History Main / FantasyCharacterClasses

'''[[ForestRanger The Ranger Classes]]''': Other Names: ''[[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft Hunter]]''. {{Ranger}}s are woodsmen skilled at surviving in the wild. They may be lumped in with Fighters or Rogues (above) but more often than not are a separate tree of classes all their own. Archery is generally their favored skill, although melee combat also has a focus either primarily (In which case they will probably also have a lot of ranged abilities) or as a backup for when enemies get close. Rangers may also be skilled in some form of wilderness or nature magic, and sometimes capable of utilizing their terrain or surroundings to their advantage. They may be very good at fighting a specific type of enemy, and often take on the role of a HunterOfMonsters against such foes. In a setting that [[FantasyGunControl allows guns]], they will usually appear in the hands of the Ranger.

* '''[[CombatMedic The Battle Priest]]''': A badass, tough warrior, carrying [[HolyHandGrenade blessed weapons]]. This version of the Cleric can dish out melee damage and heal. They tend to be closer to Clerics than Paladins, who tend to be closer to Fighters; although occassionally this is a literal overlap a.k.a hybrid of Fighter and Cleric class.

* '''[[GoodIsNotNice The Templar]]''': Other Names: ''Inquisitor''. Named after UsefulNotes/TheKnightsTemplar, the Templar is more of an assassin mixed with a Cleric. The chief role in the story is generally to do the church's dirty work, ferreting out heretics and covering up the great conspiracy. In battle, they may be anything, but tend to be a [[JackOfAllStats jack of all trades]], weaker than a Paladin, Cleric, or Rogue in their specialties, but able to handle all of their roles to one extent or another. They can also be defined as MageKiller / TheWitchHunter, especially in settings where the Church is very much at odds with some, if not all, mages. If the Cleric class normally comes with innate restrictions or drawbacks (e.g. [[CannotTellALie must always tell the truth]], [[ArmorAndMagicDontMix cannot wear metal armor]], must avoid contact with TheDarkSide) then a Templar can usually [[OneHeroHoldTheWeaksauce ignore at least some of them]].

* '''[[FourStarBadass The Warlord]]''': Other Names: ''General'', ''[[TheStrategist Tactician]]'', ''Marshal'', ''Commander''. The Warlord is a tactical master. They can hold their own in frontline combat as well as giving out [[StatusBuff buffs to their underlings and allies]], usually by commanding them to superior positions than the ones they would have thought of on their own, and they may have [[BattleAura protective auras]] made of their own charisma to increase a team's effectiveness in battle. Sometimes may be able to [[TheMinionMaster summon their own troops]], overlapping with Pet Master below.
* '''[[HorsebackHeroism The Cavalier]]''': Other Names: ''Knight''[[note]]Whenever that name isn't taken by the Knight class above[[/note]]. The Cavalier fights from the back of a mount, whether a normal horse or [[HorseOfADifferentColor something more]] [[PowerupMount exotic]]. Cavaliers have higher movement speed than other Fighters and may be able to [[FoeTossingCharge charge through groups of enemies]] or perform HitAndRunTactics. However, [[NecessaryDrawback they also have more weaknesses]]: their large size can make them easier to hit or prevent them from travelling through certain terrain, and they may be vulnerable to specialised AntiCavalry weapons or attacks which frighten[=/=]control animals. Cavaliers with [[{{Flight}} flying]] mounts also tend to be {{Fragile Speedster}}s, presumably because heavy armor would hinder their ability to fly. Sometimes a cavalier's mount can be separately targeted and killed, which either kills the cavalier or [[ClippedWingAngel turns them into an infantry unit with poorer stats]]. In games where a lot of fighting takes place indoors, the Cavalier is usually folded into another Fighter class such as Knight or Dragon Knight, and they may be able to [[DualModeUnit switch between infantry and cavalry modes]]. [[HorseArcher Mounted archers]] are comparatively rare, and tend to be closer to Rangers than Fighters.

