D&D General What Should Today's Archetypes Be

[Ruin Explorer]

99.9% of the world doesn't care about the distinction.

LOL yes they do.

You've got it completely in reverse. 99.9% of the world doesn't think there's any connection between the two things. 99.9% is familiar with Street Fighter, but not with Shaolin monks.

 

[Minigiant]

You are way overestimating the importance of D&D on the core tropes of fantasy.

No, I'm downplaying the fantasy series that aren't not major media franchises.

Quite frankly without D&D, the source of most inspiration for fantasy warriors and scoundrels will be Disney, Marvel, DC, Capcom, WB, Ubisoft,...and the top Shonen Anime.

 

[Vaalingrade]

LOL yes they do.

You've got it completely in reverse. 99.9% of the world doesn't think there's any connection between the two things. 99.9% is familiar with Street Fighter, but not with Shaolin monks.

No, no. They're right.

If you ask you're average people, I'm pretty sure they think Shaolin Monks are fictional and associate them with, but neither know the term, nor can pronounce, wuxia.

Or, like my aunts, think they're the guys proselytizing at the airport.

It is important to us who collect eclectic information to understand other people don't.

 

[Minigiant]

Just thought of something.

Without D&D, fantasy video games would have taken trends from kids fantasies that were popular in the 80s and early 90s.

Stuff like HeMan, Thundercats, She-Ra, Thundarr. Or like Saint Seiya and Power Rangers.

So

• The videogame side of fantasy would be a lot more scientific than 1e. Final Fantasy's Black Belt might be replaced with a Technician who has gadgets.
• The Paladin might be replaced with a Destined Warriors who is destined or granted a magic weapon as a class feature. Getting the Sword of omens, Sunsword, Excalibur, Sword of Grayskull, Sword of Protection, Mjolnir, or some other artifact weapon at level 5. Possiblity with a transformation.
• Theere would be a D&D equivalent of an Archmages as a guy it's the Evil Sword of Death or Blade of Chaos!!.

So yeah the party would have a player transforming into a HeMan or She-Ra while his buddy lobs grenades at the blue dragon.

 

[GMMichael]

What do you think the core archetypes would be if D&D were invented today? What inspirational media make you think those particular ones would be foundational?

Conan (barbarian).
Supergirl/alien (sorceror).
Man of mystery (rogue).
And of course, thirsty sword lesbian (probably not a priest).

 

[Vaalingrade]

Conan for Barbar and not like, Wolverine or Hulk or any other character who flies into a rage that makes them better at fighting? Or Characters like Iron Fist or Shatterstar or some Jedi who have a very similar end-effect that D&D ignores completely in Battle Meditation?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

No, I'm downplaying the fantasy series that aren't not major media franchises.

Quite frankly without D&D, the source of most inspiration for fantasy warriors and scoundrels will be Disney, Marvel, DC, Capcom, WB, Ubisoft,...and the top Shonen Anime.

How old do you think the creators of a fantasy TTRPG would be, right now?

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

Pretend, for a moment, that D&D was created today and was laying down the framework for the way we talk about fantasy in gaming. Yes, I know it's impossible given how influential D&D has been on fantasy, but go with me here.

In 1974, there was the Fighting Man, Magic User and Cleric (and later thief), informed by Appendix N and wargames.

What do you think the core archetypes would be if D&D were invented today? What inspirational media make you think those particular ones would be foundational?

For my part, I think "fantasy hero archetypes" that aren't just derivative of D&D archetypes, and are represented in media, might look more like the core classes from D20 Modern: Smart Hero, Strong Hero, etc... if you think about characters in ensemble heroic action media, they tend to be defined more by those traits than their "class."

What do you think the core archetypes of an invented now D&D would be, in an alternate universe where D&D did not define gaming fantasy?

Without D&D the inspiration would have come from Traveller, so the classes would be Army, Marine, Merchant, Navy, Other, and Scout, they would just be sprinkled with fantasy.

 

[Aldarc]

I would also add that when we ask "what should todays archetypes be?" there is also the question of "how many archetypes should there be?" I don't think that the answer to this last question is as simple as "enough." If we are talking about printed books, there is still the issue of space, which is a limiting factor for how many class archetypes can reasonably be included in a player's book. It's a similar issue with video games. Too many archetypes can create balancing problems or it becomes difficult for designers to differentiate enough between classes while also having classes broad enough for players to project their own character fantasies or concepts onto the class.

 

[Minigiant]

How old do you think the creators of a fantasy TTRPG would be, right now?

Mid 40s to early 50s.

People who were born around 1975 to 1980.