D&D 1E Whatever happened to the 1E Iconics?

[Sacrosanct]

The stats are explanable in that elves are just better.

 

[fuindordm]

Only one human in the lot, and that one a paladin.

 

[Gus L]

Morgan Ironwolf, Sister Rebecca and Black Dougal come immediately to mind.

 

[Hriston]

And this is how you know they used the UA way of creating character stats (even for the non-human races, which isn't according to the rules in UA). Just LOOK at those ability scores!

When was the last time you saw a character with THREE 18's rolled in 1e or even 2e???? (or even BECMI???)

Either that, or (and this is also plausible) they had a Monty Haul DM and 50% of those hauls were wishes with which they used to increase their ability scores!

I think it’s meant to reflect these are characters of 7th to 18th level who have survived the lower levels (at least in some part) because of their natural giftedness.

 

[Blue Orange]

Apparently Fonkin Hoddypeak became something of a regular meme.

Fonkin Hoddypeak

Fonkin Hoddypeak is a male high elf 5th-level fighter / 8th level magic-user who appears in G1-3 Against the Giants (1981), in a list of original tournament characters.[1] Fonkin has exceptional charisma and dexterity, and is especially tough for an elf. He speaks many languages, including that...

dungeonsdragons.fandom.com

 

[Lanefan]

Not that I am aware of but there are some great iconic names in pregens in a lot of 1e adventures.

In A1 you have:

View attachment 383699

Blodgett "Rent-A-Gnome" and Kayen Telva (re-spelled Kaija Telva) were NPCs in the second party I ever played in, back in early 1983 or so. Not long after that, Lanefan the then-brand-new character joined that party and ran with Kaija for quite some time (Blodgett didn't last very long).

The descendant of that campaign is still going today and Kaija is still out there, now queen of a small nation of Elves. Lanefan's still going as well, getting his face punched in at every opportunity.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Apparently Fonkin Hoddypeak became something of a regular meme.

Fonkin Hoddypeak

Fonkin Hoddypeak is a male high elf 5th-level fighter / 8th level magic-user who appears in G1-3 Against the Giants (1981), in a list of original tournament characters.[1] Fonkin has exceptional charisma and dexterity, and is especially tough for an elf. He speaks many languages, including that...

dungeonsdragons.fandom.com

That may be the first (only?) one with a continuous existence across all editions.

Wonder if we can't get someone to slip him into a 5.5E product.

 

[sevenbastard]

The only reasonable conclusion to draw is that dice worked differently back then!

Duh, of course they did. music was better, movies were better, heck even water tasted better.

We could use 3d6 in order because dice behaved back then. Now we need point buy or 4d6 drop the lowest.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Duh, of course they did. music was better, movies were better, heck even water tasted better.

We could use 3d6 in order because dice behaved back then. Now we need point buy or 4d6 drop the lowest.

Look, all you whippersnappers with your attack cantrips and your healing hit dice and your feats. Back in the day, I used to walk 10 miles in a snowstorm, uphill, just so that I could play a first level Magic User with 2 hit points. And you know what? I'd get there, and cast my single light spell, and right after that I was killed, KILLED by a kobold with a dull butter knife. And you know what I did then? I'd walk 10 miles back, ALSO UPHILL, in that same snowstorm. That's how I PLAYED REAL D&D, AND I LOVED IT!

 

[Erekose]

Look, all you whippersnappers with your attack cantrips and your healing hit dice and your feats. Back in the day, I used to walk 10 miles in a snowstorm, uphill, just so that I could play a first level Magic User with 2 hit points. And you know what? I'd get there, and cast my single light spell, and right after that I was killed, KILLED by a kobold with a dull butter knife. And you know what I did then? I'd walk 10 miles back, ALSO UPHILL, in that same snowstorm. That's how I PLAYED REAL D&D, AND I LOVED IT!

As a Yorkshireman I don’t know whether to be proud or offended so instead I’ll smile knowingly