Discussion Favorite RPG Build Archetype?

[GodisanAtheist]

Recently started playing Shadowrun: DragonFall and was again faced with that classic RPG conundrum: knowing nothing about the mechanics and how friendly this game is to classes/cross classes/hybrids/jack-of-all-trade characters... how do I want to build my character? Well, generally RPGs will always cater to the three core playstyles regardless of how well they handle cross classes: a warrior, a mage, and a rogue, so I might as well build pure so I didn't have to worry about coming out underpowered at some critical pinch point in the game.

As a youngun' I would always play the fighter: it was pretty straight forward and I liked my videogames to contain gratuitous amounts of violence. However, as I got older, I realized that I was always bored out of my mind playing a fighter, especially in isometric RPGs that just had me sitting around spamming clicks or worse still, click once and my character auto attacks.

This really came to a head with Dragon Age Origins. Good god the warrior class was so frigging boring. Most of the skills were toggles or passives, there was nothing to really do when actually playing the game! I finally started playing around with the Rogue/Mage classes and suddenly a whole world of nuanced gameplay opened up to me. Flanking/backstabs, buffs/debuffs, etc.

Personally, the mage class is my favorite. In older RPGs it usually meant a bunch of cool graphics effects, and being squishy you were always forced to really *play* the game by incorporating movement, juggling buffs, playing party support, and dishing out massive amounts of damage.

As a subdiscussion, what RPGs have you played that really handled cross-classes well, and provided multiple solutions out of story "pinch points' beyond "kill everything"? I really dislike when an RPG gives you this illusion of "build your character to be a smooth-talking charismatic alchemist" then you actually play the game and realize your character is dead weight on the team despite being the lead.

 

[Starbuck1975]

I always do a ranged fighter/mage combo that specializes in summoning things.

I would say Oblivion gave me the most satisfying roleplaying experience because I abandoned the main quest and spent hours enjoying the vampire subquest and just roaming and exploring the world as a vampire, and there was enough interesting content for it.

 

[Stg-Flame]

It's a tough call because I love AoE spellcasters, but I love stealing everything in sight even more. Guess it depends on the game I'm playing because most games will make mages incredibly overpowered while rogues tend to require some investment before they start to shine.

I voted mage just because I've always loved the elaborate spell graphics/animations and there's only a handful of games where I prefer stealthy rogue types over my traditional mage. I think if I ever get around to playing Skyrim (played it at launch for about 20 hours, haven't touched it since), I'm going to focus on magic mods and try to steer clear of my usual ranged/thief TES build. I always found this odd though since magic was always ridiculously overpowered in vanilla Morrowind and Oblivion but I never found it fun to be a spellcaster in those games.

 

[Starbuck1975]

It's a tough call because I love AoE spellcasters, but I love stealing everything in sight even more. Guess it depends on the game I'm playing because most games will make mages incredibly overpowered while rogues tend to require some investment before they start to shine.

I voted mage just because I've always loved the elaborate spell graphics/animations and there's only a handful of games where I prefer stealthy rogue types over my traditional mage. I think if I ever get around to playing Skyrim (played it at launch for about 20 hours, haven't touched it since), I'm going to focus on magic mods and try to steer clear of my usual ranged/thief TES build. I always found this odd though since magic was always ridiculously overpowered in vanilla Morrowind and Oblivion but I never found it fun to be a spellcaster in those games.

I never play a thief/stealth character in medieval RPGs, yet my default character build for games like Deus Ex and Dishonored is stealth because I find the developers tend to put more thought into offering creative options for stealth players, as opposed to treating those games as straight up shooters.

 

[DigDog]

warrior because me dumb

 

[GodisanAtheist]

As a shout out to a game that actually handled cross classes really well: The Torchlight games (1 & 2). All of the stats have some value to just about any play style and the different classes have a good mix of skill trees so you can play and offensive tanky mage or a rifle wizard summoner, or whatever.

 

[CP5670]

I generally play as a warrior/soldier type. I explore and loot everything and like finding better weapons and equipment over the course of a game. A warrior is usually better suited to make use of all the stuff you find, and is the most all-round effective class in most games. I leave the magic/biotics/force powers/etc. to another party member.

I was a DW warrior in the first DA game and a DW rogue in the other games. The combat was admittedly a bit tedious in all 3 games, but they all throw random enemies at you constantly and a straight fighter is good at dealing with them quickly. In Deus Ex/Dishonored I play as a stealthy predator though, since the games are designed around that.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

I never play a thief/stealth character in medieval RPGs, yet my default character build for games like Deus Ex and Dishonored is stealth because I find the developers tend to put more thought into offering creative options for stealth players, as opposed to treating those games as straight up shooters.

- I actually sub-categorize those games as part of the "sneaker shooter" genre because they're built to promote the "thief/rogue" build archetype over others.

Hell even the Wolfenstein games (TNO and TOB) filled that category (albeit a bit more loosely) since the games heavily promoted "softening up" the opposition through stealth first before things inevitable go to crap and it turns into a gunfight.

 

[BFG10K]

Morrowind/Oblivion: Dark Elf.
Skyrim: Redguard.

• Mixed archery, magic and melee depending on attacking range.

ARPGs: ranged characters - especially dual-pistol/throw - supported by AOE spells. Melee characters in ARPGs make the game a left-click simulator.

Dishonored: stealthy assassin switching to sword + pistol swashbuckler if discovered.

Vampire Bloodlines: Toreador gunfighter + sword using celerity.

Legend of Grimrock: Fighter (sword + heavy armor), Rogue (dagger + light armor evasion) front row, Rogue (thrower) and Mage (spellcaster) back row.

 

[aigomorla]

I turn on cheat engine, edit my point tables, and make myself a supreme diety in RPG by allocating every point in every skill and maxing it, also breaking my save sometimes in the process, but all worth it!. :X

 

[nakedfrog]

Generally something dual-wielding or ranged.

 

[jameslee5]

Assassins/Rogues, Summoners, CC Support classes are the stuff I like

 

[bguile]

Other. I prefer cleric/fighter, but it really comes down to the rpg, and the type of rpg. For the traditional type of rpgs (Baldurs Gate, Icewind Dale, , etc) I find that I will choose a character based off whatever companions the game gives you. For example in the latest Pathfinder game, Wrath of the Righteous I will often choose a fighter because there isn't a strong melee companion available at the start of the game. (There is one kinda...but she can be pretty off putting once you meet her).