Worst name (prc, feat, spell, etc.)

[Venger]

While minding my own business and checking the cost of an item in dotu, I was accosted by an item called "mother's corset." I don't care what kind of powers it gives you, no one wants their character wearing mother's corset. What are some other things with bad names? prc, feat, spell, whatever.

[Biggus]

I don't have anything to beat that, but there are a few spells I can never take seriously:

Discolor Pool: well, I'm shaking in my boots. Are you what they call an archmage?

Enrage Animal: reminds me too much of South Park's parody of Steve Irwin "I'm gonna stick my thumb up his butt, that'll really **** him off"

Sticky Saddle: ...ew

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Mordenkainen's lucubration. Sounds waaaay too much like "lubrication" to me. And if it belongs to Mordy, it's probably at least partially used. So...eww...

[Thurbane]

It's hard to go past the Nipple Clamp of Exquisite Pain (BoVD p.115). :smalleek:

[Zaq]

You have a true way with words, Venger. That first sentence got an audible guffaw from me.

A lot of the "dweomered dragon scale" items in Dragon Magic are truly cringeworthy. "Oh, I know, we'll just take the English names of various garments and accessories, run them through the katakana filter, write them in romaji like it's no big deal, and present it as a serious item!" Seriously, beruto of the carp dragon? You can do so much better than that. Don't just back-calque me like that.

[Venger]

You have a true way with words, Venger. That first sentence got an audible guffaw from me.

A lot of the "dweomered dragon scale" items in Dragon Magic are truly cringeworthy. "Oh, I know, we'll just take the English names of various garments and accessories, run them through the katakana filter, write them in romaji like it's no big deal, and present it as a serious item!" Seriously, beruto of the carp dragon? You can do so much better than that. Don't just back-calque me like that.

high praise from the disciple of the word himself. thanks a lot. glad you enjoyed it.

those are pretty painful. that pun is amazing.

as useful as the item is, I feel obligated to nominate the bagpipes of the damned. that sounds like a munchkin card

[The Viscount]

I must include Ghost-Faced Killer. Regardless of that their original intent is, you can't use it without thinking of Wu Tang Clan.

I'm also going to call out the Spinemeld Warrior for having a different terrible name for each level. "August Perfect of Roses" is unwieldy, flowery, and without meaning or sense.

[Zaq]

I must include Ghost-Faced Killer. Regardless of that their original intent is, you can't use it without thinking of Wu Tang Clan.

I'm also going to call out the Spinemeld Warrior for having a different terrible name for each level. "August Perfect of Roses" is unwieldy, flowery, and without meaning or sense.

Maybe... maybe they meant “august prefect of roses”? That’s still unnecessary purple, but it’s at least comprehensible.

[Particle_Man]

I imagine the spinemeld titles are a shout-out to the first edition monk level titles like “grand master of flowers” and “master of the north wind”.

Speaking of incarnum, how about all the feats where the authors ran the thesaurus program on “blue”?

Also, every prestige class with the word “master” in it could actually benefit from a thesaurus. Or a different concept. If everyone is a master then no one is, ok?

[Hish]

In terms of sheer incomprehensibility, it's hard to beat the Nosomatic Chirurgeon. Chirurgeon is apparently an archaic term for surgeon, but I can't find nosomatic anywhere but the PrC name.

[pabelfly]

In terms of sheer incomprehensibility, it's hard to beat the Nosomatic Chirurgeon. Chirurgeon is apparently an archaic term for surgeon, but I can't find nosomatic anywhere but the PrC name.

Somatic is a word that means "relates to the body", but I'm not sure what the "No" prefix would denote for the class.

[Venger]

In terms of sheer incomprehensibility, it's hard to beat the Nosomatic Chirurgeon. Chirurgeon is apparently an archaic term for surgeon, but I can't find nosomatic anywhere but the PrC name.

hey, you're right! I guess none of your class features require somatic components? that seems too easy.

under similar criteria, fochlucan lyrist. a horror to pronounce, always makes me hungry for focaccia, and half the time I end up saying lyricist

[Particle_Man]

under similar criteria, fochlucan lyrist. a horror to pronounce, always makes me hungry for focaccia, and half the time I end up saying lyricist

Another shoutout to first edition level titles, I believe.

[Venger]

is that one of the names for a level of bard? i know the class is templated on how you used to enter bard.

[Kurald Galain]

I must include Ghost-Faced Killer. Regardless of that their original intent is, you can't use it without thinking of Wu Tang Clan....or Scary Movie.

A third-party book has a magus (gish) archetype called "tovenaar" which is the Dutch word for a completely different class, i.e. "wizard". Don't use names from another language unless you know that other language.

Then there's the "Geminate Invoker", which of course is an archetype for... the barbarian. You think any barbarian knows how to spell "geminate"? :smallamused:

[The Viscount]

I imagine the spinemeld titles are a shout-out to the first edition monk level titles like “grand master of flowers” and “master of the north wind”.

Speaking of incarnum, how about all the feats where the authors ran the thesaurus program on “blue”?

Also, every prestige class with the word “master” in it could actually benefit from a thesaurus. Or a different concept. If everyone is a master then no one is, ok?

Oh they almost certainly are, but that just prompts the further question of "why is it a shout-out to first edition monk?" The class doesn't do monk stuff, and if you attempted to enter with Skarn Monk you'd invoke the curses of the RAW gods as you try to navigate two weapon fighting with unarmed strikes. Spine strike is enough of a nest of thorns as it is. And if you went for a neat 10/10, your reward is the dissatisfying realization that 2 arm binds overlap, not stack.


