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{{trope}}
{{Useful Notes}}
One of the first choices any writer has to make is how many protagonists will lead the narrative. Believe it or not, that number ''matters.'' Too many, and you can barely get attached to anyone, just one and [[Like You Would Really Do It|you'll never believe the author would kill them off]].
One of the first choices any writer has to make is how many protagonists will lead the narrative. Believe it or not, that number ''matters.'' Too many, and you can barely get attached to anyone, just one and [[Like You Would Really Do It|you'll never believe the author would kill them off]].


So, which is the lucky number for [[Ensembles]]?
So, which is the lucky number for [[Ensembles]]?


Let's start at '''[[Solitary Tropes|one]]''' and work our way up. Lone protagonists are not some embryonic proto-cast that contains the traits of all Ensembles past and present, but rather has complete freedom to be whoever is needed for the story. Let's repeat that: ''lone''. While a one man hero doesn't have to be an [[Loners Are Freaks|antisocial loner]], they are very independent no matter [[Characters As Device|what kind of character]] they are. Even the wimpy [[Action Survivor]] is at least able to survive. Interestingly, the best lone heroes make up for a lack of permanent cast with a varied supporting (though temporary) cast and (hopefully) some internal struggles to add [[Hidden Depths|depth]]. The Man vs. Man type of dramatic struggle is common for the lone hero. Needless to say they are ''also'' invariably [[The Hero]] (well, let's say [[Character Calculus|protagonist]] to hedge our bets). Though it's kind of a "Duh" statement, read on.
Let's start at '''[[Solitary Tropes|one]]''' and work our way up. Lone protagonists are not some embryonic proto-cast that contains the traits of all Ensembles past and present, but rather has complete freedom to be whoever is needed for the story. Let's repeat that: ''lone''. While a one man hero doesn't have to be an [[Loners Are Freaks|antisocial loner]], they are very independent no matter [[Characters As Device|what kind of character]] they are. Even the wimpy [[Action Survivor]] is at least able to survive. Interestingly, the best lone heroes make up for a lack of permanent cast with a varied supporting (though temporary) cast and (hopefully) some internal struggles to add [[Hidden Depths|depth]]. The Man vs. Man type of dramatic struggle is common for the lone hero. Needless to say they are ''also'' invariably [[The Hero]] (well, let's say [[Character Calculus|protagonist]] to hedge our bets). Though it's kind of a "Duh" statement, read on.
* ''Common genres or stories:'' These protagonist can be in any story and are unweighed by a large cast, and so they can be [[Walking the Earth]] as [[The Drifter]]. Even if sedentary, they'll likely play the lone [[Action Hero]] against overwhelming opposition. What you ''won't'' see is either the typical drama with lots of long term character interaction, or a "stable" environment, these heroes will live and work in flux.
* ''Common genres or stories:'' These protagonist can be in any story and are unweighed by a large cast, and so they can be [[Walking the Earth]] as [[The Drifter]]. Even if sedentary, they'll likely play the lone [[Action Hero]] against overwhelming opposition. What you ''won't'' see is either the typical drama with lots of long term character interaction, or a "stable" environment, these heroes will live and work in flux.
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Kung Fu]]'', ''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'', ''[[Metroid]]'' (''[[Metroid Prime|Prime]]'')
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Kung Fu]]'', ''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'', ''[[Metroid]]'' (''[[Metroid Prime|Prime]]'')


