Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad
The Dictionary of Terminology
By trollbill, as originally published on the Wizards of the Coast Board, with additions by Zombiegleemax
For the benefit of newcomers to this message board, I have compiled a list of commonly used terms found here. If you have any suggestions, or have an addition you think should be made, please let me know. Criteria for additions to the Dictionary of Terminology are included at the end of this post.
TROLLBILL’S UNOFFICIAL DICTIONARY OF COMMON D&D MESSAGE BOARD TERMINOLOGY, (Ver. ?)
Disclaimer: Definitions used in this list are based on their common usage on this message board and thus may vary in meaning from other boards, sites or even common dictionary usage. Definitions on this post do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WotC, its employees, associates, immediate family members or household pets.
SECTION I - TERMS
A.
All your base are belong to us! (expression): Phrase meaning, “You have no hope of defeating us(me).” Etymology: Computer gaming, refers to a line from a poorly translated computer game that is frequently quoted by computer gamers as a declaration of their gaming interest.
B.
Bag-o-Rats Fighter (expression): A fighter who carries a bag of rats, dumps the bag when entering melee, makes a whirlwind attack against each rat, then uses the great cleave feat to gain an extra attack against his opponent for each rat he kills; often used as a prime example of how the 3E rules can be abused.
Base (verb): 1. To, in a miniatures gaming context, move one miniature adjacent to another. 2. To, in a miniatures painting context, modify the base of a miniature.
Beer & Pretzel Gaming (expression): Refers to gaming in a casual, laid-back style.
Beater (noun): See Beatstick.
Beatstick (noun): Character or creature whose primary combat role is to inflict large amounts of melee damage; also known as a Beater.
Bent (adjective): Refers to a class, feat, skill, race, spell or otherwise specific game rule that the user of the term considers somewhat unbalanced.
Big Bad Evil Guy [BBEG] (term): An arch-villain, -nemesis, or -foil used by the DM, often in a recurring role, as the climax to an adventure, story arc or campaign. Etymology: D & D Message Boards, term first used in the thread Honesty vs. Story.
Broken (adjective): Refers to a class, feat, skill, race, spell or otherwise specific game rule that the user of the term considers very unbalanced.
Bump (verb): To reply to a post for the express purpose of moving that post to the top of the queue or forum.
C.
Canon (adjective): Any mythology presented in rules, movies, books or other material that is officially recognized as part of the mythology of that setting. Etymology: Religion, refers to a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council.
Castle of Fun [CoF] (noun): A recurring D&D message board thread, now given its own channel, that is dedicated to light-hearted, online, role-playing; also known as the Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Corporation.
Chainmail Bikini (noun): Flexible armor, usually of decorative use only, consisting of interlinked metal rings that are shaped in the form of a bikini; and commonly cited as the archetype of sexism in a male biased gaming community.
Cheese (noun): 1. (considered derogatory) Character, spell, feat or other game element or combination of games elements considered to be overpowered for its cost. 2. Tactic, build-combination or other use of rules elements that violates the spirit of the rules without violating the technical wording. Etymology: English slang, taken from the term cheesy, meaning shabby or cheap.
Cheese (verb): (considered derogatory) To make use of a cheap (cheesy) game element or tactic.
Cheese Monkey (noun): (considered derogatory) Player or GM who excessively makes use of cheap (cheesy) game elements or tactics.
Cleric on a Stick (noun): Wand of cure wounds used as a substitute for a cleric or other proper healer; also known as a Happy Stick.
Crunchy (adjective): Euphemism referring to a published material or portion of a published material that contains game mechanics, see also Fluffy. Etymology: Gaming industry, term made popular by Sean K. Reynold’s euphemistic essay on the gaming industry entitled, Forgotten Rums.
D.
d20 (noun),1: RPG system published by WotC under an open gaming license, using D&D as it’s flagship product. 2: A 20-sided die.
Dread Gazebo (noun): See Tale of Eric and the Dread Gazebo.
Drizzt Do’Urden (fictional name): Famous, often emulated, two scimitar wielding, good-aligned, drow ranger from the Forgotten Realms.
Drizzt Clone (noun): A much overused character concept that is modeled after Drizzt Do’Urden.