Maybe... maybe they meant “august prefect of roses”? That’s still unnecessary purple, but it’s at least comprehensible.

There's a strong chance that they did, and every time I think of the level that's what I want to say. I had to reference the text making the above post to correct myself. It's made more damning by the two other levels with "perfect" in the title.

Now that I think about it....
The two monk levels quoted map on to "perfect of the north wind" and "august perfect of roses" fairly well. What if they did run things through a thesaurus, and say "perfect" as a synonym for "master" ignoring that that's only when both are used as verbs? The answers were in front of us the whole time!

[ZamielVanWeber]

They certainly meant "August Perfect of Roses." It means "a god-like/respected perfect one who carries/has the qualities of roses" Perfectly bombastic for a skarn.
Edit: it looks weird because the title drops the noun that august, perfect, and "of roses" all refer to. It is allowable in English but ends up sounding really archaic outside of narrow circumstances.

[Maat Mons]

I've always felt that Deepstone Sentinel's final ability, Awaken the Stone Dragon, sounded like a euphamism. "Aye, she's a real looker. Really awakens my stone dragon, if you know what I mean."

The most sinister sounding feat name I've ever encountered in Servant of the Fallen.



"Noso" means disease. That'd be my guess for the root of nosomatic.

[Biggus]

Somatic is a word that means "relates to the body", but I'm not sure what the "No" prefix would denote for the class.

"Noso" is a prefix meaning "disease".

[Thurbane]

Shoutout to the list of awful monster names (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?559138). My contributions are summarized below.


Abrian (FF): "Hey look everyone, it's a Brian!".

Aventi (St): brings back memories of high school Italian classes: https://tinyurl.com/yde6xs6x

Blue (XPH): I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa. Such an awful, awful song.

Carcass Crab (ECS): Monster, or brutal death metal act?

Chilblain (Fr): Near epic level monster, or skin condition?

Corpse Gatherer (MM2): Now playing on a double bill with Carcass Crab!

Deathbringer/Deathdrinker/Deathshrieker: I'm sensing a theme here...

Fomorian / Formian: Ketchup, catsup? (Yes, I'm aware of the mythological origins of Formorians).

Gaspar (PlH): let the poor thing catch it's breath already!

Ghargatula (BoVD): sounds like some kind of Lovecraftian kitchen utensil.

Hoary Hunter (ELH): if only he has some kind of, I don't know, Hoary Steed?

Horrid Animal (ECS): https://tinyurl.com/y7su8o5p https://tinyurl.com/ybmahs65

Justicator (MM3): Sounds like a villain or hero from Power Rangers.

I don't mind nonsense/made up names as such, but some are just awful and/or difficult to pronounce:


Aoa (FF)
Artaaglith (Gh)
Bheur (UE)
Bulezau (FC1) (it's a shame, I actually like the monster a lot)
Cavvekan (RoF)
Chraal (MM3)(again, a shame because I like the monster)
Faerzress-Infused Creature (Und)
Fihyr (MM2) (yeah, we get it, it's fear...RME)
Folugub (XPH)
Gadacro (MM5)
Geriviar (MM3)
Guecubu (FC1) (the kids can call you HoJu)
Hashalaq Quori (SoS)
Hobyah (Standing Stone)
Hunefer (ELH)
Ixzan (LEoF)
Kelvezu (MM2)
Kuldurath (FF)


Laraken (ShS): Is he a lovable larrikin?

Leskylor (BoED): Sounds like a French surname?

Lith (Und): Has a lisp?

Lizardfolk (MM): OK, this is purely personal bias here, but they'll always be lizard men to me. I know they tried to give all the "folk" (catfolk, goatfolk, merfolk etc.) unisex names, but I cut my teeth on lizard men.

Maelephant (FF): I love this monster, but the name? Ooh, it's a malicious elephant! :smallyuk:

Mantimera / Nagahydra: You've probably guessed by now I'm not a fan of portmanteau names.

Meazel (MoF): OK, I get it, but really? Wonder if he's friends with the chilblain.

Meenlock (MM2): Cool monster, dorky name.

Mooncalf (MM2): Cool monster, dorky name (detecting a theme with MM2 here).

Nashrou / Nishruu: Bless you! Also - Catsup? Ketchup?

Necronaut (MM3): Would only be cool if it was a zombie in a space suit.

Night Hunter (MoF): Does what it says on the tin, but come on...almost two thirds of the various monster manual entries could claim this name!

Ocean Strider (MM2): Not a horrible name, but would be better suited to an aquatic ranger PrC IMHO.

Odopi (MM3): More flashbacks to high school Italian classes. "See you later!". Kinda sorta.

Orcwort (MM2): Sounds like a skin condition that orcs get. Better than catching meazles, I guess (yes, I know the difference between wort and wart).

Pennaggolan (OA): Yeah, I know it's from actual mythology, but still. Pennaggolan! Do do, do do do... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ytei6bu7kQ) Also works for Ramadeen, Ratatosk, Scaladar...

Phaerlock: What's with all the locks? Deathlock, Grimlock, Meenlock, Phaerlock...I'm tempted to make an encounter of these guys, all with Warlock levels.

Quesar (BoED): Sounds like a huge star that's slightly nauseous...

Raggamoffyn (MM2): I know it kind of suits the monster, but I also feel like I'm fighting a homeless child.

Raiment (LM): Speaking of fighting a suit of clothing...

Ravid: Angry cartoon bunnies?

