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

[ObsidianCrane]

Change for its own sake is not evolution.

Actually it kind of is.

Most evolutionary change is random to start with - once its proved successful it becomes persistant.

Language actually follows a similar model, but the initial impetous is generally less random "I need a word for this thing..." is a heck of a lot less random than the changing of one base pair from a transcription error during cellular reproduction.

Basically Gish - and all the other 4E design terms, are just that short hand for design, the usual jargon of a job/hobby that evolves and changes over time. At least gish has been around for a while, even if not generally used before.

 

[JDJblatherings]

ooops....i had kneejerk rant for the use of "gish" read the other post sin thread, still hate gish in any generic use but edited post.

 

[Mirtek]

The funniest bit is that the term "gish" as related to githyanki military ranks referred solely to a fighter/magic-user 4/4, if my Fiend Folio isn't missing a few sentences. It's fascinating to see how such a specific bit of flavour has been blown up to such proportions (and gets argued about at such lengths, too).

It has been expanded in the article about githyankti society in Dungeon issue 100.

In the Githyanki military Gish also refers to psychic warrior, bards or even blackguards. The term "Warlock" is also used by the githyanki military but instead of the warlock class it refers to all spellcasters who avoid melee.

 

[Zander]

... there really isn't any other term that encapsulates 'mage + warrior' at all well;

[tongue in cheek] How about "warcanist"? [/tongue in cheek]

 

[Wolfspider]

You know, as a long time gamer, I initially balked at so artificial a term.

But then I thought about it... there really isn't any other term that encapsulates 'mage + warrior' at all well; warmage comes closest but it's two syllables and could just as easily mean 'wizard who specializes in combat magic.' Spellsword implies either a wizard with a sword, specifically, or a reference to a magical sword, or someone who is the sword of their faith through wizardry. And so on.

So I shrugged, and 'gish' it is.

Is life really so busy that saving a syllable or two is really worth using such an abominable term?

Also, what exactly does gish mean then? Why is it more accurate a term than the others? I've heard a lot of different definitions for it just in this thread.

 

[Werebat]

Does use of the word 'gish' indicate membership of a particular ethnic or cultural group? If so which one?

I thought a shibboleth was some sort of Lovecraftian horror?

- Ron ^*^

 

[Cam Banks]

I thought a shibboleth was some sort of Lovecraftian horror?

No, but "gish" deserves to be. An amorphous, spellcasting and melee-striking miasma that steamrolls through innocent discussions absorbing all potential and robbing topics of their sanity.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Flynn]

Also, what exactly does gish mean then? Why is it more accurate a term than the others? I've heard a lot of different definitions for it just in this thread.

I don't think it's any more accurate than other terms that have been presented. (If anything, its origins make it too specialized for its current usage, but things change, don't they?) All in all, it's probably just a matter of who prefers what.

That being said, I prefer not to use it personally, and I would hope that it doesn't catch on outside of its current cult followers, but only time will tell.

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Stogoe]

Gish gish gish gish gish. I love the term, and will use it as much as I can.

 

[Wolfspider]

Gish gish gish gish gish.

I love the term, and will use it as much as I can.

Uhhh...ok. Whatever floats your boat, man.