From there the '''[[Duo Tropes|duos]]''' are [[Foil|an even split between two traits]]: Body and mind, and temperament. One will be [[The Big Guy]] to the other's [[The Smart Guy|smarts]]. And then you have [[Red Oni Blue Oni|one emotional character versus a colder one]]. The duo implies a certain level of equality; it's entirely possible for both to "share the billing" and be equal heroes. They'll likely be [[Heterosexual Life Partners]], but if they happen to be different genders, it's practically a law there'll eventually be [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]]. If this sexual tension ''[[They Do|is]]'' resolved, then you have a [[Battle Couple]] (cue the shipping). Or for the more traditional dynamic, you have [[The Hero]] and their [[Sidekick]] or [[Love Interest]]. These duos are different in that the hero often serves as a [[Mentors|mentor]] to the sidekick and protector to the [[Love Interest]], though it's unlikely for the sidekick to graduate the role.
From there the '''[[Duo Tropes|duos]]''' are [[Foil|an even split between two traits]]: Body and mind, and temperament. One will be [[The Big Guy]] to the other's [[The Smart Guy|smarts]]. And then you have [[Red Oni, Blue Oni|one emotional character versus a colder one]]. The duo implies a certain level of equality; it's entirely possible for both to "share the billing" and be equal heroes. They'll likely be [[Heterosexual Life Partners]], but if they happen to be different genders, it's practically a law there'll eventually be [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]]. If this sexual tension ''[[They Do|is]]'' resolved, then you have a [[Battle Couple]] (cue the shipping). Or for the more traditional dynamic, you have [[The Hero]] and their [[Sidekick]] or [[Love Interest]]. These duos are different in that the hero often serves as a [[Mentors|mentor]] to the sidekick and protector to the [[Love Interest]], though it's unlikely for the sidekick to graduate the role.
* ''Common genres or stories:'' Again, any; however, duos gain a certain level of stability as compared to lone heroes. The character interaction between them will often become deep and nuanced to a degree not often seen with other ensemble numbers. Duos are likely to be in [[Action Adventure]] shows, possibly playing Detective or [[They Fight Crime|fighting crime]].
* ''Common genres or stories:'' Again, any; however, duos gain a certain level of stability as compared to lone heroes. The character interaction between them will often become deep and nuanced to a degree not often seen with other ensemble numbers. Duos are likely to be in [[Action Adventure]] shows, possibly playing Detective or [[They Fight Crime|fighting crime]].
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[The X-Files]]'', ''[[Supernatural (TV)|Supernatural]]'', ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]'', ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' (2005+) ''[[Aubrey-Maturin]]''
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[The X-Files]]'', ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'', ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]'', ''[[Doctor Who]]'' (2005+) ''[[Aubrey-Maturin]]''


When you get to '''[[Power Trio|Power Trios]]''' the different splits get more interesting. The personalities divide into three, not so much dividing the [[Red Oni Blue Oni|Red and Blue oni]] as creating a "balance" personality wholecloth. Note that any of them can be the lead hero. The division between physical and mental doesn't get graded, but augmented with "[[The Chick|social]]", a character who acts as a personable "face" for the group to balance the previous pair. If combat is involved, you get the [[Mighty Glacier]], [[Jack of All Stats]], and [[Fragile Speedster]]. Interestingly, from Trio on down you start seeing above archetypes merge into things like [[Genius Bruiser]]. It's worth noting that from here on out a girl being in the group [[The Smurfette Principle|gets logistically easier]] and [[Two Guys and A Girl|much more]] [[Beauty Brains and Brawn|common.]]
When you get to '''[[Trio]]s''' the different splits get more interesting. The personalities divide into three, not so much dividing the [[Red Oni, Blue Oni|Red and Blue oni]] as creating a "balance" personality wholecloth. Note that any of them can be the lead hero. The division between physical and mental doesn't get graded, but augmented with "[[The Chick|social]]", a character who acts as a personable "face" for the group to balance the previous pair. If combat is involved, you get the [[Mighty Glacier]], [[Jack of All Stats]], and [[Fragile Speedster]]. Interestingly, from Trio on down you start seeing above archetypes merge into things like [[Genius Bruiser]]. It's worth noting that from here on out a girl being in the group [[The Smurfette Principle|gets logistically easier]] and [[Two Guys and a Girl|much more]] [[Beauty, Brains, and Brawn|common.]]
* ''Common genres or stories:'' A trio is downright homey, and not in the sedentary sense. Three is the number where a family of friends can be born; characters can become [[True Companions]]. Even if they don't see each other as a family, the dynamics between them will give viewers a sort of "safety net". Past this size, even when the group's adventures lead to them traveling the world (or galaxy), they will tend to work out of a base (or [[Cool Ship]]) which often becomes something of a character in its own right. Trios work best in genres where there's room to interact both between each other and the environment, from here on down an ensemble can hypothetically devote an entire episode or chapter just to the cast interacting. These guys are likely to be in an [[Action Adventure]] or [[Drama]]. Or both!
* ''Common genres or stories:'' A trio is downright homey, and not in the sedentary sense. Three is the number where a family of friends can be born; characters can become [[True Companions]]. Even if they don't see each other as a family, the dynamics between them will give viewers a sort of "safety net". Past this size, even when the group's adventures lead to them traveling the world (or galaxy), they will tend to work out of a base (or [[Cool Ship]]) which often becomes something of a character in its own right. Trios work best in genres where there's room to interact both between each other and the environment, from here on down an ensemble can hypothetically devote an entire episode or chapter just to the cast interacting. These guys are likely to be in an [[Action Adventure]] or [[Drama]]. Or both!
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Star Trek the Original Series]]'', ''[[Harry Potter (Literature)|Harry Potter]]'', ''[[A Series of Unfortunate Events]]''
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', ''[[Harry Potter (novel)|Harry Potter]]'', ''[[A Series of Unfortunate Events]]''


