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fryplink
2010-10-28, 08:15 PM
So I am DMing a game of cliches, decent level optimization.
Those of you in my group who visit this forum, keep out of the spoilers.
I talking to you John!


So I need cliche's, I have a few such as:


Saving a princess
Overthrowing an evil lich overlord
Meeting in a tavern
La Resistance!


But I need more!


Every goblin in the world will be evil, Paladins will have SUTB syndrome,
though I plan on it suffering from Cerebrus syndrome, maybe even shaking the cliches when the whole cliches affair gets old.


The reason I am doing this is because my local geeking club has several games going, but all of them are special (one is and over the top unrealistically evil game and the other is a 10 kingdoms game [very low magic]) so i figured I'd run a vanilla game, so, naturally, so one suggested I go over the top and do one with all the classic cliches!

Zaydos
2010-10-28, 08:18 PM
The princess (who must be a blond virgin) needs to have been captured by a dragon who plans to eat her.

Dwarves must have a burning hatred for elves (and vice versa).

All wizards must have beards, and heavy cloaks.

Edit: Also the good kingdom's vizier needs to be a wizard (or maybe a sorcerer) who doesn't dress like one (he dresses like a noble of course), only has a goatee and is secretly plotting for the lich in return for ruling the kingdom as the lich's minion and is the reason the dragon has captured the princess.

Sploosh
2010-10-28, 08:23 PM
All wizards must have beards, and heavy cloaks.


Where are the monocless? All good wizards have one.

Urpriest
2010-10-28, 08:26 PM
Further, the dragon lives in a literal dungeon: there are cells, torture chambers, etc., all of them unoccupied and unused. The place is filled with traps, most of them in inconvenient places. Roll for wandering monster encounters every few hours no matter what else is happening.

fryplink
2010-10-28, 08:27 PM
I was sorta planning on the dragon to guard the princess, but i hadn't thought of evil advisor yet

kyoryu
2010-10-28, 08:28 PM
The princess (who must be a blond virgin) needs to have been captured by a dragon who plans to eat her.

Dwarves must have a burning hatred for elves (and vice versa).

All wizards must have beards, and heavy cloaks.

Edit: Also the good kingdom's vizier needs to be a wizard (or maybe a sorcerer) who doesn't dress like one (he dresses like a noble of course), only has a goatee and is secretly plotting for the lich in return for ruling the kingdom as the lich's minion and is the reason the dragon has captured the princess.

What would actually be really, really cool is to subvert the tropes - the blond virginal princess does need to be saved from a dragon - but the dragon has shapeshifted into human form, and the princess is actually an amazonian warrior princess.

Goblins are evil, but they're actually cunning merchants systematically leeching resources from civilized towns.

You get vanilla - only different. Like French Vanilla, or Vanilla Bean ice cream.

fryplink
2010-10-28, 08:30 PM
What would actually be really, really cool is to subvert the tropes - the blond virginal princess does need to be saved from a dragon - but the dragon has shapeshifted into human form, and the princess is actually an amazonian warrior princess.

Goblins are evil, but they're actually cunning merchants systematically leeching resources from civilized towns.

You get vanilla - only different. Like French Vanilla, or Vanilla Bean ice cream.

I might do this when the cliches get old, but the point is sort of to go with the tropes. Though I'm thinking about having it constantly changing up, sometimes going with tropes, other times subverting them, but for the first session (pretty much helping the resistance with food collection) I'm taking my overused cliches straight

Calmness
2010-10-28, 08:31 PM
One of the PCs needs a legendary super sword meant to vanquish evil.

NPCs are worthless in combat, and the ones that are powerful will always have a convenient excuse to avoid fighting.

Urpriest
2010-10-28, 08:32 PM
One of the PCs needs a legendary super sword meant to vanquish evil.

NPCs are worthless in combat, and the ones that are powerful will always have a convenient excuse to avoid fighting.

Adding to this: quests to fetch water, books from across the room, etc.

fryplink
2010-10-28, 08:32 PM
One of the PCs needs a legendary super sword meant to vanquish evil.

