Fantasy RPG Adventure Parties and Adventure Module Cliches - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Fantasy RPG Adventure Parties and Adventure Module Cliches

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
tar
Sep 30, 2008 23:41:03 As I poke around for plot ideas for National Novel Writing month, I would like to explore one small idea, inspired in part by a China Miéville interview I read a few weeks ago. I need your help coming up with cliches/dares originating from fantasy rpgs, especially classic D&D (table-top, not computer-based). Specifically, I am looking for cliches around the standard "party" or group of adventurers and adventure modules. They don't have to be full-blown cliches; you can include common annoying things that have always bugged you but show up everywhere and are a classic part the game. I am going to attempt to either use these cliches in a serious fashion or twist them so they are recognizable, yet different and more "realistic".

I am not really looking for fantasy novel/plot cliches (there are already several lists and threads on this topic). I do admit there is probably a fair amount of overlap. Samples below:

Adventuring Parties/Adventurers:
1. They are viewed as heroes instead of what they really are: thieves, tomb raiders/looters, rebels against the current government/establishment.
2. Often mercenaries or swords-for-hire.
3. The classic fighter, mage, thief, cleric party combination.
4. Sponsored by some local noble who sends them on smaller tasks until they are ready for the big job.

Note: I will most likely not include non-human characters, so cliches such as halfing rogues, grumpy dwarves with axes, etc, probably won't apply.

Adventure Modules/Plots:
1. Illogical ecology. What does that large red dragon do for food? And why is he hanging out in that dungeon/tower? How does he get in/out through that tiny cave opening. Can the 10 orcs living in the cave really supply all of those dungeon predators with a food source?
2. Monsters waiting around in one room for adventurers to appear.
3. Ruins that, for some unknown reason, haven't been found/looted in 2000 years, but the characters find them in 3 days after a few random encounters with orcs, etc, and a few local clues from the pub that no one else has the intelligence to put together.
4. Death traps that make no sense considering the building was once used as a functional castle/residence/temple/etc. These traps never seem to decay and always reset after killing previous adventurers (whose bodies/treasure/equipment you find).
5. Secret doors that don't appear to have had a logical function originally (see #4)
6. The module "boss" found at the top of the tower or end of the caves.
7. All of these neat books and scrolls that survived in a moist, moldy dungeon for hundreds of years.
8. Start in taverns or the party is hired on as caravan guards and all hell breaks loose.

Please add to the above lists. You can include treasure cliches, monster cliches, anything that comes to mind.

Thanks!
TR
#2
redclock_the_untimely
Oct 04, 2008 2:39:49 Good examples of this can be found in the early Order of the Stick comics at http://www.giantitp.com/index.html.

Just my
#3
yellowdingo
Oct 04, 2008 5:15:06 You have hit on the number one socio-economic crisis of faith for D&D vs Medieval realism.
I have developed detailed economic rules for D&D because:

(a) It takes 41 years for 5 men to quarry the stone a small 1 acre castle takes.

(b) It takes 11.5 bushes of grain to feed a man and while the max yield for medieval farmers is 36 bushels (100% yield) they are more likely to be producing less...1/3rd to 1/6th of the maximum if they are not in famine/drought.

(c) One man requires 1/2 acre of light wood per year as firewood.

(d) Gold is minable at 1 ounce per ton of stone (Platinum, silver, copper at their relevent exchange rates). Thus Granite costs 1 ounce of gold per ton.

(e) they dont give peasants swords...peasants caught with swords are killed. so wtf are your PCs doing with highend weapons while they loot graves and spit in the local Lords face as though they were his equal?

If anything every PC who is not a Deserter from the Kings army should be hanging in a cage on the edge of the barony for being caught with weapons and not tilling the field and coffing up his produce in tax where he should be.
#4
atanakar
Oct 06, 2008 16:32:09 1. Architecturaly unsound castle designs. Walls are often too tin to support higher levels of the building. Columns not aligned from one level to the other.

