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Archetypes
Over various roleplays, certain roles and themes tend to be repeated. Whether intentional or not, it is common for Game Masters to include elements that hearken back to things they've seen before. Whether creating characters, mechanics, or even themes, there is rarely ever anything that can be described as a fully original idea. Being aware of archetypes is useful, as it can give lenses in which you can examine your own ideas and guidance on how you can improve them.
Character versus Role Archetypes
Character archetype is a term that can actually be applied to two different concepts. There are the Role Archetypes that describe the character's role from a gameplay standpoint, and the Personality Archetypes that describe the character's role from a story perspective. For the sake of this page, we will be discussing Role Archetypes, rather than Personality Archetypes.
Role Archetypes are basic descriptions we use to group characters with similar goals, strengths, and behaviors in a roleplay. An archetype should not define the characters that reside within it, but instead the characters themselves should define which archetype they belong to.
List of Common Archetypes
This list is not meant to be exhaustive and covers only a common and noteworthy selection.
The Detective
One of the most common roles, as it suits a number of scenarios, the detective character is a seeker of truth within the space of the game, often defined most by their ability to uncover information others might miss. Characters within this archetype often have advantages towards investigation, leads to follow from the outset, investigative methods that can lead to unique clues, and/or information on other players.
The purpose of the detective in games featuring mystery elements is to give the group either a leader figure they can rely on, or at least someone who can cut through much of the baseless speculation that can easily dominate early sessions. Playing the detective can be a double-edged sword, because revealing yourself to be more useful than others may lead to those with something to hide targeting you. This could be other players or a game's Mastermind.
Examples of characters who fit the xetective archetype well are:
- Alice Manfredini from KG13, a private investigator who invited herself to Archibald's mansion to investigate the man she believed murdered her spouse. She has many great advantages, but these are offset by the fact that she became a target by showing up uninvited.
- Matsuda Minori from Gaines Game, The Ultimate Informant who was unknowingly involved with the game he was looking into. He carried around a memory journal filled with information about the game, which he could spend time digging through to learn more about what was going on. He also had one of the highest investigation scores of the game. This all came at the cost of being specifically targeted by the mastermind for intruding, and forgetting everything he doesn't constantly remind himself about after 5 minutes due to antereograde amnesia.
- Maya Chizuru from KG14, a secretary for the company behind the game. While she overlaps heavily with other archetypes, her main goal is still to learn the secrets of other players, and she is one of the more capable players of achieving that goal based on the knowledge she goes into the game with.
The Social Detective
The Gambler
The Leader
With such a natural ability to guide others, people are drawn to them and their commands.
The Bard
The Brute
Some characters only speak in violence. Brute characters would be among them.
The Normie
Average characters with average descriptions, normie characters typically fit into a cast by foiling more outlandish cast members.
The Traitor
The Medic
The Child
These characters are young — usually prepubescent — and bring an immature energy to the cast.
The Second-in-Command
They're there to support you — but mostly the leader.
The Killer
Born to kill, their prime purpose is to off other cast members as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The Prankster
The Pair
Twins, clones, pet and pet owner: bonds like these are inseparable and frequently take advantage of that fact.
- Lars Holt and his dog, Wrench
- Robin Fénix and her falcon, Barrel
- Liú Xù and her pet mouse, Frisby
- Aimi and Akira Gemini
- Ivy and Iris Bray
