New name for "gish"? (forked from Character Concepts: Gish and Teleporter Mage)

[Scurvy_Platypus]

Luckily I lead an apparently easy life with lots of time, so saying "Fighter-Mage" is just fine with me. "Gish"... I know a videogame by that name, but I know I'll never use it as a "term" or a "name" when talking about something in D&D.

I honestly never heard of such a thing until I started poking around ENWorld. It's certainly something I've _never_ heard anyone in the real world use.

Of course, development of these sorts of things helps to act as a barrier to entry and help establish a "hierarchy" in terms of "people that are in the know" or part of the special kids club, and those that don't. Nothing particularly new. All kinds of hobbies and activities develop specialized vocabulary that's exclusionary.

 

[Starbuck_II]

Luckily I lead an apparently easy life with lots of time, so saying "Fighter-Mage" is just fine with me. "Gish"... I know a videogame by that name, but I know I'll never use it as a "term" or a "name" when talking about something in D&D.

I honestly never heard of such a thing until I started poking around ENWorld. It's certainly something I've _never_ heard anyone in the real world use.

Of course, development of these sorts of things helps to act as a barrier to entry and help establish a "hierarchy" in terms of "people that are in the know" or part of the special kids club, and those that don't. Nothing particularly new. All kinds of hobbies and activities develop specialized vocabulary that's exclusionary.

Gish has meant Fighter/mage asince 2nd edition.

Githyanki are the only warriors who can use magic without a issue (even when Dual classing was available; you were never as good as the Gish).

The Gish is the theoretical Dream: Being able to combine martial arts with spellcasting and be awesome at both.

 

[Fifth Element]

Of course, development of these sorts of things helps to act as a barrier to entry and help establish a "hierarchy" in terms of "people that are in the know" or part of the special kids club, and those that don't. Nothing particularly new. All kinds of hobbies and activities develop specialized vocabulary that's exclusionary.

Why do you assume it's to be exclusionary? Why not descriptive? Something like "Hey, fighter/mage is a pretty common archetype in D&D, I wish there was a word for that because saying fighter/mage is cumbersome. I mean, we don't call a ranger 'fighter/woodsman'. How about gish, since it already applies to a fighter/mage of a particular race?"

 

[Henry]

I'm a charter member of my local Gamers Against Recognizing Gish Legitimacy Everywhere chapter. Meetings are Mondays and Wednesdays, and as part of our meetings we issue profanities at screens pulled up to Character Optimization forums and sing songs about Lillian Gish.

 

[Larrin]

I will gladly say Gish if it means no one every tries to get the word "Fightizard" to catch on.

 

[Fifth Element]

I'm hoping the swordmage from the new FR book becomes the standard, but if not; oh well.

The problem there is that swordmage refers to a specific class in the current edition. That would create problems in understanding.

 

[TerraDave]

For years they where just called elves. This has history, precedent, etc.

Now they can be eladrin. Or maybe ladrin, elas, drin...

Better yet, lets just stick with FmU!

 

[Desdichado]

The problem there is that swordmage refers to a specific class in the current edition. That would create problems in understanding.

That's only a "problem" if gish is less specific, more generic and more intuitive. None of which are even remotely true.

 

[Fifth Element]

That's only a "problem" if gish is less specific, more generic and more intuitive. None of which are even remotely true.

No, because there is no class called "gish".

"My character is a swordmage." Do you mean the class, or the type?

 

[Desdichado]

No, because there is no class called "gish".

"My character is a swordmage." Do you mean the class, or the type?

I don't see that as a problem. "My character is a thief." What does that mean?

You seem to be assuming that gish is a well known and well understood term. It's not. There is very little value in using it, because it tends to confuse people more than help them.

In that scenario, it doesn't matter if you mean specifically the class or just the archetype. It's still clearer than saying gish anyway.