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* ContemptibleCover: Look at that smoking hot elf chick! What do you mean the graphics are nothing like that? This is more true for ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations at the time.
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* LadyNotAppearingInThisGame: Every cover for every ''Spellforce'' game or expansion has a scantily-clad woman on it. Most of them have nothing to do with the game, and the few that do tend to have minor roles that don't warrant their place on the cover, [[ContemptibleCover and they look nothing like what the cover's art shows.]] (more applicable to ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations of the era.)
to:
* LadyNotAppearingInThisGame: Every cover for every ''Spellforce'' game or expansion has a scantily-clad woman on it. Most of them have nothing to do with the game, and the few that do tend to have minor roles that don't warrant their place on the cover, [[ContemptibleCover and they look nothing like what the cover's art shows.]] shows. (more applicable to ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations of the era.)
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Capitalization was fixed from Sandbox.Spellforce to Sandbox.Spell Force. Null edit to update page.
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Ghost wick was fixed on Sandbox.Spell Force.
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Direct link.
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* EvilVersusEvil: Hokan versus [[DealWithTheDevil Uram]] in the backstory. ({{Undead}}[=/=][[MechaMooks Blades]] and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], respectively.)
to:
* EvilVersusEvil: Hokan versus [[DealWithTheDevil Uram]] in the backstory. ({{Undead}}[=/=][[MechaMooks (TheUndead[=/=][[MechaMooks Blades]] and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], respectively.)
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** There's also TheHorde of {{Undead}} or [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]]. They're the primary unplayable races. There are also [[MechaMooks Blades]] in ''The Order of Dawn''. The Orcs act like it at first, but they're more of a bunch of mercenaries than anything.
to:
** There's also TheHorde of {{Undead}} TheUndead or [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]]. They're the primary unplayable races. There are also [[MechaMooks Blades]] in ''The Order of Dawn''. The Orcs act like it at first, but they're more of a bunch of mercenaries than anything.
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** Notably, Circle Mages (specifically, Hokan and Uram) were responsible for the creation of {{Undead}}, [[MechaMooks Iron Ones]], and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], which are all three of the major AlwaysChaoticEvil[=/=]TheHorde factions you have to deal with in ''The Order of Dawn''.
to:
** Notably, Circle Mages (specifically, Hokan and Uram) were responsible for the creation of {{Undead}}, TheUndead, [[MechaMooks Iron Ones]], and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], which are all three of the major AlwaysChaoticEvil[=/=]TheHorde factions you have to deal with in ''The Order of Dawn''.
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dewicking Our Elves Are Better per trs
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** The [[LightIsNotGood "Light"]] races are [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarves]], [[OurElvesAreBetter Elves]], and Humans.
** [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and [[OurElvesAreBetter Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
** [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and [[OurElvesAreBetter Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
to:
** The [[LightIsNotGood "Light"]] races are [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarves]], [[OurElvesAreBetter [[OurElvesAreDifferent Elves]], and Humans.
** [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and[[OurElvesAreBetter [[OurElvesAreDifferent Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
** [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and
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Fantasy Axis Of Evil is to be cut per TRS: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1582619421069338700
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** From the FantasyAxisOfEvil: [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and [[OurElvesAreBetter Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
to:
** From the FantasyAxisOfEvil: [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and [[OurElvesAreBetter Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
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None
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'''Mod note: This example list is copied from the Franchise/ page, which is being cut for namespace misuse. Distribute accordingly.
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'''Mod note: This example list is copied from the Franchise/ page, which is being cut for namespace misuse. Distribute accordingly.
accordingly.'''
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'''Mod note: This example list is copied from the Franchise/ page, which is being cut for namespace misuse. Distribute accordingly.
!! All games in the series provide examples of:
* TwentyFourHourArmor: And weapons as well.
* ActionGirl: A female Avatar, any female heroes that can join you, and some [=NPC=]s. The canonical Phoenix Guard is a lady too.
** DarkActionGirl: Yasha in ''Dragon Storm'', who is egotistical and selfish.
* AddictiveMagic: [[spoiler: The Archfire is this; it corrupts anyone who wields it even as it grants them great power. The Circle Mages and Shapers were just two factions who were driven to wage terrible wars in order to satisfy their greed and ambition brought about by their addiction to Archfire.]]
