D&D General Drow & Orcs Removed from the Monster Manual

[Bedrockgames]

Guys @Alzrius point was that phylactery is largely a term used by Christians and people who aren’t Jewish because the Christian bible was working from Greek. He is saying tefillin is how it usually described in Judaism. So I think his point is, if it had been appropriated from Judaism the word would be Tefillin. But phylactery comes from the Christian bible and reflects Christianity’s understanding of its Judaic roots (Jesus and his disciples were all Jewish and using language about Judaism at the time that was later filtered through Greek and Christian theology). Feel free to correct me if my understanding on your point about this is in error @Alzrius

 

[Maxperson]

Orcs whatever let's get to my list of real gripes.

The Lich removes the Phylactery and replaces it with a Spirit Jar. Seriously we have to dumb down the game because the word is obscure and hard to spell.

Phylactery was removed because it's supposed to be offensive to us Jews, even though we don't use the word and no Jewish player that I've spoken with has ever been offended by it.

 

[TiQuinn]

Phylactery was removed because it's supposed to be offensive to us Jews, even though we don't use the word and no Jewish player that I've spoken with has ever been offended by it.

And we're back to it wasn't what I experienced, it couldn't possibly exist.

 

[Maxperson]

I don't understand (not arguing) how the word is anti-semitic.

It's not. That was the most frustrating thing about the phylactery thread a year or two ago. All the Jews here on the site saying in that thread that it's not offensive because we don't use the word phylactery and the non-jews telling us that it was offensive and needed to be fixed.

 

[Maxperson]

And we're back to it wasn't what I experienced, it couldn't possibly exist.

We don't as a rule, use the word.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Literally, all WotC had to do to thread that needle was not make a change at all. And yet they managed to fail to do that.

So they are between a rock and a hard place.
Do and offend someone. Don't and offend someone.

So stick to tradition or remove connections to real world religions.

They decided to universally remove real world religions connections. There are no shamans either in the rule book.

Similar thing with half-species. Having them, not ideal. Removing them, not ideal. Having them as fluff, not ideal.

You can't please everyone. The world is to diverse for that.

And for the phylactery thing. I never picture what a phylactery is. A spirit jar is at least something I can make a picture of in my mind. And for new players, a less obscure word seems useful.

 

[Mercurius]

And for new players, a less obscure word seems useful.

But obscure words are part of the fun of D&D. I mean, I fondly remember poring over the 1e DMG and encountering hundreds of weird words. It gave everything a sense of mystique.

Has anyone ever encountered jacinth outside the context of D&D?

 

[Maxperson]

Well apparently there was a seven year old response video (thanks @Alzrius!) where someone was upset that people were upset so apparently yes, there were complaints in the Jewish community.

Er, no. That video was not about complaints in the Jewish community about lich phylacteries. It was about him ranting that nobody in the Jewish community calls it a phylactery, so that word is not offensive to us.

There has been no complaint that I am aware of from the Jewish community about lich phylacteries. Nobody is being an ally here. We have a situation where a bunch of non-jews are trying to dictate to us Jews what we should be offended at, and that itself is what is offensive about the phylactery situation.

 

[Maxperson]

Ok, so removing the word phylactery has actually harmed you. Get a lawyer and file suit against WotC and Paizo.

Harm? No. Was it offensive that they removed it because it was non-Jews dictating to us Jews what we should be offensive? Yes.

 

[Bedrockgames]

But obscure words are part of the fun of D&D. I mean, I fondly remember poring over the 1e DMG and encountering hundreds of weird words. It gave everything a sense of mystique.

Has anyone ever encountered jacinth outside the context of D&D?

Yeah D&D is a nerdy hobby. One of its attractions has been its use of obscure terms