Line #182 Main/RolePlayingGame


1	[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/{{Dragon Quest I}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dw1nes_001_19.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Classic RPG elements on display include: CharacterLevel, HitPoints, ManaMeter, [[GlobalCurrency Gold]], and ExperiencePoints]]
3
4
5	->''"For when I want all the freedom of having a story revolve around my choices without being confined by the choices of either going to work or starving."''
6	-->-- '''Kyle Martin'''
7
8	''This article refers chiefly to video games. See TabletopRPG for old-fashioned pen and paper games.''
9
10	Role-Playing Games ([=RPGs=] for short) are a genre of {{Video Game}}s in which the player controls a character or [[PlayerParty party of characters]] in a statistically abstracted way. Most are based around [[TheHerosJourney one]] or [[SideQuest more]] quests, [[KleptomaniacHero items]], stats, CharacterCustomization, and [[LevelGrinding experience]] points, as characters [[CharacterLevel grow in power]] over time. While [=RPGs=] are a diverse genre, they are all defined by the core reason why people play them, namely, the desire for a sense of achievement that does not (usually) require an intense commitment to mastering them. To this end, most [=RPGs=] give you easy checklists to tick off (like side quests) [[TakeYourTime at your leisure]] and clear success metrics and rewards (like leveling up), and also let you tune out and come back at any time. Another way a lot of [=RPGs=] engage players is by satisfying their desire to watch their characters grow as the game progresses (both in power and [[CharacterDevelopment as people]]).
11
12	[=RPGs=] have their origin in [[TabletopGames pen-and-paper systems]] which traditionally have MediaNotes/{{dice}}-based combat and character generation, descended from a combination of tabletop WarGaming (such as TabletopGame/{{Chess}} and TabletopGame/{{Go}}) and collaborative theater. ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' was the first such system to be sold, followed by other early systems such as ''TabletopGame/EmpireOfThePetalThrone'', ''TabletopGame/TheFantasyTrip'', SpaceOpera RPG ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' and ''TabletopGame/TunnelsAndTrolls''. These type of role-playing games are now known as {{Tabletop RPG}}s.
13
14	The early role-playing video games like ''VideoGame/{{dnd}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{pedit5}}'' [[RPGsEqualCombat focused mostly on simulating the combat aspects]] of tabletop games, with other aspects following after. Role-playing video games can be categorized in a number of ways, which are elaborated below:
15
16	Though pen-and-paper [=RPGs=] featured both free-form in-character acting (i.e. RP-ing) and statistically abstracted gameplay, the former has been abstracted out of role-playing video games since its early days, as game programming usually couldn't fulfill the freedom of human imagination. RP-based video games do exist as a niche genre (e.g.: ''VideoGame/SpaceStation13''), but it is debatable if they can even be called "role-playing video games" considering the genre's current focus on number crunching. See also MediaNotes/RolePlayingGameTerms, UsefulNotes/HowToPlayAConsoleRPG, and MediaNotes/PCVsConsole.
17
18	For the trope about assuming roles in order to practice something, see ComicRolePlay.
19
20	----
21	!!Types of Role Playing Games:
22
23	[[index]]
24	* '''{{Western RPG}} ([=WRPG=])''': Often focus on greater CharacterCustomization and free-roaming exploration. {{Player Character}}s tend not to have a predefined personality, allowing the players to determine their characterization via [[KeywordsConversation interactive]] {{dialogue\|Tree}}. Western [=RPGs=] traditionally bore a resemblance to turn-based {{Tabletop RPG}}s, with many also having tactical WarGaming elements, but many modern examples use real-time combat, while deemphasizing [[CommonTacticalGameplayElements tactical control]] of the PlayerParty, which is often [[ManualLeaderAIParty delegated to the AI]].
25	[[/index]]
26
27	[[index]]
28	* '''{{Eastern RPG}}''' ('''[=ERPG=]''' or sometimes "Light [=RPG=]"): Often focus on cinematic narratives and memorable characters, usually with a more linear gameplay and less direct customization than Western [=RPGs=]. A good point of distinction is that [=WRPGs=] typically have some CharacterCustomization, whereas an [=ERPG=] will more likely have a preset PlayerCharacter, who might have some customization applied to things like their abilities and equipment/clothing but their personality and physical appearance will always be the same. Eastern [=RPGs=] typically have a similar feel to {{visual novel}}s, [[{{Film}} feature films]] or {{anime}}. Until recently, most such games came from Japan, and are thus nicknamed {{JRPG}}s. Eastern [=RPGs=] tend to use a [[TurnBasedCombat turn-based]] or [[CombatantCooldownSystem combatant cooldown system]] where the player individually inputs actions for every character in the team each turn. Examples of this genre are the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', ''Franchise/DragonQuest'', and ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' franchises.
