[Aes]

Most importantly, the hero has to start out as a complete nobody and is always a young male in his teens or just entering adulthood. A peasant, a slave, or an orphan are all ideal choices, with a strong lean towards his assumed parents not being his actual parents. His real parents need to come from some noble and powerful bloodline in which he is the last of: Royalty, dragons, legendary hero, powerful wizard, and such are all great starting points. Don't forget to include a prophecy or destiny where the hero is the only person capable of stopping [generic dark lord]. At first, our hero needs to deny/refuse to accept this, but when his mentor (see 2 posts above) dies, everything changes, he mans up, and despite not having any real combat experience, is untouchable by the bad guys.

Another thing to consider is fantasy races. Be sure all the "good" races are mostly attractive, hard working, kind, peaceful, and loyal. At least one needs to be on the brink of extinction for some reason. Now the "evil" races are all ugly and disfigured somehow, only obey those stronger than they, live only to do battle, blah blah blah. Despite their apparent lack of any functional society, they are always plentiful and very well organized.

It's funny how much of what we're all listing off can be found in Lord of the Rings.