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** Threaten a woman or child that he holds dear, like the Archive, or [[spoiler: his daughter]], and he will pick up [[NotHyperbole literally every weapon at his disposal]] to make sure that you die in an excruciatingly painful way. [[spoiler: Arianna Ortega and her daddy learned this the hard way when Harry beat Arianna in single combat and Harry impaled the Red King's eyes before setting them on fire. And then there's what Harry does to the ''rest'' of the Red Court...]]
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** Threaten a woman or child that he holds dear, like the Archive, or [[spoiler: his daughter]], and he will pick up [[NotHyperbole literally every weapon at his disposal]] to make sure that you die in an excruciatingly painful way. [[spoiler: Arianna Ortega and her daddy learned this the hard way when Harry beat Arianna in single combat and Harry impaled the Red King's eyes before setting them on fire. And then there's what Harry does to the ''rest'' of the Red Court...]]]] [[spoiler: (Put simply, it doesn't exist anymore.)]]
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** Although that seems to be standart for everyone, given his mention of how "The handshake between two practioners carries and electric shock" and his statement that he is not really good at sensory magic.
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* BigEater: Not in evidence during the time of the books but in TheDresdenFiles/TurnCoat Harry states that ''someone'' gave Ebenezar McCoy the impression that apprentices are always hungry.
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* BigEater: Not in evidence during the time of the books but in TheDresdenFiles/TurnCoat Harry states that ''someone'' gave Ebenezar McCoy Mc Coy the impression that apprentices are always hungry.
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* BigEater: Not in evidence during the time of the books but in TheDresdenFiles/TurnCoat Harry states that ''someone'' gave Ebenezar McCoy the impression that apprentices are always hungry.
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Changed line(s) 97 (click to see context) from:
* [[spoiler:OurHeroIsDead: Harry's shot at the end of Changes and falls into Lake Michigan. It's been confirmed that he's dead. He gets better.]]
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* [[spoiler:OurHeroIsDead: Harry's shot at the end of Changes and falls into Lake Michigan. It's been confirmed that he's dead. He Though he was OnlyMostlyDead, so he gets better.]]
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--> "It's like ninety-percent porn!"
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--> [[TheInternetIsForPorn "It's like ninety-percent porn!"porn!"]]
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* BookDumb: Played with. Harry is clearly pretty well-read and generally seems well-educated, but he never finished high school and compared to most of the White Council he is hopelessly ignorant. In ''Turn Coat'', when he was in a room full of wizards that contained a guy who went back to med school every ten years or so to stay current and others who had so many doctoral degrees their stoles were stretched from the little markers, he considered that he would like to embroider "GED" on his in red, white, and blue. He's basically the only one on the White Council who isn't fluent in Latin.
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* BadassLongcoat: Harry wears a duster. A ''magically reinforced'', black leather duster "[[CapeSwish with extra billow]]" that can repel almost any physical attack.
** BadassLongcoat
** BadassLongcoat
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** BadassLongcoat
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** HeartbrokenBadass:
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** HeartbrokenBadass:HeartbrokenBadass: At a few points, particularly the start of ''Summer Knight'' and the end of ''Changes''.
** BadassInDistress: Gets stuck in JamesBondage on a regular basis and can not always get out on his own.
* BadassLongcoat: Harry wears a duster. A ''magically reinforced'', black leather duster "[[CapeSwish with extra billow]]" that can repel almost any physical attack.
** BadassInDistress: Gets stuck in JamesBondage on a regular basis and can not always get out on his own.
* BadassLongcoat: Harry wears a duster. A ''magically reinforced'', black leather duster "[[CapeSwish with extra billow]]" that can repel almost any physical attack.
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* MomentOfWeakness: Harry is forced to admit to Lash's growing influence when such a moment causes pointless collateral damage in ''White Night.''
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: A significant part of ''Ghost Story'' hinges on Harry realizing just how horrible the consequences of his choices were, especially after he learns that [[spoiler: he was the one who arranged for his death and had Molly assist him.]] This revelation shakes him to the core.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: A significant part of ''Ghost Story'' hinges on Harry realizing just how horrible the consequences of his choices were, especially after he learns that [[spoiler: he was the one who arranged for his death and had Molly assist him.]] This revelation shakes him to the core.
to:
* MomentOfWeakness: MomentOfWeakness:
** Harry's breakdown when talking with Aurora in ''Summer Knight'' and his realization of how much he let Susan's suffering damage his own life.
** Harry is forced to admit to Lash's growing influence when such a moment causes pointless collateral damage in ''White Night.''
** The realization that his actions have such tremendous long-term consequences, including [[spoiler: breaking Molly's mind]] causes another one in ''Ghost Story''.
*MyGodWhatHaveIDone: MyGodWhatHaveIDone:
** A significant part of ''Ghost Story'' hinges on Harry realizing just how horrible the consequences of his choices were, especially after he learns that [[spoiler: he was the one who arranged for his death and had Molly assist him.]] This revelation shakes him to the core.