* AllThereInTheManual: Background information to the units and races can be found [[http://www.spellforce2.com/ here]] and [[http://legacy.spellforce.com/?intro=1 here]].
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Subverted! [[LivingShadow Shadows]] are portrayed as very nearly {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in the first game. In ''Shadow Wars'', the BigBad makes a pact with them, (which most characters consider her MoralEventHorizon). [[spoiler:They turn out to be bound to a particular artifact, and more of a ProudWarriorRace than anything.]] Also averted with regard to every other playable race.
** Played straight with [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]].
* AMasterMakesTheirOwnTools: The Elite unit of the dwarves is the culmination of a warrior's career, reached when he forges his own armour and weapons from the difficult to work Moonsilver.
* AnAdventurerIsYou
* AnEconomyIsYou: All the shops you encounter are the ones selling armor, weapons, spells and runes...
* AnIcePerson: All offensive elf spellcasters; elves worship an [=ice/nature=] deity, and [[VideoGame/SpellForce Cenwen's pact with Aryn]] gives them an innate connection to this particular kind of magic.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Bosses tend to be the leaders of their factions.
* BagOfSharing: All characters in your party share one inventory.
* BatmanGambit: How [[spoiler:the BigBad kills the BigGood]] in ''The Order of Dawn''. Also, [[spoiler:[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Convocation]] on the part of the Demons and elemental powers. They convinced the Circle Mages that performing the rituals at the right time would give the performer unlimited power. It turned out that it summoned them to wreak havoc on the world.]]
* BlessedWithSuck: Rune Warriors can summon huge armies and are immortal. However, if they stay "dead" for too long, they will lose their memories and abilities. Oh, and they have to completely obey the person who has their rune stones; this is of course not an issue if the Rune Warrior's master is benevolent enough to give the Rune Stone back to the Warrior.
** Maybe more of a case of CursedWithAwesome are the Shaikan: they can revive other Shaikan, summon them from great distances and use BloodMagic. The downside? If they die, they are not allowed into the River of Souls and have to stay on the [[AndIMustScream riverside forever]].
* BlueIsHeroic: Played with. While you units' armor is blue and your buildings have blue flags on them, they all appear as green on the minimap and the circle which shows you selected them is green too. Meanwhile, for allied units, it's the reverse, their flags and units armors are green, but they appear as blue on the minimap and when selected.
* BrokenBridge: Many of them. Most portals don't become available until you've done something on that map. A new quest arc is usually kicked off by a previously-inaccessible gate in a major city becoming available.
* CallBack: ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''The Breath of Winter'' start with a shot of a hero monument, which lights up and summons the PlayerCharacter. ''Spellforce 2'' starts with a shot of a hero monument, totally inactive, then pulls back to the PlayerCharacter ruminating on the fact that the Rune Warriors are no more.
* CharacterCustomization: You can choose your Avatar's gender, looks and skills, as well as equipment (except for ''Faith in Destiny'', where only a male PC is availible).
* CombatMedic: Healing units and heroes that are not TheMedic. The player who chose [[WhiteMagic Life Magic]] is likely to be this even if concentrating on healing skills.
* CompilationRerelease: ''Spellforce: Platinum Edition'' and ''Spellforce 2: Gold Edition''.
* ContemptibleCover: Look at that smoking hot elf chick! What do you mean the graphics are nothing like that? This is more true for ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations at the time.
* CriticalExistenceFailure: Almost. One's damage output is unaffected by HitPoints, but at about 15% of a unit's health, it slows way down. Useful to you when hunting down enemies, but it cuts both ways.
* {{Cutscene}}: Most in-engine, the beginning and ending ones are cinematics.
* DarkIsNotEvil:
** The PC can use BlackMagic, if you like.
** Both the Light and Dark races are playable, and form a segment of the campaign(s).
* DealWithTheDevil: Uram in the backstory. [[spoiler:The Phoenix Guard in ''The Order of Dawn'', when she gives the Mask of Belial to Hokan Ashir.]]
* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Particularly in ''1'': Rune Warriors only require rune power to be re-summoned once they're dead, while Avatars lose experience but will not lose a character level, making Avatars who had just leveled up prime candidates for suicide missions against towers or spawn point buildings.
** Comes with a catch in ''2'': All Shaikan can be resurrected by another Shaikan within 3 minutes of them dying. However, the resurrection spell takes some time to cast, and returns the Shaikan with minimal health and mana. If there is no Altar of Life, the Shaikan cannot be resurrected after the 3-minute window has passed, and even with an Altar, there is a substantial Lenya cost to resurrect Shaikan in such a manner.
** Reworked again in ''3'': All heroes have a bleed-out time that depends on difficulty setting and equipment abilities (60 seconds seems to be the default value). If they aren't revived in time, they respawn automatically at the closest [[PortalNetwork Godstone]] and the party's Resurrection Rune charge is reduced by one. If ''anyone'' bleeds out while there's no charge left, it's an instant game over. Said charges can be refilled by assigning workers to pray at a Godstone, their maximum number can be increased with certain rare items, and they're infinite from the get-go on Easy difficulty.
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: A NPC in a side quest during ''Dragon Storm'' informs you that the ice elves from ''The Breath of Winter'' were wiped out by an invasion.]]
** Many party members throughout the campaigns. See SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome below.
* {{Druid}}: An elf unit in both games.
* ExpansionPack: Two for the original ''Spellforce'', one for ''Spellforce 2'', plus 2 standalone expansions released later.
* {{Expy}}: Craig Un'Shallach is a [[Literature/TheDarkElfTrilogy dark elf who wields two swords]] and had to [[DefectorFromDecadence leave his homeland]].
** The god (of orcs, trolls, and at least partially demons) Zarach, is one [[CompositeCharacter of several figures]]: like [[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium Morgoth]], he is the creator of orcs, from corrupting elves (as well as creating dark elves this way), and is [[spoiler: the [[FallenAngel fallen good god]] Ulm, who also renamed himself]]; of [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} Khorne]], both being wrathful Bloodgods, who are embodiments of chaos, and have big red devils as messengers; and of [[TabletopGame/TheDarkEye Tairach]], who also is described as a "Bloodgod", and is is one of the two main gods of orcs in The Dark Eye universe.
* EvilVersusEvil: Hokan versus [[DealWithTheDevil Uram]] in the backstory. ({{Undead}}[=/=][[MechaMooks Blades]] and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], respectively.)
* FogOfWar: Present in both games. In the first one, it resets every time you leave a map.
* GiantFlyer: Griffon Riders. They don't actually fly (in gameplay terms) until ''Spellforce 2''.
* GoodIsNotNice: The Light races suffer from {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s in ''Shadow Wars'' and {{Jerkass}}ery throughout.
* {{Headdesk}}: In ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', to get your siege units to use their anti-building attacks against buildings, you have to set them next to the buildings ''without'' ordering them to attack - otherwise, they'll bang their heads against the walls as they melee attack the buildings.
* InfinityPlusOneSword: There's always some convoluted quest to craft or find one. The quest for Amra's Armor (from ''The Order of Dawn'') particularly stands out.
* InUniverseGameClock: The games have a day-night cycle. It only changes your field of vision and nothing else.
* LadyNotAppearingInThisGame: Every cover for every ''Spellforce'' game or expansion has a scantily-clad woman on it. Most of them have nothing to do with the game, and the few that do tend to have minor roles that don't warrant their place on the cover, [[ContemptibleCover and they look nothing like what the cover's art shows.]] (more applicable to ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations of the era.)
** For ''Order of Dawn'', the lady on the cover is actually [[spoiler: the Phoenix Guard]]. You do not know her true identity until ''Shadow Of the Phoenix'', where [[spoiler: the Shadow Warrior (the Player Character of ''Breath of Winter'') established that the Phoenix Guard is a lady, and that she felt something for him.]]
** For ''Breath of Winter'', she is Cenwen, who is important in the backstory of the expansion.
** For ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', she is the Dryad, who points the rune warriors in the correct direction on how to stop Hokan.
** For ''Shadow Wars'', she is Nightsong, who indeed has a relatively minor role compared to the Soul Carrier in the expansion.