29	[[/index]]
30
31	[[index]]
32	* '''[[DungeonCrawling Dungeon Crawler]]''': Focus on [[RPGsEqualCombat fighting, looting, and grinding]], with [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory little interest in the story or world exploration]]. The earliest Western [=RPGs=] fell into this pattern, [[TropeCodifier codified]] by ''VideoGame/{{Wizardry}}'' and the earlier ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}''. It is conceptually related to ''VideoGame/{{Rogue}}'' and [[{{Roguelike}} the genre it spawned]] (see below). This SubGenre had gone out of favor during TheNineties, and only the ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' series and its many clones still carry its tradition.
33	[[/index]]
34
35	[[index]]
36	* '''ActionRPG''' ('''[=ARPG=]'''): Is an amorphous collection of gameplay styles united mainly by having real time combat whilst still remaining an RPG (as opposed to an ActionGame with RPGElements, though the distinction is rarely easy). In the Eastern RPG context, ARPG is a distinct sub-genre, defined by its opposition to turn-based and menu-based combat of traditional [=ERPGs=], while in the Western tradition, it is more of a "genre modifier" (see VideoGameGenres), as real time combat can be introduced into any of its three above-named flavors. Most common categories of Western ARPG are ''Diablo'' clones, FPS/RPG hybrids in the vein of ''VideoGame/DeusEx'', and HackAndSlash/RPG hybrids like ''VideoGame/DarkSouls''.
37	[[/index]]
38
39	[[index]]
40	* '''HuntingRPG''': A subset of Action RPG where a customizable PlayerCharacter (and an optional party of up to three characters) tackles various quests by taking on progressively bigger and nastier monsters within a time limit, only using weapons, armor and items created via ItemCrafting.
41	[[/index]]
42
43	[[index]]
44	* '''SoulsLikeRPG''': A very specific sub-genre that focus heavily on managing stamina and dodging, as well as observing enemy reactions to avoid ''incredibly'' hard hitting attacks. As the name suggests, the ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' franchise popularized the genre.
45	[[/index]]
46
47	[[index]]
48	* '''TacticalRPG''' ([=TRPGs=]): Related to Eastern [=RPGs=] but with a focus on moving around a gridlike system, often with abilities that take advantage of this to strike multiple enemies at the same time or to fight from a distance. There are also similiarites to Western [=RPGs=] with wargaming-like tactical combat. What separates the Tactical RPG subgenre from other [=RPGs=] is that they tend to greatly resemble {{Strategy Game}}s, but with RPGElements. On Website/TVTropes, this type of game is thus lumped in with TurnBasedStrategy, as the two genres are very close. More recent examples of Eastern Tactical [=RPGs=], however, have also incorporated RealTimeStrategy elements. (Tactical [=RPGs=], however, can usually be distinguished easily from strategy games, as RealTimeStrategy and TurnBasedStrategy games tend to be much more open ended, and about conquering territory, whereas Tactical [=RPGs=] usually have an overarching plot typical to an Eastern [=RPG=].)
49	[[/index]]
50
51	[[index]]
52	* '''StrategyRPG''': Closely resembles RealTimeStrategy or {{Tabletop RPG}}s. The distinction separates games that are on a grid system with standard Eastern RPG characters (with abilities, more attack options, and so on) and games that are on a grid system but characters are more properly units (they typically have only base attacks, may not have equipment, and so on). A good comparison would be ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' to the ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series. The former is a "Tactical RPG" and the latter a "Strategy RPG". [[note]]On this wiki they're grouped together under StrategyRPG out of convenience. Also of note is that though listed as a subdivision, Strategy [=RPGs=] were a viable genre before [=TRPGs=].[[/note]]
53	[[/index]]
54
55	[[index]]
56	* '''[[WideOpenSandbox Sandbox]] RPG''': Codified by the aforementioned ''Ultima'' series from [[VideoGame/UltimaIV the fourth installment]] onwards. This subgenre is all about free-roaming exploration, character customization, and environment interactivity. Its incumbent king is ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, though the growing number of WideOpenSandbox games with RPGElements threatens to erase the distinction between the two categories (old-school purists would claim that the distinction between the two would be that the Sandbox [=RPG=] focuses on simulating a world and allowing the player character to systemically interact with it, as opposed to simply delivering content, although by this definition the genre is arguably already extinct given the evolution of its tent-pole franchises, its closest living relatives being the more tightly-focused ImmersiveSim).
57	[[/index]]
58
59	* '''Narrative [=RPG=]''': The youngest sub-genre codified in the late '90s by ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' and the ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' series, which put the spotlight on their storytelling aspects. These games usually have a compelling character cast and an engaging storyline and, in this, are often compared to contemporaneous Eastern [=RPGs=], though on the whole they still provide broader choices (both in [[CombatDiplomacyStealth gameplay]] and [[StoryBranching story]]) than their Eastern counterparts. More recent examples of this category include ''Franchise/MassEffect'', ''Franchise/TheWitcher'', and ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series.
