Let's make some 4e iconics.

[Lorthanoth]

They aren't slots per se, you still have to choose fixed powers, but after each rest you choose which one of your two chosen powers of a given level will be your power for the day.

RE: the fighter, which option do people think I should go for - sword and board, or two-hander? I'm happy with either, but it would be nice to be distinctive. I'm going to go with an axe in either case.

*EDIT* I see the Cleric uses a greataxe, so maybe I'll re-think.

 

[Lorthanoth]

Balasar Hammerwing

Race: Dragonborn
Class: Fighter 1 (Two-handed)
Abilities: Str 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Dex 13 (+1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
Feat: Weapon Focus - Heavy Blade
Trained Skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Endurance

At-Wills: Cleave, Reaping Strike
Encounter: Dragon Breath (Fire), Passing Strike
Daily (1/day): Villain's Menace

Equipment: Greatsword, dagger, scale armor, , Adventurer's Kit, incense sticks for meditation

 

[Herobizkit]

edited for idiocy; apparently, Warforged isn't a core race and I assumed it was.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Bunny

Halfling Rogue

Bunny grew up as part of a large family (7 brothers). Her family ran the Inn, the Livery stable and a roving apple selling cart. She grew up listing to tales of adventure in the taproom, and decided that she too wanted to be an adventurer.... Two weeks later she had not yet finished gathering supplies and saying goodbye to everyone when her village was destroyed by the once a century Bulette migration. Surviving relatives packed her off to live with her aunt, who ran an inn.
In the Seven Pillared Hall.

Level 1[sblock]
Bunny
Race: Halfling
Class: rogue 1 (Artful Dodger)
Abilities: Str 14 (+2), Con 11 (+0), Dex 18 (+4), Int 8 (-1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 15 (+2)
Feat: Lost in the Crowd
Trained Skills: Stealth, Thievery, Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception

At-Wills: Deft Strike, Riposte Strike
Encounter: Positioning Strike
Daily : Blinding Barrage
Equipment: 2 daggers, leather armor, lots of rations, 6 "rabbits foot" shuriken

[/sblock]
Level 5 [sblock]
Bunny
Race: Halfling
Class: rogue (artful dodger)
Abilities: Str 14 (+2), Con 11 (+0), Dex 19 (+4), Int 8 (-1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 16 (+3)
Feat: Lost in the Crowd, defensive mobility, nimble blade
Trained Skills: Stealth, Thievery, Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, bluff

At-Wills: Deft Strike, Riposte Strike
Encounter: Positioning Strike, Bait and switch,
Daily : Blinding Barrage, walking wounded
Utilities: Great Leap,
Equipment: +1 duelist's dagger, +1 darkleaf leather armor, lots of rations, 6 "rabbits foot" shuriken, Bag of holding; +2 amulet of protection.
[/sblock]

After several years exploring Thunderspire labyrinth, (and several interesting weeks as Queen of the Hall of the Broken Dragon) She hopped on to green pastures. The Feywild was interesting for a while but there were way too many trolls there, and they just kept coming back to life! It was very annoying. She did meet a nice halfling lad and settled down for a while. But wanderlust and crying children got to her and she returned to the adventuring life.
Occasionally she would send a spare platinum piece home to make sure her family was well cared for.

Level 15 [sblock]
Bunny
Race: Halfling
Class: rogue (artful dodger)
Abilities: Str 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Dex 22 (+6), Int 9 (-1), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 18 (+4)
Feat: Lost in the Crowd, defensive mobility, nimble blade, surprise assault, WF light blade, defensive advantage, toughness, back to the wall, Ranger multiclass
Trained Skills: Stealth, Thievery, Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Bluff, Dungoneering

At-Wills: Deft Strike, Riposte Strike
Encounter: Bait and switch, rogues luck, tornado strike, critical opportunity (PP)
Daily : Blinding Barrage, Knockout, Bloody Path
Utilities: Great Leap, Ignoble Escape, Close Quarters, Meditation of the blade (PP)
Equipment: +3 life drinker dagger, +4 leather armor, +3 cloak of survival, Handy Haversack, Circlet of Authority (kobold crown) , boots of striding, everlasting provisions, potions of vitality(3), +2 flaming "rabbits foot" shuriken ; 5 "rabbits foot" shuriken
[/sblock]
Ultimately she was caught up in an epic quest to save the world. Bunny did not pay much attention to the hows and why's, letting the other party members keep track of the details. Bunny got to travel a lot around the multi-universe and got lots of pretty things along the way. Her favorite is a plain gold ring she recently won in a skill challenge. It is always telling her that she is pretty, and Destined for Great Things.
Apparently the quest succeeded cause, like, the world is still here.