* LoveableRogue: Flink [=McWinter=].
* {{Mana}}: For the PC, heroes, and basic units alike.
* {{Novelization}}: A trilogy written by Uschi Zietsch about the Shaikan.
* PlayingWithFire: Orcs sure love their fire magic.
* PortalNetwork: The world is set up as a series of interconnected RTS or RPG maps. Travel is via portals, or [[{{checkpoint}} Bindstone]] for the player character.
** Furthermore, the PortalNetwork was set up by the BigGood during the timeskip between TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt and the beginning of the first game. [[spoiler:When he gets killed DeaderThanDead, the portals begin to fade... because TheMagicGoesAway.]]
* {{Precursors}}: The Formers (also known as Shapers). No plot significance [[spoiler:until ''Dragon Storm'', where one is the BigBad and FinalBoss]], just the source of some {{MacGuffin}}s and PlotCoupons.
* PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo: Previous PlayerCharacters figure prominently in the plot. In particular, the PC from ''The Breath of Winter'' [[spoiler:is the Shadow who helps lead his race in a HeelFaceTurn]], and the PlayerCharacter from ''Shadow Wars'' (designated the ''Soul Carrier'') becomes [[spoiler:a dragon]] in ''Dragon Storm''. [[spoiler: The Shaper Conqueress also becomes a dragon at the end of ''Dragon Storm'' and an advisor to the Shaikan in ''Faith'' and ''Demons''.]]
* StableTimeLoop: All TimeTravel seems to work this way. Anytime the player helps build a TimeMachine, they'll also be deeply involved in the resulting time loop. [[spoiler:The entire plot of the first game is one of these, with the BigBad[=/=]BigGood as the time traveler in question.]]
* StandardFantasySetting: Just about everything on the list. Notably:
** The [[LightIsNotGood "Light"]] races are [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarves]], [[OurElvesAreBetter Elves]], and Humans.
** From the FantasyAxisOfEvil: [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and [[OurElvesAreBetter Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
** There's also TheHorde of {{Undead}} or [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]]. They're the primary unplayable races. There are also [[MechaMooks Blades]] in ''The Order of Dawn''. The Orcs act like it at first, but they're more of a bunch of mercenaries than anything.
* StormingTheCastle: If the enemy has a legendary, nigh-impregnable fort, you'll take it from them. No exceptions.
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:Urias in ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', Boras and Lya in ''Dragon Storm'', Wind and the Elf Queen Shansha in ''Faith In Destiny'', Surian, Io and Antara in ''Demons of the Past''. The examples in ''Dragon'', ''Faith'' and ''Demons'' count as [[DroppedABridgeOnHim Dropping Bridges On Them]]; at least Urias lasted for a few missions.]]
* TakeAThirdOption: The Circle Mages began to research and create rune warriors as a result of their need for reliable assistants. Standard magical servants such as bound elementals were loyal but unable to think for themselves, human mercenaries had the power to think and learn, but were prone to treachery. The rune warriors, humanoid souls bound to magical runes, have the best of both worlds.
* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Logistics don't apply to the CPU ''at all'' in ''Spellforce'''s campaign. [[note]]Enemies do not have worker units and do not need to gather resources. However, their spawn points can be deactivated by destroying the buildings near the points, and they cannot repair damaged buildings or towers.[[/note]] In ''Spellforce 2'', less so. Ditto in ''Spellforce 3'' where AI enemies build resource buildings, but you never see their workers actually collect anything while the stream of attacking units never stops until you destroy their HQ building.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Shown in the opening cutscene of ''The Order of Dawn'', as a result of "The Convocation". Only regions immediately around the Godstones fail to be reduced to chaotic ocean. This justifies the PortalNetwork.
* TheMagicGoesAway: Partially. As a result of the events of ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', [[spoiler:all the Circle Mages have been KilledOffForReal[=/=]are now DeaderThanDead. Therefore, anything they did now suffers from NoOntologicalInertia, and such things as the PortalNetwork and the Rune Warriors are losing their magic. Repairing[=/=]duplicating the magic of the PortalNetwork is a major goal from ''Dragon Storm'' onwards, and the disastrous effects of the portals malfunctioning are repeatedly emphasized.]]
