Grand List of RPG Cliches

[Ashstripe]

project-apollo.net/text/rpg.html

It's funny because it's true!

If anyone has ever played an RPG in their entire life-time, they will recognise at least one cliche in the list.

The sad thing is, I've more or less encountered 95% of those cliches in my life time.

[ferretface]

That...that's...blatantly true...
Kinda makes ya wonder why I play 'em, although more recently I've been addicted to the Strategic side of things...ah well, there ya go

EDIT: Oh, but how could they forget...

If a character who fights at range, but not primarily with magic, uses a bow, then they must be female. If they fight at range, but not primarily with magic, and use a gun, they must be male.

[Ashstripe]

Yes, the "Compensation" rule XD. Quite common in Final Fantasy, not so much in the other RPGs I've played.

Breath of Fire III was guilty of a fair number of those clichés, the most notable being the one concerning the romance between two NPCs, only it was presented in a much more hilarious way. Good times.

Breath of Fire IV was the most irritating due to the "IN YOUR FACE JESUS!" rule. The final boss started at as the "God Emperor" then became a Dragon...Then became an even bigger Dragon.

I was quite shocked to find some of these cliché's rampant in FFX.

Fable I and II both had some off that list, Fable I's most annoying was "Noo! My beloved peasant village!". Both had the "George W Bush Geography Simplification initiative.".

Neverwinter Nights 2 had a fair few too, still a quality story and character development made up for it.


I never really considered RPG's to have much strategy, there's always a turning point in the game where you can essentially one-hit EVERYTHING, including bosses. It happened in BOF 3, BOF IV, FFX, Fable II, Morrowind, Oblivion and Neverwinter Nights 2.

And this is why, I think RPGs are getting worse, not better. I still play them though =P...When I'm not busy with Company of Heroes.