Which character archetypes would you like to see as companions?

[Maddas]

Well, I saw the kickstarter update, and I figured, lets start a discussion on character and companion archetypes!

 

Base game includes three races, five classes, and five companions. We have ideas for these, but we want to hear your opinions on what you'd like to see. Stay tuned to Kickstarter, our website, and our forums to join in on the conversation.

 

So which archetypes interest you the most? We've probably seen a few of these in past games, and maybe we'd like to see some of them return in some spirit or another!

 

If you have one in mind and it's not in the list, post it here and add it to the discussion!

Edited September 16, 2012 by Maddas

[The Sharmat]

This is inevitably going to lead to a "please no stereotypes, Obsidian" thing. So I'm just going to go ahead and assume these are the most barebones foundations of characters were talking about here. Because everything can eventually be reduced to a trope.

[HoonDing]

Where's the catgirl?

[HangedMan]

I would like to see Martyrs as a character type. I've just always been fascinated with martyrdom, though.

 

Another idea: Why not do a slight spin on archetypes, and go with Tarot based archetypes? The Persona series does this, and really, their is such a thing as a Jungian Archetype; I think using them as a skeleton for characters is a good idea.

 

Mind you, a skeleton. Once you've got the bones, you need to add all the muscles, tendons, ligament, fat cells, genitalia, skin, hair, and pretty colors. And in this convoluted metaphor, yes, those are all special character traits that may go along with, or deviate harshly (or somewhere inbetween) from the archetypal 'skeleton'.

[Longknife]

Hopefully none. Clich

[WDeranged]

I vote for all of them, cleverly woven into a tapestry of awesome.

[Maddas]

This is inevitably going to lead to a "please no stereotypes, Obsidian" thing. So I'm just going to go ahead and assume these are the most barebones foundations of characters were talking about here. Because everything can eventually be reduced to a trope.

Definitely; I have no interest in seeing some 2D character -- and honestly, I completely trust Obsidian to do a good job with the characters in the game.

 

That said, everything can eventually be reduced to a trope, and I hope we might be able to capture what we enjoyed and what we'd like to see through a poll and discussion!

[The Sharmat]

Where's the horrifying construct? Is there a trope for that? I'm talking HK-47/One-of-Many type guys.

[Tale]

That said, everything can eventually be reduced to a trope

Not necessarily in a meaningful way. Which of the listed archetypes does Fall-From-Grace fit under? And does that explain why people like her as a character?

[mkreku]

I want The ****. A female melee warrior that refuses to wear anything but a chainmail bikini and rushes into combat wildly swinging two twohanded swords, despite having the puny physique of a Victoria's Secret underwear model.

 

And oversized boobs.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I'd like a dreamy bad boy thief or wizard. A girl can dream.

 

Without oversized boobs.

Edited September 16, 2012 by Moonlight Butterfly

[The Sharmat]

And does that explain why people like her as a character?

Reluctant monster, I guess? But yeah, you can't just take these skeletons and call them characters.

 

I want The ****. A female melee warrior that refuses to wear anything but a chainmail bikini and rushes into combat wildly swinging two twohanded swords, despite having the puny physique of a Victoria's Secret underwear model.

 

And oversized boobs.

Don't we all?

[Leferd]

Vizzini.

[Maddas]

Where's the horrifying construct? Is there a trope for that? I'm talking HK-47/One-of-Many type guys.

 

I miss HK-47 as well, but I'm assuming that we won't be seeing soulless mechanical creatures in this game.

 

I settled for "Sociopathic Hero" as the closest "second" I could find.

 

That said, everything can eventually be reduced to a trope

Not necessarily in a meaningful way. Which of the listed archetypes does Fall-From-Grace fit under? And does that explain why people like her as a character?

 

That's a good point. I thought Kreia was more akin to the 'Shadow', but I should add that one too.

[Grayman]

Maybe it fits under shadow archetype,

I want to see a character who is with the party, doesn't like that fact, but has some reason for staying and the group for keeping them.

 

From the TV tropes list maybe a Loser or this world's version of a Mock Millionaire. I want to see a character weak in combat but has other skills (chef, explorer) and story reasons to be around (embedded reporter), someone to circle the battle and throw rocks but prove a great asset elsewhere.

