History Expy / TabletopGames

*** Commander Farsight was a prominent leader of an Empire's military forces. He eventually led some of his brethren in a rebellion against the powerful ruling cast, whose whims most Tau serve their entire lives. [[Series/StargateSG1 He is also known as O'Shovah.]] There's also [[CharClone his red and white mecha and mysterious past]].

* The High Elves from the original ''Tabletop/{{Warhammer}}'' game, on top of being [[FantasyCounterpartCulture fantasy]] Ancient Greeks[=/=][[{{Atlantis}} Atlanteans]], are also expies of the Melniboneans from ''Literature/TheElricSaga''. Xenophobic elves with pointy helmets who live far away on a large island and use dragons (who have the unfortunate tendency of sleeping for very, very long periods of time) as their ultimate military units; continuing the trend, you have High Loremaster Teclis as an obvious stand-in for Elric, as a sickly sorcerer-prince who needs to regularly imbibe magical potions to be able to stand and fight.

*** Commander Farsight was a prominent leader of an Empire's military forces. He eventually led some of his brethren in a rebellion against the powerful ruling cast, who's whims most Tau serve their entire lives. [[Series/StargateSG1 He is also known as O'Shovah.]] There's also [[CharClone his red and white mecha and mysterious past]].

*** Sly Marbo of the Imperial Guard. A renowned Catachan Jungle Fighter who works as a lone operative, and through his legendary skill in stealth, sabotage and guerrilla warfare has taken on entire enemy forces and emerged victorious. In one of his most famous exploits, he took out an [[HumongousMecha Ork Gargant]] single-handedly. In case you haven't clued in by now, he's a mix of Franchise/{{Rambo}} and [[Franchise/MetalGear Solid Snake]].

** In 4th Edition's default setting, the ''TabletopGame/NentirVale'', The Raven Queen is a gender-swapped Expy for Kelemvor from ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''. Also, Bane is an expy of [[NamesTheSame Bane]] from ''Forgotten Realms''.

** An example of a smaller background race in the setting is the Hrud, who are practically expies of the Skaven in many ways. At least as far as the fluff regarding them gives away. Both are rat-like humanoids who live in sewers in various places, and both use warp-plasma based technology and are scavengers, plus the addition of similar social habits. It is highly unlikely that they will become any kind of major faction in the tabletop, however, since Games Workshop are heavily opposed to the idea of having Warhammer 40000 as simply Warhammer in space, due to the removal of the Squats, the original Dwarf expies.

*** While being essentially the tomb lords from ''Warhammer Fantasy'', the necrons are also clearly terminator expys. Rules like "I'll be back" are pretty obvious clues.
*** The tyranids are pretty clearly expys of both the Aliens and bugs from the ''Starship Troopers'' movies, depending upon the subsetting.
*** For example, genestealers and general indoor fighting of tyranids is heavily based on the Aliens film. ''Space Hulk'' was ''Aliens'', the board game.
*** While the outdoors stuff, especially the perennial matchup of imperial guard vs tyranids is straight up ''Starship Troopers'', the movie.

* ''TabletopGame/BlackbirdsRPG'': The [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Oligarchs]] in general are clearly inspired by the [[Manga/{{Berserk}} Apostles]], but Ailis is this for Rosine specifically. She's the youngest of the Oligarchs, possesses a moth-like true form, and having a habit of abducting people by drawing them into the forest to transform them into insectoid monstrosities.

** Ed Greenwood has admitted that Sune (the Forgotten Realms goddess of love and beauty) is the Greek Goddess Aphrodite renamed[[note]]The name ''Sune'' is the name ''Venus'', the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, backwards and without the V[[/note]].

* ''TabletopGame/AnimaBeyondFantasy'': No, [[http://www.brueckenkopf-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Anima-Tactics-Black-Sun-Clover.jpg Clover]] is [[SarcasmMode totally unrelated]] to [[Franchise/ResidentEvil Albert Wesker]] and [[http://jerome.regad.pagesperso-orange.fr/Anima/artbook_cover.jpg Lazarus]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial has nothing to see]] with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth]], why do you ask?[[note]]And it's just the tip of the iceberg.[[/note]]

** In 4th Edition's default setting, the ''TabletopGame/NentirVale'', The Raven Queen is basically a gender-swapped Expy for Kelemvor from ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''. Also, Bane is an expy of [[NamesTheSame Bane]] from ''Forgotten Realms''.

