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* PunBasedTitle: Four of the six books published so far. ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' (Charles Darwin's ''On the Origin of Species''), ''Start of Darkness'' (Joseph Conrad's ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness''), ''No Cure for the Paladin Blues'' (the song, "Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues") and ''War and [=XPs=]'' (Leo Tolstoy's ''Literature/WarAndPeace'').
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* PunBasedTitle: PunBasedTitle:
** Four of the six books published so far. ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' (Charles Darwin's ''On the Origin of Species''), ''Start of Darkness'' (Joseph Conrad's ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness''), ''No Cure for the Paladin Blues'' (the song, "Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues") and ''War and [=XPs=]'' (Leo Tolstoy's''Literature/WarAndPeace'').''Literature/WarAndPeace'').
** Many strip titles also fall under this trope, but a special award has to go to "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1080.html Clever-Blasting God-Stoppers]]."
** Four of the six books published so far. ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' (Charles Darwin's ''On the Origin of Species''), ''Start of Darkness'' (Joseph Conrad's ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness''), ''No Cure for the Paladin Blues'' (the song, "Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues") and ''War and [=XPs=]'' (Leo Tolstoy's
** Many strip titles also fall under this trope, but a special award has to go to "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1080.html Clever-Blasting God-Stoppers]]."
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* RockBeatsLaser: In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0653.html "Fun While It Lasted"]], when Xykon's Superb Dispelling doesn't end [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius' Soul Splice, one of the souls]] boasts that "only epic magic can-", only to be cut off when the lich effectively ends the spell with the surgical application of a [[KungShui giant fragment of masonry]] to the SquishyWizard.
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* PairTheSpares: Parodied in the Order's illusory "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0887.html Happy Ending]]" montage; after Elan/Haley and Roy/Celia get their {{Big Damn Kiss}}es, Elan imagines Banjo kissing a lady puppet. Deconstructed in the next couple of strips; he also imagines his [[DivorceIsTemporary father and mother getting back together]], but it's the fact that this would be totally out-of-character and [[{{Glurge}} schmaltzy]] that clues him in that they're trapped in a LotusEaterMachine.
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-->'''Hank:''' No-one leaves, except in a casket.\\
'''Thief:''' Vampire thieves can't even leave in one of those!
'''Thief:''' Vampire thieves can't even leave in one of those!
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Fixing V's pronouns to they/them.
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Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
** One of the fiends spying on V while [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0637.html she's fighting the elder black dragon]].
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** One of the fiends spying on V while [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0637.html she's they're fighting the elder black dragon]].
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Crosswicking.
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** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0797.html "Bird Brained"]], Blackwing, Vaarsuvius's familiar, deduces that his own advice is important, since Qarr offers to stop Zz'dtri from killing Vaarsuvius if Blackwing lets the imp kill him.
** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0884.html "Credits and Deductions"]], V inverts it, deducing from Qarr's words what he wants, and then doing the opposite.
** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0884.html "Credits and Deductions"]], V inverts it, deducing from Qarr's words what he wants, and then doing the opposite.
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Deprecated format.
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* PoliceAreUseless: Subverted in the Tinkertown arc. When Haley and Bandana are attacked by Golem!Crystal, the town's defense force shows up and initially makes things worse by zapping Crystal with a lightning gun (which heals and powers up golems.) After that little flub they become competent and effective at assisting Haley and Bandana.
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* PoliceAreUseless: Subverted in the Tinkertown arc. When Haley and Bandana are attacked by Golem!Crystal, Crystal as a golem, the town's defense force shows up and initially makes things worse by zapping Crystal with a lightning gun (which heals and powers up golems.) golems). After that little flub they become competent and effective at assisting Haley and Bandana.
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* PoliceAreUseless: Subverted in the Tinkertown arc. When Haley nand Bandana are attacked by Golem!Crystal, the town's defense force shows up and initially makes things worse by zapping Crystal with a lightning gun (which heals and powers up golems.) After that little flub they become competent and effective at assisting Haley and Bandana.
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* PoliceAreUseless: Subverted in the Tinkertown arc. When Haley nand and Bandana are attacked by Golem!Crystal, the town's defense force shows up and initially makes things worse by zapping Crystal with a lightning gun (which heals and powers up golems.) After that little flub they become competent and effective at assisting Haley and Bandana.
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* PoliceAreUseless: Subverted in the Tinkertown arc. When Haley nand Bandana are attacked by Golem!Crystal, the town's defense force shows up and initially makes things worse by zapping Crystal with a lightning gun (which heals and powers up golems.) After that little flub they become competent and effective at assisting Haley and Bandana.
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* PuffOfLogic: "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0321.html "Didn't we leave our horses behind at the inn we blew up when Miko captured us?"]].
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* PuffOfLogic: PuffOfLogic:
** "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0321.html "Didn't we leave our horses behind at the inn we blew up when Miko captured us?"]].
** "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0321.html "Didn't we leave our horses behind at the inn we blew up when Miko captured us?"]].
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* PummelingTheCorpse: [[spoiler:Crystal easily kills Bozzok by punching clean through his chest]], but continues to beat his dead body in retaliation for the torture he put her through.
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** Annoying lawyers. Once, a Flumph/Lawyer reversal.
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%% When referring to Vaarsuvius (or other elves), as it is with all cases of AmbiguousGender, the grammatically correct pronoun is "they".
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grammar
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** Vaarsuvius had a lot of opportunities to talk to Roy about the things he/she did and learned while Roy was [[spoiler:dead]]. The [[spoiler:planet inside the rift]], for example, or [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius' debt to the fiends]]. Either might have prevented the situation in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0896.html "Two Paths"]].
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** Vaarsuvius had a lot of opportunities to talk to Roy about the things he/she they did and learned while Roy was [[spoiler:dead]]. The [[spoiler:planet inside the rift]], for example, or [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius' debt to the fiends]]. Either might have prevented the situation in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0896.html "Two Paths"]].
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** Attempted by Vaarsuvius in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0585.html "Immaterial Components"]], when the wizard uses his/her Common Sense (caps included) to aid in the Banishment of an enormous devil which is in clear violation of the SquareCubeLaw. Doesn't work.
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** Attempted by Vaarsuvius in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0585.html "Immaterial Components"]], when the wizard uses his/her their Common Sense (caps included) to aid in the Banishment of an enormous devil which is in clear violation of the SquareCubeLaw. Doesn't work.
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* RightPlaceRightTimeWrongReason: When Vaarsuvius asks the Oracle how to obtain "ultimate arcane power", this is the answer given almost word-for-word. [[spoiler:V sells a timeshare on his/her soul to three fiends in exchange for a temporary epic-level power boost. Although the stated motive was to save his/her family, V later admits that the only reason (s)he did it was because (s)he didn't want to ask anyone for help, and suffers (and will yet suffer) the consequences. The prophecy is fulfilled exactly as given]].
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* RightPlaceRightTimeWrongReason: When Vaarsuvius asks the Oracle how to obtain "ultimate arcane power", this is the answer given almost word-for-word. [[spoiler:V sells a timeshare on his/her their soul to three fiends in exchange for a temporary epic-level power boost. Although the stated motive was to save his/her their family, V later admits that the only reason (s)he they did it was because (s)he they didn't want to ask anyone for help, and suffers (and will yet suffer) the consequences. The prophecy is fulfilled exactly as given]].
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* RestartTheWorld: Downplayed. One possible outcome of The Dark One's plan is for him to remake the world with goblins as equals to the other races, but it's his backup plan if his main one doesn't work.
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* RestartTheWorld: RestartTheWorld:
** Downplayed. One possible outcome of The Dark One's plan is for him to remake the world with goblins as equals to the other races, but it's his backup plan if his main one doesn't work.
** Downplayed. One possible outcome of The Dark One's plan is for him to remake the world with goblins as equals to the other races, but it's his backup plan if his main one doesn't work.
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* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Redcloak [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html commands]] a group of undead to kill each other once they have [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Outlived Their Usefulness]].
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** [[spoiler: The High Priest of Hel]] gives a lot of these, but [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1007.html this one to Durkon is particularly brutal.]]
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Changed line(s) 92,94 (click to see context) from:
--->''I got a riddle for you. What's green and black, squeals like a pig, and has two pieces of steel where its lungs used to be?''
--->*stab*
--->''You.''
--->*stab*
--->''You.''
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--->*stab*
--->''You.''
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--->''Maybe we ought to start calling you... Brainy Pete.''
** Lampshaded when Haley is about to kill [[spoiler:Bozzok]]. She gives a rather boring one liner (''"End of the road for you"''), but Belkar interferes:
--->'''Belkar''': WAIT!
--->'''Haley''': Ugh, what?
--->'''Belkar''': Don't you think you should make some kickass one liner before you finish him off? You know, Arnie style?
--->'''Haley''': Oh yeah, right. I forgot.
** Elan delivers one to Kubota after the latter killed [[spoiler:Therkla]], though Kubota surrenders before Elan can actually kill him: "You were her captain... now you're going down with her ship."
** Lampshaded when Haley is about to kill [[spoiler:Bozzok]]. She gives a rather boring one liner (''"End of the road for you"''), but Belkar interferes:
--->'''Belkar''': WAIT!
