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

[Nifft]

Gish (in modern usage) is both more general and more specific than Fighter/Magic-User.

For example, a Warlock may be a Gish -- he's not a Wizard at all, but he can use Arcane powers to self-buff and then wade into melee.

On the other hand, my current Wizard is almost an anti-Gish. He wears armor, he will take WotST, wear a shield and wield a longsword, but he's not ever going to be making melee attacks voluntarily. He uses Fighter tricks to get better Defenses, not for offense -- and he doesn't self-buff.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

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.

Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[Fifth Element]

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

Since I was discussing 4E, I would have to say your character steals things, since there's no class called "thief".

 

[Fifth Element]

You seem to be assuming that gish is a well known and well understood term.

I'm not assuming anything. I don't use the term gish myself. I'm pointing out that if you're looking for a generic terms for fighter/mage, you would do poorly to choose the name of an existing character class.

 

[Merlin the Tuna]

I'm a charter member of my local Gamers Against Recognizing Gish Legitimacy Everywhere chapter.

...GARGLE?

Spellsword seems like the most usable name at the moment, but it will almost inevitably end up as a class or paragon path. I really don't see a problem with gish though.

 

[Desdichado]

Since I was discussing 4E, I would have to say your character steals things, since there's no class called "thief".

I'll surmise that not everyone is as specific about using class names as you are.

I'm not assuming anything. I don't use the term gish myself. I'm pointing out that if you're looking for a generic terms for fighter/mage, you would do poorly to choose the name of an existing character class.

You are assuming something. You assume that swordmage as a term exists in a vacuum. In the context of this discussion, I was holding it up against gish as an alternative. I certainly prefer it to gish. Talking about it in some other context is beside the point. You also assume that I'm looking for a generic term for fighter/mage, when I'm actually not; I don't think that's all that generic of a concept. And again, you also assume that there's a need to separate character class name from character concept, which seems to me to defeat the purpose of having a classed based game in the first place.

I think swordmage is a great generic name for the concept. Because I think that, I think it's a pretty good class name, because the concept and the class names match. See? If in 5e or HERO or 3.5 or whatever, the Swordmage class doesn't exist, then the term still works as a very descriptive, accurate and evocative name for the concept anyway.

 

[Fifth Element]

You are assuming something. You assume that swordmage as a term exists in a vacuum.

No, if anything I'm assuming the opposite. That is, if you use swordmage as a generic term, players may be confused because they know that there is a class called a swordmage in 4E.

You also assume that I'm looking for a generic term for fighter/mage, when I'm actually not; I don't think that's all that generic of a concept.

Your suggestion that you hope swordmage catches on as a generic term implied that you were looking for a generic term. Thus the confusion.

And again, you also assume that there's a need to separate character class name from character concept, which seems to me to defeat the purpose of having a classed based game in the first place.

No, there's no need. But having the same name for two different things can cause confusion. Thus my argument that swordmage is a poor choice for a generic term. I mean, we could start calling all arcane classes wizards, but would that not just be confusing?

 

[Gothmog]

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

I vote for Wizorrior.

 

[Merlin the Tuna]

I vote for Wizorrior.

Sounds like a combatant that really knows how to drop it like it's hot.

...Pardon me, I need to go punch myself in the teeth.

 

[jaerdaph]

I would call it a Wray. Fay Wray was way hotter than Lillian Gish.