Rutterkin (FC1): Sounds a bit lewd to me.

Shivhad (Fr): ...I'm getting mad, and there's no fuel left for the pilgrims... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP-PeyYLkXc)

Snake, Dung (SK): No comment.

Starwhale (A&EG): Sounds like a psychedelic rock band.

Tako (OA): Real world mythology aside, who ordered Mexican?

Tall Mouther (ShS): Not only is the name silly, it looks like a baddie from a Muppet movie.

Velroc (DrMa): A high speed Roc?

Voor / Vorr / Vour: How could that possibly get confusing?

Wyste (MM2): Monster or card game?


I don't mind nonsense/made up names as such, but some are just awful and/or difficult to pronounce:

Malastor (MM5)
Malasynep (Fr)
Mlarraun (SK)
Myrlochar (MoF)
Myrmyxicus (FF) (sounds like a disease rabbits get)
Paeliryon (FC2)
Phiuhl (FF) (this is almost my ultimate what the? name)
Phthisic (XPH) (seriously, what the? Can you even say this thing's name without sounding like Daffy Duck?)
Reekmurk (FF) (don't let the designers' toddler name the monsters, please)
Rejkar (MM3)
Rhek (BoED)
Rukarazyll (MM2)
Sahuagin (love the monster, the name not so much)
Seryulin (MM3)
Sewerm (SK)
Sisiutl (St)
Skiurid (MM4)
Slasrath (FF)
Ssvaklor (MM3)
Thorciasid ELH)
Udoroot (XPH) (why do so many psionic creatures have such stupid names?)
Ulgurstasta (FF)
Uvuudaum (ELH) (OK, psionic and epic monsters have an unusually high amount of silly names)
Veserab (Ab)
Vultivor (FF) (another Power Rangers baddie?)
Yrthak
Zeugalak (LoM)

[ShurikVch]

as useful as the item is, I feel obligated to nominate the bagpipes of the damned. that sounds like a munchkin cardProbably, the original owner played it very loudly...
At night...
And directly near the sleeping people...
Thus, a lot of "Damn you!.." shouts :smallwink:

[ekarney]

and half the time I end up saying lyricist


You mean, for 5 years I've been calling a lyrist a lyricist? This is making me question a lot of things.

Cloistered Cleric always makes me think of that one pokemon, Cloyster.

Geometer - Whilst I know it derives from Geometry, I keep thinking a Geometer is just someone who measures rocks, likely because I used to be in the geotechnical field.

[No brains]

Helmed Horror always hit me as weird because it's pretty tame as far as monsters go. There are way worse things than a moving suit of armor that has weird spell resistances. They don't even have a horrific origin or behavior.

[Vizzerdrix]

Cloistered Cleric always makes me think of that one pokemon, cloyster.

I demand homebrew of a cleric that gets cloysters instead of domains!

Also, lich loved. No. Just no.

[Vrock Bait]

The feat, Slippery Skin. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.......
Also, Vine Armor from Secrets of Xendr’ik. IT’S FREAKING 80 GOLD PIECES. That’s more than the commerce limit of two small towns. WHAT IS THIS MADNESS.

[Bohandas]

"Leomund's Secret Chest" makes Leomund sound like Viola/Cesario from The Twelfth Night

[Bohandas]

I must include Ghost-Faced Killer. Regardless of that their original intent is, you can't use it without thinking of Wu Tang Clan.

It makes me think of the Scream movies.

I wonder what, if anything, it's actually a reference to.

[Venger]

It makes me think of the Scream movies.

I wonder what, if anything, it's actually a reference to.

It's a reference to the martial arts film "mystery of chessboxing," where one of the characters is named ghost faced killer. This is also what the singer took his name from.

[Hish]

Yesterday I stumbled across the Bhut, an incorporeal undead from Fiend Folio

[Kalkra]

The Lion Spy feat from OA. It's hugely misleading. Turns out, rather than getting a lion to spy for you, you (a member of the lion clan) spies. Huge letdown. Also, Entangling Scarf sounds like a toddler trying to get dressed, not something you would do in combat.

[Bohandas]

Maybe... maybe they meant “august prefect of roses”? That’s still unnecessary purple, but it’s at least comprehensible.

And inexplicably really really British (as an American the only place I've ever seen the word "prefect" used is in British novels that I've read; and the comprehensibility of the corrected title is dependent on the reader's exposure to british english)

[magic9mushroom]

They got a bit carried away with the beholderkin names (spectator, eyeball, eye of the deep, overseer, etc. - we get it already, they have eyes).

A darktentacles (yes, singular) always struck me as a really stupid name.

The Corrupture is also pretty terrible.

Although it's not really in the spirit of the thread, having both a feat and a manoeuvre named Bounding Assault is pretty terrible.

[Malphegor]

Geomancer and Geometer are wholly different things apparently.

I can see why they are. But my brain will forever be mixed up between the 'I have a magical notation system' Prc and the 'I'm kind of a freak of nature' Prc.

[RedMage125]

Also, lich loved. No. Just no.

That one gets even worse when you read the description of the feat...

One of my votes for worst PrC name is Suel Arcanamach. A lot of people who started playing D&D in 3e have no idea what "Suel" even means (it's an ancient human empire in the Greyhawk setting), and "arcanamach" is an entirely nonsense word.

One that isn't so much a "bad" name, but something that sticks in my craw a bit, is hearing people pronounce "Blackguard" phonetically. The word, properly pronounced, sounds like "blaggard", and it basically means "villain". So many people say "black guard", which is wrong.

