D&D 5E WOTC Possibly Removing "Druids" for Religious/Cultural Sensitivity Reasons

[Mannahnin]

I think Pippin and Merry are more Fighter than Rogue

The B/X & BECMI Halfling class reflects this. Halflings are basically small (restriction on big weapons, d6 HD instead of D8) lucky (improved saves) Fighters who get a bonus to AC against large creatures, a bonus to hit with missile weapons, and a hide ability which works better in natural terrain than in dungeons. They're much more Fighter-like than Thief-like. (I also sometimes note that they're the "secret Ranger" class in the Basic line).

 

[Beleriphon]

D&D absolutely does have some problem class names in the past. There's a reason we don't see the Wicca any more (Or Wokani they renamed it to), or that one variant thief that's a slur for Romani people

Shaman is absolutely on shakey ground and barbarian isn't great, but at least barbarian there's enough cultural 'eh' around it I don't see much happening there.

Given the root of the class is Conan the Barbarian, it's coming from a very different cultue.

And honest I think Shaman is fine. It's a generic term for a type of spiritual leader that can talk to, or otherwise interact with, the spirits of the natural world. Basically every human culture at some point had somebody that would fall into that category.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I love the fact that a story about a dispassionate strength rogue with a big sword (a character the game strongly discourages) is the inspiration for the angry magical girl class the barbarian has become.

 

[Dire Bare]

Given the root of the class is Conan the Barbarian, it's coming from a very different cultue.

And honest I think Shaman is fine. It's a generic term for a type of spiritual leader that can talk to, or otherwise interact with, the spirits of the natural world. Basically every human culture at some point had somebody that would fall into that category.

Conan was certainly, according to R.E. Howard, a barbarian, among many other things as well. But the word has real-world roots, of course. It was originally a slur for people who were not Roman, but that was a long time ago. Currently, it is a mild insult to call someone a barbarian. Probably not a lot of folks upset that there is a barbarian class in D&D. Still, it's a conversation worth having.

Shaman is very much a problem. The word shaman is currently used to describe religious practitioners all over the world . . . and that's the problem. It takes a diversity of religious practices and subsumes them under one word, one concept. A concept that social scientists increasingly realize creates false stereotypes. The word comes from Siberian indigenous peoples, whose concept has been appropriated in a very colonial manner by anthropologists, and then spread to fantasy literature and western New Age practices. It does not belong in the game, and I'm glad WotC has not used the term in 5E, and I'm glad they are considering junking it in the Magic card game.

 

[Remathilis]

Shaman is very much a problem. The word shaman is currently used to describe religious practitioners all over the world . . . and that's the problem. It takes a diversity of religious practices and subsumes them under one word, one concept. A concept that social scientists increasingly realize creates false stereotypes. The word comes from Siberian indigenous peoples, whose concept has been appropriated in a very colonial manner by anthropologists, and then spread to fantasy literature and western New Age practices. It does not belong in the game, and I'm glad WotC has not used the term in 5E, and I'm glad they are considering junking it in the Magic card game.

We use the word priest to describe a Shinto practitioner. We use the word cleric to describe a Muslim leader. We use the word monk to describe a Buddhist adherent. All those words have origin in the English language and Christian faith, but it's the closest English word we have to describe the concept to someone. Shaman had similar utility as a way to describe a large amount of faiths that shared similar traits. It's not perfect, but neither is Shinto priests, Muslim clerics and Buddhist monks.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

And are the templars going be banned from Dark Sun and other possible settings?

 

[Zardnaar]

I ran into one of those years ago as well. They really, really hated Cleopatra. I'm not even sure how we got on the subject, but this dude was not shy about voicing his hatred of the Ptolemy line. "Usurpers to the rightful rulers of Egypt," is what he said I think. Dude, it's been more than 2,000 years. Let it go.

I know a guy who wants Constinople back for Greece.

Last time their flag was carried into battle was the 1990s.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Throw out the Anglo-Saxons! Britannia for the Celts!!

 

[Zardnaar]

Throw out the Anglo-Saxons! Britannia for the Celts!!

Rerecolonization colonials come home.

The royals can wear their traditional clothes and dance for tourists.

Dibs on Stonehenge.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I know a guy who wants Constinople back for Greece.

Constantinople.

Last time their flag was carried into battle was the 1990s.

What happened in the 1990's?