D&D General Rethinking the class name "Druid".

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

UPDATE: I don't like the name. I increasingly feel like it's simply the wrong fit for my vision of generic fantasy: no matter how many contexts it gets used in I don't feel like I can separate the name from its original context.

So I'm trying to think of alternatives. So far I've come up with "greenpriest" and "wildpriest".

(original post that was confusing: )

Spoiler

I'm not sure "druid" needs a rethink. I'm also not sure it doesn't, as I'm not a person who get affected either way.

But I increasingly feel like it's simply the wrong fit for my vision of generic fantasy: no matter how many contexts it gets used in I don't feel like I can separate the name from its original, historical context.

So I'm trying to think of alternatives. So far I've come up with "greenpriest" and "wildpriest".

(I probably do not want to use the word "shaman" as I'm worried that also has some real world connections I don't want to exploit.)

 

[DEFCON 1]

In Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved, he called his druidic-like class the 'Greenbond'.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Real world druidism was made up by the Victorians, so I don't see any reason to worry about offending people if that is what the OP is on about. All the real druids are long dead.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

...so I don't see any reason to worry about offending people if that is what the OP is on about.

That would really be more of a side benefit (if needed): I really do feel out-of-context reading the name these days, offensive to someone or not.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Really? Because in my experience, most people's understanding of druid originates with D&D*. The eisteddfod is just a bit of fun, not an actual religion.

*possibly indirectly, via computer games.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

Really?

My introduction to druids was Asterix.

I'm not offended. I'm not offended for someone. I'm getting that nerd reaction where I read something that doesn't fit my concept of generic fantasy, even D&D generic fantasy, and can't get over it. Mentions of possible offense are down to my OCPD.

 

[Retreater]

In a couple of my campaigns I've renamed druids as "green wizards" or "blue wizards" sort of as a nod to Tolkien.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

In a couple of my campaigns I've renamed druids as "green wizards" or "blue wizards" sort of as a nod to Tolkien.

Wouldn't that make them "brown wizards"?

 

[payn]

Boy im not signing on to this, but if it has to change can it be something more interesting? I mean Paizo just ditched phylactery for soul cage. It would be nice to move away from these simple literal references that have been replacing things.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

For the fantasy heartbreaker I want to write Someday™, I settled on Greenseer for Druid and Incantor for Bard. Not because I thought they were offensive, but because they have unnecessary cultural baggage.