# What are video game character archetypes?

> Video game character archetypes are familiar templates such as the hero, mentor, villain and rebel, plus class roles and player types.

Archetypes in video games are familiar character templates that players recognize instantly, such as the hero, the mentor, the villain, the rebel and the trickster. Writers use them as a starting point and then add details or twists. The word is also used for player types: the best-known model sorts players into achievers, explorers, socializers and killers.

## Common character archetypes

- **The Hero:** the protagonist who rises to a challenge. Link in *The Legend of Zelda* and Mario are classic examples.
- **The Mentor:** a wise guide who teaches the hero, such as Deckard Cain in *Diablo*.
- **The Villain:** the force opposing the hero, from Bowser to Sephiroth in *Final Fantasy VII*.
- **The Rebel or Outlaw:** someone who lives outside the rules, like Arthur Morgan in *Red Dead Redemption 2*.
- **The Explorer:** driven by curiosity and discovery, like Lara Croft in *Tomb Raider*.
- **The Trickster:** a chaotic or comic character who bends the rules, often a sidekick.
- **The Companion or Sidekick:** a loyal helper, often the hero's emotional anchor.

## Class and role archetypes

Gameplay has its own archetypes, separate from story roles. Most RPGs and team games build on a few classes: the **tank** who absorbs damage, the **healer or support**, the **damage dealer** (DPS), the **mage** with ranged magic, the **rogue** built on stealth and speed, and the **ranged fighter**, such as an archer, gunslinger or marksman. A character who fights mainly with guns usually fits the ranged damage or marksman role.

## How games use archetypes

- **Shortcuts:** players understand a character's role quickly, which matters in games where story competes with gameplay.
- **Subversion:** a trusted mentor who turns out to be a traitor, or a villain with sympathetic reasons.
- **Combination:** a character can be both hero and outlaw, or a mentor with a tragic past.
- **Growth:** characters can move from one archetype to another over the story.

## Player archetypes

Richard Bartle's model, created for online multiplayer games, describes four player types:

1. **Achievers:** chase goals, levels and completion.
2. **Explorers:** want to discover the world and its systems.
3. **Socializers:** play mainly for other people.
4. **Killers:** enjoy competing with or dominating other players.

Most players mix several types, but the model still helps designers think about what different players want.

## FAQ

**What is an archetype in game design?**
A familiar pattern that players recognize without explanation: a character type, a class role or a player motivation. Designers use it as a starting point and then add their own details.

**How does understanding archetypes help design better game characters?**
It gives players an instant read on a character's role, frees the writer to spend effort on what makes the character unique, and makes deliberate twists, like a mentor who betrays the hero, land harder.

**What are the archetypes in The Legend of Zelda?**
Link is the hero, Zelda is the wise ruler who guides and protects, Ganondorf is the villain, and many games add a mentor figure such as the old man in the first game or Impa.

**What are the four types of gamers?**
In Bartle's model: achievers, explorers, socializers and killers.

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https://gamevoyages.com/what-are-the-archetypes-in-video-games/ · Game Voyage · Checked 2026-10-31