60
61	[[index]]
62	* '''MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame (MMORPG)''': Can be any of the above genres, though they gravitate around a fusion of Action and Western [=RPGs=] (as the TropeMaker ''VideoGame/UltimaOnline'' arose out of a Western RPG series). They also have their own distinct elements, mainly focusing around large boss battles known as "raids" and PlayerVersusPlayer interactions, as well as more tedious grinding such as [[FetchQuest fetching]] TwentyBearAsses.
63	[[/index]]
64
65	[[index]]
66	* '''PlayByPostGames''': Commonly referred to as an RP or a forum roleplay, they predate both computers and tabletop role-playing games. They rely on the imaginations of the players as, quite simply, you're taking an online bulletin board and you're running an RPG on it.
67	[[/index]]
68
69	[[index]]
70	* '''{{Forum Quest}}s''' are a particular style of PlayByPostGame where the entire playerbase (defined as 'anyone who posts in the thread where the game is running') shares control of a single character.
71	[[/index]]
72
73	[[index]]
74	* '''{{Roguelike}}''': Their name comes from the early 1980s ASCII graphics game ''VideoGame/{{Rogue}}''. They are defined by the combination of [[RandomlyGeneratedLevels randomly generated worlds]] and PermaDeath, meaning that every time time your character dies you must start over in a different set of levels. The focus also tends to be much more on complex NintendoHard gameplay than on story with the player relegated to practical decisions but having no decisions pertaining to the inner life of the protagonist(s).
75	[[/index]]
76
77	[[index]]
78	* '''MascotRPG''': The RolePlayingGame equivalent to the MascotFighter and MascotRacer, this genre can encompass any of the above as long as it features pre-established characters or mascots either in a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover (like ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'') or a spin-off of a video game franchise outside of the genre (like ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'').
79	[[/index]]
80
81	!!Related Genres:
82
83	* {{Dating Sim}}s
84	* {{Farm Life Sim}}s
85	* [[InteractiveFiction Text Adventure]][=/=]{{Gamebooks}}
86	* {{LARP}}
87	* MultiUserDungeon ({{MUD}})
88	** {{MUSH}} or MultiUserSharedHallucination
89	** {{MUCK}}: A Multi-User Text-Oriented Game that emphasizes role-playing and player intervention.
90	* {{Tabletop RPG}}s (Pen & Paper [=RPGs=])
91	* TurnBasedTactics
92
93	----
94	!!Tropes that are commonly found in Computer Role Playing Games:
95	[floatboxright:
96	Categories:
97	+ LevelsAndExperienceTropes
98	]
99	[[index]]
100	* ActuallyFourMooks \
101	An enemy appears as a single sprite, but turns out to be a whole party of baddies in actual combat.
102	* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts \
103	The farther you get in a game, the more expensive stuff will be.
104	* AnAdventurerIsYou \
105	A description of the class-based systems common to many Role Playing Games.
106	* AllianceMeter\
107	Succeeding in making friends or enemies of NPC factions.
108	* AllInARow \
109	The party follows behind the leader like a lot of little ducklings.
110	* AllSwordsAreTheSame \
111	All weapons of a specific type look and play exactly the same.
112	* ArbitraryGunPower \
113	Video game guns don't kill instantly. They do HP damage.
114	* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit \
115	Arbitrary requirement that stops you from having too many characters in a party or unit.
116	** LazyBackup \
117	If you're only allowed to take three out of eighteen party members into battle, you get a GameOver if those three are killed, even if the other characters are nearby and could logically [[TheCavalry step in]] to finish the job.
118	* ArmorAndMagicDontMix \
119	Mage characters don't wear armor.
120	* AwesomeButTemporary \
121	That weapon that looks like an DiscOneNuke? You lose it by the next cutscene.
122	* BadLuckMitigationMechanic \
123	That RareRandomDrop just won't drop? The game rewards your persistence by overriding the RandomNumberGod.
124	* BackgroundMusicOverride \
125	Let's keep the SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic going through this sequence's battles instead of the BattleThemeMusic.
126	* BagOfHolding \
127	An object capable of holding other objects in {{hammerspace}}.
128	* BagOfSharing \
129	There are many characters but they share one inventory.
130	* BagOfSpilling \
131	Said sharing most likely won't happen between sequels.
132	* BattleThemeMusic \
133	Feel those awesome riffs, man!
134	* BeefGate \
135	The game prevents you from going to places out of order by putting very tough enemies in the way.
136	* BetterOffSold \
137	Items that are usually sold by players because they're outclassed by items players already have access to.
138	* BettingMiniGame \
139	Let's pause our quest to play craps!
140	* BlackAndWhiteMagic \
141	Hmm, do I get to roast the bad guys or heal the good guys?
142	** BlackMage \
143	Prefers his bad guys extra crispy.
144	** WhiteMage \
145	Keeps the good guys from becoming extra crispy; may also stock a HolyHandGrenade for emergencies.
146	* BossAlteringConsequence \
147	Some boss battles can be uniquely affected by the choices or the sidequests completed by the player.
148	* ButThouMust \
149	A dialogue tree where your choices are irrelevant, because the game will not proceed until you pick the 'intended' option (or ignore your decision altogether).
