History TheLancer / VideoGames

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'': The Paladin Seth is TheLancer to either Eirika or Ephraim, depending on the route you take. Innes fits more as Ephraim's Rival than Lancer. Considering Gerik and his mercenaries, [[EmotionlessGirl Marisa the Crimson Flash]] fits as his Lancer since she's more of an ActionGirl than Tethys, the TeamMom. In the case of Joshua, [[spoiler: either Gerik, Marisa or Natasha (in a more serious, WhiteMagicianGirl-y way) cane become his Lancers through supports as he rebuilds Jehanna]] ) Rennac is TheLancer in L'Arachel's Power Trio.

** ''Fire Emblem 4'': Prince Quan is both the best friend and TheLancer for Lord Sigurd in the first part of the game. He also has ''his'' Lancer in the form of his protege Finn. In the second part of the game, Ayra's son Ulster is TheLancer to Sigurd's son Seliph. And so is Leif.
** ''Fire Emblem 7'': [[TwoGuysAndAGirl Hector and Lyn * both* fit as Lancers for Eliwood]]. Just like in ''Fire Emblem 6'', Wolt the Archer and MagicalGirl Lilina are sort-of Lancers for TheHero Roy. Hector also has his own Lancer in the figure of [[GeniusBruiser General Oswin]], and it can be said that [[CrutchCharacter Marcus]] was Eliwood's Lancer before Hector and Lyn stepped in. [[FragileSpeedster Matthew the Thief]] has a short run as Hector's Lancer at the beginning, until Oswin and Serra come in. In "Lyndis's Tale", Lyn had Kent as her Lancer since Sain was a bit more of TheBigGuy of her Troupe.
** In ''Fire Emblem 8'': The Paladin Seth is TheLancer to either Eirika or Ephraim, depending on the route you take. Innes fits more as Ephraim's Rival than Lancer. Considering Gerik and his mercenaries, [[EmotionlessGirl Marisa the Crimson Flash]] fits as his Lancer since she's more of an ActionGirl than Tethys, the TeamMom. In the case of Joshua, [[spoiler: either Gerik, Marisa or Natasha (in a more serious, WhiteMagicianGirl-y way) cane become his Lancers through supports as he rebuilds Jehanna]] ) Rennac is TheLancer in L'Arachel's Power Trio.
** Depending on how you see in in ''Fire Emblem 9'', either [[BoisterousBruiser the Fighter Boyd]] can fit this role, or Ike's [[RelationshipValues support mate]] Oscar. On the one hand, Boyd is the [[RedOniBlueOni Red Oni to Ike's blue Oni]], on top of being rather level with him in skill throughout the game, both [[BadassNormal in-universe]] [[GameBreaker and out.]] Being the LoveInterest to Ike's sister Mist does him favors. On the other hand, [[NiceGuy Oscar]] can fit the bill rather nicely, given that he's more [[RedOniBlueOni cool-headed than Ike]] as well as being good friends with him. [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation Really, it comes down to how you see it.]]
** In ''Fire Emblem Awakening'', there are a couple instances of TheLancer among the main cast of characters. Most notable is Frederick, who serves as Chrom's lieutenant. Frederick is much wiser and more experienced than Chrom, preferring a calm approach to conflict and politics, oft being polite but remaining cautious in the face of a potential threat. In battle, his cool nature comes to his aide, and combined with his solid base stats, he borders on being a OneManArmy (Until the other Shepherds reach his level). Because of this, Frederick also fills the role of TheBigGuy (being the strongest of the shepherds), but he appeared to be Chrom's tactical aid prior to Robin joining the team.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'' starts out with [[TheHero Dart]] getting his lancer in Lavitz Slambert. The dutiful knight of Basil is in stark contrast to TheLoner. Unlike most iterations of the trope, the two get along great and never have any problems with each other. After [[spoiler: Lavitz dies]], this role is taken up by Rose, who had interaction with both Dart and Lavitz, but it is expanded after [[spoiler: he dies]].

* In most VideoGame/{{Touhou}} fanworks, Kirisame Marisa plays this role for Hakurei Reimu. Marisa is the hard-working BadassNormal (or as normal you can be in a world of overpowered girls with magical powers) while Reimu is the lazy genius, and Marisa tends to have her own agenda for solving incidents, while Reimu just wants to get it over with since its her job. This isn't really played up in the games (except for perhaps Imperishable Night, where they face off against each other) because according to the storyline, the chosen character is the only one that actually goes out and solves the incident.

* ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'' has Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, the Ultimate Yakuza, playing this to Hinata as of chapter 3.

