| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
|---|---|
| Gwenfloor04-06-07, 11:42 PM | I have two of the players that have characters that are in all respects, serious concepts, except for one part: Their names. One is a Human Cleric of the Celestial Conclave, an organization dedicated to the concept of worship itself, named Fred Fred Burger. The name was based off of a character in "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy." Regardless of my efforts, the player stuck with the name. Otherwise, his character acted seriously and rationally. The other is a Winged Elf named Bob Bob Soda, who claims that his reason for picking the name was that his parents despised him, and gave him the name to make his life difficult. While they are otherwise good friends and roleplayers, I wish for them to take their characters seriously. How would any of their fellow adventurers, and in the Cleric's case, priests, take them seriously with such names? I even offered that for 2.5 Gold Pieces, the characters could legally change their names. So why didn't Bob take up the offer? Because he was poor and grew up in the slums of the city. But now he currently has enough money to pay the price, yet he has yet to arrive at the bureaucracy building of records to change his name to one more to his character's liking. I was thinking that nobody would hire them for adventures, work, mercenary companies, or the like with such names. A clown at a noble child's birthday party is probably the best work that they can come across. |
| KillerVole04-06-07, 11:49 PM | Give them heroic nicknames/titles, which all NPCs begin to use for them. If Bob Bob saves the Greenwood, he is suddenly known only as "Savior of Greenwood", and no one uses Bob Bob anymore. |
| Gwenfloor04-06-07, 11:55 PM | "It does not matter what you call yourselves, the public has picked a name that they like for you!" That's what you get for becoming a public figure. |
| Bladerock04-06-07, 11:55 PM | Ruleswise, people will simply degrade in the NPC attitude scale once they found out they have such "strange and foolish names" Whoever, i have seen my friends run the following names: Gen Eric Pastelillo Gafgarion (Pastelillo = Tart or something like that) Puto Man (Puto = giggalo) Fart Kraker Jack Daniels (A jack sparrow clone) And many others... Maybe you could just let it make sense IC, The Fredburger family could be very influencial or something. Giving him prestige. In the end, what matters is wether it disrupts the campaing world. If it does, you will have to deal with it outside the game... Then again, i like what you just said better... |
| Gwenfloor04-07-07, 12:04 AM | The fact that the name of the Cleric was based off of a mentally challenged demon addicted to ice cream and nachos does not help matters. |
| Gwenfloor04-07-07, 01:24 AM | Updated: Cleric changed his name. |
| Hydryh04-07-07, 01:47 AM | Almost a pity. The Fred Fredburger thing allows for some unique ways of handling the forces of evil: "And now, I will unleash the power of--" "BBEG?" "--of the Eye of--" "BBEG?" "--the Eye of, uh--" "BBEG?" "What!" "I have to make poopoos!" "What?" "Yes. I, now, I have to make poopoos. Yes." At which point the BBEG either casts his plan aside to destroy this guy, or just gives up. |
| Thubby04-07-07, 03:47 AM | im sorry, silly names? SILLY? in world with names like Dridz't (spelling?), Nerull, Moradin, and (of all the times to forget, whos the faerun wizard chosen of mistra guy, its gonna drive me nuts) does fred fredburger realy sound all that obsurd? soda doesnt exist, so it makes as much sense as a last name as duerdenvarden. |
| bobothechimp04-07-07, 03:51 AM | Have NPCs insult the PCs relentlessly. Have random commoners laugh at them on the street. Have the BBEG scoff at them. Make everyone look down on them and insult them because of their ridiculous name. That should convince them to change their name. Either that or go on a killing spree. Let's hope for the best. |
| Aglardae04-07-07, 04:45 AM | Fred Fred Burger Bob Bob Soda In what kind of setting are you playing? These names sound quite anachronistic/out of context for an heroic fantasy game. I'll hardly have burgers and sodas in the World of Greyhawk. You can just say that in your fantasy world these names are out of context and they are not possible. Then, you come with a list of common names used in the region you play. After all, your players live in a world defined by you and you have to set the mood for them and not the contrary. For elves I always use Tolkien language (use appendixes from the Lord of the Rings). It does wonders. Aglardae |
