TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes A-C}} | '''Tropes D-F''' | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes G-I}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes J-L}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes M-O}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes P-R}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes S-U}} | TheOrderOfTheStick/{{Tropes V-Z}}
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!!!''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' provides examples of the following tropes:

* DaChief: The Chief, of Cliffport fame.
* DamselInDistress: Discussed in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0482.html "Leaving Azure City"]]: Haley is in trouble and Elan wants to rush off to rescue her. However, Durkon stops him, explaining that she is able to take care of herself. And that he is not. If he tries to rescue her, he will just get himself killed, and that would make her very sad once she gets back on her own. Elan is forced to leave Haley to her fate. [[spoiler:And yes, she does save herself. And Belkar. And Roy's corpse, so it can be resurrected later.]]
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Xykon; Daimyo Kubota; Tarquin
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0766.html Tarquin]] probably takes the cake by issuing manuals intended to ensure that his soldiers are equally savvy. This amounts to instructions on how to avoid a BavarianFireDrill, not having keys on overly obvious rings and not being fooled by [[ThrowingTheDistraction strange sounds]], [[MuggedForDisguise among other things]].
** Even worse, he understands that even if he dies, he will be a legend and that [[EvilIsCool the audience always loves the villains more.]] His scheme gets a [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html triumphant]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0763.html speech]] explaining a continent-wide EvilPlan that involves repeatedly establishing LaResistance and the EvilEmpire and letting the empire get "overthrown". He figures the EvilEmpire must exist if heroic adventurers do, so why shouldn't he be the one ruling it? [[invoked]]
** Also sometimes [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0596.html Vaarsuvius]]
** The [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0149.html hobogoblin supreme leader]] was a funny inversion of this, being smart enough to step out of the way of the much more powerful goblin cleric who wanted his position.
* DareToBeBadass: Cleric down, wizard missing, leader starting to crumble. What does Belkar do? [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0881.html The thing the party keeps him around for.]]
* DarkActionGirl: Sabine; Tsukiko; Crystal; Samantha... Haley notes a pattern of her fighting "airborne tramps."
* DarkerAndEdgier
** Not that the comic is exactly "[[LighterAndFluffier light and fluffy]]", but prequel book ''Start of Darkness'' is significantly darker than the online comic's average tone.
** Things have gotten a turn for the dark starting around comic #823. [[spoiler:First, TheResistance falls arc. Then, the race between three teams for Girard's Gate: Team Evil, the Order of the Stick and The Linear Guild. And then the entire Draketooth family turns out to be dead, and one of the Order is responsible for it.]]
* DarkIsNotEvil: Invoked by Belkar after Haley assumes that V's new black robes, glowing eyes, and evil whispers mean that s/he's turned evil. Belkar, too, is convinced of that, but defends Vaarsuvius with this argument just to mess with everyone's heads.
* DarknessVonGothickname
** When she was a gloomy goth teenager, Haley called herself Dark Mistress Shadowgale.
** When Celia disguises herself as an evil necromancer, she uses the name Darkblood Gloomgloom.
* DeaderThanDead: The fate of everyone killed by the Snarl. [[spoiler:Maybe.]]
* DeadGuyPuppet: Lord Shojo [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0379.html does this with the skeleton of one of his wizards]], in order to make a point that it's the heroes' fault that the wizard is dead. To be fair, [[DeathIsCheap he's planning to bring the dude back to life.]]
-->'''Roy:''' Okay, fine! You're right, we'll head to Girard's Gate right now.\\
'''Lord Shojo:''' Great idea! [[SarcasmMode Here, I'll have my best wizard teleport you!]] (''with the skeleton "puppet"'') "Sure thing, Lord Shojo! Teleport!" (''throws skeleton at Roy'')\\
'''Roy:''' Gah!\\
'''Lord Shojo:''' [[SarcasmMode Oh, look at that. It didn't work.]] I guess you'll have to wait until we're done resurrecting him. Come back tomorrow.
* TheDeadHaveEyes
* DeadpanSnarker: Most of the characters fall into this at some point.
** Roy took extra points in this skill.
** Vaarsuvius comes only second to Roy in the snark, and being TheSpock he's even more deadpan.
** And V's raven familiar seems to take after his wizard.
** On the villain's side, Redcloak is no slouch either.
* DeathIsCheap: Not literally; coming BackFromTheDead is actually rather expensive. But price aside, it's usually not all that difficult, except when the plot requires it to be, as in [[spoiler:Roy Greenhilt]]'s case, or in special situations like being [[DeaderThanDead killed by the Snarl]] or dying of old age. This is {{lampshaded}} to the extent that a character calling for reinforcements (Haley in Old Blind Pete's cellar) suggests they bring the wherewithal to resurrect her and her friends. Also, you can apparently do the old "[[ChessWithDeath challenge Death to a game for your life]]" thing. And you can pick [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0718.html Wet T-Shirt Contest]] as your game.
** One of the gateways to the Afterlife is a revolving door.
* DeceasedFallGuyGambit
** Kubota announces his intention to do this to Therkla. V, of course, [[spoiler:[[ThePlotReaper interrupts by disintegrating him]]]].
** [[spoiler:Redcloak frames Tsukiko for treachery as an excuse for why he killed her -- when in fact, he killed her for knowing that ''he'' is the one betraying Xykon.]]
* DeconstructedTrope
** The idea of a predetermined CharacterAlignment is thoroughly deconstructed in ''Start of Darkness'' and some of the later strips, particularly with the characters of Belkar, Redcloak, Miko, the Monster in the Darkness and Malack. Redcloak is especially offended by the concept of his entire race being AlwaysChaoticEvil whether they like it or not.
