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.

The flashy guy who looks like he fail at everything he does and actually does for the most part but every so often does something right and ends up helping the whole of the party or group out a hella bunch wich usually makes up for all the other times he's failed

Master of fan based weaponry but can't use it because she likes wearing non-combat clothing

party mage, possibly with manly side kick.

Barkeeper who grabs the rod of the upholstery in a battle and, when that's taken away, responds with a totally unexpected kick to the crotch.

That's a new one.

The character that says nothing and does nothing until there's a a major fight and then leaps into the air with swanky ninja moves while shrieking like Xena.

The wolf who was curse to live as a man. He is seeking the cure when he slowly makes human friends and therefore slowly no longer seeks the cure.

The she devil who joins your party with the general intent of getting revenge on the person who betrayed her and she joins your party because your both chasing after the same person

The assassin who joins your party, then stabs the protagonist in the back, literally.

The unlucky party member who got stuck with a cursed sword. x)

The half-dragon who can fight with his bare hands o.O

The kickass ninja-type character who fights in as little clothing as possible XP

The person in the party that uses "that wierd weapon" that no one else uses.

Why, he's the hero, of course! He's just going through his blue period right now.

The healer that wants you to kill 1000 small animals in return.

that small child you save from bandits in the woods who turns out to be the only child of the wealthiest guy in town

The ice mage who is actually much tougher than she seems and decides stuff on her own...

He's the hero's life-long friend who eventually ends up betraying him because he's tired of always being second-in-command an never the leader.

An NPC who joins the party temporarily for her quest-line and then leaves, but leaves the player with one of her magic items as a memento.

The woman whose brother was murdered. *nods* Classic NPC role in a mystery game.

The boos who you defeat, but feel sorry for her afterwards because of flashbacks.

One of the first characters to join the party in an SRPG after the initial bunch of characters gets thrown at you. Joins after arriving mid-battle to help you out against a mini-boss who retreats and you'll have to fight later.

You're that one depressing dark magic user who turns out to be some sort of mystical being. You also happen to be blind in human form!

Overpowered boss you fight early in the game, that's only beatable on a second playthrough ;)

Shopkeeper who sells rare magic items in exchange for some sort of annoying trinket that you need to go out of your way to farm. The items aren't the strongest in the game, but they have completely unique effects, so you'll end up doing all her quests, despite how tedious they are.