I saw the Pair (looking at the other playbooks for sale at DriveThruRPG). It looks fun, but … I don’t have a good sense yet of the overhead of running a PC + Companions, let alone a pair of PCs + Companions.
Along those lines (and aligned with that photo), I’d considered the Halfling Companion (Mount) that was a Dog as being a particularly droll possibility.
The playbooks for sale on DriveThruRPG are for first edition. The versions I have in my Google Drive are the updated (or at least mostly updated) versions for 2nd Edition. Not that I doubt there would be much trouble running the first edition versions given the limited differences, but I know at least one playbook got a major overhaul (the Giant playbook from 1E has become the Ogre playbook in 2E).
YES
See also the centaur-looking dogs-as-adventurers art that are out there in the world. (Siberian Husky Barbarian ftw.)
Ageless alien warriors who project humanoid forms from gemstones that are the true core of their being. Their abilities include fusion—the ability to merge their projected bodies and abilities with other star-elves to form new, more powerful personalities.
Yeah I I like that.
Having looked at the extra playbooks, the Beast is an obvious way to go for the Puss in Boots idea, except that it’s more Outsider/Other than I wanted to go here. Still, it’s yet another option, depending on what other folk want to play.
As it stands, I’d order my playbook preferences for the character as Halfling, Squire, Orc, Beast, Elf, Heir (each a different spin on the theme).
I’ve got several ideas, but I think they depend on answering the session 0 tone-and-level questions. On the other hand, maybe talking about the playbooks will help people answer those questions? In no particular order.
The Orc: a hero or champion from a Bronze Age fantasy Rome ruled by orcs. I’ve actually spent some time thinking about what that society would look like (e.g. it’s a democracy, there’s a bicameral legislature, “spears” and “sickles” are the two ways you get a vote - you stand in defense of the nation, or you’re a farmer or someone else involved in food production). Not so great for the Fantasy-in-space game variants, though.
The Collector: a traveling naturalist or student of mystic beings, who uses their skills to cure weird ailments or work a low-powered natural magic. Someone affected by the Overlord’s machinations, perhaps who wants to put nature back in balance (if that’s a thing). Probably works in any milieu, as long as there’s a nature to be balanced.
The Lantern: a default or fallback choice, something if a more overtly fairy-tale sort of world comes out of session 0. Inspired broadly by pastel fantasy like Legend of Mana, FF9, and Grandia.
The Tinker: a Tomb Knight: a fallen warrior brought back to life and outfitted with prosthetics to guard some important person or place. When that thing was threatened or destroyed by the Overlord, they went on a quest for revenge. Inspired by Ziggy from Xenosaga.
The Exile: a young traveling witch, cast out from their people. The comic-relief option, plucky and chipper.
The Remnant: a character similar to FFX’s Auron, a ghost or shade who plays mentor to some younger, more alive characters. Perhaps a past victim of the Overlord.
If it helps, I’m now excited to see almost all of these characters (obviously the Lantern is just sort of there as a backup).
And just like you, I figured I’d share some of my current ideas (subject the change, as always).
The Harbinger/Exile/Lantern: A wizard of some distant order. They want to keep their heads down and not draw the Overlord’s ire (or maybe secretly helping them), while our hero decides “screw that, I’m going to do what’s right.” Not horribly original, but it’s what I like.
The Elf: A person from a space colony which fell to the planet due to Overlord shenanigans (maybe they stole the satellite’s power source as one of their Sources of Power). The elves cannot easily survive on the planet, so they outfit their champion with an hi-tech environment suit so that they can fight the Overlord with the rest of the Fellowship.
The Collector: A champion of the small gods who are being crushed by the Overlord without the Overlord really even realizing it.
The Pair: Fezzik and Inigo from the Princess Bride. I’m going to throw my own style at it, but that’s basically what you’re going to get. Definitely the comedic option out of all these.
While not a vote of “you should definitely do that,” I’ve have an image stuck in my head since I read this description.
You’ll just have to clear your name by playing one
Heh.
Or … perhaps one is the Gal He Left Behind.
Or perhaps all of them were …
Now I’m picturing a Roger/Jessica Rabbit deal where there’s some smoking hot catgirl totally loyal to this potato of a feline swashbuckler, but she loves him for his wit, so what are you going to do?
You just described part of my childhood.
Also, this set of images just came up on my Tumblr and while not 100% in keeping with Dave’s idea, they’ve got the right spirit.
Temporary forum avatar aside, I’m trying not to draw too heavily on the Dreamworks Puss in Boots swashbuckler/romancer … though, depending on the party dynamics and what playbook he ends up in, I could totally rip off the Dreamworks Puss in Boots swashbuckler/romancer (sans Banderas accent, because, really, none of us want me to maintain that for an entire campaign).
Wow. That’s … um … really something! 
I don’t think it’s quite the tone I’m looking for, in character or story, but, ah, thanks! 
