Adventuring Archetypes

[Manic Typist]

I've done some thread searches, and have had little luck, so I figured I would just toss it to the masses:

What adventuring archetypes can you think of, when it comes to "characters?"

I'm writing the backhistory of a country, which was essentially founded when an adventuring group slew the evil dragon, freed the primitive peoples from the orcs, and then started to establish civilization.

Here's what I have so far-
The Heroes

Barbarian/Amazon
Samurai
Ninja-servant to samurai
Prophesized leader of Slave Uprising
Thief
Knight
Ranger/Son of one of the local chieftans
Musketeer/Rogue
Priest(ess)
Mercenary/Mysterious Swordsman
Wizard (needs to be multiple kinds)

The goal of this is to allow me to combine widely disparate setting feels into the same nation. For instance, the Musketeer established the city of Semona, a very Italian/Musketeer feeling city, while the Samurai will have gone and established a city that will have the look, feel, and focus of feudal Japan.

Any other player/character/adventuring archetypes? I know I am missing a LOT.

[katal3]

Nomad
Artificer/Enchanter (crafter of magical items/constructs)
Necromancer
Sorcerer/illusionist (master of deception and misdirection)

[Curufea]

Bard
Noble
Anarchist
Exiled heir/heir in hidding
Soldier
Avatar

[PhilFleischmann]

Sage/Seeker of knowledge
Explorer
Sailor
Pirate
Mad Cult Leader (maybe he even claims to be a god himself)
Ambitious Usurper (not necessarily evil - he just knows he could do a better job running the kingdom)
Witch/Hedge Wizard/Wise Hermit
Seer/Soothsayer
Jester
Naive Hero in over his head
Dealer with Demons/Sold his soul
Traveling Merchant & his caravan guards
Gypsy
Friendly/Misunderstood Monster
"Civilized" Orc/Orc who realized the value of intelligence & wisdom
Ordinary Guy who stumbled upon a major magical artifact
Respected and Revered Leader/King/Priest/Sage who really has no idea what he's doing
Wise and Good Leader surrounded by a corrupt court
Renegade Officer/Courtier
Diplomat/Envoy
Duelist (Fantasy version of old west gunslinger - fights just to see who's the best fighter)

Some of these overlap a bit. I just plucked them out of my own fantasy campaign world's history, which coincidentally also starts with all the people being enslaved by orcs and rising up to throw off their oppressors.

The sage founded a city that now is home to the greatest library and university in the world. The mad cult leader founded a very disfunctional city which took a long time to gain its current strength and prosperity, and its dark past is completely forgotten (and will come back to haunt them :eg: ). The hedge wizard very subtly influenced the founding and growth and culture of the city that his hidden home now looks out upon.

[Erkenfresh]

Chivalrous Knights with a sense of humor
Warriors dumb as a post who know right from wrong better than most
Know-it-all bookworms with no real world experience
A Priest that's lost faith in his church
The stuck-up Noble that somehow manages to get things done
Assassins that flog themselves in punishment for their sins
Shepherds that ensure a steady source of wool and meat for the town

Could go on and on... ;)

[Eosin]

Archer is the missing stand out

[Shadowpup]

Archaologist
Martial Artist/Monk
Holy Warrior/Paladin
Pacifist/Coward
Slave/Lackey

[Shadowpup]

Child Thief
Desperate Man/Woman Escaping His/Her Fate
Bodyguard to the Noble

[Shadowpup]

Sorcerer - wizz bang magic
Healer - maybe religious maybe not healing magic
Mage - charmer of creatures
Demonist - summoner or demons
Elementalist - summoner of elementals, controller of elements
Conjurer - crafter of golems
Shaman - totemic magic, maybe blood magic
Druid - wood/forest/nature magic
Psionicist - mental powers
Carver - rune magic
Blade Dancer - magic through ritual dance

[Shadowpup]

Sentient magic item - sword, ring, hat, glove...

[katal3]

Thief who only steals works of art, and leaves a card the night before stating that the object will be stolen, and when.

[Curufea]

Archer is the missing stand out
I've not come across sole archer archetypes - they tend to be multiskilled.
Robin Hood was a swashbuckler/archer (or possibly thief/archer)
Zen Archers tend to be monks as well
Assassins have more than just archery.

Thief who only steals works of art, and leaves a card the night before stating that the object will be stolen, and when.
I'd call that a Gentleman Thief

[Manic Typist]

Great stuff guys!

[Old Man]

Thieves:

The incorrigible and selfish pickpocket/burglar who is almost, but not quite, without morals.

The thrill seeker/showoff.

The barbarian thug who steals as much by force of arms as by stealth and cunning.

The swindler looking to take advantage of an anything-goes situation.

The non-flashy professional who takes great pride in his 'work'. Sometimes works for hire.

[Old Man]

Wizards:

The mysterious and seemingly omnipotent old master who, irritatingly, never reveals his true goals or stoops to actually using his godlike power.

The apprentice/beginner trying to get by or make a name for himself while simultaneously figuring out this crazy magic stuff.

The swindler trying to take advantage of an anything-goes situation.

The harried sage, trying to complete some task for his demanding )and possibly corrupt) superiors.

The wild talent who has no idea how to control her power or, sometimes, that she even has it. (Often the wild talent is an annoying little kid.)

The alchemist, trying to collect that one ingredient that will set him up for life. Usually has competition.

[LordGhee]

demi god
demi god's friend
warrior maid
Noble savage
innoble savage
ships captain
sailior
king of thieves
prince of thieves
petty thief
begger
jinn
soldier
spy
spirt guide (animial ghost, divine ect -think jason of the agro
healer - ect

[Manic Typist]

Alright, what about Cultural Archetypes? What are all the example nationalities and cultures that you can think of for character origins?

For instance, the Samurai brings me feudal Japan, while I could use a ninja perhaps to suggest a more neutral Oriental flavor. The Knight gives me the Germanic/British feel, while the Florentine Rogue/Musketeer gives me the Italian/Renaissance feel... Arabian thief, African sorcerer, what more?

[Shadowpup]

Animal Shapeshifter
Werewolf
Werebear
Weretiger
Wererat
Wereboar
Werehawk
Werebat
Vampire
Vampire Hunter
Demon Hunter
Troll Slayer

[Enforcer84]

The "Noble Savage" style warrior
A northern Berserker
Highlander Warrior
Pirate/Sailor

[Manic Typist]

Highlander Warrior brings me the the Irish/Scottish, alternate peasant flavor. Nice.

[Old Man]

Most cultures have some variants of the wandering wizard and bard/storyteller.

[PhilFleischmann]

At some point we cross the line from "archetypes" into merely "types," and thence into "whatever we can think of." It starts to remind me of that other game system's current incarnation with over 60 different core classes and 700+ "prestige classes" - and that only includes the ones put out by the publisher, not including all the third-party system licenced books.

Anyone familiar with fantasy literature or movies is familiar with the brave and noble knight, the dashing swashbuckler, the wily thief, the huge-muscled barbarian, the wise and mysterious wizard, etc. But I doubt any of us have ever come across a "Soulborn" or a "Hexblade" or a "Favored Soul" or a "Psychic Warrior" in any source material (other than those novels based on the game system, perhaps). Eventually, they get downright silly. What does the Wizard do? "I harness the arcane energies to create wonderous magical effects." What does the Fighter do? "I use my cunning and skill at arms to slay my foe." Sure, we got it. But WTF is a "Sand Shaper"? "I build sandcastles." War Weaver? "I make battle flags on the loom." Wave Keeper? "I also serve..." Archivist? "I write stuff down." Dracolexi? "I think I'm an imprted sportscar." Bereft? "I lose things." Shadowcaster? "I stand in bright sunlight." Master of Shadow? "This one is an eagle. This one is a dog's head." Walker in the Waste? "I maintain sewers." Horizon Walker? "I go far away." Shadow Dancer? "I writhe naked behind a screen." Dragonsong Lyrist? "I write songs about dragons." Chaotician? "I'm a math nerd." Seeker of the Song? "I browse in record stores." Urban Soul? "I guess I must be black." Gatekeeper Mystagogue? Apostle of Peace? Troubador of Stars? Deathwarden Chanter? Master of the Unseen Hand? Ardent Dilettante?

All of the above are actual classes/prestige classes from WotC-published books. I write them down occasionally because they amuse me and make me realize how much money I'm saving by not playing that game anymore.

As to cultural archetypes, what exactly are you asking for? A list of cultures where a character might be from? Just get yourself an atlas or a globe for that.

[gojira]

Not cultural: an ordinary person who gets caught up in events (think the protagonist in Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, or Frodo).

So maybe:

unwilling hero
duty bound hero
kid

[gojira]

Cultural hero:

The Foreigner

Examples:

The Thirteenth Warrior, an Arab joins twelve Norsemen on a quest.

The Monk, a Zen Buddhist priest in a medieval campaign.

The Anointed, a foreigner who comes to fulfill a prophesy he didn't know about. (Kagomi in the manga & anime Inu Yasha, or Frodo in LotR.)

The Merchant, a foreigner who is embroiled in local plots while trading. (Pilot in the movie & book Samaria)

The Diplomat, a foreigner who arrives on a diplomatic mission (The Dolphin in Henry V)

[Manic Typist]

Excellent stuff.


I'm trying to see if I can roust up any specifc, niche cultures that I might overlook, on say, an atlas. ;)

A pygmie? Nah....

[Zeropoint]

Pygmies who consider the creation and consumption of food to be an important part of their culture?

[Kristopher]

Why are people so interested in pidgeon holes?

[Lethosos]

Because they're tight and slippery... hah! Just kidding. :D

Acually, they help us pin down concepts, and give us some sort of direction on how to develop the character. Nothing to it.

Now prestige classes... that's fairly silly, with the huge amount that is out there. But I see them as a form of specialization--it's just a question of how detailed the world ends up. I'm perfectly happy with just the builder books--that's detailed enough for me.

Hrmm... how about stuff like... a herald, a crafter of magical arms and gear, and a beast tamer? I can see some interesting culture coming from those three alone...