The Fighter- Comm 344

Squall, the main character from Final Fantasy 8
and his signature gunblade weapon

               The most basic and broad class, the Fighter is present in nearly every fantasy setting.  On a broad spectrum, the fighter is usually the main character of most fantasy settings because of their combat ability, their ability to take damage, and their unparalleled leadership.  Any role playing game that includes a sword using, twenty-something, heroic male is playing off of the archetype of the fighter. 
                The fighter’s weapon choice is usually a sword and shield combination, or maybe a knight themed weapon such as a lance.  Variations on the standard sword include Gunblades (as seen in Final Fantasy 8) and Bastard Swords (a large, and powerful blade that most heroes blissfully use one handed with absolutely no problems). 
                Since the fighter is more than likely the main character of the game they are present in the sword is used commonly as a weapon that everyone is familiar with.  And with the creative spins and abilities attached to these sword attacks video game developers have been keeping this archetype fresh and modern.  In Persona 4, a Japanese RPG with dating simulator elements, the main character uses swords and other long, blunt items like golf clubs.  Katanas, though not as popular, are also used by fighters in place of the standard longsword seen is Western influenced games.  In battle the sword user will initiate attacks that involve slashing the enemy in a stylized way usually unique to the fighter.  Mighty slashes, Wind-Ripping slashes, and increasing one’s own attack power or defense are just a few of the standard moves found in a fighter’s repertoire.  These abilities to power up your main character without the aid of others is another nod to the independence that the main character possesses: if you’re struggling in battle and only one character is going to survive, the fighter is more than likely going to be that person.
                The armor worn by fighters has a huge range of different materials.  Being the main character most of the time, the fighter has access to a variety of very defensive leather, steel, iron, and other metal armors.  The shields accompanied by these weapons and armor usually match, giving the player a full set of beautifully matching armor that not only looks good but provides substantial defense as well.  This allows the fighter to be labeled as a tank, or a character that can both deal and receive damage extraordinarily well.  This makes the fighter an ideal character for beginners, and illuminates why the main character in so many role playing games are fighters.  Not only can the character you’re going to use the most deal a decent amount of damage, but he (or she in rare cases) is not going to die easily, offering you plenty of time to learn fighting strategy and worry about defending and supporting other characters more. 
                As a mentioned, although the majority of fighters are male, there have been a large number of females depicted as fighters in recent games.  A number of notable males include Cloud from Final Fantasy 7, Squall from Final Fantasy 8, Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings series (although not the main character still showed substantial leadership abilities), Hiro from Lunar 2 (note his clichéd name…), and Claude from Star Ocean.  Females dominating this category include Paine from Final Fantasy X-2 (not the main character, but one of the first female sword users in Final Fantasy history), Lightning from Final Fantasy 13, Beatrix from Final Fantasy 9 (a powerful female knight that is literally impossible to beat), and Cassandra from the Soul Calibur series.  All of these females are skilled warriors, and are very rarely sexualized as this is not an archetype that is seen as weak or feminine.  These strong, capable women can be seen as the pinnacle of female empowerment in the video game universe, putting the damsel in distress mythos to rest. 
                The fighter is a well-rounded, easy to use class that is beginner friendly, and a formidable opponent in the hands of a skilled player.  They have all of the tools to fend for themselves and work smoothly in a team setting as well.  It’s no wonder that we see this class more than any other because of the flexibility that this balance of defense and offense supply.  The sense of leadership, and a strong sense of doing what is best for the rest of the team is a chivalrous and loyal attitude that comes hand in hand with the sword and armor wearing knight motif, and it is expressed through many of the classic main characters in almost every traditional RPG on the market.