** Miko, as she develops, touches on what a LawfulStupid KnightTemplar would be like realistically.
** TokenEvilTeammate is also deconstructed with Belkar, showing why a mostly good party would put up with someone like him and occasionally exploring the kind of tensions it can create.
* DefiedTrope
** CarryingTheAntidote in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html "Another Choice"]].
** Not to mention GoodIsDumb, repeatedly.
** Roy defies the DumbMuscle human-fighter.
* [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Deity of Humanoid Origin]]: Both the Dark One and the elven gods were once ordinary mortals who ascended.
* DelayedReaction: When [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0366.html Roy announces that they can resume stopping the forces of Evil from bringing the apocalypse]], Nale (disguised as Elan) at first just approves by reflex, before ticking.
-->'''Nale-as-Elan:''' I couldn't agree more, Roy!\\
'''Wizard Guy:''' TELEPORT!\\
'''Nale-as-Elan:''' Wait, what did you just--\\
* POP!*
* DeliberatelyMonochrome
** The prequel books are fully in greyscale. According to the author, this is to give them a "[[MonochromePast nostalgic]]" feeling, since these are the "home movie" of the ''[=OotS=]'' characters. Which is mostly a joking explanation -- the primary reason being costs.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0076.html Dwarven Darkvision.]]
** The Fiends' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html hypothetical scenario]].
* DeliciousFruitPies: From [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0091.html "Proof That I Am Deeply Disturbed]].
* {{Denouement}}: Several examples at the end of the ''Don't Split the Party'' arc, starting from around [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0666.html "But Seriously, She Won't"]].
* DepthDeception: In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0188.html "A Matter of Perspective"]], the starmetal appears huge at first but is really smaller than a fist.
* DescriptionCut: "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0044.html Thog like breaking stuff.]]"
* DesignatedGirlFight: At one point Haley lampshades her tendency to get shackled with [[EvilIsSexy slutty]] (and [[IBelieveICanFly flying]]) DarkChick rivals. "I should take a level of ranger so I can choose Favored Enemy (Airborne Tramp)". And that's before we meet her (thankfully non-flying, but still thoroughly trampy) arch-rival Crystal.
* {{Destructive Saviour}}s: Dorukan's Dungeon, the Weary Travelers Inn and Tavern, Azure City... few places seem to survive contact with the Order of the Stick.
* DeusExMachina
** During the siege of Azure City, Roy [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0441.html beheads Xykon's undead dragon]]. The head crushes a Death Knight that is overwhelming Vaarsuvius; V later complains that it was a lame "deus ex machina".
** When V cast Familicide on an ancient black dragon in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0639.html "If They Pull a Knife... "]], the first victim is a black dragon currently battling against a pair of adventurers -- who are left wondering just what the heck caused their opponent to inexplicably drop dead in front of them.
** The [=MitD=] plays this role in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0661.html "The Path of Least Expectation"]], teleporting Vaarsuvius and O-chul to safety.
* DidMomJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu
* DidntWeUseThisJokeAlready
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu
** O-Chul and [=MitD=].
** Also [[spoiler:Haley, Belkar and the [=MitD=].]]
* DisasterDominoes: The well-oiled machine bit from the ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' book.
* DiscreetDrinkDisposal: Durkon with [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html the bloodwart tea]].
* DisintegratorRay: The Disintegrate spell. A favorite of Vaarsuvius; also used by Redcloak.
* DisposingOfABody
** Redcloak is [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html thorough]].
** Vaarsuvius as well, using the aforementioned DisintegratorRay.
* DisproportionateRetribution
** This is the main motto of Nale and the Linear Guild, even mentioned on their business cards.
** Vaarsuvius. Ancient Black Dragon. "Familicide!"
** Tiamat is promised five good dragons dead for every black dragon killed by V.
** General Tarquin offers to give the pair of bounty hunters 8,000 gp for their trouble in accidentally bringing in Elan instead of Nale. Gannji then demands 50,000 instead because he has a [[StarWars thermal detonator]] (which is actually a soup can -- he was just keeping up a RunningGag). Tarquin then "misplaces" some court paperwork, leaving the bounty hunters sentenced to ''die in the arena'' for attempting to extort him [[spoiler:in front of his son]].
* DistractingDisambiguation
* TheDitz
** Elan, when he's not TheFool, or both simultaneously.
** Thog
** Celia has her moments, explained in part by her status as an Outsider and therefore someone not familiar with the customs of the Material Plane. She's also from the Elemental Plane of Air, making her an [[StealthPun "airhead"]].
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0607.html Crystal]]. She once asks a blind ex-rogue (one whom ''she'' had blinded, no less) if he has [[ExactWords seen]] [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial who she's looking for]].
* DivingSave
** Played straight in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0451.html "Change of Direction"]].
** Subverted in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0712.html "Neutralize Elf"]] -- Haley pushes Elan out of the way of a poisoned bolt, only to have it hit V.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: [[spoiler: Malack]]'s plans to make the process of human sacrifices more efficient and orderly by developing "some sort of special chamber" is meant to evoke ''Film/SoylentGreen''. However, plenty of readers saw [[ThoseWackyNazis a different parallel]].
* DontExplainTheJoke: Belkar in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0455.html "Incoming!"]]
