RPG Rant: Racial Names

I rant about the lackluster names used by writers for the races in role-playing games.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• RPG
• rant
• role
• playing
• games
• roleplaying
• role-playing
• races
• race
• names
• naming
• elf
• dwarf
• orc
• gnome
• halfling
• pech
• gryx
• sleestak
• berserkers
• barbarians
• D&D
• dungeons
• dragons
• pathfinder
• HARP

[Colossusway]

I very much like your general idea; though I do have one nitpick. Pech != Halfling. A Pech is a different thing. See Bestiary 2 page 206.

In Forgotten Realms, the Halflings refer to themselves as Hin. However, they get offended if any non-halflings or people who are not very close to them refer to them as such, and expect other races to call them halflings (a term humans came up with since they resemble human children).

[tetsubo57]

@Colossusway But I like the name Pech for Halflings. I am aware that there is a creature called Pech in the B2. I would just not use it.

[nyra007]

I liked your barbarian to berserker idea. However, I also thought you might go into the rouge or thief profession. After all, hey guys I'm a rouge can I join up with your adventure group doesn't seem like it would work, thief is self explanatory. I have no idea what a character of this role would call themselves swashbuckler comes to mind, but then there is complete warrior. And, Acquisitionsist just sounds silly.

[tetsubo57]

@nyra007 They would call themselves by the same titles that real world thieves do: 2nd story man, grifter, safe cracker, etc.

[ATOMICZOMBIE13]

I dont know anything about these type of games but for some reason half giant sounds cool to me but what is a half giant like a 7 foot tall man

[tetsubo57]

@ATOMICZOMBIE13 In the 7' - 8' tall range. The world record for humans was 8' 11.1".

[blackbarnz]

I've been calling halfings pecks in game for 12 years.

[verfugbarkite]

Halfling is meant as either derogatory or patronising. I don't think Hobbits ever called themselves halflings, only non-races called them that. Though I can see a hobbit refer to themselves as halflings for the sake of understanding- "yes, I am what you call a halfling". My understanding ofols AD&D is that they called themselves after their (forgive) species, for example "I am a Proudfoot". I utterly despise the 3.5 'ninja' halflings, I can see why you hate the word halfling and like Pech.

[Altorin]

@tetsubo57 Never. that's basically what we're both saying. Half Elf, Half Orc, and Halfling are all basically derogatory slurs, so yes, the races wouldn't refer to themselves as that one would hope. Some might "take back the hate" and wear the term with pride, but for the most part, they'd want their own name that isn't a racial slur. I think if you're going to use the Uruk-Hai name, attaching it to Half-Orcs would be more correct though. the Uruk-hai were a conglomerate made with magic iirc

[tetsubo57]

@Altorin I understand how others might use derogatory terms for races. But I can't see the races themselves using them. Do the hobbits ever refer to *themselves* as 'halflings'? I haven't read the books.