D&D 5E Who are the famous characters of D&D

[Wuzzard]

I've played D&D for 35+ years, every edition since 1st & BECMI and I don't know most of these suggested names, except the few that refer to names use in titles of traditional spells, which I believe are just PC names of characters in some of Gygax's original games. The ones I'm familiar with the most are the 3.0 iconic names, because they are used as examples in the 3.0 PHB. But I wouldn't claim they were famous because of that.

Maybe the OP question is just the wrong question. If you asked which were the most famous characters of the Forgotten Realms, or Dragonlance, etc, then it would be much easier. But as I said before, I don't really know who's who in this regard, so they still wouldn't be famous outside their niche fandom.

I assume that most players play D&D to forge their own stories with their own characters, and don't spend much time fawning over NPC's. Certain characters in D&D related fiction can certainly be important to the stories they are in, but I wouldn't presume that meant those characters were cornerstones of D&D itself.

 

[Mirtek]

I wrote about what would the iconic characters be of the basic D&D line a couple of years ago.
https://www.kirith.com/random-wizar...c-dungeons-and-dragons-characters-part-1.html

TL;DR
Aleena, Bargle, Morgan Ironwolf

of those I only barely recognize Bargle and that's because the last print Dungeon had an adventure called Kill Bargle, thus I figured he must have been from ancient D&D past to earn pages in the goodbye issue.

 

[Alexander Loginov]

The dragon queen

 

[MG.0]

If you've read one of the Shannara books, you've essentially read them all.

 

[bedir than]

Another re-thought on this subject. Look at the trailers for Hunstman 2 and you'll note that the characters are not named. Instead they are The Huntsman, the Ice Queen, the Evil Witch (i think) and The Warrior. You also look at the video game Gauntlet. It's characters were essentially Basic DnD stereotypes.

With that in mind I think DnD's characters are simple. They don't need names, because the characters of DnD shift with every adventure or book. They are the Core Four - Fighter, Cleric, Wizard and Thief. Others enter into play at times of course.

But that four person party with a Human, Elf, Dwarf and another race make up the core experience that anyone that has played DnD recognize.

Cameos by other common builds hint at the future, but the characters are known. We all know them. The Elven Wizard. The Dwarven Cleric. The Human Fighter. Maybe a Halfling or Half-elf Thief. We've met them all dozens of times. We play these characters so often we try to avoid them now.

But that 45 year-old that played 1st edition, they know these characters. The 15-year-old LoL/WoW players recognizes them as the very foundation of MMORPGs.

We all play them differently. They can be swapped out like the man who is the Green Lantern, or Thor, or Hulk, or Spidey. The character shifts when someone else assumes the shell. Vin Diesel plays a different Fighting Man than Chris Helmworth. But they are our Warriors.

The first movie could easily be the Core Four with cameos outside of that base. The second movie we see a different party with a new group of characters, playing stereotypical builds, interacting with the retirees at a table in the inn. And so it continues.

 

[fishpirate]

Pathfinder has built in icons, DnD does not. I agree with bedir than's rethought.

 

[RedSquirrel]

The spell namers are known for their spells, but most people don't actually know them. I'm going to argue that to most people Bigby isn't a person, its a set of spells.

I know this is Thread Necromancy ... but, this just kinda broke my heart a little.
You're not wrong. The names in the PH and DMG are definitely mostly known for their spells or magic items.
Many are from the Circle of Eight, a powerful cabal of wizards, or more generally from the World of Greyhawk, and they have a long and storied history.
But some of them include:

• Mordenkainen (Magnificent Mansion, Private Sanctum, Sword, Faithful Hound,
• Bigby (Hand)
• Bucknard (Everfull Purse)
• Drawmij (Instant Summons)
• Evard (Evard's Black Tentacles)
• Heward (Handy Haversack)
• Leomund (Tiny Hut, Secret Chest)
• Melf (Acid Arrow, Minute Meteors)
• Murlynd (Spoon)
• Nystul (Magic Aura)
• Otiluke (Resilient Sphere, Freezing Sphere)
• Otto (Irresistable DAnce)
• Rary (Telepathic Bond)
• Tenser (Floating Disk, Transformation)
• Tasha (Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter)

 

[BrokenTwin]

Clearly Thaco the clown (from Wild Beyond the Witchlight) is destined for stardom.

Seriously though, beyond Drizzt, I can't think of any D&D IP characters who have had any real exposure to people outside the D&D sphere, and his high-point of popularity was years ago. Minsc and Boo were a meme for a bit.

 

[Xamnam]

So quickly everyone has forgotten Meepo!

And Droop! I wonder how many groups didn't adopt him.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

What, no love for Gord the Rogue?

I have Lord Soth tattooed on my upper right arm, but that doesn't qualify him for stardom, I just thought the artwork was cool.
View attachment 72467

Sorry, I don't have a pic of the actual tat (that I'm willing to share).

You're list has too many villains in my opinion. You need heroes to sell posters and kids bed sheets and lunchboxes. I can't imagine there are many kids wanting a lunchbox with Lolth or Demogorgon on it - maybe Tiamat (my kids would). While I know of Drizzt & Eliminster, I have never read the books. The Heroes of the Lance are the most recognizable in that list to me.

I am sure there will be no end of merchandising by Hasbro and Warner Brothers if the Forgotten Realms movie ever actually happens. Then the Drizzt haters can latch onto something else.

You mean Paramount, not Warner Brothers.

Anyways you have Eliminster, the Seven Sisters, Volo, Everis Cale & his son, Farideh, Havilar, Mehen, Szass Tam, Azoth, Mystra, Tyr, Torm, Shar, Sune, Selune, Tempus, Asmodeus, Alice, Dragonbait, Companions of the Hall, Minthara, Shadowheart, Gale, Wyll, Ashterion, Minsc & Boo, Jeheira, Manshoon, Zariel, Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul.