alternate class names [Archive] - Wizards Community

alternate class names [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dead_Karma
07-21-06, 01:15 AM i just had to say that after looking at some of the posts in these threads. some of you come up with some pretty funny/interesting names for the different classes. meat shield? skill monkey? seen one about a cleric being a band aid. anyways just thought i'd point it out. no other real point.
TheChilliGod
07-21-06, 01:55 AM Oh, sorry, you misinterpret.

Those terms represent the different character roles one can play, not the character classes.

Meat Shield means someone who takes a lot of hits without dying. He's a shield of meat.
Skill Monkeys have lots of skill ranks to spend. Not necessarily rogues (and not all rogues are skill monkeys either).
And Band-aid's are simply healers. They don't have to be clerics, they don't even need to be divine spellcasters (so long as they have a wand handy).

These terms simply came about the need to distinguish one character role from another (because it would be very tiring to say/type "The sort of guy who can take a lot of damage and still live"), just like we came up with terms for "The sort of player who cheats with the rules all the time" or "The sort of DM who doesn't give us any choice of action." (Munchkin and Railroader respectively)

Anyways, just thought I'd clear up any confusion about the what's and the why's. No other real point.
Dead_Karma
07-21-06, 12:49 PM oh, well alright. still think it's funny

thanks for the clarafication though
Barnwellknight
07-24-06, 02:15 PM Another idea is to think: what qualities does my character have?

For example, according to the PHB (and wikipedia for that matter), no one ever calls their fighter a 'fighter' in-game. Adventurer, swordsman, warrior, mercenary, wandering hero, etc., are good alternate names for a fighter.
Ryusage
07-24-06, 06:23 PM Argh... where the RP falls apart....
"Greetings, traveller, I am Artemis Amastacia, Wizard of the Gray Mountain."
"Hi! I'm Bob the Fighter!"

So, im totally in favour of naming a character's class according to background or profession.
Tempest Stormwind
07-24-06, 09:01 PM My NPCs always have a titular name based on their role as well. For instance, I had a character who would be listed in my list o' names as, say, "Telashara, Inspired Inquisitor" when his actual class breakdown would be telepath 5 / quori nightmare 4, or something. My NPCs (and characters, for that matter) are VERY unlikely to call themselves by a class name.

Also, just by doing a bit of renaming and description, you can make a class seem COMPLETELY different from what it is. Here's a true example I used.

The NPC ahead is wearing torn pants and not much else, similar to the archetypal werewolf from the movies. He's definitely the escaped arcane experiment you're looking for. He appears human, except for the long gashes on his torso that look like whip markings... but when you're close enough, you see he's got gill-like growths on his body. If you attack him, there's a chance that his body might turn to liquid just as your attack would strike, passing through him harmlessly. His arms can transform into a tentacle-like formation, even with multiple arms, and each one turns to stone or metal just before it hits, amplifying the force of the blow manyfold and potentially stunning you on impact. If you try to run away, his legs reverse and become cheetah-like, and he can easily close, knock you down, and entwine his tentacle-like arms around you, pinning you to the ground.

Straight-classed monk.

The gills are just a description on why he doesn't wear armor.
Transmuting to water = AC bonus and Deflect Arrows.
Multiple limbs = Flurry of blows and possibly Combat Reflexes.
Transmute to stone on attack = increased unarmed damage / stunning fist.
Spring-legs = improved speed.
Entangling tentacles: Improved Grapple and related effects.

All of that with a bit of description.

For similar approaches taken to the entire psionics system, see the Truenaming Psionics link in my sig.
Azezel
07-25-06, 04:15 AM There are certain class names which can be used in-game, Wizard for instance.

Whilst the chap in question might be called variously a Mage, an Arcanist, a Sage, a Sorcerer, an Illusionist, a Magician or any number of things, he can and will be refered to as a Wizard, and it's completely logical IC.

Clerics run a similar way.

Almost no-one will refer to himself as a Fighter or a Rogue though. (Well, lot's of people might call Tealeaf the street urchin a rogue, but he will not think of himself as such)

I sincerely hope that no PC has ever referred do himself IC as a Beguiler or an Blackguard.
Shaggy_Shaggs
07-25-06, 05:18 AM So what do you do when your character refers to himself by role and then you later learn it's the name of a class you weren't aware of before? (A ranger/rogue "scout" in this case.)
Azezel
07-25-06, 06:56 AM Nothing.

He is a scout - he scouts. he goes ahead and other people follow him.

It doen't matter if 'Scout' is the name of a class or not.
CaoSlayer
07-25-06, 07:22 AM One thing about meat shield...
Meat shield it is a subtype of tank being the tank the one who is a meat shield AND can deal damage himself, a meat shield it is only mean to eat damage and no dealing any.
Paxar
07-25-06, 12:13 PM For further reference see: http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=209

:D
Peacimowen
07-25-06, 04:22 PM Argh... where the RP falls apart....
"Greetings, traveller, I am Artemis Amastacia, Wizard of the Gray Mountain."
"Hi! I'm Bob the Fighter!"

So, im totally in favour of naming a character's class according to background or profession.

