I chose–and have often returned to–Gunnar. He appealed to me more than any of the “starter” avatars…I think due to seeming like a stand-up chap
Now I’ll use new avatars from the Missions or any avatars I win in challenges (aim currently using the last Mythical Titan, won by placing top 1% in Total Damage)
Li Xiu was mine.
I never made any pretence i was a lady, but I really loved her artwork. That backhand slap she’s always threatening just cracked me up 
I have used a series of them, mostly based on aesthetics or a character trait or attitude I could relate to.
First was Lianna, but I quickly found out that in full picture, she had short legs, and in addition, I soon started to find her smile a bit idiotic. In two days, I switched. (Apologies to all who love her… but DID you look at that smile? It’s like everybody’s recurring experience with the photos on identity cards. It’s always your worst looks, right? Never, ever flattering. Lianna must have been in such a state when she discovered which photo of her was selected by SG…)
The second was Isarnia. I still find her the most beautiful woman in the game. She looks distant and cold and powerful, but I always imagined unimaginable storms behind this icy façade. I kept her as avatar during a very long time.
Next was Kelile, the complete opposite, the unstoppable, burning-hell Fire Dance. Fantastic. I love dancing. The direct reason for the change was that in my alliance, three other people also started to use Isarnia, and Kelile is not popular, neither as a hero, nor as an avatar. I never despised her as a hero, rather liked her. I also took a closer look at her face, and found that it must be actually very pretty, even though not much of it shows up. I also liked her Pacific ambience (or what I thought to be a Pacific ambience, with my European clichés).
The next, still my avatar now, Clarissa. There is something in her face with which I can immediately identify. It’s a bit challenging you, a bit curious, half approaching, half cautious. And I love the art of her eyes. There are not many female images in this game where the face is expressive, but this is one of them. At least for me, this is very subjective 
I like also Malicna. Maybe she will be the next, if I get bored of Clarissa.
I picked Chao when I started the game for the first time on 10.9.2017 but I never liked him so I welcomed the possibility of purchasing an avatar in the shop. On the first day it was offered I bought the monstrous centipede.
First of all I like the artwork very much, along with the owl and frog it is the best looking monster in the game, second reason was that not many players are using the centipede as their avatar and third reason is that you can actually see a lot of background behind the centipede so it gives you a variety of options for the whole avatar window look.
Pretty sure I ran Grimm at the start…or at least from when I realised I could change it. Like others I spent 200 gens on a background to try and make him a bit different.
Then I saw my fav looking hero had an Avatar (Gaderius) and I ground my way to getting that and I’ve not changed it since. Plus you don’t see it a lot so it makes me feel a bit special 
My first Avatar was Layla. My current avatar is Layla. My forum avatar is also Layla! What can I say … I love Layla. Love her art, love her effectiveness in the 2* band she is stuck in. She’s a killer but she has a disarming mischievousness around her … a constant reminder that this is a game, this is fun! Love the look in her eyes.
There’s even a thread about making her a 4* (if not more!) See Here.
Layla, you rock!
I was also Isarnia for a while. Love her as well!
Indeed, Layla is another rare example of expressive faces for me. And she is very pretty!
I kind of remember bouncing between Ragnhild and Brienne
Very reasonable!
20applauds
I used the Ratman – the default name I was handed on starting was “UnholyBeagle”, so it kind of fit…
First avatar was Boril. Could not see choosing anything else, because I thought he looked like Gimli from Lord of the Rings! Not sure if I used anyone else before adopting my current avatar, detailed below.
Once I lucked into drawing Poseidon in Atlantis, I started hoping for a Poseidon avatar, as he was the best male hero on my roster. (Still might not have ruled out using Onatel, even though I’m a dude. She’s that cool, and also my favorite hero on my roster to date.) When I found out the avatar for completing Atlantis was Ariel, not Poseidon, I was bummed. Then, I discovered that the avatar for finishing Atlantis on hard was Poseidon, and I was stoked! Changed to him immediately on finishing off Ursena - declaring myself the new king of Atlantis - and used the darts from that (and from Shiloh that same week) to max ascend him. He was my first maxed five-star and, at +18, he is still the most powerful hero on my roster (by TP).
Never wavered from that choice, but after pulling Heimdall last month, I’m wishing I could switch to him once I get him maxed. Too bad his avatar - if there is one - appears to be a pay-for thing, anathema to this FTP. Guess I’ll just keep rocking the Big Fish and his white beard, which mine is increasingly starting to match!
Double like! I hate her running cascades that charge all my heros!
Tudan. He just looked neat.
Great question! Thanks for asking it.
For me has always been Bane. Representation matter to me and as a black man I want my avatar to look like me. Also not too many black avatars anyway (season 5 will hopefully increase the number. I have 224 heroes and only 3 are black or brown skin: bane Sudri jarif).
So no matter how many 5* I may get over the years Bane will always be the “face” of my team.
So… When I first started, it was Chao for his good looks.
Then, it went to being Greymane for a while, because wolves are my favourite animal 
. I then switched it up between Seshat, Roc, and the Gold Macaw whilst I figured out what I wanted… it turns out, that I was just waiting for the adorable little Ratatoskr!!
I will probably keep him for a while until I eventually get one of the elusive and covetted top tier challenge festival ones. I would absolutely love one of the Challenge Festival I avatars for nostalgia with it being the portal I started my journey in E&P with (namely: Marie-Therese; Guardian Kong; White Rabbit; or Finley) in costumed form!
I will admit, that I use Anton as my forum avatar though, because his looks surpass that of Chao’s in my opinion, but I don’t think that he’s available as an avatar 
What a fun thread! My first was Thorne, but an established guy in my first alliance used it, so I decided I wanted mine to be different, so I chose Joon since he was my first and only 5 star in my first 2+ months playing the game.
I got JF as my first HotM and worked my butt off to finish the first PoV to get the JF avatar, which is the one I’ve used ever since.
The avatar I’m using is ROC. You get his avatar when you complete sand event legendary mode. In my first ever sand event, I couldn’t complete it as I was still low level and without good heroes. That didn’t stop me from trying and dump all my battle items trying to win. Been using ROC ever since to remind myself of past hard times
Marjuna was my first. That was what I’ve used when I first started the game. She’s pretty.
I’ve only used Rigard ever…(I take that back I switched once for 24 hours in honor of a fallen E&P community member).
Because we’re both noble & dapper…even before the costumes
My first avatar marjana second isrania both i love first anjali second AR 