Level Titles

[Nikosandros]

Necromancy means using the dead to gain knowledge, such as a prophecy.

"Necro-" references dead, such as in the word necropolis, and "manc-" refers to a prediction or knowledge, such as in chiromancy (palm reading).

Indeed. Etymologically, necromancy refers to a divination technique involving the dead. However, in fantasy it's pretty much synonymous with raising the dead and similar pleasantries.

In any event, it was just an example of why I dislike level-specific titles. I doubt that they will be in, but in case, I'll just ignore them, like I do in AD&D.

 

[Mattachine]

Likewise, AD&D level titles were often mocked in my high school gaming group.

"Hey, look! I'm a lama now?"
"Your cleric just became buddhist? Or just became a member of the camel family?"

"I tell the king that my magic-user is an Arch-Mage."
"Your wizard isn't level 18 yet."
"Yeah, but the king doesn't know that."

"Grand Master of Flowers?! Flowers!!"
*snickers from other players*

 

[Mengu]

Titles belong to organizations, not character classes. A Sergeant could be a fighter, a warlord, a ranger, a paladin, or even a rogue. There is nothing to stop a fighter from joining clergy, a thieves guild, or a town council.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I think you're misreading; "Necro" is connected to death.

"Negro", or more accurately, "Nigrum", is black.

Thus, black magic would be Nigrumancy, not Necromancy.

edit:Or in other words, what KaiiLurker said

Thanks! Now I can't get the picture of a '70's sword & sorcery blacksploitation film with the Nigrumancer shouting "Don't you go talkin' jive 'bout my Lama!"

 

[Gargoyle]

Save something for Dragon articles. Level titles don't belong in the core rules.

 

[dkyle]

No. For a couple reasons.

1) It wastes names. Level titles are little more than flavor, but the terms used can't be used for other things without creating confusion. There are only so many good terms, and I'd rather they be used for classes, themes, backgrounds, PrCs/Paragon Paths/Epic Destinies, etc. I want Swashbuckler and Warrior, or Warlock and Sorcerer, to be different things, not just different stages of a single progression.

2) It more strongly ties levels and classes to in-world entities. I like that a 3 Fighter/2 Rogue can represent whatever the player wants it to represent. I prefer that names on mechanics be there more for convenience of the players, and not any actual inherent in-game significance. If it's a Swordsman/Footpad it suggests more strongly that it's a character that has undertaken the standard "Swordsman" training, and the standard "Footpad" training.

3) It ties the mechanics more intimately with the fluff of the world, especially for classes like druid. The more dissociated they are, and the more easily re-flavoring can be done, the better, to me.


Things like thieve's guild and druid order ranks can still be done. But I'd rather they be their own thing, not simply a matter of gaining XP.

 

[CM]

Thanks! Now I can't get the picture of a '70's sword & sorcery blacksploitation film with the Nigrumancer shouting "Don't you go talkin' jive 'bout my Lama!"

So now we know the true source "Magic" Johnson's mad skills?

 

[Libramarian]

Don't know where that etymology came from, because last time I checked Necro- means "dead" as in Necrosis, Necrofagia, necrofilia, etc. Necromancy has always been and will always be related with corpses, dead things and stuff.
You could probably could have mistaken the greek Nekros with the latin Nigrum, but Necromancy is a 100% greek derivative without any trace of latin.

The dictionary mentions the sense of necromancy as "magic in general" as well as the latin etymology.

Necromancy | Define Necromancy at Dictionary.com
nec·ro·man·cy   [nek-ruh-man-see] Show IPA
noun
1. a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art.
2. magic in general, especially that practiced by a witch or sorcerer; sorcery; witchcraft; conjuration.
Origin:
1250–1300; necro- + -mancy; replacing Middle English nigromancie < Medieval Latin nigromantīa for Late Latin necromantīa < Greek nekromanteía; by folk etymology nigro- (combining form of Latin niger black) was substituted in ML for original necro-


I was also thinking of the Arch-Necromancer Phandaal in Vance's The Dying Earth. I don't think he had anything to do with the undead. He just had the most spells.


edit: better definition
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/necromancy
necromancy [ˈnɛkrəʊˌmænsɪ]
n
1. (Spirituality, New Age, Astrology & Self-help / Alternative Belief Systems) the art or practice of supposedly conjuring up the dead, esp in order to obtain from them knowledge of the future
2. black magic; sorcery
[(as in sense 1) ultimately from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros corpse; (as in sense 2) from Medieval Latin nigromantia, from Latin niger black, which replaced necro- through folk etymology]
necromancer n
necromantic adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

 

[MoonSong]

The dictionary mentions the sense of necromancy as "magic in general" as well as the latin etymology.

Necromancy | Define Necromancy at Dictionary.com
nec·ro·man·cy   [nek-ruh-man-see] Show IPA
noun
1. a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art.
2. magic in general, especially that practiced by a witch or sorcerer; sorcery; witchcraft; conjuration.
Origin:
1250–1300; necro- + -mancy; replacing Middle English nigromancie < Medieval Latin nigromantīa for Late Latin necromantīa < Greek nekromanteía; by folk etymology nigro- (combining form of Latin niger black) was substituted in ML for original necro-


I was also thinking of the Arch-Necromancer Phandaal in Vance's The Dying Earth. I don't think he had anything to do with the undead. He just had the most spells.


edit: better definition
necromancy - definition of necromancy by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.
necromancy [ˈnɛkrəʊˌmænsɪ]
n
1. (Spirituality, New Age, Astrology & Self-help / Alternative Belief Systems) the art or practice of supposedly conjuring up the dead, esp in order to obtain from them knowledge of the future
2. black magic; sorcery
[(as in sense 1) ultimately from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros corpse; (as in sense 2) from Medieval Latin nigromantia, from Latin niger black, which replaced necro- through folk etymology]
necromancer n
necromantic adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Oh, didn't know that. In my mother tongue those two are separate words with separate meanings (necromancer being the one with bad connotations)

 

[mkill]

I'd love to see level titles, but only if they use 4E naming conventions.

Fighter
1 Noobacious Fightyguy
2 Swordswinger Orcslasher
3 Platewearer Monsterchallenger
4 Metalhead Pointywielder
5 Axegrinder Goobsmacker
6 Footstomp Dragonpiercer
...