* '''[[EverythingsBetterWithSamurai The Samurai]]''': Other Names: ''Yojimbo'', ''Kensai'', ''Weapon Master'', ''[[Franchise/FireEmblem Myrmidon]]''. Samurai wear less armor than regular Fighters, which leads them to have less defensive abilities. In general, they commonly have access to KiManipulation, [[GlassCannon higher damage]], and higher speed and mobility, along with abilities related to {{Counter Attack}}s, [[KillingIntent sensing hidden enemies]], or [[SpeedBlitz acting before their opponents can act]]. Some Samurai can wield [[BowAndSwordInAccord both swords and longbows]] (and occasionally [[BladeOnAStick spears]]), but the majority focus on [[KatanasAreJustBetter the sword]] to the [[WeaponOfChoice exclusion of all other weapons]]. Generally restricted to Asian settings, but can appear outside them under more generic names like '''[[MasterSwordsman The Swordmaster]]'''. After the Hero, Samurai are the class most likely to have unique weapons which other classes cannot use. Because Yojimbo are mercenaries, they may be literally able to [[Franchise/FinalFantasy spend money to deal more damage]].

* '''[[ThePaladin The Paladin]]''': Other Names: ''Holy Knight'', ''Crusader'', ''Templar''[[note]]Whenever the Templar isn't its own separate class[[/note]], ''Inquisitor'', ''Guardian''(In some games), ''Royal Guard''. The Paladin is a Fighter with the power of [[LightEmUp Light]] and [[WhiteMagic healing]] magic, as well as defensive buffs for their allies. Their devotion to their god or deity gives them various prayers, healing abilities and [[HolyHandGrenade holy-based]] spells to protect themselves and others. Naturally, they are a type of MagicKnight. They are also quite good at [[GoodHurtsEvil laying the smite down on undead, demons and other traditionally evil supernatural creatures]]. However, they may have behavioral limits: some rulesets impose varying penalties on taking actions that stray too far from LawfulGood, which can lead to weakening of abilities, loss of abilities or sometimes even being kicked out of the "Paladin" class entirely. If the setting doesn't have behavioral limitations they may have lower [[GlassCannon stamina]] or [[MightyGlacier speed]] to balance out their magic.

* '''[[ThePaladin The Paladin]]''': Other Names: ''Holy Knight'', ''Crusader'', ''Templar''[[note]]Whenever the Templar isn't its own separate class[[/note]], ''Inquisitor''. The Paladin is a Fighter with the power of [[LightEmUp Light]] and [[WhiteMagic healing]] magic, as well as defensive buffs for their allies. Their devotion to their god or deity gives them various prayers, healing abilities and [[HolyHandGrenade holy-based]] spells to protect themselves and others. Naturally, they are a type of MagicKnight. They are also quite good at [[GoodHurtsEvil laying the smite down on undead, demons and other traditionally evil supernatural creatures]]. However, they may have behavioral limits: some rulesets impose varying penalties on taking actions that stray too far from LawfulGood, which can lead to weakening of abilities, loss of abilities or sometimes even being kicked out of the "Paladin" class entirely. If the setting doesn't have behavioral limitations they may have lower [[GlassCannon stamina]] or [[MightyGlacier speed]] to balance out their magic.

* '''[[MasterOfIllusion The Illusionist]]''': Other Names: ''Mesmer''. A magic-user who casts illusions. Their primary role are to cause distraction and misdirection to enemies. Their abilities are generally given to characters with Psychic powers and Bards.

* '''[[MasterOfIllusion The Illusionist]]''': A magic-user who casts illusions. Generally considered weak, with no real damage output, and has been phased out of most settings - their abilities are generally given to characters with Psychic powers and Bards.

* '''[[BlackMagic The Cultist]]''': The EvilCounterpart of the Cleric, the Cultist worships the local GodOfEvil or EldritchAbomination, rather than CrystalDragonJesus. As a result, the powers they gains from their faiths are typically of the shadowy variety, more given to offense, both in terms of offensive buffs and debilitating curses, and outright offensive attacks, although they usually has ''some'' healing in their kit, if less than is usually granted to the priest of a more "wholesome" God.