* TheMagocracy: In the backstory, the thirteen Circle Mages were ''the'' single most powerful power bloc. And when they had a falling out, well, see TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
** Notably, Circle Mages (specifically, Hokan and Uram) were responsible for the creation of {{Undead}}, [[MechaMooks Iron Ones]], and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], which are all three of the major AlwaysChaoticEvil[=/=]TheHorde factions you have to deal with in ''The Order of Dawn''.
** One reason for all the madness is that [[spoiler: the Archfire, which forms a major part of the Circle Mages' power, also amplified their greed and ambition.]]
* TheMedic: Various healing units if they're not being a CombatMedic, the player if they choose [[WhiteMagic Life Magic]] (though the player is almost guaranteed to be a MagicKnight, a RedMage or at least a CombatMedic and not a pure healer).
* TheSiege: You defend at least a few bastions of Light from TheHorde.
* TimeMachine: Terminator rules. The PlayerCharacter helps build at least one in the first entry of each game. In both cases, it's an extremely elaborate process and takes the entire game. [[spoiler:The one in ''The Order of Dawn'' is by way of MacGuffinDeliveryService, and is used by the BigBad to go back in time and... become the BigGood.]]
* UnholyNuke: The Death sub-branch of BlackMagic.
* WorldInTheSky: Part of the backstory, but gets so little actual play that it amounts to little more than a HandWave for why the PortalNetwork exists, is important, and is the only means of travel.
!! All games in the series provide examples of:
* TwentyFourHourArmor: And weapons as well.
* ActionGirl: A female Avatar, any female heroes that can join you, and some [=NPC=]s. The canonical Phoenix Guard is a lady too.
** DarkActionGirl: Yasha in ''Dragon Storm'', who is egotistical and selfish.
* AddictiveMagic: [[spoiler: The Archfire is this; it corrupts anyone who wields it even as it grants them great power. The Circle Mages and Shapers were just two factions who were driven to wage terrible wars in order to satisfy their greed and ambition brought about by their addiction to Archfire.]]
* AllThereInTheManual: Background information to the units and races can be found [[http://www.spellforce2.com/ here]] and [[http://legacy.spellforce.com/?intro=1 here]].
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Subverted! [[LivingShadow Shadows]] are portrayed as very nearly {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in the first game. In ''Shadow Wars'', the BigBad makes a pact with them, (which most characters consider her MoralEventHorizon). [[spoiler:They turn out to be bound to a particular artifact, and more of a ProudWarriorRace than anything.]] Also averted with regard to every other playable race.
** Played straight with [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]].
* AMasterMakesTheirOwnTools: The Elite unit of the dwarves is the culmination of a warrior's career, reached when he forges his own armour and weapons from the difficult to work Moonsilver.
* AnAdventurerIsYou
* AnEconomyIsYou: All the shops you encounter are the ones selling armor, weapons, spells and runes...
* AnIcePerson: All offensive elf spellcasters; elves worship an [=ice/nature=] deity, and [[VideoGame/SpellForce Cenwen's pact with Aryn]] gives them an innate connection to this particular kind of magic.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Bosses tend to be the leaders of their factions.
* BagOfSharing: All characters in your party share one inventory.
* BatmanGambit: How [[spoiler:the BigBad kills the BigGood]] in ''The Order of Dawn''. Also, [[spoiler:[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Convocation]] on the part of the Demons and elemental powers. They convinced the Circle Mages that performing the rituals at the right time would give the performer unlimited power. It turned out that it summoned them to wreak havoc on the world.]]
* BlessedWithSuck: Rune Warriors can summon huge armies and are immortal. However, if they stay "dead" for too long, they will lose their memories and abilities. Oh, and they have to completely obey the person who has their rune stones; this is of course not an issue if the Rune Warrior's master is benevolent enough to give the Rune Stone back to the Warrior.
** Maybe more of a case of CursedWithAwesome are the Shaikan: they can revive other Shaikan, summon them from great distances and use BloodMagic. The downside? If they die, they are not allowed into the River of Souls and have to stay on the [[AndIMustScream riverside forever]].
