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20percentcooler
2012-05-03, 06:59 AM
My friends and I are trying to create a very trope filled backstory. Name some backstory tropes. Ex. Born in a small town, child prodigy, etc.

mcv
2012-05-03, 07:15 AM
An orphan, raised by an old adventurer, prophesied to save the world from some terrible evil. (This is about half the fantasy CRPGs out there.)

A farm boy, secretly the rightful heir to the realm, proven by a unique birthmark. Maybe also one heirloom (like a magic sword).

Sith_Happens
2012-05-03, 07:29 AM
An orphan, raised by an old adventurer, prophesied to save the world from some terrible evil. (This is about half the fantasy CRPGs out there.)

A farm boy, secretly the rightful heir to the realm, proven by a unique birthmark. Maybe also one heirloom (like a magic sword).

Whose hometown is destroyed. That part's important.:smallwink:

Craft (Cheese)
2012-05-03, 07:42 AM
Who says those are mutually exclusive?

An orphan who is secretly the rightful heir raised by an old adventurer and is prophesized to save the world from a terrible evil by claiming his rightful place as king with his definitive birthmark/heirloom.

With the help of his "adorable" comic relief sidekick Mittens the Genderless Pink Goblin, a monster who laments over the inherent evilness of hir species and only wants to make up for hir species' sins, and joined by his assistant the spunky girl who is also secretly royalty somehow and whom has an incredibly obvious crush on him that he refuses to acknowledge while simultaneously angsting about his inability to Find True Love, but will never leave his side no matter how much he abuses her.

Also he wields giant swords and walks around all day (and sleeps all night) in very tight, revealing armor that gives clear access to the sternum, yet somehow provides the same protection as full plate. The hero has also sworn out to destroy a villaind, who murdered the hero's adopted father (who taught him everything he knows about swordfighting) and whom he believes murdered the hero's father, but in reality turns out to be the hero's father. And his nephew. Insert inbreeding nobility jokes here.

I should probably stop now.

20percentcooler
2012-05-03, 08:36 AM
Insert inbreeding nobility jokes here

Targaryen *cough cough*

DrBurr
2012-05-03, 08:11 PM
Don't forget vengeance if your character isn't after vengeance for killing say their veteran adventurer father then whos going to stop that bad guy who dresses in all black

Knaight
2012-05-03, 08:25 PM
Most of what needs to be covered has been covered. I'd throw in amnesia (as seen in video games, as opposed to how it actual amnesia) and some sort of locket with the picture of a family member in it - probably a younger sister, it seems traditional.

Vladislav
2012-05-03, 08:26 PM
I feel compelled to mention this (http://www.craphound.com/images/frodoharryskywalker_furymix.jpg)

Craft (Cheese)
2012-05-03, 09:00 PM
I'd throw in amnesia (as seen in video games, as opposed to how it actual amnesia)

Of course! How could I forget amnesia?

Knaight
2012-05-03, 09:43 PM
Of course! How could I forget amnesia?

Was this a deliberate pun?

TheCountAlucard
2012-05-03, 11:29 PM
There's quite a difference between tropes and cliches.

Sith_Happens
2012-05-04, 01:15 AM
There's quite a difference between tropes and cliches.

Sort of; all cliches are tropes, but not all tropes are cliches.

Slipperychicken
2012-05-04, 11:50 PM
There's also being a noble's kid, and "rebelling" against them by running away to live as a shotgun-hobo Adventurer.

I've seen this one far too many times for my taste. Last campaign alone, we had 3 runaway nobility and a King in the party. No, we didn't coordinate it beforehand. I don't want to see another noble-blooded adventurer ever again. (Seriously, if noble life was so awful, why would anyone do it at all?)

Traab
2012-05-05, 01:25 PM
A nobles son, who wants with all his heart to be something other than king, runs away from home to become a traveling bard. He hides his true identity from his friends, until his past catches up with him.

Righteous Doggy
2012-05-05, 01:31 PM
Don't forget they at some point met the main villain and he has a ridiculously specific trait by which to recognize, but it takes forever to find it. Probably something about having a giant scar, disfigured possibly red right hand.

nedz
2012-05-05, 02:47 PM
Don't forget the treasure map/arcane clue/prophesy tatooed/burnt on to their skin.

Roguenewb
2012-05-05, 03:36 PM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.

Wyntonian
2012-05-05, 09:16 PM
My Parents Are Deeeeeeeeaaaaaaaddddd!!!!!

Elemental
2012-05-05, 10:06 PM
Hmm... We seem to have forgotten the pendant that the amnesiac orphaned hero possesses which proves that the ransom person they met who decided to join their group for seemingly no reason is their sibling...

vulcanbardmoon
2012-05-05, 11:00 PM
Don't forget to include a bickering love interest he met, most likely in a tavern, with whom he bickers constantly while he angsts about whatever ridiculous thing stands between them being together.

Sith_Happens
2012-05-05, 11:46 PM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.

The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.

nedz
2012-05-06, 05:13 AM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.

Well not quite - in the backstory your father is dead, it is only later that you discover that he is the BBEG's luitenant.

Sith_Happens
2012-05-06, 06:01 AM
Well not quite - in the backstory your father is dead, it is only later that you discover that he is the BBEG's luitenant.