** Harry's breakdown when talking with Aurora in ''Summer Knight'' and his realization of how much he let Susan's suffering damage his own life.
** Harry is forced to admit to Lash's growing influence when such a moment causes pointless collateral damage in ''White Night.''
** The realization that his actions have such tremendous long-term consequences, including [[spoiler: breaking Molly's mind]] causes another one in ''Ghost Story''.
*
** A significant part of ''Ghost Story'' hinges on Harry realizing just how horrible the consequences of his choices were, especially after he learns that [[spoiler: he was the one who arranged for his death and had Molly assist him.]] This revelation shakes him to the core.
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* UnreliableNarrator: Sometimes. Jim makes a point that Harry has severe tunnel vision about some issues, such as when magic he isn't particularly good at is even being used (especially noncombat magic, water magic, and noncombat water magic). Books with other viewpoints show that some characters Harry writes off have HiddenDepths. This is also used to explain the occasional continuity errors, such as issues with geography and names changing between books (he's bad at that subject/heard the name wrong)
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* UnreliableNarrator: Sometimes. Jim makes a point that Harry has severe tunnel vision about some issues, such as when magic he isn't particularly good at is even being used (especially noncombat magic, water magic, and noncombat water magic). Books with other viewpoints show that some characters Harry writes off have HiddenDepths. This is also used to explain the occasional continuity errors, such as issues with geography and names changing between books (he's bad at that subject/heard the name wrong) wrong). ''Small Favor'' takes this to new level; the omission of one key item [[spoiler: harry's ubiquitous blasting rod and fire magic]] doesn't become apparent until one character points it out, and then Harry realizes that [[spoiler: he's been {{Mind Rape}}d by Mab]].
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* IdiotHero: Harry's tendency to not think the long-term consequences of his actions through can leave this impression. He's not a ''moron'' but he sometimes gets in over his head due to not-entirely-rational choices on his part. Some of his enemies consider him one as well, but they usually discover a bit too late that he's much smarter than they gave him credit for.
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** Temptation to power is another deep-rooted flaw. Harry used BlackMagic at a young age, and the power of dark magic still tugs at him.
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** Temptation to power is another deep-rooted flaw. Harry used BlackMagic at a young age, and the power of dark magic still tugs at him. In more than a few cases, the temptation of power has snuck in when he least expected it, causing him to do more damage than he intended or get distracted by the raw ''joy'' of using that power. [[spoiler: Lasciel's influence may have had some effect on this as well.]]
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* FatalFlaw: His [[WouldntHitAGirl old-fashioned chivalry]]. He is a sucker for a DamselInDistress.
** As of later books he seems to be getting over this, at least in the WouldntHitAGirl sense.
** As of later books he seems to be getting over this, at least in the WouldntHitAGirl sense.
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* FatalFlaw: FatalFlaw:
** His [[WouldntHitAGirl old-fashioned chivalry]]. He is a sucker for aDamselInDistress.
**DamselInDistress. As of later books he seems to be getting over this, at least in the WouldntHitAGirl sense.sense.
** Acting without thinking or considering the consequences seems to be a long-term problem Harry faces, coming to a head over the course of ''Changes'' and ''Ghost Story''. Letting his emotions decide his actions becomes such a serious flaw that he even ''exploits'' the expectation of it in ''Small Favor''.
** Temptation to power is another deep-rooted flaw. Harry used BlackMagic at a young age, and the power of dark magic still tugs at him.
** His [[WouldntHitAGirl old-fashioned chivalry]]. He is a sucker for a
**
** Acting without thinking or considering the consequences seems to be a long-term problem Harry faces, coming to a head over the course of ''Changes'' and ''Ghost Story''. Letting his emotions decide his actions becomes such a serious flaw that he even ''exploits'' the expectation of it in ''Small Favor''.
** Temptation to power is another deep-rooted flaw. Harry used BlackMagic at a young age, and the power of dark magic still tugs at him.
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* HotBlooded: He's snarky enough that it isn't immediately apparent, but just watch him react to challenges and/or slurs.
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* HotBlooded: He's snarky enough that it isn't immediately apparent, but just watch him react to challenges and/or slurs. In fact, the villains who are targeting Harry specifically (instead of just being unlucky enough to get in his way) often deliberately take advantage of his tendency toward this, to the point that Harry himself turns the FlawExploitation right back around in one villain's face.
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* ChivalrousPervert: We know about the chivalry, and the perversion, well, apparently the faerie queen has a great ass.
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* ChivalrousPervert: We know about the chivalry, and the perversion, well, apparently the faerie queen has a great ass. If one pays close attention, Harry's narration even gets more descriptive of the feminine form depending on the degree of sexual frustration he's experiencing.
