RPG cliches

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

Hey I was watching this video on youtube the other day, and this guy was talking about rpg cliches, for those who don't know, a cliche is something that is repetitive, so this is a thread about repetitive things in RPG's, here are some examples:

More than half the games when you play, the main character says NOTHING. And then the other party members still understand what your saying.(EX:Chrono Trigger)


The female's always have a staff or rod of some sort most of the time.

All legends are 100% accurate, all rumors are entirely factual, all prophecies will come true, and not just some day, but almost immediately. And what I mean by that is, is if you go into a town and talk to a town's person who say's "legend/rumor has it there is a ghost in the cave down the prairie", there WILL be a ghost in that area!!!!!

You can always hold like 99 of every item and never run out of room for it on your body.

Most villain's in Rpg's posess some form of teleportation, and they generally use it when the adventurers reach an obligatory relic room and steal all the jewels just before you can, even though they could have just teleported there and got them before you even entered the dungeon.


And my favorite, is how the worlds are made, one half of the continent has all the technology, while the other side is harvesting dirt xD.

Any more?

[Vermachtnis]

Most of the time characters is skimpy clothes can climb mountians in artic regions and not get frostbite, unless it's important to the story. On the other side of the coin, Mages (usally) can wear big heavy robes in deserts.
Exception: Tales of Eternia, the characters acually go and get coats.

There is a big legenday weapon that you aquire through the story, that sucks to a weapon that's at the end of a big long trading sequince. Oh yea and everyone knows of the legendary weapon and only one person knows of the better, stronger weapon and although you're trying to stop the end of the world you still have to go out of your way to get it.

[Ender]

Princesses that are either playable or who interact significantly with the player's character/party are almost always magically inclined.

The main villain always primarily uses magic and/or has the ability to magically transform into another type of super-creature.

[XxSephirothxX]

A few.

[Frozen Phantom]

AMNESIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

its the ultimate RPG cliché

others include: at least 1 person with a sword, and 1 with a staff.

magic crystals

at least 1 boss you must fight over and over again through out the game

the man character has a sword

the main character falls in love with a female character, usually higher in class than him

a final boss with an overly flashy attack

save the world

finding random save points littered across the map

thats all I can think of for now, I bet I'll post again with some more once I think of them.

*edit*

A few.

ROFL....whoever wrote that has played wayyyy toooo many rpgs to get that many cliches

[black orb]

>>> Cameos everywhere..

[Alastair|UK]

They are all called Rpgs if some one hasnt al ready beaten me to it

[ljkkjlcm9]

yeah, these ones you guys are saying all came from that list, and that list is pretty old, but some of it is still hilarious

THE JACKEL

[Frozen Phantom]

yeah, these ones you guys are saying all came from that list, and that list is pretty old, but some of it is still hilarious

THE JACKAL

1: I didn't know about the list when I posted mine, Azar posted it while I was posting mine.

2: As shocking as it sounds, amnesia wasn't on the list, nor magic crystals, or random save points, or final boss with overly flashy attacks.

[Elite Lord Sigma]

1. The main villain is confused/insane.

2. The main mage is either female or an old man.

3. All old main characters with white hair sacrifice themselves.

4. The main character uses some form of a sword.

5. The hero will protect any woman he sees, even if the aforementioned woman is somebody he met two seconds ago.

6. All people with interesting pasts are those who can't remember them.

7. Any mysterious characters from a far-off land are magically inclined.

8. Bows suck compared to nearly every other kind of weapon.

9. You will obtain some massive ultimate weapon/magic tome that will destroy most baddies in a single hit.

10. The starting boss must always be some minor villain.

[NeoCracker]

A few.

The sad thing is every one of those rules is true in the vast majority of cases.

[Moon Rabbits]

A few.

The sad thing is every one of those rules is true in the vast majority of cases.

Hence clichés.

[Rengori]

And my favorite, is how the worlds are made, one half of the continent has all the technology, while the other side is harvesting dirt xD.

Look at Asia/Africa.

And that list of RPG cliches rocks.

And the reason most rumors are true is because it gives you something to do or someplace to go. Would you just like to be stuck in a town without having a smurfin' idea where to go?

[NINJA_Ryu]

A very important one is.......

There is always a dark and mysterious charachter that has every reason to not join you, morally and logically, but he does anyways.

[Twilight Edge]

Even if the main character goes missing at the end of the game, he will always make a comeback either at the ending FMV or in a sequel of the same game.