[[Website/TheGrandListOfConsoleRolePlayingGameCliches Index]] | [[ConsoleRPGCliches1To24 1-24]] | [[ConsoleRPGCliches25To48 25-48]] | [[ConsoleRPGCliches49To72 49-72]] | '''73-96''' | [[ConsoleRPGCliches97To120 97-120]] | [[ConsoleRPGCliches121To144 121-144]] | [[ConsoleRPGCliches145To168 145-168]] | [[ConsoleRPGCliches169To192 169-192]]
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[numlist:73]
#'''[[TookAShortcut Last Law of Travel]] ([[VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} Big Joe]] Rule):''' ''As has been described, you must endure great trials just to get from town to town: locating different vehicles, operating ancient transport mechanisms, evading military blockades, the list goes on. But that's just you. Every other character in the game seems to have no trouble getting to any place in the world on a moment's notice.''
#'''[[RandomEncounters If You Meet The Buddha In A Random Encounter, Kill Him!]]''' ''When you're out wandering around the world, you must kill everything you meet. People, animals, [[ManEatingPlant plants]], insects, [[VideoGame/EarthBound1994 fire hydrants]], [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII small cottages]], [[EverythingTryingToKillYou anything and everything is just plain out to get you]]. It may be because of your rampant kleptomania (see [[ConsoleRPGCliches1To24 Garrett's Principle]].)''
#'''[[SituationalSword Law of Numbers]]:''' ''There will be several items or effects which depend on the numerical value of your hit points, level, etc., which makes no sense unless the characters [[RPGMechanicsVerse can see all the numbers in their world]] and find it perfectly normal that a spell only works on a monster [[Franchise/FinalFantasy whose level is a multiple of 5]].'' (related, in a way, to StatisticallySpeaking)
#'''[[UselessUsefulSpell Magical Inequality Theorem]]:''' ''In the course of your travels you may find useful-sounding spells such as [[StatusEffects Petrify, Silence, and Instant Death.]] However, you will end up never using these spells in combat because a) [[BoringButPractical all ordinary enemies can be killed with a few normal attacks]], [[AwesomeButImpractical making fancy attacks unnecessary]], b) [[ContractualBossImmunity all bosses and other stronger-than-average monsters are immune to those effects]] so there's no point in using them for long fights where they'd actually come in handy, and c) the spells usually don't work anyway.''
#'''[[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard Magical Inequality Corollary]]:''' ''When the enemy uses Petrify, Silence, Instant Death, et cetera spells on ''you'', they will be effective 100% of the time.''
#'''[[NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom Pretty Line Syndrome]] (or, VideoGame/CrashBandicoot: The RPG):''' ''Seen in most modern [=RPGs=]. The key to completing your quest is to walk forward in a straight line for fifty hours, stopping along the way to look at, kill, and/or have meaningful conversations with various pretty things.''
#'''[[OurMonstersAreDifferent Xenobiology Rule]]:''' ''The predatory species of the world will include representatives of all of the following: {{giant spider}}s, [[ScaryScorpions giant scorpions]], [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent giant snakes]], [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant beetles]], [[CanisMajor wolves]], [[GiantSquid squid]], [[FlyingSeafoodSpecial fish that float in midair]], [[OurGargoylesRock gargoyles]], {{golem}}s, [[ManEatingPlant carnivorous plants]], [[BeastWithAHumanFace chimeras]], [[OurGryphonsAreDifferent griffins]], [[BasiliskAndCockatrice cockatrices]], [[OurHydrasAreDifferent hydras]], [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent minotaurs]], [[FastTunnelling burrowing]] things with big claws, things that can [[TheParalyzer paralyze]] you, things that can put you to [[InstantSedation sleep]], things that can [[TakenForGranite petrify you]], at least twenty different creatures with [[CombatTentacles poisonous tentacles]], and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]]. [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Always dragons]].''
#'''Friendly Fire Principle (or, VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics Rule):''' ''Any attack that can target both allies and enemies will hit half of your allies and none of your enemies.''
#'''[[CaveBehindTheFalls Dungeon Design 101]]:''' ''There's always goodies hidden behind the waterfall.''
#'''[[PathOfGreatestResistance Dungeon Design 102]]:''' ''When you are confronted by two doors, the closer one will be [[LockedDoor locked]] and its key will be hidden behind the farther-away one.''
#'''[[ForebodingArchitecture Dungeon Design 103 (or, Wallpaper Warning)]]:''' ''Your progress through a dungeon will be indicated by a sudden change in decor: different wall color, different torches on the wall, et cetera.''
