth lots of money.

    I can just as easily see this thing going in the trash after being used to pick up a smash cockroach.

    It's going to be put inside of Collector's boosters, iirc, so at least that's a reduced chance of that, since generally if you're buying Collector's boosters it's because you know at least a bit about mtg, at least enough to google why did you get a weird card written in symbols if nothing else.

    Steam ID: Right here.
  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    Djiem wrote: »
    You're right, I haven't

    What else have they done?

    Black Lotus

    Bloody woke botanists

    [Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
  • This content has been removed.

  • LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    I'm anti-crossover. I hate that WotC is mixing MtG with LotR.

    None of these cards should be tournament legal, because none of them belong in the MtG universe.

  • DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    Lucascraft wrote: »
    I'm anti-crossover. I hate that WotC is mixing MtG with LotR.

    None of these cards should be tournament legal, because none of them belong in the MtG universe.

    Boy, you must hate Smash Brothers.

  • LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    Nope, because Smash Bros is a product that was built from the ground up to be a crossover. I'm totally cool with it.

    Like: Marvel vs Capcom, Mortal Kombat vs DC, Smash Bros, Multiversus
    (Because all of these products are designed at their very core to be crossovers)

    Dislike: When they put non-DC characters into Injustice, when MtG crosses over with LotR or anything else, the cultural smashup that Fortnite has become, One-Punch-Man in Overwatch 2
    (Because these products were created as standalone IP/universes and adding crossovers muddies the waters of what is supposed to be an in-universe product)

  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    I kinda dislike it on Mario Kart. It's not like they needed other characters so they'd have a new moveset.

  • RatherDashing89RatherDashing89 Registered User regular
    I know there's a lot of people who are really invested in the integrity of the MtG lore. I'll never understand that but far be it from me to just dismiss people who want to take the storyline seriously.

    But I don't see where crossovers really violate that, since I understand the setting to be broadly about dimension hopping anyway.

  • LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    I'm not personally super invested in the MtG lore. I've never read any of the books or anything like that. But crossovers in general just bug me. Even in products I'm not heavily invested in.

    I do dabble in MtG. Mostly in Arena these days because that's more convenient (and inexpensive) than buying cards. But just as a general principle, regardless of the universe or lore or medium, I'm just generally anti-crossover, unless the very product itself is a crossover product. Which MtG is not.

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    Lucascraft wrote: »
    Nope, because Smash Bros is a product that was built from the ground up to be a crossover. I'm totally cool with it.

    Like: Marvel vs Capcom, Mortal Kombat vs DC, Smash Bros, Multiversus
    (Because all of these products are designed at their very core to be crossovers)

    Dislike: When they put non-DC characters into Injustice, when MtG crosses over with LotR or anything else, the cultural smashup that Fortnite has become, One-Punch-Man in Overwatch 2
    (Because these products were created as standalone IP/universes and adding crossovers muddies the waters of what is supposed to be an in-universe product)

    All the blizzard skins were crossovers already. Hell a lot of holiday skins for many characters are as canon as any of the crossovers. Overwatch has always been a smashing your action figures together game in the same way that Smash Bros is, unless you think Zennyatta pals around with the woman that assassinated his brother on the reg.

    steam_sig.png
  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    I think it's mainly when it breaks the fourth wall. It points out that yeah, all this stuff is just make-believe and haha, look, we're just going to openly admit it.

    Smash Brothers - as far as I am aware - doesn't even try to bother with any sort of lore. They started out showing them as pre-existing toys, but they dropped that pretty quickly and have zero story, AFAIK.

    I feel like analogy doesn't work as well with Overwatch, since all these are characters created specifically for this game. They don't really exist outside it in anything other than Rule 34. So bringing in something from "the real world" does jar a bit, if you've tried to see it as a real world full of real people.

  • GrendusGrendus Registered User regular
    Yeah, I'm kind of with the anti-crossover people here. It works if the crossover is explicitly not-canon, or if the canon is specifically multiverse in nature to explain the crossovers, but even then I have zero enthusiasm for it. The Witcher crossover in Monster Hunter World, for example, was just weird to me - if I wanted to hunt Nekkers I'd play The Witcher again, I loaded up MHW to hunt monsters based on Japanese folklore, not Polish.

    Ironically, AFAICT MtG actually is a crossover canon, with the Planeswalkers moving between universes, so it's not really out of the question they could travel through Middle Earth. I just think it's weird after such a long time of MtG having its own canon and using the Planeswalkers to explain the juxtaposition of high fantasy with sci-fi that they're now starting to do runs with other IPs.

  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    edited March 2023
    It may not be out of MtG's canon, but it's out of Middle Earth's canon. I think that's the issue. Canon by definition is "what belongs in the world". MtG does not belong in Middle Earth. The canon mismatch is jarring.

    It's like Spider-Man visiting Middle Earth. I mean, multiverses are a well-known part of Marvel Comics, after all. But... no.

    (And yes, comics have done some very stupid bullshit. So I wouldn't even put this past them.)

    dennis on
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited March 2023
    I don't think Shelob would have been invested in Mile's emotional growth like the other Spider-Peoples.

    MichaelLC on
  • Emperor MegamanEmperor Megaman Registered User regular
    I personally don't necessarily mind crossover when
    1) As noted by several people here, it's a crossover to begin with (Marvel VS Capcom, project x Zone, Jump ultimate Star ).
    2) On the other hand of the spectrum it is so obviously not canon and just a little bonus thrown in for the players . Like having one non-naruto guest character in a Naruto fighting game who is not integrated in the plot or anything. Even then, I'll prefer if the character in question make sense thematically or visually. Kratos in a Simpson game would be stupid.

    It kinda bugs me when it messes with the game's universe, like making a character from a other franchise Canon to your franchise's world. (when the franchises weren't already part of the same world to begin with).
    I can accept it easily in shows set in a "Real world" kind of setting. Like two police procedural shows having a crossover.

    I'm kinda apathetic to stuff like Fortnite throwing skins of anything existing, since it just doesn't feel like anything special like a "real" crossover.

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