"Traditional" D&D elements.

[Shinizak]

I feel like with trying all new systems, settings, and house rules that I've gone and strayed to far from the "theme" of "traditional" D&D. So this thread is all about listing and discussing the original cookie cutter world of D&D and original D&D game play.

[Azernak0]

Thief, Fighter, Cleric, and Magic User is as traditional and cookie cutter as possible really.

[Rockphed]

Hmmm, the world is littered with temples to nefarious gods. No matter what, if you barge in you will reach the sanctuary just in time to off the priests and free the sacrificial virgins. Said virgins will be most forward in their attempts to thank you.

[Ravens_cry]

Hmmm, the world is littered with temples to nefarious gods. No matter what, if you barge in you will reach the sanctuary just in time to off the priests and free the sacrificial virgins. Said virgins will be most forward in their attempts to thank you.

Did that actually come up? I know it's a trope of the literature D&D is often based on but I have never actually encountered it in an actual game. Is that how you people played in the 80's?
Here's another trope of the trade. Ancient tombs thousands of years old will have still functioning traps, no matter how complex or dependent on ammunition.

[kieza]

The villain will at first be able to utterly destroy the heroes, but the course of the heroes' adventures will always give them just enough experience that when they finally meet and fight their nemesis, he'll be a challenging but defeatable enemy.

[CyMage]

Did that actually come up? I know it's a trope of the literature D&D is often based on but I have never actually encountered it in an actual game. Is that how you people played in the 80's?

It actually makes sense. If a virgin sacrafice somehow avoids the sacrafice, wouldn't they seek the quickest way to get rid of their special status?

[Rockphed]

Well, mostly I was remembering reading The Color of Magic, which seems as much based on D&D as D&D is based on it. I haven't ever done that to anybody in a game, and probably wouldn't unless I was trying to get a reaction out of somebody. Or their girlfriend was going to come walking in in 10 minutes and I wanted blackmail so I could get a pizza.

[Fortuna]

Heroes frequently meet in taverns, and get quests there.

[Irreverent Fool]

I know it's a trope of the literature D&D is often based on but I have never actually encountered it in an actual game. Is that how you people played in the 80's?

No. All worlds are populated completely by male characters except for the occasional stereotypical Drow priestess or human female barbarian/fighter, like you people play nowadays. /sarcasm

Stating it that way is borderline insulting, but I'll imagine you didn't mean it to be. Classically, yes, there is a girl to be rescued in some way, shape, or form. The advances would be something along the lines of, "She seems very greatful and has taken to hanging on Gordon the Barbarian's arm on the way out of the dungeon, being particularly amorous." A later session might begin by mentioning her (adventurers tended to be episodic in my experience, with weeks or months of downtime in-between while the adventurers spent their ill-gotten gains legitimately-acquired wealth and tended to personal obligations) in passing, or that her royal father offered the hero her hand (gaining marital ties to the badass and his friends who can destroy the entire evil cult is good business, as they could probably do the same to his castle). It might even go so far as to mention a child later on, assuming Gordon accepted the advances. (And what good barbarian wouldn't?)

Roleplaying it out scene-for-scene might flow with some players, but I can't think of any situation (short of a solo campaign with a significant other) in which it wouldn't just be creepy.

which seems as much based on D&D as D&D is based on it.

My head. It hurts and stings.

I love Terry Pratchett and just happened to watch the film version of The Colour of Magic last night. It was one of the first Discworld books I read, as well. D&D was quite alive before this book was written, though it did come in the midst of the 80's "fantasy craze". While one might be able to trace some instances of the 'absent-minded wizard' trope to Pratchett's work,

You know, thinking on some of the items, characters, and settings in AD&D, I wonder if Discworld didn't influence the game. My Encyclopedia Magica has a few things I'm certain came directly from Discworld.

More on topic: There absolutely must be a dragon sitting on piles of treasure too great to carry out. (You would think this to be a problem in 3.x, but if the lair is sufficiently far from civilization and the players don't have transportation magic or heavy-duty extradimensional spaces, encumbrance rules keep them from carrying off much more than their WBL.) Other iconic monsters include orcs, gelatinous cubes, giant spiders (and situations forcing the characters to burn the webs), narrow bridges in giant caverns spanning oceans of lava, giant mushrooms, carrion crawlers, mind flayers, and many other things that I am sure other posters will list.

obnoxious
sig

[The Tygre]

NPCs are good for two things; giving you crap, and dying. You get one dragon for the whole game; don't waste it. Every dungeon is known as 'the PC Killer'. Guess why.

[hewhosaysfish]

Other iconic monsters include orcs, gelatinous cubes, giant spiders (and situations forcing the characters to burn the webs), narrow bridges in giant caverns spanning oceans of lava, giant mushrooms, carrion crawlers, mind flayers, and many other things that I am sure other posters will list.

Emphasis mine.

Is it a bridge......? Or is it a gazebo, lying down?

[Optimystik]

1st Edition: "A player may orgy continuously for as many days as he has constitution points."

Now that's classic.

[Callos_DeTerran]

1st Edition: "A player may orgy continuously for as many days as he has constitution points."

Now that's classic.

Ya know, I always meant to have one of my characters throw an orgy using those rules...

On Topic:

Elves will be superior in every way, and prone to living in enchanted woods.

Dwarfs will be surly drunkards with hearts of gold, prone to living in mountain fortresses.