The '''quartet''' is a challenge: just enough people for things to get convoluted, but not enough to lose track of anyone. The [[Four Temperament Ensemble]] divides the [[Red Oni Blue Oni|Red and Blue Oni]] in half again: the Red Oni splits into sanguine and choleric, and the Blue Oni into phlegmatic and melancholic. Or, viewed another way, the Kirk is choleric, and the detached nature of the Spock and the raw emotion of the McCoy split and combine into an introspective and spiritual temperament. Alternatively, the characters can be split into a [[Four Philosophy Ensemble]] in which the characters have different viewpoints and philosophies, rather than personalities, which interact as they face problems and have to reconcile their differences to come to agreement. It usually made up of a core [[Power Trio]] and one character to act as observer. Physically, the big-medium-fast division actually becomes big-medium-fast-''frail''. Frail characters are actually hearkening way back to the Duo's [[The Smart Guy]], adding a character who sacrifices muscle for mind.
The '''quartet''' is a challenge: just enough people for things to get convoluted, but not enough to lose track of anyone. The [[Four-Temperament Ensemble]] divides the [[Red Oni, Blue Oni|Red and Blue Oni]] in half again: the Red Oni splits into sanguine and choleric, and the Blue Oni into phlegmatic and melancholic. Or, viewed another way, the Kirk is choleric, and the detached nature of the Spock and the raw emotion of the McCoy split and combine into an introspective and spiritual temperament. Alternatively, the characters can be split into a [[Four-Philosophy Ensemble]] in which the characters have different viewpoints and philosophies, rather than personalities, which interact as they face problems and have to reconcile their differences to come to agreement. It usually made up of a core [[Power Trio]] and one character to act as observer. Physically, the big-medium-fast division actually becomes big-medium-fast-''frail''. Frail characters are actually hearkening way back to the Duo's [[The Smart Guy]], adding a character who sacrifices muscle for mind.
* ''Common genres or stories:'' Drama is the order of the day for the quartet, though not always among itself. A quartet is likely to 'split up' in a given episode, giving each a chance to play off not just each other but dealing with the various aspects of the plot and the week's guest characters.
* ''Common genres or stories:'' Drama is the order of the day for the quartet, though not always among itself. A quartet is likely to 'split up' in a given episode, giving each a chance to play off not just each other but dealing with the various aspects of the plot and the week's guest characters.
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', ''[[Fantastic Four]]'', ''[[Stargate SG 1]]'', ''[[Sliders]]''
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', ''[[Fantastic Four]]'', ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'', ''[[Sliders]]''