** Ed Greenwood has admitted that Sune (the Forgotten Realms goddess of love and beauty) is basically the Greek Goddess Aphrodite renamed[[note]]The name ''Sune'' looks as the name ''Venus'', the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, backwards and without the V[[/note]].

*** Kytons certainly showed influence from ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' and Pinhead in them, and Pathfinder pretty much makes them into Cenobites.

** The Mystic is Mickey, Master Eraqus, and basically every mentor across the series.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pokethulhu}}'' has many expies (often double-expies) of characters from both of its "parents": Randy Carter (Ash Ketchum/Randolph Carter), Derleth and Bloch of Team Eibon (Jessie and James of Team Rocket), and even Pikathulhu (Pikachu and Cthulhu).

* ''TabletopGame/SeventhSea'' is ''full'' of these, as well as ''NoCelebritiesWereHarmed'' versions of historical figures. The most obvious one is Captain Reis, perhaps the most powerful character in the world, who is basically Captain Hook from ''Theatre/{{Peter Pan|1904}}'' with the bloodthirstiness turned up to eleven. The back of the second edition rulebook flat-out encourages players to make their own expies: "In other words--you are d'Artagnan, Milady de Winter, the Dread Pirate Roberts, Jack Sparrow, Julie d'Aubigney and the Scarlet Pimpernel all rolled up in one!"
* In ''TabletopGame/StrikeLegion'', just about ''everything'' is an expy of something from another sci-fi or fantasy setting. The game not only shamelessly rips off other settings, but then it takes those same things and [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerates them]].

** Nearly everything in W40k is an expy of something from another setting. Aliens vs Starship Troopers vs Colonial Marines vs Terminator vs Robotech vs Elves vs Orks vs Demons etc... While the original game was largely Warhammer Fantasy IN SPACE, the current iterations of W40k are closer to "sci-fi trope deathmatch" with the awesome and grimdark turned up to 11.
*** While being essentially the tomb lords from Warhammer Fantasy, the necrons are also clearly terminator expys. Rules like "I'll be back" are pretty obvious clues.
*** The tyranids are pretty clearly expys of both the Aliens and bugs from the Starship Troopers movies, depending upon the subsetting.
*** For example, genestealers and general indoor fighting of tyranids is heavily based on the Aliens film. Space Hulk was basically Aliens, the board game.
*** While the outdoors stuff, especially the perennial matchup of imperial guard vs tyranids is straight up Starship Troopers, the movie.

*** Khorne. A WarGod who's favoured warriors are called [[TheBerserker berserkers]], his bloodletter daemons are described as "blessed dead" and is associated with the exhilaration of battle? Not to mention in ''Warhammer Fantasy'', he commands daemons who collect the souls of the dead, his realm is named "Kreignihalla", and his symbol looks like a [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Valknut-Symbol-triquetra.png Valknut]]? Hmmmm. [[Myth/NorseMythology Sounds familiar]].

*** On the other hand is Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed of Cadia, who is Winston Churchill, down to the cigar, with some elements of General Patton thrown in. Fittingly, Cadia is basically a FantasyCounterpartCulture for Blitz-era Britain.
*** Trazyn the Infinite is basically Doctor Doom if he were an alien space robot.
*** Sly Marbo of the Imperial Guard. A renowned Catachan Jungle Fighter who works as a lone operative, and through his legendary skill in stealth, sabotage and guerrilla warfare has taken on entire enemy forces and emerged victorious. In one of his most famous exploits, he took out an entire [[HumongousMecha Ork Gargant]] single-handedly. In case you haven't clued in by now, he's a mix of Franchise/{{Rambo}} and [[Franchise/MetalGear Solid Snake]].
*** Doomrider is basically a one-dimensional expy of Comicbook/GhostRider, if he were a Chaos Space Marine-turned-daemon prince.
* Taking it full circle, ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' has the Stormcast Eternals, who are basically Games Workshop's own Space Marines recycled as Norse myth's Einherjar.

* In ''TabletopGame/StrikeLegion'', just about ''everything'' is an expy of something from another sci-fi or fantasy setting. The game not only shamelessly rips off other settings, but then it takes those same things and turns them UpToEleven.

