D&D Tropes you like but are tired of

[Mercurius]

This isn't a purely negative thread - I'm not asking you to list those tropes that you just hate, but those that you like or liked--that you think are actually good ideas or interesting in some way--but you're just plain tired of. That is, tropes that you feel have been overdone, over-used, out-worn, etc.

I'll start:

Dragons - Before you get your chainmail panties in a wad, let me explain! I have a hard time putting dragons in this category, as they are just so classic, so archetypal, that I can't say that I'm tired of them. However, this isn't entirely true - I'm tired of the over-use of them by others - novels, specifically. So they fit this category coming from "outside," although I as a DM (and writer) don't feel tired of them because I use them very, very sparingly.

Drow - I imagine they'll show up fairly regularly in this thread. Great idea but I just find them a bit annoying at this point.

Undead - Over-used to the point that the fear factor has worn off. I mean, a zombie is a terrifying thing to contemplate but because of various movies and over-use they've become more of a comic device. In particular, though:

Vampires - Ugh...I am so tired of vampires. I admit to enjoying True Blood but they must be the most over-used, over-glamorized fantastical creature in modern media. Obviously I'm stepping outside the bounds of my original premise of "D&D tropes" but there is a trickle-down effect from TV and movies that has impacted D&D, and vampires are the victim of their own sex appeal.

Over-sized Weapons - There is something kind of cool about a massive sword or axe, but in the post-Exalted world it seems that they are just over-used. Does everyone have to wield a Fullblade or one of those weird-named axe/hammer hybrids? What happened to a good old-fashioned longsword and shield?

I'm sure I'll think of more, but that's what comes to mind in the moment...your turn.

 

[the Jester]

This isn't a purely negative thread - I'm not asking you to list those tropes that you just hate, but those that you like or liked--that you think are actually good ideas or interesting in some way--but you're just plain tired of. That is, tropes that you feel have been overdone, over-used, out-worn, etc.

Interesting topic!

I'll start:

Dragons - Before you get your chainmail panties in a wad, let me explain! I have a hard time putting dragons in this category, as they are just so classic, so archetypal, that I can't say that I'm tired of them. However, this isn't entirely true - I'm tired of the over-use of them by others - novels, specifically. So they fit this category coming from "outside," although I as a DM (and writer) don't feel tired of them because I use them very, very sparingly.

Drow - I imagine they'll show up fairly regularly in this thread. Great idea but I just find them a bit annoying at this point.

Undead - Over-used to the point that the fear factor has worn off. I mean, a zombie is a terrifying thing to contemplate but because of various movies and over-use they've become more of a comic device. In particular, though:

Vampires - Ugh...I am so tired of vampires. I admit to enjoying True Blood but they must be the most over-used, over-glamorized fantastical creature in modern media. Obviously I'm stepping outside the bounds of my original premise of "D&D tropes" but there is a trickle-down effect from TV and movies that has impacted D&D, and vampires are the victim of their own sex appeal.

Over-sized Weapons - There is something kind of cool about a massive sword or axe, but in the post-Exalted world it seems that they are just over-used. Does everyone have to wield a Fullblade or one of those weird-named axe/hammer hybrids? What happened to a good old-fashioned longsword and shield?

I run almost exclusively homebrews, and I use all of these (except undead) sparingly.

Dragons are rare in my game- my current party is 11th to 12th level and they have met three dragons in their career so far, one of which (along with its wererat allies) defeated them, one of which they slew and one of which they bribed with a 5,000 gp sapphire so that they could pass through its territory.

Drow- I totally agree that they are overused in published adventures, but nobody has actually seen a Drow in my campaign in probably ten real time years. Before long they will, though- odds are I'm going to run P2 shortly.

Vampires- The pcs imc just slew one a couple of games ago, but I don't use them much. The last one before that was probably about 5 real time years ago (when I ran Return to the Tomb of Horrors).

Oversized Weapons- I've flavored like one or two weapons ever this way, most recently... uh... probably a decade ago?

A couple of choices for my own game:

Clockwork Horrors are one of those monsters that turns up in every game eventually. One of the setting's big and VERY hard to destroy villains is tied strongly to them too. Still, I use them an awful lot.