-->'''Hobgoblin priest:''' FIRE!\\
'''Belkar:''' Don't mind if I do! (''fireballs the hobgoblins'')\\
Get it? Because he said, "Fire!", and then you used a "Fire"-ball, and now they're all dead!\\
'''Skullsy:''' Yes, sir, very funny, sir. [-Please don't hurt me.-]
* DoNotTauntCthulhu: After locking up the Snarl inside the new world, Thor taunts it, even kicking the new world-prison for good measure. To which Loki says:
-->'''Loki:''' Dude, don't taunt the god-killing abomination.
::Gets a callback in ''Start of Darkness'' when Redcloak is explaining the Plan to Xykon.
-->'''Thor:''' Crap! Loki was right about not taunting it after all!
* DopeSlap
** In the prequel book ''On the Origins of [=PCs=]'', after a fair warning to Vaarsuvius (who was getting annoying), Haley performs a "Sneak Attack Upside the Head".
** Nale dope-slaps his twin brother Elan in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0050.html "The Semi-Secret Origin of Elan & Nale"]]. Apparently, that's a reflex from early childhood.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0089.html "Invisibility: The Lazy Artist's Friend"]] features a rare aversion of the dope-slap.
-->'''Roy:''' (''probably -- he's invisible'') ... You're lucky attacking ends the spell, or I would smack the crap out of all of you.
* DoubleEntendre
** About... say... nine of them in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0418.html "It's a Type of Boat"]] alone, complete with LampshadeHanging from the last line in the strip as well as the title.
** Also, the hotel room scene in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0123.html "Double Your Entendre, Double Your Fun"]].
** And the scene between Roy, Belkar, and Tarquin in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0753.html "Slash Attack"]].
* DownerEnding
** ''Start of Darkness'' [[spoiler:ends pretty badly for Redcloak. Also, The Monster in the Dark loses his tacos!]]
** The Azure City arc [[spoiler:ends with Roy, Lord Shojo, and Miko dead, the party separated, and Azure City itself in flames.]]
* DownTheDrain: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0660.html "Obligatory Sewer-Themed Labyrinth."]]
* DracoInLeatherPants: [[invoked]] Given a TakeThat in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0788.html "A Vexation or Irritation"]].
-->'''Tarquin:''' It's weird, no matter how many people he kills, the audience still thinks he's lovable.
* {{Dracolich}}: Xykon rides an undead silver dragon.
* DragonInChief: Within the Empire of Blood, General Tarquin holds this position: the Empress (an actual dragon) is more concerned about where her next meal is coming from.
** Tarquin's band of six adventurers fills this in various places all over the western continent. Each of them prop up governments and switch around as the situation demands.
** Also [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] in the prequel book ''StartOfDarkness'', which shows what happens when a villain is nominally subservient to a WellIntentionedExtremist. Xykon is initially TheDragon to Redcloak: despite being more brutish and less intelligent than his "boss", over the course of the story he evolves from TheDragon to Dragon-in-Chief to BigBad, by virtue of his [[TheUnfettered total lack of moral compunction]].
*** Except, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html recently]], [[spoiler: Redcloak revealed that he's been manipulating Xykon for years]], so this trope still appears to be in effect.
*** They have a complicated relationship., Redcloak is the one Xykon's hobgoblin army recognizes as their leader, despite Xykon being more powerful and the de facto boss. And there are definitely hints that Redcloak will turn into TheStarscream once their goals irreconcilably diverge. On the flip-side, Xykon is far more powerful, dangerous and evil, and might be more intelligent than Redcloak gives him credit. Further, Redcloak is visibly horrifed when he realizes he's becoming more like Xykon, and regards working with him an extremely unpleasant necessary evil. Also, Redcloak himself is TheHeavy for The Dark One, his BiggerBad GodOfEvil, so he is technically TheDragon to somebody else.
* DramaPreservingHandicap
** As Roy [[LampshadeHanging points out]] in "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0834.html A Seasoned Woodsman]]," the Order is usually at some disadvantage when they fight their [[EvilCounterpart Evil Counterparts]]. Despite Roy's [[DefiedTrope caution]], it happens ''again'' when Vaarsuvius gets himself incapacitated by a trap right before the Linear Guild attacks.
** Ultra-powerful soul-spliced Vaarsuvius is literally the most powerful mage to have ever existed... as long as he/she holds on to the splices. Good thing one of them slips away BEFORE the elf goes to fight the Big Bad, Xykon, or else the series could have ended in a curb stomp.
* DramaticCurtainToss: Somewhat parodied in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0701.html "Curtains for You"]].
* DramaticDrop: Malack with the bloodwart tea, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0810.html at the sight of Nale]].
* DramaticNecklaceRemoval: O-Chul to Redcloak.
* DramaticThunder: Very heavily lampshaded in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0199.html "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night"]].
* DrillSergeantNasty: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0736.html The gladiator warden]], who is very GenreSavvy about his role and all of the tropes associated with a GladiatorGames plot.
* DroolHello: Although it's not ''technically'' drool in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0626.html "Good to the Last Drip"]] (just salt water from the ocean), it's still Vaarsuvius's first clue that a monster has approached from behind.
* {{Duck}}: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0433.html In this comic.]]
-->'''Belkar:''' Duck.\\
Duck.\\
Duck.\\
GOOSE!
* DueToTheDead
* DumbBlonde: Invoked in ''Start of Darkness''.
* DumbIsGood
** Elan may be the only straight example in the comic.
** While he's not an example, the widespread belief in this trope is one of the main reasons why Thog is the subject of DracoInLeatherPants.[[invoked]]
** {{Inverted|Trope}} with Belkar, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0058.html who briefly becomes a much nicer person]] when his Wisdom is boosted.
