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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PapersAndPaychecks" data-source="post: 3213794" data-attributes="member: 28854">Archetypes simplify.If you want a streamlined character creation system that lets you get into the game with a workable character with no forethought in five minutes flat, an archetype is your answer.  If you want a detailed character creation system that lets you specify a precise background, ethos and modus operandi for your character and have it reflected in the game mechanics, then you need to drop the archetypes.(You can specify a complex background, family tree, personal history etc. for an archetype.  It just won't be reflected in the stats.)To people who want detailed character creation systems, archetypes are inflexible and restrictive (and complainers often describe archetypes as "arbitrary" too, even though that's essentially meaningless in a game rules framework.)To people who want to get on and play without having to calculate and optimise three dozen stacking modifiers, archetypes are empowering.  Thus, inflexible archetypes are often a feature of "rules lite" systems.Corollary:If you use a detailed, flexible character creation system, then character death is a pain.  The player has to spend a long time figuring out a new character before getting back into the system.If you use an inflexible, archetype-based system, then character death is relatively less painful.  There's less emotional investment and less hard work in each character.Therefore, I think that archetype-based systems are preferable when the GM isn't scared to kill off characters.</blockquote>

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