Mage - because they won’t expect that melee is also deadly

Rogue all day every day.

This question reminds me of a cool-ass RPG called Warrior, Rogue and Mage

Mage! Great damage, cool effects, often loads of utility, and if you don’t kill your target in the first rounds you’ll die quick and can do something else instead of suffering through a drawn out fight with no mana.

Glass Cannon - the most ADHD of builds.

Is games I tend to gravitate towards a warrior, I’m a simple man, I don’t care to learn a whole lot of different spells and moves and theorycraft on how to best use them, i want to just hit things with my sword and move the plot forward.

IRL, I’m sort of roguish, I have a whole lot of random skills and knowledge, specialized tools, I’m pretty good with my hands, etc.

In my weirdest fantasies, mage, because fuck you, I cast fireball.

I’m a simple man. If I can shoot lightning out of my fingertips, I do that.

Rogue for thievery and, to a lesser extent, assassination.

There are few things more fun than sneaking around places you shouldn’t be and collecting things you shouldn’t have.

I would play a warrior. I can make combat as interesting as I want. If I want, I can plan out grand tactics of pushing enemies into each other and into traps. If not, I can turn to the reliable “I stab the goblin with my sword” even if I am wielding a mace and fighting a dragon.

I cannot play mage because I am too loss averse and hate using mana/spell slots. I would never play rogue because the idea of playing a close range damage dealer that wears cloth armor is a good recipe to end up spending most of the combat on death saving throws.

So, generally mage is my favorite archetype for games and movies ect of the three listed.

But things get more interesting if I start asking follow up questions.

If I assume I’m getting these powers in our world, my immediate next question for mage is, what type of mage? Because one where I have to actually ‘learn’ spells is gonna be very useless in the modern world, unless I get a teacher. Furthermore what universe rules of magic do I get? Is this harry Potter magic or elden ring or dnd? using dnd is it sorcery, wizardy, warlock? How competent am I with whatever choice I make? A shitty mage is way worse than a shitty rogue.

Because in some of these cases I really would not want to be a mage. assuming I could pick my magic system, idk. Something useful in day to day life but also makes me functionally immortal? Maybe the correct answer is “The Force” but I’m not a big enough star wars nerd.

Furthermore there are some pretty interesting use cases for rogues in day to day life. I am, poor. Many rogues get invisibility/stealth of some kind. You do the math.

Warrior is a bit harder to justify unless its the type of warrior that gives mystical strength and durability. if I could pick up a car with one hand or survive a bullet to the head through sheer strength, I might pick it.

overall though I think I’d pick mage, but rogue is a close second or maybe higher depending on what type of mage.

Really depends on the details. If I can be an Awakened Mage then definitely that. With just the starting stats of mind/space or fate/time I would fix the world.

Rogue.

No matter what my intentions, I always wind up being a stealth archer. May as well own it

Not that I could just play a PC, forever GM 😭

Warrior. Just give me armour and a sword + shield.

Mage first, Warrior second. I don’t usually play rogues.

Many settings can let you pull off some sort of magical warrior, but some very special settings can also let you pull off the Muscle Wizard and it’s my very favorite archetype when it’s viable.

Two-handed-hammer-wielding paladin for me, please. Ideally with a dash of elemental or holy magic. 👌

And because it’s cool AF, ofc. Testosterone and brutality/violence, but with faith and glasses!

Monk is my favorite if we’re going for classes. Because speed. But also versatility and lots of hitting. Pf2e monks are super fun.

But in this question, I’d go Rogue. Sneaky beaky acrobatic stabby boys? Absolute fun.