[Biggus]

And inexplicably really really British (as an American the only place I've ever seen the word "prefect" used is in British novels that I've read; and the comprehensibility of the corrected title is dependent on the reader's exposure to british english)

The only sense of prefect which is specifically or mostly British is that of "a student monitor in a usually private school", and I'm pretty sure that's not the sense it's meant in here, "a chief officer or chief magistrate" seems to fit better, and that meaning is Roman in origin and isn't used in Britain.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefect

[Particle_Man]

One that isn't so much a "bad" name, but something that sticks in my craw a bit, is hearing people pronounce "Blackguard" phonetically. The word, properly pronounced, sounds like "blaggard", and it basically means "villain". So many people say "black guard", which is wrong.

I wonder how Greyguard should be pronounced?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I wonder how Greyguard should be pronounced?By his logic, "greggard."

[The Viscount]

I always wince a bit when I see Holocaust Cloak, both because it's a needless pop culture reference (to an admittedly great film) and because it doesn't actually replicate the effects of the cloak. All the more galling in that there's a separate stance that does what it should, Flame's Blessing.

Not an inherently bad name, but the fact that there are two beings of divine import named Kas always seemed weird to me. Then again, if I pointed out every weird thing in HoH I'd be here all day.

[Troacctid]

One that isn't so much a "bad" name, but something that sticks in my craw a bit, is hearing people pronounce "Blackguard" phonetically. The word, properly pronounced, sounds like "blaggard", and it basically means "villain". So many people say "black guard", which is wrong.
"Black guard" is actually the correct pronunciation for the prestige class though.

[The Viscount]

"Black guard" is actually the correct pronunciation for the prestige class though.

WotC also once said that Bulette should be pronounced to rhyme with Robert Goulet, so I can understand why people don't always trust them.

[Celestia]

WotC also once said that Bulette should be pronounced to rhyme with Robert Goulet, so I can understand why people don't always trust them.
Well, Bulette is French for bullet.


I mean, it's actually not, but that was the intention when they made the name.

[Thurbane]

One of my votes for worst PrC name is Suel Arcanamach. A lot of people who started playing D&D in 3e have no idea what "Suel" even means (it's an ancient human empire in the Greyhawk setting), and "arcanamach" is an entirely nonsense word.

True, but it was only one of the only nods that us Greyhawk fans got in any of the extended rulebooks. :smallfrown:

[The Viscount]

French pronunciation would still make it rhyme with "get" and not Goulet. Like the coup de grace embarrassment reminds us, they don't seem to know French.

[Maat Mons]

No, no, no. Bull-ette is the term for a female bovine. Everyone knows that.

[heavyfuel]

Cerebrex sounds like a bad 80s video game instead of a bad PrC


One that isn't so much a "bad" name, but something that sticks in my craw a bit, is hearing people pronounce "Blackguard" phonetically. The word, properly pronounced, sounds like "blaggard", and it basically means "villain". So many people say "black guard", which is wrong.


"Black guard" is actually the correct pronunciation for the prestige class though.

I used to pronounce it "black guard" until one day I was playing Dragon's Dogma and the travelling merchant (Reynard, I guess) said his father was a 'blaggard'. I was confused and went for the dictionary and yup... "blaggard".

This was a couple of years ago, and now Troacctid comes and tells me that - for all the wrong reasons - I was right before I was wrong. Funny how the world is.

[Duff]

Yesterday I stumbled across the Bhut, an incorporeal undead from Fiend Folio
Heh Heh. You smell like Bhut.
(Seems very South Park)

[Maat Mons]

Oh, wait, is complaining about how words are spelled/pronounced on-topic for this thread? In that case, I'd like to complain about Geas/Quest, because against all reason, the proper pronunciation of geas is "gesh." (http://languagehat.com/geas/)

[DrMotives]

Oh, wait, is complaining about how words are spelled/pronounced on-topic for this thread? In that case, I'd like to complain about Geas/Quest, because against all reason, the proper pronunciation of geas is "gesh." (http://languagehat.com/geas/)

Huh. Most people will throw you in gaol for pronouncing things that way.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Huh. Most people will throw you in gaol for pronouncing things that way."We'll have a gaol time!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8)

[Dimers]

By his logic, "greggard."

I love that and will now be using it. :smallsmile:

[RedMage125]

By his logic, "greggard."
It's not "my logic", it's how the word is pronounced in English.

"Black guard" is actually the correct pronunciation for the prestige class though.
Source for this?

WotC also once said that Bulette should be pronounced to rhyme with Robert Goulet, so I can understand why people don't always trust them.
Goes back farther than WotC, dude.

The 2e Monstrous Manual (by TSR) said, in the Buelette entry, that it is pronounced "boo-lay".

[FaerieGodfather]

I wonder how Greyguard should be pronounced?

This is only approximate, but in my regional dialect it sounds like "you take that bull**** out of my house or I swear to God..."

[Troacctid]

Source for this?
D&D Beyond pronunciation guide.

[Celestia]

Oh, wait, is complaining about how words are spelled/pronounced on-topic for this thread? In that case, I'd like to complain about Geas/Quest, because against all reason, the proper pronunciation of geas is "gesh." (http://languagehat.com/geas/)
Yeah, I'm never going to say that. Johnny Yong Bosch pronounces it gee-as, and he's never wrong.

[RedMage125]

D&D Beyond pronunciation guide.
So a 3rd party programming company, licensed by WotC to produce official 5th edition content, is the only "official" source for the pronounciation of a 3.5e Prestige Class? And we are to accept that this supercedes the way the word "blackguard" is pronounced in the English Language in general?

