Must-Know Fantasy Tropes for Aspiring Authors

The fantasy fandom is vast, engaged, and passionate.

If you’re an aspiring fantasy author who’s been hanging around with this rowdy crowd—either in person or online—you’ve likely noticed that these folks have opinions, especially when it comes to genre tropes.

Is the Chosen One trope tired or just in need of a new spin? Why are Reluctant Heroes so likeable? What’s with so many fantasy worlds looking like medieval Europe?

Genre tropes are to readers what football plays are to NFL fans. I assume. I don’t really follow football (American or otherwise), but I’ve been around enough fans to know that they’ll discuss a play at length, examining why it’s genius or predictable, why it did or didn’t work in a specific situation, and what they would have done if they were the coach.

Your readers will have a similar relationship to fantasy tropes. That means you’ve got to get familiar with this aspect of fantasy writing to keep your audience engaged.

Stick around, and you’ll learn:

• What tropes are, exactly
• Common fantasy tropes you should definitely know about
• How tropes continuously evolve in the genre
• Key differences between tropes and clichés
• Examples of these tropes in fantasy literature
• How to use these devices effectively in your own novel

Let’s get to it.

What are Fantasy Tropes?

A trope is a commonly recurring device across an entire category of storytelling.

A fantasy trope, as you probably guessed, is a trope that’s specific to the fantasy genre.

Tropes come in many forms. Characters can be tropes, like the wise old mentor you see in everything from fantasy novels to movies to video games. It can be a theme or conflict, like the eternal battle between good and evil.

Even story structures, settings, and symbols can be tropes. 

Why Do I Need to Know Fantasy Tropes?

At first glance, it might seem like tropes only provide opportunities for lazy writing. After all, aren’t you just yoinking your ideas from all the stories that came before yours?

Kind of? But it’s more nuanced than that. See, these devices return time and time again because they touch on something deeper that resonates with readers.

As Nisha points out, the Chosen One trope is so beloved because it taps into universal questions about destiny and purpose. When fantasy authors write that trope, they’re (ideally) not writing a cut-and-paste character with a cut-and-paste conflict. 

They’re exploring what it means for this specific character to discover their purpose and fulfill their destiny.

So, while readers might see the same ideas repeat across several different stories, the execution varies. More importantly, fantasy fans will choose books specifically because they contain the tropes they love.

That’s why you need to know the conventions of your genre. That, and because you’ll need to be able to discuss these things with beta readers, editors, agents, publishers, and fans.

Of course, no trope is universally beloved. As a writer, your best bet is to select the ones that speak to your soul and advertise them when you market your book so your kindred readers can find you. 

Common Fantasy Tropes

Quick heads-up: what follows is not an exhaustive list. There are a ton of fantasy tropes out there, including extremely specific subgenre tropes. Not to mention, if you write in a hybrid genre like romantasy or science fantasy, you’ll want to get familiar with the conventions of your other genre, too.

That’s why it’s essential to keep reading, studying, and hanging out with fantasy readers and writers.

For now, our primary goal is to get familiar with the most common tropes you’ll find across all fantasy stories. Learn these concepts, and you’ll be able to discuss your craft like an old pro.

Good vs. Evil

Good witches and bad witches. Dark magic and light magic. Self-interested villains and self-sacrificing hero(ine)s.

Fantasy is full of stories that draw a clear line between good and evil. Tertiary characters might be morally ambiguous. Maybe even a couple secondary characters meander in the moral gray areas. Other than that, there’s no question as to who’s righteous and who’s wicked. 

In many stories that use this trope, the battle between good and evil doesn’t occur only in the central conflict. The hero(ine) must also resist the temptation to give in to their weaker instincts and choose the challenging but righteous path.

In modern fantasy, we see more nuance in Good vs. Evil storylines, and villains that might have been written as inherently evil in the past are now more complicated—possibly even sympathetic. But that’s a discussion for later.

Where you’ve seen it: Star Wars; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Hunger Games

The Hero’s Journey

The Hero’s Journey is a famous story structure that isn’t exclusive to fantasy but is extremely common within the genre, especially within high fantasy.

This structure was originally laid out by Joseph Campbell in 1948 based on the 17 story beats he observed in mythological narratives. Nowadays, most writers who use the Hero’s Journey opt for Christopher Vogler’s version from the 1990s, which only contains 12 beats.