2. PCs always meet monsters «ajusted» to their level. If you put overpowered monsters they don't run away and cry like babies when their characters die...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tar Sep 30, 2008 23:41:03	As I poke around for plot ideas for National Novel Writing month, I would like to explore one small idea, inspired in part by a China Miéville interview I read a few weeks ago. I need your help coming up with cliches/dares originating from fantasy rpgs, especially classic D&D (table-top, not computer-based). Specifically, I am looking for cliches around the standard "party" or group of adventurers and adventure modules. They don't have to be full-blown cliches; you can include common annoying things that have always bugged you but show up everywhere and are a classic part the game. I am going to attempt to either use these cliches in a serious fashion or twist them so they are recognizable, yet different and more "realistic". I am not really looking for fantasy novel/plot cliches (there are already several lists and threads on this topic). I do admit there is probably a fair amount of overlap. Samples below: Adventuring Parties/Adventurers: 1. They are viewed as heroes instead of what they really are: thieves, tomb raiders/looters, rebels against the current government/establishment. 2. Often mercenaries or swords-for-hire. 3. The classic fighter, mage, thief, cleric party combination. 4. Sponsored by some local noble who sends them on smaller tasks until they are ready for the big job. Note: I will most likely not include non-human characters, so cliches such as halfing rogues, grumpy dwarves with axes, etc, probably won't apply. Adventure Modules/Plots: 1. Illogical ecology. What does that large red dragon do for food? And why is he hanging out in that dungeon/tower? How does he get in/out through that tiny cave opening. Can the 10 orcs living in the cave really supply all of those dungeon predators with a food source? 2. Monsters waiting around in one room for adventurers to appear. 3. Ruins that, for some unknown reason, haven't been found/looted in 2000 years, but the characters find them in 3 days after a few random encounters with orcs, etc, and a few local clues from the pub that no one else has the intelligence to put together. 4. Death traps that make no sense considering the building was once used as a functional castle/residence/temple/etc. These traps never seem to decay and always reset after killing previous adventurers (whose bodies/treasure/equipment you find). 5. Secret doors that don't appear to have had a logical function originally (see #4) 6. The module "boss" found at the top of the tower or end of the caves. 7. All of these neat books and scrolls that survived in a moist, moldy dungeon for hundreds of years. 8. Start in taverns or the party is hired on as caravan guards and all hell breaks loose. Please add to the above lists. You can include treasure cliches, monster cliches, anything that comes to mind. Thanks! TR
#2 redclock_the_untimely Oct 04, 2008 2:39:49	Good examples of this can be found in the early Order of the Stick comics at http://www.giantitp.com/index.html. Just my
#3 yellowdingo Oct 04, 2008 5:15:06	You have hit on the number one socio-economic crisis of faith for D&D vs Medieval realism. I have developed detailed economic rules for D&D because: (a) It takes 41 years for 5 men to quarry the stone a small 1 acre castle takes. (b) It takes 11.5 bushes of grain to feed a man and while the max yield for medieval farmers is 36 bushels (100% yield) they are more likely to be producing less...1/3rd to 1/6th of the maximum if they are not in famine/drought. (c) One man requires 1/2 acre of light wood per year as firewood. (d) Gold is minable at 1 ounce per ton of stone (Platinum, silver, copper at their relevent exchange rates). Thus Granite costs 1 ounce of gold per ton. (e) they dont give peasants swords...peasants caught with swords are killed. so wtf are your PCs doing with highend weapons while they loot graves and spit in the local Lords face as though they were his equal? If anything every PC who is not a Deserter from the Kings army should be hanging in a cage on the edge of the barony for being caught with weapons and not tilling the field and coffing up his produce in tax where he should be.
#4 atanakar Oct 06, 2008 16:32:09	1. Architecturaly unsound castle designs. Walls are often too tin to support higher levels of the building. Columns not aligned from one level to the other. 2. PCs always meet monsters «ajusted» to their level. If you put overpowered monsters they don't run away and cry like babies when their characters die...