Just want to be clear that this is what you are saying. If not, please clarify.


Yeah, I'm never going to say that. Johnny Yong Bosch pronounces it gee-as, and he's never wrong.

I know when I was kid and used to read Piers Anthony, they used an alternate spelling "Geis" (which is the original Irish spelling and etymological root of Geas), but also clarified that it was pronounced "geysh".

Also, if you look up the word with pronounciation you get that as well.

[Zaq]

Dinosaur stampede is false advertising and does not create a stampede of dinosaurs, making it a candidate for “most disappointing spell relative to the name.”

[heavyfuel]

Dinosaur stampede is false advertising and does not create a stampede of dinosaurs, making it a candidate for “most disappointing spell relative to the name.”

Boy was I disappointed when I was picking 6th level spells for my druid the other day... Not only is it not a stampede of dinosaurs, it's probably worse than a bunch of 3rd level spells, which makes it really hard to justify picking it up

[Bohandas]

Cerebrex sounds like a bad 80s video game instead of a bad PrC

I think it sounds like an arthritis drug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL-Njsi7AU4


So a 3rd party programming company, licensed by WotC to produce official 5th edition content, is the only "official" source for the pronounciation of a 3.5e Prestige Class? And we are to accept that this supercedes the way the word "blackguard" is pronounced in the English Language in general?

The main place where it "IS pronounced in the English Language" (note present tense) is D&D players


The only sense of prefect which is specifically or mostly British is that of "a student monitor in a usually private school", and I'm pretty sure that's not the sense it's meant in here, "a chief officer or chief magistrate" seems to fit better, and that meaning is Roman in origin and isn't used in Britain.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefect

IIRC it was also a type of car at one point.

In any case my point is that out of these three senses I would say that zero of them are common in American english.

[Saintheart]

I will continue my campaign of hatred against the spell named Fugue. No, I don't care that I'm pronouncing it wrong when I tell you every time I say it I default to saying **** you. Even the way it's meant to be pronounced - 'fyoog' - just sounds like you've put the 45 record on at the wrong speed.

[Bohandas]

I will continue my campaign of hatred against the spell named Fugue. No, I don't care that I'm pronouncing it wrong when I tell you every time I say it I default to saying **** you. Even the way it's meant to be pronounced - 'fyoog' - just sounds like you've put the 45 record on at the wrong speed.

I agree it's not spelled the way it's pronoumced, but I think if you pronounced it the way it was spelled it would come out more like "fugu" (as in the type of pufferfish)



Vultivor (FF) (another Power Rangers baddie?)

No, I think it's one of the vocalists from GWAR

[Saintheart]

I agree it's not spelled the way it's pronoumced, but I think if you pronounced it the way it was spelled it would come out more like "fugu" (as in the type of pufferfish)

I tend to pronounce the first u hard, as in 'up', and the the second u soft as in 'glue'. Foo Goo I don't think makes it sound any better. :(



...and to be completely contrarian, I actually like the title Suel Arcanamach! It sounds like some sort of cool Transformer! :smallbiggrin:

[Andezzar]

Well, Bulette is French for bullet.


I mean, it's actually not, but that was the intention when they made the name.I always wondered why they didn't leave it at land shark.

French pronunciation would still make it rhyme with "get" and not Goulet. Like the coup de grace embarrassment reminds us, they don't seem to know French.I always cringe when people pronounce it like coup the gras. A punch/strike of fat, what? The c is not silent. Also mecy kill/strike is something else than the execution of a helpless person so called in D&D.


No, no, no. Bull-ette is the term for a female bovine. Everyone knows that.It is even worse in other languages. In German Bulette is one of the many regional words for meatballs.

[RedMage125]

The main place where it "IS pronounced in the English Language" (note present tense) is D&D players


And no D&D player ever watched any fantasy show where some villain was called (sounds like) "blaggard"? Because that word is spelled "Blackguard".

D&D players pronounce D&D stuff wrong all the time. Just because it's common doesn't make them right. Drow, tarrasque, otyugh...all get pronounced wrong all the time. I just recently found out that Annis Hag is pronounced "ÆN-nis"...which sounds a little too close to "anus"

At any rate, I only brought it up because the name of the prestige class is somethign that leads to a nitpicky issue with me, which is why it's on topic. I wasn't trying to derail the whole thread with pronounciation.

[Rijan_Sai]

And no D&D player ever watched any fantasy show where some villain was called (sounds like) "blaggard"? Because that word is spelled "Blackguard".

D&D players pronounce D&D stuff wrong all the time. Just because it's common doesn't make them right. Drow, tarrasque, otyugh...all get pronounced wrong all the time. I just recently found out that Annis Hag is pronounced "ÆN-nis"...which sounds a little too close to "anus"

At any rate, I only brought it up because the name of the prestige class is somethign that leads to a nitpicky issue with me, which is why it's on topic. I wasn't trying to derail the whole thread with pronounciation.

I used to listen to a kids radio show that had a villain (and later his not-villain-but-otherwise-identical-twin-brother) named Blackguard. At the time, I had thought they were pronouncing it closer to "Black-ARD," but it certainly could have been "Blagg-ARD." (Also, semi-side note: the PC game Death Gate has a castle guard that you can get into a short insult match by calling him "Blackguard," and he pronounces it closer to "blaggard.")


Now, I understand the cultural/regional dialect these are brought over from, but can I please at least leave a small mention of Shillelagh? I mean sure, I've heard the phrase "Shamrocks and [she-LAY-lees]!" before, but I would have never even guessed that it would be spelled like that!

