"Iconics" Throughout D&D History

[GSHamster]

What I propose is that we make a list of the "Iconics" from throughout D&D history. However, for the purposes of this particular list, I think we should exclude characters who actually belonged to certain people (Evard, Otiluke, Robilar, et al.) and characters who were primarily novel based (Driz'zt, Bruenor, the Heroes of the Lance, et al.).

I disagree with this. In my view, the iconics of 1E were the original Greyhawk characters of Gygax's campaigns. The iconics of 2E were the characters from the major novels (Raistlin, Drizzt, etc).

I think ignoring these two sources ignores a huge number of characters that really formed the archetypes of D&D characters.

 

[WizarDru]

I gotta tell ya, while I understand the logic, I don't agree with keeping out the characters like Otto, Robilar, Mordankanien and the rest. I didn't know they were actually based on characters from actual play sessions when I began D&D and neither did my players.

They were giants astride the Earth, as far as we knew. They were the iconics that one aspired to under AD&D, at least initially.


As far as 'true' iconics go...well, pretty much just the ones from 3E's PHB strike me as the real deal. Everybody after that had a much smaller audience and exposure. I mean, everyone knows Regdar's name, but how many even know how to pronounce Ialdabode, let lone who he actually is (side note: he's the only Psi Iconic I know, just because his name stuck out, back then).

 

[Imperialus]

Or how about the old wizards. Tenser, Bigby ect.

 

[johnsemlak]

What about the pre-generated characters that appeared in some of the classic modules?

 

[Tallifer]

As far as 'true' iconics go...well, pretty much just the ones from 3E's PHB strike me as the real deal.

Never heard of any of those. But I sure heard lots about the Heroes of Dragonlance and their iconic party.

 

[humble minion]

Gutboy Barrelhouse, the dwarf fighter (17 str!) who starred in various play examples in 1e, is the earliest one that springs to mind for me...

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't know if these are icons, but in 2e there was:

Cwell the Fine (bard)
Joinville the Illusionist
Ragnar the Thief
Taurus Bloodheart, cleric/fighter
Rath (the low-stat fighter)
Morrison the Multifaceted, half-elf fighter/wizard/rogue, also called Rupert in several examples
Fiera, the elf (used in an example about swimming)
Delsenora, a female wizard
Johann, seems to be a wizard or cleric, assisted Delsenora when she was making a magic item
Brondvrouw, a gnome
Megarran and Drelb, used in an example about climbing

 

[WizarDru]

Never heard of any of those. But I sure heard lots about the Heroes of Dragonlance and their iconic party.

Sure, but they were disqualified by the OP.

 

[mkill]

It is completely utterly inacceptible for this thread to go on to the second page without a single link to the classic D&D PSAs.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwp-lDSN3Qo]D&D PHB PSA part 1 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[SmuggleNutz]

To me, the original "iconics" are the unnamed adventurers traipsing across the bottom of the Appendices of the 1E DMG: halfing, female wizard, dwarf with axe, elf archer and human fighter.

Perhaps not quite so "unnamed," as on Pg 71 of the same tome we have an "Example of Melee" involving two parties:

Party A
Aggro the Axe, a 4th level fighter
Abner, a 5th level magic-user
Arkayn, a 4th level cleric
Arlanni, a 2nd level thief

Party B
Gutboy Barrelhouse, a 6th level dwarf fighter
Balto, a 1st level monk
Blastum, a 4th level magic-user
Barjin, a 4th/5th level half-elf fighter/magic-user

Which led to all sorts of shenanigans in our group involving the perceived misadventures of "Barjin and Blastum."

Ahh.. those were the days.