| Gemmalah04-07-07, 08:44 AM | if burgers do not exist it would have been rather amusing if the character invented the burger and sold it in town, or had a buisiness selling it. I mean the Earl of Sandwich who invented the sandwich was not seen to have a silly name? Of course as these things do not exist why would NPCs take the micky its just another name. plus if all other aspects are ok with youn I guess the names are something which may need putting up with. (my last character was charlotte doom with stage name as a bard of Lotta Boobies! and after the first session nobody batted an eyelid) |
| Pfisiar04-07-07, 08:50 AM | I have no problems with names like this and I don't think DMs should try and force players to change character names. (Unless of course the names are just profanity, then things get tricky.) Some people just have strange names. Remember that. |
| DM_Dan04-07-07, 08:53 AM | Names with real-world implications/meanings can really put the whammy on a good bit of roleplaying, which is why I frown on them in my own games. If a player comes to me with a name that I consider silly and has obviously been chosen for its OOC resonances, I simply ask them to change it to something that does not detract from the flow of roleplaying. If you've already started playing the game, however, it is more difficult, as a sudden change of character name is jarring. The solution I would use is to adapt the name somewhat and, as the character's fame spreads, so does the use of the modified name. Have NPCs have heard of the character, but by the name Bobe S'dar or something similar that does not clash so violently with the fantastical elements of the setting. DMD. |
| CharlieRock04-07-07, 08:56 AM | I had a couple of characters get into my game named X-boxumus, and Regis Filborn. And some people wonder why the DM purposely sets out to kill some characters. :smirk: "Yes, the raptors all jumped over the Fighter and attacked you in the back row. With Pounce!" "What th ..??? Why?" "I dunno. Just some dumb animal thing. They always do that though. Seen it on Discovery one time." |
| gamerlamer66604-07-07, 12:03 PM | The fact that the name of the Cleric was based off of a mentally challenged demon addicted to ice cream and nachos does not help matters. Frozen Yogurt!!!! |
| AlanBruce04-07-07, 02:07 PM | I say make the best out of your player's name choices, it can lead to a lot of fun roleplaying. I have a player who has an interesting take on PC names. Here are some of the most memorable: - Duzzit Feelgood, dwarven cleric of Pelor - Magnar Blastalot, human warmage but his current character (and the one that has prevailed the most) is the one with the best name so far. He's a grey elf wizard, level 9... This crafty wizard has foiled many villainous plans. And whenever he takes off the battle scene (either flying or teleporting), it can be heard way behind him by the defeated villain: "I'll get you next time, MAGICHAND!!!" (gauntlet raised in defiance) We get a few laughs. |
| Manic Man04-07-07, 02:12 PM | Whats the problem with the names? Its fun and most times your NPCs will probably never refer to them by their full name, being mostly "sir","sire", etc. I had a party member with a name called Far Q. It was a ton of laughs even though the story was serious and philosphical. |
| Gwenfloor04-07-07, 02:20 PM | In what kind of setting are you playing? These names sound quite anachronistic/out of context for an heroic fantasy game. I'll hardly have burgers and sodas in the World of Greyhawk. You can just say that in your fantasy world these names are out of context and they are not possible. Then, you come with a list of common names used in the region you play. After all, your players live in a world defined by you and you have to set the mood for them and not the contrary. For elves I always use Tolkien language (use appendixes from the Lord of the Rings). It does wonders. Aglardae I play in Ptolus, and the common names for humans sound vaguely like German names. The non-humans use the PHB names. |
| Gwenfloor04-07-07, 02:25 PM | Frozen Yogurt!!!! Yes!! |
| SokenzanMarauder04-07-07, 02:28 PM | I deal with a similar problem quite often myself, in my current group I have a PC named Seshomaru (Inuyasha) and another named Frozen Blade (but it fits his concept of an Ice Mage so I don't mind it). I generally just let them slide, though I've had some REALLY bad ones such as Tim. Yes, Tim. That's it, no last name. Just. Tim. Drove me nuts. I assure you, you aren't the only one with these problems and given long enough they generally go away after a character or two. -Gene |
| Gwenfloor04-07-07, 02:38 PM | I am pretty sure that it would not be that big of a deal, as sodas and burgers have yet to be invented. Lady: "Your name, sire?" Cleric: "Fred Fred Burger." Lady: "What?" Player: Oh not again, it is just a name! DM: No, it is not that, the lady was perplexed that your first name was the same as your middle name. It had nothing to do with burgers. Player: Oh. |
