Consistent parts of speech

[occam]

I just realized something I like about 4e: All the skill names are nouns!

OK, OK, for anyone who isn't a bit of a grammar freak this will have about the same importance as the length of a typical 4e gnome's ear hair, but it's something that's always bugged me in many different game systems. For example, 3e uses a mix of verbs (Appraise, Decipher Script, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Use Rope, etc.) and nouns (Concentration, Forgery, Knowledge, Profession, etc.). Then there's the oddly-named Escape Artist, which describes not the skill, but the skill-user.

I just like the fact that apparently there's at least one person at WotC who's as much of a nut about this as I am, and made the skill names consistent. And with only one gerund (Dungeoneering) among them! It warms the cockles of my left frontal cortex.

Now let's see how they do with feats. ;-)

 

[Xethreau]

The designers came to the realization that skills are things and not just a single action?

 

[PeelSeel2]

Wow;

 

[Rex Blunder]

I thought one of the skill names was Streetwise.

 

[Benimoto]

I thought one of the skill names was Streetwise.

Oooh, ouch, it is. And the books have gone to print already. We need someone to yell "stop the presses!"

 

[am181d]

Also, aren't "Bluff" and "Intimidate" still skills?

 

[Kwalish Kid]

I just like the fact that apparently there's at least one person at WotC who's as much of a nut about this as I am, and made the skill names consistent. And with only one gerund (Dungeoneering) among them! It warms the cockles of my left frontal cortex.

Will you be just as impressed if they include noun clauses, too?

"How Thor threw the hammer"
"What Bigby cast"

 

[Dausuul]

Also, aren't "Bluff" and "Intimidate" still skills?

"Bluff" is a noun as well as a verb.

"Intimidate," not so much.

 

[Baka no Hentai]

DM Morton is the subject of my sentence... and what the predicate says, he does.

 

[Richards]

Interesting...but more importantly, what have you heard about the length of a typical 4e gnome's ear hair? I hope they didn't go overboard here, or it will really ruin the 4E experience for me. Too much ear hair really destroys the feeling of verisimilitude for me.

Johnathan