On The Shoulders Of Dwarves

2:35 What's a cliche? Tropes are not bad. Things are not cliched by themselves - it's the way we portray them, bring them into the game, that might make them cliche. Stereotypes can be useful tools, by establishing expectations. Drizzt Do'urden, the drow. 4:45 Two types of cliches At the character level, and/or the campaign world level. Orcs in Warhammer 7:30 Avoiding cliches Changing one thing - and asking "what's the reason for this?" On the personal level: Why is this person different in this way, from the rest of their race? On the campaign level: What are the consequences that must arise out of this change? How does this sub-race behave? 9:50 Retro justification creates depth Just avoiding a cliche isn't, really, enough. Usually, we also want to also add complexity. Consider not only what is different about this character, but also the reasons that this character decided on that change. 14:20 Sub-races and ethnic groups Having some sub-races in your campaign encourages the players and the GM to think abo