So, just what ARE the archetypes?

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

To do Archetypes right you should have specific and highly relevant characters to point to, so...

There are always socially based heavy fighters: samurai and cavaliers: Lancelot

Scoundrel heavy fighters: questing knights, thugs, and gladiators: Little John

Blessed heavy fighters: the poor knight and crusaders: St. George

Loyal heavy fighters: centurions and men-at-arms: Gawaine

Leading Heavy fighters: generals and guerillas: Richard Lion-heart

or you can divide it up by arms and technique:

mounted : Bellerophon

primitive : Hercules

armored : Achilles

blessed/clever/lucky : Theseus

archer: Ulysses

strategist: Ulysses=he is the man of many ways

There are a lot of ways you can break it down. Limiting or categorizing archetypes is difficult.

Probably the simplest is to go for the common heroic ethoi you want to be present and then make an array of options for each type.

Thus the flexi-classes of fighter and wizard or the classes of AU.

mmm, some archetypes I haven't seen mentioned in the general lists so far are the archer, horseman, and, most importantly,

The adventurous knower of secrets: yer McGuyver, Indiana Jones, Von Richten types...

 

[johnsemlak]

I haven't seen anybody mention the Barbarian (though savage warrior might fit the bill) A warrior who owes allegiance to no one.

What exactly is the 'hedge wizard' archetype? EDIT: I've started another thread asking this question

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Tinker/Inventor

 

[Gez]

The magic swordsman archetype. You got some in wuxia movies (emulated in OA by the blade dancer PrC); but they're not the only one. Gandalf, for example, is one: he's a powerful mage, but he's still good at swordfighting, including on horseback.

In a way, clerics fit the bill, but between their divine trappings and their heavy armor, that detracts from the archetype.

 

[Shazman]

I haven't seen any of these archetypes that would really require new classes. They all seem to be doable via multiclassing and the proper selection of skills and feats. Throw in the prestige classess and core classes from Complete Warrior and it becomes even easier.

 

[Tilla the Hun (work)]

That means that this entire discussion presupposes that classes relate to archetypes and are not simply mechanics from which to cherry pick. If you disagree, that's fine, but if you want to argue the matter go start your own thread -- here, that point is a gimme.

Clarify, please?

As I've always understood the concept, D&D archetypical characters are the 'core' essences...

Fighter, Cleric, Rogue, Mage

...and -all- other concepts are derived from these in combination with one another

Fighter + Cleric = Druid, Ranger, Monk
Fighter + Rogue = Duelist, Swashbuckler, Pirate, etc.
Fighter + Mage = Eldritch Knight, Yoda, etc.

Any 'iconic' character concept from popular media (which is what your 'archetypical' concept seems to have inspired from the thread posters judging by the many long lists of same) can be represented by a combination of those classes.