D&D 5E Best Name For A “Leader” Class?

[ccooke]

There's some people outside by names of Kirk, Picard and Janeway who would like a word.

I'll hold your beer.

I think the point there is that Captain is a low rank in military hierarchies. Consider that of the three people you mention, the only one who was not frequently having to deal with the mess made by higher-ranking officers was due to being beyond their ability to conveniently convey those orders to her...

In some rank systems, Captain is even a role - that is, there is no rank called Captain, but the officer in charge of a vessel is referred to as the Captain. Which is interesting, in the context of this thread

 

[Wiseblood]

It may sound a bit prestigious - associations with doctors and medical dramas and EMTs and the like, I suppose.

I misread that as pretentious. I was like “c’mon they heal miraculously.” What more do you need? Then I read it again and facepalm.

 

[Wiseblood]

I think the point there is that Captain is a low rank in military hierarchies. Consider that of the three people you mention, the only one who was not frequently having to deal with the mess made by higher-ranking officers was due to being beyond their ability to conveniently convey those orders to her...

In some rank systems, Captain is even a role - that is, there is no rank called Captain, but the officer in charge of a vessel is referred to as the Captain. Which is interesting, in the context of this thread

In charge, would imply, someone of authority.

 

[Hurin70]

Warlord is fine with me. As other posters have noted, Thief, Rogue, Sorcerer and Warlock (I would probably add Barbarian too!) also have negative connotations, but for some reason those names don't get criticized as much.

Marshal is alright, but has feudal connotations (it arose as one of the household officers of a king), which don't work for every setting.

Captain is pretty good too, but as others have noted, it can be confused with naval captains, and seems to imply rank rather than role. Note though that captain in the medieval sense of the term did not imply a low-level officer; it implied a general. This is the sense for example in which Tolkien used it: Glorfindel is one of King Turgon's 'captains', meaning one of his generals.

I never liked the term 'Leader' as applied to the 4e role, because 'Healer' seemed to fit better -- all the 'Leaders' had healing as a defining feature. Healing was the one integral feature of the role, even if the Warlord also did other things.

 

[Wiseblood]

How about Accomplice?
Strategist?
Tactician?

 

[ccooke]

In charge, would imply, someone of authority.

Yes. A Captain has small-a authority. The people above them tend to have what ranges from large-A Authority to AUTHORITY, in all-caps and everything.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

There's some people outside by names of Kirk, Picard and Janeway who would like a word.

I'll hold your beer.

As the quoted sentence concluded: "... (outside of a naval context)." I consider Starfleet the Federation's navy, but perhaps we need to be explicit that the statement did not apply to a ship's captain whatever type of ship it may be.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

As the quoted sentence concluded: "... (outside of a naval context)." I consider Starfleet the Federation's navy, but perhaps we need to be explicit that the statement did not apply to a ship's captain whatever type of ship it may be.

Also the sentence said “often”, which precludes any relevance of a “XYZ would like a word” reply.

 

[Lanefan]

Also the sentence said “often”, which precludes any relevance of a “XYZ would like a word” reply.

Both of you are either forgetting or intentionally ignoring that most people's interaction with the concept of what a Captain is comes either from things naval - everything from Hornblower to the Love Boat to actual boating/naval experience - or sci fi (mostly Trek).

Why is this relevant? Because in both of those very commonly-known situations, while the Captain may be taking orders from someone else, that someone else is almost always somewhere else: the Captain is in complete command of everything and everyone in his-her immediate vicinity.

In context of a D&D party, calling someone a Captain would thus very strongly suggest that person's in charge of the party in the field; and somehow I don't think that's gonna fly.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Both of you are either forgetting or intentionally ignoring that most people's interaction with the concept of what a Captain is comes either from things naval - everything from Hornblower to the Love Boat to actual boating/naval experience - or sci fi (mostly Trek).

Why is this relevant? Because in both of those very commonly-known situations, while the Captain may be taking orders from someone else, that someone else is almost always somewhere else: the Captain is in complete command of everything and everyone in his-her immediate vicinity.

In context of a D&D party, calling someone a Captain would thus very strongly suggest that person's in charge of the party in the field; and somehow I don't think that's gonna fly.

Nope. Only people who way overthink this stuff would infer that the Captain is supposed to be the boss of everyone else.