Logged into Lammania and saw the new option to create a Bladeforged character. Hmmm...thought the "Iconic" Characters were supposed to be Forgotten Realms based. This one isn't, as it says right in the flavor text that the character was altered by the Lord of Blades. So, at least some iconic characters will be from Eberron.
Went into character creation and took the preset path. There was a custom button for generating the Bladeforged, so it may be possible to spend your starting points as you like.
On creation, instead of the old familiar boat, you end up in an audience with the Lord of Blades, who levels you, lets you buy enhancements, and gives you your gear. You're also given the option to refuse to become a paladin...I didn't take it but I'll assume for now that that's how you take levels in other classes. I did find it a little amusing that when spending my enhancement points I didn't have to chose the Lord of Blades as my paladin Faith.
The gear wasn't great, but not as awful as the old Stone of Experience gear bundle. A small but appreciated bonus: You get your starter bags without hunting down Mari and one of the crafter toons. Also in the bundle of preset gear were 30 potions of Greater Healing (50 points + 10-20 hp per 2 seconds for 10 seconds). A sign of things to come?
Here is the gear list from the log: (Standard): You find a Creation Forge Lenses, a Icon of the Lord of Blades, a Forgeblade, a Creation Forge Docent, 30 Elixirs of Greater Healing, 100 Powdered Silver, 100 Eagle Feathers, 100 Phials of Holy Water, 100 Consecrated Gem Dust, a Creation Forge Bassinet, a Bladed Steel Ring, a Livewood Band, a Creation Forge Sabatons, a Creation Forge Gauntlets, a Battle-Plated Cloak, a Creation Forge Girdle, a Creation Forge Vambraces, and a Creation Forge Gorget in the Bladeforged Equipment.
Looking around the creation forge area, I found some crates. Smashing them turned up a small selection of at level potions (heroism, jump, haste, etc).
While I'm very familiar with starting veteran 4 and 7 characters, I did appreciate that there was only one toon to talk to, rather than running around the ship between the lady, the minotaur, and the captain. I think this change would make it a little easier for new players, or players who haven't yet unlocked veteran.
At level 15, it ended up with the following base stats:
Strength: 19
Dexterity: 6
Constitution: 16
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 14
and 18 skill points in Concentration
There was no indication where the preset path spent attribute points. The gorget gives +4 wisdom, so you could afford to mostly dump wisdom on a fresh custom toon (on a new server or in another situation where you didn't have access to gear or plat) and still be able to cast spells.
I've never played a warforged before, so I'm not certain what feats are standard to the race. I think body composition is normally chosen, the bladeforged has Adamantine Body. There's also a special Bladeforged feat, that give it some boosts and lines of repair and mass repair spells in its spellbook. These topped out at Repair Critical and Mass Repair Serious. My bladeforged has Power Attack, Toughness, 2HF/Greater 2H Fighting, and Improved Critical: Slashing.