History SoYouWantTo / WriteAHeroicFantasy

* ''Literature/JirelOfJoiry''

!!'''The Epic Fails'''
* ''Literature/TheEyeOfArgon''
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* The StandardFantasyRaces are more common in HighFantasy, but not unknown here. Others just use part of the palette (humans and elves most of the time). Still others keep humans, often PeopleOfHairColor, but add in [[{{Mythopoeia}} other races all their own]]; this is, in fact, the older form, with such {{Trope Maker}}s and {{Trope Codifier}}s as Creator/RobertEHoward, who added [[FrazettaMan ape-men]], [[LizardFolk snake men]], and {{Eldritch Abomination}}s to a basically human world, and Creator/FritzLeiber who populated Nehwon with humans and "ghouls" -- humanoids transparent except for their bones.

* How about switching around the FarmBoy of the HighFantasy with the Barbarian of the HeroicFantasy? It could make for some interesting (and comedic) moments when the so-called hero of the land is just this wee lad with his father's hereditary blade.

* The "heroic" barbarian isn't so heroic as the ''story'' makes him out to be; Instead, he'll be viewed by the public as a complete maniac who [[BloodKnight has an endless, slakeless thirst for blood]], and will usually run his weapon through whoever pisses him off (that is to say, [[HairTriggerTemper just about anybody]]). ''Nobody'' is safe from his wrath, [[OneManArmy and no army can ever hope to feasibly stop him]], with the nation that sent the army to deal with him following suit as he leaves a trail of destruction in his wake.

* The "heroic" barbarian isn't so heroic as the ''story'' makes him out to be; Instead, he'll be viewed by the public as a complete maniac who [[BloodKnight has an endless, slakeless thirst for blood]], and will usually run his weapon through whoever pisses him off (that is to say, [[HairTriggerTemper just about anybody]]). ''Nobody'' is safe from his wrath.

* Magic. You gotta have magic. While in some cases [[{{Demythification}} there isn't any magic altogether]], the vast, ''vast'' majority of Heroic Fantasy has some sort of magic. It's not called Sword And '''Sorcery''' for nothing.

** While your hero may do incidental good deeds -- saving the VirginSacrifice from the SecretCircleOfSecrets is a favorite -- most heroes are looking out for their own interests in Heroic Fantasy.

Heroic Fantasy is, in fact, the traditional home of the AntiHero -- TheHero generally prefers HighFantasy -- but to make up for that, the Bad Guys are traditionally very bad indeed. The ReligionOfEvil, practicing VirginSacrifice to summon demons; the EvilSorcerer meddling with ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow; the supernatural in origin [[TheVamp vamp]] and other {{Eldritch Abomination}}s. Do not stint on your bad guys!

* The FiveRaces are more common in HighFantasy, but not unknown here. Others just use part of the quintet (humans and elves most of the time). Still others keep humans, often PeopleOfHairColor, but add in [[{{Mythopoeia}} other races all their own]]; this is, in fact, the older form, with such {{Trope Maker}}s and {{Trope Codifier}}s as Creator/RobertEHoward, who added [[FrazettaMan ape-men]], [[LizardFolk snake men]], and {{Eldritch Abomination}}s to a basically human world, and Creator/FritzLeiber who populated Nehwon with humans and "ghouls" -- humanoids transparent except for their bones.

* The setting in Heroic Fantasy is almost invariably a kingdom or empire, more often than not one where the ruler is aged and decrepit, and enemies are poised to tear the [[VestigialEmpire once mighty empire]] to pieces. While this certainly does add tension to the story, this plot element has become so common as to almost become cliché. While it might have worked for the Romans, or [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Tolkien]], you want to distinguish yourself from the pack. Why not try for a setting where the primary ruling power in the region is a [[TheFederation republic of]] the FiveRaces. Or perhaps the setting is TheEmpire, but it is at the height of its power, and the protagonists discover a group wishing to destroy it from the inside (like ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'', but with elves).