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* ObliviousToLove: Harry can be... a bit dense when it comes to women. As Thomas puts it:
-->"What does a woman need to do, Harry? Rip her clothes off, throw herself on top of you, and shimmy while screaming, 'Do me, baby!'?"
-->"What does a woman need to do, Harry? Rip her clothes off, throw herself on top of you, and shimmy while screaming, 'Do me, baby!'?"
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Natter
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** Perhaps accidentally, the city of Dresden is also known for its handmade porcelain. So Harry was named after a town famed for [[HarryPotter pottery]].
*** Not much of a meaningful name, because the porcelain was actually made in a small city named Meissen. Dresden is where the formula for porcelain was discovered, and by accident, at that. Funny story.
*** Not much of a meaningful name, because the porcelain was actually made in a small city named Meissen. Dresden is where the formula for porcelain was discovered, and by accident, at that. Funny story.
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** Though, eventually Mab found out about it, and was a bit irked about this. She let him off with what amounted to a very stern "Don't you ''ever'' try that crap on me again."
*** Well, it would be a terrible waste had Mab not used a considerable amount of effort to bring back her newly acquired boytoy/Winter Knight/ PersonOfMassDestruction now wouldn't it.
*** Well, it would be a terrible waste had Mab not used a considerable amount of effort to bring back her newly acquired boytoy/Winter Knight/ PersonOfMassDestruction now wouldn't it.
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*** Well, it would be a terrible waste had Mab not used a considerable amount of effort to bring back her newly acquired boytoy/Winter Knight/PersonOfMassDestruction now wouldn't it.
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*** Well, it would be a terrible waste had Mab not used a considerable amount of effort to bring back her newly acquired boytoy/Winter Knight/PersonOfMassDestruction Knight/ PersonOfMassDestruction now wouldn't it.
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*** Well, it would be a terrible waste had Mab not used a considerable amount of effort to bring back her newly acquired boytoy/Winter Knight/PersonOfMassDestruction now wouldn't it.
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*** Not much of a meaningful name, because the porcelain was actually made in a small city named Meissen. Dresden is where the formula for porcelain was discovered, and by accident, at that. Funny story.
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* UnreliableNarrator: Sometimes. Jim makes a point that Harry has severe tunnel vision about some issues, such as when magic he isn't particularly good at is even being used (especially noncombat magic, water magic, and noncombat water magic). Books with other viewpoints show that some characters Harry writes off have HiddenDepths. This is also used to explain the occasional continuity errors, such as issues with geography and names changing between books (he's bad at that subject/heard the name wrong)
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Badass Angster is no longer a trope, after TRS discussion.
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** BadassAngster: Occasionally.
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* AmbiguousDisorder: He ''isn't'', but the untrained in-universe person wouldn't have a hard time thinking this. A side story in ''TheDresdenFiles'', told from [[BadassNormal Murphy's]] point of view, makes Harry Dresden an in-universe example of this: From most {{Muggles}}' viewpoint, Dresden, a self-declared ''wizard'', has a tendency to poke around crime scenes, looking or asking for things like toenail clippings or hair straws, mumbling to himself and never looking people in the eyes. In addition to this is his at time dubious personal hygiene, ManChild personality, near-pathological need to snark at and gainsay authority figures, and NervesOfSteel that makes it unnerving when he seldom shows outwards reactions to things normal people would lose their wits over. The end result is that it makes him seem, at best, a high-functioning but very eccentric autistic. Of course, by reading most of the books (which are from Harry's point of view), most of these behaviour patterns are explained logically, but that doesn't make him seem any less weird to the muggles he must uphold TheMasquerade to.
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* AmbiguousDisorder: He ''isn't'', but the untrained in-universe person In-universe, Murphy mentions most muggles he interacts with wouldn't have a hard time thinking this. A side story in ''TheDresdenFiles'', told from [[BadassNormal Murphy's]] point of view, makes Harry this even if it's not the case. Dresden an in-universe example of this: From most {{Muggles}}' viewpoint, Dresden, is a self-declared ''wizard'', has a tendency to poke around crime scenes, looking or asking for things like toenail clippings or hair straws, mumbling to himself and wizard who never looking looks people in the eyes. In addition to this is his at time dubious personal hygiene, eyes, has a ManChild personality, a near-pathological [[ForTheFunnyz need to snark at and gainsay authority figures, snark]], bad personal hygiene, and NervesOfSteel that makes it unnerving when means he seldom shows outwards reactions responds little to things normal people would lose their wits over. The end result is that it makes him seem, at best, a high-functioning but very eccentric autistic. Of course, by reading most of the books (which are from From Harry's point of view), POV he has logical reasons for most of these behaviour patterns are explained logically, (avoid soulgazes, no electricity in his apartment, SeenItAll when it comes to supernatural horror, etc), but that doesn't make him seem any less weird to the muggles he must uphold TheMasquerade to.
