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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    The title pretty much says it: in your mind, does the term gish apply to ranged characters? I see it as "a character built around using magic to enhance their martial skill" which would apply to melee or ranged attacks, but I can see someone also saying the concept applies only to melee-based characters. What does the playground think?
    Last edited by sengmeng; 2017-09-18 at 06:19 PM.
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    Barbarian in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    I wouldn't normally use it for such. I don't really have much to support that, it's just what my gut says.
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    I played a pretty competent ranged gish, if you count divine casting as gish. Archivists dipping into other classes for rebuking and turning make for really strong DMM Persist abusers, and the Ranger spell list is full of awesome arrow-oriented spells.
    Last edited by Esprit15; 2017-09-18 at 08:39 PM.
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    A "gish" is a Githyanki Fighter/Mage (demihuman multiclassing rules from AD&D). F4/M4 if I recall. Unless my memory is faulty (which it may well be), there was nothing in the demihuman multiclassing rules that prevented a multiclassed Fighter/Mage from using darts for that sweet, sweet, OP dart rate-of-fire.
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Quote Originally Posted by JAL_1138 View Post
    A "gish" is a Githyanki Fighter/Mage (demihuman multiclassing rules from AD&D). F4/M4 if I recall. Unless my memory is faulty (which it may well be), there was nothing in the demihuman multiclassing rules that prevented a multiclassed Fighter/Mage from using darts for that sweet, sweet, OP dart rate-of-fire.
    Gish has evolved to mean a martial character who also casts spells.
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    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Quote Originally Posted by sengmeng View Post
    The title pretty much says it: in your mind, does the term gish apply to ranged characters? I see it as "a character built around using magic to enhance their martial skill" which would apply to melee or ranged attacks, but I can see someone also saying the concept applies only to melee-based characters. What does the playground think?
    I mean, sort of...

    If you are using the martial/caster hybrid definition, then sure.

    If you are using the melee/arcane definition, then obviously not.

    It's symantics either way. Why does it matter what a group of random strangers on the internet think?

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    BardGuy

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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Quote Originally Posted by Esprit15 View Post
    Gish has evolved to mean a martial character who also casts spells.
    Which is why I like to remind people what the original definition was whenever a thread comes up about what a "gish" is.
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    BarbarianGuy

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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Wasn't there a prestige class called arcane archer? Does that not fit? Also, any fighter/magic user can use a bow. So the answer is yes? Fighter/magic users can focus on archery/ranged weapons if they want to.

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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Yeah I've done archer gishes a couple times now. Same sort of base function as a blaster or arcane archer, just more things that they can do on the side.

    They often make for great switch-hitters actually.
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    Ettin in the Playground
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    The Magus is already a popular gish-in-a-can in PF and the Eldritch Archer archetype regularly pops up in discussions. So, yes, they´re "a thing".

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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Quote Originally Posted by JAL_1138 View Post
    A "gish" is a Githyanki Fighter/Mage (demihuman multiclassing rules from AD&D). F4/M4 if I recall. Unless my memory is faulty (which it may well be), there was nothing in the demihuman multiclassing rules that prevented a multiclassed Fighter/Mage from using darts for that sweet, sweet, OP dart rate-of-fire.
    Darn you, you beat me to it. Although I was going to use a bow instead of darts, as they've lost their power in more recent editions.
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    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    So it sounds like the playground is open to ranged characters being called gishes. Thanks!
    Last edited by sengmeng; 2017-09-20 at 11:33 AM.
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    My instinct would be no; someone who uses magic to enhance their ranged combat is more likely to be called an Arcane Archer or Ranger.
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Quote Originally Posted by JAL_1138 View Post
    Which is why I like to remind people what the original definition was whenever a thread comes up about what a "gish" is.
    Now git off my lawn, ya dagnabbed whippersnappers!

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    Quote Originally Posted by 2D8HP View Post
    Change is bad, almost as bad as using bluetext which I would never do, no not even once. Both however are better than sarcasm THE MOST VILE ACT EVER!!!
    Could you dial it back a notch, please? I despise hyperbole with the fury of a thousand suns!

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    Default Re: Poll: Is a ranged gish a thing?

    I've never actually seen the term used for this, but I also don't see any reason not to use it. This is particularly true if the arcane archer archetype (which involves specifically using magic arrows) doesn't apply. If you instead cast an aim buff, give yourself enhanced size and strength, then make your bow huge to act like a one person ballista the "gish" label fits better (although in that specific case I quite like "siege archer").
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