At this point, every class/race/whatever is derivative and undeniably cliche. The genre is built on specific archetypes, without these commonalities you begin to blur the distinction of the genre. For example, if I have a computer hacker class in an RPG, what differentiates that from a Cyberpunk game?

The cliches as you call them are necessities of defining the genre.

This thread sort of makes me think of this:

RPG's

If you don't like medeival fantasy-based RPG's, then why don't you play one of the hundreds of other games available instead of complaining that medeival fantasy RPG's are far too medieval, fantasy-like, and RPG-ish?

The time mage was a very cool concept when it was just new, but I found many video games to fall short of its potential. One role I'd like to see more -a SOUND mage. Play psychological tricks with your enemies with sound beam projections, or make them physically ill...hmm, how would sound come into play in battle? Wish more games can play with the idea of sound more.

Well, if the topic has started to shift into "The least cliche RPG classes" I can think of a few.

The Tactician from Fire Emblem:
Even though the tactician never makes any moves on the battle field (since its mainly the representation of the player who moves the other units) all the other units take orders from it.

I imagine a 'Tactician' class in an RPG would mainly act as an information gatherer/communications person. Such as getting a radar view of all the enemies on the field, analysing the oponents to find weaknesse, make predictions on battle conditions (tell when the weather is about to change, predict what the enemies next move might be, listen for friendly units that may be passing by).

Plus communicate with fellow players when they are away from the group.

And in out-of combat situations the Tactician would work to plan routes to the next town, what goods and services towns are known to carry and such... basically help out by getting the information to other characters. Would probably do really poorly if forced to fight an enemy but is really good at knowing how to exploit weaknesses in the enemy and ordering others.



The merchants

Another class that might not do well in combat, but should be pretty good at out-of combat support like getting supplies for the team and selling the loot they gather for a profit. In Nethack, the shopkeepers tend to carry powerful wands to attack with and can call the Keystone Kops to take out shoplifters.

I imagine a merchant character would carry more items than normal characters, would buy and sell to other NPCs to get money for the group, carry and guard supplies to avoid weighing down the fighters, identify items and perform some healing and repair services according to their abilities.

Plus potentially having some good persuasion skills to deal with potential enemies. (like bribing guards, conning opponents out of their money, treating enemies to a drink laced with a sleeping drug, or possibly buying their weapons off them and then letting their allies attack the weaponless enemy)



Musician

(sort of a take on the Sound Mage mentioned)

A chacter whose music can encourage others and aid in healing, restoration and growth... but mainly outside of combat (seriously, when arrows and swords are flashing around who wants to listen to music?)

helps enhance the restorative properties of medicine and food and spells (so while a 'mealtime music' is playing characters receive 10% more resorative effect from the food and enjoy it more... could get a musician a job in a restaurant to play for customers. similar songs could help patients recover from injuries or plants, pets, monsters to grow stronger).

Other songs might make monsters less hostile, charm monsters (charm snakes or make rats follow the musician in a line), deter monsters (chase away birds from an area), or make monsters turn agressive (incite parannahs into a feeding frenzy so they attack eachother before the party enters the water... or make birds the players enemies).


Basically a musician (as opposed to a standard bard) uses music to enhance the effects of things you already use or to manipulate how the monsters in the evironment act. If they are used in 'combat' then it is from far away or before the first blow is struck. Basically another support class that helps people both inside and out of combat.

Plus they could add a little bit of environment if the musician could change the background music playing at the time... Hmmm wonder what a game would be like if you could go into a spooky graveyard and stard playing country bluegrass to mess with the ghosts?




Anyway, those are a few ideas.

Technically the sound mage has been around for a while to some degree, usually as the "bard" class (i.e. D&D, EverQuest, Ragnarok Online)