Tony Vargas
Legend
What? In genre? The Fighter certainly does.The core four at there because they cover the most common archetypes.
The Rogue - much expanded from the Thief - arguably does, though in part by overlapping with the fighter.
The Wizard... not really that common in genre, as the hero, or even as the mentor traveling with the heroes at least some of the time, like Gandalf...
The Cleric? Not hardly at all, especially the narrow, weirdly-hybridized Xtian/Pagan D&D take.
Well, were needed. Starting in 3.0, at least in concept, you were meant to be able to swap out a Druid for a cleric or Barbarian for a fighter or the like.Regardless if you want to play them, they're needed. Actually, "cleric" can be any healer type - it's D&D that codified that to religion.
They always do. But, aside from the Fighter's perennial popularity, only because they're D&D institutions.It's no surprise the big 4 are leading.
Understandable, actually, it was /slightly/ innovative.nteresting that in a different recent thread people said they felt the Warlock was one of the best designed 5e classes, but here it's one of the least required if forced to chop.
If you really want to be minimal, it'd be by what 4e labeled "source." You wouldn't need both the Fighter & Rogue. You might add the Psion.If you want to be minimal, it's the Big 4.