* DungeonBypass
** Early in the comic, the Order uses a service stairwell to skip two levels of the Dungeon of Dorukan.
** Invoked again in comics [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0649.html #649]]-[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0651.html 651]], where Haley breaks through the FourthWall for a spell component and Vaarsuvius teleports directly into Xykon's throne room.
* DyingAsYourself: Defied, if not outright inverted, when Durkon offers to cure [[spoiler: Malack]]'s vampirism.
-->'''[[spoiler: Malack]]:''' Bringing me back to life is just a complicated way of annihilating the person I am today. Save your diamond dust and stake me instead.
* EarnYourHappyEnding
** Invoked and Subverted in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0334.html "If You Want Something Done Right"]].
** Invoked by Tarquin when he tells Elan [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0763.html that it's too early in the story to have a dramatic, final confrontation]] with him.
* EasternZodiac: The Twelve Gods of the South.
* TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay
** In Cliffport City:
-->'''Roy:''' Hey gnome! There are two ways this can go down: the easy way or the hard way.\\
'''Leeky:''' Druids always pick the hard way; it encourages natural selection.
** Later, the final pages of the second confrontation between Roy and Xykon are titled [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0442.html "We Can Do This the Easy Way..."]]
* ElementalEmbodiment
** Parodied when Redcloak gets his hands on a modern periodic table and starts summoning elemental spirits based on [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0423.html Titanium]] -- "just as strong [as Earth], and 40% lighter." --, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0457.html Chlorine]], and [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0825.html Osmium]] (one of the hardest natural metals, twice as heavy as lead).
-->'''Redcloak:''' I mean, fire shouldn't even count. It's a chemical reaction!\\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' Does he not know that the classical elements are classics for a reason??
** It gets weirder: Embodiments of ''salad dressing'', apparently the native inhabitants of the [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0802.html Semi-Elemental Plane of Ranch Dressing]].
* {{Elfeminate}}: A large part of the reason Vaarsuvius and kin get stuck with the AmbiguousGender gag.
* EnigmaticEmpoweringEntity: Two of these. Both are of the scam artist kind, but different kinds of scams.
** An Angel "of pure Good and Law" clears the heroes' names, making them innocent of a very serious crime in the eyes of an order of paladins. However, the trial is just a ShamCeremony, and the "angel" is just a manipulative ghost disguised as an angel.
** The evil trio who tempts V takes on the role of {{Enigmatic Empowering Entit|y}}ies, but subverts the role to snare the wizard. V is manipulated into accepting a price s/he doesn't understand and is tricked to believe that s/he has an excuse to let her more destructive tendencies run wild without accepting true responsibility for the havoc. Also, the power they give is tainted and fatally flawed in itself, not at all what V had imagined "Ultimate Arcane Power" to be.
* EpisodeZeroTheBeginning: One of the ''Start of Darkness'' issues.
* EqualOpportunityEvil: The LawfulEvil Empire of Blood employs humans, lizardfolks and kobolds indiscriminately, from the lowliest foot soldiers or slave drivers to the upper echelons of society, including the Empress' main counselors (with a human general, a lizardfolk high priest and a winged-kobold chancellor).
* EscalatingBrawl: The argument between Roy, Gannji and Enor ends up in a serious pub brawl.
* EurekaMoment: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0416.html "It's Battlicious!"]], where Redcloak gets the idea as to how to distribute his soldiers for TheSiege of Azure City from Xykon's [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer "March up to the walls and blast away"]] attitude.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes
** [[spoiler:Tarquin]] is an amoral sociopath, but he deeply loves [[spoiler:his son Elan]].
** Redcloak loved his brother [[spoiler:-- just not quite enough.]]
** Sabine may be an evil personification of pure lust, but her relationship with Nale is quite solid.
** That [[spoiler:black dragon]] was pretty pissed that [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius disintegrated her son]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards
** Belkar won't let anyone hurt Mr. Scruffy.
** There are also things so horrible, that [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0258.html not even Nale is willing to consider.]]
** Xykon is known to mock Redcloak for having standards about whom they can crush and how much evil they can do in their efforts to conquer the world and bring equality to goblinkind.
** Although even Xykon do have some small standards -- namely, he's not a "disgusting biophiliac" and is squicked by Tsukiko's crackfic-worthy fantasies.
** Team sociopath Belkar was horrified when [[spoiler:Durkon]] was killed and turned into a vampire.
-->'''Belkar:''' There's nothing funny about it. He just walked in and saved my life and got straight-up murdered for it.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Monster in the Darkness; the Oracle of Sunken Valley; the Chief; the Rookie
* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs
** Elan dreams of being transformed into an "''Elanosaurus rex''".
** The Empire of Blood is shown to use [[HorseOfADifferentColor dinosaurs as mounts.]]
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' Not surprisingly, ethical concerns cannot overcome the siren's lure of a triceratops ride.
** There's an ''Allosaurus'' which feeds on gladiators who've lost in the arena.
** Blackwing prefers to think of himself as a "super-advanced flying stealth dinosaur".
* EvilCannotComprehendGood:
** Played straight by several characters, especially Xykon and Nale.
** Discussed when Roy accuses Belkar of CryingWolf regarding [[spoiler:Durkon's vampirisation. When he says that Durkon's last words were a plea for his friends' safety,]] Haley believes him because "I don't think Belkar's capable of inventing someone doing that."