* BlueIsHeroic: Played with. While you units' armor is blue and your buildings have blue flags on them, they all appear as green on the minimap and the circle which shows you selected them is green too. Meanwhile, for allied units, it's the reverse, their flags and units armors are green, but they appear as blue on the minimap and when selected.
* BrokenBridge: Many of them. Most portals don't become available until you've done something on that map. A new quest arc is usually kicked off by a previously-inaccessible gate in a major city becoming available.
* CallBack: ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''The Breath of Winter'' start with a shot of a hero monument, which lights up and summons the PlayerCharacter. ''Spellforce 2'' starts with a shot of a hero monument, totally inactive, then pulls back to the PlayerCharacter ruminating on the fact that the Rune Warriors are no more.
* CharacterCustomization: You can choose your Avatar's gender, looks and skills, as well as equipment (except for ''Faith in Destiny'', where only a male PC is availible).
* CombatMedic: Healing units and heroes that are not TheMedic. The player who chose [[WhiteMagic Life Magic]] is likely to be this even if concentrating on healing skills.
* CompilationRerelease: ''Spellforce: Platinum Edition'' and ''Spellforce 2: Gold Edition''.
* ContemptibleCover: Look at that smoking hot elf chick! What do you mean the graphics are nothing like that? This is more true for ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations at the time.
* CriticalExistenceFailure: Almost. One's damage output is unaffected by HitPoints, but at about 15% of a unit's health, it slows way down. Useful to you when hunting down enemies, but it cuts both ways.
* {{Cutscene}}: Most in-engine, the beginning and ending ones are cinematics.
* DarkIsNotEvil:
** The PC can use BlackMagic, if you like.
** Both the Light and Dark races are playable, and form a segment of the campaign(s).
* DealWithTheDevil: Uram in the backstory. [[spoiler:The Phoenix Guard in ''The Order of Dawn'', when she gives the Mask of Belial to Hokan Ashir.]]
* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: Particularly in ''1'': Rune Warriors only require rune power to be re-summoned once they're dead, while Avatars lose experience but will not lose a character level, making Avatars who had just leveled up prime candidates for suicide missions against towers or spawn point buildings.
** Comes with a catch in ''2'': All Shaikan can be resurrected by another Shaikan within 3 minutes of them dying. However, the resurrection spell takes some time to cast, and returns the Shaikan with minimal health and mana. If there is no Altar of Life, the Shaikan cannot be resurrected after the 3-minute window has passed, and even with an Altar, there is a substantial Lenya cost to resurrect Shaikan in such a manner.
** Reworked again in ''3'': All heroes have a bleed-out time that depends on difficulty setting and equipment abilities (60 seconds seems to be the default value). If they aren't revived in time, they respawn automatically at the closest [[PortalNetwork Godstone]] and the party's Resurrection Rune charge is reduced by one. If ''anyone'' bleeds out while there's no charge left, it's an instant game over. Said charges can be refilled by assigning workers to pray at a Godstone, their maximum number can be increased with certain rare items, and they're infinite from the get-go on Easy difficulty.
* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: A NPC in a side quest during ''Dragon Storm'' informs you that the ice elves from ''The Breath of Winter'' were wiped out by an invasion.]]
** Many party members throughout the campaigns. See SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome below.
* {{Druid}}: An elf unit in both games.
* ExpansionPack: Two for the original ''Spellforce'', one for ''Spellforce 2'', plus 2 standalone expansions released later.
* {{Expy}}: Craig Un'Shallach is a [[Literature/TheDarkElfTrilogy dark elf who wields two swords]] and had to [[DefectorFromDecadence leave his homeland]].
** The god (of orcs, trolls, and at least partially demons) Zarach, is one [[CompositeCharacter of several figures]]: like [[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium Morgoth]], he is the creator of orcs, from corrupting elves (as well as creating dark elves this way), and is [[spoiler: the [[FallenAngel fallen good god]] Ulm, who also renamed himself]]; of [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} Khorne]], both being wrathful Bloodgods, who are embodiments of chaos, and have big red devils as messengers; and of [[TabletopGame/TheDarkEye Tairach]], who also is described as a "Bloodgod", and is is one of the two main gods of orcs in The Dark Eye universe.
