Y’know I think the popularity of Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil 8 just illuminates that we could have more variety in “the designated big tanky one” besides large rough and tumble man, the latter with some sort of intended-to-be-humorous idiosyncrasy, or ‘comically’ undersized girl.
(I use comically in air quotes because frankly I don’t like that trope, it just feels like an excuse to not ever have to put muscle or fat on girls. Yes, I have known petite women who can kick your ass, but if you are introducing a character who fights like a heavyweight, give them the physique of a heavyweight. Look at powerlifters! Look at olympic gymnasts in the categories closest to what your character is doing!)
Like just grab other character traits and just make them also huge compared to their teammates. The options are very fun.
The Dimitrescu Classic where they talk like an aristocrat and dresses like a yesteryear starlet but can bench your entire body. Tanks a land mine and is mostly annoyed because “You’ve dirtied my dress!”
Dramatic-ass thespian artsy type who’s handsome and brooding and also they happen to be a chiseled adonis. Especially if they’re the type who worked out this much because they’re actually a dancer, not a powerlifter, and they are a technique-over-power type while still being big and strong.
Variant on the Dimitrescu Classic where she comes off like an indulgent rich grandma, dated fashion sense and all, wearing odd and pungent perfume, with the punchline being at some point she shrugs off her oversized coat to her favorite surrogate nephew and says, “honey, you better clear out, I’m about to sort this fella’s bones out” and she’s absolutely shredded. Can even foreshadow it by that she’s a grand dame in stature and prone to some overbearing hugs but it’s assumed to just be slapstick framing of a normal-strength hug until it turns out she’s been holding back.
The Princess Classic archetype because nothing’s funnier than that one image set I saw once of a refined princessy type looking at someone, saying “do you want to fight me” and then tearing her dress off and she’s wearing a wrestling singlet underneath. Bonus points for sheltered ingenue who practiced some sort of noble-accepted sport to get the energy out and became like, nigh undefeated at it.
Most variations of wizard archetypes are funny if they can punch you. You’re ready for Merlin of the Floor-Length Beard to cast fireball at you or something but are you ready for Merlin’s prizefighter suplex? nobody is.
Straitlaced desk jockey bureaucrat who could pick up the desk and throw it at you but won’t because then they’ll have to re-file all of this goddamn paperwork. Don’t make them pick up their favorite paperweight.
Swishy fencer braggart who you have every reason to suspect is a technique over power type and because of that you realize too late that it’s actually not do-nothing bragging that they want to fight like everyone around them and they are actually as good as they say they are. Bonus points if they come off like a cocky do-nothing because they were previously surrounded by people they had either already fought and were no longer curious about, or otherwise saw little prospect in fighting so the party only finds out they have a berserker in musketeer’s clothing when they’re already deep in trouble.
Washed-up has-been reveals at a triumphant point in character arc that their problem was primarily psychological and while they let themselves go in terms of physical conditioning, some things don’t die easily and they can get back into shape over time.