[Oerwinde]

Where's "Badass old guy"? Thats my favorite archetype. The grizzled veteran that everyone thinks can't carry his own weight because he's old, then comes out swinging and kicks the young pups arses.

 

Also a character like Pharaun Mizzrym from the War of the Spider-Queen series. Someone who is extremely intelligent and witty, a cynical optimist. Someone who knows everyone and everything is crap, so why let it spoil his good mood.

Edited September 16, 2012 by Oerwinde

[LadyCrimson]

I like cynical, doomsayer, sarcastic-humored and tragic characters. Not necessarily all rolled into one. Or, in a pinch, any character whose battle cries don't drive me insane after hearing them 2338 times.

 

Vizzini.

+1

[Troller]

Why limit character creation to archetypes?

Human nature is much more complex than that IMO

[Maddas]

Where's "Badass old guy"? Thats my favorite archetype. The grizzled veteran that everyone thinks can't carry his own weight because he's old, then comes out swinging and kicks the young pups arses.

 

Also a character like Pharaun Mizzrym from the War of the Spider-Queen series. Someone who is extremely intelligent and witty, a cynical optimist. Someone who knows everyone and everything is crap, so why let it spoil his good mood.

 

Agreed!

 

I can't edit the poll at this point though

 

I like cynical, doomsayer, sarcastic-humored and tragic characters. Not necessarily all rolled into one. Or, in a pinch, any character whose battle cries don't drive me insane after hearing them 2338 times.

 

Vizzini.

+1

 

I think some of the archetypes can definitely be combined together, and I would hope that all the ones I voted on make it into the game in some form even though there's only 5 or so slots for companions.

 

I'd also love to see a character like Archimedes the Owl in this game too.

[Odarbi]

I'm not so worried about specific archetypes, but I would definitely like to see companion personalities play out and have an effect on quest dialogues and such. Have the "Whole party" be a part of accepting the quest, not just the main player character.

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Am I the only one who loves 'Kindly old woman.' I mean Wynne was amazing in Dragon Age. Flemeth too 'Malevolent mysterious old woman!'. :3

[Longknife]

I wouldn't mind seeing a thief somewhere in-between Robin Hood good and selfish **** evil.

 

Perhaps a hypocritical thief with a surprisingly fair and just moral compass who's quick to call out others for their wrongdoings, but nevertheless steals to get by because he or she somehow fails at doing anything else or any honest work. Someone who sees the hypocricy of who they are and it DOES bother them and make them feel quite guilty from time to time, but nevertheless pushes onward out of....well, simply from living day-to-day. Their story could be about them trying to find a "higher purpose" and put their life of theft behind them or not.

I think that'd be a rather interesting take on a thief for this type of game, given that fantasy settings typically go for a Robin Hood or a typically prick, and while the latter can definitely exist, the reality of the situation of stealing can sometimes be far more grey, with people stealing out of desperate neccesity or as a result of being alienated by society somehow. I don't think glorifying thieves as Robin Hoods is very realistic and it's a tad clich

[ComradeGoby]

What about a slave that absolutely hates you and everything about you yet is forced to serve you becasue of some reason?

 

And I know there was Dak'kon but he didn't seem to have as much pure loathing as I imagine this character to have.

 

 

Or better yet no type at all but everything has basically been done before.

[Grayman]

What about a slave that absolutely hates you and everything about you yet is forced to serve you becasue of some reason?

 

And I know there was Dak'kon but he didn't seem to have as much pure loathing as I imagine this character to have.

 

 

Or better yet no type at all but everything has basically been done before.

I could see a character like that having a drastic event to their story line where they purposely try to cause a party wipe by stealing or attacking someone in a very powerful friendly or neutral area.

[ComradeGoby]

What about a slave that absolutely hates you and everything about you yet is forced to serve you becasue of some reason?

 

And I know there was Dak'kon but he didn't seem to have as much pure loathing as I imagine this character to have.

 

 

Or better yet no type at all but everything has basically been done before.

I could see a character like that having a drastic event to their story line where they purposely try to cause a party wipe by stealing or attacking someone in a very powerful friendly or neutral area.

 

Yes and then they could succed if you are really underleveled or you have to kill them or if you are more corrupt break their spirit even further and re-enslave them to their core.

 

With souls being a big part of this game you could do some really dark stuff