I must apologize in advance. I started to answer the question and my post quickly devolved into a naming-convention rant. Sorry.
The problem with a historical name is that real world "magic" is more spiritual in description. Wizard is pretty much all we have. Everything else is Shaman, thaumaturge, warlock, witch, etc.. Those words don't really describe anyone capable of throwing fireballs and defending themselves with mage armor and shield spells.
So are we making up a new name for "Rhymes with Fish" for OOC or for an In-Character discussion? OOC is what its used for that seems to be pissing off the OP.. So why not just go with Fighter/Wizard? Too long? Wi-Fi? (heh)
A name for IC calling the class seems less solid. A person who can toss a fireball is a wizard or a sorcerer.. Regardless of their actual class. If they can wield a sword competently.. Then they are a scary sword wielding sorcerer.. But they are still a sorcerer.
Classic spell book reading wizard + fighter is something that would need to be named on a case by case basis. It doesn't really make sense from the point of view of a character. He spends 10-15 years studying books and lore... and decides to pick up a sword and wack people with it. IF he does this.. no one is going to have a special name for him other than whats is most impressive.
A sorcerer with a blade is much more fitting. His magic comes natural, so he just picks up the sword and calls himself a sorcerer. Theres no need for a special name. People would call him a witch, a mage, a wizard or a sorcerer.. maybe even a warlock. Its not like the peasants of a village are going to say.. "No, I haven't seen him use any invocations.. so he can't possible be a warlock!" or.. "No spell-book? Are you one of those sorcerers? Maybe a duskblade? I met one of them a while back. He had a good attack bonus.." No. None of that makes sense. People name stuff for what they see.
Now the wizard himself might name himself, because they like to describe their specialties. But another wizard is probably going to ignore his "spellsword" title and call him a "dabbler" for wasting all his time on a sword when he could of been practicing more powerful spells. Another warrior might call him a "trickster" for using those spells instead of relying on true skill to fight.
The problem with the naming conventions is that they don't really make sense. They took a bunch real life words that mean the same thing and seperated them into different classes. Warlock, Wizard, Witch, Shaman, Druid, Thaumaturge, Witch-Doctor, Sorcerer, and Magician all meant basically the same thing in real life.
So the question for the IC name for the class.. is what would that guy right there call them? Does anyone percieve a difference in the class versus profession? Is a fighter a fighter, or are fighters and rangers both warriors? Is a Druid a Shaman? A witch? A sorcerer?
/end rant
Delta said:In the past in my campaign I've called them "Myrmidon". I'd really like to have some natural, historical something for that class option (like paladin, ranger, witch, etc.) None of the sword-mage, battle-sorcerer, spell-sword hyphenated/compound words do it for me.
The problem with a historical name is that real world "magic" is more spiritual in description. Wizard is pretty much all we have. Everything else is Shaman, thaumaturge, warlock, witch, etc.. Those words don't really describe anyone capable of throwing fireballs and defending themselves with mage armor and shield spells.
So are we making up a new name for "Rhymes with Fish" for OOC or for an In-Character discussion? OOC is what its used for that seems to be pissing off the OP.. So why not just go with Fighter/Wizard? Too long? Wi-Fi? (heh)
A name for IC calling the class seems less solid. A person who can toss a fireball is a wizard or a sorcerer.. Regardless of their actual class. If they can wield a sword competently.. Then they are a scary sword wielding sorcerer.. But they are still a sorcerer.
Classic spell book reading wizard + fighter is something that would need to be named on a case by case basis. It doesn't really make sense from the point of view of a character. He spends 10-15 years studying books and lore... and decides to pick up a sword and wack people with it. IF he does this.. no one is going to have a special name for him other than whats is most impressive.
A sorcerer with a blade is much more fitting. His magic comes natural, so he just picks up the sword and calls himself a sorcerer. Theres no need for a special name. People would call him a witch, a mage, a wizard or a sorcerer.. maybe even a warlock. Its not like the peasants of a village are going to say.. "No, I haven't seen him use any invocations.. so he can't possible be a warlock!" or.. "No spell-book? Are you one of those sorcerers? Maybe a duskblade? I met one of them a while back. He had a good attack bonus.." No. None of that makes sense. People name stuff for what they see.
Now the wizard himself might name himself, because they like to describe their specialties. But another wizard is probably going to ignore his "spellsword" title and call him a "dabbler" for wasting all his time on a sword when he could of been practicing more powerful spells. Another warrior might call him a "trickster" for using those spells instead of relying on true skill to fight.
The problem with the naming conventions is that they don't really make sense. They took a bunch real life words that mean the same thing and seperated them into different classes. Warlock, Wizard, Witch, Shaman, Druid, Thaumaturge, Witch-Doctor, Sorcerer, and Magician all meant basically the same thing in real life.
So the question for the IC name for the class.. is what would that guy right there call them? Does anyone percieve a difference in the class versus profession? Is a fighter a fighter, or are fighters and rangers both warriors? Is a Druid a Shaman? A witch? A sorcerer?
/end rant