NPCs are worthless in combat, and the ones that are powerful will always have a convenient excuse to avoid fighting.

Was planning on having NPC's being over the top weak. Had not thought of super sword.

The lich might be a heros father if a certain PC emerges as group leader, the PC with the least effect on the game to point will be the Liches pre death son

dsmiles
2010-10-28, 08:35 PM
Really? As if you didn't already know:

All rogues must steal the party's stuff.
The King must be nearly senile.
The princess never misses a shot.
The guards are incompetent.

Yes, all of these, and more can be yours with a simple click (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage).

Thrawn183
2010-10-28, 08:40 PM
At the beginning, quests to reveal the characters' names and such.

Edit: a tutorial dungeon to start off. Like... the wizard has to burn through a spider web with a fireball to leave his starting location.

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-28, 08:43 PM
Where are the monocless? All good wizards have one.

And in order to qualify for epic wizardry, you need at least two monocles.

If a wizard has pale skin, it must be a necromancer, and necromancers are ALWAYS evil.

All characters of a given race are either their favored class, or clerics of their racial deity.

If a MM entry says "Usually X" then any important minor character will have an opposed alignment on only one of the axises.

Lawful means intelligent and wise, unless it's a paladin, or a chaotic elf.

All rogues are thieves.

Dragons are feral, and lack the intelligence to do anything but swoop down and fillet any PCs. The high int in their stat block is only so they get extra skills, unless they're in a human alternate form.

As the dragon-princess relationship, I've encountered it more times that the dragon wants the princess in order to to breed out some half-dragons of noble blood, usually in league with a sorcerer/sorceress who is a descendant of the dragon. This sorc has an alter-boy type relationship with their dragon ancestor.

Good dragons do not exist, and will not interfere with evil dragons, unless the PCs are evil, or mention that they do not exist.

Zaydos
2010-10-28, 08:49 PM
What would actually be really, really cool is to subvert the tropes - the blond virginal princess does need to be saved from a dragon - but the dragon has shapeshifted into human form, and the princess is actually an amazonian warrior princess.

Goblins are evil, but they're actually cunning merchants systematically leeching resources from civilized towns.

You get vanilla - only different. Like French Vanilla, or Vanilla Bean ice cream.

Subverting tropes is at this point more cliche than playing them straight.

So... that seems fitting.

Iceforge
2010-10-28, 08:54 PM
At some point, they need to come across and NPC who is desperately in love with another NPC, but doesn't dare tell the NPC he or she is in love with, so instead confines in total strangers to help him/her get the girl/guy

Kaulesh
2010-10-28, 08:59 PM
When you reach the tower the princess is in and defeat the vile dragon, a Mi-go tells you that the princess is in a different castle.

The tutorial dungeon mentioned earlier must have rats. Lots and lots of rats.

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-28, 09:07 PM
I just got a great one...

When the characters are traveling through a narrow tunnel which they can barely squeeze through, when they encounter an enemy, all of a sudden the area becomes more accommodating, and a map opens up to a wide area in which the PCs can maneuver effectively.

Kobolds are never mid-leveled. They are either CR 1/4 cannon fodder, or Machiavellian mastermind.

fryplink
2010-10-28, 09:12 PM
These are great guys, I didn't feel like wasting several hours, so I didn't search TV tropes.

Plus its much more fun to see what you guys can think up!

Thrawn183
2010-10-28, 09:22 PM
They have to fight the BBEG before they've done hardly anything else. He's completely invincible to their attacks and leaves them unconcious after defeating them. Time skip two years until they're actually ready to go adventuring.

Kaulesh
2010-10-28, 09:32 PM
They have to fight the BBEG before they've done hardly anything else. He's completely invincible to their attacks and leaves them unconcious after defeating them. Time skip two years until they're actually ready to go adventuring.

Bonus points if they're children at the point where they get beat up. They have penalties to every stat and have equipment typical to playing children - this trash can lid is the Holy Shield of Xyzzy, this stick is the Magic Sword of Dragonslaying.

