D&D 4E Rename the races in 4E? Why halflings and not hobbits? Dwur not dwarf...

[FreeXenon]

If the name changes were integral for the campaign such as was done with Birthright that would be one thing, but change for the sake of change or difference would not sit well with me.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

This would annoy me.

I hate it when I'm reading a book / playing a game and the short, stout, beardy race is referred to as zwergen just so they won't be called dwarves.

Called zwergen ("People of the Earth") in their own tongue? Awesome flavor detail.
Called zwergen by the rules text? Annoying, "No we're really not copying D&D" piffle.

 

[Simplicity]

I'd keep dwarf and elf for simplicity.

I appreciate that. Thanks!

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I appreciate that. Thanks!

LOL!

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I would be happy to see 'sidhe' replace elf.

 

[Zamkaizer]

In my 4th Ed. setting, I'll probably be renaming "halflings" as "hobbits." It's always annoyed me slightly that halflings, unlike the other races, have a name based on the human language rather than their own. I'm not suggesting this change be inflicted upon other players, but I think it makes my setting's flavor that much more consistent. Plus, unlike some of the more elaborate alternative names suggested in this thread, I think "hobbit" is ubiquitous enough for the players to comfortably grasp and use.

 

[Deset Gled]

"Hobbit" is actually a trademarked term, and cannot be used by D+D without permission from Tolkien's estate. Considering the legal battle that occurred when D+D was first released over this exact topic, I think that it is highly unlikely we will ever see hobbits in D+D.

Please feel free to continue speculation about any other name changes.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Called zwergen ("People of the Earth") in their own tongue? Awesome flavor detail.
Called zwergen by the rules text? Annoying, "No we're really not copying D&D" piffle.

I should point out that I did, actually, play in a game where the DM changed the name of dwarves to zwergen. He also changed the race into that setting's equivalent of earth genasi, and elves didn't exist except as ... half-elves, basically ... with a tendency to go insane very quickly.

That sort of thing is fine.

 

[The Little Raven]

In my 4th Ed. setting, I'll probably be renaming "halflings" as "hobbits." It's always annoyed me slightly that halflings, unlike the other races, have a name based on the human language rather than their own.

Last time I checked, elf, gnome, and dwarf were all human words.

 

[Zamkaizer]

Last time I checked, elf, gnome, and dwarf were all human words.

I kicked myself for not covering every possible contingency in my last post. This is the internet, after all.

What I mean is that, while the names elf, gnome, and dwarf are all invented by humans to describe imaginary creatures in folklore, you could believe that, in your setting, those creatures invented those names for themselves, cliche that races refer to themselves with more exquisite terms aside. Following that concept, halflings are an anomaly. Why aren't elves called "earlings," or dwarves "beardlings?" Having others refer to a race with a colloquialism is fine, but that race should be presented more formally initially, with the name from their own tongue that they apply to themselves.

I'm fairly certain I'm going to start referring to dwarves as beardlings though.