* EvilVersusEvil: Hokan versus [[DealWithTheDevil Uram]] in the backstory. ({{Undead}}[=/=][[MechaMooks Blades]] and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], respectively.)
* FogOfWar: Present in both games. In the first one, it resets every time you leave a map.
* GiantFlyer: Griffon Riders. They don't actually fly (in gameplay terms) until ''Spellforce 2''.
* GoodIsNotNice: The Light races suffer from {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s in ''Shadow Wars'' and {{Jerkass}}ery throughout.
* {{Headdesk}}: In ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', to get your siege units to use their anti-building attacks against buildings, you have to set them next to the buildings ''without'' ordering them to attack - otherwise, they'll bang their heads against the walls as they melee attack the buildings.
* InfinityPlusOneSword: There's always some convoluted quest to craft or find one. The quest for Amra's Armor (from ''The Order of Dawn'') particularly stands out.
* InUniverseGameClock: The games have a day-night cycle. It only changes your field of vision and nothing else.
* LadyNotAppearingInThisGame: Every cover for every ''Spellforce'' game or expansion has a scantily-clad woman on it. Most of them have nothing to do with the game, and the few that do tend to have minor roles that don't warrant their place on the cover, [[ContemptibleCover and they look nothing like what the cover's art shows.]] (more applicable to ''Spellforce'', due to the graphic limitations of the era.)
** For ''Order of Dawn'', the lady on the cover is actually [[spoiler: the Phoenix Guard]]. You do not know her true identity until ''Shadow Of the Phoenix'', where [[spoiler: the Shadow Warrior (the Player Character of ''Breath of Winter'') established that the Phoenix Guard is a lady, and that she felt something for him.]]
** For ''Breath of Winter'', she is Cenwen, who is important in the backstory of the expansion.
** For ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', she is the Dryad, who points the rune warriors in the correct direction on how to stop Hokan.
** For ''Shadow Wars'', she is Nightsong, who indeed has a relatively minor role compared to the Soul Carrier in the expansion.
* LoveableRogue: Flink [=McWinter=].
* {{Mana}}: For the PC, heroes, and basic units alike.
* {{Novelization}}: A trilogy written by Uschi Zietsch about the Shaikan.
* PlayingWithFire: Orcs sure love their fire magic.
* PortalNetwork: The world is set up as a series of interconnected RTS or RPG maps. Travel is via portals, or [[{{checkpoint}} Bindstone]] for the player character.
** Furthermore, the PortalNetwork was set up by the BigGood during the timeskip between TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt and the beginning of the first game. [[spoiler:When he gets killed DeaderThanDead, the portals begin to fade... because TheMagicGoesAway.]]
* {{Precursors}}: The Formers (also known as Shapers). No plot significance [[spoiler:until ''Dragon Storm'', where one is the BigBad and FinalBoss]], just the source of some {{MacGuffin}}s and PlotCoupons.
* PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo: Previous PlayerCharacters figure prominently in the plot. In particular, the PC from ''The Breath of Winter'' [[spoiler:is the Shadow who helps lead his race in a HeelFaceTurn]], and the PlayerCharacter from ''Shadow Wars'' (designated the ''Soul Carrier'') becomes [[spoiler:a dragon]] in ''Dragon Storm''. [[spoiler: The Shaper Conqueress also becomes a dragon at the end of ''Dragon Storm'' and an advisor to the Shaikan in ''Faith'' and ''Demons''.]]
* StableTimeLoop: All TimeTravel seems to work this way. Anytime the player helps build a TimeMachine, they'll also be deeply involved in the resulting time loop. [[spoiler:The entire plot of the first game is one of these, with the BigBad[=/=]BigGood as the time traveler in question.]]
* StandardFantasySetting: Just about everything on the list. Notably:
** The [[LightIsNotGood "Light"]] races are [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarves]], [[OurElvesAreBetter Elves]], and Humans.
