We all love role playing games. It’s the favorite genre of most of us. But it has some problems. Especially the RPG cliches, they’re the worst! Seeing the same quests, stories, and lore in every RPG making me throw up.
How can they be fixed? Easy, with better writing! Writers of role-playing games must be more creative, innovative, and inventive! Otherwise, people will stop playing RPGs because of the cliches.
BEST RPG PETS < Cutest list.
I’ve talked about the most common cliches below. Most probably I’ve missed some. So, if you can think of any other cliche, do let us know in the comment section below.
10 most frustrating RPG cliches:
1. Everyone Treats You Like an Errand Boy
Literally each and every RPG NPC treats you like an errand boy. Go get me this, bring me that, take this to wherever… STOP! I’m not your errand boy, I’m the chosen one. You can’t treat me like that. I’ve just slayed a dragon and you want me to bring you 10 fox pelts? Get out of here!
Unfortunately, it’s the case with most RPGs. Look, it’s not like I’m against delivery quests in general. But they are too frequent and unnecessary. Most of the time it feels like lazy writing to be honest.
I myself usually skip the fetch quests. I suggest you do the same if you’re also fed up with it.
2. You are the Chosen One
You’re always the chosen one in role playing games. Don’t you tired of being the hero all the time? I do. I want to be a regular person role-playing in a fantasy world.
Some say the game would be dull unless you’re the hero. I disagree. Because being the hero is cliche of all games since the beginning of role-playing-games. Things need to chance!
For example, I play Skyrim with live another life mod to start as a regular citizen. Also never engage in dragonborn quest so that I stay as a normal person. Not a demi-god…
It’s especially the worse in MMORPGs. Because everyone is the chosen one… It’s absurd.
The thing is most writers follow the “Hero’s Journey” template. It’s a template that is used in movies, literature, and gaming. Here how it works:
- Call to Adventure
- Supernatural Aid
- Helper / Mentor
- Death & Rebirth + Revelation
- Transformation
- Atonement
- Ascent
3. You are a Foreigner
Player character is a foreigner in most RPGs for a strange reason. You don’t know anybody in the town… I guess that’s how RPGs work because you don’t want a definitive backstory for your character. That would break some of the role-playing aspects of the game. Still, I would like to have some old friends in the town.
Our character has no friends, no family, colleagues, or acquaintances. That’s the worst part of being the foreigner.
4. Essential NPCs
Some NPCs will never die even if you nuke them. Because they are imperative for the story and not meant to die. It’s breaking immersion, realism, and immersiveness.
It’s one of the most common RPG cliches. It’s bad but how can this be fixed? Is there a way? Let’s say you killed a character that is part of the main story, what’s going to happen next?
Maybe the newer games should generate new characters to take over the role if you kill an essential NPC. For example, let’s assume you killed a merchant, another NPC should take the role after a while. Either with the backstory of inheritance, or an opportunism.
5. Dungeons & Caves
Almost all role-playing games has caves, dungeons, and other explorable places. Huge hangars or apartments replace caves in RPGs set in modern times. But the concept is always the same.
Talking about cliches, there is always a hidden cave under the waterfall. Whenever I see a waterfall in games, I jump right into it and claim my treasure.
6. You Can Walk in Anybody’s House
Imaging walking into people’s houses in real life! You can’t, can you? But that’s what we do all the time in role playing games.
What’s worse, most NPCs don’t mind a stranger trespassing… It’s ridiculous.
Can’t a man have a bit of privacy? – Random Skyrim NPC
At least in Skyrim they ask you to leave.
7. NPCs Don’t Care Your Equipment
You can be wearing a demonic armor and carrying ridiculously long sword which is also flaming, nobody cares.
WORST THINGS ABOUT SKYRIM < Similar stuff.
Even the farmer boy who’ve only seen 10 people in his lifetime doesn’t look at your over-equipped character.
There is another aspect of this phenomenon. You can wear full guard / officer armor yet NPCs don’t recognize your outfit and treat you the same.
8. You Don’t Intimidate
Your god-like character does not intimidate anyone, even the feeblest enemies challenge you. Then you one-shot them of course.
They don’t care about your achievements, status, profession, or even looks…
It’s the worst part of open-world RPGs. All NPC treat you like you’ve just started playing the game. Because of the open-world, you can be anywhere at any time. NPCs with pre-written dialogue can’t determine your progress.
9. NPCs Wear the Same Outfit, Forever
Have you noticed that the NPCs always wear the same clothing? It’s like they have no other clothing… I bet NPCs don’t shower either.
NPCs never change cloth in Skyrim, Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come, Witcher 3, and/or in every other RPGs.
It’s not like developers can create different wardrobes for every character. But at least let them change between 2 or 3 clothes from time to time.
So, please NPCs, don’t be gross and change your clothing every once in a while!
10. Your Character Have No Skills at the Beginning
You can be playing a soldier, mage, warrior, or whatever, your skills are zero to none no matter how old your character is.
It’s like, your full-grown adult character had no life before you take assume the control. Then, you quickly acquire equipment, skills, powers, and other advantages.
Almost all role-playing games follow the rags to riches concept. You start with zero, and the achieve greatness. How so? Because you’re the chosen one!
That’s why I like mods that are offering unique starts in RPGs. I don’t want the cliche start, I want something convincing.