D&D terminology pet peeves

[seankreynolds]

Actually, come to think of it, I almost have this as an anti-pet peeve ... it annoys me when people get all hyper-spazzed about someone using a term in its English-language sense. For instance, I just shake my head when people insist that you can't "enchant" a weapon, or that a weapon can't be "enchanted." This often from the same hyper-technical people have no problem with seven different official D&D meanings for the word "level."

And as I point out in my rant on that subject, it doesn't matter if you're using it in casual conversation, but when you're using game text it makes a difference and you should be a little more strict.

"This necklace gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus against enchantments" means one thing.
"This necklace gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus against spells" is an entirely different thing.

 

[diaglo]

And as I point out in my rant on that subject, it doesn't matter if you're using it in casual conversation, but when you're using game text it makes a difference and you should be a little more strict.

"This necklace gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus against enchantments" means one thing.
"This necklace gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus against spells" is an entirely different thing.

just like the old text concerning elves and the effects of magic like sleep and charm.

vs.

elves actually sleeping. or being seduced.

 

[shilsen]

Not a pet peeve, but one of the funniest ones I remember:

I wasn't DMing and the current DM, whose verbal skills left a lot to be desired, tells us, "You see a large armored figure wielding a sith as he approaches."

Other players: Huh?

Me: *cracking up* Oh my god! He's wielding Darth Maul!

Other players: *crack up in turn*

DM: *confused* What's going on?

Me: It's "scythe", not "sith"

DM: *sputters while we roll around*

 

[Quasqueton]

Getting XP for "overcoming challenges" does not mean you only get XP for "defeating monsters in combat".

Also, I hate it when someone uses "role play" to mean "use a social skill" (even if no skill roll was made). Such as, "We role played our way past the ogre guard." If a bloodthirsty and angry barbarian charges the ogre and cuts him down, he "role played his way past the guard" just as legitimately.

Quasqueton

 

[MonkeyDragon]

System wise, I hate the fact that my character cannot charge boldy at mine enemies without me saying that no, I'm not charging, I just run up to the thing and thwacketh him.

I also hate Skim-tar. One guy in my group says it that way. But what really makes me have to forcibly restrain myself is when he pronounces lycanthrope as LICK-em-thrope.

My own silliness? I can't say brazier. It always comes out sounding like brassiere.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

And as I point out in my rant on that subject, it doesn't matter if you're using it in casual conversation, but when you're using game text it makes a difference and you should be a little more strict.

"This necklace gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus against enchantments" means one thing.
"This necklace gives the wearer a +1 resistance bonus against spells" is an entirely different thing.

Actually, I mostly agree with that. (Although I do think talking OOC about "enchanting a sword" (as opposed to, I guess, "enhancing a sword") is completely valid. Context makes the meaning crystal clear.) My "anti-peeve" was more along the lines of, and this is just an example, someone telling me my character shouldn't talk about an "enchanted sword."

 

[Gez]

Gez, how is "guisarme" pronounced? I've always said, "gee-sarm" or "gi-sarm" (don't know how to write pronunciations). I had a former Player who said, "gee-sarm-ay" or "gi-sarm-ay".

In French? It would be, "ghee zarm" (don't know either, especially in English, ghoti and all that). So if by "gee or gi" you didn't meant "jee or ji", then you were right enough.

Trailing -e in French words are always "mute", except when they have an accent, like in café (cafay). (They may be used to "break" diphtongs, "cousin" is not pronounced like "cousine" is.) And 'a', when not in a diphtong themselves (an ai au) are always pronounced like in "father." And like in (most of) English, a 's' between two vowels is pronounced like a z. And 'u' between a 'g' and an 'e' or an 'i' are used to prevent the soft 'g' pronounciation there would be otherwise (like in guilty, which is pronounced ghilty).

 

[diaglo]

In French?

it would by pronounced. Gay. not Jizz.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Knew a guy who said "skimitar", "puhlidian (paladin), and "kaybald" (kobold). And those were just the simple ones. We finally got to the point we'd shout the correct pronunciations to words at him in unison during gaming sessions.

 

[MerakSpielman]

it would by pronounced. Gay. not Jizz.

I never pronouced Gez either of those ways, though he should change his username to the later on Nothingland.