150	* CarryingTheWeakness \
151	Enemies dropping items they're weak to.
152	* CharacterAlignment \
153	Your character's morality, usually on the good vs. evil and/or lawful vs. chaotic scales.
154	** UnconventionalAlignment \
155	Your character's morality, ''not'' on the above scales.
156	* CharacterLevel \
157	You level up as you gain ExperiencePoints.
158	* ClassChangeLevelReset\
159	Your level drops back to one when you swap jobs/classes.
160	* CombatantCooldownSystem \
161	A.k.a. Active Time Battle. A combat system where how soon combatants can act again is determined by their Speed stat and by the complexity of their respective previous actions.
162	* CombatDiplomacyStealth \
163	You can either fight, talk, or sneak your way to victory.
164	* CombinationAttack \
165	A special attack that occurs when two or more characters use certain attacks at the same time or in rapid succession.
166	* CommonTacticalGameplayElements \
167	Rules that add a tactical dimension to RPG combat.
168	* ConvenientQuesting \
169	Your next destination will be the closest area that you haven't been able to get to before.
170	* CriticalEncumbranceFailure \
171	You're perfectly fine with 87 pounds of weight, but add [[TheLastStraw one more item]] and you'll collapse in a heap.
172	* CriticalHit \
173	An attack randomly does extra (often double) damage.
174	** CriticalHitClass \
175	A class or character's strategy is based on getting critical hits.
176	* CrutchCharacter \
177	A party member strong in the early game who falls behind the power curve (or gets killed off) once your other characters catch up.
178	* DamageIncreasingDebuff \
179	A negative status ailment which in some way increases the damage its subject takes.
180	* DamageOverTime \
181	A unit receives a negative status that inflicts a small amount of damage at regular intervals.
182	* DefendCommand \
183	A command that lets you take less damage, but you don't get to do anything else in the meantime.
184	* DiminishingReturnsForBalance \
185	As you increase your stats, each increase has less effect, forcing you to balance your stats more.
186	* DiscOneFinalDungeon \
187	A dungeon that pretends to be the last one in the game, but is nowhere near it.
188	** DiscOneFinalBoss \
189	Likely takes up residence here.
190	* DiscOneNuke \
191	An exploit where a powerful item or technique is achieved early on in the game.
192	* DudeWheresMyRespect \
193	You've saved the world, but durnit, you're not too good to deliver my apples to the baker!
194	* DungeonMaintenance \
195	Game mechanics may be a given to the players, but they're a lot of work for the locals.
196	* EasingIntoTheAdventure \
197	Before you start the adventure properly, you'll be shown cavorting around your tiny home town.
198	* AnEconomyIsYou \
199	All stores in a city are centered around selling things you in particular will need.
200	* ElementalCrafting \
201	The most important aspect of a piece of armor? What material it's made from!
202	* EnoughToGoAround \
203	Items that are one-of-a-kind in-universe but can be obtained multiple times and/or by multiple players.
204	* EquipmentBasedProgression \
205	Occasionally an RPG will make characters more powerful by having them find better equipment, instead of leveling up with experience points (or by having them level up their equipment).
206	* EquipmentSpoiler \
207	Finding an unusable piece of equipment means that someone able to use it will join the party at some point.
208	* EvolvingAttack \
209	Your attacks and skills can level up on their own, if you use them enough.
210	* ExperiencePoints \
211	You get them by killing enemies (or possibly completing other tasks or objectives), and when you get enough your CharacterLevel or abilities increase.
212	** ExperienceBooster \
213	You get more ExperiencePoints when this is in effect.
214	** ExperiencePenalty\
215	You get less ExperiencePoints when this is in effect.
216	** MoneyIsExperiencePoints\
217	In-game money can be used in place of or in addition to experience points to level up characters.
218	** TechPoints \
219	Like ExperiencePoints, but they're only good for unlocking abilities.
220	* ExponentialPotential \
221	As you level up, you get so many spells that gameplay starts getting confusing.
222	* FairyBattle \
223	A friendly monster disguised as a random encounter that does something other than attack your party.
224	* FakeLongevity \
225	Things that pad out a game's length so they can brag about having "100 hours of gameplay!"
226	* FakeUltimateMook \
227	A massive, terrifying monster that is surprisingly easy to defeat.
228	* FantasyCharacterClasses \
229	The most common character classes in a medieval fantasy setting.
230	* FetchQuest \
231	A subquest unimportant to the actual plot which must be completed to continue.
232	** BrokenBridge \
233	Any arbitrary obstacle that blocks your progress until you finish a FetchQuest or something.
234	* FightWoosh \
235	Graphic effect that happens when you go into a RandomEncounter.
236	* FinalDungeonPreview \
237	The player pays an early visit to what will be the game's final dungeon.
238	* FirstTown \
239	The place you start the adventure from. Usually the hero's hometown.
240	* FollowThePlottedLine \
241	You somehow always end up where the plot says you should be, no matter how little sense it makes that you should be there.