Edit: One player must be from a race whose alignment is opposite the party's. He or she plays similar to Drizzt, throwing off the shackles of his race.

vv Double bonus points if the jail they escape from leads to a sewer which doubles as the tutorial dungeon.

OracleofWuffing
2010-10-28, 09:37 PM
The PCs must, at some point, escape from a jail.

Actually, you know what? Before there was TVTropes, there was this (http://project-apollo.net/text/rpg.html). Granted, it's console instead of pen and paper, but most of the things there are still valid. Also The Evil Overlord List (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html) if you need motivation for your enemies.

Zaydos
2010-10-28, 10:02 PM
For villain motivation the big bad wants to conquer the world... or at least until his plans are foiled a few times when it degrades to For the Evulz.

Also any beautiful woman who hits on the PCs must be an evil succubus that wants to drain their life force.

Show
2010-10-28, 10:22 PM
Also, don't forget the prophecy. Read it aloud before the game begins. When the game does start, a wizened sage must tell the warrior(who has high charisma. Duh.) that he has been chosen to slay an ancient evil. He also must find a band of bold allies to help him. Once the party has been assembled(in the tavern, of course), they are given a quest to find the holy awesome +5 slaying magic sword. On their way, they must be attacked by a powerful enemy. Just before they are overwhelmed, another PC(the drizzt type one) saves them. They find the sword and the party defeats another BBEG with it. However, when they return to the town, it has been destroyed. Party swears to slay dragon, fulfilling first part of prophecy.

Make sure that a PC almost dies in a few of the most important boss fights. It adds significance to the events.
Also, play all of the NPCs in the most cliched way possible. For instance, the bartenders are all slightly overweight, middle aged ex-adventurers, while the barmaids are all 20 years old. Exactly. Bonus points if they're all his daughters. No matter how many there are.

The party can only use light, holy magic. Likewise, the enemies can only use bad bad evil magic, preferably with the [evil] subtype. This is because they are all pure evil bad not good doom guys. No chance of redemption. Ever. If the PCs allow them a chance to mend their ways, enemies will betray them as soon as they possibly can.

Valameer
2010-10-28, 10:50 PM
If anyone plays a straight fighter, give them the Super Sword. Also bump their charisma up to 18.

Charisma = physical attractiveness from now on.

Druids all live in the forest, and are tree-huggers.

Elves had a marvelous civilization, but they are long past their zenith, and ready to leave "the lands of Man."

The dwarves dug too greedily, and too deep.


Also any beautiful woman who hits on the PCs must be an evil succubus that wants to drain their life force.

That's a good one, but it's actually a very old subversion - used so often that it became the cliche. Especially cliche for D&Ders. So you could play it like this, or make a beautiful damsel in distress an actual damsel in distress, no matter how odd her location. Either way it's very tropey :smallsmile:.

The evil vizier-wizard deserves another mention. With a mind-controlled king.

A PC is actually a prince, but doesn't know it.

There are seven princesses, and each one more beautiful than the last. The youngest one just turned 16, and unlike her sisters, she is tormented by love of wanderlust and un-princessy things.

A PC, probably the one that's closest to the fighter-guy, or the dwarf, or the paladin, has to die heroically at an epic moment. He could then come back, but now he has higher wisdom.

A Goddess or divine avatar should personally bestow the mission upon the PCs.

When sailing they get attacked by a kraken - then drift into a maelstrom.

The fighter's super sword breaks in the fight against his lich father, moments after the "big father-son reveal." Then the elves put it back together, better than before.

The down on her luck, super-cute barmaid in that first tavern (the one the adventure starts in) would actually make an excellent party member. But they only realise this after their home town (and the tavern) is burnt down by the BBEG. They hear of how she heroically saved the children.

...Actually a cliche game sounds pretty awesome. Very different from everything I'm used to these days (Eberron). Hope it's fun! :smallbiggrin:

VirOath
2010-10-28, 10:53 PM
Don't forget cults. A cliche campaign should have a cult rising up as soon as another is burned out, always threatening and plotting. What for? Vecna knows.

kyoryu
2010-10-28, 10:58 PM
Oooooh, I know! There are N magical thingies (swords, whatever), where N is the number of PCs. Together, they combine them and are the destined fated heroes of blah de blah de blah.

