Editors note:
This scathing diatribe was originally published on 9/26/23 in the Rising Winds Circle of Paragons group. It was in response to the growing trend in that group described in the first sentence.
In the last, I don’t know, year or so, people have started using the word “watchlist” to describe people who should be on a list to be watched for nearly being Paragon-level. The problem is that “nearly” spans a broad expanse, and people have used it to mean everything from “they would already be a Paragon if I were Monarch” to “this new person has picked a favorite class”, which is a range that includes just about everybody. For this reason, I am presenting a new, more specific, list of words, based off the respective degrees of separation to Paragon-ness.
1P – Paragon: Absolutely there; no discussion necessary. Already a Paragon-in-waiting for recognition.
2N – Near Peer: One step away, could be proven in the next event. Probably just has one weakness that needs to be improved, or just needs one opportunity to confirm they’re there.
3D – Developing Power: Definitely not there, but has shown consistency and dedication. Every event is a meaningful opportunity to track their progress. Will likely achieve Paragon in an intermediate time frame.
4R – Relevant Player: Relatively novice player. Has established a propensity for the class. Probably in need of guidance. May pursue paragonhood, but has not yet necessarily established dedication.
Now, the point isn’t that you need to be arbitrarily categorizing every single player into one of these groups – and, by all the stars that ever shone, I will weep and wail if you start referring to this as a tier list or using it like an isekai power ranking scheme. The point is to be armed with a vocabulary so you can identify considerations and describe people, when necessary, with words more precise than “watchlist”.
You will also notice that this isn’t a rubric, and doesn’t describe any of the specific characteristics or behaviors that define Paragon-ness. The characteristics of Paragon-ness are for you to decide; this identifies only how you should be comparing the closeness of a person’s actual characteristics and the ideal characteristics of a theoretical Paragon. And stop saying “watchlist”.
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