| CharlieRock04-07-07, 02:40 PM | It is kind of disheartening when I spend hours making up a town and/or dungeon filled with NPCs that reflect the vibe of the game and some player can't even come up with one. I mean, would they get into a game if I named everyone Commoner #1325, Tavern Keeper #306, Lord # 29, or even Maiden in Distress #252? How about if they were investigating a murder scene, with a suspect list containing Huey, Luey, and Dewey? |
| ATroubledMarco04-07-07, 02:58 PM | Didn't Wizards do a subject on this in a "Save My Game!" segment? Basically, they suggested having "real names" that suit the DM's taste and "nicknames" that the PCs refer to each other by, and might even introduce themselves as during informal affairs. Would that help any? |
| Whisper_Swiftblade04-07-07, 03:02 PM | set up a consperisy against them that leaves everyone thinking they are insain criminals so that they have to live for a while under assumed names, repeat until serious names are chosen. (note, I am just jokeing, doing it more than once is a little harsh.) now on a serious note, just have people forget their real names and give them alot of nick names, or even better give them some new magical armor with different names ingraved into the breastplates so that people start to get confused when the players introduce themselves. example Mayor: hello I am the local mayor who are you? Fred: I am fread fredburger knight of the holly ord... Mayor: why does your armor say "Sir Cinvemt" then? Fred: I don't know, now like I was saying I am... Mayor: what do you mean you don't know, hold on did you steal that armor! Fred: No, sir I am a knight of the holy order, not some common theif! Mayor: then it is your armor? Fred: Yes. Mayor: I beleve you Sir Cinvemt, welcome to our little town. Fred: I AM NOT SIR CINVEMT!! Mayor: oh I get it, you must be in discise, don't worry Sir Cinvemt you don't have to conceal your identity here. Fred: For the last time My NAME IS FRE... Mayor: Hey everyone come meet Sir Cinvemt, he is one of the adventures who helped stop that goblin raid last night. Fred: Man I hate when that happens. also seeing as a burg is a place (like as in "pittsburg" or ghettisburg") and fred is just a name, the name fred fredburger is is no stranger than anything elce, just say he was named after the founder of the town he was from. |
| Pfisiar04-07-07, 03:31 PM | Look, if Frank Zappa can legally name his sone Dweezle, I have a hard time swollwing the idea that players cannot have goofy and or amusing names. DM needs to lighten up. |
| CharlieRock04-07-07, 03:40 PM | Look, if Frank Zappa can legally name his sone Dweezle, I have a hard time swollwing the idea that players cannot have goofy and or amusing names. DM needs to lighten up. I would prefer Dweezle (or even Tim) to some of the names that have been passed off in my game. I mean , X-boxhumus?! :rolleyes: |
| Gwenfloor04-07-07, 03:50 PM | Look, if Frank Zappa can legally name his sone Dweezle, I have a hard time swollwing the idea that players cannot have goofy and or amusing names. DM needs to lighten up. As I said, I let it slide. |
| Max_Graeves04-07-07, 03:51 PM | DM needs to lighten up I agree. You said that - apart from the names - they play their characters seriously, so what's the problem? I tend to avoid overly serious DM's, as I like to have fun when I'm playing, and overly serious DM's tend to suck the life out of a good, fun, campaign. Luckily, our current DM has a good sense of humour (but on average, we rp with tongue firmly planted in cheek - I can't count how many times we've had to take a break because the DM is laughing too hard!). I've had a number of funny-named characters that my DM loved - a gnome sorcerer named Dingleberry Brownbritches, a dwarf chaos monk named Fergus O'Flagon, a dwarf barbarian named Angus MacDadee, and my current human cleric of Nerrul, Karl Niverous. My wife is playing a dread necromancer named Rubella D'eville. Funny names help spice up the roleplaying, and help to develope a character. |
| SokenzanMarauder04-07-07, 03:56 PM | I would prefer Dweezle (or even Tim) to some of the names that have been passed off in my game. I mean , X-boxhumus?! :rolleyes: That reminds me, an old friend of mine played a 2nd edition character named Metallicus. Can ya tell what his favorite band was? -Gene |
