Fantasy RPG Stereotypes

[Auro-Cyanide]

I'm writing an otome vn at the moment, something that is only just at the beginning, so it is a long, long way off. Plus I'm only really doing it while I travel cause I'm still at uni and I am committed as a bg artist to another project first. But planning and writing can't hurt.

Anyway, it is fantasy based and I would like to know if anybody can point out some super clichéd, stereotypical events that typically happen in fantasy RPG, or any other fantasy story for that matter. Quests and the like. Any specific fetch quests, battles or rescues. I plan to take the stereotype and add my own twist to it, but I'm drawing a bit of a blank as to which events are stereotypes.

So far I have:
-Seek information from the witch
-Save the princess
-End a feud between two best friends

Any help is really appreciated, Thanks ^^

[chensterrain]

Not sure if you've seen this already, but maybe this could help?

[Auro-Cyanide]

Not sure if you've seen this already, but maybe this could help?

Ah ha! Thank you. This was just what I was looking for! I trawled all over TVtropes looking for something like this but couldn't find a definite list. Thanks

[LordShiranai]

You may also want to look at this for a more general overview of a pattern many fantasy stories follow:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth

Many fantasy stories (and other genres as well) in general will follow the Monomyth formula.

[Anima]

Do you know this list already?
If not, your Trope-fu must be weak.

[Melkoshi]

Reading over those two links. I think they cover everything. I was going to suggest a few, but they are right in there! XD

My god it makes me want to rewrite my rpg's plot and characters after reading those. >_>

[gekiganwing]

Remember, tropes are not bad. Even a Cliche Storm can be good. (I've been a fanboy of translated RPGs for years, so I can testify to this.)

Also, don't miss out on the Bioware Cliche Chart at http://hellforge.gameriot.com/blogs/Hel ... iche-Chart

[LordShiranai]

Remember, tropes are not bad. Even a Cliche Storm can be good. (I've been a fanboy of translated RPGs for years, so I can testify to this.)

Also, don't miss out on the Bioware Cliche Chart at http://hellforge.gameriot.com/blogs/Hel ... iche-Chart

Oh, I agree. You'll be hard pressed to find a console RPG that doesn't fit at least a quarter of the cliches. Often it is not that you're executing a cliche, but if how you're executing it.

[Mikan]

haha forget it

[Auro-Cyanide]

Do you know what, I looked for that for hours and couldn't find that. That is what I get for being a TVtropes noob. Granted I did get distracted every 10 seconds following every other link, but whatever. Thanks a lot for pointing it out to me

I too think that clichés can be good or bad depending on how they are written. Since I'm going for a more comedic/parody path, I fully intend to use them. I'm not so much concerned with being original as it was, but just telling a good story that people will enjoy. I have used some of the clichés in a more serious manner as well, but you can't escape all of them. I should be able to get a decent list now that I can rewrite to my story and torture my poor characters. Good times.

Plus, it looks like I'm kind of deconstructing the cliché storm. Like, they are going to be lots of them there, but they can take unexpected twist or the characters are not exactly appreciative of the situation. Not that I have that much control over the story, the characters do that. They just do whatever they want and totally change my original intentions.

[Ramidel]

Granted I did get distracted every 10 seconds following every other link

So does everyone else. You're not alone!

Plus, it looks like I'm kind of deconstructing the cliché storm. Like, they are going to be lots of them there, but they can take unexpected twist or the characters are not exactly appreciative of the situation. Not that I have that much control over the story, the characters do that. They just do whatever they want and totally change my original intentions.

Sounds like you've got a game coming on!

[J-chan]

Not that I have that much control over the story, the characters do that. They just do whatever they want and totally change my original intentions.

xD That's always fun, and a good sign! When you're playing or reading something, it's always easy to tell when the characters have that kind of life to them, and it makes it way more enjoyable.
And yeah, it seems like the links provided hit everything I was going to suggest. I used to want to make something with an amnesiac MC who is painfully aware that he's surrounded by cliches, but never went through with it, so I'm glad somebody is going to give a proper twist on fantasty cliches! Good luck~