Dragon's Tail Cut?

[Lonely Tylenol]

Oh, that's what you mean.

Dunno. It really depends on how many maneuvers there are, and how specific the rules are for each one. "Downward Chop" means nothing more or less mechanically than "Seven Demon Fang".

Example (IMHO): Trip is fine as an attack name in 3.5e, because it does something simple, and the rules don't grossly violate my intuition.

Combat Expertise, however, tells me nothing. Parry might be a better name for that.

Cheers, -- N

Probably, and I'd prefer it that way. However, I think there is a middle ground. Look at Power Attack or Whirlwind Attack. If you didn't know what they did, you probably wouldn't guess. However, once you know what they do, the name seems to make sense, as it is somewhat evocative of the action.

 

[hero4hire]

Why not just "Knockdown" ?

I *so* agree with this. Let me or my GM name my funky fresh manuevers. Maybe there are no dragons in my D&D.

I don't need "Monkey Eats Grapes" or "Fish Evades Hook" type of names. Besides wouldnt it be nicer to state your manuever Knockdown and have it be clear to all what exactly that does by the name instead of memorizing a bunch of corny names and matching them to thier effects.

Cripes why did they even name it Wallop instead of Knockdown in the first place?

I have a new manuever "Wizard's Names Suck"

 

[Nifft]

I'd like to separate intuitive from ambiguous.

IMHO y'all are asking for intuitive names, and that's a fine thing, but separate from their ambiguity.

How likely am I to remember Hamstring Attack? Really depends on how many other, very similar maneuvers are on the palette. You bet I'll forget WTF it does if I'm looking at a maneuver list like:
- Hamartia Attack*
- Hamble Attack
- Hammer Attack
- Hampering Attack
- Hampered Attack
- Hamstring Attack

... and so would you.

Cheers, -- N

*) Bard only.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

Well, I guess I don't really like the name either. It's definitely going to roll a few eyes in my local gaming group when we first here it, but we'll probably get used to it.

 

[Lackhand]

It's true. But they need a thesaurus; even throwing in the appropriate "gouge", "slice", "chop", "blow", and "maneuver" might help there, a lot.

 

[JohnSnow]

I'm not keen on the names proposed.

However, I do think of one of the fantasy series I really like, that does have names for sword manuevers:

* Sheathing the Sword
* Folding the Fan
* Stones Falling Down the Mountain
* Cat Dances on the Wall

I really enjoyed those names.

Cheers!

Those are from The Wheel of Time, aren't they? There's also:

Heron Wading in the Rushes
Cat crosses the Courtyard

and a few others.

By the late, lamented Robert Jordan, may he rest in peace.

 

[Nifft]

It's true. But they need a thesaurus; even throwing in the appropriate "gouge", "slice", "chop", "blow", and "maneuver" might help there, a lot.

See, at this point, I might prefer they just jump into some abstract and poetic namespace where they can group similar concepts by motif rather than be limited to strict meaning. (I think this is obvious, but if it's not, I've got examples.)

It's an art to choose when to use a metaphor rather than just spell something out -- and I don't know nearly enough about 4e to say if they're doing the names right. I'm just saying there are times when it is appropriate, because you can get better intuitive leverage by lifting from metaphorical ground. Sure, your reader will have to take a short walk to get there, but once he's there, he can lift more.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Lackhand]

Sure. Actually, I quite agree. I'm just not sure that anything with Dragon in it is the way to get there -- since the images Dragon conjures, once I've seen it, quite overpower any obviousness from the Tail Cut portion of the name.

But I totally see your point. It's just another grey mark in the tally of names-I'm-probably-going-to-change-thank-goodness-I'm-a-tinkerer tally.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

Which are you more likely to forget the purpose of:

• Ogre's kneecap dancing flumph manoeuvre
  or
• hamstring attack

Especially when you consider how many other idiosyncratically-named manoeuvres you need to keep track of.

PC 1: Bargle's Lesser Gryphon Tail Technique? Is that the one where you spin around and hit people who are flanking you?
PC 2: No, you're thinking of Massive Hedgehog Birthday Gambit. B's LGTT is when you backflip over your opponent and backstab him.
PC 3: Wait, I thought that was Mordenkainen's Overly Abstruse Malfeasance.
PC 1: That's a 4th level spell.

LOL. That's exactly the problem I have with Bo9S. D&D spells almost all have intuitive names, which makes learning and playing the game easier.

Must the game be filled with [melodramatic adjective] [fantasy beast/object]'s [ambiguous verb]?

 

[Korgoth]

Time to deliver my Dancing Griffon Performs Hysterectomy On Caryatid Column While Wading Through Field of Lillies Before Filing Income Tax Documents: "Dragon Tail Cut" is stupid. Try again, guy.