Level 25[sblock]
Bunny
Race: Halfling
Class: rogue (artful dodger) / Daggermaster / Deadly Trickster
Abilities: Str 18 (+4), Con 13 (+1), Dex 25 (+7), Int 10 (0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 20 (+5)
Feat: Lost in the Crowd, defensive mobility, nimble blade, surprise assault, WF light blade, defensive advantage, toughness, back to the wall, ranger multiclass, Iron Will, Evasion, Fleet-footed, Acolyte Power (Undaunted Stride) ; Epic Resurgence, Blindfighting, Triumphant attack,
Trained Skills: Stealth, Thievery, Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Bluff, Dungoneering

At-Wills: Deft Strike, Riposte Strike
Encounter: tornado strike, critical opportunity (PP), steel entrapment
Daily : Bloody Path, Flying Foe, Deep Dagger Wound, Biting Assault
Utilities: Great Leap, Ignoble Escape, Undaunted Stride, Meditation of the blade (PP), leaping dodge, cloud jump
Epic Features: Sly Fortune's Favor, Trickster's control
Equipment: Intelligent Ring of Invisibility , +5 life drinker dagger (right), +4 flaming dagger (left), +6 starleather armor, +5 cloak of survival, Handy Haversack, Circlet of Authority (kobold crown), boots of striding & springing, everlasting provisions, potions of recovery(3), Dimensional Shackles, Dynamic Belt (paragon); goggles of night.
10, +2 vicious "rabbits foot" shuriken
[/sblock]

 

[Bagpuss]

I'm suggesting just core for right now.

But, but it's 4th Ed.... Everything is Core!

You mean just PHB really.

 

[RangerWickett]

So far we have 1st level stats for:

Unnamed dwarf cleric.

Balthasar Hammerwing, dragonborn fighter.

'Placeholder,' elf ranger. (Though in my humble opinion, He Who Holds a Place sounds more like a dwarven defender.)

Unnamed eladrin warlord.



We have full write-ups for Bunny, halfling rogue, and Cascia, human wizard. Bunny is an odd little woman.

We're missing the paladin and warlock.



So, at this point we need to come up with higher level versions of the iconics, though in my opinion 5th level is the most important one, because that's the level where, were we to get them illustrated, we would probably peg them at. And to make that worthwhile, we should come up with some basic visual guidelines to establish the look and feel of each character.

Bunny, for instance, has 'rabbit foot' shuriken. I'm guessing that means she has somehow attached a furry little foot to the side of the shuriken you hold. She apparently has wanderlust, which gives us a cue to how her expressions should look, but what does she herself look like?

We don't need much, just enough to establish a particular identity for each character. F'rinstance, if you needed to describe Lidda, you could say she wears tight leather armor with lots of pouches and straps, and has her hair in multiple thin braids, almost like cornrows. Hennet goes around shirtless to show off his pectoral tattoos, and has one leather pant leg with a ridiculous amount of buckles.

Most of the people in heavier armor were defined by the particular design of their armor. Specifically, Regdar and Soveliss's helmets were pretty identifiable, and Jozan had his scale skirt. Alhandra has that really short hair, and a tattoo on her inside forearm. And so on. Of course, a lot of that would fall on the shoulders of the artist to make them look identifiable, but we could come up with some basic ideas.

 

[Evilhalfling]

The "rabbits foot" shuriken are more practical than that, they look like flattened feet - the toes are 3 sharp prongs.

As for looks - I would say she is always smiling, frequently with a quizzical expression. Curly hair, likely in ringlets. She is a little plump, but by the end of her career her rounded figure conceals a lot of muscle.

