In Starfinder the character theme of Icon simply means the character was famous in some way, but theme allows for broad interpretations of how that fame was acquired. In this week’s article I’ve compiled some ideas for well known characters.
Musician
This seems to be the most popular option for an Icon. In late 2017 I wrote an Icon/Envoy specialization for playing a Pop Star. Regardless of their rule-based class, musicians always have a reason to travel and explore. They may be touring, seeking inspiration, or getting away from their crowds through the “extreme sport” of adventuring.
Celebrity Chef
A galaxy of plant and animal life suggests a Fantasy Feast of different recipes. And a cook need not own a restaurant to profit or gain fame from their food. Any class could use the Icon theme to be a celebrity chef. The ship’s galley could also serve as their broadcast studio, allowing continual airtime even in the middle of an adventure. Or, like the musician, it could be the chef is seeking inspiration, via new ingredients and exotic recipes.
I wrote Fantasy Feast in November of 2018 when first attempting to write a Celebrity Chef Archetype for Starfinder. This column was born out of a second failed attempt to bring the mechanics of cooking as buffs into to the game. Creating a Celebrity Chef whose foods provide character improvements also seems to require cooking and possibly ingredient rules; something Starfinder currently lacks. That said, for those ambitious enough, using the Culinary Magic Cookbook Pathfinder-compatible could provide some inspiration.
Fashionist
Be they a designer or model, the fashionist is always in search of the next best thing to wear. This type of Icon can fit in as any class, so long as they look good doing it.
Wildlife Journalist / Hunter
An Icon could be the Starfinder version of Jacques Cousteau, Steve Irwin, or Sir David Attenborough. This character may be focused on wildlife examination and conservation, traveling the stars to discover and record alien animals. The flip side of this coin is a character famous for hunting dangerous flora and fauna. Both shades of Icon can fit in well with most combat-oriented classes, though they have very different outlooks on wildlife.
Social Media Star / Influencer
An Icon can be famous simply by virtue of being famous. There doesn’t need to be a particular skill associated with the character, so long as they have a modicum of charisma and a camera. The character could be increasing their fame by broadcasting their adventures and exotic locations visited. Some of the Icons may be persistent in leveraging their fame to gain entrance to exclusive areas, discounted meals, or free items in exchange for “exposure.” While potentially fun to play, it may be tricky to ensure the character is only annoying the NPCs (and possibly PCs), but not the actual players.
Scandal and Accidental Fame
Though the idea of Icon is a character that leverages their fame for positive benefit, this can be twisted in scope without breaking the concept. Perhaps the character’s fame comes from a scandalous moment or an accidental recording. Their Icon status could be that of an ascended meme. Depending on the fame, this icon’s fans may be sympathizers, people who appreciate the actions (no matter how common or silly), or beings who are fans “ironically.” If the character is famous for a political belief, ruling, or statement made which they no longer agree with or was misinterpreted then the character themselves might despise their fans, taking any offered discounts out of spite.
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