Dungeon Master [DM] (noun): A Dungeons & Dragons specific term for a Game Master.
Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Corporation [DDVC] (noun): See Castle of Fun.
E.
Elminster (fictional name): Archetypal arch mage, meddler and font of wisdom from the Forgotten Realms; analogous to Tolkein’s Gandalf, or Merlin, from Arthurian legend.
F.
Fanboy (noun): (often considered derogatory) In gaming, sci-fi or fantasy circles, a serious, often overly obsessed fan of a game, author, designer, series, or other genre element.
Feats should be nice, not required [FSBNNR] (expression): Phrase used to express the belief that 3E psionics needs to be re-vamped rather than patched with feats that fix weaknesses.
Flame (verb): To reply to a post in a highly critical, derogatory and/or inflammatory manner.
Flame War (noun): A thread that has degenerated into mostly pointless flames and counter-flames; sometimes also flamefest.
Flame Warrior (noun): A participant in a flame war.
Flamefest (noun): See Flame War.
Flood (verb), 1: To overwhelm a network channel with mechanically-generated traffic. 2: To inundate a thread by posting repeatedly over a short period of time.
Flood Control (noun): Software designed to prevent network channel flooding.
Fluffy (adjective): Euphemism referring to a published material or portion of a published material that contains flavor text, see also Crunchy. Etymology: Gaming industry, term made popular by Sean K. Reynold’s euphemistic essay on the gaming industry entitled, Forgotten Rums.
Fnord (noun): 1. Meaningless word used as a placeholder name or a random member of a class of things under discussion. 2. Meaningless word used to distract, confuse or otherwise misdirect the reader from the subject at hand. Etymology: American literature, term first popularized by The Illuminatius! Trilogy of books by Robert Shea and Rober Anton Wilson.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ] (noun): A compilation of commonly asked questions related to the topic at hand, combined with their respective answers to create a customer or user support reference.
Front Loaded (adjective): Refers to a class, spell, ability or other graduated rule whose benefit(s) at it’s initial stages are greater than those of later on.
G.
Game Master
By trollbill, as originally published on the Wizards of the Coast Board, with additions by Zombiegleemax
For the benefit of newcomers to this message board, I have compiled a list of commonly used terms found here. If you have any suggestions, or have an addition you think should be made, please let me know. Criteria for additions to the Dictionary of Terminology are included at the end of this post.
TROLLBILL’S UNOFFICIAL DICTIONARY OF COMMON D&D MESSAGE BOARD TERMINOLOGY, (Ver. ?)
Disclaimer: Definitions used in this list are based on their common usage on this message board and thus may vary in meaning from other boards, sites or even common dictionary usage. Definitions on this post do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WotC, its employees, associates, immediate family members or household pets.
SECTION I - TERMS
A.
All your base are belong to us! (expression): Phrase meaning, “You have no hope of defeating us(me).” Etymology: Computer gaming, refers to a line from a poorly translated computer game that is frequently quoted by computer gamers as a declaration of their gaming interest.
B.
Bag-o-Rats Fighter (expression): A fighter who carries a bag of rats, dumps the bag when entering melee, makes a whirlwind attack against each rat, then uses the great cleave feat to gain an extra attack against his opponent for each rat he kills; often used as a prime example of how the 3E rules can be abused.
Base (verb): 1. To, in a miniatures gaming context, move one miniature adjacent to another. 2. To, in a miniatures painting context, modify the base of a miniature.
Beer & Pretzel Gaming (expression): Refers to gaming in a casual, laid-back style.
Beater (noun): See Beatstick.
Beatstick (noun): Character or creature whose primary combat role is to inflict large amounts of melee damage; also known as a Beater.
Bent (adjective): Refers to a class, feat, skill, race, spell or otherwise specific game rule that the user of the term considers somewhat unbalanced.
Big Bad Evil Guy [BBEG] (term): An arch-villain, -nemesis, or -foil used by the DM, often in a recurring role, as the climax to an adventure, story arc or campaign. Etymology: D & D Message Boards, term first used in the thread Honesty vs. Story.
