rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer


If it doesn't fit anywhere else, it belongs here. Also, come here if you just need to get hammered.

Spider Stomper

Posts: 236

Joined: Saturday, 2nd July 2016, 13:16

Post Tuesday, 4th July 2017, 20:30

rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Demigods have a legitimate gameplay niche, but obviously their lack of special powers is so confusing and/or annoying to people that threads requesting that special powers be added to them keep cropping up. In my view, this is evidence of a misalignment between flavor and mechanics; if demigods can be reflavored to something at least as cool but less jarring, they should. Here are two possibilities; I think either would be a big improvement.

  • Demigods are golems, beings created by magical rituals for specific tasks. As such, they are identical to humans in all but two respects: they are capable of extraordinary physical or mental ability, depending on the purpose to which they are set, and they lack souls.
  • Demigods are humans from the future (or another dimension), in which technology is indistinguishable from magic. While the circumstances by which these future-humans were brought to the dungeon prevented them from bringing any equipment, they at least retain the advantages of millennia of genetic engineering. However, the concept of faith is utterly foreign to them.
There are probably other options, too, if people are interested in coming up with them.

For this message the author luckless has received thanks: 12
archaeo, chequers, duvessa, Floodkiller, kuniqs, nago, runewalsh, sdynet, yesno, ZipZipskins and 2 more users

Spider Stomper

Posts: 212

Joined: Monday, 3rd April 2017, 11:44

Post Tuesday, 4th July 2017, 22:16

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Keep the description but call them Demihuman.
User avatar

Halls Hopper

Posts: 70

Joined: Friday, 2nd September 2016, 02:00

Post Tuesday, 4th July 2017, 23:51

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

I agree. "Pure" demigods heavily overlap with other demigod species, such as minotaurs and centaurs.
https://crawl.develz.org/wiki/doku.php? ... _or_asuras

Also, there are tengu. They aren't that much against serving as game states - for example, there was a legend about tengu named Kaidan Toshiotoko who served in Zen monastery - the problem with tengu is that they are basically gods. Many have their own shrines, and one source claims that Sojobo has his own cult. So, what do you think about merging Te and Dg?

Spider Stomper

Posts: 236

Joined: Saturday, 2nd July 2016, 13:16

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 00:46

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

idk about tying demigods, titans, etc. to actual mythologies too closely.

this probably has to do with my having lost what little avant garde cred I once had now that I'm in my thirties, but frankly these days my main cultural reference points for demigods and titans are this and this, respectively.

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 8786

Joined: Sunday, 5th May 2013, 08:25

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 01:33

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Just remember to rename them to some gibberish like "Degudogo" that keeps the abbreviation Dg please

I'm also not sure this would help - usually the people who hate Dg hate humans too. I don't think it's a flavour issue so much as players wanting more gimmicks and/or buttons to push.

Slime Squisher

Posts: 377

Joined: Thursday, 12th June 2014, 06:56

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 01:58

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

luckless wrote:Demigods are golems, beings created by magical rituals for specific tasks. As such, they are identical to humans in all but two respects: they are capable of extraordinary physical or mental ability, depending on the purpose to which they are set, and they lack souls.

duvessa wrote:Just remember to rename them to some gibberish like "Degudogo" that keeps the abbreviation Dg please


Demigolems?
User avatar

Zot Zealot

Posts: 982

Joined: Monday, 29th September 2014, 09:04

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 02:24

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

I like Golem, and it doesn't have to keep the abbreviation. It can be a rename like Kenku -> Tengu or Bultungin -> Gnoll.

For this message the author chequers has received thanks:
luckless

Spider Stomper

Posts: 236

Joined: Saturday, 2nd July 2016, 13:16

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 03:16

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

I like golems too (better than future-humans, fwiw). thanks for writing it up!

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 8786

Joined: Sunday, 5th May 2013, 08:25

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 03:51

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

chequers wrote:I like Golem, and it doesn't have to keep the abbreviation.
But it's much better if it does, since Sequell and scoring pages exist

For this message the author duvessa has received thanks:
Rast
User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 4478

Joined: Wednesday, 23rd October 2013, 07:56

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 06:07

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Disgrace
DCSS: 97:...MfCj}SpNeBaEEGrFE{HaAKTrCK}DsFESpHu{FoArNaBe}
FeEE{HOIEMiAE}GrGlHuWrGnWrNaAKBaFi{MiDeMfDe}{DrAKTrAMGhEnGnWz}
{PaBeDjFi}OgAKPaCAGnCjOgCKMfAEAtCKSpCjDEEE{HOSu
Bloat: 17: RaRoPrPh{GuStGnCa}{ArEtZoNb}KiPaAnDrBXDBQOApDaMeAGBiOCNKAsFnFlUs{RoBoNeWi

Crypt Cleanser

Posts: 724

Joined: Tuesday, 29th November 2011, 11:04

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 06:08

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

I really like the concept of the Demihuman from the future. You don't even have to change the abbreviation.
"Damned, damned be the legions of the damned..."