* '''[[FourStarBadass The Warlord]]''': Other Names: ''General'', ''[[TheStrategist Tactician]]'', ''Marshal'', ''Commander''. The Warlord is a tactical master. He can hold his own in frontline combat as well as giving out [[StatusBuff buffs to his underlings and allies]], usually by commanding them to superior positions than the ones they would have thought of on their own, and he may have [[BattleAura protective auras]] made of his own charisma to increase a team's effectiveness in battle. Sometimes may be able to [[TheMinionMaster summon his own troops]], overlapping with Pet Master below.

* '''[[BlackMagic The Cultist]]''': The EvilCounterpart of the Cleric, the Cultist worships the local GodOfEvil or EldritchAbomination, rather than CrystalDragonJesus. As a result, the powers he gains from his faith are typically of the shadowy variety, more given to offense, both in terms of offensive buffs and debilitating curses, and outright offensive attacks, although he usually has ''some'' healing in his kit, if less than is usually granted to the priest of a more "wholesome" God.

** '''Summoner Ranger''': A variant of the Beast Master Ranger that can summon beasts to its his side, either with magic, as a familiar, or his connection to nature. Overlaps with the Druid such that they are often the primary guardians of the forest and nature against the encroaching modern civilizations.

*** '''The Cantor''': The Cantor sings not just songs but ''hymns'', acting as a cross between the Bard and the Priest. Cantors generally have more focus on healing abilities than a standard Bard, but instead of having attacks which harm demonic creatures and TheUndead, a Cantor makes his allies better at fighting such creatures. Alternatively a Cantor may specialize in supporting other Cleric classes, such as restoring their {{Mana}} or increasing the potency of their healing spells. Can overlap with Dancer for characters who use religious dances, such as {{Miko}}.
*** '''[[WarriorPoet The Skald]]''': A more "savage" version of the Bard, who charges into battle himself so that he can write epic stories about [[WarIsGlorious how glorious it was]] afterwards. Tends to be less of a JackOfAllTrades than a standard Bard in favor of combat abilities similar to the Barbarian. He might also have buffs which turn his allies into {{Glass Cannon}}s, affect larger numbers of allies than a standard Bard, or allow allies to march or fight continuously without rest. Usually acts as a substitute for Bards in whatever culture Barbarians come from, but they can show up in just about any military setting as "morale officers" or similar.

* '''[[{{Swashbuckler}} The Swashbuckler]]''': Other Names: ''Fencer'', ''Duelist''. A Fighter who tends toward light or no armor and prefers agility, cunning, daring and technical skill to sheer force. Tends to be rogue-like in his or her trappings (though usually more flamboyant than subtle) and is often used to evoke the Rogue archetype in games where skills and stealth play a small or no role. A likely default class for TheHero, especially in {{JRPG}}s and adventure novels after Creator/AlexandreDumas.

'''The Fighter Classes''': Other Names: ''Warrior'', ''Knight'', ''Soldier''. One of the [[FighterMageThief most basic]] classes, the Fighter puts emphasis on strength and [[CloseRangeCombatant physical combat]]. Wielding melee weapons, they typically lack range, or have only limited ranged attack options, but they excel at fighting enemies in close range combat, often having high [[HitPoints HP]], [[StoneWall defense]], and attack capabilities to aid in this. In a team or party based game they put themselves at risk at the front of the group and take the brunt of the damage meant for their less sturdy comrades. A Fighter's strength is boosted by the wide variety of equipment they can use and they are usually able to equip the widest variety of weaponry and armor, including stuff too heavy for other classes. Most of the time the Fighter is considered the default "hero" class and as such they are often considered good for beginners. Some variations on the Fighter class include:

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* '''[[WitchDoctor The Witch Doctor]]''': A version of the Cleric flavored for a more shamanic, nature-worshiping culture as opposed to the generally Monotheistic religion most Cleric-using settings use. May be slightly more magically offensive and overlap with the Shaman (see above).