All drow dual-wield scimitars.

VirOath
2010-10-28, 11:03 PM
All drow dual-wield scimitars.

Well, they don't all dual-wield, but it's the starting package. But all drow NPCs outside of Underdark are Chaotic Good. All Drow inside the Underdark are Lawful Evil, and know about their rebellious teenagers.

kyoryu
2010-10-28, 11:13 PM
They travel to four realms, one of fire, one of air, one of water, one of earth.

Okay, maybe that's more of a video game trope, but still...

VirOath
2010-10-28, 11:25 PM
Actually, ripping off the Final Fantasy storyline is a good one. Include the Time Paradox at the end. :smallbiggrin:

fryplink
2010-10-28, 11:35 PM
Actually, ripping off the Final Fantasy storyline is a good one. Include the Time Paradox at the end. :smallbiggrin:

i've always found that ripping off final fantasy makes for a decent story

TheThan
2010-10-28, 11:46 PM
All good (male) wizards have long grey beards and pointy hats (preferably with a star motif).
All evil (male) wizards have sort goatees and dress in elegant robes of obviously evil colors (red crimson works good).
All sorceress are evil and dress in skimpy dresses and are very sexual.
All priestess must be virgins, unless they’re evil
The queen is an evil sorceress (see above)
All princesses are ditzy blonde virgins (that get kidnapped by dragons and evil overlords)
All tavern owners are retired adventurers

Eloel
2010-10-29, 12:18 AM
The dwarves dug too greedily, and too deep.


You have just won 1 (one) internet.

Toric
2010-10-29, 01:13 AM
Don't forget, the very first combat must be in the cellar of the tavern the party meets in. Versus rats.

ffone
2010-10-29, 01:53 AM
What would actually be really, really cool is to subvert the tropes - the blond virginal princess does need to be saved from a dragon - but the dragon has shapeshifted into human form, and the princess is actually an amazonian warrior princess.

Goblins are evil, but they're actually cunning merchants systematically leeching resources from civilized towns.

You get vanilla - only different. Like French Vanilla, or Vanilla Bean ice cream.

Subverting tropes is well and good, but in my experience there are some anti-tropes that are more cliche than the supposed original tropes. It's possible my experience is not representative:

-Damsels in distress actually tend to be either powerful DMPCs (often with gods in their family tree etc.) or disguised villainesses / 'traps' (succubi etc.) in my experience.

-Paladins and other 'knight in shining armor guys' are either drooling Lawful Stupid morons, or horrible stormtrooper fascists (basically the player/DM channeling their quasipolitical views that religiosity = groupthink or oppression).

-Thieves' guild bosses are charming, handsome mavericks. They are morally and qualitatively superior to any noblemen who make their money on the 'white market', (who are always incompetent snobs or slobs).

-Every king is either Santa Claus or Hitler. (Probably the former if he's a 'king', the latter if he's an 'emperor'.)



Subverting tropes is at this point more cliche than playing them straight.

So... that seems fitting.

More pithily said!



I just got a great one...

When the characters are traveling through a narrow tunnel which they can barely squeeze through, when they encounter an enemy, all of a sudden the area becomes more accommodating, and a map opens up to a wide area in which the PCs can maneuver effectively.


LOL yes do this! A Final Fantasy style campaign where eah battle just has its own 'battle board' that has nothing to do with the terrain (it looks like it but has no spatial semblance). Bonus points if you start the PCs and enemies 'lined up' against each other, with the PCs in the order Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, Wizard (final fantasy white mages are squishier than rogues, like cloistered clerics but possibly with no armor at all).



Oooooh, I know! There are N magical thingies (swords, whatever), where N is the number of PCs. Together, they combine them and are the destined fated heroes of blah de blah de blah.

All drow dual-wield scimitars.