Cocytus Succeeder

Posts: 2229

Joined: Sunday, 18th December 2011, 13:31

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 06:37

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Humans from the future seems too sci fi for me but +1 for golems
screw it I hate this character I'm gonna go melee Gastronok

Abyss Ambulator

Posts: 1233

Joined: Wednesday, 23rd April 2014, 21:57

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 07:33

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

kuniqs wrote:I really like the concept of the Demihuman from the future. You don't even have to change the abbreviation.

Don't you? Where's the 'g' in 'Demihuman from the future'?
User avatar

Crypt Cleanser

Posts: 732

Joined: Monday, 24th April 2017, 11:46

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 08:35

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

4Hooves2Appendages wrote:Don't you? Where's the 'g' in 'Demihuman from the future'?

Demiguy
Maɟaŋ

For this message the author Majang has received thanks: 2
nago, VeryAngryFelid
User avatar

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 4478

Joined: Wednesday, 23rd October 2013, 07:56

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 09:54

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Surely you mean Demigal!
DCSS: 97:...MfCj}SpNeBaEEGrFE{HaAKTrCK}DsFESpHu{FoArNaBe}
FeEE{HOIEMiAE}GrGlHuWrGnWrNaAKBaFi{MiDeMfDe}{DrAKTrAMGhEnGnWz}
{PaBeDjFi}OgAKPaCAGnCjOgCKMfAEAtCKSpCjDEEE{HOSu
Bloat: 17: RaRoPrPh{GuStGnCa}{ArEtZoNb}KiPaAnDrBXDBQOApDaMeAGBiOCNKAsFnFlUs{RoBoNeWi
User avatar

Tartarus Sorceror

Posts: 1762

Joined: Monday, 14th October 2013, 01:05

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 10:03

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

as far as I'm concerned guy and dude are gender neutral terms, as per the way they were used my entire childhood and highschool
User avatar

Tartarus Sorceror

Posts: 1762

Joined: Monday, 14th October 2013, 01:05

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 10:04

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Temple Termagant

Posts: 6

Joined: Sunday, 25th June 2017, 09:26

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 10:32

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Their flavor makes fits their mechanics perfectly. People just want more gimmicky crap like how about a species of playable squirrels? or a humanoid swarm of insects? or an ostrich?

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 8786

Joined: Sunday, 5th May 2013, 08:25

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 22:37

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Shard1697 wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqMODweN8lQ
https://youtu.be/f0JYY-oL57A?t=40s

Halls Hopper

Posts: 63

Joined: Friday, 15th January 2016, 08:34

Post Wednesday, 5th July 2017, 23:27

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

The name most reflective of their gameplay would be "Deminogod".

For this message the author Lord Haart has received thanks: 2
mattlistener, ThreeInvisibleDucks

Spider Stomper

Posts: 236

Joined: Saturday, 2nd July 2016, 13:16

Post Thursday, 6th July 2017, 19:23

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

invertedeye wrote:People just want more gimmicky crap like how about a species of playable squirrels? or a humanoid swarm of insects? or an ostrich?

Maybe, but the advantage of renaming demigods is that it refocuses the question.

If demigods are changed to golems, people would still be free to propose adding demigods with innate special powers or any other new and exotic species. The difference is that these proposals could then be assessed on their own merits--that is, on the basis of whether they would actually add anything to the game--and so in addition, rather than as an alternative, to the species that trades god access for better stats.

Of course, this assumes that golems or future-humans wouldn't create flavor clashes of their own, which could be contested. For instance, some people might want player golems to count as non-living for purposes of negative energy resistance etc. Personally, though, I don't have this problem at all, since on some versions of the actual folklore golems are indeed are human-like in most respects. (However, I do think it'd be fine if player golems had some small, mostly flavor-based mechanical changes, like not needing food maybe.)

For this message the author luckless has received thanks:
VeryAngryFelid
User avatar

Halls Hopper

Posts: 70

Joined: Friday, 2nd September 2016, 02:00

Post Thursday, 6th July 2017, 20:54

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

luckless wrote:If demigods are changed to golems, people would still be free to propose adding demigods with innate special powers or any other new and exotic species.

Crawl has golems already. It's called Gr.
Flavor-wise, merging demigods and tengu is the best solution, because it's their mythological niche. But I'm not sure that cutting entire species is a good idea from gameplay perspective.

