Poll: Most cliche RPG classes of today
Author
The most central piller of RPGs is the cliche that they must exist in some Lord of the Rings type medieval fantasy world. As a result we see almost the same character types (gameplay wise) in just about any game that calls itself an RPG.
This of course goes way back before computer gaming, to the days of D&D with it's penultimate set of 4 cliche classes: Fighter, Cleric, Magic User and Thief.
My question is, in 25 years, have the cliche classes changed or been expanded, or are they the same as they where at the dawn of unwashed nerd basement roleplaying.
To answer that, I want you to write your opinion of what todays "cliche classes" are. You can nominate a list of oup to 8 classes that you feel best represents the current most overused class archtypes in electronic gaming. Remember that much like the D&D archtypes, you don't need to name every specific class, just the archtypes that make them up (for example in D&D most of the sub-class are supposed to be hybrids of the basic classes - Paladin being a warrior/cleric hybrid for example)
You can also site what you think are new or innovative class roles that have been seen in more then one game, or classes from a single game that you think should be seen in others.
I think the races are more clichéd than the classes, TBH: elves, trolls, orcs, etc.
Shadowrun, while exceptionally cliché in almost every other respect, did at least try to freshen up the magic system by adding several mythological beasts (wendigo, sasquatch, cerberus hounds) and mix several systems of magic together (shamanistic, voodoo, etc).
As for classes, the only decent "new" idea I've seen in modern RPGs is the introduction of the tinkerer/engineer class: Shadowrun has it in the form of the rigger, and I'm sure you could find several steampunk RPGs with tinkerers.
Ignoring fantasy RPGs, I could probably make a statement about several of the modern role-playing war and politics games out there; Defense Minister is a pretty far cry from Thief (no matter what you may think of Stockwell Day).
Shadowrun, while exceptionally cliché in almost every other respect, did at least try to freshen up the magic system by adding several mythological beasts (wendigo, sasquatch, cerberus hounds) and mix several systems of magic together (shamanistic, voodoo, etc).
As for classes, the only decent "new" idea I've seen in modern RPGs is the introduction of the tinkerer/engineer class: Shadowrun has it in the form of the rigger, and I'm sure you could find several steampunk RPGs with tinkerers.
Ignoring fantasy RPGs, I could probably make a statement about several of the modern role-playing war and politics games out there; Defense Minister is a pretty far cry from Thief (no matter what you may think of Stockwell Day).
Author
Well ok I'll toss in.
The first three haven't changed much from D&D:
The warrior - the strong armor, strong attack melee class.
The healer - the physically weak support class.
The wizard - the physically weak but high range damage class. Often
Then we have a change:
The rogue - the original thief doesn't fit in as well with the combat over roleplaying focus of computer games. As a result the thief has morphed into the rogue class - weaker defense then a warrior, but with high, single target damage. Often has stealth and other abilities to avoid taking damage.
And some new classes:
Crafter - with MMORPG games we've seen the evolution of the new type of roleplaying class. The crafter can collect and modify raw materials into useful game items. I would also include the "tinker" class within this archtype.
Archer - once just another method of attack for the pencil and paper D&D warrior, with realtime combat on the PC the archer becomes a seperate class, usually speciallizing in immobolizing targets and attacking from range. I think most incarnations of an archer can be classified as incarnations of either the rogue archtype (rogue with ranged weapon) or the tamer archtype.
Tamer - with computer AI, the ability arrives for the player to operate an NPC ally, usually in the form of a beast. In many games the tamer and archer class are combined into one.
Buff'er - a twin of the cleric, the buffer uses positive and negative status modifiers. This is made possible by the PC taking over the mundane task of calculating the effects on many buffs during each "turn" of combat (ie. each turn damage must be subtracted for poison effect, etc)
The first three haven't changed much from D&D:
The warrior - the strong armor, strong attack melee class.
The healer - the physically weak support class.
The wizard - the physically weak but high range damage class. Often
Then we have a change:
The rogue - the original thief doesn't fit in as well with the combat over roleplaying focus of computer games. As a result the thief has morphed into the rogue class - weaker defense then a warrior, but with high, single target damage. Often has stealth and other abilities to avoid taking damage.
And some new classes:
Crafter - with MMORPG games we've seen the evolution of the new type of roleplaying class. The crafter can collect and modify raw materials into useful game items. I would also include the "tinker" class within this archtype.
Archer - once just another method of attack for the pencil and paper D&D warrior, with realtime combat on the PC the archer becomes a seperate class, usually speciallizing in immobolizing targets and attacking from range. I think most incarnations of an archer can be classified as incarnations of either the rogue archtype (rogue with ranged weapon) or the tamer archtype.
Tamer - with computer AI, the ability arrives for the player to operate an NPC ally, usually in the form of a beast. In many games the tamer and archer class are combined into one.
Buff'er - a twin of the cleric, the buffer uses positive and negative status modifiers. This is made possible by the PC taking over the mundane task of calculating the effects on many buffs during each "turn" of combat (ie. each turn damage must be subtracted for poison effect, etc)
I tend to think not in terms of classes but archetypes. I'm not sure if that is what you're looking for. Essentially the three main archetypes are:
Tank - Fighter/Warrior/ an actual tank, whatever. Good at taking hits and, more importantly, good at staying the focus of enemy agression.
Healer - Cleric/Priest/Doctor/etc. Mostly keeps the tank alive.
DPS - Infinite variations that all boil down to doing lots of damage.
These fit a wide range of games and are relatively unchanged coming down through the years.
