Change Assassin to somthing else.

Ok i'm jsut having trouble with this whole "Assassin" Thing. I saw the screenie of the Rook the "power" assassin, and i'm like uh...Why don't they just call them Heros? I mean after all, a hero in greek mythology was a referring to a Demigod, it just makes more sense. And the rook is frickin huge! and assassin i think falls short of demigodness, This game says to me BIG BADASS AND HUGE AWESOMENESS. HEROS! LORDS (Lord of ___) ! WARRIORS! I just see in my head the Rook stomping onto the battlefield, leaving big ass footprints (that of course work just like anyother decal and disapear overtime) and destroying stuff with power and lazer beams lol, dosen't really say Assassin to me.

Can anyone else come up with some ideas? or other words for Heros?  
8,078 views 44 replies
Reply #1 Top
Assassin does not mean sneaky.

from M-W.com
1 : a member of a Shia Muslim sect who at the time of the Crusades was sent out on a suicidal mission to murder prominent enemies
2: a person who commits murder; especially : one who murders a politically important person either for hire or from fanatical motives

No where does it define Assassin as ninja, sneaky, little, etc. It just happens that is what we think of because those type of people in real life get the job done. However, in Demi-God, you can have larger than life "heroes" whose focus is to kill other players (assassins or generals).

The reason for choosing assassin is based completely on the role the player will have on the battlefield. Obviously, general is a good choice because he will be creating armies to command and will issue orders similarly to other RTS with the exception that he has an avatar on the battlefield. Assassins on the other hand will not command any other troops. Their role is not to destroy armies, but to focus on other players. Assassin is a more fitting description than heroes in this case because it better differentiates those players from general.
Reply #2 Top
I do agree that the term 'assassin' is pretty misleading when it comes to defining a Demigod that doesn't control others, such as the General type. I think that something more along the lines of 'warlord' would fit better, seeing as 'assassin' pretty much always has the connotation of stealth, speed, and wit, but usually not strength, endurance, resilience, etc. I wouldn't mind if they left it as Assassin, but I do think that it could be more fitting.
Reply #3 Top
assassins smoke weed and the rook looks like he does.
Reply #4 Top
I haven't heard a suggestion yet that is better than Assassin. Warlords and Heroes could be Generals or Assassins. Assassin is a little misleading but I think it is fine.
Reply #5 Top
I actually like "assassin". But just to join the thead, how bout "Knight"?

It has the connotation of being an elite fighter without being someone who is sneaky or underhanded, nor does a knight command troops (as far as the popular representation is concerned).
Reply #6 Top
I haven't heard a suggestion yet that is better than Assassin. Warlords and Heroes could be Generals or Assassins. Assassin is a little misleading but I think it is fine.


Pretty much. Granted I haven't thought a whole lot about it myself, but I can't really think of any new terms that describe solo-demigods (without being too specific), while also not encompassing the generals.
Reply #7 Top
Knight is good, but I think that it makes you think too much about the medieval horse + platemail + lance type of knight. I think that 'Champion' might work. If it were already Generals and Champions, I think that I would be harder pressed to change it to Generals and Assassins than vice versa.
Reply #9 Top
I think the name 'Assassin' is good, it makes it seem like they will be going up close and personal, which is exactly what they will do. Seems to be the best description in my eyes. I also like Knight but it makes them sound less powerful than they will be, i see Knights as warriors, but ones who serve a higher power..
Reply #10 Top
Champion works well. When two armies face off and a warrior is selected from each to duel, they are called champions (i.e. David and Goliath). They are not called assassins.

Assassins are linked with murder which as defined in Common Law is the unlawful killing of a human person with malice aforethought. Killings that occur in war are not in the same camp as murder though the end result is the same.

I think champions may have been a better choice, but I believe assassins has the cooler, going-to-kill-other-players sounding name.
Reply #11 Top
Champion is good. Gladiator works I guess. I don't see the problem with Assassin though.
Reply #12 Top
I don't like the "Assassin" term either, it's very misleading in my opinion.

From what we got to know, not every Assassin will have a killing role.
"Assassin" term may or may not mean "sneaky", but for sure it is related with kills.

I strongly hope there will be some support-type Demigods, even healers maybe. So how would you call them? "Healing Assassins"? "Support Assassins"? That sounds weird ;)

"Champions" or "Heroes" show very well their soloing/non-General/non-strategic role without linking them to kills.
Reply #13 Top
I haven't heard anything about Assassin Demigods that don't kill stuff...
Reply #14 Top
Me neither, but it's very unlikely that all the "Assassins" have just enemy-killing skills.
It would make the assassin role a bit repetitive, don't you think?