** From the FantasyAxisOfEvil: [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard-style Orcs]], [[AllTrollsAreDifferent Trolls]] and [[OurElvesAreBetter Dark Elves]] for the [[DarkIsNotEvil "dark"]] races. ''Spellforce 2'' splits Dark Elves into the Pact along with Gargoyles and [[LivingShadow Shadows]], and adds [[BarbarianTribe Barbarians]] to Trolls and Orcs to form the Clans. Keep in mind that DarkIsNotEvil, and the Dark races are playable and take up half the campaign in ''The Order of Dawn'' and ''two-thirds'' of the campaign in ''Shadow Wars''. Eldritch fulfill the AlwaysChaoticEvil role and are universally unplayable (see TheHorde below). Crafty is excluded.
** There's also TheHorde of {{Undead}} or [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]]. They're the primary unplayable races. There are also [[MechaMooks Blades]] in ''The Order of Dawn''. The Orcs act like it at first, but they're more of a bunch of mercenaries than anything.
* StormingTheCastle: If the enemy has a legendary, nigh-impregnable fort, you'll take it from them. No exceptions.
* SuddenSequelDeathSyndrome: [[spoiler:Urias in ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', Boras and Lya in ''Dragon Storm'', Wind and the Elf Queen Shansha in ''Faith In Destiny'', Surian, Io and Antara in ''Demons of the Past''. The examples in ''Dragon'', ''Faith'' and ''Demons'' count as [[DroppedABridgeOnHim Dropping Bridges On Them]]; at least Urias lasted for a few missions.]]
* TakeAThirdOption: The Circle Mages began to research and create rune warriors as a result of their need for reliable assistants. Standard magical servants such as bound elementals were loyal but unable to think for themselves, human mercenaries had the power to think and learn, but were prone to treachery. The rune warriors, humanoid souls bound to magical runes, have the best of both worlds.
* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Logistics don't apply to the CPU ''at all'' in ''Spellforce'''s campaign. [[note]]Enemies do not have worker units and do not need to gather resources. However, their spawn points can be deactivated by destroying the buildings near the points, and they cannot repair damaged buildings or towers.[[/note]] In ''Spellforce 2'', less so. Ditto in ''Spellforce 3'' where AI enemies build resource buildings, but you never see their workers actually collect anything while the stream of attacking units never stops until you destroy their HQ building.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Shown in the opening cutscene of ''The Order of Dawn'', as a result of "The Convocation". Only regions immediately around the Godstones fail to be reduced to chaotic ocean. This justifies the PortalNetwork.
* TheMagicGoesAway: Partially. As a result of the events of ''Shadow of the Phoenix'', [[spoiler:all the Circle Mages have been KilledOffForReal[=/=]are now DeaderThanDead. Therefore, anything they did now suffers from NoOntologicalInertia, and such things as the PortalNetwork and the Rune Warriors are losing their magic. Repairing[=/=]duplicating the magic of the PortalNetwork is a major goal from ''Dragon Storm'' onwards, and the disastrous effects of the portals malfunctioning are repeatedly emphasized.]]
* TheMagocracy: In the backstory, the thirteen Circle Mages were ''the'' single most powerful power bloc. And when they had a falling out, well, see TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
** Notably, Circle Mages (specifically, Hokan and Uram) were responsible for the creation of {{Undead}}, [[MechaMooks Iron Ones]], and [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], which are all three of the major AlwaysChaoticEvil[=/=]TheHorde factions you have to deal with in ''The Order of Dawn''.
** One reason for all the madness is that [[spoiler: the Archfire, which forms a major part of the Circle Mages' power, also amplified their greed and ambition.]]
* TheMedic: Various healing units if they're not being a CombatMedic, the player if they choose [[WhiteMagic Life Magic]] (though the player is almost guaranteed to be a MagicKnight, a RedMage or at least a CombatMedic and not a pure healer).
* TheSiege: You defend at least a few bastions of Light from TheHorde.
* TimeMachine: Terminator rules. The PlayerCharacter helps build at least one in the first entry of each game. In both cases, it's an extremely elaborate process and takes the entire game. [[spoiler:The one in ''The Order of Dawn'' is by way of MacGuffinDeliveryService, and is used by the BigBad to go back in time and... become the BigGood.]]
* UnholyNuke: The Death sub-branch of BlackMagic.
* WorldInTheSky: Part of the backstory, but gets so little actual play that it amounts to little more than a HandWave for why the PortalNetwork exists, is important, and is the only means of travel.