--->'''Haley''': Ugh, what?
--->'''Belkar''': Don't you think you should make some kickass one liner before you finish him off? You know, Arnie style?
--->'''Haley''': Oh yeah, right. I forgot.
** Elan delivers one to Kubota after the latter killed [[spoiler:Therkla]], though Kubota surrenders before Elan can actually kill him: "You were her captain... now you're going down with her ship."
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** Lampshaded when Haley is about to kill [[spoiler:Bozzok]]. She gives a rather boring
--->'''Haley''':
'''Haley:''' Ugh,
--->'''Belkar''':
'''Belkar:''' Don't you think you should make some kickass one liner before you finish him off? You know, Arnie
--->'''Haley''':
'''Haley:''' Oh yeah, right. I forgot.
** Elan delivers one to Kubota after the latter killed [[spoiler:Therkla]], though Kubota surrenders before Elan can actually kill
--->'''Elan:''' You were her captain... now you're going down with her ship.
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Duplicated examples from media page to trope page.
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** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0107.html Belkar to a goblin mook]]:
--->''I got a riddle for you. What's green and black, squeals like a pig, and has two pieces of steel where its lungs used to be?''
--->*stab*
--->''You.''
** Unnamed cleric to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0612.html Old Blind Pete]] (encouraged by Belkar):
--->''Maybe we ought to start calling you... Brainy Pete.''
** Lampshaded when Haley is about to kill [[spoiler:Bozzok]]. She gives a rather boring one liner (''"End of the road for you"''), but Belkar interferes:
--->'''Belkar''': WAIT!
--->'''Haley''': Ugh, what?
--->'''Belkar''': Don't you think you should make some kickass one liner before you finish him off? You know, Arnie style?
--->'''Haley''': Oh yeah, right. I forgot.
--->''I got a riddle for you. What's green and black, squeals like a pig, and has two pieces of steel where its lungs used to be?''
--->*stab*
--->''You.''
** Unnamed cleric to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0612.html Old Blind Pete]] (encouraged by Belkar):
--->''Maybe we ought to start calling you... Brainy Pete.''
** Lampshaded when Haley is about to kill [[spoiler:Bozzok]]. She gives a rather boring one liner (''"End of the road for you"''), but Belkar interferes:
--->'''Belkar''': WAIT!
--->'''Haley''': Ugh, what?
--->'''Belkar''': Don't you think you should make some kickass one liner before you finish him off? You know, Arnie style?
--->'''Haley''': Oh yeah, right. I forgot.
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* PromptingNudge: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0538.html Celia once disguises as a half-fiendish necromancer]] to trick hobgoblins guards, with Haley and Belkar pretending to be corpses. However, the guards get suspicious and demand she demonstrates her necromancy. When Belkar doesn't initially respond to "Darkblood Gloomgloom" pronouncing a fake incantation, Celia smacks him.
-->'''Celia as Darkblood Gloomgloom:''' I said, "ARISE, dead '''halfling''' corpse that is '''right in front of me''', and take a semblance of life!" NOW!\\
'''Belkar as undead: OW!''' OK, OK, I'm arising already.
-->'''Celia as Darkblood Gloomgloom:''' I said, "ARISE, dead '''halfling''' corpse that is '''right in front of me''', and take a semblance of life!" NOW!\\
'''Belkar as undead: OW!''' OK, OK, I'm arising already.
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--->'''Julio:''' ''"I think that's half your problem, T. You always think everything is about you!"''
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** In the Empire of Blood arc, HeroOfAnotherStory Amun-Zora plays this role. A large part of Elan's character development involves him realising that it can't be him (whatever [[ArchnemesisDad traditional storytelling tropes might demand]]), because the Order's existing quest to stop Xykon and SaveTheWorld is more important than defeating his small-fry EvilOverlord father.
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** In the Empire of Blood arc, HeroOfAnotherStory Amun-Zora plays this role. A large part of Elan's character development involves him realising realizing that it can't be him (whatever [[ArchnemesisDad traditional storytelling tropes might demand]]), because the Order's existing quest to stop Xykon and SaveTheWorld is more important than defeating his small-fry EvilOverlord father.
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** The shortest one in the comic, yet no less accurate:
--->'''Julio:''' ''"I think that's half your problem, T. You always think everything is about you!"''
--->'''Julio:''' ''"I think that's half your problem, T. You always think everything is about you!"''
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* RandomTeleportation: When the party gets teleported by a drunk wizard, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0377.html they end up in a giant bird's nest instead of Azure City.]]
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Adding entry for Product Placement trope
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* ProductPlacement: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0966.html Of the comic's own latest product, no less.]]
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** Elan's prestige class ''depends'' on puns for power. Naturally, the ones he comes up with later in battle fall into the incredibly lame variety. This also serves as 55% of the jokes cracked by the demon roaches.
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** Elan's prestige class ''depends'' on puns for power. Naturally, the ones he comes up with later in battle fall into the incredibly lame variety. variety.
** This also serves as55% lots of the jokes cracked by the demon roaches. Demon-roaches.
** This also serves as
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* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: According to Redcloak, the hobgoblins are an evil-tinted version of this trope with a soldier-race stripe, and they have many of the trappings: Their society places heavy emphasis on their military, Redcloak becomes the new Supreme Leader via KlingonPromotion and in the build-up to the Siege of Azure City, many unnamed hobgoblins express excitement at the chance to fight the humans as well as the chance to invade a city and grind it under their heel.
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** Elan's prestige class ''depends'' on puns for power. Naturally, the ones he comes up with later in battle fall into the incredibly lame variety.
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** Elan's prestige class ''depends'' on puns for power. Naturally, the ones he comes up with later in battle fall into the incredibly lame variety. This also serves as 55% of the jokes cracked by the demon roaches.
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Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesAToC | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesDToF | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesGToI | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesJToL | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesMToO | '''Tropes P To R''' | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesSToU | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesVToZ
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TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesAToC | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesDToF | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesGToI | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesJToL | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesMToO | '''Tropes P To to R''' | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesSToU | TheOrderOfTheStick/TropesVToZ
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TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes A-C}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes D-F}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes G-I}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes J-L}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes M-O}} | '''Tropes P To R''' | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes S-U}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes V-Z}}
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TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes A-C}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes D-F}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes G-I}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes J-L}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes M-O}} | '''Tropes P To R''' | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes S-U}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes V-Z}}
----
!!!''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' provides examples of the following tropes:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:P]]
* PaintItBlack: This happens at least four times in the comic. [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius, Miko, and Durkon]] each receive one of these, while [[HeroicComedicSociopath Belkar]] gets [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0058.html an inversion]] when given a temporary Wisdom boost. The title of the strip which has [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius']] transformation actually references the song/trope title as well, as [[spoiler:V's robe]] is, in fact, painted black.
* PaletteSwap: Tarquin and most of his companions, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0757.html as seen]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html in some]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0759.html flashbacks]]. They change their colors according to the current nation they're "advising" (plus greying hair as they grow older), but keep the same design of clothes and/or armors.
* ThePardon: Tarquin offers Roy one. Roy manages to get him to pardon Belkar, [[spoiler:Haley's father]] Ian, and Ian's brother-in-law Geoff as well. Ian thinks it's a trick, though.
* ParodyMagicSpell: The Franchise/HarryPotter parody character uses "Stopus Badguyus!" when trying to repel Thog.
* PassingNotesInClass: Haley combines this with ArrowGram as a gag [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0438.html during the Azure city battle,]] the arrow hitting a hobgoblin mook about to attack Elan. Said arrow has a cute romantic note on notebook paper. Hinjo plays up the role of the exasperated teacher who takes the note and requests to see Elan after class, er, battle.
* PassThePopcorn:
** The Monster in the Darkness is a common offender, whether it's [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0082.html dwarfs doing the nasty]] or [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0369.html Miko and Redcloak duking it out.]]
** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0251.html "A Piece of His Mind"]]:
--->'''Belkar:''' Do you think I have time to get popcorn??
** One of the fiends spying on V while [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0637.html she's fighting the elder black dragon]].
* PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny: People's Democratic Dictatorship.
* PercussivePickpocket: Some kids try to pull this on Durkon in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0673.html "Too Slow"]].
* PetTheDog:
** Belkar, who takes great joy in ending humanoid life, adopts Shojo's cat and is fiercely protective of it; it and the dinosaur he tames are among the few creatures he doesn't actively loathe.
** Tsukiko likes the dead [[ILoveTheDead a little too much]], trying to win Xykon's approval and viewing the undead she makes as her "children". Her reasoning? If HumansAreTheRealMonsters, then the undead, as the opposite to the living, must be better.
** Even though Tarquin is a mighty warlord, he's still willing to dedicate a day to bonding with his estranged son. Except that [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html every place]] they went to [[KickTheDog reminded the reader of how terrible a person]] he is.
** When we see Xykon pet the dog, he presents it as a slap in the face to Redcloak, although it's entirely possible he really did think Jirix had at least earned a Raise Dead spell.