In the final fight, when the PCs have their N MacGuffins, give the PCs a Summon Captain Planet type ability.

But so he doesn't steal the show, rather than attacking himself, have him cast some random buff spell that lets all the PCs automatically overcome the BBEG's ridiculous DR and SR.

fryplink
2010-10-29, 11:29 AM
You guys are doing great, i just have to attach this stuff to maps!

Thanks, keep it coming!

Hironomus
2010-10-29, 12:05 PM
All bards play the lute. No exceptions.

fryplink
2010-10-29, 12:12 PM
All bards play the lute. No exceptions.

IDK Ocarina might be a valid option....

Nero24200
2010-10-29, 12:21 PM
The party may need to compete with up and comming heroes, all of which are orphans recovering from the foster parent's death after their village was raided by bandits.

And don't forget to include a McGuffen which only works/works better in the presence of friendship/true love.

Worlok
2010-10-29, 12:36 PM
Don't forget orcs. Lots of orcs. Who are constantly described as a very real threat, despite being nigh-mindless, low-HP charger-lemmings. They are obviously controlled by some evil wizard or other (*cough* "vizier" *cough*). Also, they have a cave troll.

Zaydos
2010-10-29, 12:42 PM
The evil wizard has a demon in a summoning circle who will beg the PCs to release him, offering to help them in exchange. Of course he actually means help them to die.

All male elves look rather androgynous.

Female elves look either androgynous to the point that you can't tell them apart from the males, or look very female.

Female dwarves have beards.

All halflings are gluttonous.

Gnomes have a penchant for accidental explosions.

The dragon's treasure is purely made up of golden coins (except for maybe a golden goblet) upon which it is sitting when the PCs first encounter it (for better effect remove the treasure from the rest of the dungeon so its pile of gold can be even bigger).

There is a more experienced hero that either saves the PCs a few times or is missing when the game starts. He turns evil later on.

Half-Orc Rage
2010-10-29, 12:55 PM
You need to have at least one plan where the PCs get to beat up some bad guys, take their clothes, and then go in disguise.

There needs to be quicksand at some point.

Someone needs to have had their family killed and is seeking revenge.

There should be an evil overlord as a main villain. Maybe he even twirls a mustache, this guy should not be subtle at all. Maybe he's the advisor to the king seeking the throne for himself, or that's another guy working for the overlord.

Someone is just a peasant from a secluded farm village, but they are really the heir to some kind of power or some kind of chosen one or something. They get warned by a mentor figure right before the village is attacked. Seriously, this is every freaking fantasy, this is Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, tons of characters.

Valameer
2010-10-29, 01:07 PM
Eragon...

Actually, if you can stand it, watch Eragon, and just shamelessly rip it off*. Very cliche.

The evil overlord who used to be a respectable knight, but is now a usurper. The mentor who gets wiped out. The big castle fortress to infiltrate to rescue the princess. The friend guy who seems-evil-at-first-but-it's-ok-cause-he's-only-just-troubled. The force - err - magic (it's strong in this one).


*Lord knows it's just a big-ol-tropey rip-off mashup anyhow.


You have just won 1 (one) internet.

Awesome! Thanks Ozgun92. :smallbiggrin: I always wanted an internet*

dsmiles
2010-10-29, 01:10 PM
The friend guy who seems-evil-at-first-but-it's-ok-cause-he's-only-just-troubled.

Only until he gets mind controlled later in the book series.

kyoryu
2010-10-29, 01:17 PM
The "evil" tyrant that is really trying to do good, but is horribly misguided.

Kaulesh
2010-10-29, 01:29 PM
Only until he gets mind controlled later in the book series.

The friend guy who seems chummy and nice but is actually evil. Possibly the BBEG.

A childhood friend is "killed" only to appear later on the side of the BBEG. He will either trounce the PCs handily only to be brought to the light as he's preparing for the killing blow or he must sadly be put down. If he is brought to the good side, he will then go through the transformation listed below.

