D&D 5E Live Dungeons & Dragons Q&A Friday, June 6 Question Thread

[Mistwell]

Actually no, in that context it's the verb "to staff", not the plural of the noun "staff". And it's OK there. And yes, I know you know that, and I know you're joking. Yet I still feel compelled to explain it to you in a mildly patronising manner.

What can I say? Internet. It breaks us.

That's OK, it's cathartic.

 

[Dausuul]

I like staves. It fits the symmetry.

An elf with a staff fought a dwarf on a wolf.

Some elves with staves fought dwarves on wolves.

Some elfs with staffs fought dwarfs on wolfs.

Elfses with staffses fought dwarfses on wolfses, precious!

 

[tuxgeo]

Maybe, I know I speak very badly and I'm not familiar with all of the accents, though according to me the only difference is in a single swap from voiced form voiceless that is bound to be indistinguishable when speaking at a normal or fast pace. Both should be one syllable words... Or maybe the difference in the main vowel between accents makes too much of a difference...

"Staves" rhymes with "braves." [Pronunciation: "brayvz."]

 

[dd.stevenson]

Actually no, in that context it's the verb "to staff", not the plural of the noun "staff". And it's OK there. And yes, I know you know that, and I know you're joking. Yet I still feel compelled to explain it to you in a mildly patronising manner.

What can I say? Internet. It breaks us.

You must spread some Experience Points around before giving it to Morrus again.

 

[Li Shenron]

Did anybody else get a hunch of "sandbox love" in Mearls' words about balancing encounters being just one option?

 

[Ruzak]

Did anybody else get a hunch of "sandbox love" in Mearls' words about balancing encounters being just one option?

Please don't derail this language thread with talk of D&D.

Back on topic, I find myself preferring British spellings, as they look more archaic to my American eye.

(Yes, that part sounded all nice and sandy to me also.)

 

[Thaumaturge]

No, it doesn't work like that. Language ain't a monolithic thingy. As long as it sound right for some people it is right -for those people at least.

Descriptivist linguistics is a cop out meant to appease people who can't learn basic grammar rules. Prescriptivism is the One True Way.

Thaumaturge.

/gently place mic on the ground.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Back on topic, I find myself preferring British spellings, as they look more archaic to my American eye.

I find this generally true of my fantasy. I want "grey" not "gray", "staves" not "staffs", and and I want my precious irregular verb past tenses while I'm at it.

"The grey elf leapt over the swinging staves" works better for me than "the gray elf leaped over the swinging staffs" (ugh).

Thaumaturge.

 

[Morrus]

Back on topic, I find myself preferring British spellings, as they look more archaic to my American eye.

And yet you're several hours behind us!

 

[Ruzak]

I do remember reading the AD&D DMG as a kid and wondering what a stave was.