Few names bring a wistful smile to the faces of aging PC gamers like that of Minsc and his trusty hamster companion, Boo. The Rashemen ranger, who tanked the front line of any half-decent Baldur's Gate party, punctuated every encounter with his batshit declarations - most involving the threat of rodent-shaped wrath from his whiskered sidekick.

First conceived during caffeine-fuelled, late night D&D sessions with Baldur's Gate designer James Ohlen, the immortal Minsc was dropped into the PC game's character roster to provide a needed dash of comic relief but ultimately emerged as the game's breakout star. Unnaturally attached to his 'miniature giant space hamster' (a nod to the D&D Spelljammer campaign), Minsc emerged as a tattooed force of nature, clad in full plate and packing steel. Loveable, nigh-unkillable and endlessly entertaining, it's hard to imagine playing through the Baldur's Gate saga without Minsc at your side. Make way evil, he's armed to the teeth and packing a hamster!