There is an artifact, but that's reserved for the deity - #74103158 added by techketzer at Advice

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(11/18/2012) [-]

I've got a problem, guys.
I'm writing a story, and there's this one character I can't properly fit in.
Evil mage, a walking tank and human flamethrower, hellbent on awakening an ancient evil deity, yadda yadda yadda, all that jazz.

Basically, how do I kill off a character that outclasses his enemies by orders of magnitude?

I need him to die to conclude the story, but can't find a believable way that fucking behemoth gets killed after everything he's survived at that point.
And I don't think fatigue would do him justice, also it would cheapen the victory of his enemies. That's another point, I need it to be a hard-earned, high-stakes victory and not some lucky accident.

Goddamnit, I've written myself into a corner, it seems.
Halp me, guise, will ya?

#38066 to #37947 - HURLEYSURFERDUDE

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Try this mage to maybe self sacrifice. Maybe if hes in a group he grows fond of them and during a battle where its either he dies in glorious battle to save his companions and joins his deity in eternal glory or everyone but him dies.

Only way I can see it justified

#38069 to #38066 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Good idea, but it would make not a lick of sense in context.
There's nothing stopping him from just walking up, killing Mr. MacGuffin stone-dead and that way securing victory for himself.

That's exactly my problem. I need him defeated and killed when there is nothing to stop him. I fucked up.

#38093 to #38069 - HURLEYSURFERDUDE

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(11/19/2012) [-]

When all else fails.... Unstoppable lava-puking sword-swinging Cockmonster...

Or have him meet another extremely hard to beat foe. Maybe somebody he met in his past? Something so powerfull even he has difficulty fighting it. Then maybe they kill eachother?

#38055 to #37947 - blnelms **User deleted account**

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has deleted their comment [-]

#38070 to #38055 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

No such thing.

#38053 to #37947 - faithrider

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(11/19/2012) [-]

what if a character earlier in the story who refused to help comes in to help giveing them just enough of an upperhand to beat the guy. (I.E. Han Solo showing up late for the party) just an example, not really what i had in mind but something along those lines

#38067 to #38053 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

That could work. I'll keep that in mind.
Thank you, kind stranger!

#38089 to #38067 - faithrider

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(11/19/2012) [-]

no problem. i have an abhorrence for writing/english but i am very good at it. i think my abhorrence is rooted in the fact that all through school you never write anything creative. it always ends up being an essay or assignment. i do a lot better and enjoy more the creative writing type stuff. i was trying to think of something that hasn't been done as often. when i thought about it the only example i could think of was Han solo so i thought it'd work...

#38036 to #37947 - davisdamen

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(11/19/2012) [-]

quick question:
is the evil mage the protagonist? (not necessary except to answer my curiosity)

if you give me some of his most common or most powerful abilities, some of his accomplishments, maybe a bit of a bio, his enemies abilities, any key traits of his enemies (ex: they are extremely determined, they can take a great amount of damage), then give me a few hours (possibly a night) to daydream and i might be able to come up with a couple of possibilities

might want to message these to me if you don't want too many details made public

#38023 to #37947 - churrundo

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(11/19/2012) [-]

what if you try referencing The Godfather by killing him in a simple way? like Don Corleone, who after getting shot all those times he dies peacefully of a heart attack while playing with his grandson

#38068 to #38023 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

You just spoilered The Godfather for me.

RAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGER AGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGER AGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGER AGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGER AGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGE

#37956 to #37947 - tropius

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(11/18/2012) [-]

Main character finds some hidden secret about the mage guy, finds weakness, epic battle, boom mage guy dead.

#37963 to #37956 - techketzer

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(11/18/2012) [-]

Mage guy is one of the main characters.
I need the antagonists to win and can't make it happen.

#37967 to #37963 - JustForTheLulz

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(11/18/2012) [-]

If he's a tank, speed should be one of his weak points. You can use the classic "Never trade speed for power" idea.

If he's been dominating through out the story, you could give him a tragic character flaw like arrogance. Think of Vegeta vs. Cell. Vegeta kicks the shit out of him, gets cocky and allows Cell to absorb 18, then gets his ass beat.

Maybe the deity gets summoned, kills the mage because it doesn't want to owe him anything, and the mage's enemies figure out how to reseal the deity.

Just throwing some ideas around.

#37976 to #37967 - techketzer

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(11/18/2012) [-]

Those are excellent ideas, and I can't use any of them. Each one breaks consistency somewhere in the story.

It's too easy to move himself with telekinesis for that. One of the reasons he can wear armor that heavy in the first place. Still, I'll keep this in mind.

Thing is, his opposition really has nothing left to stop him with. He himself has been critically wounded and is on a second wind rampage to kill the MacGuffin person.
I could easily let him collapse and die afterwards, but that MacGuffin needs to stay alive at all cost or it's the whole plot that collapses.

The deity does get revived later, but the tank mage must be dead by then.
Actually it's his death that indirectly leads to the resurrection a bit later. It can't be a self-sacrifice though, as he couldn't know that would happen.

Thank you very much for your input and taking the time to respond.
Maybe I can construct something.

#37966 to #37963 - tropius

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(11/18/2012) [-]

I don't know, have them find some artifact of some sort that gives them an upper hand? i.e. Flame retardant, force field, enchanted sword

#37977 to #37966 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

There is an artifact, but that's reserved for the deity or I'll have no way to get rid of that one.
Against the god it's the only way, but against the tank mage it would again cheapen the victory.

What I need is a clever, breathtaking-awesome way of killing someone you have a snowball's chance in hell against.

#37978 to #37977 - tropius

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Are the people who are trying to kill the mage guy adventurers or warriors? If so, the mage guy could do something like knock them to the ground, and they could shoot and arrow at him. It misses/he dodges, it hits something, chain reaction occurs and something hits/falls on the mage.

#37981 to #37978 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Two "regular" mages and a handful of soldiers.

Tank mage has butchered those by the dozens throughout the story and now I need a plausible reason for him to suddenly lose when he's actually at his absolute strongest for long enough to off them all.

#37982 to #37981 - tropius

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(11/19/2012) [-]

How about the deity turns on the evil mage, as he no longer needs him?

#37983 to #37982 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Tank mage must die before deity returns.
His death sets of a chain reaction.

#37985 to #37983 - tropius

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Damn, then I don't know. This seems to be a pretty in depth story.

#37987 to #37985 - techketzer

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(11/19/2012) [-]

Yes, I've elegantly maneuvered myself into a dead end street.
But I'm not dropping this story, not this one.

I've got the outline all but completed, and yes, I'll have to pay close attention to how exactly I write it or it will be very difficult to follow and most probably fail to be interesting.
The first part is supposed to be nerve-wrecking through suspense and plans slowly forming, whereas the second part will consist of the main characters moving in for all or nothing and everything happening in extremely short succession.
Then there'll be an epilogue of the surviving antagonists piecing together just what the fuck happened and what to do now.

I hope I'm not giving away too much here, but if I avoid being identified as the author, I think I'll be fine.