Broken (adjective): Refers to a class, feat, skill, race, spell or otherwise specific game rule that the user of the term considers very unbalanced.
Bump (verb): To reply to a post for the express purpose of moving that post to the top of the queue or forum.
C.
Canon (adjective): Any mythology presented in rules, movies, books or other material that is officially recognized as part of the mythology of that setting. Etymology: Religion, refers to a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council.
Castle of Fun [CoF] (noun): A recurring D&D message board thread, now given its own channel, that is dedicated to light-hearted, online, role-playing; also known as the Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Corporation.
Chainmail Bikini (noun): Flexible armor, usually of decorative use only, consisting of interlinked metal rings that are shaped in the form of a bikini; and commonly cited as the archetype of sexism in a male biased gaming community.
Cheese (noun): 1. (considered derogatory) Character, spell, feat or other game element or combination of games elements considered to be overpowered for its cost. 2. Tactic, build-combination or other use of rules elements that violates the spirit of the rules without violating the technical wording. Etymology: English slang, taken from the term cheesy, meaning shabby or cheap.
Cheese (verb): (considered derogatory) To make use of a cheap (cheesy) game element or tactic.
Cheese Monkey (noun): (considered derogatory) Player or GM who excessively makes use of cheap (cheesy) game elements or tactics.
Cleric on a Stick (noun): Wand of cure wounds used as a substitute for a cleric or other proper healer; also known as a Happy Stick.
Crunchy (adjective): Euphemism referring to a published material or portion of a published material that contains game mechanics, see also Fluffy. Etymology: Gaming industry, term made popular by Sean K. Reynold’s euphemistic essay on the gaming industry entitled, Forgotten Rums.
D.
d20 (noun),1: RPG system published by WotC under an open gaming license, using D&D as it’s flagship product. 2: A 20-sided die.
Dread Gazebo (noun): See Tale of Eric and the Dread Gazebo.
Drizzt Do’Urden (fictional name): Famous, often emulated, two scimitar wielding, good-aligned, drow ranger from the Forgotten Realms.
Drizzt Clone (noun): A much overused character concept that is modeled after Drizzt Do’Urden.
Dungeon Master [DM] (noun): A Dungeons & Dragons specific term for a Game Master.
Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Corporation [DDVC] (noun): See Castle of Fun.
E.
Elminster (fictional name): Archetypal arch mage, meddler and font of wisdom from the Forgotten Realms; analogous to Tolkein’s Gandalf, or Merlin, from Arthurian legend.
F.
Fanboy (noun): (often considered derogatory) In gaming, sci-fi or fantasy circles, a serious, often overly obsessed fan of a game, author, designer, series, or other genre element.
Feats should be nice, not required [FSBNNR] (expression): Phrase used to express the belief that 3E psionics needs to be re-vamped rather than patched with feats that fix weaknesses.
Flame (verb): To reply to a post in a highly critical, derogatory and/or inflammatory manner.
Flame War (noun): A thread that has degenerated into mostly pointless flames and counter-flames; sometimes also flamefest.
Flame Warrior (noun): A participant in a flame war.
Flamefest (noun): See Flame War.
Flood (verb), 1: To overwhelm a network channel with mechanically-generated traffic. 2: To inundate a thread by posting repeatedly over a short period of time.
Flood Control (noun): Software designed to prevent network channel flooding.
Fluffy (adjective): Euphemism referring to a published material or portion of a published material that contains flavor text, see also Crunchy. Etymology: Gaming industry, term made popular by Sean K. Reynold’s euphemistic essay on the gaming industry entitled, Forgotten Rums.
Fnord (noun): 1. Meaningless word used as a placeholder name or a random member of a class of things under discussion. 2. Meaningless word used to distract, confuse or otherwise misdirect the reader from the subject at hand. Etymology: American literature, term first popularized by The Illuminatius! Trilogy of books by Robert Shea and Rober Anton Wilson.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ] (noun): A compilation of commonly asked questions related to the topic at hand, combined with their respective answers to create a customer or user support reference.
Front Loaded (adjective): Refers to a class, spell, ability or other graduated rule whose benefit(s) at it’s initial stages are greater than those of later on.
G.
Game Master
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