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**The potential DirtyHarry jokes are also probably part of it.
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*** [[spoiler: Which means that he has access to porn. God help us all.]]
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* MightyRoar: Mouse doesn't bark often, but when he needs to sound an alarm, he can ''literally'' be heard for a mile.
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* MightyRoar: Mouse doesn't bark often, but when he needs to sound an alarm, he can ''literally'' ''[[NotHyperbole literally]]'' be heard for a mile.
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** Though, eventually Mab found out about it, and was a bit irked about this. She let him off with what amounted to a very stern "Don't you ''ever'' try that crap on me again."
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* AmbiguousDisorder: He ''isn't'', but the untrained in-universe person wouldn't have a hard time thinking this. A side story in ''TheDresdenFiles'', told from [[BadassNormal Murphy's]] point of view, makes Harry Dresden an in-universe example of this: From most {{Muggles}}' viewpoint, Dresden, a self-declared ''wizard'', has a tendency to poke around crime scenes, looking or asking for things like toenail clippings or hair straws, mumbling to himself and never looking people in the eyes. In addition to this is his at time dubious personal hygiene, ManChild personality, near-pathological need to snark at and gainsay authority figures, and NervesOfSteel that makes it unnerving when he seldom shows outwards reactions to things normal people would lose their wits over. The end result is that it makes him seem, at best, a high-functioning but very eccentric autistic. Of course, by reading most of the books (which are from Harry's point of view), most of these behaviour patterns are explained logically, but that doesn't make him seem any less weird to the muggles he must uphold TheMasquerade to.
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** Perhaps accidentally, the city of Dresden is also known for its handmade porcelain. So Harry was named after a town famed for [[HarryPotter pottery]].
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!'''Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden'''
->''My job hadn't changed: When demons and horrors and creatures of the night prey on this city, I'm the guy who does something about it.''
Our hero, a smart-assed private investigator and wizard with [[MegaNeko a really big cat]], an [[BigFriendlyDog even bigger dog]] and a [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark past]]. Since he killed his mentor in a magical duel after said EvilMentor's failed attempt to bring him over to TheDarkSide, he's been under very serious suspicion by the White Council as a potential warlock. Only Ebenezar [=McCoy=]'s intervention stopped him from being executed. Now he makes a living [[WeHelpTheHelpless helping the helpless]] and beating the snot out of vampires, but he's starting to realize that his family history is a lot more complicated than he had suspected...
* AntiHero: [[SlidingScaleOfAntiheroes Type 2 or 3]]. He's generally a good guy with a ''bad'' case of ChronicHeroSyndrome and HonorBeforeReason, but piss him off and you'll wish you'd never been born. [[spoiler:Isn't that right, Cassius?]] Can slide into Type 4 at times, particularly in ''Changes'', especially when he [[spoiler: made that arrangement with Kincaid]]....
* [[spoiler: BackFromTheDead]].
* BadDreams
* BadLiar: One would imagine that someone capable of hatching a (usually) half-decent plan with a half-second's notice would be able to lie half-decently, but Harry simply cannot. Averted in the later books, if only because he stops trying.
** [[spoiler:Not anymore, thanks to Lasciel.]]
* {{Badass}}: Of all shapes and sizes
** BadassAngster: Occasionally.
** BadassBeard: Every [[HeroicBSOD once]] in [[AntiHero a while]].
** BadassBookworm /GeniusBruiser: Depending on where you place his six foot eight, but skinny, person.
** HeartbrokenBadass:
** BadassLongcoat
** BadassOnPaper: While he is certainly an actual badass, reading a list of his accomplishments out of the context of the extreme amounts of effort and hardship and sheer freakish happenstance involved at the time would give you the impression that he is far more dangerous than he is in reality.
** [[spoiler:BadassTeacher]]
** HandicappedBadass: Getting [[spoiler: his arm burned nearly to a crisp]] in ''Blood Rites'' didn't slow him down much, and he still had limited use in ''Dead Beat'', wherein [[RaisingTheSteaks one of the most badass moments in the entire series happened.]]
* BeingGoodSucks: Lord, does it ever.
* BerserkButton: Hurt, threaten or kill a woman or child in his presence? He ''will'' take you down.
** Threaten a woman or child that he holds dear, like the Archive, or [[spoiler: his daughter]], and he will pick up [[NotHyperbole literally every weapon at his disposal]] to make sure that you die in an excruciatingly painful way. [[spoiler: Arianna Ortega and her daddy learned this the hard way when Harry beat Arianna in single combat and Harry impaled the Red King's eyes before setting them on fire. And then there's what Harry does to the ''rest'' of the Red Court...]]
* TheChessmaster: Harry evolves into this over the course of the novels.
* TheChewToy: Jim has said his whole career revolves around torturing Harry.
* CharacterDevelopment: Changes from a well meaning yet reckless and impulsive to a smarter, more analytical and cautious badass.
