RP Archetype Discussions

[Morreion]

Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier (Massively)

If there's a single word that sums up the archetype, it would be duty. A soldier will be ordered to walk into the line of fire and save as many people as he can, and he'll do it -- not because he wants to, but because he has his orders and that's what he needs to do.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Rogue (Massively)

A true rogue lives by his own rules and often creates interesting roleplaying situations just by being around. Not only do characters have to convince him to stick around, but he has to bring something useful to a group. Usually that's in the form of both connections and a willingness to go outside the boundaries of socially acceptable methods.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Scholar (Massively)

Birds have to fly, fish have to swim, and the scholar has to know. What she knows is almost secondary to that overwhelming urge to find something out, to glean just a little bit more knowledge, even if she later finds she was happier not knowing.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Paladin (Massively)

A paladin might be religious, but she might not have ever really given much thought to metaphysical concerns. She might be a warrior, but she might just as easily be a frail and bookish sort. And she might come from privilege or poverty or anywhere in between. None of those aspects informs a paladin. What makes a paladin is a code of honor and a dedication to measuring her worth in the number of lives she saves.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Errant (Massively)

An errant follows one goal, and he follows it absolutely. That alone isn't so unusual -- all characters have goals -- but the errant has honed a skillset specifically for fulfilling that goal, and there's no ambiguity about when he will be done.

[Morreion]

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Partisan (Massively)

A partisan is someone who believes. And it's not just a little belief, either -- he believes so much that he wants to dedicate himself to advancing something. Nations and religions are the most common choices, but it's certainly possible to be partisan for almost anything, as evidenced by the massive flamewars that erupt when console partisans move in and start defending their favorite game systems. While many partisans are significantly less irritating, they all share a unique and overriding zeal -- a complete and total devotion to what they see as their group.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Mentor (Massively)

Unlike a scholar, the Mentor doesn't need any more learning. She has learned what she needs to know, has figured out the nuances of her particular craft, and might very well be content to spend the rest of her life peacefully. Older or younger, she's reached a point of maturity and stability, and she doesn't find herself wrestling with personal demons very often. If anything, she finds herself wrestling with others who need the knowledge she already has but who may or may not be willing to accept what she has to teach.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Trapped (Massively)

As Bilbo Baggins put it, adventures are nasty and dreadful things that make you late for dinner. Unfortunately for Mr. Baggins, he didn't get a great deal of say in being pulled along with one. So has the life of the Trapped gone -- she never had any interest in adventure, but circumstances have forced her into one, usually by pulling her along until the only way out of the mess is to see things through to the end. Given the choice, she would prefer to be somewhere far away from all the fighting and struggling.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Defiant (Massively)

Much like the Trapped, she's running from something, but unlike that archetype, she doesn't want to be back at home. Home is the root of the problem; the road is where she can do whatever she feels like doing, and that makes the road more appealing at the moment. Nothing is keeping her exiled except her own refusal to go back.

Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Strawman (Massively)

There's fortune to be won and fine damsels (or fellows) to woo, of course, but the Strawman would never think to cite either as his main objective as he travels, even if the people he inflicts his help upon occasionally need to be reminded about the promise of a reward. (Multiple times, even.) But he does it purely for the glory, glory which he's sure to share with everyone else in fair amounts and which he'll make sure is known the world over purely for educational purposes. He doesn't need to be the center of attention; it just happens independent of anything he does or any amount of winking and nudging.