[Maat Mons]

Another terrible name is "necromancy."

As every schoolchild knows, necromancy is defined as "The supposed practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to predict the future." Obviously, this means necromancy should be a subschool of divination, not a school unto itself. This is further reinforced by the fact that the "-mancy" suffix literally means "divination by means of."

And then the creators of the game went and filled the school with spells that have little to nothing to do with communicating with dead spirits or predicting the future. I mean, raising zombies? Draining life force? Those sorts of effect clearly belong in some sort of "death magic" school. But instead of creating such a school, they went and destroyed the integrity of the necromancy school by loading it with spells that have nothing to do with its theme.

It's almost as if the designers didn't even know what the word necromancy means.

[Malphegor]

Another terrible name is "necromancy."

As every schoolchild knows, necromancy is defined as "The supposed practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to predict the future." Obviously, this means necromancy should be a subschool of divination, not a school unto itself. This is further reinforced by the fact that the "-mancy" suffix literally means "divination by means of."

And then the creators of the game went and filled the school with spells that have little to nothing to do with communicating with dead spirits or predicting the future. I mean, raising zombies? Draining life force? Those sorts of effect clearly belong in some sort of "death magic" school. But instead of creating such a school, they went and destroyed the integrity of the necromancy school by loading it with spells that have nothing to do with its theme.

It's almost as if the designers didn't even know what the word necromancy means.

Did D&D do that though? The trouble with D&D is that it's old enough that I'm not sure where the relatively common word started and D&D using it began.

But yeah, speak with dead and similar spells are the only 'real' necromancy spells in necromancy. The rest of them are... Necrolurgy? I'm not sure what the suffix is for magically animating things. Necroturgist?

Gah, words are hard. I guess that's why we go -mancy, to avoid thinking about this.

[stack]

And then due in part to the game's influence, -mancy became a generic way to say 'magic regarding (theme)', which spreads the mistake even further.

[Troacctid]

Did D&D do that though? The trouble with D&D is that it's old enough that I'm not sure where the relatively common word started and D&D using it began.
All I can think of is it was in The Hobbit.

[stack]

All I can think of is it was in The Hobbit.

But never really given any detail or description. "The necromancer" was referenced, but what necromancy he did was not described as far as I recall. And Tolkein would absolutely have known the meaning of the word.

[Bohandas]

And no D&D player ever watched any fantasy show where some villain was called (sounds like) "blaggard"? Because that word is spelled "Blackguard".

I've seen it exactly once, on an episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets himself thrown in jail during a trip to England and an anachronistically old-timey British prison guard describes him this way.

EDIT:
As for fantasy shows, no. I'm trying to think of fantasy shows that I've followed, and I'm pretty sure never seen it used on Adventure Time or Dave the Barbarian or She-Ra or on any of the episodes of He-Man that I've seen.

[Telonius]

The worst for me comes from Dragon 310: the "Jobber" prestige class. Halfling-specific.

[heavyfuel]

The worst for me comes from Dragon 310: the "Jobber" prestige class. Halfling-specific.

Is he good at performing jobs, aka, jobbing? :smallbiggrin:

[The Viscount]

I've never liked invisible blade as a name, since the class is focused on fighting with normal, visible daggers.

[Thurbane]

The worst for me comes from Dragon 310: the "Jobber" prestige class. Halfling-specific.

Is he a wrestler who deliberately loses matches?

[RedMage125]

I've never liked invisible blade as a name, since the class is focused on fighting with normal, visible daggers.

Given how the PrC is specifically geared towards being able to feint quickly in combat (and thus get Sneak Attack damage added to those daggers), I always thought the name was based on the idea that they're doing "damage greater than a greatsword" with daggers. Hence, the rest of their blade is "invisible".

[Ellyth]

I just assumed it was because you never saw the dagger, cuz of the feinting/trickery/whatever.

My most hated name in d20 is Pathfinder’s psychic magic, because it’s super-confusing with psionics (yes, I know, there are no official psionics in Pathfinder, but the system was billed as compatible with 3.5e, and DSP didn’t deserve to get shafted like that), and because “occult magic” is far clearer, has no name conflict, and matches Occult Adventures.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Lycanthrope/lycanthropy.

It means "wolf-man", but in-game covers all meat eating animals. Should be "therianthrope"/"therianthropy", for 'animal-man'.

[ShurikVch]

Changelings: not just they aren't consistent with folklore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changeling) Changelings, but also with Changelings from older editions (http://web.archive.org/web/20090515000000*/www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Blood%20Spawn2.pdf), and even within the 3.X - since, besides the ECS/MM III Changelings, it also have Changelings in Dragon #304, in Ravenloft, and in Urban Arcana.

Genocid (Dragon #281): isn't the name a bit too pretentious for a CR 6 creature?

Soulknife: lie in advertisement - Incarnum ACF aside, it have absolutely nothing to do with any souls (yes - not even their Knife to the Soul CF!)

[Mike Miller]

Juiblex. So commonly misspelled, WotC even printed the name wrong as Jubilex at least once

[The Viscount]

Changelings: not just they aren't consistent with folklore (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changeling) Changelings, but also with Changelings from older editions (http://web.archive.org/web/20090515000000*/www.wizards.com/dnd/files/Blood%20Spawn2.pdf), and even within the 3.X - since, besides the ECS/MM III Changelings, it also have Changelings in Dragon #304, in Ravenloft, and in Urban Arcana.