If Artemis Amastacia has an Int of 18 and Bob an int of 6, that's perfectly good roleplaying. :P
Robert_Fox_Kitsune
07-25-06, 04:55 PM these are ones I've used when dming, and when playing

Fighter- Knight, warrior, hero
Rogue- Theif, Dodger, Renegade, Shadow Marshall
Wizard- Arcanist, Miracualist
Sorcerer- Channeler
Bard- Performer, musician, jester
Barbarian- Warrior, warlord
Cleric- Preist
Artificer- Inventor, professer
Druid- Naturist, Beast master
Ranger- Marshall, vigelante

You get the idea!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dead_Karma 07-21-06, 01:15 AM	i just had to say that after looking at some of the posts in these threads. some of you come up with some pretty funny/interesting names for the different classes. meat shield? skill monkey? seen one about a cleric being a band aid. anyways just thought i'd point it out. no other real point.
TheChilliGod 07-21-06, 01:55 AM	Oh, sorry, you misinterpret. Those terms represent the different character roles one can play, not the character classes. Meat Shield means someone who takes a lot of hits without dying. He's a shield of meat. Skill Monkeys have lots of skill ranks to spend. Not necessarily rogues (and not all rogues are skill monkeys either). And Band-aid's are simply healers. They don't have to be clerics, they don't even need to be divine spellcasters (so long as they have a wand handy). These terms simply came about the need to distinguish one character role from another (because it would be very tiring to say/type "The sort of guy who can take a lot of damage and still live"), just like we came up with terms for "The sort of player who cheats with the rules all the time" or "The sort of DM who doesn't give us any choice of action." (Munchkin and Railroader respectively) Anyways, just thought I'd clear up any confusion about the what's and the why's. No other real point.
Dead_Karma 07-21-06, 12:49 PM	oh, well alright. still think it's funny thanks for the clarafication though
Barnwellknight 07-24-06, 02:15 PM	Another idea is to think: what qualities does my character have? For example, according to the PHB (and wikipedia for that matter), no one ever calls their fighter a 'fighter' in-game. Adventurer, swordsman, warrior, mercenary, wandering hero, etc., are good alternate names for a fighter.
Ryusage 07-24-06, 06:23 PM	Argh... where the RP falls apart.... "Greetings, traveller, I am Artemis Amastacia, Wizard of the Gray Mountain." "Hi! I'm Bob the Fighter!" So, im totally in favour of naming a character's class according to background or profession.
Tempest Stormwind 07-24-06, 09:01 PM	My NPCs always have a titular name based on their role as well. For instance, I had a character who would be listed in my list o' names as, say, "Telashara, Inspired Inquisitor" when his actual class breakdown would be telepath 5 / quori nightmare 4, or something. My NPCs (and characters, for that matter) are VERY unlikely to call themselves by a class name. Also, just by doing a bit of renaming and description, you can make a class seem COMPLETELY different from what it is. Here's a true example I used. The NPC ahead is wearing torn pants and not much else, similar to the archetypal werewolf from the movies. He's definitely the escaped arcane experiment you're looking for. He appears human, except for the long gashes on his torso that look like whip markings... but when you're close enough, you see he's got gill-like growths on his body. If you attack him, there's a chance that his body might turn to liquid just as your attack would strike, passing through him harmlessly. His arms can transform into a tentacle-like formation, even with multiple arms, and each one turns to stone or metal just before it hits, amplifying the force of the blow manyfold and potentially stunning you on impact. If you try to run away, his legs reverse and become cheetah-like, and he can easily close, knock you down, and entwine his tentacle-like arms around you, pinning you to the ground. Straight-classed monk. The gills are just a description on why he doesn't wear armor. Transmuting to water = AC bonus and Deflect Arrows. Multiple limbs = Flurry of blows and possibly Combat Reflexes. Transmute to stone on attack = increased unarmed damage / stunning fist. Spring-legs = improved speed. Entangling tentacles: Improved Grapple and related effects. All of that with a bit of description. For similar approaches taken to the entire psionics system, see the Truenaming Psionics link in my sig.
Azezel 07-25-06, 04:15 AM	There are certain class names which can be used in-game, Wizard for instance. Whilst the chap in question might be called variously a Mage, an Arcanist, a Sage, a Sorcerer, an Illusionist, a Magician or any number of things, he can and will be refered to as a Wizard, and it's completely logical IC. Clerics run a similar way. Almost no-one will refer to himself as a Fighter or a Rogue though. (Well, lot's of people might call Tealeaf the street urchin a rogue, but he will not think of himself as such) I sincerely hope that no PC has ever referred do himself IC as a Beguiler or an Blackguard.
Shaggy_Shaggs 07-25-06, 05:18 AM	So what do you do when your character refers to himself by role and then you later learn it's the name of a class you weren't aware of before? (A ranger/rogue "scout" in this case.)
Azezel 07-25-06, 06:56 AM	Nothing. He is a scout - he scouts. he goes ahead and other people follow him. It doen't matter if 'Scout' is the name of a class or not.
CaoSlayer 07-25-06, 07:22 AM	One thing about meat shield... Meat shield it is a subtype of tank being the tank the one who is a meat shield AND can deal damage himself, a meat shield it is only mean to eat damage and no dealing any.
Paxar 07-25-06, 12:13 PM	For further reference see: http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=209 :D
Peacimowen 07-25-06, 04:22 PM	Argh... where the RP falls apart.... "Greetings, traveller, I am Artemis Amastacia, Wizard of the Gray Mountain." "Hi! I'm Bob the Fighter!" So, im totally in favour of naming a character's class according to background or profession. If Artemis Amastacia has an Int of 18 and Bob an int of 6, that's perfectly good roleplaying. :P
Robert_Fox_Kitsune 07-25-06, 04:55 PM	these are ones I've used when dming, and when playing Fighter- Knight, warrior, hero Rogue- Theif, Dodger, Renegade, Shadow Marshall Wizard- Arcanist, Miracualist Sorcerer- Channeler Bard- Performer, musician, jester Barbarian- Warrior, warlord Cleric- Preist Artificer- Inventor, professer Druid- Naturist, Beast master Ranger- Marshall, vigelante You get the idea!