Either way, the idea is the same. A hero(ine) receives a call to adventure and, after some hesitation, sets out on a quest that throws them into unfamiliar places among unfamiliar beings. They face many trials leading up to the ultimate battle, at which point they save the day before returning home forever changed.

You can get to know this storytelling format in detail here.

Where you’ve seen it: The Lord of the Rings series, A Wizard of Earthsea, The Wheel of Time series

The Chosen One

In this trope, a specific character (usually the protagonist) is destined to carry out an extremely important task. The task is usually some version of saving the world or kingdom, and they possess the extraordinary skill or skills necessary to pull it off, even if they aren’t aware of those abilities yet.

The Chosen One’s super-special status is often identified through prophecy, lineage, or the fact that they have a unique, superhuman ability.

As I mentioned above, this trope resonates with readers because it taps into compelling themes about purpose and destiny. That said, you won’t have to look far to find fantasy fans who are burned out on it. 

Where you’ve seen it: The Harry Potter series, The Prophecy, Dune

The Orphan Hero

One of my favorite character archetypes is the Orphan. This character is guarded, self-sufficient, and inclined toward rebellion. It’s a fantastic blueprint for both compelling protagonists and disturbingly sympathetic antagonists. 

This character’s isolated upbringing might be literal or figurative (maybe they had negligent parents), though most of fantasy’s famous Orphan Heroes are truly orphaned.

This character has had to look out for themselves from a tender age, and although the experience has made them more resilient in many ways, it’s also forced them to shield their hearts. So it’s all the more thrilling when they take the ultimate risk for the sake of others.

Where you’ve seen it: Queen Elsa (Frozen), Lancelot (Arthurian legend), Batman

The Reluctant Hero

In this beloved trope, the person who’s supposed to save the day would rather not, please and thank you.

The Reluctant Hero sometimes falls under the Common Person archetype. This character loves their ordinary life and doesn't see themselves as extraordinary. They’re slow to accept the Call of Adventure. Once they accept their quest, they face many, many failures before unlocking their inner hero(ine).

In other cases, the Reluctant Hero is, in fact, remarkable. They possess incredible skills or powers that could save the world. Unfortunately, they don’t want the job or the pressures that come with it.

Where you’ve seen it: Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit), Percy Jackson (The Olympians series), Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

The Dark Lord

This is the protagonist’s archnemesis. The Dark Lord (or Lady) is the embodiment of evil and the source of all suffering within the world of the story. Many or even all of the lesser antagonists the main character faces operate in service of the Dark Lord.

This character is terrifyingly powerful, not just in terms of abilities but also influence and even governance. They’re essentially an evil wizard with devoted followers.

The protagonist typically has limited contact with the Dark Lord throughout a book, movie, or series. They might have a few confrontations, but their final battle occurs at the climax, at which point one will emerge as the ultimate victor. 

Where you’ve seen it: Darth Vadar (Star Wars), Skesis (The Dark Crystal), Ganondorf (The Legend of Zelda)

The Mentor

Though the Mentor possesses their own extraordinary powers, they invest their talents in training and guiding the hero(ine). This character usually feels genuine fondness toward the protagonist, though they have an irritating tendency to explain things in the vaguest possible terms, leaving it up to their pupil to figure things out for themselves.

In high fantasy, you often see this trope in the more specific form of the Wise Old Mentor. They tend to be kind men who are really into cloaks and long beards.

But the trope has expanded quite a bit over time to include Mentors of all genders, mental states, and facial hair preferences.

Where you’ve seen it: Uncle Iroh (Avatar: the Last Airbender), White Hands (The Gilded Ones), Yoda (Star Wars)

The Prophecy

Whether they’re hinting at the identity of the Chosen One, warning of future war, or seemingly sealing a character’s tragic fate, fantasy prophecies are super vague.

Of course, that’s what makes this such a popular trope. A poetic, nonspecific prophecy is open to interpretation, giving authors, readers, and characters the opportunity to wrestle with big questions about destiny and free will.

Are we witnessing the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy? Or is this a case of characters subconsciously fulfilling a prophecy out of the assumption that it applies to them? Also, how do our biases influence our interpretation of prophecy?

It’s clear to see why this has been such a beloved trope for so long.

