What's tried & true in fantasy?

[AFGNCAAP]

3 new threads in 1 night. I'm on a roll! But seriously....


Along the lines of the "What's fresh in fantasy?" thread, I'd like to ask what stuff is tried & true in fantasy? What themes, concepts, ideas, & the like just never seem to go out of style (whether treated seriously, light-heartedly, or any other way)?

D&D seems to be a good example, but then again, what kind of D&D? OD&D, with demihumans as classes? Early AD&D, with its race/class restrictions, mix-&-match resolution systems, & fire-&-forget magic? D&D ala Greyhawk, with its patchwork quilt of countries, cultures, & deities? Or is it D&D ala Forgotten Realms, with its uber-mythos & uber-heroes? Or is it D&D ala Dragonlance, with its epic & endless conflicts?

Well, what do you think? What do you think is tried & true in fantasy? Why?

Love to hear your views on the matter.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Taverns, wenches, dwarves who like ale, and hobbit thieves.

 

[Qualir]

seedy taverns, attentive atractive wenches who are demons/monsters/nastiness in disguise, surly drunken smelly dwarves, and little people always getting the blame

Actually, I would say that the Belgarath/Fizban uber mage who comes off as bumbling his way through life, the naive hero with a destiny laid down in prophecy, the tragic hero who just can't seem to win for losing, ehe evil overlord who can't be proven as evil, and the damsel in distress.