*** In VideoGame/SonicHeroes, Rouge is listed as the leader, but because Shadow is just so much more popular, many fans erroneously assume that Rouge is his Lancer instead of the other way around, which is exactly what happens many adaptations just go and make Shadow the leader and Rouge as his Lancer.

* ''VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2'' has Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, the Ultimate Yakuza, playing this to Hinata as of chapter 3.

* Rei in ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII''. Interestingly, he starts the game as a BigBrotherMentor: it's only after the seven year TimeSkip that he returns to a more mature [[TheHero Ryu]] as his FragileSpeedster DeadpanSnarker Lancer.

* Erik in ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI'' is the [[TheHero Luminary’s]] first ally and best friend, Erik’s more lawless nature contrasts the hero, but he more often than not still acts as the Luminary’s voice. [[spoiler:Hendrik takes this role in Act 2, but Erik solidly reclaims the title for the postgame.]]

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' has Lightning backed by Sazh. Being older he may very well have ''more'' military experience, but he has less drive as a leader (stepping down from a more active piloting career in order to take care of his son).

** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' continues this tradition, though with a slightly more varied cast. The most traditional Lancer is Ryuji Sakamoto, who has elements of TheBigGuy in the group. Contrasting against TheStoic, charming and potentially best-in-class protagonist Joker, Ryuji/Skull is HotBlooded, very talkative and prone to getting into trouble. At the same time, he is a very compassionate individual who may not be as confident in himself as he seems (contrasting to Joker, who beneath his quiet student persona is a charming daredevil who loves being a flashy thief). Whenever Joker doesn't spend time with a love interest during plot-related events, the default option is usually Ryuji (barring more familial events, in which case it's with his caretaker, Sojiro). Heck, one of these events (going fishing) has Ryuji pretty much call himself Joker's right-hand man and is regarded as such, even if not often by the group. Lastly, Ryuji looks up to the protagonist and openly calls him his best friend. It's implied the sentiment is returned and Ryuji was Joker's first friend given everything that has happened.

* ''VideoGame/TheOrionConspiracy'' has the engineer Meyer put in this role for TheHero Devlin [=McCormack=]. Meyer loves to cuss. He was a soldier in the Corporation War and is more cynical about it than Devlin. Meyer shows how badass he is by [[spoiler: fighting and killing off Captain Shannon and fending off Lowe the xenomorph. Unfortunately, we do not get to see that fight with the xenomorph]]. He also has a big picture attitude to situations, in contrast to Devlin, who looks at the little details.

* In ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'', the PlayerCharacter's partner, Kim Kitsuragi tends to assume this role. The game openly encourages the player to play as a crazy and wacky DefectiveDetective, meaning that Kim, who is a ByTheBookCop, ConsummateProfessional, and, by his own admission, somewhat of a [[TheKilljoy killjoy]], tends to try balancing out the player's behavior, by acting as their StraightMan. But by and large, Kim also tends to let the player take the lead, only trying to rein them in if their antics become too crazy and unhinged, turns violent in nature, or otherwise hinders the investigation.

* In ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'', the PlayerCharacter's partner, Kim Kitsuragi tends to assume this role. The game openly encourages the player to play as a crazy and wacky DefectiveDetective, meaning that Kim, who is a ByTheBookCop, ConsummateProfessional, and, by his own admission, somewhat of a [[TheKilljoy killjoy]], tends to try balancing out the player's behavior, by acting as their StraightMan. But by and large, Kim also tends to let the player take the lead, only trying to reigning them in if their antics become too crazy and unhinged, turns violent in nature, or otherwise hinders the investigation.

* VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon starts out with [[TheHero Dart]] getting his lancer in Lavitz Slambert. The dutiful knight of Basil is in stark contrast to TheLoner. Unlike most iterations of the trope, the two get along great and never have any problems with each other. After [[spoiler: Lavitz dies]], this role is taken up by Rose, who had interaction with both Dart and Lavitz, but it is expanded after [[spoiler: he dies]].

* ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'', since the third game, has had TheLancer be a BromanticFoil and best friend figure to the protagonist:

%% * ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' actually has quite a number by some interpretations:
%% ** From Team Sonic, Tails and Knuckles play this towards Sonic. Tails as the [[HeterosexualLifePartners best-friend]] variant, whereas [[AloofAlly Knuckles]] is a FriendlyRival to Sonic and has a RedOniBlueOni relationship with him (whether he's the Blue Oni or the Red Oni [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the game and era]]).
%% ** Amy serves as a comic foil to Sonic in later games.
%% ** Cream serves as a lancer to Amy in that she acts as a calmer, nicer foil to Amy's {{Tsundere}} ways. She also acts as a Lancer of sorts to Blaze in ''VideoGame/{{Sonic Rush|Series}}'' as she helps her get over her antisocial ways.
%% ** Even though Shadow is the most recognizable of [[AntiHeroTeam Team Dark]], he functions as a Lancer to Rouge, at least in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''.
%%** In ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', some stages present the player with the option of having Sonic as ''Shadow's'' Lancer.