| Greg K04-07-07, 04:02 PM | I usually find this problem to occur in games where DMs do not give much thought to the cultures of their world. A DM that does not want to ridiculous names can begin saving themselves some grief by instituting naming conventions for each of the races/cultures in the campaign. Create (or borrow from an existing cultures) a list of common first (i.e.given) names for men. Create (or borrow from an existing cultures) a list of common first (i.e.given) names for women. Next, do individuals with in the culture use family names? clan names? house name? the name of a region or piece of landscape (for example "of the river", "of the dale") ? combinations of more than one element? If the culture uses family names, are the family names available to everyone in the culture? Are they limited to nobles ? Does the family name describe a family job (e.g., goldsmith or cooper)? Is the family name that of the father's line, the mother's line, or does one incorporate both the father and mother? Do the characters list lineage on formal introduction? Finally, in what order do the names occur? family name first? family name last? If multiple elements other than first (given) |
| Arisune04-07-07, 06:22 PM | im sorry, silly names? SILLY? in world with names like Dridz't (spelling?), Nerull, Moradin, and (of all the times to forget, whos the faerun wizard chosen of mistra guy, its gonna drive me nuts) does fred fredburger realy sound all that obsurd? soda doesnt exist, so it makes as much sense as a last name as duerdenvarden. I believe the chosen of mistra you are referring to is Elminster if I'm not mistaken. But on the topic of this thread, I must disagree with you. There is a serious diference between a name like 'Drizzt' and a character named 'Fred Fredburger' Who would take some poor level 1 nobody with a name like 'Fred Fredburger' as anyone worth talking to? At least Drizzt is an original name. Fred Fredburger must of took the person playing him... I'll be generous... three seconds to think of? |
| Radijs04-07-07, 06:37 PM | Would that be like a boy named Sue? |
| Arisune04-07-07, 06:41 PM | I wasn't saying that 'Fred' wasn't a good name, It's the last name I think is ridiculous. Sure, call your male pc 'Sue', but just for Moradin's sake don't make his last name 'Mcfartsalot' or something like that. It's pathetic. |
| Holy_Beholder04-07-07, 07:23 PM | In D&D burger is just a sound. Same with soda. So it really isn't all that wierd. |
| Eragon_seer04-07-07, 07:28 PM | Cleric dude the cleric.... need I say any more [of course eventualy it was ceric dude the vampire :devil:] |
| The Violinist04-07-07, 08:34 PM | Luckily most of my PCs always have sane names but if one of them wanted to have a name like Ben Dover, or Loves 2 Spoonge, or whatever, I would, almost, never let him have it. Someone might think I'm doing the wrong thing, but to be honest, if your traveling on a holy quest, with Leonell, Artimes, and... Ben Dover... The players would never play serious. Id rather help them coming up with a "better" name. There have been some strage names though... And thats ok, as long as it isn't the name of a male pornstar, or a celebrity or the likes. One of my friends always playes the bard "Luric Van Scam", and one time when he died (an hour after introducing his character) he made a new one, named "Schripnic" (one dollar if you pronounce it right:D ). |
| KillerVole04-08-07, 12:03 AM | My biggest problem is that two of my players always pick video game character names for their PCs. It's no problem if no one's ever heard of the game, but they pick pretty mainstream things. That said, some quests that aren't so serious benefit from silly names. I ran a quest in which a PC hired Lenny and Kenny, the goblin porters. When a player was learning to DM, the two players used silly names (I was Eric Gen, the other had a name that I can't post) to help the new DM not take themselves too seriously. It was a one shot, anyways. |
| RellenMarn04-08-07, 12:28 AM | I like to think I am a fairly easy going DM, but if someone wants to give their PC a silly name in my game they are out of luck. The reason? Immersion. DM: Malik, the troll belows and charges towards you. Its claws lash out and glance off your playe mail. Telthus the Quasit cackles and grins at you before winking out of sight! Sir Farty.... *dies inside* Thorgar turns to you with an evil leer and begins to chant... No, your pleasure does not superced that of the group or my own. Change the name or do not play - i will be happy to offer suggestions, etc. |
| weasel004-08-07, 02:45 AM | My two personal favorites(and my last two chars): Peenos Upperbum Phalyc Stoneshaft My GM refused to use the first one and insists on using "Felix" for my second. But he's slowly slipping up and using it. Of couse with some of my hack'n'slash friends, the role playing never leaves the tarmak. And if it tries, they slash the tires. |
| KurenaiYami04-08-07, 03:13 AM | I have a character who plays alongside my Samurai. He's a Paladin named Salad, of the Thousand Islands. |
| Tiberia04-08-07, 08:44 AM | 1) NPCs insult them all the time. 2) NPCs give them sensible nicknames and never use the silly names. 3) "Burger" and "Soda" are common names. Burg = Burgh = Borough means "Town": Hamburg =Town on the river Ham, Edinburgh = Town founded by King Edwin, Middlesborough = Town in the Middle. Burger = Burgher = Burgess mean "Townsman". Adding Soda to make drinks fizz is recent, but using baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate???) to make bread rise when there is a shortage of yeast is a very ancient Irish recipe. also Bury Saint Edmund. Saint Edmund was indeed buried there, but the name of the town means Borough of Saint Edmund. |