The '''[[Five Man Band]], [[Six Student Clique]]''' and '''[[The Magnificent Seven Samurai]]''' all vary some in their makeup, with each being "upgradeable" with [[Sixth Ranger]]. However; they all have the base [[Five Man Band]] structure with one or more additions from the "auxiliary" list, like [[Plucky Comic Relief]] or [[Tagalong Kid]], much like a core '''[[Three Plus Two]]''' cast of characters results in a [[Five Man Band]]. Another one is that [[The Hero]] stops being a label and becomes a physically distinct character type that leads the ensemble's members. The personality and physical traits by this point can be pretty much mix and matched without worrying about maintaining a "[[Cast Speciation|balance]]" in the cast. Five is also the most notable of all of them for two reasons - one, it's one of the [[Tropes of Legend]], and two, it's the biggest ensemble you can have without things getting convoluted - in all types of ensemble, combat, role and temperament. In combat, it will probably be [[Black and White Magic]], with a balanced character, and a "light" character ([[Fragile Speedster]]) and a "heavy" character ([[Mighty Glacier]]).
The '''[[Five-Man Band]], [[Six-Student Clique]]''' and '''[[The Magnificent Seven Samurai]]''' all vary some in their makeup, with each being "upgradeable" with [[Sixth Ranger]]. However; they all have the base [[Five-Man Band]] structure with one or more additions from the "auxiliary" list, like [[Plucky Comic Relief]] or [[Tagalong Kid]], much like a core '''[[Three Plus Two]]''' cast of characters results in a [[Five-Man Band]]. Another one is that [[The Hero]] stops being a label and becomes a physically distinct character type that leads the ensemble's members. The personality and physical traits by this point can be pretty much mix and matched without worrying about maintaining a "[[Cast Speciation|balance]]" in the cast. Five is also the most notable of all of them for two reasons - one, it's one of the [[Tropes of Legend]], and two, it's the biggest ensemble you can have without things getting convoluted - in all types of ensemble, combat, role and temperament. In combat, it will probably be [[Black and White Magic]], with a balanced character, and a "light" character ([[Fragile Speedster]]) and a "heavy" character ([[Mighty Glacier]]).
* ''Common genres or stories:'' Though roving bands of extended casts are not unheard of, they ''will'' take home with them, be it a space ship, a [[Scooby Doo|Mystery Machine]], or merely [[Walking the Earth|the clothes on their back]]. These enormous ensembles practically write a Drama themselves, never mind having [[Hilarity Ensues|Hilarity Ensue]] due to outside events.
* ''Common genres or stories:'' Though roving bands of extended casts are not unheard of, they ''will'' take home with them, be it a space ship, a [[Scooby Doo|Mystery Machine]], or merely [[Walking the Earth|the clothes on their back]]. These enormous ensembles practically write a Drama themselves, never mind having [[Hilarity Ensues|Hilarity Ensue]] due to outside events.
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Power Rangers]]'' (5), ''[[Saved By the Bell]]'' (6), ''[[Seven Samurai]]'' & ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]'' [[Trope Namer|(7)]], and ''[[Firefly]]'' (9)
** '''Signature series:''' ''[[Power Rangers]]'' (5), ''[[Saved by the Bell]]'' (6), ''[[Seven Samurai]]'' & ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]'' [[Trope Namer|(7)]], and ''[[Firefly]]'' (9)


Beyond seven, there are no fast and loose rules for the cast as a whole. However, even with [[Loads and Loads of Characters]], the cast members can be broken down into a [[Geodesic Cast]] or a set of [[Cast Herd|Cast Herds]], each iteration of which usually follows one of the archetypes listed above. Individual characters may belong to a single group only, or they may belong to several, with their role sometimes changing depending on which group they're interacting with.
Beyond seven, there are no fast and loose rules for the cast as a whole. However, even with [[Loads and Loads of Characters]], the cast members can be broken down into a [[Geodesic Cast]] or a set of [[Cast Herd]]s, each iteration of which usually follows one of the archetypes listed above. Individual characters may belong to a single group only, or they may belong to several, with their role sometimes changing depending on which group they're interacting with.


See also [[How to Gather Characters]].
See also [[How to Gather Characters]].