** This is the focus of much of ''Ghost Story'' and is explicitly stated by Uriel at the end.
* ChivalrousPervert: We know about the chivalry, and the perversion, well, apparently the faerie queen has a great ass.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: In one book, a vampire realizes that he is protecting someone because people in trouble go to him, [[WeHelpTheHelpless and he helps them]].
** And he has a massive GuiltComplex to go with that ChronicHeroSyndrome.
* TheCollectorOfTheStrange: Vampire teeth. He also has a variety of *very* odd things in his lab, including spent uranium powder and a [[strike: sack]] baggy made of the scrotum of a Lion. It was a gift.
* CombatPragmatist: Primarily the reason that Harry continues to assert that he is not a "good" person. Occasional forays into spur of the moment damsel rescuing aside, Harry rarely ever goes into a situation without being prepared and more tellingly, if he sees an opportunity to get the upper hand over a superior opponent by playing dirty, he doesn't hesitate to use it.
** Also, he's perfectly willing to use a gun or hand-to-hand combat when that would work better than magic, which is especially effective since a lot of people expect him to be a SquishyWizard with [[CripplingOverspecialization no combat skills other than magic]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Constantly, to the point where his influence has turned several of his friends and associates into snarkers too.
* DealWithTheDevil: He's turned down a ''lot'' of these over the course of the series. [[spoiler:In ''Changes'', he accepts Mab's.]]
** [[spoiler: He previously accepted, and subverted, Lasciel's.]]
* DestructiveSavior: When destroying buildings is a RunningGag, you know you've got one on your hands. ''Ghost Story'' reveals that the first magical battle he engaged in at seventeen, against [[spoiler: He Who Walks Behind]], ended with [[spoiler: an entire gas station exploding]]. And the fallout of the Battle of Chichen Itza results in a massive power vacuum.
* [[spoiler:DisappearedDad: As of ''Changes'', when he finds out about his daughter for the first time.]]
** Though technically he's been one since ''Blood Rites.'' Approximately
* {{Determinator}}: He's usually been shot, stabbed, beaten, and kicked in the guts enough times to kill most men before the real fight even starts.
* TheDreaded: Harry becomes one of these to some of his enemies. At one point in ''Changes'', when he encounters a Red Court vampire ([[spoiler:who happens to be one of their oldest, deadliest, and most capable assassins]]), it ''panics and runs away screaming''.
** FamedInStory: It's gotten to the point where nasties rarely come to Chicago unless he's a specific part of their plans, since they know it's a bit of a death sentence, and [[spoiler:the other Wardens are scared to attack him when they outnumber him twenty to one and he can barely stand.]]
** As a result of all this, he's pretty much the ruler of Chicago-not that he runs it like a gangster or something, but no small-time mage or other supernatural creature would start anything serious, for fear that the Wrath of Dresden would come down upon them. [[spoiler: His death was far more destructive than he knew.]]
*** Defender or Protector of Chicago is more apt. Gentleman Johnny Marcone and the person in charge of Monoc would beg to differ on the ruler aspect.
** Stories of his exploits also stretch to the Nevernever, in particular a certain tale involving a donut.
* FatalFlaw: His [[WouldntHitAGirl old-fashioned chivalry]]. He is a sucker for a DamselInDistress.
** As of later books he seems to be getting over this, at least in the WouldntHitAGirl sense.
* FirstPersonSmartass: To the point that one of his defining traits in the Dresden Files RPG is "Epic Wiseass."
* ForTheFunnyz: Could be the poster boy for this.
* FullContactMagic: He's no SquishyWizard, except in a PunyEarthlings sense. For all the [[PlayingWithFire chucking fire around]], he's quite likely to slug someone. Or shoot them.
* FreakOut: Undergoes a subtle and prolonged one in ''Changes''. We'll see if he gets better or not.
* GoodIsNotNice: Boy howdy.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: ''Small Favor'' includes a partial listing of his (large) collection and he acquires more after that, including some very noticeable ones on his face in ''Turn Coat''.
* HealingFactor: A very, very slow one- improved bodily regeneration is the reason wizards live so long, and it means he can eventually recover from what should be permanent injuries.
** Now enhanced as of ''Changes'', one of the many benefits of [[spoiler:becoming the Winter Knight]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: In '''Ghost Story'', Harry comes to realize that the lines he crossed in ''Changes'' made him into the very things he was fighting. And then later in the book, realizes that this conclusion was an overreaction to one bad decision and that he's still fundamentally a good guy.
* HotBlooded: He's snarky enough that it isn't immediately apparent, but just watch him react to challenges and/or slurs.
* HonorBeforeReason: Harry will swear up and down that he's an AntiHero, but he's kind of exaggerating.
* [[spoiler: HotDad]]: Revealed in ''Changes''.
* HouseboatHero: At the end of ''Changes''. Briefly.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: He's about 6' 8", and Murphy supplies the "tiny girl" part.
