Of gishes and arcane defencers and whatnot: Is 4th ed. language for everyone?

[Kaffis]

w00tHaXXor von ROFL III

This is too awesome not to start plotting a character around.

 

[Storminator]

Other than fighter-mage, fighter/magic-user, fighter-caster, and so forth, of course.

English abhors multisyllabic words. Fighter-mage = 3 syllables, fighter/magic-user = 6 syllables, fighter-caster 4 syllables... Gish = 1. English packs more idea per syllable than any other language.

Change for its own sake is not evolution.

But this change is faster. Evolution ftw!

PS

 

[Cadfan]

If you don't like reading designer-speak, don't read designer-diaries or discuss game design online.

I'm not being sarcastic about this. There are some people who love sausage, but who hate seeing sausage made. There are other people who love sausage, and find the making of sausage fascinating. If you are the former type of person, avoid hanging out with the latter type, and avoid reading articles entitled "Our New Smoked Sausage- Behind the Scenes!" You'll just ruin your own fun.

 

[Hairfoot]

This is too awesome not to start plotting a character around.

In my mind's eye I see a character with a +2 vorpal moustache.

 

[Darkwolf71]

FM-U? And you think Gish is confusing. Let's see, it's been years since wizards were called a magic-user, Gish can also refer to a fighter/sorcerer, or any other combination of combat class and arcane spell user.

A wizard is a character that... uses magic. Sorcerer... same thing. Therefore, since both classes are, in fact magic-users, how can the term Fighter/Magic-user (or FM-U) not apply? In addition it is actually defined by it's own context. How can a self-defining phrase be more confusing than a term that was intended for a specific monster/class combination which has been bastardized into a generic term?

 

[The_Gneech]

"Gish" is a sound effect, used in comics to indicate somebody unexpectedly stepping into a deep puddle in the street. See also "sploorsh" and "gaplish".

-The Gneech

 

[Flynn]

Personally, I dislike the term "gish" and I tend to use words like "warmage", "spellsword", "blademage", and the elven "bladesinger" to describe that kind of concept. These make more sense to me, they are evocative and flavorful, they conjure specific images that I can utilize to aid players in getting into the game more, and the words don't sound like a child's sour candy advertisement.

But then again, I realize that it's only my opinion, and as far as such things go, my opinion doesn't matter much to anyone else but me. (And I'm okay with that.)

What I dislike more than the use of a term I feel sounds stupid is watching people verbally attack one another for using/not using it. I mean, of all the things we have to argue about, the use of the word "gish" is perhaps the silliest of them all.

Let's face it, when you lie down next to your loved one at night after a frustrating day on the boards, it has to sound pretty darn silly to her (or him, as the case may be) when you start explaining why you're so pi$$y after being online. Of course, if you don't have anyone to lie down next to, you may have to substitute your own example here. (I imagine it would sound pretty strange to the lady on the other end of that webcam/chat room thing, too, if that's your cup of tea.)

Just putting it all into perspective,
Flynn

 

[Numion]

650k hits on Google, and it's not the name of a Smashing Pumpkins album.

Gish got 2.65M hits on Google.

 

[Hairfoot]

What I dislike more than the use of a term I feel sounds stupid is watching people verbally attack one another for using/not using it. I mean, of all the things we have to argue about, the use of the word "gish" is perhaps the silliest of them all.

As Henry Kissinger said, "the politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small".

 

[Umbran]

But this change is faster.

Yes, but it doesn't go to 11. Sorry.