*** On the other hand, there is also the MentorMascot Morgana. While he functions more like a SmartGuy, he is usually by Ryuji's side and is the Magician Arcana like it has been in the past. He is the closest to Joker besides Ryuji and it's implied the two's bickering may stem from this competition to be this. Though ''Persona Q2'' seems to imply Ryuji fulfills the role given he has a combo attack with his fellow lancers while Morgana has one with his fellow "mascots."

** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' gives us Yosuke Hanamura, everyone. While the Protagonist is both TheStoic and a HeroicMime (aside from battle cries and text speech), Yosuke is much more talkative and chipper, with a little DeadpanSnarker tossed in. [[spoiler: While he's very willing to have the Protagonist take over as leader during the early parts of the storyline, his final Social Link scene reveals that he had been envious of the Protagonist's comptetence, and starts a friendly brawl between the two to knock said impulses out of him.]] Heck, Yosuke often refers to the P4 protagonist as partner. In the various spin-off games, manga and anime adaptations where we see P4's protagonist express himself more, it's shown that this bond is equally reciprocated by him, calling Yosuke his partner in return.
** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' continues this tradition though with a bit more varied cast. The most traditional Lancer is Ryuji Sakamoto who has elements of TheBigGuy in the group. Contrasting against TheStoic, charming and potentially best-in-class protagonist Joker, Ryuji/Skull is Hotblooded, very talkative and prone to getting into trouble. At the same time, he is a very compassionate individual who may not be as confident in himself as he seems (contrasting to Joker, who beneath his quiet student persona is a charming daredevil who loves being a flashy thief.) Whenever Joker doesn't spend time with a love interest during plot-related events, the default option is usually Ryuji (barring more familial events, in which case it's with his caretaker, Sojiro.) Heck, one of these events (going fishing) has Ryuji pretty much call himself Joker's right-hand-man and is regarded as such, even if not often by the group. Lastly, Ryuji looks up to the protagonist and openly calls him his best friend. It's implied the sentiment is returned and Ryuji was Joker's first friend given everything that has happened.
** On the other hand, there is also the MentorMascot Morgana. While he functions more like a SmartGuy, he is usually by Ryuji's side and is the Magician Arcana like it has been in the past. He is the closest to Joker besides Ryuji and it's implied the two's bickering may stem from this competition to be this. Though Persona Q2 seems to imply Ryuji fulfills the role given he is a combo attack with his fellow lancers while Morgana has one with his fellow "mascots."

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' actually has quite a number by some interpretations:
** From Team Sonic, Tails and Knuckles play this towards Sonic. Tails as the [[HeterosexualLifePartners best-friend]] variant, whereas [[AloofAlly Knuckles]] is a FriendlyRival to Sonic and has a RedOniBlueOni relationship with him (whether he's the Blue Oni or the Red Oni [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the game and era]]).
** Amy serves as a comic foil to Sonic in later games.
** Cream serves as a lancer to Amy in that she acts as a calmer, nicer foil to Amy's {{Tsundere}} ways. She also acts as a Lancer of sorts to Blaze in ''VideoGame/{{Sonic Rush|Series}}'' as she helps her get over her antisocial ways.
** Even though Shadow is the most recognizable of [[AntiHeroTeam Team Dark]], he functions as a Lancer to Rouge, at least in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'' and in the [[ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog Archie comics]], according to WordOfGod.

* In ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'', the cynical Anonymous serves as this for Catie, the easily-distracted [[AllLovingHero All-Loving Heroine]]. Whenever she schemes up some random act of heroism - the kind that would put them off track and delay their ''actual'' goals - he’ll usually (and always unsuccessfully) try to talk her out of it.

%%* In ''VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves'', the titular character becomes that to Bentley.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' actually has quite a number by some interpretations:

** Amy serves as a comic foil to Sonic in later games. In ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' after the [[WhamEpisode Kane arc]] in ''Webcomic/SonicTheComicOnline'', she becomes the lancer to Tails.

* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' has a character called 'Lancer', who also fits this trope fairly well; not only is he amongst the most well-rounded of all the Servants (but isn't a protagonist like [[TheHero Saber]]) [[spoiler:but he also plays the role to the hilt when he joins up with the heroes late in Unlimited Blade Works]].
** Though for a large portion of the Novel he's an Antagonist. More fitting for the role might be Archer and/or Rin. Both are definitely snarky (though Shirou can be snarky, it's usually only internal monologues), in addition to being cynical and realist respectively to Shirou and Saber's idealist attitudes.

* ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'':
** Junpei Iori of ''VideoGame/Persona3''. Where the protagonist is stoic, level-headed, an implied ladies' man, and a potential overachiever, Junpei is eager to prove himself, bitter about the protagonist being chosen to [[ItsUpToYou lead the team]] over him, brash, loud, an academic underachiever, and a usually unsuccessful girl-chaser.

** Yosuke is the Lancer in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'', oh so very much. While the Protagonist is both TheStoic and a HeroicMime (aside from battle cries and text speech), Yosuke is much more talkative and chipper, with a little DeadpanSnarker tossed in. [[spoiler: While he's very willing to have the Protagonist take over as leader during the early parts of the storyline, his final Social Link scene reveals that he had been a little jealous of the Protagonist's comptetence, and starts a friendly brawl between the two to knock said impulses out of him.]] Heck, Yosuke often refers to the P4 protagonist as partner, and in several adaptations when the protagonist is fleshed out, it's shown he also views Yosuke as his partner and calls him as such.
** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' continues this tradition though with a bit more varied cast. The most traditional Lancer is Ryuji Sakamoto who has elements of TheBigGuy in the group. Contrasting against TheStoic, charming and potentially best-in-class protagonist Joker, Ryuji/Skull is Hotblooded, very talkative and prone to getting into trouble. At the same time, he is a very compassionate individual who may not be as confident in himself as he seems (contrasting to Joker, who beneath his quiet student persona is a charming daredevil who loves being a flashy thief.) Whenever Joker doesn't spend time with a love interest during plot-related events, the default option is usually Ryuji (barring more familial events, in which case it's with his caretaker, Sojiro.) Heck, one of these events (going fishing) has Ryuji pretty much call himself Joker's right-hand-man and is regarded as such, even if not often by the group. Lastly, Ryuji looks up to the protagonist and openly calls him his best friend.

** In ''Fire Emblem Awakening'', there are a couple instances of TheLancer among the main cast of characters. Most notable is Frederick, who serves as Chrom's lieutenant. Frederick is much wiser and more experienced than Chrom, preferring a calm approach to conflict and politics, oft being polite but remaining cautious in the face of a potential threat. In battle, his cool nature comes to his aide, and combined with his solid base stats and the Silver Lance he starts with (Haha, so I guess he's a LiteralLancer too), he borders on being a OneManArmy (Until the other Shepherds reach his level). Because of this, Frederick also fills the role of TheBigGuy (being the strongest of the shepherds), but he appeared to be Chrom's tactical aid prior to Robin joining the team.

** In ''Fire Emblem Awakening'', there are a couple instances of TheLancer among the main cast of characters. Most notable is Frederick, who serves as Chrom's lieutenant. Frederick is also much wiser and more experienced than Chrom, preferring a calm approach to conflict and politics, oft being polite but remaining cautious in the face of a potential threat. In battle, his cool nature comes to his aide, and combined with his solid base stats, he borders on being a OneManArmy (Until the other Shepherds reach his level). Frederick could also fill the role of TheBigGuy (being the strongest of the shepherds), but he appeared to be Chrom's tactical aid prior to Robin joining the team.

** In ''Fire Emblem Awakening'', there are numerous instances of TheLancer among the main cast of characters. Most notable is Frederick, who serves as Chrom's lieutenant. Frederick is also much wiser and more experienced than Chrom, preferring a calm approach to conflict and politics, oft being polite but remaining cautious in the face of a potential threat. In battle, his cool nature comes to his aide, and combined with his solid base stats, he borders on being a OneManArmy (Until the other Shepherds reach his level). Frederick could also fill the role of TheBigGuy (being the strongest of the shepherds), but he appeared to be Chrom's tactical aid prior to Robin joining the team.

** Yosuke is the Lancer in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'', oh so very much. While the Protagonist is both TheStoic and a HeroicMime (aside from battle cries and text speech), Yosuke is much more talkative and chipper, with a little DeadpanSnarker tossed in. [[spoiler: While he's very willing to have the Protagonist take over as leader during the early parts of the storyline, his final Social Link scene reveals that he had been a little jealous of the Protagonist's comptetence, and starts a friendly brawl between the two to knock said impulses out of him.]]