#'''[[BehindTheBlack Dungeon Design 201 (or, The Interior Decorators Anticipated Your Out-Of-Body Experience):]]''' ''Most dungeons will include "hidden" passages which are nearly impossible to see from a bird's-eye view, yet would be glaringly obvious from the party's perspective.''
#'''[[StockVideoGamePuzzle Dungeon Design 301]]:''' ''All "puzzles" in RPG dungeons can be sorted into one of the following types:''
[/numlist]
** ''[[LockAndKeyPuzzle finding some small item and sticking it into a slot]];''
** ''[[BlockPuzzle pushing blocks (rocks, statues) onto switches]];''
** ''[[ControlRoomPuzzle pulling switches or levers to open and close doors]];''
** ''learning the correct order/position of a group of objects;''
** ''[[MagicalMysteryDoors entering a certain combination of doors]];''
** ''something involving a clock or elevator;''
** ''something that is [[{{Unwinnable}} unsolvable]] because [[UnintentionallyUnwinnable a vital clue in the dialogue]] was [[BlindIdiotTranslation mistranslated out of Japanese]].''
[numlist:86]
#'''Wait! That Was A LoadBearingBoss!''' ''Defeating a dungeon's boss creature will frequently cause the dungeon to [[CollapsingLair collapse]], which is nonsensical but [[RuleOfCool does make for thrilling escape scenes]].''
#'''[[AntidoteEffect Supply and Demand Axiom]]:''' ''Killing a powerful enemy will usually yield an item or weapon that would've been extremely useful if you had gotten it before killing that enemy.''
#'''[[UsefulNotes/ThomasEdison Edison's]] Lament:''' ''No switch is ever in the right position. ''
#'''[[Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Well, That About Wraps It Up For God]]:''' ''All [[PowersThatBe major deities]], [[OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions assuming they actually exist]] and weren't just [[PathOfInspiration made up by the Church to delude its followers]] (or are [[GodIsGood benevolent]] [[TheGodsMustBeLazy but]] [[GodsHandsAreTied useless]]) are in reality [[GodIsEvil malevolent]] and will [[RageAgainstTheHeavens have to be destroyed]]. The only exception to this rule is the four {{nature spirit}}s who have preserved the land since time immemorial, but now due to the folly of mankind have lost virtually all of their power and need you to accomplish some ludicrous task to save them.''
#'''[[NewsTravelsFast Guy in the Street Rule]]:''' ''No matter how fast you travel, rumors of world events always travel faster. When you get to anywhere, the people on the street are already talking about where you've been. The stories of your past experiences will spread even if no witnesses were around to see them.''
#'''[[NoSneakAttacks Wherever You Go, There They Are:]]''' ''[[OffscreenTeleportation Wherever the characters go, the villains can always find them.]] Chances are they're asking the guy in the street (see above). But don't worry -- despite being able to find the characters with ease anytime they want to, the bad guys never get rid of them by simply blowing up the tent or hotel they're spending the night in. (Just think of it: the screen dims, the peaceful going-to-sleep-now music plays, then BOOM! GameOver!)''
#'''[[ButThouMust Figurehead Rule]]:''' ''Whenever someone asks you a question to decide what to do, it's just to be polite. He or she will ask the question again and again until you answer "correctly."''
#'''[[WelcomeToCorneria Puddin' Tame Rule]]:''' ''The average passer-by will [[RepeatWhatYouJustSaid always say the same thing]] no matter how many times you talk to them, and they certainly won't [[AsYouKnow clarify any of the vaguely worded warnings or cryptic half-sentences]] they threw at you the previous time.''
#'''Franklin Covey Was Wrong, Wrong, Wrong:''' ''Sticking to the task at hand and going directly from place to place and goal to goal is always a bad idea, and may even prevent you from being able to finish the game. It's by [[TakeYourTime dawdling around]], completing {{side quest}}s and giving money to derelicts that you come into your real power.''
#'''[[CriticalExistenceFailure Selective Invulnerability Principle:]]''' ''RPG characters are [[MadeOfIron immune]] from such mundane hazards as [[ConvectionSchmonvection intense heat]], freezing cold, or poison gas... except when they're [[NotSoInvincibleAfterAll suddenly not]]. Surprise!''
#'''I'm the NRA ([[VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} Billy Lee Black]] Rule):''' ''Opposition to [[FantasyGunControl gun control]] is probably the only thing you could get all RPG characters to agree upon. Even [[ChurchMilitant deep religious faith]] and [[TechnicalPacifist heartfelt pacifism]] can't compete with the allure of guns.''
[/numlist]
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