There are lots of variations and hybridizations. Tanks and DPS usually run a spectrum ranging from high robustness / low DPS to low robustness / high DPS with each class picking a different point on the curve. On the pure DPS side it can also interesting to talk about ranged vs not (where ranged is defined as "a ranged can hit an unranged but not vice-versa").
The next level archetypical role that is a relatively recent thing IMHO would be the crowd-controller. This can be direct (e.g. the various "mez" or stun effects that literally make an enemy stop attacking for a time) to indirect in various ways (e.g. pullers, kiters, charmers, various means of controlling agro, etc).
Tank - Fighter/Warrior/ an actual tank, whatever. Good at taking hits and, more importantly, good at staying the focus of enemy agression.
Healer - Cleric/Priest/Doctor/etc. Mostly keeps the tank alive.
DPS - Infinite variations that all boil down to doing lots of damage.
These fit a wide range of games and are relatively unchanged coming down through the years.
There are lots of variations and hybridizations. Tanks and DPS usually run a spectrum ranging from high robustness / low DPS to low robustness / high DPS with each class picking a different point on the curve. On the pure DPS side it can also interesting to talk about ranged vs not (where ranged is defined as "a ranged can hit an unranged but not vice-versa").
The next level archetypical role that is a relatively recent thing IMHO would be the crowd-controller. This can be direct (e.g. the various "mez" or stun effects that literally make an enemy stop attacking for a time) to indirect in various ways (e.g. pullers, kiters, charmers, various means of controlling agro, etc).
Knight (sword and shield)
Elemental type mage (god)
Healer (useless fodder)
Thief (non-killer)
Assassin (stealth killer)
Barbarian/Berserker (REALLY strong but REALLY weak somewhere else)
Necromancer (undead summoner + "dark magic")
Druid (nature based magic)
Elemental type mage (god)
Healer (useless fodder)
Thief (non-killer)
Assassin (stealth killer)
Barbarian/Berserker (REALLY strong but REALLY weak somewhere else)
Necromancer (undead summoner + "dark magic")
Druid (nature based magic)
Tank, Healer, Buffer, Damage Dealer, Crowd Control. With the advent of multiplayer games, that's how it goes now.
One guy (Tank) soaks up the damage, with the help of a friend (Healer) who restores his health and maybe another (Buffer) who improves his resistances. Meanwhile, another team mate (Damage Dealer) who isn't the target of aggression, dedicates himself to wreaking havoc on the enemies, possibly with some help from a friend (Buffer) who can augment his destructive power. A final member of the team (Crowd Control) ensures that the enemies' attention stays where it needs to be.
Whether it's spaceships in EvE or magical Warriors in WoW or a finely tuned party in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, managing damage over time and ensuring that the enemies are properly controlled is how RPGs work today, it seems.
One guy (Tank) soaks up the damage, with the help of a friend (Healer) who restores his health and maybe another (Buffer) who improves his resistances. Meanwhile, another team mate (Damage Dealer) who isn't the target of aggression, dedicates himself to wreaking havoc on the enemies, possibly with some help from a friend (Buffer) who can augment his destructive power. A final member of the team (Crowd Control) ensures that the enemies' attention stays where it needs to be.
Whether it's spaceships in EvE or magical Warriors in WoW or a finely tuned party in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, managing damage over time and ensuring that the enemies are properly controlled is how RPGs work today, it seems.
Quote:Original post by Iron Chef Carnage
Tank, Healer, Buffer, Damage Dealer, Crowd Control. With the advent of multiplayer games, that's how it goes now.
One guy (Tank) soaks up the damage, with the help of a friend (Healer) who restores his health and maybe another (Buffer) who improves his resistances. Meanwhile, another team mate (Damage Dealer) who isn't the target of aggression, dedicates himself to wreaking havoc on the enemies, possibly with some help from a friend (Buffer) who can augment his destructive power. A final member of the team (Crowd Control) ensures that the enemies' attention stays where it needs to be.
Whether it's spaceships in EvE or magical Warriors in WoW or a finely tuned party in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, managing damage over time and ensuring that the enemies are properly controlled is how RPGs work today, it seems.
Don't forget Debuffer (negative non-damage effect on enemy). Necromancers and Warlocks in fantasy settings typically fall into this category. Electronic warfare units are used in technological settings. Debuffer classes are typically given abilities from other archetypes since debuffs alone don't usually kill things.
You're right, I missed that one. Doubly embarassing for me, since I'm a Scorpion and Rook pilot in EvE.
I would list them as:
Tank (Good staying power, Close combat)
Support (Buffer/Debuffer)
Healer (Medic, etc)
Artillery (long range, high damage low staying power)
Skirmisher (not a lot of staying powre, but lost of damage done quickly)
Crowed Control (Can apply influence over the enemy, not good at damageing them)
Tank (Good staying power, Close combat)
Support (Buffer/Debuffer)
Healer (Medic, etc)
Artillery (long range, high damage low staying power)
Skirmisher (not a lot of staying powre, but lost of damage done quickly)
Crowed Control (Can apply influence over the enemy, not good at damageing them)
I think that the rules of a game will naturally make certain achetypes common if not optimal. As long as games tend to be much like D&D, their classes will stay near D&D. Computer RPGs have just exacerbated cliche since they pretty much only involve combat.
Generally:
tank: big slow warrior, tamer (normal pets, or necromancy)
support: healer, status addition/removal, aura generators.
damage: mage, non-tank fighters, ranged fighters.
non-combat: thieves in most games.
Generally:
tank: big slow warrior, tamer (normal pets, or necromancy)
support: healer, status addition/removal, aura generators.
damage: mage, non-tank fighters, ranged fighters.
non-combat: thieves in most games.
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