** According to ''Welcome to the Jungle'', he's ''six-foot-nine'', actually. '''Everyone''' supplies the "tiny girl" part. Except maybe Gard.
* HurtingHero
--->'''Lara Raith''': "You wear your pain as armor."
* [[spoiler: ICannotSelfTerminate]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He considers it "the prerogative of wizards to be grumpy."
* KillItWithFire: Harry can bring a ''lot'' of power to bear with fire magic, and it's his usual go-to for combat evocation. [[spoiler: This served as a plot-point-by-omission when he ''doesn't'' try to KillItWithFire during most of Small Favor and also served as character-development-by-omission in Dead Beat.]]
* KindHeartedCatLover: Harry's landlady considers him this. It's one of the reasons she hasn't thrown him out after missing rent checks and "[[ZombieApocalypse wild late-night parties]]."
* LoopholeAbuse: He points out that the Law of Magic against [[spoiler:necromancy only applies to ''[[RaisingTheSteaks human]]'' [[TyrannosaurusRex dead]].]]
** He also uses this, crossed with ExactWords in ''Small Favor'', to avoid getting slaughtered by [[spoiler: Eldest Gruff. In this case, it works mostly because the [[AntiVillain Eldest Gruff]] [[MyMasterRightOrWrong wasn't that keen on killing Harry anyways]] and thus is [[PunchClockVillain willing to play along]].]]
* MaleGaze: Harry ''notices'' women who look good. This is one of his big character flaws and blind spots.
* MeaningfulName: Malcolm Dresden was a stage magician, and thus named his son after three of the greatest stage magicians in history. And [[FridgeBrilliance considering how many seemingly-impossible situations he's escaped from....]] Out-of-universe, his last name was also chosen in reference to the firebombings of the German city Dresden in WorldWarII, mostly because Harry has a similar effect on nearby buildings.
* MistakenForGay: By Butters in ''Dead Beat''.
** Later takes advantage of this [[spoiler: in ''White Night'' to sneak into Thomas' apartment.]]
* MomentOfWeakness: Harry is forced to admit to Lash's growing influence when such a moment causes pointless collateral damage in ''White Night.''
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: A significant part of ''Ghost Story'' hinges on Harry realizing just how horrible the consequences of his choices were, especially after he learns that [[spoiler: he was the one who arranged for his death and had Molly assist him.]] This revelation shakes him to the core.
** ''Proven Guilty'' has another such moment. Yes, it's awesome that he [[spoiler:kills a [[{{Film/Alien}} xenomorph]]]] with {{Hellfire}}, but immediately after, he finds that the girl he was rescuing from it had [[spoiler: bled to death, and he might have saved her life if]] he hadn't been focused so much on, and having so much fun with, obliterating the monster.
* NayTheist
--->"The Almighty and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye."
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler: by killing the Red Court he created a vacuum that various baddies are trying to fill.]]
* TheNicknamer: It even becomes significant in-story on occasion; [[spoiler:his naming of Ivy and Lash gave them identities separate from the Archive and Lasciel, respectively, and naming Bob allowed him to develop a different personality as well.]]
** And when he calls [[spoiler: Uriel "Uri", it ticks off an archangel who can probably destroy ''all the planets''. That last sylable is a VERY important part of his name - it's the "God" part of "Light of God". On the other hand, he has no problem with Mr. Sunshine.]]
* OneManArmy: He probably has the highest "monsters killed/time" ratio on the entire White Council.
** Inarguable after Changes, though other people still did the prep work.
* OneOfUs: Tends to quote StarWars and {{LordOfTheRings}}. A lot. Plays [[DungeonsAndDragons D&D]].
* [[spoiler:OurHeroIsDead: Harry's shot at the end of Changes and falls into Lake Michigan. It's been confirmed that he's dead. He gets better.]]
* PapaWolf: Few things make him madder than threatening or actually harming children. Along comes ''Changes''...and let's just say that no one would be making any attempts on [[spoiler:Harry's daughter any time soon should Harry still be alive]]
* PerpetualFrowner
* PerpetualPoverty: Highly prevalent in the first few books, but begins to be mitigated as the series progresses, especially once [[spoiler: Harry starts getting a regular paycheck as a Warden.]]
* PersonOfMassDestruction: He's one of the strongest wizards in the world, and according to Murphy's narration in ''Aftermath'', seeing him in action is downright ''terrifying'', even when he's on your side.
* PlayingWithFire: He ''likes'' fire. It took Mavra crispy-frying his hand to make him stop using it.
** Though he also [[spoiler: becomes something of AnIcePerson after becoming the Winter Knight in]] ''Changes''.
* PopCulturedBadass: So. Damn. Much.
* RageAgainstTheMentor: Let's see. The first one he killed in self-defense, and the second one [[spoiler:was secretly the Council's assassin the whole time]]. Not a real great track record there.