* PhlebotinumAnalogy:
-->'''Lord Shojo:''' As the gods pulled on the last few strands, the new world formed in the same planar space as the Snarl, shunting it into a tiny demiplane from which it could not free itself. The gods had been clever and built their planet to exist in multiple coterminous dimensions, thus blocking the only vibrational frequencies the Snarl could have used to escape from its cell.\\
'''Haley:''' Huh?\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' He means our world is merely the padlock on the jailhouse door of reality.
* PieInTheFace: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0416.html Redcloak barters ten minutes of Xykon's attention]] to discuss strategy with this old gag, [[spoiler:spicing it up by having acid-spitting beetles in the banana cream pie to fit better with the lich's tastes]].
-->'''Redcloak:''' Don't go anywhere, I've still got a coconut custard that has "siege engine disposition" written all over it.
* PietaPlagiarism: [[spoiler:Therkla's death.]]
* PinballProjectile: Lucky shot variant [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0436.html during the Battle of Azure City]]; subverted in that the poisoned arrow doesn't hit anybody.
* PinnedToTheWall: Used in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0477.html "Shock and Awwwwww"]]. To stop him from falling, Haley pins Roy to the wall of an earthquake-created chasm by shooting an arrow ''[[GroinAttack into his groin]]''. [[spoiler:Roy's probably happy he's already dead for that.]]
* PirateGirl: Given the choice between pirate and ninja, Haley declares this suited her better.
* {{Pixellation}}:
** Humorously used to hide the genitals of naked characters (mostly Elan). [[DontExplainTheJoke Because, you know, stick figures...]]
** Used in a flashback in one of the prequel books. Eugene casts an illusion spell, which pixilates the frame. His teacher Fyron decides it's time to teach him about image resolution.
* PlaceboEurekaMoment: Expecting his father's ghost to turn up and haunt him again, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0162.html Roy talks to him anyway]], and comes to a realisation about his treatment of Elan.
* PlanningWithProps: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0413.html The Azure City war council]] is planning the battle by using prepainting plastic figurines. Problem is, they have trouble finding the adequate ones, so they improvised.
-->'''General Chang:''' No, sir, the bugbears are the hobgoblins. The hobgoblins are the zombies.
* PlayingWithATrope: [[UpToEleven Hoooooo boy.]]
* PleaseSelectNewCityName:
** After nearly one year of occupation by the hobgoblins, Azure City is renamed Gobbotopia City.
** Names of towns and countries change regularly in the volatile Western Continent. For example, Bleedingham (capital of the Empire of Blood) was formerly known as [[spoiler:Terrorburg (capital of Tyrinaria)]].
* [[PleaseSubscribeToOurChannel Please Vote for Our Comic]]: The [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/Incentives.html incentive comics]] to encourage people to vote for them on Buzzcomics.
* PlotArmor: Being based on RPG rules, more plot-important characters tend to be higher-level and therefore tougher. Then-nameless RedShirt Daigo actually manages to overcome a fatal injury simply by [[NominalImportance revealing his name]].
* PointThatSomewhereElse: During Elan's first encounter with Tarquin, the latter bends Elan's rapier away from his face with the tip of a finger.
* PokemonSpeak: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0415.html "TEEVO!"]]
* PokeThePoodle: In the Dragon Magazine comics, The Temple of the Shrouded Overlord believe that the Ancient Overlord will bring about a thousand year reign of darkness. To honor this despicable plan, they make a big deal out of forcibly extinguishing street lamps.
-->'''Goblin Priest:''' The eternal night begins NOW!
* PolarOppositeTwins: Elan and Nale.
* PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0872.html Malack versus Durkon]] -- at least that's how Malack seems to see it. Really, his attempts to find a "compromise" are selfish at best, and Durkon is infuriated by his assumption of the moral high ground when the dwarf had just caught him in the act of [[spoiler:trying to turn his teammate into a vampire]].
* PoorCommunicationKills:
** Literally. If Celia had explained that magic was required to break her talisman and summon her, [[spoiler:Roy's death]] could have been avoided altogether. She assumed everyone could shoot lightning from their fingers.
** Lampshaded (of course) and {{defied|Trope}} in a later strip, where Elan specifically tells Haley the whole story about Therkla, despite the fact that bardic tradition demands he "withhold it all so that at some later point, you can accidentally learn an incomplete version and jump to all the wrong conclusions, thus leading to entertaining dramatic conflict later in our relationship."
** Girard Draketooth concealed the location of his gate from everybody and told them it was at a random spot in the desert, as explained in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0694.html this strip]]. It really bites him in the butt when he failed to foresee that people who weren't Soon Kim might go looking for the Gate.
** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0783.html "Cold Blooded"]], it's [[spoiler:almost literal]].
** Vaarsuvius had a lot of opportunities to talk to Roy about the things he/she did and learned while Roy was [[spoiler:dead]]. The [[spoiler:planet inside the rift]], for example, or [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius' debt to the fiends]]. Either might have prevented the situation in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0896.html "Two Paths"]].
* PornStash: how V ascertains a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0188.html dragon's adolescence]]. Plus Elan's mother has a secret collection of Julio Scoundrél pictures in her bedside drawer.
* PottyEmergency: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0086.html "The Most Important Quest"]].
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: One or two of Tarquin's magic items.
-->'''Elan:''' Yeah right. Like I would use your crazy evil ring that you probably, like, tortured somebody to death or something to give it magic.\\
'''Tarquin:''' Now, that is quite enough, young man. I am frankly offended that you would even suggest I would do such a thing to-- Wait, who do you consider a "somebody"?\\
'''Elan:''' '''Anybody!'''\\
'''Tarquin:''' Fine, fine, I'll keep the ring then.
* ThePowerOfLegacy: O-Chul allows himself to be blamed for the destruction of Soon's gate to prevent further tarnishing of [[spoiler:Miko's legacy]].
* ThePowerOfLove: Elan telling Haley, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0262.html "I believe in you,"]] provides her with a circumstance bonus on her Open Locks roll sufficient to open a difficult lock, allowing the party to (momentarily) escape the Azure City prison.
* PowerPerversionPotential:
** Haley takes advantage of V's invisibility sphere to grope Elan.
--->'''Haley:''' I have 8 ranks in Use Rope!\\
'''Belkar:''' Kinky.\\
'''Haley:''' Shut up.
** It's heavily implied that Sabine's shapeshifting finds its uses in her relationship with Nale... but then, [[HornyDevils she's a succubus]], it comes with the territory.
* PowersViaPossession: Sort of; the Soul Splice leaves the host in control.
* PragmaticVillainy:
** In ''Start of Darkness'', Xykon refuses to do any villainous scheme involving deflowering virgins. Because it's like giving a guy who doesn't know carpentry a hammer and expecting him to build you a house.
** Belkar, after one of his [[GoodAngelBadAngel shoulder demons]] convinces him that saving Hinjo's life will work out better for him in the long run than letting him be killed by an assassin.
** Tarquin is TheManBehindTheMan and plans on remaining so as long as he's able, and he is ruthless in his goals and means, but is GenreSavvy enough to try and help his son. (Mostly since his goal is to rule like a king, then get immortalized in story form when his son offs him for being a tyrant.) And if Xykon flattens the world... well, [[EvilVersusOblivion there would be nothing left to rule, now would there?]]
** Tarquin's teammates also display this. When he asks them to throw into a fight to kill most of the Order (in order to motivate Elan), they refuse because they don't think satisfying his personal "story" is worth their time, or the lives of the good soldiers he's already throwing away.
* PrecisionFStrike:
** Xykon using "Shit." in ''Start of Darkness''.
** When Haley is stuck speaking in cryptograms, Miko tells her the gods have cursed her for her greed. Her response is a single four letter word and a dirty look. Since she has no other lines in that strip, it's impossible to decode what she said -- could as innocent as "Ouch", or "Darn" -- but it seems likely it was something rather more abrasive.
** "'''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0788.html Thog says, fudge the police!]]'''"
* PrecursorHeroes: The Order of the Scribble.
* PregnantBadass: Kazumi [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0587.html more than holds her own against an entire squad of ninjas]]. And provides the page image in the process.
* PrehensileTail: Malack [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0876.html uses his to grapple]] (warning: spoilers) during his [[spoiler:fight with Durkon, simultaneously revealing that he's a [[SnakePeople Snake Person]] rather than a {{Lizardfolk}}.]]
* PrematurelyBald:
** Durkon has been bald since he was fifteen years old.
** Eugene Greenhilt lost his hair as a young man, and his son Roy shaved his to "beat genetics to the punch".
* PreMortemOneLiner:
** Elan delivers one to Kubota after the latter killed [[spoiler:Therkla]], though Kubota surrenders before Elan can actually kill him: "You were her captain... now you're going down with her ship."
** Redcloak [[spoiler:gives the Resistance one of these, right before he wipes them out completely]].
** In strip #906, Nale gets one by ''nonchalantly commenting on the weather''. It must be seen to be understood.
--->'''Nale:''' Beautiful day, don't you think? [[spoiler:Not a cloud in the sky.]]
** Tarquin, just like his sons, gets one: "[[spoiler:As you wish, son.]]"
* PressurePlate: A staple of the traps encountered by the Order. Vaarsuvius falls victim to a nasty one in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0843.html "Lack of Foresight"]].
