One last name poll: Warlord vs Marshal

[ivocaliban]

Same with "barbarian" (culturally objective), but I don't see any panties in bunches over that one…

Obviously, you haven't seen my barbarian's panties.

 

[The Human Target]

I have to admit, part of me wishes the class was called "Warduke" -- lots of oldskool flavor, and nobody knows what the heck a warduke even is, so it doesn't have the inherent baggage of warlord.

I actually think this may be the best idea in ever.

 

[the Jester]

-- I think the Miniatures Handbook was a bad concept; too many rules for the DDM game, and not enough to sell most D&D players on it --

Absolutely. It's one of the few (non-world specific) 3.x books that I don't have. I was disappointed by how little there was for me in there, and how much there was for the minis game... and I'll bet minis players (who don't play the rpg) felt the same!

Anyhow, I like the name "marshal" over "warlord", at least at low to mid levels.

 

[fuindordm]

"Warlord" sounds very BBEG, even moreso than "wizard". Think about it -- "evil wizard" and "good wizard" both make sense, but "evil warlord" and "good warlord"? Nope, not so much.

Two responses right away saying that WL is a BBEG--hmm.

Yes, I know there are still petty tyrants in the world. I don't remember the press referring to them as warlords before a few years ago. If I had read a news article describing a Central American warlord ten years ago, I would have laughed at the archaicism. Dictators, tyrants, chieftains, yet... but not warlords.

So for me, and I freely admit it may just be my political ignorance, the negative connotation is very weak.

Plop the warlord down into a fantasy context, however, and he feels right at home. It seems to imply any leader of warriors, not necessarily a warmonger. Conan (late career) strikes me as a warlord, as does Boromir. Fantasy is full of warrior-leaders, but D&D has never supported this very well.

If it weren't for the social class baggage, I would like the term Noble. In any semi-feudal society, Noble and Warlord are almost synonyms, and I've always thought D&D should have a PC-worthy noble/aristo class in the core (say, fighter + expanded skill list + bard-like inspiration + a couple of unique extras).

 

[Dragonblade]

Sounds like you're penalizing the word "marshal" for the limits in your own vocabulary.

No. Its just lame.

 

[Sir Sebastian Hardin]

I voted Marshal. It feels more like and archetype and less as a prestige class.
I agree that it feels NPC somehow, but at least it doesn't sound like a BBEG

Besides...
If I ever see a Multiclass Warforged Warlord/Warlock my head will explode out of being disgusted to the extreme (Imagine if he had a level of the Warrior NPC class!!! OMG)

 

[ruleslawyer]

No. Its just lame.

But it's the highest-ranking piece in Stratego!

 

[hong]

Obviously, you haven't seen my barbarian's panties.

Real barbarians go commando, like Britney.

 

[rounser]

No. Its just lame.

Spot on.

 

[Imp]

I have to admit, part of me wishes the class was called "Warduke" -- lots of oldskool flavor, and nobody knows what the heck a warduke even is, so it doesn't have the inherent baggage of warlord.

You betray yourself as hopelessly out of touch with the wants, no, the needs of Modern Gamers™ and I beseech you to adapt or DIE echo echo echo for those are your two only options and nachos are prohibited.

"Warpimp".