| Pfisiar04-08-07, 09:02 AM | My biggest problem is that two of my players always pick video game character names for their PCs. It's no problem if no one's ever heard of the game, but they pick pretty mainstream things. That said, some quests that aren't so serious benefit from silly names. I ran a quest in which a PC hired Lenny and Kenny, the goblin porters. When a player was learning to DM, the two players used silly names (I was Eric Gen, the other had a name that I can't post) to help the new DM not take themselves too seriously. It was a one shot, anyways. The first time a player choses the name "Cloud" or "Sephiroth" in any game I'm playing in, I will walk out without a word. No no no no no. |
| Shar_the_Black04-08-07, 09:10 AM | Philly Fungyhead, the gnome druid specializing in herbal alchemy. Morasse, human wizard in one of my current campaigns. (Sound the name out) Insists his name is pronounced "Morris" but nobody agrees with him. Seebo and Buu, two Hobgoblins (Fighter and Rogue respectively) Zany enough, the group made a stupid song about them. |
| jagraham04-08-07, 09:43 AM | I don't permit overtly silly names in my game. The fact that they both have the same stupid fast food naming scheme reeks of laziness. Sometimes players are hard-pressed to come up with a good name. Refer them to one of the fantasy name generators available on line and offer to assign one if that's too much work. |
| garcon_fille04-08-07, 10:00 AM | One time my younger brother was trying to teach a cousin how to play some RPG video game, and the cousin couldn't think of a name for his first character, so he just named it after the first thing he saw. 'Bag'. They both thought it was hilarious, and for the next 5 years every character my brother created (be it D&D or video games) he named Bag. Just Bag, no last name. :rolleye2: It drove me crazy at first, just because I knew he wasn't taking the game seriously, but I got over it quickly. There are a lot of in-character ways the DM can keep from saying an annoying name out loud... My favorite: 'Hey you..." Since their names are unusual for the setting, you could also have people always messing up the name and then being dismissive. "Sir Breughel, you've saved the town!" "It's Burger -- Sir Burger" "That's what I said. Anyway Breughel...[conversation proceeds]." |
| Pfisiar04-08-07, 10:31 AM | I don't permit overtly silly names in my game. The fact that they both have the same stupid fast food naming scheme reeks of laziness. Sometimes players are hard-pressed to come up with a good name. Refer them to one of the fantasy name generators available on line and offer to assign one if that's too much work. I honestly don't know which name is sillier: Fred Fredburger or Xanixxxest Flailinghond Sometimes name generators give you absolutely absurd names. |
| benmoule10104-08-07, 11:27 AM | [QUOTE=Aglardae;12013062]These names sound quite anachronistic/out of context for an heroic fantasy game. I'll hardly have burgers and sodas in the World of Greyhawk. exactly, so why would people even think them strange? I think the point is the playing, if the play doesn't paly right for the group, or the name brings too much hilarity, ask them to change, if they fit right in, so be it? Here's silly I ahd a friend play a gnome rogue called Charley 'spanners' vogler, aslo known as 'pokey' he played it straight and had go reasoning, and we had fun so! where's the trouble? |
| KillerVole04-08-07, 10:14 PM | The first time a player choses the name "Cloud" or "Sephiroth" in any game I'm playing in, I will walk out without a word. No no no no no. I would too. My players weren't that bad, but it is still a bit annoying. Fortunately, one was a paranoid changling with more identities than fingers, so he used his real name less than his dozen aliases. |
| Aglardae04-09-07, 09:07 AM | I play in Ptolus, and the common names for humans sound vaguely like German names. The non-humans use the PHB names. Nice, so I would suggest you enforce such kind of names on your player characters. That's your world ) Aglardae |
| rmccowen04-09-07, 01:13 PM | I would like to point out a D&D-historical precedent. Rob Kuntz, as a joke, named a wizard character "Medium Rary". That wizard, in the process of twenty years of play and inclusion in campaign materials, became the Greyhawk NPC "Rary of Ket", which is a much more respectable name. The moral of this story is that "Bob Bob Soda" is funny for a session or two, but becomes tiresome after a while. "Robert the Winged" and "Frederick of the Conclave" are much easier to stomach. I second the suggestion of having NPCs address the players by more acceptable choices that incorporate the players' names. Also, pull the players aside and let them know that their next characters will have names appropriate to the campaign. |
