Renaming the G-word (hint: fighter-mages)

[Faraer]

This thread shows that there are many terms, using normal vocabulary words, which communicate the basic idea, along with more information. What possible advantage is there in making up yet more clannish RPG jargon or trying to standardize on a single dead metaphor?

I never heard this word until a few months ago. Surely it's limited to a few thousand, at most, posters on message boards.

 

[Deset Gled]

I never really understood why we need a special name for this type of build more than we do for any other multiclass build. And yes, I do think that the g-word is just silly.

Because it seems relevant, here's a link to an earlier thread for making up names for gestalt or multiclassed builds: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=189528

 

[Korgoth]

This thread shows that there are many terms, using normal vocabulary words, which communicate the basic idea, along with more information. What possible advantage is there in making up yet more clannish RPG jargon or trying to standardize on a single dead metaphor?

I never heard this word until a few months ago. Surely it's limited to a few thousand, at most, posters on message boards.

Agreed. If you say something like "warrior-wizard" then even people who know nothing of D&D will know what you mean: you mean a guy who fights (probably with archaic weapons) and also uses magic.

 

[sjmiller]

How about mage-glaive-warrior, or just about any combination of mage, warrior, and an AD&D1e polearm? Seriously, for me, fighter/magic-user works just fine.

 

[Nifft]

IMHO the word in question is very useful.

1/ It's short.
2/ It's unambiguous.
3/ It makes a nice D&D historical reference, even if there are no Gith in your world.

If y'all want to make a replacement that has a hope in hell of sticking, it's gotta fulfill at least (1) and (2), and preferably also (3).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Cam Banks]

IMHO the word in question is very useful.

1/ It's short.
2/ It's unambiguous.
3/ It makes a nice D&D historical reference, even if there are no Gith in your world.

If y'all want to make a replacement that has a hope in hell of sticking, it's gotta fulfill at least (1) and (2), and preferably also (3).

How many of the core classes meet the above requirements?

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Korgoth]

2/ It's unambiguous.

Except for how extremely ambiguous it is. The word itself has no meaning in the English language, unlike "warrior-wizard" for example which is composed of words everyone already knows. It's a jargon word used only by a niche of an elite of a splinter of a micro subculture. And even then, the fact that the 'use' of the word to describe a warrior-wizard is actually an abuse only further muddies it: the word means a Githyanki F/MU. So its "extended use" or abuse as a term to encompass all F/MUs (or is it "optimized F/MUs from a particular WOTC subforum"?) makes it all the more ambiguous.

That's like saying "Melnibonean" is an unambiguous term when by Melnibonean I mean "elf".

 

[TheCrazyMuffinMan]

I have a class called the Tactician, which is meant to be a fighter-mage in his own right. Maybe that's a good word for them, as he uses his spells to grant a tactical advantage, to close gaps in his strategy. Haste, Bestow Curse and Shield spring to mind.

Also, Spellblade.

Seed (FF8 reference) is original, and understandable, but it may devolve into the new if it became widely accepted.

Jedi makes the most sense of all the super short ones.

I don't really fancy either, but I won't go to war against it.

 

[Nifft]

How many of the core classes meet the above requirements?

Er... the core classes have names that have been in previous editions. So pretty much all of them are good. (I'd argue that "Magic-User" was slightly too verbose, but "Wizard" is fine.)

But what's your point? Even if "Fighter" is a terrible name, that doesn't fix the problem that people have with THE WORD I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY. IS IT STILL FUNNY TO MAKE PEOPLE DO THIS INSTEAD? I HOPE IT IS STILL FUNNY.

Because THE WORD I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY. IS IT STILL FUNNY TO MAKE PEOPLE DO THIS INSTEAD? I HOPE IT IS STILL FUNNY does fit those criteria. And if you want to replace something, you have to do better than that thing -- not better than something else which is related.

Except for how extremely ambiguous it is.

I don't think "ambiguous" means what I think you think it means. Made-up words with one meaning are quite the opposite.

Elves suffer terribly from their ambiguity.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Korgoth]

I don't think "ambiguous" means what I think you think it means. Made-up words with one meaning are quite the opposite.

Well, but it doesn't have one meaning though. It first meant a specific caste of Githyanki fighter-mages. Now it may mean fighter-mages, optimized fighter-mages, 3E fighter-mages, 3E fighter-mages optimized on or according to the CO board on Gleemax, etc.

A non-made up word like "warrior-wizards" is less ambiguous because, as a compound of common words, its meaning is immediately accessible: a guy who fights and uses magic.

Eventually this word will take on another meaning: "what you say when you want to get angry looks from other gamers".