* {{Pride}}: Vaarsuvius; Daimyo Kubota; Nale to some degree, and a few others.
* PrisonRape: Talked about and implied.
-->'''Thog: [[HulkSpeak thog]] [[BlatantLies too pretty]] for jail.'''
* PronounTrouble: When talking about Vaarsuvius, others intentionally construct sentences to avoid pronouns, or use the nickname "V" in places where one would expect "he" or "she". V does get referred to by various genders, but [[WordOfGod Word of the Giant]] is that that's what the person believes. Taken even further with the brief look at V's mate and children, who refer to V exclusively as "Other Parent" as [[TranslationConvention translated from Elven]].
* ProphecyTwist: After a twist with Belkar's prophecy of "drawing his last breath" was Jossed, we get a new twist for [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html another prophecy]]: [[spoiler:How will Durkon go home? Posthumously. Now [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0878.html he's a vampire.]]]]
* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0784.html Elan]], when a dinosaur intervenes at the right time to prevent the grisly death of two of their rivals, while chomping several unnamed guards.
-->'''Elan:''' Hooray, the people whose names we know are saved!
* PsychoStrings: Parodied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html "Mean Girls"]].
* PteroSoarer: A pteranodon is big and strong enough to be used as flying mount by a man in armour. Standard for the genre, really.
* PuffOfLogic: "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0321.html "Didn't we leave our horses behind at the inn we blew up when Miko captured us?"]].
** Attempted by Vaarsuvius in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0585.html "Immaterial Components"]], when the wizard uses his/her Common Sense (caps included) to aid in the Banishment of an enormous devil which is in clear violation of the SquareCubeLaw. Doesn't work.
* {{Pun}}:
** Elan's prestige class ''depends'' on puns for power. Naturally, the ones he comes up with later in battle fall into the incredibly lame variety.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0418.html Strip #418]] is just full of them.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html "... This is a cart of gophers, isn't it?"]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0684.html "Protecting my brain still constitutes self-defense."]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html They had]] ''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html theurge]]'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html for a snack!]]
* PunBasedTitle: Four of the six books published so far. ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' (Charles Darwin's ''On the Origin of Species''), ''Start of Darkness'' (Joseph Conrad's ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness''), ''No Cure for the Paladin Blues'' (the song, "Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues") and ''War and [=XPs=]'' (Leo Tolstoy's ''Literature/WarAndPeace'').
* PunctuatedForEmphasis:
** '''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0114.html YOU! BROKE! MY! SWORD!!]]'''
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0754.html Thor. Smiled. Upon. Ye.]]
* PyrrhicVictory: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0802.html "Took a Level in Sauceror"]] [[spoiler:"Plane Shift!"]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Q]]
* QuirkyMinibossSquad:
** The Linear Guild, who are also {{Evil Counterpart}}s.
** The three Xykon decoys fulfill this role during the battle of Azure City.
* QuitYourWhining: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0881.html Belkar says this to Roy]] while [[spoiler:Roy is seriously considering retreating after Durkon is vampirized by Malack.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:R]]
* RainbowPimpGear: DefiedTrope. There is a RunningGag early on that Haley is in possession of a powerful pair of magical Boots of Speed, but refuses to wear them because they're lime green. Later on she gets a tailor to dye them to match the rest of her outfit, but they still glow green when their effect is activated.
* RandomTeleportation: When the party gets teleported by a drunk wizard, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0377.html they end up in a giant bird's nest instead of Azure City.]]
* ReachingBetweenTheLines: Not only can Tiamat call you [[MultipleHeadCase on five different lines at once]], you also have to worry about [[BreathWeapon fire, lightning, gas, cold and acid]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html coming out of the receiver]].
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Roy to Miko, Vaarsuvius to both Miko and Belkar at the same time, Redcloak to Miko, and Hinjo to Miko (she really gets a lot of these, doesn't she?).
** Xykon delivered a particularly nasty one to Vaarsuvius on the nature of true power. In general, this is Xykon's speciality.
** And in #830, [[spoiler:Redcloak to Tsukiko]].
** In #881, we get [[spoiler:Belkar giving one to Roy]].
** Subverted in #500. Roy's about to launch into one towards his father, when he suddenly has an epiphany and decides that his father isn't worth it, since if everything he's been through hasn't made him want to be a better man then a few insults from Roy won't do it.
** In #906 Nale gives a brutal one while [[spoiler:killing Malack]].
* RebelLeader:
** The paladin Thanh is "nominated" to lead the resistance in [[spoiler:Azure City]]. The position originally belonged to Haley, until she and Belkar had to leave in order to [[spoiler:resurrect Roy]].
** In the Empire of Blood arc, HeroOfAnotherStory Amun-Zora plays this role. A large part of Elan's character development involves him realising that it can't be him (whatever [[ArchnemesisDad traditional storytelling tropes might demand]]), because the Order's existing quest to stop Xykon and SaveTheWorld is more important than defeating his small-fry EvilOverlord father.
* RecapEpisode: Elan creates one for strip #864 because everyone might need a refresher after a 3-month hiatus.
* RecursiveReality: Possibly. Inside the [[spoiler:rift, there is a planet. What is on the planet is unknown. Common theories are that it's the original world supposedly destroyed by the Snarl, it's the Snarl itself, it's a new planet created by the Snarl, and many other theories.]] In the fourth book's commentary, Rich Burlew {{Josse|d}}s the idea that it's our Earth.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath:
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Miko]].
** Played tragically straight with [[spoiler:Therkla]].
* RedShirt: Played with, subverted, lampshaded, and played straight, sometimes within mere strips of one another. Redcloak, as hinted by his name, was originally supposed to be one, before being more heavily developed.
* RedShirtArmy: Azure City's army, and most of the Sapphire Guard. (Except for members whose names are known.)
* ReferenceOverdosed
* ReflexiveResponse: Haley gets to play with [[spoiler:Tarquin's [[ArrowCatch arrow-catching reflexes]] by firing two arrows toward his head while he's hanging on the railing of the ''Mechane''. He does snatch both out of instinct, but doing so makes him lose his grip on the side of the ship.]]
* ReforgedBlade: The hereditary Greenhilt Sword, which got broken by Xykon during their first confrontation. Reforged with [[MeteoricIron Starmetal]], it's now a Plus Five Sword, with extra bonuses and neat glowy effects against Undead.
* ReforgedIntoAMinion:
** Subverted, as a [[{{Jossed}} jab at fan speculation]], with [[spoiler:Miko]]. Tsukiko gives a monologue about her intent to do this with the next body she finds... and then changes her mind when the first one she finds is [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe in two pieces]].
** Malack attempted to turn Belkar into a vampire, but he was saved by a timely intervention from Durkon. [[spoiler:Malack then proceeded to turn Durkon into a vampire instead; however, after Malack's destruction Durkon rejoins the Order.]]
* RefugeInAudacity: With the help of a Potion of Glibness (which adds 30 points to her already substantial Bluff skill), Haley basically [[CompellingVoice uses lying to bend reality according to her will]].
-->'''Haley:''' You don't see us.\\
'''Guard 1:''' Huh, must be a trick of the light.\\
'''Haley:''' You don't work here anymore.\\
'''Guard 2:''' ''Crap!'' How am I gonna pay my mortgage?!\\
'''Haley:''' You are actually a yellow-footed rock wallaby.\\
'''Guard 3:''' Screw this guard stuff, then. I'm gonna go find a wizard to polymorph me back.
* RememberedICouldFly: Belkar [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0922.html picks a good moment to remember he has the Animal Empathy skill]].
* RememberedTooLate: Roy asked the Oracle a question, and then [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0332.html realizes his question was poorly worded]], and worse, that he will forget even that the question was poorly worded, due to a memory spell on the oracle's home.
* RememberTheNewGuy: An inversion. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html When Vaarsuvius' raven begins accompanying the Order on their missions regularly, V tries to explain to the group that the raven has been there all along, but only "appeared" when he was needed.]] The others, not remembering the few occasions when the bird has helped, don't believe V. This an inversion because, instead of the characters remembering someone the audience has never met, the characters don't remember someone the audience has full knowledge of.
* ResidualSelfImage: Roy discovers that everyone in the afterlife "good" plane looks like their Residual Self Image. His father looks the same as he did when he died, an old man, because he always was a Grumpy Old Man, even when he was young. His mother, however, looks young and hot.
* ResignationsNotAccepted: The Greysky City Thieves' Guild doesn't take kindly to Haley quitting.
* LaResistance: Best called just that, since they argue over the name. Moot point, now that [[spoiler:Redcloak's wiped them out]].
* RestartTheWorld: Downplayed. One possible outcome of The Dark One's plan is for him to remake the world with goblins as equals to the other races, but it's his backup plan if his main one doesn't work.
* ResurrectionSickness: Standard for ''D&D'', being raised from the dead costs a level, as mentioned by the Oracle. Roy also experience some trouble walking right after his own resurrection, his first attempt resulting in a {{faceplant}}, since he'd lost the habit of using his legs to move on the Material Plane.
