TheDark Soulsseries has garnered a reputation for its mesmerizing environmental storytelling, demanding boss fights, and challenging level design; however, FromSoft has proven that they are not strangers when it comes to writing memorable characters. Whether it’s a cunning trickster, a knight clad in onion armor, or in some cases a giant talking mushroom, Dark Souls fans have come to love and recognize the care put into creating their beloved iconic NPCs.
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InDark Souls 1alone, there are over 30+ NPCs; and with that number, how can we genuinely deem one is more iconic than the others? Well, let’s take a look at ten considerably iconic Dark Souls 1 NPCs, and rank them based on both their memorable aspects and the purpose that they serve in the story.
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
10Crestfallen Warrior
Fans of the series know well that Crestfallen Warrior is known for essentially being our punching bag when it comes to testing out skills – since he’s such an easy character to defeat. With this said, Crestfallen Warrior’s memorability comes from how easy he is to kill as opposed to any underlying lore about him.
Overall, we don’t know too much about Crestfallen Warrior. Talking to him leads to little insight into any part of the Dark Souls story, but this doesn’t erase how we still remember him fondly in a strange way (even if it is mainly a combative one).
9Big Hat Logan
Despite his lower iconic ranking, Big Hat Logan is far from being entirely forgettable in Dark Souls. Logan isn’t seen as frequently, but his iconic sorcerer skills (and the powerful sorceries that he sells if you free him) make him an incredible NPC to invest your time in – especially if you go with a Sorcerer build.
You first find Logan in search of higher knowledge, his big hat concealing nearly half of his face. It is his mysticism that lures us into wanting to know more;a multitude of theories among the Dark Souls communityon who he could be.
8Knight Lautrec of Carim
Knight Lautrec is an NPC that impacts the side story based on the actions that you take as you move further along on your journey. His actions lie underneath the surface, and if you only focus on the main story, you could miss the benefits that Lautrec gives you – such as the Ring of Favor and Protection.
Lautrec’s iconic status flows with his homicidal demeanor towards everyone around him; causing us to wonder how he exactly came to this point, and how he becomes one of our first instances of the beloved PvP invasion.
7Crossbreed Priscilla
While Crossbreed Priscilla could be considered as an optional boss rather than an NPC, it is her initial non-hostile manner and soft-spoken voice that makes us overall pay more attention to her sense of character.
Being locked away in the Painted World of Ariamis, we beg to wonder just exactly who Priscilla could be. It is theorized that since she is a crossbreed of a dragon, Seath the Scaleless could be her father. On top of this, Priscilla is memorable by being the main iconic face you’ll see within the optional Painted World.
6"Trusty" Patches
Veteran fans of the entire Souls series remember the deceitful trickster that is Patches. Known by many names, and theorized to be a trans-dimensional character across other games within the series, we remember “Trusty” Patches and his manipulation of pushing us into the further unknown dangers of Dark Souls.
Iconically, fans will remember Patches as every time we come across him at various points in the game, something ignites a fire in us. He first appears in the darkness of The Catacombs and eventually ends up in Firelink Shrine – where he sells useful and limited stock from an unknown source.
5Andre Of Astora
Andre, also known as Blacksmith Andre, is simply more than just a merchant and a source to upgrade yourweapons and armor. Despite Andre barely giving you details about his life, and what led him to become a blacksmith in the first place, it’s clear Andre serves as a subtly substantial NPC that begs you to want to know more about him.
With that said, we mainly see Andre as a cherishable character that is remembered through how he is the first blacksmith that you come across; alongside being your main access to the essential Crest of Artorias.
4Gwynevere, Princess Of Sunlight
It’s no doubt that we can agree that Gwynevere plays an important part in progressing you further into the story with her gift of the Lord Vessel. But, we also find that there’s more than meets the eye with Gwynevere.
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Being the only daughter of Lord Gwyn, Gwynevere was resilient and loved by everyone around her. She appears to players as a sense of comfort, with the sunlight behind her illuminating her face. However, the mystery and allure behind her story and what you can dare to find out about her is enough reason alone to find her utterly memorable.
3Siegmeyer Of Catarina
The jovial Siegmeyer of Catarina is a grizzled knight – or so he says. Most of the time we encounter him, he is dozing off. Friendly by nature, Siegmeyer falls short of his self-proclaimed vast adventuring experience, requiring aid to survive encounters and progress down the path that he chooses. However, we find Siegmeyer to be admirable, through his optimism and encouragement, to continue on the unknown journey that lies ahead of him.
These are just a few aspects behind how Siegmeyer himself adds substance to the Dark Souls 1 story; and how his charm makes everything feel endearingly more memorable.
2Oscar Of Astora
Being the first NPC to be seen in the game, Oscar of Astora deserves his high rank for the role he plays in your story – freeing you from your prison cell in the opening cutscene of the game. In your second encounter with Oscar, he gives you the iconic Estus Flask; your main source of healing throughout the game. Oscar’s tale of the Undead Prophecy guidesplayers' very first steps into Dark Souls.
Oscar’s elite knight armor set is a fan-favorite that is seen throughout trailers, on cover art, as well as returning in later Dark Souls titles.
1Solaire Of Astora
Solaire of Astorais undoubtedly the most recognizable character to both beginner and veteran Dark Souls players – to the point that even strangers to the series would recognize his iconic bucket helmet, sun-faced armor, and shield (not to mention his classic “Praise the Sun” gesture).
Solaire is also notable in how he appears at pivotal points in the game as you further along the main story; giving us a glance into his own story as well. This isn’t to mention the opportunities for Solaire to aid us in defeating many bosses such as Bell Gargoyle and Ornstein and Smough.
