Who is the most well known character to you? (Conan, Drizzt, Elric, Geralt)

1. Conan
... (about 10 steps)
"2/3" Elric/Geralt
... (about 10 more steps)
"4". Drizzy.

Love the original Conan stories. Just opening up a book I hear the original soundtrack start to play in my mind.

I have only read a bit of Elric - an interesting and dark style. Geralt I only know from the video games. But I like him as well.

Drizzt I have read quite a bit. Kinda like junk food snacks - handy, tasty in the moment, but ultimately empty calories.

TwoSix said:

I think this poll will definitely have an age bias. If the bulk of voters were <30, I imagine the numbers for Geralt and Elric would be reversed. Only Geralt has an iconic meme, after all.

Click to expand...

What meme is that?

I heard of Conan from sources outside of RPGs. I might have read one of the books, during my HS/college years.
I have read maybe 3 Drizzt novels, widely spread over many years. ("Neverwinter" and "Gauntlegrym" I read because they tie into the 4e Neverwinter CS)
I have heard of Elric, from a friend who liked the character, but could not describe him from memory.
I have not heard of Geralt before this poll.

I know all four, and probably Conan most of the four though some of that is through other writers' efforts rather than Howard's Conan. I think I've read most of the Elric stories, around the time they came out; some but not all of the Drizzt ones; Geralt of Riva I know from the books more than the computer games, although I played Witcher 1 without having read any - now that many are available in English I've been going through the stories, which I like.

.

Heard of yes, actually know much about (other than how to kill Drizzt in BG2?), no

I didn't recognize Geralt by that name, having never played the Witcher games, and not even knowing they were based off novels. If you asked me to rank these characters, I would have to leave Geralt off the list. I literally know nothing about the character, and I'm not even sure I'd recognize him in a line-up (white dude with white hair and beard, right?). It wouldn't be fair to include a complete unknown in such a line up.

The other four I am much more familiar with. In order, I'd rank them Conan, then Elric, then in a distant third, so distant he's pass the horizon and be out of view, would be the drow ranger.

To me Conan is one of the greatest characters in literary history. I absolutely love Conan, and love the themes related to the character. Conan has always spoken to me on a deep level, especially his contempt for the corruption and lack of authenticity of civilization.

Elric is an...interesting character, but I've never really been able to get into Michael Moorcock's writing style, and Elric himself always kind of comes across as an irritating to me. I just don't find it easy to sympathize with him and his goals. His sword is cool though, and the books have a lot of interesting ideas in them.

I hate Drizt. He's a Mary Sue character that became hugely popular while I was in high school, running a 2E game, and I had to deal with a lot of Drizt clones, which just makes me dislike him. I also think Salvatore is a very bland, predictable writer and that his Drizt stories (of which I've only read the first trilogy, Streams of Silver or something like that, it's been decades) aren't particularly good.

Elric is the only one I'm not familiar with.

I'm in my mid-40s. Conan likely has the greatest name recognition across generations and I'm sure they will continue to remake Conan movies for several generations more.

I would like to see a version of this poll with more choices and some demographic info.

Fafhrd and Gray Mouser need to be on that list. They may be relatively obscure, but their impact on the fantasy TTRG genre was as big as Conan's.

I think you also have to add Kvothe, from Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles. I think Kvothe will be THE fantasy protagonist for this generation. The book has had a huge impact and the upcoming series will blow up his popularity. Unless, of course, the series falls flat, but with Lin-Manuel Miranda as executive producer, I have high hopes for it.

Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Throne has had a huge impact, but there is no one iconic protagonist who stands out. It isn't a classic sword & sorcery story.

Dragon Lance - none of the characters have that same iconic feel. It is the setting itself that is iconic.

Geralt fits. I like the character a lot, though I only know him from the video games.

How about Kaulder, from The Last Witch Hunter, which was based on Vin Diesel's D&D character? I suppose it did too poorly at the box office to qualify.

Elric is most definitely not- he’ a classic anti-hero who depends on drugs or evil magic to do what he does...and who doesn’t have a good ending.