Help me brainstorm names for the NPC equivalents of PC archetypes

[PhoenixPhyre]

I strongly like the separation of PC classes from NPC construction. I prefer to consider the classes (and levels) as a meta construct that bundles an adventurer-friendly package of abilities together for game purposes, rather than being an in-universe thing.

That does mean that I need names to describe people who have some key features (Sneak Attack, Smite, etc) without using the PC class names as much as possible. Ideally I'd split that by tiers (roughly), so I can tag NPCs as having the power equivalent to a T4 wizard without having to actually build the character or nail down details in advance.

But I'm crap at coming up with good, evocative names. Help?

In spoilers are what I see as the key descriptive features of each of the archetypes behind the classes:

Barbarian
• Very hard to kill
• No heavy armor
• Unrestrained fighting style/affect
• Tied to natural/spiritual powers for supernatural effects

Fighter
• Weapon Mastery
• Varied fighting styles
• Uses arcane power for supernatural effects
• Heavy Armor

Monk
• Unarmed fighting
• Fast movement
• No armor
• Ki effects

Rogue
• Precise attacks
• Illusions/charms for supernatural effects
• Shadows/ambushes



Cleric
• God-granted Divine Magic
• Domains
• Organizational Structure
• Medium/Heavy armor & Weapons

Paladin
• Oath-granted Divine Magic
• Codes of Conduct/Orders
• Heavy Armor
• Smite



Druid
• Shamanistic (Nature Spirit) Magic
• Shapeshifting
• Circles and Groves

Ranger
Core Features
• Explorer
• Animal Companion
• TWF/Archery



Bard
• Harmonic Arcane Magic
• Aids friendlies
• Mental effects mostly

Sorcerer
• Innate Arcane Magic
• Bloodlines
• Metamagic

Warlock
• Pact-bound Arcane Magic
• Patrons
• Eldritch/Otherworldly

Wizard
• Learned Arcane Magic
• Traditions
• Versatile

[Ninja_Prawn]

You know the MM and VGtM have done some of this work already, right?

Acolyte is a cleric
Archmage is a wizard
Assassin is a rogue
Berserker is a barbarian
Cult fanatic is a cleric
Druid is a druid
Mage is a wizard
Priest is a cleric
Spy is a rogue
Apprentice wizard and all of the specialist wizards are... wizards
Archdruid is a druid
Bard is a bard
Blackguard is a paladin
Champion is a fighter
Martial arts adept is a monk
Master thief is a rogue
Swashbuckler is a rogue
War priest is a cleric
The warlocks are warlocks
Warlord is a fighter
In general, when they have an ability that works the same as a class feature, it uses the same name. That is the kind of thing you were meaning, right?

[Unoriginal]

I'm not really sure of the purpose of this task, but...


Bard---> Manager

Barbarian---> Bruiser

Cleric---> Chosen

Druid---> Nature-Master or Naturalist

Fighter---> Combatant

Monk----> Martial Artist

Paladin---> Oathbound

Rogue---> Sneak

Ranger---> Hunter or Tracker or Survivalist

Sorcerer---> Innate

Warlock---> Arcane Seeker or Contractor (don't like this one, as it reduces the Warlock to the Pact)

Wizard---> Magus


Are you going to include all the NPCs whose capacities somewhat match those of the PCs classes (ex: Goblin statblock goes under "combatant"), or only the ones who have abilities exactly from the PC classes?

[Hesh]

Ancestral Guardian Barbarian Tribal Spirit Caller
Spiked Armour Barbarian: Juggernaut
Conquest Paladin: Legionary
Hexblade Warlock: Soulbound
Celestial Warlock: Divine Embodiment
Bladesinger: War Caller for more bestial/tribal variants instead of elves)
Bard: Dawn/Duskcaller (again, more tribal variants)

[PhoenixPhyre]

I guess I wasn't clear. I'm looking more for ideas as to what people in-universe would call characters (player or not) who exhibit the core features associated with an archetype. I don't want to be tied too closely to stat blocks, since I rarely stat up NPCs in any detail.

So, for example, what might the most powerful learned arcane magic wielder in the land be titled? What might be epithets or titles for those who fight bare-chested and angry with big weapons and are hard to kill at various tiers of power?

Some ideas I've come up with:

T0 (magic initiate) --> T1 --> T2 --> T3 --> T4

Druid: hedge witch --> ?? --> ?? --> ??
Wizard: Dabbler --> Apprentice Mage --> Journeyman Magus --> Magus --> High Magus
Paladin ("Classic"): N/A --> Novice --> Dedicant --> Oath-Brother --> Faithful --> Primarch
Paladin ("Crusader"): N/A --> Lay Brother --> Oath-Sworn --> Templar --> High Crusader

[JackPhoenix]

So, for example, what might the most powerful learned arcane magic wielder in the land be titled?

Whatever he or she wants. If he wants to be called Tim the Enchanter, then you'd better call him Tim the Enchanter. Propably archmage otherwise, regardless of if he's actually a wizard, sorcerer, warlock or something else entirely. Also may depend on culture.


What might be epithets or titles for those who fight bare-chested and angry with big weapons and are hard to kill at various tiers of power?

Again, pretty much anything. May depend on deeds (Grom Hellscream), culture, place of origin (Conan the Cimmerian), physical features (Red Sonja) or his or her own wish (Vincent the Invulnerable (he wasn't)). There wouldn't be significant difference between fighter, barbarian and other types, no matter what weapons or armor they prefer. They are all warriors, classes are metagame constructs so the players can explain what are they playing.

[smcmike]

In-universe slang/titles seem like they require some thematic focus. Like, you can give everyone goofy old-English names, or latinesque titles, or Cockney rhyming slang, or just stupid blunt descriptive terms, which become normalized with repetition, like Sword Man or Spell Chanter.

[BurgerBeast]

Bard - Orator, Poet, Skald, Thespian
Barbarian - Feral Warrior, Savage, Tribesman, Wildling
Cleric - Medicant, Priest, Templar
Druid - Hedge Wizard, Medicine Man, Shaman, Warlock, Witch
Fighter - Champion, Knight, Mercenary, Myrmidon, Swashbuckler, Veteran, Warrior
Monk - Mystic, Ninja, Spy, Stealer-In, Wanderer
Paladin - Cavalier, Crusader, Justiciar, Knight, Knight of the Order
Ranger - Bushman, Guide, Hunter, Scout, Trapper, Warden
Rogue - Assassin, Burglar, Highwayman, Rake, Scoundrel, Thief, Vagabond, Wanderer
Sorcerer - see wizard
Warlock - see wizard
Wizard - Conjurer, Mage, Magician, Prophet, Sage, Seer, Thaumaturge, Warlock, Wizard

...

Some other sources for names: The old 2e “Complete Book”s kits, the AD&D class level names (each class had a title for each level from 1-9), the RIFTS classes, and MMORPG mob names (for example check out all the different “Delfias” mob names from WOW for an assortment of rogue synonyms).

[Unoriginal]

In-universe, there is not concept of Tier. A powerful mage may be caled an archmage, a poweful sword user may be called a master fencer, but any title or term for a powerful individual will either be informal (ex: someone bragging to be the best swordsman in the world) or depending on an institution (ex: graduates of the Brightmeadow Academy are called "Volern", those who proves their worth in a difficult trial afterward re granted the title Volernda).

Out of universe, I don' t think that you'd find something clearer than "Tier 1 Sorcerer".