How about "Witch" instead of "Warlock"?

[the_myth]

The Warlock's not very Witchy

But the made-up powers of the "Warlock" have almost no connection to the ideas surrounding what a "Witch" can do.

It's like saying let's call the "Wizard" a "Magic Blaster" just cuz it avoids too many names starting with W's.

The idea of a name is to exemplify in some way what the class does.

Now, if the "Warlock" suddenly gets the ability to change people into toads, command the elements, beguile her enemies, or somesuch... then we'd have something akin to a "Witch." People would recognize it, despite the wide variety of images and ideas of "witches" we have in modern culture.

But if the 4E Warlock still has the default Eldritch Blast...that's not very Witchy to me.

It is kinda Wizardly or Sorcerous though...hmmmmm...

 

[Felon]

But the made-up powers of the "Warlock" have almost no connection to the ideas surrounding what a "Witch" can do.

Would that be the ideas surrounding what a "Charmed" witch can do, or a "Bewitched" witch can do, or a "Wizard of Oz" witch, or or an Arcana Evolved witch, or some other witch...?

It seems to be accepted in the American lexicon in a very general sense.

 

[Felon]

First, feminine, not effeminate. Second, it's not. Witch comes from a word meaning "wise," warlock is less certain but probably means "oath-breaker," "blasphemer," or "libeler." Witch was originally applied as often or more to men...

<snip pedantic screed>

I did in fact mention that one of the assets of switching from "warlock" to "witch" offered the advantage of being more gender neutral.

 

[Rechan]

1) Warlock conjures less mental images than Witch does. Lacking pointy hats and warts and Witch-like powers isn't going to help.

2) The flavor for the Warlock class - at least as much as we've seen - fits with the meaning of Warlock.

3) I'm pretty sure that the Warlock class was taken straight-up from the movie Warlock. Much of the abilities that the Warlock displays holds true to the antagonist in said movie.

4) If we're going to change the Warlock's name (Because I agree, too many Warlo- names), then let's change it to Sorcerer. The term Sorcerer is often associated with trafficking with dark creatures, 3E name-association notwithstanding.

 

[Felon]

1) Warlock conjures less mental images than Witch does. Lacking pointy hats and warts and Witch-like powers isn't going to help.

There are all sorts of well-known references to witches that dash the cliche of pointy hats and warts (see above references to Charmed, Bewitched, and Wizard of Oz). WotC can follow suit by making sure the illustration for the class is appropriately misconception-busting.

2) The flavor for the Warlock class - at least as much as we've seen - fits with the meaning of Warlock.

A warlock is a term for a male witch, so its flavor is handily incorporated.

3) I'm pretty sure that the Warlock class was taken straight-up from the movie Warlock. Much of the abilities that the Warlock displays holds true to the antagonist in said movie.

Well, Julian Sands' character flies and throws zaps. In terms of powers, that's pretty much the extent of similarity my recollection provides. Of course, the 4e may well be very different--indeed, we've seen some indiciations that it will focus on controller-type abilities.

4) If we're going to change the Warlock's name (Because I agree, too many Warlo- names), then let's change it to Sorcerer. The term Sorcerer is often associated with trafficking with dark creatures, 3E name-association notwithstanding.

I'm agreeable to that as well.

 

[Rechan]

There are all sorts of well-known references to witches that dash the cliche of pointy hats and warts (see above references to Charmed, Bewitched, and Wizard of Oz). WotC can follow suit by making sure the illustration for the class is appropriately misconception-busting.

This may be True, but it's not as collectively recognized. It's not the first thing that comes to mind when you say "Witch".

A warlock is a term for a male witch, so its flavor is handily incorporated.

I'm aware of this. But see the origin of the word:

Origin: bef. 900; ME warloghe, -lach, OE wǣrloga oathbreaker, devil, equiv. to wǣr covenant + -loga betrayer (deriv. of léogan to lie)

Well, Julian Sands' character flies and throws zaps. In terms of powers, that's pretty much the extent of similarity my recollection provides.

He was vulnerable to Cold Iron (the manacles, the nails driven into his footprints in the sand). He could also spoil the child in the womb and aged the supporting female (Curse of Despair, using variant curse options from Book of Vile Darkness). I'd also say he had Beguiling Influence, or possibly Charm, given the way he was let into various people's homes.

 

[the_myth]

Would that be the ideas surrounding what a "Charmed" witch can do, or a "Bewitched" witch can do, or a "Wizard of Oz" witch, or or an Arcana Evolved witch, or some other witch...?

It seems to be accepted in the American lexicon in a very general sense.

Perhaps you missed this part of my post:

People would recognize it, despite the wide variety of images and ideas of "witches" we have in modern culture.

 

[Blackwind]

Warlock is fine as-is, for the reasons noted by paws, myth, and Rechan. Not even neopagans call themselves warlocks--a warlock is an oathbreaker, a dabbler in the dark arts, and a master of arcane deviltry. The name fits the class' flavor quite nicely, I think. The only downside is that you're unlikely to see a lot of female warlock PCs, since the word is commonly used to refer to a male witch (of the trafficking-with-the-devil variety).

The warlord class, on the other hand, is dubious. The name is more suited to a PrC (or whatever the 'equivalent functionality' of a PrC in 4E is). Ogre to 1st level warlord: "So, you think you warlord, huh? You not lord of sh !"

I doubt it will happen at this point but I really hope they change the warlord's name to something else.

As for witches: the one in the 3E DMG was interesting, at least, and the AE witches look awesome.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

"But I'm not a witch at all. I'm Dorothy Gail, from Kansas."

Sadly, though I'd like to get away from "warlo" names, witch carries too much baggage. Better to keep the term warlock and change warlord, IMO. Or perhaps call the warlock a sorcerer.

 

[Choronzon]

First, feminine, not effeminate. Second, it's not. Witch comes from a word meaning "wise," warlock is less certain but probably means "oath-breaker," "blasphemer," or "libeler."

Nope.

Witch has absolutely no root that even approaches wise. It comes from wicce which means "a female magician, or sorceress." If you're going to use etymology to make a point, get it from a decent source--not a book or website on Wicca.

You are almost correct about Warlock, though "blasphemer" isn't true--and well "libeler"--bear in mind when warlock was in common usage, lies were predominantly "spoken", as opposed to "written", since warlock's couldn't generally write. Didn't see many newspapers and such back then. They were liars though.