I believe that a part of them will have some kind of empowering, recovering or supporting skills, and that's why their name won't fit their role, if it's left like this.
Reply #15 Top
If they fully go for the team play aspect, like 2v2 or 5v5 for instance, then healers make sense, especially if they heal and buff other demigods, but in 1v1s, its not such a great idea.
Reply #16 Top
Should be situational. Obviously the rook looks to be a slow lumbering tank that can take alot of punishment before going down. But, depending on items and skills, I'd assume he could be tweaked to fit different roles. Thats at least what I would like to see where you can adapt your demi to the flow of the game not be limited to a strictly "support/healer" role because you chose the "white mage".

Reply #17 Top
I agree that assassin should be changed to something else. I think that they would have a problem if they ever wanted add a proper assassin character in...
I personaly like Champion.
Reply #18 Top
Champion sounds too much like the princess's favorite soldier or something. It doesn't sound like the guy in charge.
Reply #19 Top
I agree that assassin should be changed to something else. I think that they would have a problem if they ever wanted add a proper assassin character in...I personaly like Champion.


again, please understand that the word assassin does not mean "ninja", "sneaky", "rogue", or "covert". It means a person who commits murder, especially one who murders a politically important person either for hire or from fanatical motives. Thats it. There is no requirement that an assassin be covert its just that to accomplish a murder of a politically important person these days, you have to be covert, or sneaky, or ninja-like to penetrate the security that has been set up to protect said person.

However, on the battlefield, particularly with DemiGod, it means your focus is to kill/murder important persons on the field (opposing players). There is no particular security to bypass other than the armed masses so the need to be covert (see Rook) can be negated. So yeah, assassin sort of works. It may not be the best descriptor (perhaps champion is better), but it does distinguish that player from a general-type well.
Reply #20 Top
the historical assassins made no attempt at escaping as the paradise was promised to them, so yes they are indeed quite the opposite of stealthy ninjas - except for the part before they reached their goal sometimes maybe.
Reply #21 Top
again, please understand that the word assassin does not mean "ninja", "sneaky", "rogue", or "covert".


Yeah, but the word gives off that impression in modern language. Also, assassins dont seem like the type that barges through a battlefield either, correc me if im mistaken but i thought assassins are meant to target a single person, not an army.
Reply #22 Top
Yes I fully agree that in the DemiGod context and our modern context, assassin implies targeting single persons. That is why the Assassins in Demigod should be focused on killing individuals, namely the other Demigods (opposing players). Even the rook who should be able to lay waste to the peons, should be ultimately pointed at destroying the other players. True, generals have the same focus, but they do so with an entire army whereas an assassin does by himself.

I think champions is the better descriptor. But Assassins sound cooler. Meh its just semantics, perhaps Demigod will be the force that changes the context of the word assassin.
Reply #23 Top
Sorry to go back to the point about Healers, i found this on the Features page (not hard to find i know :P)
General or Assassin?
Choosing a Demigod also means you choose a particular play style. As an assassin, become a one-man army as you wade into the front lines, devastating armies with your powers. As a general, build an army and lead them into battle, mowing down the opposition. When your general participates in the battle, they can turn the tide for their troops by healing them, weakening enemy troops and actively fighting in the battles.
So it seems what Odit said is what they are doing, letting your demigod be an all-rounder and adapt to the situation.
Reply #24 Top
Yup i'm liking Champions. 'cause you can really have Champions of Evil or Champions of Good. Or The Champion of The Titans. So forth and so on.
Reply #25 Top
Yup i'm liking Champions. 'cause you can really have Champions of Evil or Champions of Good. Or The Champion of The Titans. So forth and so on.


Except the thing is it sounds like "Evil" or "good" or "The titans" Have elected them as their Champion. So it doesn't sound like the Demigod is vying for godhood because he's the child of a god, but rather that he's been chosen to participate. But in reality he's doing it because it's his birthright.

I think Assassin works rather well. Calling them heroes will make people say "LAWL! LOOK, T3H GPG IZ STEELIN FRUM WCIII!!!11!!1oneone!"
Slayers maybe? Eh, that makes it sounds like they're out to slay vampires or something...

Meh. Does it really matter?