Skill Challenges to Find the Dungeon are a fun way to model the "hard to find adventure" or "magically hidden stronghold", but I've done them a few times in the last year or two. Note to self: Back off on this.

Lost Technology is a setting icon, but again, I can overuse it sometimes. I do love me some ancient ruins with radioactive crystals within, though!

 

[Shades of Green]

Goblins - I love them as opponents, like to use them as comic relief, but they're SOOOO overused - the early levels of ALMOST EVERY D&D game I played involved them.

And I agree with Mercurius about Drow, Oversized Weapons and, more than everything, Vampires. Hell, I might like to play Vampire: the Mascarade if only Vampires were not SOOOOOOO overused in current pop culture.

And zombies? They are EVERYWHERE (TV, movies, books, computer games, RPGs) and thus far less scary than they could be.

 

[Remathilis]

Chuthulu in D&D.

Granted, sanity-blasting entities from beyond the stars make great villains and interesting encounters, but at this point they are as overused as demons were 10 years ago. Especially as PCs start getting their "kewl powerz" from them, like the star-pact warlocks...

 

[Tinker Gnome]

I am going to agree with Remathilis above.

I am getting tired of "Sanity blasting" entities that look like they came from the seafood market.

 

[Kaodi]

Hmmm...

Can I cop out and say, " All of them, " ?

I could probably go for a game where 95% of enemies were mundane and/or human. I love high fantasy, but it can be the the enemy of the fantasically fantastic.

Dragons could use a break. Like a millenial slumber or something, ; ) .

And aberrations have become boringly tiresome.

 

[Fifth Element]

Goblins and kobolds, goblins and kobolds, goblins and kobolds in every low-level adventure.

 

[frostburn]

Yes, yes, Shades of green goblins, and kobolts, too. if their r soo many of these guys why don't they live/job in more towns instead of the stock newb villain.

mind flayers as if they are the only ones beings smart enough to run a mind control conspiracy.

i do see how Cthulhu can be overused, and insanity fatigue can set in. i will tell him so over coffee on Tuesday both vampires and zombies have got to cool/overused lately. i wonder if lovecraft's monsters will have a similar fate in 20 years or so.

but on the other hand a lot of far realm/eldar god stuff is cool but it is in the paragon tier where i know i will never see it. i know some of this stuff is meant to be "impossible tough" horrors, but i would glad fight a far realm/sea food cult right out of the gate, then fight goblins, kobolts, and some of those weird/dumb/made up D&D monsters (owl bears for example) any day of the week. also, aren't their more classic monsters meant to play in more lvls now, i mean i'm sure i could make a 1 lvl beholder, minotaur, or griffin more or less off the top of my head.

that is another one- weird/dumb/made up D&D monsters (owl bears for example) come on now their are alot of cool monsters that never seam to see the light of day, and we fighting this stuff.

clerics- thank you for fix healing wotc, but i guess i already had fixes 4 that in 3.X actionly

 

[NewJeffCT]

Undead - Over-used to the point that the fear factor has worn off. I mean, a zombie is a terrifying thing to contemplate but because of various movies and over-use they've become more of a comic device. In particular, though:

Vampires - Ugh...I am so tired of vampires. I admit to enjoying True Blood but they must be the most over-used, over-glamorized fantastical creature in modern media. Obviously I'm stepping outside the bounds of my original premise of "D&D tropes" but there is a trickle-down effect from TV and movies that has impacted D&D, and vampires are the victim of their own sex appeal.

Undead were truly nasty in 1E and 2E. However, they were really nerfed in 3E/3.5E with a save to prevent level loss and pathetic standard hit points due to no CON bonus. And, while they have more hit points in 4E, the level drain ability is now a loss of healing surges or a target that is weakened.

Same thing for vampires - nasty when the mere touch drains you of two levels. Pathetic when it doesn't.

I'll agree on drow, but I've never used a clockwork horror in any of my games as a DM, and have never encountered them as a player.

Unless it was a dragon-oriented campaign, I would agree with you that dragons should be used sparingly. They should be for special moments/climactic combats only.

 

[Diamond Cross]

I've always wanted to try out a Fiendish Vampiric Gold Dragon myself which has several levels of Wizard to boot.

Or a Celestial Green Dragon that has several levels of Paladin.