* {{Retirony}}:
** Happens to an as-of-that-point-unnamed sylph in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0053.html "See, They're Flying, Because It's an Air Sigil"]], though she comes back.
** Also happens at one point in Cliffport. Right as the CPPD chief is complaining he's getting too old for this (he really should have known better), Nale comes along and kills him before he finishes his sentence.
** Lampshaded when Elan warns O-Chul not to announce that he's retiring tomorrow.
* RetroactiveWish: Haley in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html "Hey, It Was Worth a Shot"]].
* RevengeByProxy: Months after the party kills a young evil black dragon, the dragon's mother hunts down and subdues one of them. [[spoiler:But rather than killing Vaarsuvius, she expresses her intention to take it out on V's children, instead:]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Mother Dragon:''' After I am done speaking, I am going to teleport directly there, and then I will eat them alive. Slowly. Feet-first. I will then bind their souls to me with two necromantic scrolls that I acquired for this purpose. And I will disappear. I will leave this plane of existence, and you will never find me. I tell you all of this because it is not enough for me to simply kill you. You have taken my baby from me. I demand that you suffer the full measure of pain that I feel. As a parent, I am sure you understand.]]
* ReversePsychology:
** Xykon uses it early in the comic, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0106.html to lure the adventurers into touching Dorukan's Gate]]. And it works.
--->'''Xykon:''' See? Never bet against the gullibility of the good guys, Redcloack.\\
'''Redcloak:''' I had no idea you had put so many skill ranks in Reverse Psychology.\\
'''[=MitD=]:''' [[RunningGag Wait, what gate?]]
** Roy manages to convince his father to help [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0500.html scrying the mortal realm from the afterlife]]... by refusing to beg him or even to get angry about his unwillingness. Eugene even calls it "reverse psychology" at one point... but he still falls for it. It's unintentional on Roy's part; he really no longer wanted his dad's help at that point. It's absolutely brilliant, too. Only a minute or two after Eugene tells Roy to screw off and go back the mountain to cry to his mother, he's scrying for him.
--->'''Eugene Greenhilt:''' Listen to me, young man, you will stand there and watch as I scry for you and like it, because I am your father!\\
'''Roy Greenhilt:''' You do know that doesn't make any sense, right?
* ReviveKillsZombie: As per ''D&D'' rules, "Heal" and related spells damage undead creatures, while "Inflict wounds" and related spells heal them.
* RidingIntoTheSunset: Toward the end of Book 5, [[spoiler:the ''Mechane'', carrying the Order of the Stick, is shown flying into the sunset]].
* RightBehindMe:
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' She is, naturally, directly behind me.\\
'''Miko:''' Naturally.
* RightHandCat: Mr. Scruffy to Lord Shojo. And later, to Belkar.
* RightMakesMight: Hilariously lampshaded and subverted when Belkar attacks [[spoiler:Malack]] and is certain he will win because "guys spouting corny lines like 'I have someone worth fighting for' always win for some reason", or something to that effect. [[spoiler:Malack proceeds to incapacitate him with no effort.]]
* RightPlaceRightTimeWrongReason: When Vaarsuvius asks the Oracle how to obtain "ultimate arcane power", this is the answer given almost word-for-word. [[spoiler:V sells a timeshare on his/her soul to three fiends in exchange for a temporary epic-level power boost. Although the stated motive was to save his/her family, V later admits that the only reason (s)he did it was because (s)he didn't want to ask anyone for help, and suffers (and will yet suffer) the consequences. The prophecy is fulfilled exactly as given]].
* RingOfPower:
** Vaarsuvius' Ring of Wizardry;
** Belkar's Ring of Jumping +20;
** Tarquin's Rings of Regeneration and True Seeing;
** Tsukiko has a ring protecting her from energy drains, an obvious safeguard for one dealing regularly with wights. [[spoiler:It doesn't save her, though]].
* TheRival: Crystal the Assassin for Haley. She's clearly [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0607.html not the smartest pickle in the jar]], but dramatic conventions demand that Crystal at least matched to Haley's experience level -- [[GenreSavvy and they both know it]].
-->'''Haley:''' ...she's a personal rival. She's ALWAYS gonna be the same level as I am when we meet, if not higher.\\
(''cutaway panel; Crystal is playing cards when a "DING!" appears overhead'')\\
'''Crystal:''' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0581.html Sweet! Starshine gained another level!]]
* RockPaperScissors: Alluded with two strip titles -- [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0424.html "Paper Beats Rock"]] and [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0745.html "It Does Beat Scissors"]].
* RockyRollCall: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0159.html "Plotus Interruptus"]]
-->'''Samantha:''' Dad!\\
'''Sam's father:''' Samantha!\\
'''Elan:''' Haley!\\
'''Haley:''' Elan!\\
'''Belkar:''' Hot chick!
* RolePlayingGameVerse: The Stickverse is an original world, but is stated from the start to be based on ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
* RougeAnglesOfSatin:
** In ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'', Roy comments about Haley's class on her resume (i.e. character sheet) being misspelled as "Rouge".
** Lampshaded/parodied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0711.html strip #711]] when Haley, due to a misreading, joins the "Sisterhood of Aton", the local Rouge's Guild.
* RPGMechanicsVerse: With ''D&D'' 3.5 rules, and most of the characters are fully aware of the mechanics -- some more than others, of course.
* RuleOfCool: Durkon needs to destroy a group of trees whose only weakness is sonic damage, so he uses a control weather scroll to summon a thunderstorm which [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0352.html shatters the trees with the noise of the thunderclap.]] Thor thinks this is such an awesome idea that he bends the rules of reality to make sure it works, much to the annoyance of [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0353.html his Planetar assistant.]]
* RuleOfDrama: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0670.html Beautifully averted]] when Elan decides to be honest with Haley, despite the drama that could potentially unravel, because their relationship is worth more to him than that.
* RuleOfFunny: As a general principle, the series runs on BroadStrokes ''D&D'' rules unless [[RuleOfDrama the story]] or the jokes require otherwise.
** Lampshaded in the title "Don't Question the Color of the Bag"; a joke in the strip has Roy's usually-useless Bag of Tricks unexpectedly materialise a rhinoceros, which lands on top of him. (In the game, there are two differently-colored Bags of Tricks, one of which spawns small rodents, and the other larger animals, rhinos included.)
** The major characters have no explicitly stated levels, stats or ability sets (other than rare exceptions, like [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0028.html Elan's 18 in Charisma]] or [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html V's 18 in Intelligence]]) because that would restrict the jokes. Their stats can and have been guessed based on their actions in the comic, though.
* RuleOfThree: The Empires of Blood, Sweat and Tears.
* {{Running Gag}}s include Elan's dubiously-helpful bard songs, V's creative application of explosive runes and ambiguous sex, Durkon's dendrophobia, Xykon not remembering Roy or his dad, Daigo "saving" his last name, the MitD's constant confusion about the Gates, the practical implications of Sending spells (you try getting everything across in exactly 25 words), among others.
** Flumphs conveniently cushioning people's landings... or not.
** "... the whole kobold-head-into-an-object thing is sort of a running gag with me."
** The title of the strip is a definition of a word prominent in the punchline.
** "Get it off! Get it off!" -- thrice:
*** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html A goblin with Belkar.]]
*** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html Tsukiko with Mr. Scruffy.]]
*** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html Sabine with an illusory celestial tree sloth.]]
** Twice already Roy got attacked and shut up with someone yelling at him ''"[[TalkToTheFist STOP TALKING]]"''. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0408.html First one]] was courtesy of Miko, the [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0796.html second one]] was from Thog.
* RussianReversal: The title for [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0542.html one of the comics]] is "In Azure City, [[JumpingTheShark Shark Jumps You]]!"
[[/folder]]
----
----
!!!''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' provides examples of the following tropes:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:P]]
* PaintItBlack: This happens at least four times in the comic. [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius, Miko, and Durkon]] each receive one of these, while [[HeroicComedicSociopath Belkar]] gets [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0058.html an inversion]] when given a temporary Wisdom boost. The title of the strip which has [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius']] transformation actually references the song/trope title as well, as [[spoiler:V's robe]] is, in fact, painted black.
* PaletteSwap: Tarquin and most of his companions, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0757.html as seen]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html in some]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0759.html flashbacks]]. They change their colors according to the current nation they're "advising" (plus greying hair as they grow older), but keep the same design of clothes and/or armors.
* ThePardon: Tarquin offers Roy one. Roy manages to get him to pardon Belkar, [[spoiler:Haley's father]] Ian, and Ian's brother-in-law Geoff as well. Ian thinks it's a trick, though.
* ParodyMagicSpell: The Franchise/HarryPotter parody character uses "Stopus Badguyus!" when trying to repel Thog.
* PassingNotesInClass: Haley combines this with ArrowGram as a gag [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0438.html during the Azure city battle,]] the arrow hitting a hobgoblin mook about to attack Elan. Said arrow has a cute romantic note on notebook paper. Hinjo plays up the role of the exasperated teacher who takes the note and requests to see Elan after class, er, battle.
