Archetypal Character

Basic Information

An archetypal character is a type of character which appears in stories around the world, even fairly isolated ones. Thus, such character types seem to resonate deeply with the human subconscious.

List of Archetypal Characters

• Abductor
• Anthropomorphic Personification
• Anti Hero
  • Ineffectual Loner
• Blind Seer
• The Chosen One
• The Dumbledore
• Donor
• Dumb Muscle
• Gentle Giant
• The Grotesque
• Henchfreak
• Herald
• Heroic Archetype
• Heroic Wannabe
• Higher Self
• Knight In Shining Armor
• Loveable Rogue
• Mentor Archetype
• Messianic Archetype
• Mixed Archetypes
• Modern Major General
• Obstructive Bureaucrat
• Oedipus Rex
• Person Of Mass Destruction
• Pied Piper
• Powers That Be
• Princess Classic
• Rebellious Spirit
• Reluctant Monster
• Seeker Archetype
• Shadow Archetype
• Shapeshifter
• Star Crossed Lovers
• The Okona
• The Three Faces of Man
• The Three Ladies
• Threshold Guardians
• Turn Coat
• Trickster Archetype
• Wicked Stepmother
• Wolf Man
• Worlds Strongest Man

See Also

Narrative Tropes

Sources

Bibliography

1. TV Tropes Wiki entry

Game and Story Use

• These are among the most recognizable of all archetypes, and thus very likely to be familiar to your players even if they can't name them.