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 6454

Joined: Tuesday, 30th October 2012, 19:06

Post Thursday, 6th July 2017, 22:04

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Donutgobblers! Because once you start eating donuts you cant worship anything else, and clearly earing lots of donuts leads to superior stats.
Spoiler: show
This high quality signature has been hidden for your protection. To unlock it's secret, send 3 easy payments of $9.99 to me, by way of your nearest theta band or ley line. Complete your transmission by midnight tonight for a special free gift!
User avatar

Spider Stomper

Posts: 216

Joined: Monday, 1st April 2013, 04:41

Location: TX

Post Friday, 7th July 2017, 00:18

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Deep golem
take it easy

For this message the author Cheibrodos has received thanks:
archaeo
User avatar

Tartarus Sorceror

Posts: 1698

Joined: Saturday, 18th June 2016, 13:57

Post Friday, 7th July 2017, 00:44

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Cheibrodos wrote:Deep golem

Sounds cool. Cuz high int, therefore they're deep.
I Feel the Need--the Need for Beer
Spoiler: show
3DSBeTr 15DSFiRu 3DSMoNe 3FoHuGo 3TrArOk 3HOFEVe 3MfGlOk 4GrEEVe 3BaIEChei 3HuMoOka 3MiWnQaz 3VSFiAsh 3DrTmMakh 3DSCKXom 3OgMoOka 3NaFiOka 3FoFiOka 3MuFEVeh 3CeHuOka 3TrMoTSO 3DEFESif 3DSMoOka 3DSFiOka

Slime Squisher

Posts: 346

Joined: Thursday, 15th August 2013, 11:33

Post Friday, 14th July 2017, 16:06

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Change them to something Aasimir?

For this message the author cerealjynx has received thanks:
PlatinumSpider
User avatar

Barkeep

Posts: 1788

Joined: Saturday, 29th June 2013, 16:52

Post Saturday, 15th July 2017, 04:35

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Diamond Golem? Duralumin Golem?

Halls Hopper

Posts: 76

Joined: Sunday, 15th December 2013, 19:43

Post Sunday, 16th July 2017, 16:11

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

The obvious mythological creatures to fill the godless niche are fomorians, jotunn or titans. I guess "demigiants" would work if you wanted to keep the "Dg" thing going.

Alternatively, if you want to make Crawl even zanier than it already is, making them aliens with no concept of faith also works. Like Kryptonians or Lunarians or something. Don't know what you'd have if you wanted to keep the "Dg" thing. Probably "Deltagrammarians" or "Dlingons" or something.
User avatar

Tartarus Sorceror

Posts: 1698

Joined: Saturday, 18th June 2016, 13:57

Post Sunday, 16th July 2017, 16:31

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Dontgodders.
I Feel the Need--the Need for Beer
Spoiler: show
3DSBeTr 15DSFiRu 3DSMoNe 3FoHuGo 3TrArOk 3HOFEVe 3MfGlOk 4GrEEVe 3BaIEChei 3HuMoOka 3MiWnQaz 3VSFiAsh 3DrTmMakh 3DSCKXom 3OgMoOka 3NaFiOka 3FoFiOka 3MuFEVeh 3CeHuOka 3TrMoTSO 3DEFESif 3DSMoOka 3DSFiOka

Slime Squisher

Posts: 344

Joined: Tuesday, 14th April 2015, 19:56

Location: France

Post Sunday, 16th July 2017, 16:49

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Demigiants would be coherent with high aptitudes
3 runes : MiMo^Ru, HOFi^Beogh, TrMo^Yredelemnul, GrFi^Ru, FoFi^Gozag, MiGl^Okawaru
4 runes : DDFi^Makhleb
5 runes : GrEE^Vehumet
15 runes : MiFi^Ru, NaWz^Sif Muna, GrWz^Sif Muna
I mostly play offline or online on CXC

Spider Stomper

Posts: 206

Joined: Wednesday, 12th January 2011, 15:07

Post Monday, 17th July 2017, 15:59

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Didgeridookin
User avatar

Tartarus Sorceror

Posts: 1698

Joined: Saturday, 18th June 2016, 13:57

Post Monday, 17th July 2017, 16:23

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Dirt Golem? Dwarven Gear?
I Feel the Need--the Need for Beer
Spoiler: show
3DSBeTr 15DSFiRu 3DSMoNe 3FoHuGo 3TrArOk 3HOFEVe 3MfGlOk 4GrEEVe 3BaIEChei 3HuMoOka 3MiWnQaz 3VSFiAsh 3DrTmMakh 3DSCKXom 3OgMoOka 3NaFiOka 3FoFiOka 3MuFEVeh 3CeHuOka 3TrMoTSO 3DEFESif 3DSMoOka 3DSFiOka

Halls Hopper

Posts: 72

Joined: Wednesday, 13th April 2016, 01:37

Post Monday, 17th July 2017, 16:33

Re: rename/reflavor demigods to something awesomer

Delicious Gyros

For this message the author Factorialite has received thanks:
Siegurt

Return to Crazy Yiuf's Corner

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 34 guests

Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group.
Designed by ST Software for PTF.