* PassThePopcorn:
** The Monster in the Darkness is a common offender, whether it's [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0082.html dwarfs doing the nasty]] or [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0369.html Miko and Redcloak duking it out.]]
** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0251.html "A Piece of His Mind"]]:
--->'''Belkar:''' Do you think I have time to get popcorn??
** One of the fiends spying on V while [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0637.html she's fighting the elder black dragon]].
* PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny: People's Democratic Dictatorship.
* PercussivePickpocket: Some kids try to pull this on Durkon in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0673.html "Too Slow"]].
* PetTheDog:
** Belkar, who takes great joy in ending humanoid life, adopts Shojo's cat and is fiercely protective of it; it and the dinosaur he tames are among the few creatures he doesn't actively loathe.
** Tsukiko likes the dead [[ILoveTheDead a little too much]], trying to win Xykon's approval and viewing the undead she makes as her "children". Her reasoning? If HumansAreTheRealMonsters, then the undead, as the opposite to the living, must be better.
** Even though Tarquin is a mighty warlord, he's still willing to dedicate a day to bonding with his estranged son. Except that [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0750.html every place]] they went to [[KickTheDog reminded the reader of how terrible a person]] he is.
** When we see Xykon pet the dog, he presents it as a slap in the face to Redcloak, although it's entirely possible he really did think Jirix had at least earned a Raise Dead spell.
* PhlebotinumAnalogy:
-->'''Lord Shojo:''' As the gods pulled on the last few strands, the new world formed in the same planar space as the Snarl, shunting it into a tiny demiplane from which it could not free itself. The gods had been clever and built their planet to exist in multiple coterminous dimensions, thus blocking the only vibrational frequencies the Snarl could have used to escape from its cell.\\
'''Haley:''' Huh?\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' He means our world is merely the padlock on the jailhouse door of reality.
* PieInTheFace: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0416.html Redcloak barters ten minutes of Xykon's attention]] to discuss strategy with this old gag, [[spoiler:spicing it up by having acid-spitting beetles in the banana cream pie to fit better with the lich's tastes]].
-->'''Redcloak:''' Don't go anywhere, I've still got a coconut custard that has "siege engine disposition" written all over it.
* PietaPlagiarism: [[spoiler:Therkla's death.]]
* PinballProjectile: Lucky shot variant [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0436.html during the Battle of Azure City]]; subverted in that the poisoned arrow doesn't hit anybody.
* PinnedToTheWall: Used in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0477.html "Shock and Awwwwww"]]. To stop him from falling, Haley pins Roy to the wall of an earthquake-created chasm by shooting an arrow ''[[GroinAttack into his groin]]''. [[spoiler:Roy's probably happy he's already dead for that.]]
* PirateGirl: Given the choice between pirate and ninja, Haley declares this suited her better.
* {{Pixellation}}:
** Humorously used to hide the genitals of naked characters (mostly Elan). [[DontExplainTheJoke Because, you know, stick figures...]]
** Used in a flashback in one of the prequel books. Eugene casts an illusion spell, which pixilates the frame. His teacher Fyron decides it's time to teach him about image resolution.
* PlaceboEurekaMoment: Expecting his father's ghost to turn up and haunt him again, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0162.html Roy talks to him anyway]], and comes to a realisation about his treatment of Elan.
* PlanningWithProps: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0413.html The Azure City war council]] is planning the battle by using prepainting plastic figurines. Problem is, they have trouble finding the adequate ones, so they improvised.
-->'''General Chang:''' No, sir, the bugbears are the hobgoblins. The hobgoblins are the zombies.
* PlayingWithATrope: [[UpToEleven Hoooooo boy.]]
* PleaseSelectNewCityName:
** After nearly one year of occupation by the hobgoblins, Azure City is renamed Gobbotopia City.
** Names of towns and countries change regularly in the volatile Western Continent. For example, Bleedingham (capital of the Empire of Blood) was formerly known as [[spoiler:Terrorburg (capital of Tyrinaria)]].
* [[PleaseSubscribeToOurChannel Please Vote for Our Comic]]: The [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/Incentives.html incentive comics]] to encourage people to vote for them on Buzzcomics.
* PlotArmor: Being based on RPG rules, more plot-important characters tend to be higher-level and therefore tougher. Then-nameless RedShirt Daigo actually manages to overcome a fatal injury simply by [[NominalImportance revealing his name]].
* PointThatSomewhereElse: During Elan's first encounter with Tarquin, the latter bends Elan's rapier away from his face with the tip of a finger.
* PokemonSpeak: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0415.html "TEEVO!"]]
* PokeThePoodle: In the Dragon Magazine comics, The Temple of the Shrouded Overlord believe that the Ancient Overlord will bring about a thousand year reign of darkness. To honor this despicable plan, they make a big deal out of forcibly extinguishing street lamps.
-->'''Goblin Priest:''' The eternal night begins NOW!
* PolarOppositeTwins: Elan and Nale.
* PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0872.html Malack versus Durkon]] -- at least that's how Malack seems to see it. Really, his attempts to find a "compromise" are selfish at best, and Durkon is infuriated by his assumption of the moral high ground when the dwarf had just caught him in the act of [[spoiler:trying to turn his teammate into a vampire]].
* PoorCommunicationKills:
** Literally. If Celia had explained that magic was required to break her talisman and summon her, [[spoiler:Roy's death]] could have been avoided altogether. She assumed everyone could shoot lightning from their fingers.
** Lampshaded (of course) and {{defied|Trope}} in a later strip, where Elan specifically tells Haley the whole story about Therkla, despite the fact that bardic tradition demands he "withhold it all so that at some later point, you can accidentally learn an incomplete version and jump to all the wrong conclusions, thus leading to entertaining dramatic conflict later in our relationship."
** Girard Draketooth concealed the location of his gate from everybody and told them it was at a random spot in the desert, as explained in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0694.html this strip]]. It really bites him in the butt when he failed to foresee that people who weren't Soon Kim might go looking for the Gate.
** In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0783.html "Cold Blooded"]], it's [[spoiler:almost literal]].
** Vaarsuvius had a lot of opportunities to talk to Roy about the things he/she did and learned while Roy was [[spoiler:dead]]. The [[spoiler:planet inside the rift]], for example, or [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius' debt to the fiends]]. Either might have prevented the situation in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0896.html "Two Paths"]].
* PornStash: how V ascertains a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0188.html dragon's adolescence]]. Plus Elan's mother has a secret collection of Julio Scoundrél pictures in her bedside drawer.
* PottyEmergency: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0086.html "The Most Important Quest"]].
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: One or two of Tarquin's magic items.
-->'''Elan:''' Yeah right. Like I would use your crazy evil ring that you probably, like, tortured somebody to death or something to give it magic.\\
'''Tarquin:''' Now, that is quite enough, young man. I am frankly offended that you would even suggest I would do such a thing to-- Wait, who do you consider a "somebody"?\\
'''Elan:''' '''Anybody!'''\\
'''Tarquin:''' Fine, fine, I'll keep the ring then.
* ThePowerOfLegacy: O-Chul allows himself to be blamed for the destruction of Soon's gate to prevent further tarnishing of [[spoiler:Miko's legacy]].
* ThePowerOfLove: Elan telling Haley, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0262.html "I believe in you,"]] provides her with a circumstance bonus on her Open Locks roll sufficient to open a difficult lock, allowing the party to (momentarily) escape the Azure City prison.
* PowerPerversionPotential:
** Haley takes advantage of V's invisibility sphere to grope Elan.
--->'''Haley:''' I have 8 ranks in Use Rope!\\
'''Belkar:''' Kinky.\\
'''Haley:''' Shut up.
** It's heavily implied that Sabine's shapeshifting finds its uses in her relationship with Nale... but then, [[HornyDevils she's a succubus]], it comes with the territory.
* PowersViaPossession: Sort of; the Soul Splice leaves the host in control.
* PragmaticVillainy:
** In ''Start of Darkness'', Xykon refuses to do any villainous scheme involving deflowering virgins. Because it's like giving a guy who doesn't know carpentry a hammer and expecting him to build you a house.
** Belkar, after one of his [[GoodAngelBadAngel shoulder demons]] convinces him that saving Hinjo's life will work out better for him in the long run than letting him be killed by an assassin.
** Tarquin is TheManBehindTheMan and plans on remaining so as long as he's able, and he is ruthless in his goals and means, but is GenreSavvy enough to try and help his son. (Mostly since his goal is to rule like a king, then get immortalized in story form when his son offs him for being a tyrant.) And if Xykon flattens the world... well, [[EvilVersusOblivion there would be nothing left to rule, now would there?]]
** Tarquin's teammates also display this. When he asks them to throw into a fight to kill most of the Order (in order to motivate Elan), they refuse because they don't think satisfying his personal "story" is worth their time, or the lives of the good soldiers he's already throwing away.
* PrecisionFStrike:
** Xykon using "Shit." in ''Start of Darkness''.
** When Haley is stuck speaking in cryptograms, Miko tells her the gods have cursed her for her greed. Her response is a single four letter word and a dirty look. Since she has no other lines in that strip, it's impossible to decode what she said -- could as innocent as "Ouch", or "Darn" -- but it seems likely it was something rather more abrasive.