| Hydryh04-09-07, 01:59 PM | Agreed, although I still like the Fred Fredburger style of conquest. But then that's tied to a low Int and Wis rather than a silly name. :) |
| daggeroflath04-09-07, 02:14 PM | If they want to call themselves that, more power to them. I wouldn't stress out over it. I certainly wouldn't want to be the man who laughed at an all powerful wizard/warrior/whatever named Fred Fred Burger. Besides, assuming some old-english germanic tradition of nomenclature he's just Fred son of Fred the merchant. Bob Bob Soda I can't justify as much, but who cares? Stress less, game more. |
| HagerHobbit04-10-07, 02:59 PM | The PCs in my campaign try to get me to laugh by doing stupid names. They hardly use the names themselves using pronouns like, 'Maybe YOU should scale that wall.' or 'Perhaps, He would be the best man.' and of course, 'Yeah we'll do it.' With one disturbing name that they choose, which was, 'Imacoksukah'. I attempted to overule the name. The other players were upset that I was doing that...but utlitamtely people started calling him either 'Ima' or 'Sucka'...and the PCs never got upset. |
| ENHenry04-10-07, 03:05 PM | I've met people in real life with some "out there" names -- I've met a Richard "Dick" Blewer, I've heard of an Imogene "Ima" Hogg, and I've even heard of one child in a government assistance program named, I swear, Gonorrhea (pronounced "gon-OR-EE-ah.") Fred Fredgurger, silly though it is, doesn't even make it into the "out there" category. :) |
| Mecha_Pope04-10-07, 03:54 PM | My best friend's last name is Koch, Pronounced "****" His father is named Peter Koch, and his brother is B.J. Koch. My roommate's father knew a man named Asshead. Pronounced A-sheed. Everyone just called him ass head though... |
| Cromag04-10-07, 04:45 PM | I see some people are jumping on the persecute the players bandwagon, however I think that's a mistake. A character that has a silly name which doesn't really mean anything in the context of the game world shouldn't be a big issue. Player: Hi I'm Fred Fred Burger NPC: greetings Sir Fred I don't see the issue, especially if as you see he is playing appropriately in the game. However it is a HUGE problem if every NPC suddenly becomes hostile because the DM doesn't like the name. Persecuting one of the players characters for no in game reason beyond "I don't like his name" is no better than doing so because his dwarf has red hair and you don't like it. Like it's been said, As a DM we get to name every NPC in the rest of the game. Let the player control his own character. |
| Amon_WinterfallIV04-11-07, 01:51 AM | To the OP: People will just decide that his real name must be "Frederick Burgher" (A Burgher is another name for merchants in the middle ages) Or "Robert Soda" (Soda would be related to salt, not soft drinks). People will just think that they are stuttering or that these are just nicknames. No big deal. |
| Sir Percival the Gallant04-11-07, 02:04 AM | I have come across many silly names in the past (e.g. Tot the Sot, a surpassingly thicked-headed barbarian), but after watching the humorous short film Tom et ses Chums (for anyone who has not seen it, it is on YouTube amongst other places, with English subtitles), Boba Fett really does not still seriously for me in D&D. |
| Edea04-11-07, 02:14 AM | I DMed for a party consisting of Silky Smooth the ranger, a fighter named Warlock, a cleric who used her real name, and a wizard named Dellposturum Bostra. I remember not really knowing a single rule (I thought faerie fire dealt casterd6 fire damage/round to a single target, Fort half :rolleyes:), but apparently we had fun anyway since we played again afterwards (killing drow is always good for them). |
| grydrilnrad04-11-07, 11:44 AM | As a player I try to use names that are more or less fitting into a D&D campaign. Currently I play Grydrilnrad, an artificer in an Eberron campaign. For some reason everyone just calls me G. As a DM I just wont allow names that I find too stupid, silly, cute, distracting or from a book, movie or is otherwise famous. Yes its just a name, but I spent a lot of time and effort trying to make a campaign that players will hopefully find fun and enjoyable, so I think the players can take a moment or two to come up with a name that suits the campaign. For those that think, hey, but a name like that just adds to the humor of the gaming session. No it doesnt, my group has plenty of things we can come up with OUTSIDE the game and even IN the game without someone just being too lazy to think of a real name for their character. |