 

[Lorthanoth]

Balasar Hammerwing

Level 1
[sblock]Race: Dragonborn
Class: Fighter 1 (Two-handed)
Abilities: Str 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Dex 13 (+1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
Feat: Weapon Focus - Heavy Blade
Trained Skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Endurance

At-Wills: Cleave, Reaping Strike
Encounter: Dragon Breath (Fire), Passing Strike
Daily (1/day): Villain's Menace

Equipment: Greatsword, dagger, scale armor, Adventurer's Kit, incense sticks for meditation[/sblock]

Level 5
[sblock]Race: Dragonborn
Class: Fighter 1 (Two-handed)
Abilities: Str 19 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Dex 14 (+2), Int 10 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
Feats: Weapon Focus - Heavy Blade, Quick Draw, Blade Opportunist
Trained Skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Endurance

At-Wills: Cleave, Reaping Strike
Encounter: Dragon Breath (Fire), Passing Strike, Dance of Steel
Daily: Villain's Menace, Rain of Steel
Utility: No Opening

Equipment: +1 Terror Greatsword, dagger, +2 Scale Armor, Ironskin belt, Adventurer's Kit, incense sticks for meditation[/sblock]

Level 15
[sblock]Race: Dragonborn
Class: Fighter (Two-handed)
Paragon Path: Swordmaster
Abilities: Str 22 (+6), Con 16 (+3), Dex 16(+3), Int 11 (+0), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 11 (+0)
Feats: Weapon Focus - Heavy Blade, Quick Draw, Blade Opportunist, Dragonborn Frenzy, Potent Challenge, Empowered Dragon Breath, Armour Specialization (scale), Mettle, Danger Sense
Trained Skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Endurance

At-Wills: Cleave, Reaping Strike
Encounter: Dragon Breath (Fire), Storm of Blows, Dance of Steel, Griffon's Wrath, Precision Cut
Daily: Dragon's Fangs, Rain of Steel, Thicket of Blades
Utility: No Opening, Battle Awareness, Into the Fray, Fantastic Flourish

Equipment: +3 Terror Greatsword, dagger, +4 Scale Armor, +3 Safewing Amulet, Adventurer's Kit, incense sticks for meditation[/sblock]


Level 25
[sblock]Race: Dragonborn
Class: Fighter (Two-handed)
Paragon Path: Swordmaster
Epic destiny: Demigod
Abilities: Str 27 (+8), Con 20 (+5), Dex 18(+4), Int 12 (+1), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 12 (+1)
Feats: Weapon Focus - Heavy Blade, Quick Draw, Blade Opportunist, Dragonborn Frenzy, Potent Challenge, Empowered Dragon Breath, Armour Specialization (scale), Mettle, Danger Sense, Heavy Blade Opportunity, Combat Anticipation, Heavy Blade Mastery, Blind Fight, Danger Sense
Trained Skills: Athletics, Intimidate, Endurance

At-Wills: Cleave, Reaping Strike
Encounter: Dragon Breath (Fire), Fangs of Steel, Vorpal Tornado, Griffon's Wrath, Precision Cut
Daily: Supremacy of Steel, Devastation's Wake, Thicket of Blades, Crescendo Sword
Utility: No Opening, Battle Awareness, Into the Fray, Fantastic Flourish, Iron Warrior, No Surrender

Equipment: +3 Terror Greatsword, dagger, +4 Scale Armor, +3 Safewing Amulet, Adventurer's Kit, incense sticks for meditation[/sblock]

 

[Kishin]

Whoops.

Failed to post this a couple nights ago.

Level 1
[sblock]
Kairon
Race: Tiefling
Class: Warlock 1 (Infernal)
Abilities: Str 8 (-1), Con 17 (+3), Dex 10 (+0), Int 15 (+2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 16 (+3)
Feats: Hellfire Blood
Trained Skills: Arcana (+8), Bluff (+10), Intimidate (+10), Religion (+10)

At-Wills: Eldritch Blast (Con), Hellish Rebuke
Encounter: Diabolic Grasp
Daily: Flames of Phlegethos
[/sblock]

Level 5
[sblock]
Kairon
Race: Tiefling
Class: Warlock 5 (Infernal)
Abilities: Str 8 (-1), Con 18 (+4), Dex 10 (+0), Int 16 (+3), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 16 (+3)
Feats: Hellfire Blood, Improved Dark One's Blessing, Improved Initiative
Trained Skills: Arcana (+10), Bluff (+12), Intimidate (+10), History (+10)

At-Wills: Eldritch Blast (Con), Hellish Rebuke
Encounter: Diabolic Grasp, Fiery Bolt
Daily: Flames of Phlegethos, Avernian Eruption
Utility: Ethereal Stride
[/sblock]