242	* GameSystem
243	** PointBuildSystem
244	** CharacterClassSystem
245	*** ClassAndLevelSystem
246	*** CommonCharacterClasses
247	*** FighterMageThief
248	* GamingStatTropes \
249	The numbers behind the game.
250	* GladiatorSubquest \
251	At some point, you will have to fight in an arena in gladiatorial combat. Either as part of the main quest or as a subquest.
252	* GetOnTheBoat \
253	In an RPG, at some point you will have to cross the ocean to reach another continent.
254	* GlobalAirship \
255	A mode of transport that lets you reach any part of the world map easily.
256	* GlobalCurrency \
257	No matter where you go (rival empires, ancient tombs, ''different dimensions'', etc.) expect there to only be one currency, often taking the form of CheapGoldCoins, because exchanging it simply isn't fun.
258	** GlobalCurrencyException \
259	A place where the global currency isn't accepted, often for game balance purposes.
260	* GoodMorningCrono \
261	The main character starts the game in bed, as his mother or friend wakes him up.
262	* GoWaitOutside \
263	You are asked to wait outside while something is finished; even if you come back in immediately, it's already done.
264	* GuestStarPartyMember \
265	Someone who joins your party temporarily as a "guest".
266	** TemporaryPartyMemberToVillain\
267	A GSPM that betrays the party and later fights it.
268	* GunsAreWorthless \
269	In RPG systems, guns are generally weaker than swords.
270	* HardCodedHostility \
271	A faction which cannot be negotiated with and is perpetually at war with every other faction.
272	* HealerSignsOnEarly \
273	One of your first party members will bring healing abilities with them.
274	* HealingPotion \
275	An item that restores health.
276	* HealthDamageAsymmetry \
277	Playable characters have low health, high damage output, while monsters have high health, low damage output.
278	* HeavyEquipmentClass\
279	A class or character that stands out due to their proficiency with heavy weapons and/or armour.
280	* HeroesPreferSwords \
281	In an RPG, the main character always uses a sword.
282	* HitPoints \
283	A number attributed to your health that indicates how badly injured you are.
284	* AHomeownerIsYou \
285	You get to buy a house, basically just because.
286	* HubCity \
287	The biggest city in the game, the center of everything.
288	* HubLevel \
289	Locations in an RPG that are usually safe from enemies and are used for checking mail, topping off supplies, and talking with companions.
290	* HubUnderAttack \
291	A HubLevel is attacked as part of the storyline.
292	* ImpossibleItemDrop \
293	Enemies drop weapons that they could not plausibly have.
294	* ImprobablePowerDiscrepancy \
295	Enemies are given statistics based on how powerful you are expected to be at that point, not how strong that enemy would be based on common sense.
296	* InevitableTournament \
297	If there is a fighting tournament held somewhere in the game, chances are 99% that you will compete in it.
298	* InexplicableTreasureChests \
299	Where did they come from? Who put them there? Why does nobody else but you ever open them?
300	* InfinityPlusOneSword \
301	The absolute most awesome weapon EVER! You must collect [[TwentyBearAsses twenty thousand bear asses first.]]
302	* InfinityMinusOneSword \
303	Not quite as good as the InfinityPlusOneSword, but it requires significantly fewer [[TwentyBearAsses Bear Asses]] to acquire.
304	* InformedEquipment \
305	Characters' equipment won't show up visually on their character model; they may be wearing Diamond Armor, but it looks like the same old {{Stripperiffic}} costume to me...
306	* InitiationQuest\
307	Joining an organization in an RPG requires jumping a lot of quest-related hoops.
308	* InnSecurity \
309	Whenever the plot requires a stay at the inn, you will always wake up in the middle of the night for a plot event.
310	* IrrelevantSidequest \
311	Everyone seems to constantly ask you to do sidequests that have absolutely nothing to do with your main objective.
312	* ItemCrafting \
313	Creating your own items and equipment out of handy-dandy ingredients.
314	** JustAddWater \
315	Items can generally be created by just sticking two or three things together and hitting "MIX".
316	* JobSystem \
317	EasternRPG system whereby classes have distinct equipment and abilities but can be changed at any time.
318	* JoinedYourParty \
319	You now have 18 party members! Good luck figuring out [[ArbitraryHeadcountLimit which ones to use.]]
320	* KarlMarxHatesYourGuts \
321	Where it's impossible to make money because everything always costs the same, so you can never sell at a profit.
322	* KleptomaniacHero \
323	Looting is a very important aspect of RPG. Everything that's not nailed down is yours to take.
324	* LastDiscMagic \
325	In {{Eastern RPG}}s, although magic is usually less efficient than melee attacks, a spell or set of spells later in the game will be much better than the rest.
