demihuman

[Nathal]

Has the word demihuman fallen into disuse? I don't see it used in the 3.5 books...it just now struck me. Am I wrong?

 

[Nightfall]

Most people perfer the term "humaniod". Keeps thing relatively simple in those minds.

 

[Nathal]

Most people prefer the term "humanoid". Keeps thing relatively simple in those minds.

Okay, but I'm surprised. "Humanoid" was a term that usually referred to goblins and their ilk in 2nd Edition. Demihuman vs. humanoid was a useful distinction, it seemed to me. I ask because if I'm writing an article or something for D20 I don't want to use any antiquated terms, even if "old school" gamers are familiar with them.

 

[Silveras]

Okay, but I'm surprised. "Humanoid" was a term that usually referred to goblins and their ilk in 2nd Edition. Demihuman vs. humanoid was a useful distinction, it seemed to me. I ask because if I'm writing an article or something for D20 I don't want to use any antiquated terms, even if "old school" gamers are familiar with them.

To put it into perspective, one of the things 3rd Edition did was to tighten up the uses of terminology. "Humanoid" is now a specific type of monster with specific parameters, of which each race (Elf, Dwarf, Human, etc.) is a sub-type. This standardization is generally a good thing, but it does occasionally cause some confusion during the cross-over process.

 

[Nathal]

To put it into perspective, one of the things 3rd Edition did was to tighten up the uses of terminology. "Humanoid" is now a specific type of monster with specific parameters, of which each race (Elf, Dwarf, Human, etc.) is a sub-type. This standardization is generally a good thing, but it does occasionally cause some confusion during the cross-over process.

Damn, it only took 4 years for the lack of the term "demihuman" to sink in to my brain. Old habits die hard, no?

 

[Nightfall]

Hey I'm still trying to convince myself that using Daemons as a term is accept and not Loths. But in any case I don't mind the lose of demi-humans. It never made THAT much sense to me. Humaniods seems more encompassing overall.

 

[Liolel]

Wait a second are you saying that the term demihumans is no longer used. I never noticed, it was one of those small touches that added flavor.

I've never noticed that it was gone and probably will continue to use it in its absence.

 

[Nathal]

Wait a second are you saying that the term demihumans is no longer used. I never noticed, it was one of those small touches that added flavor.

I've never noticed that it was gone and probably will continue to use it in its absence.

Right, demihuman is gone as a term. I looked it up in the monster manual and sure enough, elves and dwarves were lumped in with bugbears, hobgoblins, and lizardfolk. There is still the subtype of goblinoid, which includes bugbears and hobgoblins, etc, but there is no subtype "demihuman". Maybe the elves and dwarves were complaining that the term was racist.

 

[Nathal]

Hey I'm still trying to convince myself that using Daemons as a term is accept and not Loths. But in any case I don't mind the lose of demi-humans. It never made THAT much sense to me. Humaniods seems more encompassing overall.

But Daemons are still different than demons, the former type belonging to people like Socrates.

I agree I don't miss the Tanar'ri and Baatezu. Although the words fit fine in a Planescape game, I didn't like the reasons beyond the change. TSR was too chicken to just call them demons and devils.

 

[Gez]

The term itself didn't make much sense. Demihuman? Did that mean they were akin to demigods? Or to demiliches?

Humanoid means "similar to a human". Elves, dwarves, halflings and gnomes are much more humanoids than, say, bugbears or troglodytes.