The Ten Avatars You Should Never Use

As council members of one of the most exclusive avatar guilds on Neopets, we can say with confidence that your avatar and font choice are crucial to making a good first impression. A user's choice of avatar, in particular, is a huge reflection of his or her personality. This small, seemingly insignificant 50x50 pixel square is the Avatar & Neosignatures Chatter's primary source of prestige and one of your biggest potentials for judgement. Although picking just the right avatar may seem like a challenge, we're here to help. Below is a list of the top 10 avatars you should NOT use if you want to earn the respect of your fellow ACers and impress those who know avatars best.

1. I'm Smelly

When you're trying to make new friends and leave a good first impression, the last thing you want to do is imply that you have bad hygiene. Sporting an avatar with a picture of dung proclaiming your odor is not the way to go. This avatar tends to drive other users away, for fear that the stench of your avatar will seep through the screen and into the air around them. You're better off with the default avatar.

2. Mutant Draik - Back Off!

Nobody wants to talk to someone who's unfriendly. While using this avatar, strangers you encounter may think you are grumpy and have a bad attitude, thus being less inclined to strike up conversation! When people look at your avatar, they imagine that to be a reflection of yourself, and do you really want to be seen as a hissing mutant Draik when you could be viewed as say, a cute Cybunny instead?

3. Skarl - Moody

It might work for the king of Meridell, but not for you. Again, you don't want to give the others the impression that you have an unpleasant attitude. Even if you feel like it represents you perfectly, that's NOT the first thing you want your fellow Neopians to know about you. Plus, it might remind others of their bad experiences with the unfriendly king himself.

4. A53 - LIKE A BOSS

Just because it's newer and hard to get doesn't mean it'll get you brownie points. The avatar looks like a small screenshot of a scene from the game, and says nothing useful about your personality. It does NOT make you look impressive or "like a boss." In fact, those who believe it implies that they're "like a boss" may be viewed as conceited or vain. The only advantage is that it lets everyone know that you've devoted several hours to playing a particular flash game. The disadvantages? Numerous. We highly recommend that you choose a different game avatar to showcase your skills.

5. I survived the Neopocalypse!

Yes, you did. You suffered through a few days of the Maintenance Pteri along with thousands of other users while waiting for Neopets to work. You also figured out to check the news page the next day. If you're expecting admiration at your account age with a retired avatar, you've picked the wrong one. This avatar just screams, "I think I'm cool because my avatar has been retired for a few years, despite the fact that it's not that interesting."

6. Kiosk Wocky

We get it. You've used a scratchcard and wanted a snow/ice themed avatar to go with your snow pet, font, or whatever other reason you might have. But of the snow avatars, this is the least impressive. Why settle for a normal yellow Wocky surrounded by ice when you could have a snow faerie (Taelia the Snow Faerie), a cute snicklebeast (Snicklebeast), a snowflake (Let It Snow!), or an actual snow pet (Wocky - Snow Day) avatar just as easily? You have several other options; don't settle for this one just because it's the first one you got.

7. Rubbish

Just like the I'm Smelly avatar, this one implies poor hygiene and a lack of cleanliness. Yes, we know it took several hundred or even thousand items to discard to get this avatar, but... it depicts a pile of trash. And real trash piles are not nearly as rare as this avatar; most people do NOT want to see another one. If you're trying to impress people, you've already failed.

8. Jetsam - Wanna Fight?

Most people generally want to avoid conflict, especially on the Neoboards. While you think this avatar may let others know that you would be interested in fighting in the Battledome with them, in reality it just makes others read your posts with a hint of aggression. And you certainly wouldn't want strangers to think you're a rude person before they even get to know you, would you?

9. Nimmo - Emote

This avatar reminds everyone about the days when strangers comment :)*angry*:( on their boards unprecedented. It tends to confuse people who don't realize that there is an avatar to be obtained this way, and annoys the rest. This avatar also informs others that you are either a robot harboring no emotions or overuse Neoboard smileys, neither of which are the best kind of people to associate with. In fact, you'd be better off with the Skarl - Moody avatar.

10. Bonju/Wishing Well

While these avatars were undiscovered and coveted at one point, their solutions have long been discovered and they have since lost their appeal. From the smug look on Bonju's face to the implications of wasting money, these avatars do nothing good for your image and just remind people of the years of struggle to find the solutions.

As people who have been on the Avatar Chat for over 7 years, we can say from experience that users that avoid these avatars are more likely to join a guild, to be lent expensive items, and to become well liked. By avoiding these 10 (11?) avatars, you can take the first steps needed to ensure that you come across as respectable and easy to get along with. See the next edition for the Top 10 Avatars you SHOULD use on the Neoboards.