326	* LawOfCartographicalElegance \
327	Land masses will never extend across the edge of the (usually square) world map.
328	* LeakedExperience \
329	Characters not in the active party will get some percentage of the experience that the active party gets.
330	* LetsSplitUpGang \
331	At some point your party will be split up into two or more independent groups.
332	* LevelGrinding \
333	You gain statistics and abilities by killing monsters over and over again.
334	* LevelScaling \
335	As you level up, so do your enemies.
336	* LevelUpAtIntimacy5 \
337	As you build an emotional (or sexual) relationship with an in-game NPC, your character gets physically stronger or gains skills because of it.
338	** MoreFriendsMoreBenefits \
339	Games where the best result can be gotten by seducing or wooing every single person who seems even remotely interested in you.
340	* LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards \
341	Melee classes are better at lower levels, while wizards are better at higher ones.
342	* LowLevelAdvantage \
343	Don't level up as much as possible for optimal advantage.
344	* ManaPotion \
345	An item that restores spellcasting ability.
346	* ManualLeaderAIParty \
347	The player controls one character and the rest of the PlayerParty are controlled by the game's AI.
348	* MassMonsterSlaughterSidequest \
349	Annoying quest to kill X number of a specific enemy, frequently [[RandomEncounter randomly encountered]] enemies.
350	* MatchMakerQuest\
351	A Quest where the player helps an {{NPC}} win over their true love.
352	* MechanicallyUnusualClass \
353	A character class whose mechanics are unusual in comparison to its fellow classes.
354	* MetalSlime \
355	A monster that appears and runs away very quickly, is hard to kill, but gives very good reward if you do kill it.
356	* TheMinionMaster \
357	A player character whose role is to create many, many NPC [[{{Mooks}} minions]].
358	* ModernDaySciFiRPGClassEquivalents \
359	A collection of classes or class-equivalents for non-fantasy RPG-settings.
360	* MoneyForNothing \
361	Especially in single-player [=RPGs=], it often isn't hard to accumlate more money than you can reasonably spend, often because the best items are rewards from completing quests rather than being bought.
362	* MoneySpider \
363	Even monsters need to carry money. (What do they spend it on?)
364	* MonsterAllies \
365	Where monsters fight alongside the party instead of against it.
366	* MutuallyExclusivePartyMembers \
367	Certain characters will refuse to join you if other characters are already in the party, or will leave when someone else joins. Sometimes controlled by the plot, but other times it's just that the two simply can't be in the party together.
368	* NeglectedSidequestConsequence \
369	Ignoring optional missions makes the story sadder or makes gameplay harder.
370	* NewsTravelsFast \
371	As soon as something important happens in the plot, everyone in the world will know about it.
372	* NintendoHard \
373	Want to defeat that {{Superboss}}? Get ready for a ''[[MarathonBoss long]]'' and ''brutally hard'' battle.
374	* NoExperiencePointsForMedic \
375	Only killing nets a character rewards, healing and defending don't.
376	* NoHeroDiscount \
377	Even though you're out there saving the world and their lives, shopkeepers will still charge you full price.
378	* NominalImportance \
379	Only people that are relevant to the plot or a {{sidequest}} will be blessed with names. Everyone else will be {{nameless\|Narrative}} or be referred to with [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep generic or descriptive titles.]]
380	* NonstandardSkillLearning\
381	Certain skills/perks cannot be acquired by regular means within the game system--only by clearing certain story events.
382	* NoobCave \
383	Because even god-slaying heroes need to start somewhere. May include a RatStomp and probably a WarmUpBoss
384	* NoStatAtrophy \
385	Once you raise a stat, it will never go down again.
386	* NowWhereWasIGoingAgain \
387	OK, I saved my game three months ago and I'm picking the game up again... so where was I supposed to go?
388	* NPCRoadblock \
389	When {{NPC}}s stand in your way and prevent you from getting where you need to go.
390	* OneManParty \
391	An RPG where one character can easily become far stronger than the rest of his party.
392	* OneSizeFitsAll \
393	Clothing and armour can be worn by anyone, regardless of its source or the wearer's size or gender.
394	* OneStatToRuleThemAll \
395	Put as many skill points into this stat as you can, because it's much more helpful than any of the others.
396	* OnlyShopInTown \
397	When a town you pass through only has one shop for buying and selling weapons and armour.
398	* OpeningTheSandbox \
399	The point in a game where you're finally able to do all the sidequests, go anywhere on the map, and so on.
400	* OptionalBoss \
401	An additional boss that's not required to finish the game.
402	** {{Superboss}} \
403	An optional boss that is significantly harder than other bosses in the game, including the FinalBoss.
404	* OptionalPartyMember \
405	Someone who may not join your party, if you don't fulfil the requirements to get them.
406	* OutsideTheBoxTactic \
407	Certain enemies are weak to tactics that are bizarre or otherwise not intuitive at first glance.
408	* OverlyLongFightingAnimation \
409	An animation attack in which the RuleOfCool is applied in excess, making it just too long.
410	* PamphletShelf \
411	Whenever you see a bookshelf, there will never be more than one book (and often one line) that you can read.
412	* ParabolicPowerCurve \
413	A situation where, as your character gains levels, they begin getting less effective in certain tasks.
414	* PartyInMyPocket \
415	Only the main character is shown walking around; other party members will appear when needed, or even walk out of his body.