{| class="wikitable"
||align=center border=2 width=100%
|-
|| '''''Cast Members''''' || ''Role'' || ''Emotional-Temperamental'' || ''Combat'' || ''Weapons '' ||
| '''''Cast Members''''' || ''Role'' || ''Emotional-Temperamental'' || ''Combat'' || ''Weapons ''
|| '''One''' || [[The Hero]] || [[The Drifter]], [[Knight Errant]] || [[One Man Army]] || Any weapon available ||
|-
|| '''Two''' || [[Brains and Brawn]] || [[Red Oni Blue Oni]] || [[Bash Brothers]] || [[Sword and Sorcerer]] ||
| '''One''' || [[The Hero]] || [[The Drifter]], [[Knight Errant]] || [[One-Man Army]] || Any weapon available
|| '''[[Power Trio|Three]]''' || [[Beauty Brains and Brawn]] || [[The Kirk]], [[The Spock|Spock]], and [[The McCoy|McCoy]] || [[Stone Wall]] ([[The Big Guy]]), [[Jack of All Stats]] ([[The Hero]]), and [[Glass Cannon]]-[[Fragile Speedster]] combo ([[The Lancer]]) || [[Heroes Prefer Swords]] ([[The Hero]]), [[Luckily My Shield Will Protect Me]] ([[The Big Guy]]), and [[Magic Wand]] ([[The Smart Guy]]) ||
|-
|| '''Four''' || Add [[The Leader|"Leadership"]] || [[Four Temperament Ensemble]] || Add [[The Engineer]] or [[Squishy Wizard]] ([[The Smart Guy]]) || Add [[Blade On a Stick]] ([[The Lancer]]) ||
|| '''[[Five Man Band|Five]]''' || Add [[The Lancer|"Dissent"]] || Add the [[Standardized Leader]] or Supine || Add [[The Medic]] ([[The Chick]]) || Add [[Simple Staff]] ([[The Chick]]) ||
| '''Two''' || [[Brains and Brawn]] || [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]] || [[Bash Brothers]] || [[Sword and Sorcerer]]
|-
|| '''Six''' || Add either [[The Cutie]], [[Nerd]]/[[Geek]], or [[Cloudcuckoolander]] or [[Sixth Ranger]] || Add [[Token Evil Teammate]] || What varies from there and beyond are the types of [[Weapon Tropes|weapons]] and magic/skills, since every number past five will invariably get convoluted || The rules for Combat apply, probably with 10+ weapon types and no/loose rules for specific usage ||
| '''[[Trio|Three]]''' || [[Beauty, Brains, and Brawn]] || [[The Kirk]], [[The Spock|Spock]], and [[The McCoy|McCoy]] || [[Stone Wall]] ([[The Big Guy]]), [[Jack of All Stats]] ([[The Hero]]), and [[Glass Cannon]]-[[Fragile Speedster]] combo ([[The Lancer]]) || [[Heroes Prefer Swords]] ([[The Hero]]), [[Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me]] ([[The Big Guy]]), and [[Magic Wand]] ([[The Smart Guy]])
|| '''[[The Magnificent Seven Samurai|Seven]]''' || || [[Comic Relief]], [[Kid Hero]], or [[The Stoic]] || || ||
|-
|| '''Lots''' || || || [[The Squad]] || ||
| '''Four''' || Add [[The Leader|"Leadership"]] || [[Four-Temperament Ensemble]] || Add [[The Engineer]] or [[Squishy Wizard]] ([[The Smart Guy]]) || Add [[Blade on a Stick]] ([[The Lancer]])
|-
| '''[[Five-Man Band|Five]]''' || Add [[The Lancer|"Dissent"]] || Add the [[Standardized Leader]] or Supine || Add [[The Medic]] ([[The Chick]]) || Add [[Simple Staff]] ([[The Chick]])
|-
| '''Six''' || Add either [[The Cutie]], [[Nerd]]/[[Geek]], or [[Cloudcuckoolander]] or [[Sixth Ranger]] || Add [[Token Evil Teammate]] || What varies from there and beyond are the types of [[Weapon Tropes|weapons]] and magic/skills, since every number past five will invariably get convoluted || The rules for Combat apply, probably with 10+ weapon types and no/loose rules for specific usage
|-
| '''[[The Magnificent Seven Samurai|Seven]]''' || || [[Comic Relief]], [[Kid Hero]], or [[The Stoic]] ||
|-
| '''Lots'''
|colspan=4| [[The Squad]]
|}


See also:
See also:
* '''One:''' [[The Drifter]]
* '''One:''' [[The Drifter]]
* '''Two:''' [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man]]
* '''Two:''' [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man]]
* '''Three:''' [[Power Trio]]
* '''Three:''' [[Trio]]
** [[Comic Trio]]
** [[Comic Trio]]
** [[Freudian Trio]]
** [[Freudian Trio]]
** [[Three Amigos]]
** [[Three Amigos]]
** [[Two Guys and A Girl]]
** [[Two Guys and a Girl]]
** [[With a Friend And A Stranger]]
** [[With a Friend and a Stranger]]
* '''Four'''
* '''Four'''
** [[Four Philosophy Ensemble]]
** [[Four-Philosophy Ensemble]]
** [[Four Temperament Ensemble]]
** [[Four-Temperament Ensemble]]
* '''Five:''' [[Five Man Band]]
* '''Five:''' [[Five-Man Band]]
** [[Four Temperament Ensemble]] + Supine II
** [[Four-Temperament Ensemble]] + Supine II
** [[Four Philosophy Ensemble]] + The Conflicted
** [[Four-Philosophy Ensemble]] + The Conflicted
* '''Six:''' [[Six Student Clique]]
* '''Six:''' [[Six-Student Clique]]
** [[Five Man Band]] plus [[Sixth Ranger]]
** [[Five-Man Band]] plus [[Sixth Ranger]]
* '''Seven:''' [[Magnificent Seven]]
* '''Seven:''' [[Magnificent Seven]]
* '''''Lots:''''' [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]
* '''''Lots:''''' [[Loads and Loads of Characters]]
Line 65: Line 76:
** [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]]
** [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]]
* '''Three'''
* '''Three'''
** [[Blonde Brunette Redhead]]
** [[Blonde, Brunette, Redhead]]
** [[The Hecate Sisters]]
** [[The Hecate Sisters]]
** [[The Three Faces of Eve]]
** [[The Three Faces of Eve]]
* '''Four:''' [[Four Girl Ensemble]]
* '''Four:''' [[Four-Girl Ensemble]]
* '''More:''' [[Amazon Brigade]]
* '''More:''' [[Amazon Brigade]]


