Archetypes

Character archetypes (or just archetypes for short) are a classification system for how a character participates in a fight. It’s meant as a fun tidbit of information and shouldn’t be taken super seriously, though there are an official set of archetypes listed in this page.

To be specific, an archetype represents how a character wants to fight, and is based on their physical and magical abilities. For example, a rogue (not an official archetype) who wants to end fights in one backstab cannot do that against a rock golem, so has to act in a different manner.

Standard

The standard archetypes are the default archetypes a character can have. If a character has multiple archetypes, at least one of them should be a standard.

The major distinction between sorcerers are if they are a close-ranged fighter, or someone who attacks from a distance. Consequently, the standard archetypes are split between melee and ranged. The reason for this is that elemental magic, while powerful, cannot outpower physical force. For example, a sorcerer that attempts to cast a spell directly infront of a knight will simply get a sword to the face, as there is no spell fast enough to stop them.

Despite the separation, both melee and ranged sorcerers almost always have access to both a physical weapon and ranged magic abilities. The distiction between them isn’t about the abilities they have, but the option they’ll choose if they can do both.

Melee

Assassin

Specialists that are best at quickly dispatching high-priority targets. Typically avoid direct fights.

Skirmisher

Aggressive, high damage fighters that make up for their fragility with agility and speed to weave through attacks.

Brusier

Someone who can both hit hard and take a lot of hits.

Though the Brusier archetype can be given to many people, the expectation is that a Brusier will hurt you if you fight them, whether they dominate you, or get crushed trying to do so.

Warden

Defensive tanks that excel at neutralizing aggression.

Due to the nature of elemental magic (offensive magic is stronger than defensive by a wide margin), pure wardens do not exist. Some sorcerers can opt into a warden-like role with the right divine equipment, but someone will have to deal with whoever they’re blocking.

Ranged

Burst

Uses extremely potent spells that can win a fight in one cast.

Dancer

A highly mobile caster that forces their opponent to fight at a set distance away from them, keeping them at bay while being close enough to land their spells.

Spellcaster

A sorcerer who can perform spells at a high frequency.

Though not common, archers are sometimes categorized as spellcasters due to fulfilling a similar role.

Controller

A sorcerer that uses their spells to neutralize incoming attacks, and/or set up their allies.

Special Classifications

Healer

A supportive role focused on keeping allies physically healthy.

Because the archetype system is only meant for sorcerers in combat situations, only those with a soul affinity even have the possibility of being classified as a healer, as it is the only element that can physically heal others.

(However, soul sorcerers who have learned to heal are almost always blocked from particing in direct combat.)

Champion^[1]

An individual that is signficantly stronger when fighting alone.

Champions are generally an archetype someone is forced to have, either due to having abilities that indiscrimnately harm, or ones that are so strong that the user will lose control of them if used at full power.

Preferred Archetypes by Affinity

Physical

[Skirmisher, Brusier]

Out of all the elements, physical has the worst ranged capabilities, making it exclusively melee.

Wind

[Assassin, Skirmisher, Dancer]

Wind is the movement element. All sorcerers can opt into wind magic due to it’s extremely low costs, but sorceres with a wind affinity can use it with reckless abandon.

Though not the strongest, skilled wind sorcers are often the most annoying to fight, as they almost always have priority in dictating how a fight will go.

Earth

[Brusier, Controller]

Earth is more of a defensive element than anything else, lending it useful for battlefields.

Ice

[Skirmisher, Brusier, Burst, Spellcaster, Controller]

The only element to make long-standing physical constructs (well, until they melt), Ice has the most versatility out of all the elementals.

Fire

[Skirmisher, Dancer, Spellcaster]

Fire magic has a faster cast time and lower mana costs compared to most elements, making it easier to sling out. It’s also commonly paired with wind magic to perform ranged, allowing the user to dance around their targets, though the lack of fuel makes fire difficult for controlling.

Lightning

[Assassin, Burst]

Lighting magic does one thing—shoot terrifying, powerful bolts of lighting. Because there’s no reliable way to stop a lighting bolt (outside of letting something or someone else take the hit), lighting sorcerers are trained to end a battle by landing one hit.

Ethereal

[Spellcaster, Controller, Healer]

Ethereal has the luxury of using any other element with a smaller cost, or it’s own unique set of magic.

There is a delayed translation period for casting non-ethereal spells for those with the affinity, making it difficult for them to fight up close.

Chaos

[Skirmisher, Burst, Controller, Champion]

Chaos sorcerers are always the Champion archetype, as their magic disrupts every other sorcerery around them. Their standard archetype depends on how they fight, usually either with a Controller style that causes non-stop havoc, or quick casts of magic to knock down specific. mages.

Soul

[???]

There is no archetype for a soul sorcerer. If you fight one, you will die.

Notes

• Based on element alone, there is no sorcerer that wants to act as an Assassin. The closest is Lighting, but only due to it’s sheer raw power.
• Ice is the most versatile but comes with a lot of minor downsides that make it worse than the other archetypes in most situations.