416	* PartyOfRepresentatives \
417	A party of characters that comprise of multiple races/species throughout the game's world.
418	* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling \
419	A place where LevelGrinding is exceptionally easy.
420	* PerpetuallyStatic \
421	Rules in an {{MMORPG}} that prevents the game from being changed unduly by the players.
422	* PlayerParty \
423	A set of characters whom you control together throughout the game.
424	* PlayerPersonalityQuiz \
425	A quiz during character creation that determines your alignment or statistics.
426	* {{Plunder}} \
427	Frequently referred to as 'loot', and like ExperiencePoints, it's rewards (but of a physical manner) from defeating your enemies, from money to useful equipment. Arguably, stuff you get from other people as a reward for completing tasks from them count as well (the tasks of which may involve collecting TwentyBearAsses.).
428	* PlotTunnel \
429	Linear plot sequence that forces you to put your usual sidequests on hold while important plot events develop.
430	** PointOfNoReturn \
431	There is no turning back once you cross this line near the end of the game -- you can only finish the game or die trying.
432	* PoorPredictableRock \
433	When a player or opponent uses a single strategy that is very easy to counter.
434	* PowerEqualsRarity \
435	The more powerful an item/Mon/etc. is in a game, the harder it is to find.
436	* PreexistingEncounters \
437	Encounters with enemies which you can see coming (as opposed to RandomEncounters).
438	* PrestigeClass \
439	A character can choose to advance from a basic starting class to a more powerful, but more specialised class.
440	* QuestGiver \
441	An {{NPC}} designated somehow as someone who will give you a sidequest.
442	* RainbowPimpGear \
443	When players equip their characters with gear solely based on stat bonuses [[RummageSaleReject without consideration to how it will look on them.]]
444	* RandomEncounters \
445	Encounters with monsters that occur randomly as the player travels.
446	* RareRandomDrop \
447	You have a 1 in 128,983,234 chance of getting the InfinityPlusOneSword from that MetalSlime. Happy grinding!
448	* RandomDrop \
449	You have a one in fifty chance this monster will drop the DiscOneNuke weapon.
450	* RandomDropBooster \
451	With this active, the monster will drop the DiscOneNuke weapon three times more often.
452	* RatStomp \
453	Rats - the ultimate noob enemy.
454	* RelationshipValues \
455	A usually hidden meter that measures the depth of your relationship to other characters.
456	* RequiredPartyMember \
457	Someone who you have to have in your group, usually due to plot reasons.
458	** CantDropTheHero \
459	The main hero of an RPG can never be taken out of the active party.
460	** MissingMainCharacter \
461	When said hero is temporarily removed.
462	* RestingRecovery\
463	Put the characters into a dormant state for a certain time to rapidly recover their HP/MP/etc.
464	* RomanceSidequest \
465	A sidequest which has the player character enter a romantic relationship with a party member or {{NPC}}.
466	* RPGElements \
467	Where a non-RPG is given some aspects of one (menu battles, equipment, levels).
468	* {{RPGs Equal Combat}} \
469	The only way to get equipment, skills and levels is to fight things.
470	* ResourcesManagementGameplay
471	* MediaNotes/RolePlayingGameTerms\
472	A [[MediaNotes glossary]] of common RPG terminology.
473	* SavePoint \
474	A specific spot where the player is allowed to save their game and restart it should they get a GameOver.
475	* ScratchDamage \
476	All successful attacks must inflict some damage, no matter how little.
477	* ShopFodder \
478	An item that's useless for anything but selling for cash.
479	* {{Sidequest}} \
480	Any part of a video game that is not required to complete the game.
481	** LoadsAndLoadsOfSidequests\
482	Do stuff, get stuff. Repeat 100 times.
483	** SidequestSidestory \
484	A sequence of optional sidequests reference/join up to each other to create a seperate story.
485	* TheSixStats \
486	The six attributes that help or hinder you in gameplay.
487	* SkillPointReset\
488	Optional reset of a PlayerCharacter's skill and ability scores, allowing you to redistribute them.
489	* SkillScoresAndPerks\
490	Abstract conventions of how playable characters' skills and abilities work in the game.
491	* SkillSlotSystem \
492	A character can only use a limited number of active skills but can replace them with better ones under certain conditions.
493	* SoleEntertainmentOption \
494	In the entire in-game world, there is only one kind of entertainment or only one city where you can find it.
495	* SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear \
496	A party member leaves the party for some part of the game, taking whatever you equipped them with in the process. Hope it wasn't anything you needed!
