I HATE the term GISH

[Cam Banks]

The point was about internet-spawned terminology lacking majesty, not about etymology.

In that case, yes, I totally agree. Neither is an appealing word.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

How about "moist?" Is moist appealing? I knew a girl who hated the word "crotch."

 

[Cam Banks]

How about "moist?" Is moist appealing? I knew a girl who hated the word "crotch."

It's hard to use words like "moist" or "thrust" in a sentence without sounding borderline dirty.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Cthulhudrew]

I guess we'd have to ask the people behind the first editions Fiend Folio where the word "gish" came from.

Isn't he on the boards? (The guy that created the Githyanki, that is. Thought I remembered reading a thread about that not too long ago.)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It's hard to use words like "moist" or "thrust" in a sentence without sounding borderline dirty.

I run into the same problem whenever I want to use the phrase "donkey show."

 

[Gez]

The plural of gish is gish. This was designed purposefully so that the enemy would never be able to communicate just how many were coming and the confusion would help them win.

Oh? I thought it was designed that way because fantasy names are always cooler when they're invariable (drow, phaerimm, etc.).

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I've played D&D since 1979, and this thread is the first time I've ever seen/heard the term.

 

[Jawar]

I've played D&D since 1979, and this thread is the first time I've ever seen/heard the term.

Yes, I know.
I'm also playing since those days, from Basic Set all the way here.
I'm familiar with the term, cause I'm sort of a powergamer, sometimes.

The term must have arised with 3E, and the concept of creating a muscled up character, who buffs his fighting ability with spells. A lot of characters use Eldritch Knight PrC as the main push up, although Abjurant Champion is a recent flashy one - and an outrageous one, too.

The group I've always played with is not familiar with the term, though, at least the majority of them.

And, no, I'm not fond of the term. Battle mage / battle cleric / battle psion would be my best choices.
But then again, the term leaves no mistake, for those "in the business of powergaming".

 

[Maggan]

The term must have arised with 3E

I don't know about "must". Are you suggesting that it wasn't used at all after first appearing in first edition Fiend Folio in 1981, and then skyrocketing to prominence only when 3e was released?

I doubt that theory. Unless of course the term "gish" was a prominent term used for describing ftr/wiz PCs when 3e was launched. Which I don't remember at all.

/M

 

[Set]

Eh, it's just slang used for chargen categorization. Out-of-game slang doesn't faze me, just like referring to the party rogue as 'the skill-monkey' or the fighter as 'the tank.'

If someone had their character using it in-game, I'd be annoyed, but I'd be *just* as annoyed if he referred to his character as a, '4th level Fighter / 6th level Wizard' or referred to himself as 'Chaotic Neutral.' Yuck. Keep that kinda talk out-of-character! The PC doesn't get to look at your character sheet!

The one that always annoyed me was referring to the magic-user as the 'M-U' (pronounced Em-You). I much prefer 3e's Wizard, Sorcerer, Arcanist, etc.

Stuff that could work into the game, like having a racially-insensitive human call Halflings 'Haffers' is cool for me, 'though. We've got enough derogatory slang terms for each other, it just makes sense that some people in a fantasy world would have derogatory or diminutive slang terms for the various other races around them. No doubt there are some less-than-flattering elven terms for humans out there as well...