| Someone04-11-07, 01:25 PM | The silliest I've come across was "Blank", the wizard. The player hadn't thought up a name for the character, and just left the character sheet blank. Hence the name. But I think the main issue here is the spelling of the names. As mentioned, Fred Fredburger isn't that bad, while B'hab Bobs'oda is just an exotic elf name (that every non-elf always seems to mispronounce). Its the breaking it into three names that makes it silly. Fuse the middle name with the last, and it doesn't sound so wierd. |
| IceFractal04-11-07, 01:47 PM | Actually though, in a fantasy setting, who's to say that names would follow the patterns for normal english? Other races, and even humans from different regions, could have entirely different naming conventions. Bob Bob Soda could indicate that this was Bob, son of Bob, from the town or house of Soda. Or, it could mean that he was given the name Bob at birth, chose to keep the same name when becoming an adult, and was born in the year of Soda. So really, IC these wouldn't even be that odd a name. It's just that OOC, they're distracting. You'll have to decide whether they're too distracting to play with, or if you can ignore them. |
| damixmastermike04-11-07, 03:02 PM | I take it one step further. As the DM, I have NPCs with ridiculous names. The PCs encounter these characters when the campaign is getting really tough or strained. You know when you go to a movie theatre and everyone is quiet during those suspencful scences, well I start laughing during those, really loud. Maybe not all of the time, but in some movies. These NPCs do the same. You can't help but laugh when Burlap Sackington walks in on a tense situation. Or when Ginger Clam charges in to break up what might be a bloody fight. Or perhaps the time when the PCs needed to find a lawfirm and the only one in town was Wei, Shaft, Em & Howe (read it a few times). Yes, if you want to see what happens to a PC party with an annoying name: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?doc...7835&q=farador Someone above mentioned it. |
| Greg K04-11-07, 03:55 PM | I take it one step further. As the DM, I have NPCs with ridiculous names. The PCs encounter these characters when the campaign is getting really tough or strained. You know when you go to a movie theatre and everyone is quiet during those suspencful scences, well I start laughing during those, really loud. Maybe not all of the time, but in some movies. These NPCs do the same. You can't help but laugh when Burlap Sackington walks in on a tense situation. Or when Ginger Clam charges in to break up what might be a bloody fight. Or perhaps the time when the PCs needed to find a lawfirm and the only one in town was Wei, Shaft, Em & Howe (read it a few times). I suppose it depends on the tone of the game you are after. If the campaign premise is not comedic, what you described would have me walking out of the game, because the humor did not originate from the characters and in game events, but the DM injecting humor with an appropriate technique. |
| Shan_TheBabau_Burke04-11-07, 04:16 PM | The game I am currently DMing has a skeleton Fighter called Arlo Barlowe. His original name was Arlo Piltdown, but the character changed hands. (The creator moved and another player took the helm. Said player didn't get the Piltdown reference and changed it to Barlowe) In that same game there is a Ranger called Marcus B'Garcus. His full title is Marcus B'Garcus With the Leather Clad Arcus. I said them over and over until I could manage a flat tone. Now they're just like any other name. It's the sucky bats when someone doesn't name a character the way you would, but it's not a game shattering experience. Loosen up and have a bit of fun. In the end, it's only a game! |
| Duncfoo04-11-07, 06:35 PM | Woo First post. Here comes more work time wasted. Sometimes silly names can really make a character. Maybe the character has a flippant attitude or outlook on life. The moniker they carry can help portray that accurately to both the DM, fellow players and NPC. Just have people act accordingly. The game I am currently playing in is very Black Company inspired. People are allowed to name there character's what ever they please... We just take the name and run it through the Wu-Tang Name Generator to get their company name. http://www.recordstore.com/wuname/wuname.pl Runwald the Green, my extremely well dressed Dwarf? "Filthy" It makes the game fun, and give everyone a silly code name. I've also had a Modron named MS3TK, but everyone called him Charles. He hit every cog on his way falling down through Mechanis. Oh planescape how I love you. Or the Mad Gnome in Dragonlance named... I won't even try and list it. Hell, I even had a character that refused to answer to any name. Or my actual favorite character. Old Man. :D |