Line 74: Line 85:
* '''Two:''' [[Evil Duo]]
* '''Two:''' [[Evil Duo]]
** [[Those Two Bad Guys]]
** [[Those Two Bad Guys]]
* '''Three:''' [[Terrible Trio]]
* '''Three:''' [[Terrible Trio]]
* '''Four:''' [[Four Is Death]]
* '''Four:''' [[Four Is Death]]
* '''Five:''' [[Five Bad Band]]
* '''Five:''' [[Five-Bad Band]]
** [[The Psycho Rangers]]
** [[The Psycho Rangers]]
* '''Six or Seven:''' [[Five Bad Band]] + [[Enigmatic Minion]] and/or [[Morality Pet]]
* '''Six or Seven:''' [[Five-Bad Band]] + [[Enigmatic Minion]] and/or [[Morality Pet]]


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Sentai School (Manga)]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Number Tropes]]
[[Category:Ensembles]]
[[Category:Ensembles]]
[[Category:Cast Calculus]]
[[Category:Number Tropes]]
[[Category:Trope]]
[[Category:oldtable]]

Latest revision as of 20:13, 28 March 2022


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    /wiki/Cast Calculuswork

    One of the first choices any writer has to make is how many protagonists will lead the narrative. Believe it or not, that number matters. Too many, and you can barely get attached to anyone, just one and you'll never believe the author would kill them off.

    So, which is the lucky number for Ensembles?

    Let's start at one and work our way up. Lone protagonists are not some embryonic proto-cast that contains the traits of all Ensembles past and present, but rather has complete freedom to be whoever is needed for the story. Let's repeat that: lone. While a one man hero doesn't have to be an antisocial loner, they are very independent no matter what kind of character they are. Even the wimpy Action Survivor is at least able to survive. Interestingly, the best lone heroes make up for a lack of permanent cast with a varied supporting (though temporary) cast and (hopefully) some internal struggles to add depth. The Man vs. Man type of dramatic struggle is common for the lone hero. Needless to say they are also invariably The Hero (well, let's say protagonist to hedge our bets). Though it's kind of a "Duh" statement, read on.

    • Common genres or stories: These protagonist can be in any story and are unweighed by a large cast, and so they can be Walking the Earth as The Drifter. Even if sedentary, they'll likely play the lone Action Hero against overwhelming opposition. What you won't see is either the typical drama with lots of long term character interaction, or a "stable" environment, these heroes will live and work in flux.

    From there the duos are an even split between two traits: Body and mind, and temperament. One will be The Big Guy to the other's smarts. And then you have one emotional character versus a colder one. The duo implies a certain level of equality; it's entirely possible for both to "share the billing" and be equal heroes. They'll likely be Heterosexual Life Partners, but if they happen to be different genders, it's practically a law there'll eventually be Unresolved Sexual Tension. If this sexual tension is resolved, then you have a Battle Couple (cue the shipping). Or for the more traditional dynamic, you have The Hero and their Sidekick or Love Interest. These duos are different in that the hero often serves as a mentor to the sidekick and protector to the Love Interest, though it's unlikely for the sidekick to graduate the role.

    When you get to Trios the different splits get more interesting. The personalities divide into three, not so much dividing the Red and Blue oni as creating a "balance" personality wholecloth. Note that any of them can be the lead hero. The division between physical and mental doesn't get graded, but augmented with "social", a character who acts as a personable "face" for the group to balance the previous pair. If combat is involved, you get the Mighty Glacier, Jack of All Stats, and Fragile Speedster. Interestingly, from Trio on down you start seeing above archetypes merge into things like Genius Bruiser. It's worth noting that from here on out a girl being in the group gets logistically easier and much more common.