497	* SorryImLate \
498	When you're separated from your party, they will join up with you in the course of one or more random encounters.
499	* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil \
500	Villains must appear in strictly ascending order by menace.
501	* SpellCrafting \
502	A game lets you create your own spells.
503	* SpellLevels \
504	Each known spell is assigned to a category roughly reflecting its power.
505	* StandardRPGItems \
506	We got potions, ethers, remedies, and revives, and dangit if they aren't all the same color!
507	* StatusEffects \
508	If you're poisoned, blinded, mute, and confused... better take it easy on the [[MushroomSamba magic mushrooms]].
509	* StarterEquipment\
510	The equipment you're given by default at the beginning of the game.
511	* StatDeath \
512	You can be killed if certain stats (other than HP) are brought down to zero.
513	* StatGrinding \
514	As you do specific actions, your statistics related to those actions will increase.
515	* StatisticallySpeaking \
516	No matter how high your strength, speed, etc. goes, you still will not be able to, for example, just smash that InsurmountableWaistHighFence to pieces.
517	* StatsDissonance \
518	A character's stats are to be interpreted outside their usual context.
519	* SupportPartyMember \
520	A party member whose primary abilities are mostly non-offensive.
521	* SurplusDamageBonus \
522	Damage an enemy more than is strictly necessary to kill it, and you get a reward.
523	* TakeYourTime \
524	The only time you actually need to hurry is if there's an [[TimedMission onscreen timer]] counting down.
525	* TalkToEveryone \
526	It's the only way to get that sneaky clue about the dinosaurs!
527	* ATasteOfPower \
528	Where you are given a strong character or ability early on, but lose it quickly.
529	* TeaserEquipment \
530	Shopkeepers in video games sell powerful equipment, but you won't be able to afford them until later.
531	* ThereAreNoBedsheets \
532	When a character lies down on a bed, they will never get into sheets or blankets, but just lie on top of it.
533	* ThereAreNoTents \
534	You can only rest the night at an inn; you can't just set up camp somewhere.
535	* ThrivingGhostTown \
536	Cities and towns are much, much smaller than they should be for sustainability.
537	* TierSystem \
538	The Rank of your equipment or enemies dictates how powerful they are
539	* TookAShortcut \
540	You spent all that time going through the dungeon and beating all the puzzles, so how the heck did these guys get here first?
541	* TraumaInn \
542	Got killed in combat? Just spend a night at the inn, and you'll be healed up by morning!
543	* TreacherousQuestGiver \
544	The person who sends you off to kill the BigBad is actually manipulating you for their own unsavory ends.
545	* TrespassingHero \
546	Go everywhere you can in an RPG, even into private homes without an invitation!
547	* TurnBasedCombat \
548	When the combat mode of the game is turn-based.
549	* TwentyBearAsses \
550	Annoying FetchQuest where you have to collect a certain number of whatever item, usually dropped by randomly encountered enemies.
551	* TwentyFourHourArmor \
552	You wear your armor everywhere. You eat with it, you sleep with it, you take baths in it.
553	* UnconventionalAlignment \
554	For when the standard good/evil and law/chaos alignment scales just aren't flexible enough.
555	* UndergroundMonkey \
556	Enemy types get recycled from one area to another, with stronger stats.
557	* UniversalPoison \
558	There is only one type of poison, and generally one type of antidote for it.
559	* UnknownItemIdentification \
560	Generic-labelled items that must be appraised/identified as a separate step before you can actually use them.
561	* UtilityPartyMember \
562	The character you keep in your party for their non-combat skills.
563	* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon \
564	The FinalBoss lives here; you'll know it when you see it.
565	* VideoGameDelegationPenalty \
566	By delegating a certain in-game task or mechanic to the AI or a NPC, you get a less desirable result than when you do it yourself.
567	* VideoGameGeography \
568	The world map is square and wraps around on both edges. How exactly does that work? Who cares?
569	* VideoGameWeaponStats \
570	Common attributes for weapons.
571	* VillainForgotToLevelGrind \
572	Where the villain is still at the same level he was at ten hours ago, but the heroes are ten levels higher and therefore beat him handily.
573	* WalletOfHolding \
574	Where you can collect millions of gold coins and not have your pants fall down.
575	* TheWanderingYou \
576	You got your towns and dungeons and everything between them are just empty land full of monsters.
577	* WarpWhistle \
578	Instantaneously teleport to any location you've been to before.
579	* WeBuyAnything \
580	Want to sell that rusty suit of armor at a grocery store? They'll take it, no questions asked!
581	** WeSellEverything \
582	That same grocery store also sells weapons, armor, magical items, and more.
583	* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou \
584	You get a GameOver when the main character is killed, regardless of how many of his companions are still alive or whether they can quickly revive him.
585	* WelcomeToCorneria \
586	{{NPC}}s keep saying the same thing over and over again.
587	* YouALLLookFamiliar \
588	There are only a few NPC models; you'll see it repeated over and over again.
589	* ZipMode \
590	Go anywhere you've been before, in a fraction of the time!
591	[[/index]]

Context Main / RolePlayingGame