* '''[[DragonKnight The Dragon Knight]]''': Other Names: ''Dragoon'' [[note]]though this term originally meant a soldier who [[DualModeUnit could fight mounted or as infantry]][[/note]]. A Fighter who is either [[HalfHumanHybrid descended from]], in the employ of, powered by, owns, or [[TheDragonslayer specializes in hunting]], dragons. A Dragon Knight usually has a variety of abilities that mimic or relate to dragons in some way -- {{Flight}} or [[InASingleBound high jumping ability]], [[BreathWeapon breathing fire]] or [[FlamingSword imbuing it into their attacks]], and dealing extra damage to dragons are all common. Some are able to [[InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons tame or train dragons]] (typically [[DragonRider either big ones large enough to ride on]], [[ShoulderPet or smaller species/hatchlings]]) or even [[{{Animorphism}} transform into a dragon themselves]]. They seem to be associated with [[BladeOnAStick spears]] for [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV some reason]].

* '''[[KnightInShiningArmor The Knight]]''': Other Names: ''Cavalier'' (when the Cavalier isn't its own separate class), ''Guardian'', ''Sentinel''. The Knight is considered an upgrade to the basic Fighter. It may be able to wear bigger, heavier armor (including shields) and weaponry, possibly sacrificing speed in favor of more [[StoneWall defense]] and [[TheBigGuy power]]. The Knight may also gain supportive abilities that help to keep their [[PlayerParty allies]] safe, relating to bravery and chivalry. For example; the ability to [[BarrierWarrior shield]] the group from enemy attacks, or otherwise [[TakingTheBullet take hits]] meant for their friends, a [[DrawAggro "taunt" command]] that forces foes to direct attacks towards them and away from allies, or the ability to make powerful {{Counter Attack}}s against enemies who ignore them. Knights may be able to employ MountedCombat, if there is no dedicated Cavalier class.

** '''[[PsychicPowers The Psychic]]''': Other Names: ''Psion, Mentalist, ESPer''. Psychics generally employ a combination of telepathy and psychokinesis to attack the opponent's mind directly, or to deal damage to his body. Distinctions between psychic powers and magic may be difficult to make. In addition, the list of PsychicPowers potentially available is often seen as too long and generalized. Was generally restricted to science fiction settings before the popularity of ComicBook/XMen prompted its controversial inclusion in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' decades ago, and has appeared only sporadically in other fantasy settings since then.

*** '''The Wizard''': Other Names: ''Mage'', ''Witch''. A variation of the Sage designed to replace the Magician and Cleric classes. They are usually found in low magic settings where being able to cast spells is noticable in of itself. Wizards tend to be [[SquishyWizard lacking physically]] to make up for their unique ability to use magic. In games where classes are automatically linked to a character, there will likely be only [[TokenWizard one wizard in the party]], with exceptions to the rule tending having the wizards stronger in different areas of magic (for example in a case with two wizards, one would be better at offensive magic while the other better at defensive magic) but still overall versatile in spell options.

'''[[ReligionIsMagic The Cleric Classes]]''': A Cleric is usually TheMedic -- some variation on dedicated healers. Unlike Magician-classes, the Clerics usually draw their powers from either Faith, a god, or some variation of the two. Their magic generally requires them to stick to a certain doctrine to access it, but usually comes with less of a price or chance of backfiring like some Magician classes might experience. Clerics often focus on healing and party buffs, but sometimes they are offensively useful against "unholy" enemies such as demons and undead. Often draw their powers from CrystalDragonJesus and may be [[ChristianityIsCatholic suspiciously Catholic]] for a fantasy setting. Cleric-type classes generally have the least amount of variation, simply because healing is so vital and important that distracting a healer generally isn't seen as a good idea. Variations include:

Some game systems allow players to dual-class in some way, or may have a more flexible class system. Sometimes, a player will be able to start as a more general class ("My character is a wizard.") and specialize into a more specific class ("My character is a '''[[PlayingWithFire fire]]''' wizard."). Many of these may be [[PrestigeClass Prestige Classes]]. The opposite may also happen if a character is multiclass.

