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In today’s video I’m going to tier rank EVERY Fantasy Trope! Or at least as many as I can! Let me know your favorite and least favorite tropes!
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What are your favorite and least favorite fantasy tropes??
Yes man, although Brom was my favorite mentor character for a long time, nowadays, Moiraine is currently on my top.
While I agree that the vague European landscape is tiring, I wouldn’t say Celtic mythology is very common? At least not in popular works and not to the same extent as Norse or Greek. Sure druids are a common thing, and fairies (though they appear in many mythologies) but I’d actually love to see more Celtic myth in fantasy. Though I do agree that I’d love to see it in a non medieval European setting.
I think Jiraiya fits the mentor role more than Kakashi. Not saying Kakashi isn't one but I would say Jiraiya fits that profile better than Kakashi.
I love how The Wheel of Time is so much of a landmark that it ticks a considerable part of these tropes.
Mercy to the villain can work perfectly if it's woven into the story and worked towards.
Best example that comes to mind would be ATLA, tho Aang made sure Ozai wouldn't be a threat anymore, Azula on the other hand did get more chances to be a menace
Seeing the cover for Deltora Quest unlocked a memory long forgotten. Thanks for that.
28:06 Emily Blunt said she flat out rejects those kinds of roles
One of my favorite trope is the underdog trope. Think Naturo, Daenerys… There's just something so amazing about seeing the character growth of an underdog character. It's not so much about becoming the hero but more about proving others wrong.
Oh man, i look back at everything i wrote so far and all of the tropes are there… except the love triangle of course… not the capital sin… NEVER…
I just realise… maybe i am not that original afterall 🤔😅
Assuming a pre-modern setting of any sort, your starting character options are: farmboy (90% of populace) artisan/merchant (5% of populace) servant or noble, urchin or criminal. So that's not a very good basis for complaint. Also, you should realize that a farmer doesn't just tend crops or animals; there are dozens of skills they have to do. Basically, between him and his family, they do everything that is necessary to sustain life, including but not limited to the aforementioned crops AND animals (all of which are very involved in themselves) building things, fighting predators, preparing all sorts of foods in various preservative ways, creating clothing, containers, clearing land etc. Each of these things is extremely involved in a pre-industrial setting. People who are not farmers are only able to do other things due to the surplus efforts of farmers.
Awesome video! I agree with most all of this. As far as magical weapons story recs go, I am currently releasing a web serial featuring a sentient weapon and its so much fun to write! One of my favorite tropes as well
The beginning after the end for animal trope
As I argued on Daniel Greene's video on this topic, I disagree with your assessment of the farmboy trope. And you partially mentioned why, you mentioned how most people were farmers back in the day, and that's part of why I like the farm boy, if you want a realistic setting with a fantasy rags to riches story, the farm boy is the obvious starting point, as 95% of people in pre-industrial world were farmers unless your magic system spells out a way to create tons of food (which to be fair many do) having your hero start out on a farm is basically a must
I'll also add that we definitely haven't seen enough farm girl to hero stories
Love love LOVE science fantasy. The series I’m planning is heavily inspired by Xenoblade.
A mentor that I like is Nevyn from the Deverry Cycle. I love the fact that he knows people from there previous lives and gives them advice in to help them no repeat the same error/overcome their same pitfalls.
Seeing which tropes you like you gotta read the Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne
Slave’s Lullaby seems to contain many of your favorite elements. I’ll send you an updated copy of my manuscript.
Great video. Love the art pieces at 6:59 and 12:20, does anyone by chance know what they are called and who they are from.
Ruin from the cosmere is a really good example of cosmic horror. Especially in secret history!
Bringing back characters CAN work, it's not done well often, but especially in the cosmere where there is a legit reason it works, and it's not over done, works super well. There's one, where if you know you know, and they're such a huge piece of the universe now that without them, things would be vastly VASTLY different, and not for the better.
Awesome vid man. If you could use three books and three trope’s to describe you’re own book, which would it be?
best animal compagnion imo : mouse from dresden files
Did I miss the orphan / parents died trope?
I dislike the chosen one trope on principle. I prefer the "Someone's got to try, and I'm here now" approach.
The “Plot Armor” trope is the reason why I’m drawn so heavily to grimdark fantasy.
Oh, that’s your favorite character?
Well they’re dead now.
A series that does fantasy-horror, animal companion, and group of antagonists well is Chronicles of Ancient Darkness by Michelle Paver. Set in hunter-gatherer times, its just brilliantly written and engaging. I read them as a teen and some of the scenes or imagery in my head still haunt me, but the good times were so heartwarming. I highly recommend.
You mentioned you were writing a book. Do you have a timeline on when you might publish? It’d be a day one purchase for me!
Have you read the Hyperion cantos? Good sci-fi fantasy-ish
I recommend the Shadowhunters books by Cassandra Clare
Somebody else read Deltora! Edit: Also, what do you think of Friends/Allies to Enemies/Antagonists? Murtaugh and Eragon, Lews Therrin Telamon and Ishamael, etc.
Would Malazan count as cosmic horror?