** Mr. Witch and Mr. Light from ''The Wild Beyond the Witchlight'', owners of the [[CarnivalOfFear Witchlight Carnival]] were described by the writer as a collective copy of Mr. Dark from ''Literature/SomethingWickedThisWayComes''. It's really more of an homage, though, because while they share some traits (the magic carnival, fancy suits, eloquent manner), they're both good-aligned Shadowfell elves rather than [[spoiler:a sadistic EmotionEater demon-thing]] like Mr. Dark.

* The factions in ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' were originally little more than faction-level Expies for ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' Fantasy factions. Although they've tried to tone this down a bit -- for instance, by phasing out the Squats without explanation, then finally saying they were just eaten by the Tyranids -- there's still obvious parallels. Empire --> Imperium, High Elves --> Eldar, Dark Elves --> Dark Eldar, Tomb Kings --> Necrons, Chaos --> Chaos (duh), Greenskins --> Orkz, Dwarfs --> Demiurg (a Tau-allied race), and to a lesser extent, the Tau in general. The Tyranids are an exception -- there's been some awkward attempts to equate them with the Lizardmen, but it doesn't really work out.

** In 4th Edition's default setting, the ''TabletopGame/NentirVale'', The Raven Queen is basically a gender-swapped Expy for Kelemvor from ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''. Also, Bane is an expy of [[NamesTheSame Bane]] from ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms''.

** This can happen to monsters as well in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}''. Some are, of course, based on mythology, but consider the [[http://paizo.com/image/content/PathfinderCampaignSetting/PZO9226-Balor.jpg balor]] and Tolkien's [[http://www.mrwallpaper.com/wallpapers/gandalf-balrog.jpg balrog]][[note]]Very likely is the same as ''halfling'', that was used instead of ''hobbit'' because the latter was registered -according at least to the first Monster Manual.-[[/note]].
*** ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' kytons certainly showed influence from ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' and Pinhead in them, and ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' pretty much makes them into Cenobites.
** Paizo, creators of ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', have hinted that the goddess Pharasma is an expy of the Lady of Pain from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''. Appropriate considering the history of the game.
*** Valeros the iconic fighter is an expy of Madmartigan from {{Film/Willow}}. His iconic portrait is a mirror-flipped version of Val Kilmer's portrayal of the earlier character; both are warriors quick of tongue and ''almost'' as good as their boasting.
** The TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms setting of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has a few also: King Azoun IV of Cormyr is pretty obviously King Arthur, especially with regard to the whole "Sleeping Sword" thing, which parallels Arthur's "Sleeping King" myth pretty well. Arthur's coat of arms was a golden dragon, Azoun's is a purple dragon, etc. Also, Yamun Khahan was a very obvious expy of Genghis Khan.
** Since almost every culture in the ''TabletopGame/{{Mystara}}'' setting is a FantasyCounterpartCulture, the creators have not been shy about including culturally appropriate Expies such as ''Manuel of the Plains'', a masked vigilante from a Spanish-inspired culture who is an obvious {{Franchise/Zorro}} expy.
** The ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' game setting is swarming with {{Expy}} versions of classic characters from Gothic literature. Dracula, Dr. Frankenstein and his creation, Jekyll & Hyde, and so on: they're all there, sans serial numbers, disqualified from being CaptainErsatz only because the originals' copyrights all expired ages ago.

* Most of the Icons of ''TabletopGame/ThirteenthAge'' embody fairly standard RPG character tropes like the Emperor, the Archmage, the High Druid and so on, but the Great Gold Wyrm is pretty clearly Bahamut from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' with a different scale colour.
* The factions in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' were originally little more than faction-level Expies for ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' Fantasy factions. Although they've tried to tone this down a bit -- for instance, by phasing out the Squats without explanation, then finally saying they were just eaten by the Tyranids -- there's still obvious parallels. Empire --> Imperium, High Elves --> Eldar, Dark Elves --> Dark Eldar, Tomb Kings --> Necrons, Chaos --> Chaos (duh), Greenskins --> Orkz, Dwarfs --> Demiurg (a Tau-allied race), and to a lesser extent, the Tau in general. The Tyranids are an exception -- there's been some awkward attempts to equate them with the Lizardmen, but it doesn't really work out.