* EvilCounterpart: The Linear Guild's main purpose, this is actually mentioned [[LampshadeHanging in-universe]] when The Order of the Stick and the Linear Guild first meet. Justified as Nale specifically recruited his guild members to fit the "evil opposites" theme.
** Roy/Thog [[spoiler:(and later, Tarquin)]]
** Elan/Nale
** Haley/Sabine
** Belkar/Yikyik [[spoiler:-- replaced by his son Yokyok and then Yukyuk after the deaths of the first two.]]
** Vaarsuvius/Zz'dtri (and later, Pompey)
** Durkon/Hilgya [[spoiler:-- replaced by Leeky, and Malack, though Hilgya and Malack are AffablyEvil.]]
* EvilIsNotAToy
** [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius]] was already aware of this, chose to ignore it, and is likely to pay some consequences in the next plot arc.
** As revealed in the ''Start of Darkness'' prequel, Redcloak's plan, hatched by the god of goblinoids, the Dark One, to [[spoiler:have a powerful divine and a powerful arcane caster manipulate the Gates to control the Snarl without completely releasing it, and then use the Snarl to force the other divine pantheons to give equal rights to the goblinoids and other humanoid "monsters" solely created to be experience point sword fodder for clerics of the other, older races. Redcloak is well aware that this ''might'' end with the death and unmaking of himself and Xykon, but is still determined to go through with the Plan.]]
** Similarly, in ''Start of Darkness'', Redcloak learns the hard way that Xykon is not a toy, or even a tool. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it turns out; Redcloak still thinks of Xykon as a tool, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0830.html just one which takes a little more skill than most to use.]] Whether or not this assumption will come back to bite him in the arse ''again'', time alone will tell.]]
* EvilIsOneBigHappyFamily: Even though it's the TropeNamer, subverted constantly. Evil characters don't care about the alignment of other characters, only whether or not they will help or hinder them in achieving their goals.
-->'''Lee:''' Don't be silly, why would we want the lich to win?\\
'''Qarr:''' Because we're evil?\\
'''Cedrik:''' [[TropeNamer And that makes us all one big happy family]]? [[DefiedTrope Screw that]]!
:: The IFCC, despite defying the trope in the above quote, also play it completely straight, since their long-term goal is to forge a truce which will unite the warring fiends in an alliance against the forces of Good.
* EvilPowerVacuum: Averted; Celia convinces Haley not to kill Bozzok, leader of Greysky's thieves guild, in order to stop a power vacuum being created.
* EvilSorcerer
** Xykon;
** Nale, Elan's twin brother, who multiclassed as fighter/rogue/sorcerer specializing in enchantments (instead of being a bard like Elan);
** Samantha, the spoiled sorceress daughter of the leader of the bandits of Wooden Forest;
** Tsukiko, the evil mystic theurge (technically she is both a divine and arcane caster);
** Qarr the Imp;
** Jephton the Unholy, the sorcerer-archmage used for Vaarsuvius's soul splice.
* ExactWords
** Hieronymus Grubbwiggler promises he's not creating undead -- which flesh and bone golems are not under ''D&D'' rules.
** O-Chul employs this in order to NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0663.html "Or Mention That He's Getting Too Old for This"]].
** Durkon also uses this occasionally to avoid lying.
* ExactlyWhatIAimedAt: Haley, throwing her distinctive knife [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0716.html into a wanted poster]] instead of the one holding it.
* ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask
** Xykon conducts a job interview while storming the Azure City castle.
** In the hypothetical scenario the archfiends suggest to Vaarsuvius instead of accepting their offer, V's master Aarindarius is shown defeating a powerful dragon while reading a book, not even bothering to look in its direction.
* ExoticEntree: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0744.html The banquet]] that [[spoiler:Elan's father Tarquin]] holds in his honor. Poor Elan, not being the sort to enjoy such dishes, loses his appetite rather quickly.
* ExpositionFairy: The title of [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0532.html strip #532]].
* TheExtremistWasRight
** Redcloak: [[spoiler:the non-PC races really were set up for suffering, death and an utter lack of opportunities.]]
** [[spoiler:The Empire of Blood is a safer place to live than it had been before Tarquin. Though given just ''how'' bad it was before, this is all relative.]]
* EyepatchAfterTimeSkip: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0502.html Elan parodies the trope.]]
* EyepatchOfPower
** Right-Eye in ''Start of Darkness'';
** [[spoiler:Redcloak as of comic #699.]]
-->'''Xykon:''' I like you this way. It's like we have a grumpy pirate on the team.
* EyeScream
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0655.html "Smite -- Evil."]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0445.html Not to forget:]]
-->'''Hobgoblin cleric:''' *sniff* I think... I think there's something in my eye.\\
''*SPLORTCH!*'' AAAH!\\
'''Belkar:''' Got it out for you.
** Roy giving Thog a faceful of broken glass. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0798.html *keeysh!* "RRAWWRR!!"]]
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Miko; Thanh]]
* FaceDoodling: Elan and Belkar do it to Roy when he's paralyzed by a poison trap.
* FaceHeelTurn: Averted in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0520.html "The Power of Immediate Gratification"]], where ''Belkar'', of all people, gives up the chance to join a cause that'll let him do all the killing he wants. Admittedly, Belkar leaves something to be desired as a "face", but the other side is even worse, so....