** "'''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0788.html Thog says, fudge the police!]]'''"
* PrecursorHeroes: The Order of the Scribble.
* PregnantBadass: Kazumi [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0587.html more than holds her own against an entire squad of ninjas]]. And provides the page image in the process.
* PrehensileTail: Malack [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0876.html uses his to grapple]] (warning: spoilers) during his [[spoiler:fight with Durkon, simultaneously revealing that he's a [[SnakePeople Snake Person]] rather than a {{Lizardfolk}}.]]
* PrematurelyBald:
** Durkon has been bald since he was fifteen years old.
** Eugene Greenhilt lost his hair as a young man, and his son Roy shaved his to "beat genetics to the punch".
* PreMortemOneLiner:
** Elan delivers one to Kubota after the latter killed [[spoiler:Therkla]], though Kubota surrenders before Elan can actually kill him: "You were her captain... now you're going down with her ship."
** Redcloak [[spoiler:gives the Resistance one of these, right before he wipes them out completely]].
** In strip #906, Nale gets one by ''nonchalantly commenting on the weather''. It must be seen to be understood.
--->'''Nale:''' Beautiful day, don't you think? [[spoiler:Not a cloud in the sky.]]
** Tarquin, just like his sons, gets one: "[[spoiler:As you wish, son.]]"
* PressurePlate: A staple of the traps encountered by the Order. Vaarsuvius falls victim to a nasty one in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0843.html "Lack of Foresight"]].
* {{Pride}}: Vaarsuvius; Daimyo Kubota; Nale to some degree, and a few others.
* PrisonRape: Talked about and implied.
-->'''Thog: [[HulkSpeak thog]] [[BlatantLies too pretty]] for jail.'''
* PronounTrouble: When talking about Vaarsuvius, others intentionally construct sentences to avoid pronouns, or use the nickname "V" in places where one would expect "he" or "she". V does get referred to by various genders, but [[WordOfGod Word of the Giant]] is that that's what the person believes. Taken even further with the brief look at V's mate and children, who refer to V exclusively as "Other Parent" as [[TranslationConvention translated from Elven]].
* ProphecyTwist: After a twist with Belkar's prophecy of "drawing his last breath" was Jossed, we get a new twist for [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0877.html another prophecy]]: [[spoiler:How will Durkon go home? Posthumously. Now [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0878.html he's a vampire.]]]]
* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0784.html Elan]], when a dinosaur intervenes at the right time to prevent the grisly death of two of their rivals, while chomping several unnamed guards.
-->'''Elan:''' Hooray, the people whose names we know are saved!
* PsychoStrings: Parodied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html "Mean Girls"]].
* PteroSoarer: A pteranodon is big and strong enough to be used as flying mount by a man in armour. Standard for the genre, really.
* PuffOfLogic: "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0321.html "Didn't we leave our horses behind at the inn we blew up when Miko captured us?"]].
** Attempted by Vaarsuvius in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0585.html "Immaterial Components"]], when the wizard uses his/her Common Sense (caps included) to aid in the Banishment of an enormous devil which is in clear violation of the SquareCubeLaw. Doesn't work.
* {{Pun}}:
** Elan's prestige class ''depends'' on puns for power. Naturally, the ones he comes up with later in battle fall into the incredibly lame variety.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0418.html Strip #418]] is just full of them.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html "... This is a cart of gophers, isn't it?"]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0684.html "Protecting my brain still constitutes self-defense."]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html They had]] ''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html theurge]]'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0833.html for a snack!]]
* PunBasedTitle: Four of the six books published so far. ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' (Charles Darwin's ''On the Origin of Species''), ''Start of Darkness'' (Joseph Conrad's ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness''), ''No Cure for the Paladin Blues'' (the song, "Ain't No Cure for the Summertime Blues") and ''War and [=XPs=]'' (Leo Tolstoy's ''Literature/WarAndPeace'').
* PunctuatedForEmphasis:
** '''[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0114.html YOU! BROKE! MY! SWORD!!]]'''
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0754.html Thor. Smiled. Upon. Ye.]]
* PyrrhicVictory: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0802.html "Took a Level in Sauceror"]] [[spoiler:"Plane Shift!"]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Q]]
* QuirkyMinibossSquad:
** The Linear Guild, who are also {{Evil Counterpart}}s.
** The three Xykon decoys fulfill this role during the battle of Azure City.
* QuitYourWhining: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0881.html Belkar says this to Roy]] while [[spoiler:Roy is seriously considering retreating after Durkon is vampirized by Malack.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:R]]
* RainbowPimpGear: DefiedTrope. There is a RunningGag early on that Haley is in possession of a powerful pair of magical Boots of Speed, but refuses to wear them because they're lime green. Later on she gets a tailor to dye them to match the rest of her outfit, but they still glow green when their effect is activated.
* RandomTeleportation: When the party gets teleported by a drunk wizard, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0377.html they end up in a giant bird's nest instead of Azure City.]]
* ReachingBetweenTheLines: Not only can Tiamat call you [[MultipleHeadCase on five different lines at once]], you also have to worry about [[BreathWeapon fire, lightning, gas, cold and acid]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html coming out of the receiver]].
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Roy to Miko, Vaarsuvius to both Miko and Belkar at the same time, Redcloak to Miko, and Hinjo to Miko (she really gets a lot of these, doesn't she?).
** Xykon delivered a particularly nasty one to Vaarsuvius on the nature of true power. In general, this is Xykon's speciality.
** And in #830, [[spoiler:Redcloak to Tsukiko]].
** In #881, we get [[spoiler:Belkar giving one to Roy]].
** Subverted in #500. Roy's about to launch into one towards his father, when he suddenly has an epiphany and decides that his father isn't worth it, since if everything he's been through hasn't made him want to be a better man then a few insults from Roy won't do it.
** In #906 Nale gives a brutal one while [[spoiler:killing Malack]].
* RebelLeader:
** The paladin Thanh is "nominated" to lead the resistance in [[spoiler:Azure City]]. The position originally belonged to Haley, until she and Belkar had to leave in order to [[spoiler:resurrect Roy]].
** In the Empire of Blood arc, HeroOfAnotherStory Amun-Zora plays this role. A large part of Elan's character development involves him realising that it can't be him (whatever [[ArchnemesisDad traditional storytelling tropes might demand]]), because the Order's existing quest to stop Xykon and SaveTheWorld is more important than defeating his small-fry EvilOverlord father.
* RecapEpisode: Elan creates one for strip #864 because everyone might need a refresher after a 3-month hiatus.
* RecursiveReality: Possibly. Inside the [[spoiler:rift, there is a planet. What is on the planet is unknown. Common theories are that it's the original world supposedly destroyed by the Snarl, it's the Snarl itself, it's a new planet created by the Snarl, and many other theories.]] In the fourth book's commentary, Rich Burlew {{Josse|d}}s the idea that it's our Earth.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath:
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Miko]].
** Played tragically straight with [[spoiler:Therkla]].
* RedShirt: Played with, subverted, lampshaded, and played straight, sometimes within mere strips of one another. Redcloak, as hinted by his name, was originally supposed to be one, before being more heavily developed.
* RedShirtArmy: Azure City's army, and most of the Sapphire Guard. (Except for members whose names are known.)
* ReferenceOverdosed
* ReflexiveResponse: Haley gets to play with [[spoiler:Tarquin's [[ArrowCatch arrow-catching reflexes]] by firing two arrows toward his head while he's hanging on the railing of the ''Mechane''. He does snatch both out of instinct, but doing so makes him lose his grip on the side of the ship.]]
* ReforgedBlade: The hereditary Greenhilt Sword, which got broken by Xykon during their first confrontation. Reforged with [[MeteoricIron Starmetal]], it's now a Plus Five Sword, with extra bonuses and neat glowy effects against Undead.
* ReforgedIntoAMinion:
** Subverted, as a [[{{Jossed}} jab at fan speculation]], with [[spoiler:Miko]]. Tsukiko gives a monologue about her intent to do this with the next body she finds... and then changes her mind when the first one she finds is [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe in two pieces]].
** Malack attempted to turn Belkar into a vampire, but he was saved by a timely intervention from Durkon. [[spoiler:Malack then proceeded to turn Durkon into a vampire instead; however, after Malack's destruction Durkon rejoins the Order.]]
* RefugeInAudacity: With the help of a Potion of Glibness (which adds 30 points to her already substantial Bluff skill), Haley basically [[CompellingVoice uses lying to bend reality according to her will]].
-->'''Haley:''' You don't see us.\\
'''Guard 1:''' Huh, must be a trick of the light.\\
'''Haley:''' You don't work here anymore.\\
'''Guard 2:''' ''Crap!'' How am I gonna pay my mortgage?!\\
'''Haley:''' You are actually a yellow-footed rock wallaby.\\
'''Guard 3:''' Screw this guard stuff, then. I'm gonna go find a wizard to polymorph me back.
* RememberedICouldFly: Belkar [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0922.html picks a good moment to remember he has the Animal Empathy skill]].
* RememberedTooLate: Roy asked the Oracle a question, and then [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0332.html realizes his question was poorly worded]], and worse, that he will forget even that the question was poorly worded, due to a memory spell on the oracle's home.