* RestartAtLevelOne: For most of the books, he's used to being the most magically powerful--and knowledgeable--person around. In ''Ghost Story'', he's repeatedly reminded of--and annoyed by--the fact that he's "the new guy" as far as [[spoiler:being a ghost]] is concerned, and he has to relearn a lot before he's effective at doing ''anything''.
* RevolversAreJustBetter: Harry prefers revolvers, generally large-caliber ones, because of both the simplicity, the power of such a high-caliber weapon, and because having a .44 shoved in your face is quite intimidating.
* RingOfPower: Starts off with one that builds up force each time he moves his arm, capable of knocking a big man off his feet and flipping a car. He eventually upgrades to modified ones, one on each finger, capable of delivering impacts common with high speed car crashes and could possibly flip 24 cars when fully charged .
* SadClown
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Constantly. Most important in ''Grave Peril'', where he breaks the Accords and starts a war over doing the right thing.
* SensorCharacter: Harry can sense the presence of magic in others. He can even tell how skilled a user the other person is from minimal contact.
* SignificantBirthDate: Halloween. Since this is also when dark power is at its strongest, his birthdays tend to ''really'' suck.
* SophisticatedAsHell
* [[spoiler: ThanatosGambit]] / [[spoiler: MemoryGambit]] In ''Ghost Story'', it's revealed that [[spoiler: Harry arranged his assassination with Kincaid and then deleted the memory.]] Yikes.
* TheAllegedCar The Blue Beetle is junk.
* TookALevelInBadass: As the series progresses, Harry gradually goes from being a semi-athletic gumshoe who gets exhausted slinging a few spells to a well-toned, building-crushing [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]] who can sling with the nastiest wizards and monsters the world over. And this is prior to the events of ''Changes'', where [[spoiler: he finally becomes the Winter Knight.]]
** He's taken multiple levels. When [[spoiler:Susan was turned]] he suffered a HeroicBSOD and started kicking more ass; when he started training with Murphy he learned enough martial arts that he actually ''could'' kick ass; when [[spoiler:his hand was charbroiled]] he began fighting smarter and developed more clever uses of his spells; when he [[spoiler:had a demonic entity living in his head]] he learned a lot about the world (and [[spoiler:got access to {{Hellfire}} while she was there]]); when he [[spoiler:got an apprentice]] he relearned better ways of casting magic; when he [[spoiler:got soulfire from Uriel]] he... well, started kicking more ass; and when he [[spoiler:got the GeniusLoci, he gained power and a super sense while on it]].
* TreacherousAdvisor: Lash, and Lea to some extent.
* WalkingTechbane: To the point where he can't have a water heater in his apartment. Or a refrigerator. Or ''light bulbs''.
* WeaponOfChoice: Harry's primary weapon is the blasting rod, which lets him focus magic into concentrated blasts of force or fire. He also routinely packs a [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolver of one stripe or another]].
* WeHelpTheHelpless: Doesn't he ever.
* WouldntHitAGirl
* XanatosSpeedChess: From the get go, Harry demonstrates some pretty decent skills as a PI, but he develops some serious skills in the art of manipulation, cunning and developing plans to leave him winning something even if he doesn't end up with all the marbles at the end. Then again, he had [[spoiler: a Fallen Angel living in his head as a counselor for a couple years]], so maybe that helped.
** OutGambitted: To a number of people in the following spoiler. [[spoiler: In ''Blood Rites'', he successfully dethrones the King of the White Court by using Lara Raith as his catspaw, a move that impresses her, since he manipulated her by claiming that he would be ''her'' catspaw. In ''White Night'', Harry outsmarts several members of the White Court and solidifies Lara's power base again by manipulating the situation. In ''Small Favor'', he manages to outwit Niccodemus of all people, nearly killing him in the process. And finally, in ''Turn Coat'', Harry successfully comes up with a scheme to capture the White Council's mysterious traitor.]]
!'''Bob the Skull'''
Harry's wiseass spirit of intellect familiar, currently inhabiting a skull after some unspecified, long-ago incident that pissed Mab off at him. Since technology goes haywire around wizards, Harry can't use a computer, which is why he keeps Bob around. Bob knows how valuable he is, and as such Harry has to bribe him with things like porn and trips outside his skull to make sure he cooperates.
* DeadpanSnarker: And we love him for it.
* DirtyOldMan: WordOfGod is that his personality is based on his owner. He's obsessed with sex because Harry was a HormoneAddledTeenager when he acquired Bob. [[spoiler: He retains this personality after transferring to Butters because that's how he was when Butters first met him, and that first impression stuck.]]
* EveryoneHasStandards: Bob is generally cheerfully amoral. But even ''he'' thinks Kemmler was a CompleteMonster.
* [[spoiler: EvilMeScaresMe: Necro-Bob is seriously, seriously powerful.]]