* FacelessMasses: Sometimes used, especially in Azure City, on Hinjo's Junk, during the parade in Bleedingham, and in the Empire of Blood's arena. [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0478.html Lampshaded, naturally:]]
-->'''Elan:''' Excuse me, huddled masses! Pardon me! PC coming through! PC coming--
* FacePalm: [[http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159330 "The Great Roy Greenhilt & Everybody Else Facepalm Count"]]
* FakeHigh: In [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0640.html "Madness"]], a being from the Lower Planes explains why Vaarsuvius (under the effects of a "soul splice") appears to have shifted more towards Evil on the character-alignment scale by presenting a college-university analogy: "It's like if you were at a party where someone has been drinking beer that they didn't know was non-alcoholic: They might seem drunk anyway, just because they were expecting it."
* FalseFlagOperation: [[spoiler:Tarquin places his allies as advisors and uses them to manipulate rulers into conquering the western continent.]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath
** [[spoiler:Miko]] gets torn in half.
** [[spoiler:...And an ancient black dragon]] gets torn into much smaller pieces from the inside.
** [[spoiler:A first-level commoner]] gets disemboweled by a housecat.
** [[spoiler:Commander and Lieutenant of Team Peregrine]] get Imploded by Redcloak; [[spoiler:the Resistance leader with the topknot and kimono]] gets ripped in half by a diabolic being. All in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0826.html one convenient comic!]]
* FamousLastWords
** "Goodbye... Redcloak." [[spoiler:-- Right-Eye, when his brother kills him.]]
** "The combo is perfect, I'm telling you. As long as I move back 15 feet every--" [[spoiler:-- Half-Ogre with spiked chain]]
** "It appears... not everyone... agrees with your analysis." [[spoiler:-- Shojo, when Miko falls from paladinhood for killing him]]. Also from him: "Everything I did, I did for my people."
** "You'll never take this city while I'm alive, monster!" [[spoiler:-- General Chang, just before the Death Knight accepts his terms.]]
** "Maybe if I--" *SPLAT* [[spoiler:-- Roy, coming up with so many ways to survive a fall that he doesn't notice the ground coming up beneath him.]]
** "I regret to report than I am no longer fit for duty... Supreme Leader..." [[spoiler:-- Hobgoblin commander, right before triggering Redcloak's MyGodWhatHaveIDone]] moment.
** Xykon and Redcloak [[spoiler:almost die at the hands of the ghost paladins of the Sapphire Guard]].
-->'''Xykon:''' Hey, Redcloak, we really had a shot at the prize there, didn't we?\\
'''Redcloak:''' Yeah, we did.
** "I--I can live with that..." [[spoiler:-- Miko]]
** "I'll take my chances... that the Afterlife... won't have any punishment worse... than not being with you..." [[spoiler:-- Therkla]]
** "Now come along, bring me to your master so we can begin the Trial of the Century." [[spoiler:-- Kubota, right before V disintegrates him.]]
** "No! No! You... [[YouMonster you MONSTER!]]" [[spoiler:-- Black Dragon Mom, when V slaughters her entire family for attempting to slaughter ''his or her'' family.]]
** "Why don't... you love... me?" [[spoiler:-- Tsukiko, being killed by her own undead minions.]]
** "I get ta go home." [[spoiler:-- Durkon, being killed by Malack, dying with a smile on his face.]]
* FandomBerserkButton
** In-Universe example. The misspelling "''Zykon'' the sorcerer" remains a [[{{Pun}} bone of contention]] not just for the forums, but for the dread lich himself, who can even spot his name being mangled in a [[MediumAwareness speech bubble.]]
** Other (traditional) examples in the forums: Hailie/Hayley/etc. for Haley, and Shinjo (portmanteau of Shojo and Hinjo).
* FandomNod: Many, including Miko (not) becoming a Death Knight.
* FangsAreEvil
* {{Fanservice}}: Lampshaded during Haley's bath sequence in ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]''.
* FantasticNatureReserve: The room filled with outdated monsters in Dorukan's dungeon.
* FantasticRacism
** Basically Redcloak's motivation both ways. His family was slaughtered because paladins don't consider his kind to have the right to exist, so he blames all humans for the actions of that group and kills them freely.
** Classism: Wizards in general and Vaarsuvius in particular seem to look down on the other magic-using classes. Sorcerers are usually the targets, but being called a warlock is a dire insult.
* FarEast: (Or Far South, as the case may be.) Azure City ''would'' be a FantasyCounterpartCulture for Japan, if it were at all consistent. Instead, names like "Miko Miyazaki" stand side by side with names like "O-Chul", and the people worship the Twelve Gods, the animals from the ''Chinese'' zodiac. This, naturally, is a [[SatireParodyPastiche pastiche]] of ''D&D'''s Oriental mishmash settings, most specifically the ''Oriental Adventures'' {{sourcebook}}.
* FastballSpecial
** Well, "Tetherball Special", anyhow. That one's even called [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0166.html "Wolverine, Eat Your Heart Out"]].
** Also, what happens when you sit on Durkon's head as he casts Thor's Might.
* FastForwardMechanic: Invoked in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0155.html "Time is On My Side"]].
* FatalFlaw
** The {{pride}} and [[IneffectualLoner inability to admit that his/her magic can't do everything]] of Vaarsuvius, as pointed out by the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent fiends]] in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html "The Wrong Reasons"]]. See also [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0678.html "First Step in the Process"]]:
-->'''Blackwing:''' Mistakes were made all around, but the important thing is that [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0677.html this]] needless conflict is now over WITHOUT the loser's entire family line getting totally eradicated. [[SarcasmMode So, you know]]. Progress.
