kind of like regal in ToS :D

the barefoot ninja who fights in casual clothes and totally owns when everyone else wears armor

I keep thinking of Durzo Blint... XD

The mysterious man who appears out of nowhere and helps you out, then disappears. He doesn't look strong, but he actually is a weapons expert who used to be a mercenary.

Damn it...got ninja'd. I kinda expected.

The playful necromancer who used to be an apprentice to the main antagonist.

you've read the night angel series too? sweeeeeeeeeet!!!!

the completely deadpan chick who hardly smiles but cracks the most amazing jokes if you really pay attention to what she says

The helpful fellow that you really aren't certain if you can trust.

The over shovenistic guy who always thinks he's the main character and trys to boss everyone around but is really a side character that everyone will humor reluctantly knowing that as they do so thier just making the quest at hand ten times more harder by all the trouble they get in buy following him in some god knows where direction else where in the game

[sorry about that i just played a game and your avi reminded me of that o.o]

A member of the evil clan, but the main character doesn't find out she is evil until half way through the game.

The obligatory anthropomorphic character in just about every party based game there is. Usually has some reason for not being with the rest of her people.

A NPC that for most game, seems to be there for no particular reason, till in one part of the main quest, he suddenly lends so much needed hand and advice, while managing to annoy everyone around him with either absolutely nonchalant or arrogant attitude. At the end of game, he probably bids good bye and goes on his own way and make you wonder if he actually couldn't have done this all alone and if he doesn't know so much more about the whole thing...

the evil empress who is actually a figurehead for the real bad guy who is like an advisor or whatever

An evil Henchmen

well there goes my job as mage of the group...thanks new avi!

delicate looking girl who will totally beat the crap out of you

That guy who always gets in trouble and everyone in city thinks he is bad (possibly also a half demon?), but he is actually just unlucky and always ends up in the wrong place, at the wrong time and has a big thirst for adventure.

The dark queen that the hero is battling against.

One of the civilians that the players asks for direction (with a price)

Echo is the champion fighter in a tournament that the hero must win in order to speak with the king. She later joins the party in respect of the hero's skills.

EDIT: not quick enough.

The wandering scholar type with a familiar of some kind tucked away in the robes. Possibly a cricket or lizard of some kind.