Wait, do you nest the quote boxes like that manually? Because whenever I (or pretty much anyone else) clicks to quote something it leaves out all quote-boxes in the quoted post.:smallconfused:

nedz
2012-05-06, 06:21 AM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.Wait, do you nest the quote boxes like that manually? Because whenever I (or pretty much anyone else) clicks to quote something it leaves out all quote-boxes in the quoted post.:smallconfused:

Click on the '' of the first post(s)
Click Quote on the last post
This gives you a reply edit box with both/all quotes.
Cut and Paste

nedz
2012-05-06, 06:24 AM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.Well not quite - in the backstory your father is dead, it is only later that you discover that he is the BBEG's luitenant.Wait, do you nest the quote boxes like that manually? Because whenever I (or pretty much anyone else) clicks to quote something it leaves out all quote-boxes in the quoted post.:smallconfused:

Damm, missed one :smallcool:

Craft (Cheese)
2012-05-06, 07:13 AM
The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.

If you try to subvert this by giving your character a happy, healthy relationship with their family, this relationship will be completely destroyed within the first few sessions. Better* to just kill them off in your backstory and let it be done with.

* Unless your GM is clever, in which case they'll come back as Bodaks hunting you down or something.

Mastikator
2012-05-06, 08:06 AM
Just copy the background story of Senor Vorpal Kickasso (http://www.goblinscomic.com/09032005/).

Sith_Happens
2012-05-06, 10:09 AM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.

The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.

Well not quite - in the backstory your father is dead, it is only later that you discover that he is the BBEG's luitenant.

Wait, do you nest the quote boxes like that manually? Because whenever I (or pretty much anyone else) clicks to quote something it leaves out all quote-boxes in the quoted post.:smallconfused:

Damm, missed one :smallcool:

Nest ALL the quotes!:smallbiggrin: Which is probably exactly why it doesn't do so automatically.

nedz
2012-05-06, 11:43 AM
If your parents are alive, you aren't D&D backstorying hard enough. That's a rule to live by.
The exception, of course, being if one or both of them is an antagonist.Well not quite - in the backstory your father is dead, it is only later that you discover that he is the BBEG's luitenant.Wait, do you nest the quote boxes like that manually? Because whenever I (or pretty much anyone else) clicks to quote something it leaves out all quote-boxes in the quoted post.:smallconfused:Click on the '' of the first post(s)
Click Quote on the last post
This gives you a reply edit box with both/all quotes.
Cut and PasteNest ALL the quotes!:smallbiggrin: Which is probably exactly why it doesn't do so automatically.

Easy isn't it :smallbiggrin:
Actually there are forum rules about excessive formating, so I don't normally overdo it.

Lord Tyger
2012-05-06, 11:54 AM
It is open to abuse.Easy isn't it :smallbiggrin:
Actually there are forum rules about excessive formating, so I don't normally overdo it.It is open to abuse.Easy isn't it :smallbiggrin:
Actually there are forum rules about excessive formating, so I don't normally overdo it.


It is open to abuse.

Back on topic- it's not about the individual elements- most that aren't just raving gibberish will have been used already, it's about how you combine and flavor them. Really the most effective way to showcase what you seem to be trying to do is to have the character's personality entirely defined by two or three of the most common tropes- have him say things like, "All I have of my parents is this mysterious amulet, I wonder what it could possibly signify," all the time.

nedz
2012-05-06, 03:57 PM
Actually the most Uncreative backstory I normally encounter is this












Thats right - a blank sheet of paper

Templarkommando
2012-05-07, 01:21 AM
I think a funny backstory would be pretty good.

Decided to adventure after house stood up and ran away - accidentally causing the death of his one true love. Adventuring is of course a convenient way to escape from the Home Owners Association who has placed a bounty on his head of a few hundred gold pieces. It is also a means to exact revenge on the evil wizard who animated his house and killed his girlfriend. Also, the wizard kicked his dog.

dehro
2012-05-07, 08:16 AM
huh..guys.. the evil twin brother?

Socratov
2012-05-07, 11:15 AM
and don't forget the anti-anti-christ, only he can save the world on a quest of vengenace, ascending to godhood, descending again, finding a nice wife and house, getting her and his kids killed in a freak accident, hell-bent on a quest of vengeance again...

GenericGuy
2012-05-07, 12:54 PM
Of course when not being raised by a retired adventurer, the hero is raised be EVIL! and abusive foster parents that the hero gets to run away from.

Everyone in his/her hometown hates the hero and the town is completely backwater and closed minded.

If the Hometown is a positive thing for the hero, the people who destroyed his hometown are the EVIL! Empire and the adventurer is off to fight with the heroic and completely good resistance/rebellion.

If the adventurer is female, her love interest will be some kind of supernatural male (Elf, vampire, demon, dragon, etc.).

Personal note: is it clichéd to have a runaway minor noble who liked being rich and affluent , is a complete dandy who prefers subterfuge and backstabbing over “adventuring,” and the only reason he ran off is he got a higher ranking noble’s wife pregnant through an affair?

Craft (Cheese)
2012-05-07, 02:01 PM
Is it clichéd to have a runaway minor noble who liked being rich and affluent , is a complete dandy who prefers subterfuge and backstabbing over “adventuring,” and the only reason he ran off is he got a higher ranking noble’s wife pregnant through an affair?

Depends: Is this character supposed to be a hero? If so, then no. "Snot-nosed aristocrat coward" is pretty standard for a minor villain though (albeit not the affair part).

GenericGuy
2012-05-07, 02:40 PM
Depends: Is this character supposed to be a hero? If so, then no. "Snot-nosed aristocrat coward" is pretty standard for a minor villain though (albeit not the affair part).

Hero is a strong word and his alignment is true neutral. He works as the party’s contract broker by charming the local nobles, governors, merchants, or anyone else of import to find work for them. He doesn’t stay in one place too long because he inevitably either gets caught having another affair with someone he really shouldn’t, or getting into serious debt to loan sharks, so he stays with the party hoping that the next town will be more accommodating.