** ''On the Origin of [=PCs=]'' has Roy claiming that belief in the complete supremacy of arcane magic is a common flaw among spellcasters.
** Thinking he knows more about a situation than he actually does is Roy's FatalFlaw. If Roy had known [[spoiler:that liches can regenerate from a phylactery]] from the very beginning, [[spoiler:he could have made sure Xykon was DeaderThanDead and wouldn't have been able to return to kill him later. This also lead to Miko becoming wrongfully suspicious of Roy, with disastrous consequences]]. In a TooCleverByHalf moment, he also believed he had outsmarted the Oracle when the latter was more than happy to just tell him which Gate Xykon was headed towards next. Later, he dismissed the Celestial's warnings about [[spoiler:V's DealWithTheDevil]] because he thought she was talking about Belkar.
* FateWorseThanDeath
** [[spoiler:The Ancient Black Dragon intended to bind Vaarsuvius' children souls to it forever]], and [[spoiler:Xykon has a fondness for trapping the souls of important enemies in gems. This is subverted when he [[HeartwarmingMoments imprisons Dorukan in the same gem as Lirian]]]].
** A slightly more [[ToiletHumor humorous example]]: after willingly being abused and used as a weapon by Belkar in order to not be destroyed, the head of the "Eye of Fear and Flame" (one of Xykon's three decoys) finally draws the line when the latter announces his intentions to eventually use him as an "emergency chamber pot".
** [[RunningGag Another]] [[ToiletHumor humorous example:]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0835.html Kobold Kitty Litter.]]
-->'''Durkon:''' Uh... wait. Aren't ye gonna, y'know, [[LampshadeHanging kill the kobold first?]]\\
'''V & Belkar:''' [[NotSoDifferent No.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil
** Xykon. Redcloak even lampshades it in a conversation with a hobgoblin goon.
** Tarquin is so affable that a few people think that even after [[KickTheDog kicking a few dogs]] he's only TrueNeutral.
** The Giant seems to enjoy playing with the FauxAffablyEvil trope in general: Redcloak averts it, both before and after his MyGodWhatHaveIDone (before it, he doesn't bother to show the slightest concern for the hobgoblins, and after he genuinely does care about them), and Miko inverts it via GoodIsNotNice.
* FauxHorrific: Elan is appalled at the terrible choreography of the opening act of the gladiator games.
* FauxYay: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0753.html "Slash Attack"]] -- by Belkar and Roy, after seeing Tarquin's face for the first time, to explain their surprise as they recognized Elan's traits on him.
* FavouritismFlipFlop: Inverted in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0171.html "The Prisoner Dilemma"]].
* FeatherFingers: While he's never used them as hands ''per se'', Blackwing is fond of GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger with his wingtips.
* FetchQuest: Begins the second arc. Subject to lots of lampshading (but of course).
* FightingForAHomeland: Redcloak sees claiming a goblinoid homeland as [[DragonWithAnAgenda a secondary goal to his service of Xykon]]. [[spoiler:Or so he says. In fact, he's merely using Xykon to take control of the Snarl, at which point he intends to use it to blackmail the gods themselves into recognising Goblins as a sapient race.]] Once [[spoiler:Azure City is taken]], he founds the nation of Gobbotopia and appoints one of his lieutenants as its leader.
* FillerStrips: Lampshaded.
* FinalBossPreview: Both Xykon (to Roy) and Tarquin (to Elan) lampshade the fact that if they attack them too early, they'll only be defeated and forced to retreat so they can train for the ''real'' final battle.
-->'''Tarquin:''' We just met. The tension needs to build more. [...] So, you go finish up your little plot and come back in, say, ten years?\\
'''Elan:''' Dad, I can't let you hurt all these people for ten years!\\
'''Tarquin:''' Well, if you want, you can force the confrontation early... but the way these things go, you'll probably end up losing a hand or an eye or something.
* FinalSolution: Vaarsuvius's partner and children are threatened by a vengeful dragon. Fueled by demonic ''and'' devilish magic, Vaarsuvius finds a solution to the problem: [[spoiler: Vaarsuvius kills not only this dragon, but also any dragon that is in any way related to it -- a quarter of the Black Dragon population -- to stop any threat to his family.]]
* FireForgedFriends: Blackwing resents being Vaarsuvius's familiar, due to V's neglectful behaviour towards him for most of the comic. But when they're forced to work together in an attempt to destroy Xykon, they put aside their differences and learn mutual respect for one another.
* FiveStagesOfGrief: The immediate reaction of [[spoiler:Roy to the news of Durkon being Turned]] is Denial and Anger aimed squarely at the BearerOfBadNews (at [[ShootTheMessenger swordpoint]], no less). He seems to have at least accepted the truth of the message by the end of the strip, but whether that corresponds to Acceptance of the loss remains to be seen.
* {{Flashback}}
** Eugene remembers why he cast the BloodOath against [[OurLichesAreDifferent Xykon]] in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0078.html "Unfinished Business"]].
** Haley sympathizes with teenage goblins in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0093.html "Teenage Wasteland"]].
** Haley remembers why she hates Crystal with a burning passion in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0608.html "Mean Girls"]].
** Roy remembers learning the tactical advantage of surprise in Fighter College in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0855.html "And They Got Extra Credit for It, Too"]].
* FlashbackNightmare: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0623.html "Running Away"]].
* FluffyCloudHeaven: The coexistent demiplane from which the Upper Planes denizens come to watch mortals. Eugene is stuck there because of his UnfinishedBusiness.