[...]

Soulknife: lie in advertisement - Incarnum ACF aside, it have absolutely nothing to do with any souls (yes - not even their Knife to the Soul CF!)

Pathfinder has a Changeling race that's perhaps a little closer to the traditional understanding of the term, though they're of hag and not fey parentage.

The fact that the Soulknife's weapon is called a Mind Blade was always baffling to me. Would it have been too confusing if they were named for the weapon they created? I don't have a strong preference on one over the other, but either one would have made for more cohesion.


Juiblex. So commonly misspelled, WotC even printed the name wrong as Jubilex at least once
I've seen it in the 3.5 update for BoVD, though it may well exist other places. I feel like I've once seen it spelled Jubiblex, though I can never find where.

[Remuko]

Juiblex. So commonly misspelled, WotC even printed the name wrong as Jubilex at least once

isnt that thing basically chaos incarnate? I think its name being spelled randomly is thematically appropriate!

[Kurald Galain]

Yeah, I'm never going to say that. Johnny Yong Bosch pronounces it gee-as, and he's never wrong.

Well, according to Terry Pratchett, it rhymes with "geese" and is in fact a type of bird. So there! :smallamused:

[FaerieGodfather]

isnt that thing basically chaos incarnate? I think its name being spelled randomly is thematically appropriate!

Just like William Shakespeare.

[grarrrg]

Pathfinder isn't free from bad word choices either (ignoring the ones grandfathered in from 3.5). A couple of my 'favorites':

Alchemists can get an ability called Vestigial Arm. It is a fully functional arm/hand that can do anything your normal arms can.

Barbarians have an archetype called Superstitious. The flavor and mechanics don't mesh well. If it was called Suspicious it would make more sense though.

[RedMage125]

Lycanthrope/lycanthropy.

It means "wolf-man", but in-game covers all meat eating animals. Should be "therianthrope"/"therianthropy", for 'animal-man'.

Fun fact, this was called out in the 2e Monstrous Manual.

[DrMotives]

Fun fact, this was called out in the 2e Monstrous Manual.

Yup, and in the Ravenloft Van Richten's Guide's series of books, Van R refused to call them lycanthropes. They're called werebeasts throughout the book, and it's what I call them now myself. Therianthrope, while kinda popular, seems a little awkward to me.

[Bohandas]

Therianthrope, while kinda popular, seems a little awkward to me.

It's pretentious sounding

[Particle_Man]

Wolfwere sounds odd to me (I mean I get it: it is a wolf that can turn into a man instead of a man that can turn into a wolf, but it does sound a bit odd).

[Thurbane]

Interestingly, Therianthrope is presented as a different template in the Advanced Bestiary from Green Ronin: it's a template that can be applied to animals to give them a humanoid(ish) form and special powers.

Wolfwere was a "gotcha" monster from AD&D 1E (MM2): they look like a Werewolf, but you needed cold iron rather than silver. Their natural form was like the hybrid form of a Werewolf, but they could assume humanoid forms.

[Bohandas]

I just assumed it was because you never saw the dagger, cuz of the feinting/trickery/whatever.

It's like the opening verse of "Mack the Knife"

Und der Haifisch, der hat Zähne,
Und die trägt er im Gesicht.
Und Macheath, der hat ein Messer,
Doch das Messer sieht man nicht.

[Particle_Man]

Wolfwere was a "gotcha" monster from AD&D 2E (MM2): they look like a Werewolf, but you needed cold iron rather than silver. Their natural form was like the hybrid form of a Werewolf, but they could assume humanoid forms.

AD&D 1E, but yes MM2. And Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.

[Thurbane]

AD&D 1E, but yes MM2. And Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.

Pardon my typo, was definitely meant to read 1E...

I was also mistaken on the Therianthrope (aka anthromorphs or weretherions): it is from Tome of Horrors, not Advanced Bestiary.

[Thurbane]

Just remembered one: Derro (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/derro.htm).

Not sure about anywhere else in the world, but derro is old Australian slang for a hobo or bum...

[Elves]

Rod of Viscid Globs


not to mention
Rod of Sliding
Rod of Undead Mastery
Rod of Grievous Wounds

[Zaq]

Sometimes a rod is just a rod, Elves.

[St Fan]

In the "horribly misleading" category, you have the "Hydra Slaying Strike" martial maneuver.

Which is, specifically, entirely useless against actual hydras.

[Thurbane]

Rod of Viscid Globs


not to mention
Rod of Sliding
Rod of Undead Mastery
Rod of Grievous Wounds

I prefer Rod of Lordly Might...

[Elves]

The Rod of Viscid Globs is its long-neglected fellow king of innuendo.

Sadly, in 5e it got a thickness downgrade, it's only a Wand of Viscid Globs now.

[Bohandas]

In the "horribly misleading" category, you have the "Hydra Slaying Strike" martial maneuver.

Which is, specifically, entirely useless against actual hydras.

Maybe it's useful against Red Skull?


Just remembered one: Derro (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/derro.htm).

Not sure about anywhere else in the world, but derro is old Australian slang for a hobo or bum...

IIRC I think it's actually derived from an old sci-fi story where "Derro" was the name of a race of evil robots or cyborgs. Which also doesn't fit, otner than the fact the cyborgs lived underground.

[goodpeople25]

Maybe it's useful against Red Skull?
Is Red Skull dependent on full attacks?