All NPCs must know super spells like Meteor Swarm, Chain Lightning, etc. When the NPCs join the PCs for a time, they suddenly develop temporary amnesia and can only cast Flare. Their hit point totals also get cut into a quarter of what they were. When they leave the party, their amnesia disappears and they suddenly become much more buff.

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-29, 05:07 PM
-Damsels in distress actually tend to be either powerful DMPCs (often with gods in their family tree etc.)

For a good reinforcement of this trope, make her a gestalt Wizard(Or Sorceress)//Factotum named Mary Sue. For a good way to make this entertaining to your PCs, have her either lose her hero status (becoming a villain,) or better yet, their power source (in this case, divine blood, her deity parent is no longer a deity, or just doesn't like her any more.)


-Thieves' guild bosses are charming, handsome mavericks. They are morally and qualitatively superior to any noblemen who make their money on the 'white market', (who are always incompetent snobs or slobs).

I was just thinking this after I posted my last one...


In the final fight, when the PCs have their N MacGuffins, give the PCs a Summon Captain Planet type ability.

But so he doesn't steal the show, rather than attacking himself, have him cast some random buff spell that lets all the PCs automatically overcome the BBEG's ridiculous DR and SR.

I'd think it'd be awesome to make the Captain Planet thing would work better as a Power Ranger-type mecha (zordon wasn't it called?), and the PCs have to fight over control over what it does, have everyone either roll a charisma check or a will save for control over it. Bonus points if its creation is done by just "adding up" all of the players total stats and abilities.


Don't forget orcs. Lots of orcs. Who are constantly described as a very real threat, despite being nigh-mindless, low-HP charger-lemmings. They are obviously controlled by some evil wizard or other (*cough* "vizier" *cough*). Also, they have a cave troll.

I've got an idea of a interesting subversion, everyone, even the NPCs are Genre Savvy (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GenreSavvy) as in someone makes the remark "Of course the vizier is evil, that's what a vizier is supposed to be, someone who subverts the King with sinister plots.

Bonus points if most NPCs (the lesser important ones) only know one line of dialogue.


There is a more experienced hero that either saves the PCs a few times or is missing when the game starts. He turns evil later on.

If you use this, that PC has to have either the elven name, a code name of, or somehow be named "Grey Fox."

SilverLeaf167
2010-10-30, 03:44 AM
If you use this, that PC has to have either the elven name, a code name of, or somehow be named "Grey Fox."
Is that an Oblivion reference?

# The King just "randomly encounters" the players, and suddenly freezes when he sees them. "You... you are the one from my dreams. You shall save the world!"
Oblivion players should get this one.
# The King needs you to find his heir, who was taken away as a baby.
# Gates to Hell etc. are opening around the world, requiring heroes to close them.

ShellBullet
2010-10-30, 03:51 AM
One of PC must be a bastard child from either royal family or from one of more powerful noble families, a critical to plot NPC will do in a pinch.

HenryHankovitch
2010-10-30, 11:08 AM
In the dungeon, you come across what appears to be a large steel door, with no visible lock or opening mechanism. In a niche next to the door is a pedestal with a small mechanism on top of it. It consists of three vertical posts, with metal rings of graded size stacked into a pyramid on the leftmost post.

If anyone takes any of the rings and moves them to any of the other posts, the entire device explodes, knocking a hole in the wall next to the door.

Accersitus
2010-10-30, 11:46 AM
Be careful with describing rooms.
-Every bookcase has a secret tunnel behind it.
-Every carpet has a trap door beneath it.
-If there is a chandelier someone has to swing from it,
if the PCs don't have an NPC ready.

Dr.Epic
2010-10-30, 12:17 PM
Evil government
Corrupt church
The most powerful weapon they will come across is a sword
The Big Bad is a brother of one of the main character (most likely the fighter of the party)
The PCs are all Chosen Ones

Calmness
2010-10-30, 12:51 PM
There could be a case of amnesia somewhere. Like, one of the NPCs is a lost prince whose father was deposed by a tyrant, but he doesn't actually remember. The PCs are asked to find him and help him take back the throne.

nedz
2010-10-30, 01:16 PM
If you use this, that PC has to have either the elven name, a code name of, or somehow be named "Grey Fox."

