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

[bedir than]

I don't ever recall Catholic priests communing with the spirit world,

Stares in Gnosticism (or more appropriately my memories from studying it 30 years ago)

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Its easy, really

Barbarian -> Wrathbearer
Cleric -> Channeler
Monk -> Challenger
Fighter
Ranger
Paladin -> Champion (nice change from PF2)
Druid -> Warden
Bard -> Herald
Rogue -> Strider (nice name from Dragon Dogma)
Warlock -> Mystic
Wizard
Sorcerer

 

[Reynard]

Just so I'm clear: the following names have issues:

barbarian (derogative term used to demean nonadvanced societies)
druid (specific cultural/faith)
warlock/witch (derogative to specific faith)
warlord (negative connotation)
monk (specific culture)
shaman (specific culture/faith)
samurai (specific culture)

The jury is still out on assassin, paladin, bard, cavalier and cleric.

Fighter, Sorcerer, Wizard, Ranger, Rogue seem fine.

Assassin and bard are both culturally specific, and Paladin historically so. "Sorcerer" is actually the correct word for what warlocks do.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

Has someone actually found a druid who objects to elfgames borrowing the term?

 

[Aldarc]

Not Catholic priests (or orthodox to my knowledge). I don't ever recall Catholic priests communing with the spirit world, and holistic medicine wasn't even a thing discussed.

We are talking 2000 years of history across a fairly wide variety of cultures and geographic regions. The more you read into Christian church history, particularly primary texts, the more you realize the tremendous variety of religious practices, traditions, and theologies existed within the Christian faiths across time. The lines frequently blur when you look at priests in different other faiths throughout history. The lines between a shaman and a Christian priest dealing with spirits in terms of an exorcism can likewise be a blur.

I would say that even if English speakers use "priest" for its Christian religious/spiritual leaders - whose etymology has already been discussed - the word has evolved to a fairly generalized term for religious leaders in other faith traditions. Neither the Romans nor Greeks referred to their pre-Christian priests as "priests" (or presbyteroi in Greek). Nor did the Judeans refer to their priests as "priests." They were referred to as sacerdos (Roman), hiereus (Greek), and cohen (Hebrew). Nevertheless, much as @Umbran says, really no one insists on referring to them according to their native terms. The translation into English will in most cases be "priest." This is also often the case when we look at how other languages and cultures translate "priest" according to their own terms, much as one can find "cohen" frequently translated to "hiereus" in the Greek Septuagint or even New Testament.

From what I recall from my anthropology courses, the difference between a priest and a medicine man or shaman, is that priests are found in societies stratified by class.

Much like how a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

This is why you don't design games by committee.

This doesn't matter here nor is relevant. This is honestly a dumb thread, as the news being reported has very little basis to go on.

 

[LordEntrails]

I don't know. "Dragon" is culturally insensitive to, well, everyone. Maybe we should go with "Places and Things" just to be safe.

I knew it wouldn't take long for this to show up

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

Has someone actually found a druid who objects to elfgames borrowing the term?

Just anonymous comment or two on articles about this particular situation. I don't see anyone taking up the cause on Xitter so that probably means that WOTC is safe for at least give years.

I did see some criticism years ago about the the inclusion of the Egyptian pantheon being culturally appropriative of PoC even though I think that is the only ancient religion included in the DMG that doesn't have an associated contemporary neopagan movement. Even the hotepiest of hotep brothers seem to embrace some form of Islam as the basis for their religious practice.

 

[Tonguez]

Its easy, really
Rogue -> Strider (nice name from Dragon Dogma)

i’d be down with all rogues being Strider

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

i’d be down with all rogues being Strider

View attachment 306002

Like: Cunning, fleet-of-foot, always at the right place at the right time, yet never where you want them to be. Strider.