*** '''The Wizard''': Other Names: ''Mage'', ''Witch''. A variation of the Sage designed to replace the Magician and Cleric classes. They are usually found in low magic settings where being able to cast spells is noticable in of itself. They tend to be {{Squishy Wizard}}s to make up for their unique ability to use magic. In games where classes are automatically linked to a character, there will likely be only [[TokenWizard one Caster in the party]], with exceptions to the rule tending having the Casters stronger in different areas of magic (for example in a case with two Caster characters, one better at offensive magic while the other better at defensive magic) but still overall versatile in spell options.

** '''[[TheRedMage The Sage]]''': Other Names: ''Druid'', ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Red Mage]]'', ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Mystic Theuge]]'', ''[[VideoGame/{{Wizardry}} Bishop]]''. The Sage is a spellcaster that is capable of accessing spells that both Magicians and Clerics have. Naturally this level of versatility puts the Sage at risk of being an [[GameBreaker overpowered class]]. Some games rectify this by making the Sage a PrestigeClass, making the leg up they have over other casters less of an issue. Other games put on limitations compared to dedicated magicians and clerics, such as weaker spellpower, less {{Mana}} and/or locking them out of some spells that dedicated casters have access to. The limitations do have the danger of going too far and making a Sage a MasterOfNone, so to combat this issue some games make up for the limitations by giving them something unique to the Sage like exclusive spells or [[MagicKnight being more physically capable]] than other casters.
*** '''The Caster''': Other Names: ''Mage''. A variation of the Sage designed to replace the Magician and Cleric classes. They are usually found in low magic settings where being able to cast spells is noticable in of itself. They tend to be {{Squishy Wizard}}s to make up for their unique ability to use magic. In games where classes are automatically linked to a character, there will likely be only [[TokenWizard one Caster in the party]], with exceptions to the rule tending having the Casters stronger in different areas of magic (for example in a case with two Caster characters, one better at offensive magic while the other better at defensive magic) but still overall versatile in spell options.

** '''[[TheRedMage The Sage]]''': Other Names: ''Druid'', ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Red Mage]]'', ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Mystic Theuge]]''. The Sage is a spellcaster that is capable of accessing spells that both Magicians and Clerics have. Naturally this level of versatility puts the Sage at risk of being an [[GameBreaker overpowered class]]. Some games rectify this by making the Sage a PrestigeClass, making the leg up they have over other casters less of an issue. Other games put on limitations compared to dedicated magicians and clerics, such as weaker spellpower, less {{Mana}} and/or locking them out of some spells that dedicated casters have access to. The limitations do have the danger of going too far and making a Sage a MasterOfNone, so to combat this issue some games make up for the limitations by giving them something unique to the Sage like exclusive spells or [[MagicKnight being more physically capable]] than other casters.
*** '''The Caster''': A variation of the Sage designed to replace the Magician and Cleric classes. They are usually found in low magic settings where being able to cast spells is noticable in of itself. They tend to be {{Squishy Wizard}}s to make up for their unique ability to use magic. In games where classes are automatically linked to a character, there will likely be only [[TokenWizard one Caster in the party]], with exceptions to the rule tending having the Casters stronger in different areas of magic (for example in a case with two Caster characters, one better at offensive magic while the other better at defensive magic) but still overall versatile in spell options.

*** '''The Caster''': A variation of the Sage designed to replace the Magician and Cleric classes. They are usually found in low magic settings where being able to cast spells is noticable in of itself. They tend to be {{Squishy Wizard}}s to make up for their unique ability to use magic. In games where classes are automatically linked to a character, there will likely be only [[TokenWizard one Caster in the party]], with exceptions to the rule tending having the Casters stronger in different areas of magic (for example, one Caster being more offensive while the other more defensive) but still overall versatile in spell options.

*** '''The Caster''': A variation of the Sage designed to replace the Magician and Cleric classes. They are usually found in low magic settings where being able to cast spells is noticable in of itself. They tend to be {{Squishy Wizard}}s to make up for their unique ability to use magic. In games where classes are automatically linked to a character, there will usually be only [[TokenWizard one Caster in the party]].