* LeftJustifiedFantasyMap. "Humans came from a mysterious continent to the east and that's all we know about it; I see no reason to find out more" translates to TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot. Have the FiveRaces launch (or have launched) a counter-expedition. Or a follow-up expedition.

* Magic. You gotta have magic. While in some cases [[{{Demythtification}} there isn't any magic altogether]], the vast, ''vast'' majority of Heroic Fantasy has some sort of magic. It's not called Sword And '''Sorcery''' for nothing.

* [[Heroic Fantasy Heroic Fantasies]] oftentimes have a stagnant culture, with slavery being prominent, ample FantasticRacism, and huge [[SlidingScaleOfGenderInequality gap between the two sexes]]. Why not create a Heroic Fantasy where men and women are treated equally, or one where one of the major subplots is the orc struggle for civil rights?

HeroicFantasy is oftentimes described as pertaining to a certain aspect of fantasy (or alternatively, swords and sorcery fantasy), but its actually a rather blurred line between this genre and some of the other genres of fantasy. Tends to be distinguishable from HighFantasy by its scale — the problems are generally those of the hero, not the world — and moral standards — absolute evil and absolute good make fewer appearances. (Well, absolute good makes fewer. Absolute evil, in the form of a ReligionOfEvil, an EldritchAbomination or the like, makes a convenient foe.) Also by its tendency to be an endless series of adventure, partly because the smaller scale makes it more plausible, and partly because the heroes are very prone to love being InHarmsWay.

* Last but not least, HeroicFantasy needs an adventurer to do the adventuring required by the genre. Originally, a la Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian, a mighty warrior with an endless love of InHarmsWay, providing an occasion for his endless adventures against {{Evil Sorcerer}}s, {{Sorcerous Overlord}}s, [[ReligionOfEvil Religions Of Evil]], and monsters of every kind, and a distinct tendency to AntiHero-dom, mitigated only by the absolute nastiness of his foes. Sometimes a woman warrior; Literature/JirelOfJoiry was the first character (not just female character) to follow in Conan's footsteps.
** While your hero may do incidental good deeds -- saving the VirginSacrifice from the SecretCircleOfSecrets is a favorite -- most heroes are looking out for their own interests in HeroicFantasy.

* Number of Books. Literature/ConanTheBarbarian loves InHarmsWay and would never stop adventuring. Many lesser known heroes of HeroicFantasy have similar sentiments. Since their problems tend to be personal rather than world-shaking in scale, they can indeed have a whole sequence of unrelated conflicts to go on for as long as your imagination holds out.

* The setting in HeroicFantasy is almost invariably a kingdom or empire, more often than not one where the ruler is aged and decrepit, and enemies are poised to tear the [[VestigialEmpire once mighty empire]] to pieces. While this certainly does add tension to the story, this plot element has become so common as to almost become cliché. While it might have worked for the Romans, or [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Tolkien]], you want to distinguish yourself from the pack. Why not try for a setting where the primary ruling power in the region is a [[TheFederation republic of]] the FiveRaces. Or perhaps the setting is TheEmpire, but it is at the height of its power, and the protagonists discover a group wishing to destroy it from the inside (like ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'', but with elves).
* [[HeroicFantasy Heroic Fantasies]] oftentimes have a stagnant culture, with slavery being prominent, ample FantasticRacism, and huge [[SlidingScaleOfGenderInequality gap between the two sexes]]. Why not create a Heroic Fantasy where men and women are treated equally, or one where one of the major subplots is the orc struggle for civil rights?

* While HeroicFantasy characters are typically lone wanderers, consider making them a member of a wider organization [[CowboyCop (albeit most likely a rebellious member)]].

HeroicFantasy is, in fact, the traditional home of the AntiHero -- TheHero generally prefers HighFantasy -- but to make up for that, the Bad Guys are traditionally very bad indeed. The ReligionOfEvil, practicing VirginSacrifice to summon demons; the EvilSorcerer meddling with ThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow; the supernatural in origin [[TheVamp vamp]] and other {{Eldritch Abomination}}s. Do not stint on your bad guys!

** It's also possible to update the setting by using UrbanFantasy or ScienceFantasy.