[Bohandas]

"Phlogiston" from the Spelljammer setting does almost exactly the opposite of the thing it is named after. In the now discredited phlogiston theory of fire, fires in enclosed spaces ceased when phlogiston had saturated the air. The phlogiston from phlogiston theory was basically a deoxy group imagined as a particle, whereas Spelljammer's phlogiston is a superoxidizer

[ericgrau]

Boy was I disappointed when I was picking 6th level spells for my druid the other day... Not only is it not a stampede of dinosaurs, it's probably worse than a bunch of 3rd level spells, which makes it really hard to justify picking it up
They're force dinosaurs, so it's not too far off. And it's un-typed damage over time that you move with a free action. That's much better than any 3rd level damage spell I know of. Even at half the damage in a single round. Plus it's a druid spell, not a wizard spell. Arguably and/or by fluff it might be subject to DR though. That part's not very clear and could make it weaker. I think 5th or 6th level is fair, maybe 4th or 5th if DR applies.

[Venger]

They're force dinosaurs, so it's not too far off. And it's un-typed damage over time that you move with a free action. That's much better than any 3rd level damage spell I know of. Even at half the damage in a single round. Plus it's a druid spell, not a wizard spell. Arguably and/or by fluff it might be subject to DR though. That part's not very clear and could make it weaker. I think 5th or 6th level is fair, maybe 4th or 5th if DR applies.

you don't even have to leave the druid list to find a better damage dealing force spell at 3rd for something like spiritjaws. it's not subject to dr by raw or fluff.

[tterreb]

In the "horribly misleading" category, you have the "Hydra Slaying Strike" martial maneuver.

Which is, specifically, entirely useless against actual hydras.

Unless, of course, you don't want to get hit by all 10 of their bite attacks...

[Remuko]

Unless, of course, you don't want to get hit by all 10 of their bite attacks...

by RAI youre probably right but as far as I can tell by RAW youre wrong.


As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If this attack hits, your target takes normal damage and cannot make a full attack on its next turn. Otherwise, it can act normally.

A hydra makes 1 bite with each head as a normal attack. it doesnt need to make a full attack to attack with all of them.

[The Viscount]

Rod of Viscid Globs


not to mention
Rod of Sliding
Rod of Undead Mastery
Rod of Grievous Wounds

We can't go without mentioning Orcus's horrible rod (also downgraded to a wand), or the Ruby Rod of Asmodeus.

[tterreb]

by RAI youre probably right but as far as I can tell by RAW youre wrong.



A hydra makes 1 bite with each head as a normal attack. it doesnt need to make a full attack to attack with all of them.

Yeah, I had forgotten that...

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Maybe it's not a strike used to slay hydras, but a strike that hydras use to slay people?!

[Rijan_Sai]

Maybe it's not a strike used to slay hydras, but a strike that hydras use to slay people?!

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ElaborateImmaterialJavalina-max-1mb.gif
I... will now consider that head-canon forever!

[Thurbane]

OK, not a bad name, but just some art that I find hilarious: Harper Agent

http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/pgtf_gallery/78847.jpg

Is it just me, or does it look like he's spying on someone skinny dipping in the lake from the bushes? :smallbiggrin:

[Calthropstu]

Glorytongue.

Just so much... ew. And what itdoes ks worse than the name.

[Zaq]

Glorytongue.

Just so much... ew. And what itdoes ks worse than the name.

Gutsnake is only slightly better.

[Andezzar]

Gutsnake is only slightly better.I think it is pretty aptly named for what the spell does. Or am I remembering something wrong? AFB right now.

[OGDojo]

Ahem...

Book Of Erotic Fantasy... almost every page. mature eyes only
{Scrubbed}
Includes:
Classes,
taboos,
world Building,
and several other things

ADULT CONTENT!!! NOT FOR CHILDREN!!!
compatable with D20, D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder

play only with close friends and sexual partners cuz this book gets very detailed O.O

... i win? yay?

[grarrrg]

OK, not a bad name, but just some art that I find hilarious: Harper Agent

http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/pgtf_gallery/78847.jpg

Is it just me, or does it look like he's spying on someone skinny dipping in the lake from the bushes? :smallbiggrin:

Nah.
He's got that "standard psychic pose" thing going on. Like he's communicating telepathically with you.

Also, how the heck is he holding that sword with his left hand? It's like a Liefeld sword. First you draw the hand. Then you go "oh crap! Forgot the sword!". Then you draw the sword without changing the hand at all.

[The Viscount]

That would be a plausible explanation if harper agent had anything like telepathy instead of the rather bland features it has.
I'd say he's scouting for new talent for his publishers, and thinks he's spotted a promising writer in the distance. His publisher being Harper Collins.

[Zaq]

Nah.
He's got that "standard psychic pose" thing going on. Like he's communicating telepathically with you.

Also, how the heck is he holding that sword with his left hand? It's like a Liefeld sword. First you draw the hand. Then you go "oh crap! Forgot the sword!". Then you draw the sword without changing the hand at all.

Liefeld Sword: band, album, or song? (We can also go with “Sword of Liefeld.”)

[St Fan]

Maybe it's not a strike used to slay hydras, but a strike that hydras use to slay people?!

My word, you're right... that explains the lack of an hyphen! :tongue:

[Bohandas]

Nah.
He's got that "standard psychic pose" thing going on. Like he's communicating telepathically with you.

Also, how the heck is he holding that sword with his left hand? It's like a Liefeld sword. First you draw the hand. Then you go "oh crap! Forgot the sword!". Then you draw the sword without changing the hand at all.

It looks like both, like he's clandestinely spying on someone skinny dipoing in the lake and attempting to telepathically beam that image back up to the mothership