    • Common genres or stories: A trio is downright homey, and not in the sedentary sense. Three is the number where a family of friends can be born; characters can become True Companions. Even if they don't see each other as a family, the dynamics between them will give viewers a sort of "safety net". Past this size, even when the group's adventures lead to them traveling the world (or galaxy), they will tend to work out of a base (or Cool Ship) which often becomes something of a character in its own right. Trios work best in genres where there's room to interact both between each other and the environment, from here on down an ensemble can hypothetically devote an entire episode or chapter just to the cast interacting. These guys are likely to be in an Action Adventure or Drama. Or both!

    The quartet is a challenge: just enough people for things to get convoluted, but not enough to lose track of anyone. The Four-Temperament Ensemble divides the Red and Blue Oni in half again: the Red Oni splits into sanguine and choleric, and the Blue Oni into phlegmatic and melancholic. Or, viewed another way, the Kirk is choleric, and the detached nature of the Spock and the raw emotion of the McCoy split and combine into an introspective and spiritual temperament. Alternatively, the characters can be split into a Four-Philosophy Ensemble in which the characters have different viewpoints and philosophies, rather than personalities, which interact as they face problems and have to reconcile their differences to come to agreement. It usually made up of a core Power Trio and one character to act as observer. Physically, the big-medium-fast division actually becomes big-medium-fast-frail. Frail characters are actually hearkening way back to the Duo's The Smart Guy, adding a character who sacrifices muscle for mind.

    • Common genres or stories: Drama is the order of the day for the quartet, though not always among itself. A quartet is likely to 'split up' in a given episode, giving each a chance to play off not just each other but dealing with the various aspects of the plot and the week's guest characters.

    The Five-Man Band, Six-Student Clique and The Magnificent Seven Samurai all vary some in their makeup, with each being "upgradeable" with Sixth Ranger. However; they all have the base Five-Man Band structure with one or more additions from the "auxiliary" list, like Plucky Comic Relief or Tagalong Kid, much like a core Three Plus Two cast of characters results in a Five-Man Band. Another one is that The Hero stops being a label and becomes a physically distinct character type that leads the ensemble's members. The personality and physical traits by this point can be pretty much mix and matched without worrying about maintaining a "balance" in the cast. Five is also the most notable of all of them for two reasons - one, it's one of the Tropes of Legend, and two, it's the biggest ensemble you can have without things getting convoluted - in all types of ensemble, combat, role and temperament. In combat, it will probably be Black and White Magic, with a balanced character, and a "light" character (Fragile Speedster) and a "heavy" character (Mighty Glacier).

    Beyond seven, there are no fast and loose rules for the cast as a whole. However, even with Loads and Loads of Characters, the cast members can be broken down into a Geodesic Cast or a set of Cast Herds, each iteration of which usually follows one of the archetypes listed above. Individual characters may belong to a single group only, or they may belong to several, with their role sometimes changing depending on which group they're interacting with.

    See also How to Gather Characters.

    Cast Members Role Emotional-Temperamental Combat Weapons
    One The Hero The Drifter, Knight Errant One-Man Army Any weapon available
    Two Brains and Brawn Red Oni, Blue Oni Bash Brothers Sword and Sorcerer
    Three Beauty, Brains, and Brawn The Kirk, Spock, and McCoy Stone Wall (The Big Guy), Jack of All Stats (The Hero), and Glass Cannon-Fragile Speedster combo (The Lancer) Heroes Prefer Swords (The Hero), Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me (The Big Guy), and Magic Wand (The Smart Guy)
    Four Add "Leadership" Four-Temperament Ensemble Add The Engineer or Squishy Wizard (The Smart Guy) Add Blade on a Stick (The Lancer)
    Five Add "Dissent" Add the Standardized Leader or Supine Add The Medic (The Chick) Add Simple Staff (The Chick)
    Six Add either The Cutie, Nerd/Geek, or Cloudcuckoolander or Sixth Ranger Add Token Evil Teammate What varies from there and beyond are the types of weapons and magic/skills, since every number past five will invariably get convoluted The rules for Combat apply, probably with 10+ weapon types and no/loose rules for specific usage
    Seven Comic Relief, Kid Hero, or The Stoic
    Lots The Squad

    See also:

    There's also a set of the above for all girl casts:

    And we also have an evil version of some of the above: