Favorite class/character archetype?

[Dez]

I usually roll for two character types

Battlemage or Paladin

So as you can see, I like to mix melee and magic.

And the concept of those classes really speaks to me. Being that knight / chosen one etc in shining metal armor doing good deeds and defending weak&poor. I prefer my paladin characters to be more like heavily armored knights with godly powers rather than religious fanatics that are blinded by their faith. He may be a man of faith, but he is not blinded by it Sadly quite often paladins are seen as religious zealots and maybe that is the traditional definition of a paladin in D&D, but in my opinion those paladins don't have a heart… So i've changed that concept to my liking even if it breaks the classic paladin definition.

If i'm not playing a paladin, I'm usually rolling a battle hardened battlemage who has had the privilige of getting classical training in magical arts while also being trained by some of the best martial instructors.

Skyrim is an obvious choise for battlemages. Playing battlemage hasn't been that much fun since baldur's gate 2 or morrowind. I love the fact that you can easily change styles in the fly. The game is built to support this playing style. My character was a breton battlemage who had previously served in legion, but due to nasty imperial politics and backstabbing nobles, he ended up being at the wrong place in the wrong time. Naturally after being thoroughly investigated (=tortured) by royal "investigators", he was swiftly sentenced to death after "confessing" his crime. He managed to escape Skyrim, but was captured in the border. One of the most enjoyable characters i've played no doubt. It was really fun figuring out where my loyalities would lie. Would I still support the old empire or would I let it be torn apart.

As for paladin: Gothic 2 and gothic 3 popped first in my mind. And you could even play gothic 1 with that character type in mind. Maybe you were a criminal in your previous life, but your actions in gothic 1 redeemed you from your past transgressions etc.

 

[crpgnut]

I'm a mage primarily, though I steal everything that isn't nailed down. In Skyrim I'll use an arrow to debuff my target's resistance to whatever spells I have equipped so take ranged combat too. In shooters I always sneak and kill/disable from stealth. I never play melee if I can help it. I like playing glass cannons.

When I'm forced to play a tank, I play Paladins or Clerics.

I cannot play evil. I've played Skyrim 1000+ hours and have never done the Assassin's quests nor most of the Thieve's Guild stuff. I know those are some of the best written, but I just can't do it. I should watch some let's play vids of those quests so I can see what I'm missing. I would rob Nazeem blind, but I couldn't take anything from the market lady who raises the little girl, for instance. In Skyrim, I won't steal from the dark elf that starts the Thieves guild quest. I'd rather kill the thief that gives the quest. I don't know why there wasn't a quest from Mjoll to take them out.

 

[DArtagnan]

I'm glad to hear about so many people mentioning roleplaying and Skyrim in the same sentence - because that's exactly what Skyrim does so well. Sometimes, I hear people talking about how it's not a CRPG because there's not much in the way of C&C - but reading this thread, I'm seeing many gamers roleplaying like I do.

Which is to say we create our own character and when a game is so flexible as to how we act out our fantasies - it can be one of the most powerful roleplaying experiences out there.

 

[crpgnut]

I played for over 100 hours in one game of Skyrim, playing as a miner/smith. My goal in that game was to find every mine and outdoor ore deposit. The only spells my guy learned were ones that came with the class or ones that would fit mining. I had transmutation, some light spells, carry weight, strength, and a couple of healing spells. I didn't carry weapons, except for a pickaxe and a hammer. I wore blacksmith clothing that I eventually enchanted once my smithing skills got high enough. I sucked at enchanting though, so they weren't great.

I started the game and play through to Riverwood. I do the quest for the Golden Claw but didn't finish the dungeon. I just kill the thief, mine a little ore to be found there and then go back to town and marry Camiila. I then clear the nearby mines and I was on my way. My guy got killed trying to clear the Cidna mine but I had found over 100 mining locations by that time. I had a mod that showed the outdoor mining spots as a book from an ex-miner. Fun game. I had the guy from Riverwood as a companion, so it was funny having the jilted lover as my pack mule

 

[Carnifex]

I remember when I was playing Skyrim, must have been about 2 years ago now, if I was roleplaying anything I must have been a Manson clone, because I was basically slaughtering everything and everyone in sight! Dragons most of all.

 

[Menigal]

I'm glad to hear about so many people mentioning roleplaying and Skyrim in the same sentence - because that's exactly what Skyrim does so well. Sometimes, I hear people talking about how it's not a CRPG because there's not much in the way of C&C - but reading this thread, I'm seeing many gamers roleplaying like I do.

Which is to say we create our own character and when a game is so flexible as to how we act out our fantasies - it can be one of the most powerful roleplaying experiences out there.

Skyrim is a proper role-playing game. It lets you create your own character, then gives you the space to play with them. "C&C" is just an increasingly meaningless buzz-word, like "story" was 5 or 10 years ago (how many of these people are the type who would complain about Morrowind not having a story?). For me, Skyrim has far more choices than any of the supposed "C&C" heavy games (seriously, I can do pretty much whatever I want, especially with mods). Even when a quest doesn't present many options, I can almost always find a way to keep in character, but I don't take the text that's given as what my character actually says.

The consequences are more limited, largely due to technical constraints of the game being so open, but also due to the need to keep as many options open for the single-play casual gamers who make up such a large part of their audience. Considering that the consequences in so many games boils down to doing the same quests with different NPC chatter/cutscenes, I don't find it much worse than normal in that area.

I think a lot of people have problems with a game that doesn't guide them down the path, and there's nothing wrong with that, but then they just assume that it doesn't have the things they're looking because they couldn't see them. I wonder if it's down to how much imagination people are willing to invest in a video game.

But anyway, I'm old fashioned and clearly a minority in the gaming world these days.

 

[DArtagnan]

Skyrim is a proper role-playing game. It lets you create your own character, then gives you the space to play with them. "C&C" is just an increasingly meaningless buzz-word, like "story" was 5 or 10 years ago (how many of these people are the type who would complain about Morrowind not having a story?). For me, Skyrim has far more choices than any of the supposed "C&C" heavy games (seriously, I can do pretty much whatever I want, especially with mods). Even when a quest doesn't present many options, I can almost always find a way to keep in character, but I don't take the text that's given as what my character actually says.

The consequences are more limited, largely due to technical constraints of the game being so open, but also due to the need to keep as many options open for the single-play casual gamers who make up such a large part of their audience. Considering that the consequences in so many games boils down to doing the same quests with different NPC chatter/cutscenes, I don't find it much worse than normal in that area.

I think a lot of people have problems with a game that doesn't guide them down the path, and there's nothing wrong with that, but then they just assume that it doesn't have the things they're looking because they couldn't see them. I wonder if it's down to how much imagination people are willing to invest in a video game.

But anyway, I'm old fashioned and clearly a minority in the gaming world these days.

In the minority, probably, but I agree with pretty much all you said in that post

 

[Jaz]

In SP RPGs I tend to play stealth/thievish types because I just can't pass a chest or locked door without wondering what's inside. In MP RPGs I prefer close quarters DDing or tanking because I tend to get in everybody's way, anyway, so I can just make a profession out of it.
Artillery can be fun but only if it's not magical (like the engineer in WildStar) or else combined with sneaksy skills (like the fireball ninja I played in in Arena).

 

[Fenris]

I like to have tactical choices, so I usually play some kind of Battlemage. My favourite PnP character was a Half-Elven Fighter/Mage/Spellsword associated with the solamnic knights (he was a member of the white wizards of course); he used i.e. a light spell when their camp was attacked at night or a Charm Person Spell to get informations from a captured slaver (since torture or sparing him was out of the question).

In the Drakensang Games I played a andergastian battlemage, heavily using buffs and debuffs; I imagened he learned his trade with patrols on the border to the orcish lands - usually TDE-Mages are academic snobs.

In the gold box games I used a Fighter/Mage/Thief for versatility, in NWN 2 I used a Ranger/Mage/Eldritch Knight/Arcane Scholar (versatile at the Beginning, powerful at the End); when not able to multiclass in a D&D Game I tend to use either a pure Wizard or - if possible - a aligment-worshipping Cleric (I don't like to beg to some deity for my spells).

Edit:
In WoW I played a Warlock, because I thougt they had the most options with their different demonic minions.

 

[lostforever]

What is my favourite class/character archetype? In one word, Geralt.

I have been role-playing Geralt even before I discovered the Witcher games. He personify everything I would like to be in fantasy world! A smart, intelligent and wise melee fighter who uses hint of magic without being too powerful to the rest of the world. The character isn't "good" or "evil" but tries his best in a difficult world. One of my favourites quotes from the Witcher games is "I'm no avenger of orphans, no executioner for hire. I'm a Witcher".

 

[DArtagnan]

What is my favourite class/character archetype? In one word, Geralt.

I have been role-playing Geralt even before I discovered the Witcher games. He personify everything I would like to be in fantasy world! A smart, intelligent and wise melee fighter who uses hint of magic without being too powerful to the rest of the world. The character isn't "good" or "evil" but tries his best in a difficult world. One of my favourites quotes from the Witcher games is "I'm no avenger of orphans, no executioner for hire. I'm a Witcher".

Must be great finding a pre-written character that matches your preferences that well

I wonder if I've ever tried that.

Hmmm...

 

[zahratustra]

Battlemage or a ranger/sniper for me too. Although I have played mele in DA:O because Alister didn't have a clue how to kite

 

[lostforever]

Must be great finding a pre-written character that matches your preferences that well

I wonder if I've ever tried that.

Hmmm…

I was ecstatic to say the least!

To add further to my original post, I think the class/character I play has lot to do with role-play reason than actual game mechanic reasons. What I mean is, I could never see my self as a mage/wizard who stands back from battle and cast spells etc. I need to get up close and personal so I *have* to be fighter. Also *I think* someone with Geralt personality cannot be a caster, it just not in their nature to stand back. I can imagine someone who is wholly good (say Gandalf) or bad (say Saruman) standing back from the thick of the battle and casting fireballs but someone like Geralt who is neither good or bad but someone who actually cares about people and stuff will want to see the eyes of the person whim they are fighting. I am not saying a good person like Gandalf doesn't care but they care in different way to Geralt. I am waffling now so will stop :lol:

One more thing, In many games I have played, its lot easier to play caster game mechanics wise but I always found myself playing fighter in these games.

 

[Zloth]

I guess I play mages more than the others but that might just be because mages change more from game to game. I'm with Wolfing, though. I'm happiest if I get a few characters to play at once.

I do like stealth archers in the Elder Scrolls games - plus a little summoning.

AoE tankmage, specifically the Storm Controller AT in City of Heroes.

My first 50 was a Grav/Storm controller. Poor thing couldn't solo AT ALL until she got her pet - even enemies ten levels under her took minutes to defeat as she tried to punch the things to death! In her prime, though… yikes. Freezing rain making the baddies fall down. Add a tornado to throw them around. If any are still standing, wormhole them into the sky. The poor melee characters felt like they were trying to fight in a hot-air popcorn popper but it was sure fun!

 

[Arhu]

1. Ranged >> melee
2. Ranger > Wizard > Warrior

I like to play games with a triumvirate in LMK mode. I used to prefer Rangers above all else, but now I seem to alternate with Mages. Depends on the game, really. I also like squishy healers (as opposed to heavy armor Clerics from AD&D).

Best experience I had was with a bow shooter in Gothic 1 / 2 (haven't played #3 yet). Really felt like I was being there, similar to lostforever and his Witcher experience.

 

[Hexprone]

I'm not sure my preferred playstyle is an "archetype", since it barely ever exists as an option in rpgs, so I usually have to make an approximation somewhere to one side or another of where I want to be.

I like a control-oriented magician who mainly works by shutting down combat before it happens, but who can hold his own with a dagger or pistol when cornered -- provided he has a chance to take control of the battlefield ahead of time.

My partner plays rpgs to feel invincible, but that doesn't interest me at all. I like my fantasies to be dangerous places where I'm basically doomed unless I plan ahead and tread carefully.

In most game systems that ends up meaning some kind of magic/stealth hybrid, but oddly I found the closest approach to my ideal in an MMO -- the Controller class in City of Heroes, which is why I'll always hold a grudge against NCSoft for the shutdown of that game. If any of you ever ran into a tiny green Plant/Empathy guy on the Infinity server (he was supposed to have wings but I could never afford them, so he was just this short dude running around), well, Mustardseed was basically my ideal self. RIP.

 

[crpgnut]

I like the glass cannon types too, Red. I'm doomed if the enemy gets in melee range because I never put any points in health or stamina. I'm a pure mage and if you hit me I bleed

 

[Morrandir]

1. mage damage dealer (fire/elemental-based if possible)
2. dual-wield stealthy dex-fighter/rogue/assassin (might be female)

If it's supported by the game mechanics, I always go for high charisma, persuasion/diplomatic skills etc. giving me more dialog choices. And I always go for good-aligned guys except in the rare case of an additional playthrough where sometimes I prefer total badassness.

 

[DArtagnan]

Glad to hear I'm not the only stealth lover

 

[Moriendor]

I was never a big fan of "just" melee so fighter classes never appealed much to me in any way. I used to have a strong preference for ranged characters for a long time, also because it often times meant being able to choose Elf as a race which I have always liked for some reason. Also enjoy(ed) playing it stealthy like an Assassin with a bow or a xbow.

For the last few years my focus has shifted to casters because it usually allows for much more diverse gameplay and the magic system typically, by its very nature, requires a lot of attention from the developers so to me it feels like you are playing the most refined version of the game if you go for a magic wielding class.
I really like conjuration, necromancy or shapeshifting (Druid). Just being an elemental mage throwing fireballs or ice darts can be sort of fun but if possible I like to go for "meaner" and more complex magic.

As for games where I enjoyed my favorite character classes, well, TES seems like an obvious choice. In Oblivion I went with a stealthy assassin archer and some supplemental magic and in Skyrim I went cherry-picking caster where I just picked up whatever spells I liked.
Also enjoyed the old Realms of Arkania trilogy and of course the Drakensang games a lot for allowing to play a wide range of melee, ranged and magic wielding characters. Or also Divine Divinity where you could mix/match a lot as well and be a ranger/mage type of character all in one.