Where you’ve seen it: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Game of Thrones, A Court of Thorns and Roses

Veiled Magic

Magic exists within or alongside the world we know—the Muggle world, if you will—but the boring ol’ normies don’t know about it. All magic and monsters are hidden from view. Should a non-magical person somehow stumble through the veil, they’ll likely have the experience wiped from their memory.

You see this trope a lot in urban fantasy, but it’s not limited to that subgenre. 

Where you’ve seen it: Stranger Things, The Harry Potter series, American Gods

Forbidden Magic

What’s more thrilling than magic?

Magic you’re not supposed to be using.

Many fantasy stories incorporate some kind of forbidden magic. It might be dark magic that’s outlawed because of the damage it can do. Or perhaps it’s that only certain classes of people are allowed to indulge in magic.

Or maybe the protagonist(s) is a lone magical being in an otherwise non-magical world, and they’re forbidden from using their powers by those who fear what they can’t understand.

Whether forbidden powers stand at the heart of a conflict or merely causes complications along the way, it’s definitely a great trope for building suspense.

Where you’ve seen it: Magic for Liars, Amari and the Night Brothers, The House in the Cerulean Sea

Magical Artifacts

Magical artifacts are physical objects that endow the owner with magical abilities. They might help the protagonist in the final battle or simply come in handy for smaller obstacles along their quest.

In many cases, a powerful artifact could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. The protagonist’s goal is to either steal the object from the villain who possesses it or prevent someone wicked from getting their hands on it. This particular storyline is super common in high fantasy.

Where you’ve seen it: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, His Dark Materials trilogy, Aladdin

Vast Geography

The protagonist’s quest covers a lot of miles. They journey over shifting landscapes, encountering a variety of magical beings and unfamiliar creatures.

With this sprawling, ever-changing terrain comes new challenges and new wisdom. Probably also a map in the front of the book to help you keep track of everything.

This trope is another staple of high fantasy.

Where you’ve seen it: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Princess Bride, The Wizard of Oz

How Tropes Evolve in the Fantasy Genre

If you’ve been a fantasy fan for a while, you probably recognized a lot of the tropes in the list above. In fact, I’d be willing to bet you’ve seen all of them. Not only are they prevalent in contemporary fantasy books, many of them are also thousands of years old.

Human fears, desires, and core experiences have remained largely the same throughout history and across cultures. That’s why we end up with tropes—they’re effective tools for touching on the universal themes every generation must examine for themselves.

And yet, culture continuously evolves. Values, taboos, and trends shift, which means we must also adapt the way we tell stories if we hope to connect with modern readers.

So what does that look like, exactly? How do authors make these ancient devices feel brand new?

Let’s discuss.

Subverting Tropes

When you subvert a trope, you take a familiar story device and surprise the audience by changing the formula.

In The Deep, Yetu is the keeper of her people’s traumatic history. She is the only one bestowed with memories of their suffering, and her ability to hold that trauma on behalf of the community keeps them safe.

It’s a classic Chosen One scenario until the burden of her role begins to destroy her, challenging the romanticized notion that the sacrifice of a predestined heroine will lead her to a glorious victory.

Diversity in Fantasy

In the West, fantasy has been predominantly white and male. That applies to authors, heroes, villains, and just about anyone who carries power and agency in the story. 

Little by little, we’re seeing more diversity in fantasy books. We’re getting more heroines, queer protagonists, and stories featuring protagonists of color with worldbuilding rooted in non-white culture and mythology.

We’re also ditching old tropes that originally sprung from racist and sexist attitudes. You know, stuff like:

• Fetishized women of color
• The white savior
• An entire race of fantasy beings that are all inherently evil or share the exact same personality traits
• The damsel in distress who has zero agency
• A fantasy race with physical characteristics drawn from racist depictions of a real human culture

We’ve seen these tropes so many times we’re not always conscious of their harmful undertones—especially when those tropes don’t target us. Just a simple Google search of racist fantasy tropes will probably reveal a few issues you hadn’t even considered.

It will also help you make sure your own storytelling devices align with the values of modern readers.

Moral Gray Areas

In recent years, fantasy authors have gotten more into exploring moral ambiguity in their stories.

For one, heroes and heroines aren’t always noble. In fact, there’s been a notable rise in the popularity of anti-heroes and villain protagonists.