Level 15
[sblock]
Kairon
Race: Tiefling
Class: Warlock 15 (Infernal)
Paragon Path: Lifestealer
Abilities: Str 9 (-1), Con 20 (+5), Dex 11 (+0), Int 17 (+3), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 18 (+4)
Feats: Hellfire Blood, Improved Dark One's Blessing, Improved Initiative, Jack of All Trades, Ritual Caster, Durable, Skill Training (Religion), Twofold Curse, Fiery Rebuke
Trained Skills: Arcana (+15), Bluff (+18), Intimidate (+16), History (+15), Religion (+15)

At-Wills: Eldritch Blast (Con), Hellish Rebuke
Encounter: Fiery Bolt, Infernal Moon Curse, Soul Scorch (Lifestealer) Soul Flaying
Daily: Flames of Phlegethos, Avernian Eruption, Curse of the Black Frost, Fireswarm
Utility: Ethereal Stride, Dark One's Own Luck, Shielding Shades, Life Spark Summons
[/sblock]

Level 25
[sblock]
Kairon
Race: Tiefling
Class: Warlock 25 (Infernal)
Paragon Path: Lifestealer
Abilities: Str 10 (0), Con 23 (+6), Dex 12 (+1), Int 18 (+4), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 21 (+5)
Feats: Hellfire Blood, Improved Dark One's Blessing, Improved Initiative, Jack of All Trades, Ritual Caster, Durable, Skill Training (Religion), Twofold Curse, Fiery Rebuke, Point Blank Shot, Mettle, Iron Will, Danger Sense, Irresistable Flame, Epic Resurgence,
Trained Skills: Arcana (+21), Bluff (+24), Intimidate (+22), History (+21)

At-Wills: Eldritch Blast (Con), Hellish Rebuke
Encounter: Soul Scorch (Lifestealer) Soul Flaying, Warlock's Bargain, Spiteful Darts
Daily: Fireswarm, Wrath of Acamar, Soultheft (Lifestealer), Tartarean Tomb
Utility: Ethereal Stride, Dark One's Own Luck, Shielding Shades, Life Spark Summons (Lifestealer), Infuriating Elusiveness, Entropic Ward
[/sblock]

Gear and final writeup forthcoming.

 

[Mokona]

Cleric - Dwarf. Dibs called by Klaus.
Fighter - Dragonborn. Dibs called by Lorthanoth.
Paladin - Half-Elf. Dibs called by Jack99.
Ranger - Elf. Dibs called by Bagpuss.
Rogue - Halfling. Dibs called by evilhalfling.
Warlock - Tiefling. Dibs called by Kishin.
Warlord - Eladrin. Dibs called by Blargney the Second.
Wizard - Human. Dibs called by RangerWickett.

I look forward to these characters. However the main point of iconic characters (for Wizards of the Coast at least) is that they're stereotypical. Also, Enemies and Allies describes the iconics for 3rd edition as "characters whose images appear throughout the D&D core books".

The main iconics have always been the characters whose illustrations were with each character class. In 3rd edition thos were Krusk (barbarian), Devis (bard), Jozan (cleric), Vadania (druid), Tordek (fighter), Ember (monk), Alhandra (paladin), Soveliss (ranger), Lidda (rogue), Hennet (sorcerer), and Mialee (wizard) + Nebin (illusionist). For marketing reasons most of those characters are human because all players are human. The infamous Regdar is an iconic despite not showing up in the fighter entry of the Player's Handbook because the marketing department used him in everything (they wanted a human fighter as the point man of the brand).

By the brand standards I'd guess that the true iconics for 4th edition should be human cleric, dragonborn fighter, half-elf paladin, elf ranger, halfling rogue, tiefling warlock, dwarf warlord, and eladrin wizard.

These races do not have to be the ideal "game mechanic build" for each character class because iconics are about appearance and not about rules. Furthermore the issue for marketing focuses on playing to expectations. Thus we get an eladrin wizard because that is the iconic (based on it being half of the elf stereotype) race for magic in D&D. Dwarf isn't the best race for the Warlord class at all but Wizards used a dwarf illustration with the warlord because the stereotype for a dwarf is a melee fighter. I can only assume that dwarf wasn't chosen for fighter because dragonborn was an even better fit for fighter than warlord. Dwarf basically plays second fiddle here to the needs of the dragonborn race.

Halfling (rogue), Elf (forest ranger), and Tiefling (hell warlock) are highly stereotypical. That just left Human and Half-Elf to split the probably arbitrary decision between Cleric and Paladin. At that point the decision probably came down to game mechanics as a tie breaker.