Giving Epithets to Player Characters
Epithets bring characters and the setting to life and they can be a great reward for in-game achievements. They also work well for NPCs. But first off, what’s an epithet? An epithet is a descriptive and earned nickname. It’s widely accepted and people recognize it as being associated with a person (or object). Epithets elevate a character from an individual to a celebrity and make conversations about the character much more flavorful.
Epithets have been used throughout history (Jack the Ripper) and in modern culture (Bill Nye the Science Guy), but have a huge place in fiction. Shakespeare’s Macduff referred to his culprit as the Hell-Hound, instantly conveying him as demonic but also giving him a cool nickname. Game of Thrones had characters referred to as The Hound or The Mountain.
In my humble opinion, no piece of fiction does epithets better than the anime One Piece. Any pirate famous enough to be mentioned regularly in the news gets an epithet, giving us great nicknames such as Pirate Hunter Zoro, Fire Fist Ace, Dark King Rayleigh, Pirate Empress Hancock, Ghost Princess Perona, Cat Burglar Nami, and Sniper King, who has yet to be identified. Some of these are less than flattering, such as Cotton Candy Lover Chopper or Big Eater Bonney, but the names stick. These epithets are common monikers in newspapers but are also used universally on the bounty posters for these characters. Some non-pirate characters, like high-ranking marines, also get epithets, such as Garp the Fist and Smoker the White Hunter, and they serve the same purpose: elevating an individual into an icon.
So how do you create memorable and meaningful epithets for your characters? Read on!
Epithets are Unique and Earned
While a character can come up with their own epithet, it has no meaning in your game’s setting and culture until that character lives up to their nickname. We see this in Guardians of the Galaxy, where Peter Quill struggles to get people to refer to him by his outlaw name, Star-Lord. It’s more common for epithets to be bestowed upon characters when they get famous enough to be talked about frequently. For an epithet to stick and become attached to a character, it has to be descriptive, well-known, and unique.
If a character’s origin isn’t common for the setting, that can make a great epithet. A satyr from the Feywild might be known as Meribel of the Wilds, while a ranger from the frozen wastelands might be known as Fargrim of the North. A location can also be combined with a trait for a more unique name, like Eleanor the Fist of Gronne or Frederick the Blade of the South.
If there’s one defining moment that made a character famous, that can easily be a nickname. Someone who proved themself a hero in saving a small town might be known as Gale the Hero of Hardcastle, while someone who led an invading force in a decisive battle might be known as Oruk the Scourge of the Ten Tribes. Infamy can be unfortunate. A leader who famously surrendered might become known as White Flag Roberts, while one who quickly lost two battles might be Twice-Taken Chernin.
A character’s training or technique might be a good basis for an epithet. A barbarian known for grappling foes might be Iron Grasp Taman, while a monk who gets many punches in might be known as Two-Hands Zora. A bard trained in the arts of seduction and assassination might ironically be named Sweet Marta, while a ranger from a tradition that always finds their prey might be Relentless Shevarra. Names like Hawk Eyes, Ice Queen, Mind Blaster, or Stormcaller all point to signature skills or abilities.
Physical attributes can be good epithets if they’re unique. A pirate who always wears a red coat might be Red Josephine, or a pugilist who dresses in fine clothing might be Gentleman Grim Buckman. There are well-known fictional characters with epithets like One-Eyed, Little Finger, Scarlet, and Blackbeard—all pulled from physical attributes.
Epithets are Used in Your Game’s Culture
It does no good to give your players an epithet and never use it. Ideally, these will be used as much as possible. Player personas and reputations can also take on a life of their own outside of the characters’ actions, for better or for worse.
Epithets allow characters to communicate their fame or reputation. A character might introduce himself as Rin with little reaction, but when the other party later recognizes the character as Two-Hands Rin Oakenheel, you get to see a different reaction. This also gives players the option of anonymity even if they let their names slip. There might be a lot of Rins in your game, but as long as they don’t reveal their epithet, there’s less of a chance of them being recognized.
Epithets become the common way characters are referred to in newspapers (and wanted posters, if they have them). A newsboy or town crier might read the headlines when the party does something significant, or a gossip magazine or tabloid might also employ criers to spread rumors about the characters. A headline like, “Guard Murdered! City Guard Investigating!” doesn’t carry the same weight as “Fist of Gronne Suspected as Guard Found Beaten to Death!” Similarly, a headline like, “Red Josephine Spotted Talking to Waterdeep Mogul!” can convey that the party is being watched even before they act.
Players can also use their epithets to persuade or intimidate NPCs. Characters might argue that a wealthy merchant should hire them to protect his cargo, but if the characters add that no bandits in their right minds would target a caravan guarded by Fargrim of the North, it adds flavor to the conversation. Characters can take this to another level by starting a whisper campaign sowing rumors and tall tales about their public reputations. In DnD, the Dungeon Master’s Guide has rules on doing this in downtime, but other systems probably have similar rules, or they would be easy to establish by the DM.
Epithets can even be used independently of the characters themselves. If the characters are trying to keep a low profile, the culture of your game might assign an epithet without explicitly knowing who is performing these actions, much like the real-life killer Jack the Ripper, whose identity was never discovered. This gives plenty of plot hooks, like having another party take credit for the party’s actions, or threatening another party by revealing your epithet (or bluffing by claiming another group’s epithet).
Don’t forget about group names either. Each party member may have an epithet, but the group collectively would also likely be given a name. This provides a shortcut for the DM and party to talk about themselves, but can also communicate smaller party goals, such as if the party becomes known as The Second Most Deadly Assassin Guild in Neverwinter. Suddenly, overcoming that label becomes something the whole party wants, and that motivates them to pursue not only good outcomes on missions but also notoriety to change that public perception.
Epithets Should be Fun for the Players
Like most things in the game, epithets should be enjoyable for the players. Earning one they like can feel like a major accomplishment and add fulfillment to the effort of playing the character. Player buy-in is an important part of bestowing epithets and should be a consideration if you’re planning to use them.
This doesn’t mean, though, that the first epithet a character gets should be positive. The first moniker can be something less than flattering. If you go this route, it needs to come with a clear path to defining a new reputation to gain a better epithet. You’ll need to gauge how the player reacts to such a name. It shouldn’t feel like a punishment so much as a quest with a clearly defined goal.
Even if your intention was a flattering and fitting epithet, the player may react poorly. In that case, talk to your player and ask them what they were envisioning. It could be the name you chose has negative connotations you didn’t consider, or the player just has a better idea. It’s also possible that the player’s perceptions of their character don’t match how they’re actually playing it, which is a much larger conversation, but one that you should probably have. The same rule applies here: if a player doesn’t like an epithet, they should have a clear path to changing that, whether that’s in-game actions or a conversation with the DM.
About the Author
Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a web developer and writer in the Kansas City area. He's been playing TTRPGs since 2020 and is involved in the disability-related TTRPG podcast Tales from the Crips. He's into classic movies, mental health, and, of course, DnD. Also, he's in a band. One time, they rocked so hard it killed a man.