The Dark Lord trope has also had a bit of a makeover. Many of these villains have traumatic backstories that explain the character’s greed, cruelty, or love of dark magic. Their actions might not be justified, but readers recognize them as the actions of a broken being.

The Mentor might have ulterior motives. The Chosen One might have every right to reject their destiny. The Knight in Shining Armor might be a foul-mouthed ogre with zero interest in heroics.

Of course, changes like these lead to more nuanced interpretations of the Good vs. Evil trope, too. 

Does it matter if the actions of a hero(ine) matches what’s in their heart? Do we call selfish people “good” if they ultimately do good things? Are actions still evil if you kind of understand where they’re coming from?

Tropes vs. Clichés

Now that we’ve examined a whole bunch of fantasy tropes, you might be wondering how they’re any different from clichés.

Clichés are bad, right? Bad because they’re overdone and predictable? So, how is a trope any different?

The key difference is that tropes have depth and can be reimagined in a way that makes them feel brand new and totally familiar all at once.

A cliché is something that’s been done the same way so many times that it’s lost any emotional impact.

For example, the Dark Lord is a trope. You can explore different versions of this character and create a unique villain that keeps readers engaged. 

But the Dark Lord who laughs maniacally and is evil just to be evil is a cliché. It’s a boring, flat character unlikely to thrill readers.

Avoiding Clichés in Your Own Writing

The secret to avoiding clichés as you indulge in tropes is simple:

Create depth and purpose beneath those tropes.

Let’s say you’re writing a Mentor. Rather than quickly sketching out all the qualities you already associate with this character—old age, long beard, speaks in riddles—consider what their purpose is in your story.

What’s their role in the conflict? How do they reflect your story’s theme? What skills or traits make them an excellent Mentor? In what ways do they fall short? What makes them compatible or incompatible with your protagonist? What’s their backstory?

Develop the character based on your answers. When you know what a trope’s purpose is within your story, you’ll do a better job of avoiding the cliché trap.

Examples of Tropes at Work in Fantasy Fiction

Keep exploring the world of fantasy, and you’ll discover more tropes and stumble across more examples of these storytelling techniques at work.

For now, here are a few places you can find several of the tropes we just discussed:

Good Omens:

• The Chosen One
• Prophecy
• Good vs. Evil

The Hobbit:

• Good vs. Evil
• The Hero’s Journey
• The Reluctant Hero
• The Dark Lord
• The Mentor
• Magical Artifacts
• Vast Geography

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone:

• Good vs. Evil
• The Hero’s Journey
• The Chosen One
• The Orphan Hero
• The Reluctant Hero
• The Dark Lord
• The Mentor(s)
• The Prophecy
• Veiled Magic
• Forbidden Magic
• Magical Artifacts

How to Use Fantasy Tropes Effectively

As we’ve discussed a few times over the course of this chat, tropes aren’t failsafe story devices. From slipping into clichés to piling on devices your readers are sick of, there are plenty of ways to bungle a trope.

Here are a few tips to help ensure your execution works:

Know Your Audience - Hang out in fantasy forums online. Go to book events where you can get chummy with fellow fantasy fans. Talk tropes with friends and followers on social media. You’ll start to get a sense of what they love and hate when it comes to fantasy tropes.

You won’t make everyone happy, of course. But if you notice that a lot of readers are over vampire romance, it might be worth choosing a different species for your love interest.

Blend and Twist - Remember to get creative with your tropes. Look for ways to subvert your readers’ expectations or even combine them to create something entirely new. What if the Damsel in Distress was, in fact, a Dark Lady?

Put the story first - As much as your readers love their favorite tropes, they’re ultimately here for a good story. So don’t force anything that doesn’t fit or get so wrapped up in crafting the ultimate Magical Artifact that it overshadows conflict and character growth.

So What’s Next?

Understanding tropes is a crucial step in becoming the kind of writer who can capture readers’ attention and keep them engaged.

Go, you! You just did a massively important thing in your author journey!

Now you just have to write a novel (“just”), and for that, I highly recommend Dabble.

This all-encompassing writing tool has fantastical features for every step of the process, from brainstorming and planning to drafting and revising. There’s even a free fantasy template you can use to make plotting, worldbuilding, and character creation easier than ever.

Check out a highly entertaining rundown of Dabble’s features here or see for yourself by signing up for a 14-day free trial. That gets you access to everything, no credit card required.