** '''[[TheRedMage The Sage]]''': Other Names: ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Red Mage]]'', ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Mystic Theuge]]'', ''Druid''. The Sage is a spellcaster that is capable of accessing spells that both Magicians and Clerics have. Naturally this level of versatility puts the Sage at risk of being an [[GameBreaker overpowered class]]. Some games rectify this by making the Sage a PrestigeClass, making the leg up they have over other casters less of an issue. Other games put on limitations compared to dedicated magicians and clerics, such as weaker spellpower, less {{Mana}} and/or locking them out of some spells that dedicated casters have access to. The limitations do have the danger of going too far and making a Sage a MasterOfNone, so to combat this issue some games make up for the limitations by giving them something unique to the Sage like exclusive spells or [[MagicKnight being more physically capable]] than other casters.

** '''[[TheRedMage The Sage]]''': Other Names: ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Red Mage]]'', ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Mystic Theuge]]'', ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Druid]]''. The Sage is a spellcaster that is capable of accessing spells that both Magicians and Clerics have. Naturally this level of versatility puts the Sage at risk of being an [[GameBreaker overpowered class]]. Some games rectify this by making the Sage a PrestigeClass, making the leg up they have over other casters less of an issue. Other games put on limitations compared to dedicated magicians and clerics, such as weaker spellpower, less {{Mana}} and/or locking them out of some spells that dedicated casters have access to. The limitations do risk making a Sage [[MasterOfNone underpowered]] so some games make up for the limitations with spells exclusive to the Sage or having Sages be more [[MagicKnight physically capable]] than other casters.

* '''[[TheBlackMage The Blaster]]''': Other names: ''Nuker'', ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Black Mage]]''. A Magician that specializes on offensive spells, differentiating themself from the more support-oriented magic users. May have a few buffing abilities at their disposal, but those are often dedicated to strengthening their own spells. Probably the biggest source of ElementalPowers within a party, with FireIceLightning magic at the most basic.

* '''[[TheWhiteMage The Healer]]''': Other Names: ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy White Mage]]''. A squishy dedicated healer with little abilities at offense, though their magic may be able to harm specific types of enemies, most commonly [[GoodHurtsEvil demonic entities]] and [[ReviveKillsZombie the undead]].

* '''[[BlackMage The Blaster]]''': Other names: ''Nuker'', ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Black Mage]]''. A Magician that specializes on offensive spells, differentiating themself from the more support-oriented magic users. May have a few buffing abilities at their disposal, but those are often dedicated to strengthening their own spells. Probably the biggest source of ElementalPowers within a party, with FireIceLightning magic at the most basic.

* '''[[RedMage The Generalist]]''': A Magician who does not specialize in one school or tradition and studies the magic of various types. They tend to be rare, and depending on which limitations they have, [[JackOfAllTrades may be very powerful thanks to their versatility]] or [[MasterOfNone very weak thanks to their lack of focus]]. In any case, they usually aren't able to use the more complex spells their specialized brethren use, or at least not nearly as often. Of all the kinds of Magician, they tend to be the most open minded and least prone to think there are UnEqualRites.

* '''[[WhiteMage The Healer]]''': Other Names: ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy White Mage]]''. A squishy dedicated healer with little abilities at offense, though their magic may be able to harm specific types of enemies, most commonly [[GoodHurtsEvil demonic entities]] and [[ReviveKillsZombie the undead]].

** '''[[RedMage The Sage]]''': Other Names: ''[[Franchise/FinalFantasy Red Mage]]'', ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Mystic Theuge]]'', ''[[VideoGame/MightAndMagic Druid]]''. The Sage is a spellcaster that is capable of accessing spells that both Magicians and Clerics have. Naturally this level of versatility puts the Sage at risk of being an [[GameBreaker overpowered class]]. Some games rectify this by making the Sage a PrestigeClass, making the leg up they have over other casters less of an issue. Other games put on limitations compared to dedicated magicians and clerics, such as weaker spellpower, less {{Mana}} and/or locking them out of some spells that dedicated casters have access to. The limitations do risk making a Sage [[MasterOfNone underpowered]] so some games make up for the limitations with spells exclusive to the Sage or having Sages be more [[MagicKnight physically capable]] than other casters.