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*Dungeons & Dragons
Which played-out D&D trope needs to die?
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<blockquote data-quote="touc" data-source="post: 8377242" data-attributes="member: 19270"><p>Remember, the OP isn't saying tropes are bad. Some we expect and love (e.g. the reluctant hero, the showdown in a Western). It's how they're used that makes them cliché (e.g. everyone confidently struts away from explosions). </p><p></p><p>So, I'll insert a D&D trope (common theme) followed by cliché (overuse has led to belief there's no longer thought involved, aka <strong>lame</strong>).</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>You're the only people trying to save the world.</strong> Always a noble motivator. Cliché: there's never anyone else out there simultaneously trying to stop the world-ending event [insert semi-plausible reason why Elminster or the 20th level king with a full nation at his back giving you the job can't.] </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Kill them all and take their stuff. </strong>Way to improve gear. Cliché: this never causes problems with anyone, ever. When you strut into town with the belongings of dead people, even wearing their stuff, it's cool.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>That's against my alignment. </strong>Tool to help with roleplaying rather than settle into your real-life self with pointy ears. Cliché: justification for being a disruptive ass or acting foolishly to see what the DM will do.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Damsel in Distress. </strong>Story plot to motivate. Cliché: too many stories have a young woman who needs help with probably an overbearing male figure in her life.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Drow. </strong>Cool bad guys that are beautiful, graceful, artistic but also super-deadly killers (at least in previous editions), slavers, and supreme race believers. Cliché: thanks to Drizz't, all bad guys are misunderstood and just waiting for the PCs to come around and see their inner wonderful self. Also, the dual-wielding drow and drow as a player class.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Dwarves with Irish/Scottish accents. </strong>It's not exotic if your fantasy races have a southern drawl. Cliché: do I have to explain it? Playing a dwarf while using Irish/Scottish accents. This also risks running into the cliché that using an accent is the same as roleplaying or good acting.</li> </ol></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="touc, post: 8377242, member: 19270"] Remember, the OP isn't saying tropes are bad. Some we expect and love (e.g. the reluctant hero, the showdown in a Western). It's how they're used that makes them cliché (e.g. everyone confidently struts away from explosions). So, I'll insert a D&D trope (common theme) followed by cliché (overuse has led to belief there's no longer thought involved, aka [B]lame[/B]). [LIST=1] [*][B]You're the only people trying to save the world.[/B] Always a noble motivator. Cliché: there's never anyone else out there simultaneously trying to stop the world-ending event [insert semi-plausible reason why Elminster or the 20th level king with a full nation at his back giving you the job can't.] [*][B]Kill them all and take their stuff. [/B]Way to improve gear. Cliché: this never causes problems with anyone, ever. When you strut into town with the belongings of dead people, even wearing their stuff, it's cool. [*][B]That's against my alignment. [/B]Tool to help with roleplaying rather than settle into your real-life self with pointy ears. Cliché: justification for being a disruptive ass or acting foolishly to see what the DM will do. [*][B]Damsel in Distress. [/B]Story plot to motivate. Cliché: too many stories have a young woman who needs help with probably an overbearing male figure in her life. [*][B]Drow. [/B]Cool bad guys that are beautiful, graceful, artistic but also super-deadly killers (at least in previous editions), slavers, and supreme race believers. Cliché: thanks to Drizz't, all bad guys are misunderstood and just waiting for the PCs to come around and see their inner wonderful self. Also, the dual-wielding drow and drow as a player class. [*][B]Dwarves with Irish/Scottish accents. [/B]It's not exotic if your fantasy races have a southern drawl. Cliché: do I have to explain it? Playing a dwarf while using Irish/Scottish accents. This also risks running into the cliché that using an accent is the same as roleplaying or good acting. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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Which played-out D&D trope needs to die?
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