Repetitiveness of Certain Class Names

Hejo!

I have a concern regarding the repetitiveness of class names that include "Shadow" or "Spell." These two words are frequently repeated across various class names more than any other term, leading to somewhat of an oversaturation, I believe this offers room for improvement. While I understand there might be reasons for this trend, it has the unintended effect of making the names sound repetitive and, frankly, a bit silly - especially when they are listed after each other, like for example when people are looking for specific classes to complement their group, raid, or when they may make callouts about having spotted a certain class on the Battlefield.

While I don't have an immediate solution, I would appreciate revisiting these names in the future to make them more distinctive.

As an example, while "Shadowblade" is an intriguing class name, If it would be changed to something like "Ebonedge" to reduce the repetition of the term "Shadow" in class names then this alteration would make this specific class combination stand out more not only in general but also among other classes with "Shadow" in their names.

Shadow:

Shadowblade
Shadow Guardian
Shadow Lord
Shadow Caster
Shadowmancer
Shadow Disciple

Spell:

Spellsword
Spellshield
Nightspell
Spellstone
Spellhunter
Spellmancer

Here is a visual aid showing classes grouped by archetype combination

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Comments

Snekkers

There is also Scout 💀💀

You have all of those cool names, and you have Scout.

TheDarkSorcerer

200%. I think these are just placeholder (I hope).

It should be like Guild Wars. Example below:
Elementalist with subclasses; Tempest, Weaver, Catalyst.

Ludullu

You might've noticed that both of those cases relate to Rogue and Mage archetypes respectively.

They relate to them, assumedly, because Rogue deals with some form of shadow magic and Mage deals with... wait for it... spells.

This kind of naming scheme would immediately let people know which class you're talking about, because each archetype has their own concrete theming and names rely on that.

If you replace shadow with some other words, the theming gets lost and the naming scheme gets more confusing.

Specktrei

I would like to add that Blade Dancer and Blade Caller can also be a little confusing.

Ludullu

Specktrei wrote: »

I would like to add that Blade Dancer and Blade Caller can also be a little confusing.

One dances and the other calls, how is that confusing? Especially when the dancer is a bard and the caller is a summoner. To me that's the most logical most straightforward naming scheme.

Solvryn

Do not touch Wild Blade or doom will be upon you.

Thokan

Excellent point. It's hard to imagine a class fantasy, get excited for a class or tell the difference between them if too many share similar names.

As excellent your point is, I am equally assured IS will come up with new more fitting names as they delve into the design of the classes and their class fantasies when all archetypes are done and focus moves to that.

Snekkers wrote: »

There is also Scout 💀💀

You have all of those cool names, and you have Scout.

It could also be the other way around, Snek.

You got all these high fantasy names that doesnt really say much - but you know what a knight, templar, acolyte, hunter and scout is. The simpler the more true-calling, even.

Each to his own I guess. Go forth and be a FLYING SPELL BLADE SOUL BOW SLINGER!

NiKr wrote: »

You might've noticed that both of those cases relate to Rogue and Mage archetypes respectively.

They relate to them, assumedly, because Rogue deals with some form of shadow magic and Mage deals with... wait for it... spells.

This kind of naming scheme would immediately let people know which class you're talking about, because each archetype has their own concrete theming and names rely on that.

If you replace shadow with some other words, the theming gets lost and the naming scheme gets more confusing.

Thank you for missing the point entirely.

This kind of naming scheme would just confuse people which class you're talking about, because several classes got similar sounding names. Whats the difference between the Shadow Lord and Shadow Disciple, eh?

Ludullu

Thokan wrote: »

Thank you for missing the point entirely.

This kind of naming scheme would just confuse people which class you're talking about, because several classes got similar sounding names. Whats the difference between the Shadow Lord and Shadow Disciple, eh?

Lord rules over someone, so it fits summoner perfectly.

Disciple is one if the closest things to religious theming you can do.

Perfect for cleric.

Both relate to rogue's theming, where the shadow comes from.

I got your point just fine. I simply don't see how this can be confusing, because to me it's the most logical naming scheme possible.

Thokan

NiKr wrote: »

Thokan wrote: »

Thank you for missing the point entirely.

This kind of naming scheme would just confuse people which class you're talking about, because several classes got similar sounding names. Whats the difference between the Shadow Lord and Shadow Disciple, eh?

Lord rules over someone, so it fits summoner perfectly.

Disciple is one if the closest things to religious theming you can do.

Perfect for cleric.

Both relate to rogue's theming, where the shadow comes from.

I got your point just fine. I simply don't see how this can be confusing, because to me it's the most logical naming scheme possible.

Then remove the Shadow. There can be more than one word describing a Rogue.

You fail to see how using similar sounding names can be confusing. You're ignoring the point. But you do you.

Ludullu

Thokan wrote: »

Then remove the Shadow. There can be more than one word describing a Rogue.

You fail to see how using similar sounding names can be confusing. You're ignoring the point. But you do you.

Shadow is what makes it less confusing.

What I could agree with is the word sequencing, so smth like Shadowmancer and Shadowlord being the 2 part of a Rogue and Summoner pairing, but w/o knowing exactly which one has which base you'd be utterly confused.

But at that point pretty much every other pairing has these issues.

What the fuck is the difference between an Apostle and a Paladin?
Templar and Highsword?
How da fuck is Ranger/Mage is a Scion (whateverthefuck that even means in AoC's context), while Mage/Ranger is a Spellhunter
etc etc etc

In other words, the whole system will be inherently confusing to anyone who hasn't memorized all class names. And I don't believe that this can even be resolved, due to how the system itself is set up.

I do know for sure that class names will get learned by the majority of people within a few weeks, if not way sooner (considering all the YT guides and tutorials that will come out during A2).

Noaani

I think the OP has completely missed the point of the class system in Ashes.

It is your primary archetype in Ashes that matters, not your class. People simppy are not going to remember every class name, and will often refer to a build more as *rogue/mage* than refer to it as *Nightspell*.

The only way to make it so players dont generally look at classes this way is to make the names even more generic. Make it so the primary archetype designates the class, and the secondary is a fixed suffix that is the same for all classes.

This, if fighters as a class used *Fight* as the base name and *blade* for secondary. Summoners may add *mancer* if they are the secondary a fighter summoner may be a *Fightmancer*. A mage may use *Spell* as the base name, thus a mage summoner may be *Spellmancer*, and a mage fighter could be a "Spellblade*.

Thus kind of system is the only way players will generally refer to the actual class name in a meaningful way across the board.

Enigmatic Sage

I personally don't see much of an issue with it but I do see the "over use" of synonyms you point out.
They are relatively thematic for some of them outside of the classic fantasy naming trope of archetype combinations.

If I see blade, I think fighter orientated
Caller/soul? summoner
Shade/shadow? rogue
Song/Sing? bard

My guess is they picked a couple synonyms to represent each Primary Archetype to temporarily cross reference? Wouldn't be hard to look up synonyms to reduce "over use".

Either way in the grand scheme of things in-game, I'm generally going to look at the players Primary Archetype Emblem opposed to their Class name. I'll figure out what augments they have based on their attacks changes.

Enigmatic Sage

Synonyms for Shade/Shadow/Dark and similar words could be:

Gloom, Dusk, Umbra, Veil, Eclipse?

Soul/Summoner/Spirit

Phantom, Revenant, Wraith, Spectre, Haunt

Tyranthraxus

I smell a veiled attempt to get Tank re-named, yet again....

Enigmatic Sage

Tyranthraxus wrote: »

I smell a veiled attempt to get Tank re-named, yet again....

nice word play

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