Behind the UI: Champion Class Icons in HI Impact
If you’ve been following the journey of HI Impact, you already know the heart of the game lies in its wild historical mashups and unpredictable challenges. But today I want to share a little about the visual design behind the Champion Class icons —those small, sharp symbols that help ground gameplay while giving each character a clear identity.
There are five champion classes in HI Impact: Entrepreneurs, Conquerors, Rulers, Reformers, and Scholars. Each represents a distinct path to impact throughout history—and in the chaos of the game, they give players a sense of who they’re channeling and what kinds of strengths they might lean into.
When I started designing the icons for these roles, I knew I wanted each one to be immediately recognizable, intuitive, and just a bit mythic. Here’s a look at the visual logic behind each one:
Entrepreneurs – Gold Bars
For the movers and shakers of commerce, innovation, and risk, the gold bar was a natural fit. It’s not just about wealth—it's about value creation, trade, and the tangible outcomes of bold ideas. Whether you're playing as Rockefeller or Carnegie, the gold bar signals hustle, vision, and disruption.
Conquerors – Swords
The Conqueror icon was probably the easiest to lock in. The swords instantly evoke conflict, expansion, and force of will. These champions reshape the world map (for better or worse), and the symbol reflects that raw power. Expect to see this icon on figures like Napoleon or Genghis Khan.
Rulers – Crown
Rulers wield influence and legitimacy. The crown was the obvious choice—it carries centuries of symbolism in one compact image. It’s about more than just monarchy—it represents political control, dynasties, governance, and sometimes divine right. These are your Cleopatras and your Stalins
Reformers – Fist of Defiance
The raised fist is all about resistance and change. Whether it’s civil rights, abolition, or suffrage, Reformers fight systems from within or outside them. This icon embodies courage, upheaval, and hope. It’s the symbol of figures like Che Guevara or Martin Luther King Jr.
Scholars – Book
The book stands for knowledge, insight, and preservation of thought. Scholars are the thinkers, educators, and inventors who moved the world forward with ideas rather than armies. From Oppenheimer to Tesla, this class is for those whose impact lives in libraries and labs.
These icons aren’t just UI flourishes—they play a crucial role in gameplay clarity and strategy. Once you know a character’s class, you get immediate insight into their likely strengths. And from a design standpoint, they keep the game table clean while adding just the right flavor of historical drama.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Which icons are your favorites? Drop your feedback in the comments.
More to come soon—including some sneak peeks at the Event iconography and action cards. Stay tuned!
