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Character Archetypes, contributed by Colin Chapman
Hey all,
I created a fairly comprehensive listing of pulp archetypes suitable for
players, for my home campaign. I've found it useful for speeding up character
selection, especially among players not particularly familiar with the genre.
I'm sharing it here in the hopes that it'll be useful to some of you, and
if you can think of any major player-friendly pulp archetypes I've missed,
be sure to let me know.
- Athlete - Famous football star, baseball player, basketball
player, track athlete, or swimmer.
- Big Game Hunter - Fearless huntsman always on the look out
for the next big challenge, having already faced lions, tigers, bears,
elephants, and rhinos.
- Butler - Cultured, educated, and surprisingly skilled aide
and chauffeur.
- Cat Burglar - Daring and stylish Upper Class thief.
- Child Prodigy - Child genius with skills in a single field
of expertise that surpass those of most adult experts.
- Detective - The hardboiled private dick, police detective,
consulting detective, or agency detective.
- Dilettante - A member of the idle rich, such as an aristocratic
playboy, member of royalty, in exile or otherwise, millionaire entrepreneur,
or the offspring of same.
- Doctor - Physician of skill, either working in the city, or
as part of an expedition or aid effort with missionaries, or researching
native remedies.
- Entertainer - An individual such as a sultry torch singer,
laid back jazz musician, famous movie star, or circus performer.
- Everyman Hero - The feisty heroine or bewildered working class
hero drawn from any mundane walk of life into unusual circumstances.
- Explorer - Intrepid pioneer, unearthing the secrets of the
unexplored regions of darkest Africa, the teeming jungles of South America,
and the mysterious East.
- Femme Fatale - Alluring but dangerous woman, fully prepared
to use her seductive appeal to her advantage.
- Flying Ace - The daredevil barnstormer, capable of astounding
feats of flying skill, and probably the owner of own plane or flying
boat.
- Gangster - Hard-bitten member of the Mob.
- G-Man - A dedicated and incorruptible agent of the FBI.
- Grease Monkey - Rough and ready mechanic, a genius at repairing
automotives or aircraft.
- Grifter - Slick con man, gambler, and schmoozer.
- Inventor - Brilliant, bumbling, two-fisted, or mad creator
of gadgetry and super-science marvels.
- Magician - Deft master of the astounding arts of the stage
magician.
- Martial Artist - Wide-eyed and enthusiastic young oriental,
venerable old master, or westerner raised in an isolated eastern monastery.
- Masked Avenger - Masked and caped vigilante, usually a wealthy
dilettante in normal life, bringing justice and fear to the criminal
underworld.
- Mystic - Native or western master of the esoteric powers of
the mind, learned amid the hidden monasteries of the Naer or Far East,
or from ancient tomes of occult lore.
- Native Guide - Semi-civilized member of a native tribe, a skilled
scout, less prone to superstition and fear.
- Native Shaman - Tribal healer, magician, and/or mystic, possibly
possessed of strange powers.
- Noble Savage - Proud, skilled, fearless and honorable tribal
warrior, hunter, or guardian of That Which Should Not Be Found.
- Preacher - The well-meaning priest, nun, or missionary.
- Professor - The brilliant, bumbling, two-fisted, or mad scholar
of such fields as archaeology, anthropology, or the occult.
- Pugilist - Skilled boxer, wrestler, street fighter, or fairground
fighter making his way through the world, both fists flying.
- Reporter - Inquisitive or crusading journalist, photographer,
or writer.
- Sailor - Member of the Navy, retired or otherwise, or captain
of own ship, such as steam-driven riverboat used for smuggling, or small
merchant vessel.
- Scientist - The brilliant, bumbling, two-fisted or mad scholar
of such fields as chemistry, biology, and physics.
- Scrappy Kid - Western or native kid with an overdeveloped sense
of curiosity and courage, and an incredible amount of luck.
- Soldier - Member of the armed forces, such as a retired officer,
grizzled veteran, soldier of fortune, or courageous marine.
- Spy - Astute and suave espionage agent, probably armed with
a number of gadgets, and working in the national interests.
- Wildman - A feral individual lost in the wilds, and raised
by such animals as wolves, bears, or apes, or a member of a truly primitive
society, such as a caveman.
Cheers!
Colin
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