You mean something like:
Mistaraca, Sinraca, Mistanarmo, Sinarmo or if he's also a werewolf Mistanauro or Sinauro

(from http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/wordlists.htm)

Ed:
Oops - you said Fox, I did wolf (still a good cliche)
Grey Fox would be Mistarusco or Sinrusci

Dr.Epic
2010-10-30, 02:57 PM
All old men have long beards, wear robes, and contain plot hooks for the next adventure, and they are vague but still informative that you know what to do:

"Bandits have shown up in the southern parts of town."
"A boy saw a large monster in the woods."

Also, a member of royalty has fallen ill, is bedridden, and only a magical macguffin can cure him.

Absent king with a daughter in charge but she's still somehow a princess.

Thrawn183
2010-10-30, 03:45 PM
Alright, we've got a decent number of cliches. I know the OP wanted some subversions for later in the campaign.

I was thinking an evil king that mind controls his vizier into pretending to be evil as a scapegoat.

Worlok
2010-10-30, 04:07 PM
The princess is an epic-level non-blonde sorceress who has taken the dragon hostage? :smallbiggrin:

Unrest
2010-10-30, 04:12 PM
Search function is borked for me now, if you manage then do a search for "Cliched game of cliches" on these forums. There were some real good ones, among them my favourite table on how to create names for places the PCs visit. Desolate Deserts of Destruction FTW.

Kaulesh
2010-10-30, 06:32 PM
Search function is borked for me now, if you manage then do a search for "Cliched game of cliches" on these forums. There were some real good ones, among them my favourite table on how to create names for places the PCs visit. Desolate Deserts of Destruction FTW.

Linky (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127476)

Dark_Nohn
2010-10-30, 10:14 PM
"Grey Fox" is a Metal Gear (NES) reference, surprised no one got it, as "Contact missing our Grey Fox" is one of the more famous lines from that game, next so such classics as "I feel asleep now." and "The truck have started to move."

dsmiles
2010-10-31, 05:05 AM
"Grey Fox" is a Metal Gear (NES) reference, surprised no one got it, as "Contact missing our Grey Fox" is one of the more famous lines from that game, next so such classics as "I feel asleep now." and "The truck have started to move."

I thought it was a reference to Oblivion, which itself referenced Metal Gear. :smalltongue:

nedz
2010-10-31, 09:06 AM
"Grey Fox" is a Metal Gear (NES) reference, surprised no one got it, as "Contact missing our Grey Fox" is one of the more famous lines from that game, next so such classics as "I feel asleep now." and "The truck have started to move."

Sorry, don't know it.

I do like the Mister Rusco/Mistarusco pun though :smallbiggrin:

Janus
2010-10-31, 02:40 PM
When the players find the princess, she is being lowered into a lava pit as a sacrifice. There's a nearby lever (or wheel) that can bring her back up, but the mooks (and possibly villain) will do everything to keep the heroes away from it.

Also, the enemy guards need to be complete idiots. They should be distracted by the heroes throwing a rock in a random direction, or simply come out in the open when a hero says, "Hey! Come over here!"

Frenchy147
2010-10-31, 02:48 PM
Where are the monocless? All good wizards have one.

love the reference lol

super dark33
2010-10-31, 02:51 PM
The ghost of the loved King is seeking revenge on <BBEG> who killed him,
they need to go to a tower where they must climb and fight a boss in every floor.
(hah! you will NEVER beat me! the minotour with two axes that cant hit a target!)

the clumsy bard
2010-11-01, 09:20 AM
The BBEG is nigh invincible except for that one spot that his armor or spells don't cover

read: Achilles heel

Thrawn183
2010-11-01, 09:24 AM
When the players find the princess, she is being lowered into a lava pit as a sacrifice. There's a nearby lever (or wheel) that can bring her back up, but the mooks (and possibly villain) will do everything to keep the heroes away from it.


They also need to try and mind control one of the PC's into lowering the princess.