* RememberTheNewGuy: An inversion. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0674.html When Vaarsuvius' raven begins accompanying the Order on their missions regularly, V tries to explain to the group that the raven has been there all along, but only "appeared" when he was needed.]] The others, not remembering the few occasions when the bird has helped, don't believe V. This an inversion because, instead of the characters remembering someone the audience has never met, the characters don't remember someone the audience has full knowledge of.
* ResidualSelfImage: Roy discovers that everyone in the afterlife "good" plane looks like their Residual Self Image. His father looks the same as he did when he died, an old man, because he always was a Grumpy Old Man, even when he was young. His mother, however, looks young and hot.
* ResignationsNotAccepted: The Greysky City Thieves' Guild doesn't take kindly to Haley quitting.
* LaResistance: Best called just that, since they argue over the name. Moot point, now that [[spoiler:Redcloak's wiped them out]].
* RestartTheWorld: Downplayed. One possible outcome of The Dark One's plan is for him to remake the world with goblins as equals to the other races, but it's his backup plan if his main one doesn't work.
* ResurrectionSickness: Standard for ''D&D'', being raised from the dead costs a level, as mentioned by the Oracle. Roy also experience some trouble walking right after his own resurrection, his first attempt resulting in a {{faceplant}}, since he'd lost the habit of using his legs to move on the Material Plane.
* {{Retirony}}:
** Happens to an as-of-that-point-unnamed sylph in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0053.html "See, They're Flying, Because It's an Air Sigil"]], though she comes back.
** Also happens at one point in Cliffport. Right as the CPPD chief is complaining he's getting too old for this (he really should have known better), Nale comes along and kills him before he finishes his sentence.
** Lampshaded when Elan warns O-Chul not to announce that he's retiring tomorrow.
* RetroactiveWish: Haley in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html "Hey, It Was Worth a Shot"]].
* RevengeByProxy: Months after the party kills a young evil black dragon, the dragon's mother hunts down and subdues one of them. [[spoiler:But rather than killing Vaarsuvius, she expresses her intention to take it out on V's children, instead:]]
-->[[spoiler:'''Mother Dragon:''' After I am done speaking, I am going to teleport directly there, and then I will eat them alive. Slowly. Feet-first. I will then bind their souls to me with two necromantic scrolls that I acquired for this purpose. And I will disappear. I will leave this plane of existence, and you will never find me. I tell you all of this because it is not enough for me to simply kill you. You have taken my baby from me. I demand that you suffer the full measure of pain that I feel. As a parent, I am sure you understand.]]
* ReversePsychology:
** Xykon uses it early in the comic, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0106.html to lure the adventurers into touching Dorukan's Gate]]. And it works.
--->'''Xykon:''' See? Never bet against the gullibility of the good guys, Redcloack.\\
'''Redcloak:''' I had no idea you had put so many skill ranks in Reverse Psychology.\\
'''[=MitD=]:''' [[RunningGag Wait, what gate?]]
** Roy manages to convince his father to help [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0500.html scrying the mortal realm from the afterlife]]... by refusing to beg him or even to get angry about his unwillingness. Eugene even calls it "reverse psychology" at one point... but he still falls for it. It's unintentional on Roy's part; he really no longer wanted his dad's help at that point. It's absolutely brilliant, too. Only a minute or two after Eugene tells Roy to screw off and go back the mountain to cry to his mother, he's scrying for him.
--->'''Eugene Greenhilt:''' Listen to me, young man, you will stand there and watch as I scry for you and like it, because I am your father!\\
'''Roy Greenhilt:''' You do know that doesn't make any sense, right?
* ReviveKillsZombie: As per ''D&D'' rules, "Heal" and related spells damage undead creatures, while "Inflict wounds" and related spells heal them.
* RidingIntoTheSunset: Toward the end of Book 5, [[spoiler:the ''Mechane'', carrying the Order of the Stick, is shown flying into the sunset]].
* RightBehindMe:
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' She is, naturally, directly behind me.\\
'''Miko:''' Naturally.
* RightHandCat: Mr. Scruffy to Lord Shojo. And later, to Belkar.
* RightMakesMight: Hilariously lampshaded and subverted when Belkar attacks [[spoiler:Malack]] and is certain he will win because "guys spouting corny lines like 'I have someone worth fighting for' always win for some reason", or something to that effect. [[spoiler:Malack proceeds to incapacitate him with no effort.]]
* RightPlaceRightTimeWrongReason: When Vaarsuvius asks the Oracle how to obtain "ultimate arcane power", this is the answer given almost word-for-word. [[spoiler:V sells a timeshare on his/her soul to three fiends in exchange for a temporary epic-level power boost. Although the stated motive was to save his/her family, V later admits that the only reason (s)he did it was because (s)he didn't want to ask anyone for help, and suffers (and will yet suffer) the consequences. The prophecy is fulfilled exactly as given]].
* RingOfPower:
** Vaarsuvius' Ring of Wizardry;
** Belkar's Ring of Jumping +20;
** Tarquin's Rings of Regeneration and True Seeing;
** Tsukiko has a ring protecting her from energy drains, an obvious safeguard for one dealing regularly with wights. [[spoiler:It doesn't save her, though]].
* TheRival: Crystal the Assassin for Haley. She's clearly [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0607.html not the smartest pickle in the jar]], but dramatic conventions demand that Crystal at least matched to Haley's experience level -- [[GenreSavvy and they both know it]].
-->'''Haley:''' ...she's a personal rival. She's ALWAYS gonna be the same level as I am when we meet, if not higher.\\
(''cutaway panel; Crystal is playing cards when a "DING!" appears overhead'')\\
'''Crystal:''' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0581.html Sweet! Starshine gained another level!]]
* RockPaperScissors: Alluded with two strip titles -- [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0424.html "Paper Beats Rock"]] and [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0745.html "It Does Beat Scissors"]].
* RockyRollCall: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0159.html "Plotus Interruptus"]]
-->'''Samantha:''' Dad!\\
'''Sam's father:''' Samantha!\\
'''Elan:''' Haley!\\
'''Haley:''' Elan!\\
'''Belkar:''' Hot chick!
* RolePlayingGameVerse: The Stickverse is an original world, but is stated from the start to be based on ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
* RougeAnglesOfSatin:
** In ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'', Roy comments about Haley's class on her resume (i.e. character sheet) being misspelled as "Rouge".
** Lampshaded/parodied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0711.html strip #711]] when Haley, due to a misreading, joins the "Sisterhood of Aton", the local Rouge's Guild.
* RPGMechanicsVerse: With ''D&D'' 3.5 rules, and most of the characters are fully aware of the mechanics -- some more than others, of course.
* RuleOfCool: Durkon needs to destroy a group of trees whose only weakness is sonic damage, so he uses a control weather scroll to summon a thunderstorm which [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0352.html shatters the trees with the noise of the thunderclap.]] Thor thinks this is such an awesome idea that he bends the rules of reality to make sure it works, much to the annoyance of [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0353.html his Planetar assistant.]]
* RuleOfDrama: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0670.html Beautifully averted]] when Elan decides to be honest with Haley, despite the drama that could potentially unravel, because their relationship is worth more to him than that.
* RuleOfFunny: As a general principle, the series runs on BroadStrokes ''D&D'' rules unless [[RuleOfDrama the story]] or the jokes require otherwise.
** Lampshaded in the title "Don't Question the Color of the Bag"; a joke in the strip has Roy's usually-useless Bag of Tricks unexpectedly materialise a rhinoceros, which lands on top of him. (In the game, there are two differently-colored Bags of Tricks, one of which spawns small rodents, and the other larger animals, rhinos included.)
** The major characters have no explicitly stated levels, stats or ability sets (other than rare exceptions, like [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0028.html Elan's 18 in Charisma]] or [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html V's 18 in Intelligence]]) because that would restrict the jokes. Their stats can and have been guessed based on their actions in the comic, though.
* RuleOfThree: The Empires of Blood, Sweat and Tears.
* {{Running Gag}}s include Elan's dubiously-helpful bard songs, V's creative application of explosive runes and ambiguous sex, Durkon's dendrophobia, Xykon not remembering Roy or his dad, Daigo "saving" his last name, the MitD's constant confusion about the Gates, the practical implications of Sending spells (you try getting everything across in exactly 25 words), among others.
** Flumphs conveniently cushioning people's landings... or not.
** "... the whole kobold-head-into-an-object thing is sort of a running gag with me."
** The title of the strip is a definition of a word prominent in the punchline.
** "Get it off! Get it off!" -- thrice:
*** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0041.html A goblin with Belkar.]]
*** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html Tsukiko with Mr. Scruffy.]]
*** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0805.html Sabine with an illusory celestial tree sloth.]]
** Twice already Roy got attacked and shut up with someone yelling at him ''"[[TalkToTheFist STOP TALKING]]"''. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0408.html First one]] was courtesy of Miko, the [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0796.html second one]] was from Thog.
* RussianReversal: The title for [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0542.html one of the comics]] is "In Azure City, [[JumpingTheShark Shark Jumps You]]!"
[[/folder]]
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