* FluffyFashionFeathers: After they accidentally teleport into a Roc's nest, Belkar is briefly shown wearing a [[PimpDuds pimp hat]] adorned with a giant red feather that's as big as him.
* {{Flynning}}: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0761.html The fight]] between Elan and [[spoiler:Tarquin]] is full of it.
* FollowTheLeader: Several webcomics openly copy ''[=OotS=]'''s premise and art style.
** ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'' is probably the best-known of those.
** ''Webcomic/AntiHeroes'' openly describes itself as such.
** ''Webcomic/TheWayOfTheMetagamer''
** ''Webcomic/MurphysLaw''
** ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure'' uses the same basic setup, though the art style puts it a bit apart.
* ForceVersusDiscipline: Sorcerers (force) vs. wizards (discipline).
* {{Foreshadowing}}
** After defeating a Black Dragon, the party realizes he was just an underling of the real guardian of the cave. The real guardian of the cave? [[spoiler:[[MamaBear His mom]]. [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Uh oh.]]]] Plus, the Black Dragon in the cave mentions [[spoiler:his mother]] while talking to V. For extra fun, read V's dialogue in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0338.html "Tactical Priorities"]]. Spoilers, ahoy!
** Plus [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0572.html "The Resistance of Memory"]], specifically when the Oracle tells Roy why he wants him gone.
** Also an extremely subtle one in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html "Headed Down"]]. See what Eric is playing with?
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0236.html Haley's evil twin gibe could be seen as this]] or as a CallBack.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html "Only the honor of a paladin is unbreakable]] -- [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0449.html even by death itself."]]
** Nale says, "[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0365.html This disguise won't work forever.]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0383.html Except maybe for the halfling.]]"
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0131.html Look over here.]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html Now look over here.]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0189.html "Then I will die, but not today."]]
** A minor one, but look at the hair belonging to the new aspect of Haley's personality in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0319.html strip #319]]. Now go to any strips between #610 and #752 involving the party.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0543.html "I hoped really, really hard, and he still didn't escape!"]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0747.html "Do you need, like, 200-foot tall flaming letters or something?"]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0330.html The Oracle saying Roy and Elan are late for a pair of family reunions.]]
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0821.html Nale accusing Tarquin of killing his wife, when Tarquin thought it was Nale hints something went very wrong.]] [[spoiler: Tarquin being DangerouslyGenreSavvy, most certainly caught on to the fact that '4-6 high-level adventurers showing up on his doorstep' matches the timeframe of this event, and that something bigger is at work.]] Then [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0843.html strip #843]] happens and explains it all for us.
** Girard ''Drake''tooth isn't just your basic fantasy AwesomeMcCoolname. [[spoiler:He's the grandson of a dragon. A dragon related to the one Vaarsuvius nailed with Familicide. ''Oops.'']]
** Belkar [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0206.html correctly predicts]] how Miko's interactions with the Order of the Stick will ultimately end, though not for the right reason.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0485.html Wrong again, Eugene]] - [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0600.html Roy DOES get to train with a martial arts master in the afterlife]].
** Elan let his idea of a happy ending slip little after meeting up with Tarquin : [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0739.html "Hey, do you think Roy will mind calling my mother "Mom"]][[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0888.html when Dad remarries her?"]]
* ForgingScene: Appears with the reforging of Roy's greatsword intercut with shots of other characters preparing for the upcoming story arc. Also notable in that it's one of the few forging scenes in fiction that feature a female smith.
* ForInconveniencePressOne: "Hello! And Welcome to [=ThorPrayer=][-[[superscript:TM]]-]."
* FourthWall: Broken, smashed, and plowed under by a steamroller.
* FourthWallMailSlot
** The Order does one in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0033.html "Mail Call"]] and later in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0121.html "The Return of Mail Call"]].
-->'''Belkar:''' Here's an idea: Let's never do this again.\\
'''Haley:''' Yeah, like we're never gonna need filler again. Dream on, shorty.
** A pair of expendable hobgoblins then take over in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0259.html "Son of Mail Call"]].
* FoxNews: Referenced briefly as the horrible method Gnomes get information, it looks like Burlew is taking a shot at the news outlet... until the panel cuts away to a bunch of gnomes listening to an ''actual'' fox, red, white-tipped tail, yipping noises and everything. Let's face it, if you got all your news from a small furry animal, some things would slip through the cracks.
* FriendlyWar: We have [[spoiler:three desert empires that always struggle against each other. However, they are secretly allied with each other. The conflict between them is merely an excuse to take over other nations, as well as a safeguard to keep the other peoples from uniting against them.]]
* FromASingleCell: Roy is Resurrected from just a skull, being the biggest bit of him left after the Bone Golem made from his corpse is destroyed.
** Xykon can resurrect from ''nothing'' as long as his phylactery is intact.
* FromBadToWorse: Things get continually worse throughout the prequel book ''Start of Darkness'', especially for Redcloak. And considering that the book ''starts'' with [[spoiler:his mother, uncle, mentor, older brother and younger sister being massacred by paladins]], you know it's going to get pretty bad.
* FunetikAksent: To the point that there is a spell in-universe (Comprehend Inconsistent Languages) to translate the speech bubbles written this way. Durkon's the poster child for this (see [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickTheOrderOfTheStick here]]).
* FunnyBackGroundEvent: Panel 4 of [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0645.html "It's Where the Cool Kids Swim"]]. Look at the text of the "Safety a Close Second!" poster.
* FunWithAcronyms: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0644.html The Book of Odad]]
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