Janus
2010-11-01, 11:09 AM
Also, rather than the Lawful Stupid paladin, you could have one that's very much a knight-in-shining armor, is smart, likeable, but the players notice that his teeth quite literally shine in the sunlight whenever he smiles.
In other words- paladin turns into a likeable Gary Stu (assuming the knight is male, going along with the classic trope/cliche). The movie The Great Race has an excellent example of this type of character.


They also need to try and mind control one of the PC's into lowering the princess.

Bonus points if someone declares their love for the dominated character (either romantic or friendship) in their attempts to bring him/her back.

Mordaenor
2010-11-01, 11:29 AM
Of course, in order to rescue said cliche Princess from said cliche dragon, one must first obtain the 3 (or 4 or 7) keys (or coins or crystals or rings or spoons) which have been hidden through out the land. Of course said magic items aren't actually HIDDEN but locked away in the heart of Temples that are fairly easy to find, just difficult to get to. And they are located in places which no architecht in their right mind, even with magical aid, would ever willingly build anything, like the bottom of a lake, the top of a tree, or the heart of a volcano.

Janus
2010-11-01, 11:50 AM
Of course, in order to rescue said cliche Princess from said cliche dragon, one must first obtain the 3 (or 4 or 7) keys (or coins or crystals or rings or spoons) which have been hidden through out the land. Of course said magic items aren't actually HIDDEN but locked away in the heart of Temples that are fairly easy to find, just difficult to get to. And they are located in places which no architecht in their right mind, even with magical aid, would ever willingly build anything, like the bottom of a lake, the top of a tree, or the heart of a volcano.

And the temples have skull-shaped entrances, of course.

Mordaenor
2010-11-01, 12:16 PM
And the temples have skull-shaped entrances, of course.

Well of course. In fact the Temples give off a generally Foreboding and "Evil" vibe, even though we're informed that they are in fact holy places built by the (Gods, Wisemen, Paladin Lords) Because anyone knows, nothing says "Righteous Piety" like worshipping at the Skull Temple in the heart of a Volcano.

Kaulesh
2010-11-01, 01:01 PM
the heart of a volcano.

The heroes must pass mere inches from indescribably hot magma and suffer no ill effects, either from heat or fumes.

kyoryu
2010-11-01, 01:10 PM
Evil is ugly. Good is beautiful.

Except for the bad guy (or gal!) who is indescribably beautiful, but obviously utterly evil.

Mordaenor
2010-11-01, 01:29 PM
Evil is ugly. Good is beautiful.

Except for the bad guy (or gal!) who is indescribably beautiful, but obviously utterly evil.

Although, if the Bad Guy is male, he may forego being indescribably beautiful in favor of being indescribably ugly, which is equally effective at controlling prisoners and henchman. Female Boss Monsters do not get this option as they must control their minions and prisoners through lust, and no one wants to work for an ugly chick.

Exception: Female Boss Monster maybe ugly if her employees are Winged Monkeys.

kyoryu
2010-11-01, 01:37 PM
Although, if the Bad Guy is male, he may forego being indescribably beautiful in favor of being indescribably ugly, which is equally effective at controlling prisoners and henchman. Female Boss Monsters do not get this option as they must control their minions and prisoners through lust, and no one wants to work for an ugly chick.

Exception: Female Boss Monster maybe ugly if her employees are Winged Monkeys.

Ah yes, sorry... I meant 'the bad guy' as in 'that one bad guy', not as in 'THE bad guy.'

Female villains must be beautiful, but over-the-top sensual/sexual. Unless they're old, in which case they must be ugly beyond belief. They may have inhuman feature, but this will only enhance their exotic beauty.

Bonus points if the female villains only maintain their beauty through unspeakable acts.

Female villains may also have a "true" form which is indescribably ugly.

Good female NPCs, on the other hand, should be beautiful but wholesome.

Mordaenor
2010-11-01, 01:58 PM
Female villains may also have a "true" form which is indescribably ugly.

However, if this is the case, the form must be so alien as to no longer being distuishable as male or female, such as a mass of writhing tentacles.