1. The chosen one
I think anyone who is a little familiar with fantasy will agree with this one. The unassuming peasant was forced to give up his boring and quiet life of plowing fields to fulfill his destiny due to some Prophecy told by a random guy millennia ago.
2. Magic without rules of any kind
There is nothing more annoying than unlimited magic. Harry Potter is the perfect example for that (sorry Potterheads, I just admitted it). Why are Voldemort or Dumbledore considered powerful wizards? Because they studied hard, trained hard, or were they just born powerful? What defines the magical force? And is there really anyone who doesn’t believe that Expelliarmus is overused? (in the movies). Initially, it is a low-level basic spell to disarm your opponent. In the end, he can counter Avada Kedavra, the most powerful death spell of all time.
3. The old, wise, and wizard mentor.
The one who will teach the Chosen One how to handle magic without rules. Come on people, are you so uninspired? If you absolutely must include a mentor in your story, why not make it a young woman? A dwarf? Child? Yes the grandpartenal figure of Santa Claus is appreciable but don’t you think it is a bit abused?
4. The evil guy is evil for reasons
He is evil because he wants to rule the world because he is evil. Or is it the other way around …?
5. Traveler inns everywhere
After defeating a nasty pack of wolves, the heroes would be happy to take a break at a cozy inn. Oh how convenient that there is one right here, even though they avoided the main road full of bloodthirsty bandits! Well, no. The inns did not sprout along the roads. Most likely, travelers can be hosted by people of an equal or lower class, enjoying their meals and beds in exchange for a little money. Travelers could also find refuge in a hospital that was not only for the sick, but also served as accommodation.
6. Armies of knights
I’ll give it to you, two armies of mounted knights in full armor fighting each other is quite an epic scene to watch. The fact is that, at the beginning of the Middle Ages, a field army consisted mainly of infantry, that is, commoners and peasants. These poor guys were unarmed or unarmed and fought with axes and knives. Less epic but more realistic. Knights were noble and the additional cost of their armor, weapons, and horses was too high to allow any king to build a full army of them.
7. No economic structure
The economy is boring. Everybody knows that. I certainly wouldn’t want to read ten pages about how the stock market works in a fictional world. On the other hand, I cannot find a credible world where there is a unique currency for each nation, regardless of their different cultures / customs / needs / geographic locations. You remember Europe before the euro was installed, right? Another unrealistic and recurring thing is the bottomless wallet. Characters who spend their money at taverns / weapons / brothels / pet shops (every hero needs a kitten), who never earn anything more than a few coins looted from the corpses of bandits, but who conveniently never run out of money . As if they just won the bag of infinite rupees …
8. Boob Plate Armor
I could rant for years about so-called female armor. Once and for all, there were NO female armor, also known as “tit plate armor”. You know what I’m talking about, those weird bibs that “make room” for a woman’s chest. Yes, there were female warriors, although very few. They didn’t need specific protection for their female assets because underneath a gambeson, chainmail and a chest plate, I don’t think it’s necessary to “make room” for the boobs. More think about it; Would a woman, who by definition was already considered a minor being, go to the battlefield with distinctive signs that she is a woman? You could also go naked and yell, “I have a vagina, rape me before you kill me!”
9. Homogeneous breeds made
Dwarves are ugly and robust men. They live in the mines, they are greedy and stubborn. Elves are beautiful and graceful. They are tall and have long hair. They are perfectly perfect in everything, especially archery. Orcs are dumb, bad, and ugly. Humans are more heterogeneous. Some are good, some are bad. Some are ugly, some are handsome. Some are smart, some are stupid. Can I ask why? Why are humans the only ones with realistic features exactly? How do you want readers to take you seriously if you give an entire race the same physical and spiritual traits? Can’t some dwarves be beautiful, some stupid elves like hammer bags, and some friendly orcs? Come on, it’s not complicated, just look at ourselves, no human being on this planet looks like the next.