* ''Hellcats and Hockeysticks''' official setting, St. Erisian's School for Girls, is ''Film/StTrinians'' (English girls' boarding school where the only rule is that there are no rules) with the SerialNumbersFiledOff and magic and weird science added.
* ''The Crystal Planet'', a third-party setting for ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'', is about the mineralites, a race of sentient gemstones with bodies made of HardLight and gravity, fantastic pseudo-magical technology, a strict caste system, and the ability to fuse with others of their kind. In other words, it's a pretty blatant take on the Gems from ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse''.
* The Banebrood from Megalith Games's ''Godslayer'', an evil race of [[BeastMan Beastmen]] and [[{{Mutant}} mutated northern tribesmen]] who worship demons and the foul energy that manifests from an unholy moon and use that energy to infect others with a mutating disease. Seems like the company are fans of [[TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyBattle Chaos]].

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* The Banebrood from Megalith Games's ''Godslayer'', hmmm an evil race of [[BeastMan Beastmen]] and [[{{Mutant}} mutated northern tribesmen]] who worship demons and the foul energy that manifests from an unholy moon and use that energy to infect others with a mutating disease. Seems like the company are fans of [[TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyBattle Chaos]].

* ''TabletopGame/{{Pokethulhu}}'' has many expies (often double-expies) of characters from both of its "parents": Randy Carter (Ash Ketchum/Randolph Carter), Derleth and Bloch of Team Eibon (Jessie and James of Team Rocket), and even Pikathulhu ([[CaptainObvious Pikachu and Cthulhu]]).

* The factions in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' were originally little more than faction-level Expies for ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' Fantasy factions. Although they've tried to tone this down a bit -- for instance, by phasing out the Squats without explanation, then finally saying they were just eaten by the Tyranids -- there's still obvious parallels. Empire --> Imperium, High Elves --> Eldar, Dark Elves --> Dark Eldar, Undead --> Necrons, Chaos --> Chaos Space Marines, Greenskins --> Orkz, Dwarves --> Demiurg (a Tau-allied race), and to a lesser extent, the Tau in general. The Tyranids are an exception -- there's been some awkward attempts to equate them with the Lizardmen, but it doesn't really work out.
** Especially since the Slann are more or less the Warhammer 40K equalient to the lizardmen, while the 'nids are more or less expies from Starship Troopers.

* ''Mecha Vs Kaiju'', in its FATE version, gives statblocks for NotZilla Kaibutsu, Ghidorah-inspired Sanshuseki, Franchise/{{Gamera}}-derived Kameyuu, and Hedokoku, who most seems to resemble Hedorah in being a monster fuelled by pollution. Others are mentioned in backstory, such as the moth monster Senshuga.

** The TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms setting of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has a few also: King Azoun IV of Cormyr is pretty obviously King Arthur, especially with regard to the whole "Sleeping Sword" thing, which parallels Arthur's "Sleeping King" myth pretty well. Arthur's coat of arms was a golden dragon, Azoun's is a purple dragon, etc. Also, Yamun Khahan was a very obvious expy of Genghis Khan. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome So when the two of them fought in single combat]]....

* ''TabletopGame/SeventhSea'' is ''full'' of these, as well as ''NoCelebritiesWereHarmed'' versions of historical figures. The most obvious one is Captain Reis, perhaps the most powerful character in the world, who is basically Captain Hook from ''Theatre/PeterPan'' with the bloodthirstiness turned up to eleven. The back of the second edition rulebook flat-out encourages players to make their own expies: "In other words--you are d'Artagnan, Milady de Winter, the Dread Pirate Roberts, Jack Sparrow, Julie d'Aubigney and the Scarlet Pimpernel all rolled up in one!"

* ''TabletopGame/AnimaBeyondFantasy'': No, [[http://www.brueckenkopf-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Anima-Tactics-Black-Sun-Clover.jpg Clover]] is [[SarcasmMode totally unrelated]] to [[ResidentEvil Albert Wesker]] and [[http://jerome.regad.pagesperso-orange.fr/Anima/artbook_cover.jpg Lazarus]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial has nothing to see]] with [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth]], why do you ask?[[note]]And it's just the tip of the iceberg.[[/note]]

* ''The Crystal Planet'', a third-party setting for ''TabletopGames/{{Pathfinder}}'', is about the mineralites, a race of sentient gemstones with bodies made of HardLight and gravity, fantastic pseudo-magical technology, a strict caste system, and the ability to fuse with others of their kind. In other words, it's a pretty blatant take on the Gems from ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse''.