* LetsGetDangerous: Let's just say that when Bob needs to take on other spirits, he rarely has any trouble handling them, the only possible exceptions being a PhysicalGod and [[spoiler:his [[EvilMeScaresMe evil self]].]]
* LovableSexManiac: Bob. . Even though ''he has no body''. Among other things, he usually spends his time reading sleazy romance novels when he is not helping Harry. Bob explains his fascination with the naked female form as being a purely aesthetic appreciation for their beauty and grace...
--> '''Harry''': And they have boobs.
--> '''Bob''': And they have BOOBS!
* MagicalComputer: Literally. Bob has an expansive knowledge of all things magic, and somehow possesses the capability to understand the current state of magic and any changes to it that may have occurred.
** [[spoiler: And as of Ghost Story he literally has a computer!]]
* MrExposition
* PragmaticAdaptation: The TV series changed him from an animated skull to a ghost ''attached'' to the skull. This is because it's much easier to show emotion and the like with, you know, a face.
* [[spoiler: PuttingOnTheReich: Evil Bob worked for Kemmler for a while, and picked up an appreciation for SS gear, if Ghost Story is anything to go by.]]
* ServileSnarker: He's bound to serve Harry. That doesn't mean he has to be polite about it.
* TheSmartGuy: Rounding out the team.
* [[BrainInAJar Spirit In A Skull]]
* [[spoiler: SuperpoweredEvilSide: You don't want to mess with Dark Bob.]]
!'''Mister'''
Harry Dresden's feline of unusual size. Mister is a matter-of-fact animal and eats Harry's leftover food whenever possible. After [[spoiler: escaping from Harry's burning house at the end of ''Changes'', Mister shows up alive and well in Murphy's care.]] Just so you know.
* CatsAreMagic: They can see ghosts, of course.
** [[spoiler: They can sense them, too. In Ghost Story when Harry's spirit shows up at Murphy's house and the gang doesn't believe it's him despite Mort's reassurances, Mister bounds in and [[CrowningMomentofHeartwarming shoulder bumps the air where Harry is like he used to when he was alive and Harry finds that he can actually pet Mister. After that, no one doubts.]]]]
* CatsAreMean: Mister quickly established who was boss when Mouse moved in.
* KillerRabbit: Mister is this to [[spoiler: the brownies who clean Harry's home, to the point that the other fairies have set up a guarding system.]]
* MegaNeko: He weighs around thirty pounds.
* RunningGag: Harry has a whole grab-bag of jokes about Mister's massive size, usually related to his eating habits (dogs, sheep, small children...) or breeding (part bobcat).
* ThisIsMyHuman: Bob, who's ridden around in his head, says he thinks this.
!'''Mouse'''
->''"Woof."''
Harry's dog, acquired accidentally when Harry was hired by a Tibetan monk to retrieve a litter of fu dog puppies from captivity. Mouse accidentally got left behind, and Harry couldn't get in touch with the monks to return him. Harry named him Mouse because he was small, grey and quiet... and the last line of the book in which he's introduced is, "Why did you buy large-breed puppy chow?"
* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: As he is in fact a magic dog, it's not too odd that Mouse seems to be about as smart as an average human. He's still a dog, though; he can't talk, nor does he have opposable thumbs, and his idea of a good time is a nice long bellyrub.
** In ''Changes'' [[spoiler: fellow animals ''can'' understand Mouse, and he "speaks" clearly and articulately. He really ''is'' as smart as, or smarter than, a human.]]
* AngelUnaware
* BerserkButton: In the short story ''Day Off'', it's revealed to be not a good idea to threaten Mister in front of him.
* BigFriendlyDog: He's one of these except for the "dumb" part, and plays it up to make himself less scary to people who meet him.
** So big that Dresden refuses to call him a "dog" anymore. "Dogosaurus" is common, and when refering to both of his pets, they were referred to as "Mister, my large cat, and Mouse, my small Ankylosaur."
* The CanineCompanion version of CoolPet
* ChekhovsGunman: Possibly. The reaction of several characters, such as Nicodemus and Ancient Mai, imply that he is more dangerous than he looks, so Butcher seems to be foreshadowing something important.
* EvenTheDogIsAshamed: Mouse has been known to sigh at Harry's density when it comes to the fair sex, and at one point [[LargeHam plays up]] an injury to make the person whose fault it was feel guilty.
** Also when Harry is giving the guitar a bad name.
* EvilDetectingDog
* FluffyTheTerrible: Mouse has a bark that crosses dimensional borders, shrugs off bullet wounds and being hit by a speeding van, and is a credible physical threat to a high-ranking fae. Luckily, he's also loyal, compassionate, and possibly more intelligent than his owner.
* GentleGiant: Well, usually. [[spoiler:Cassius]] pushed him too far, though.
* [[HalfHumanHybrid Half Canine Hybrid]]: Mouse is a temple dog-- part mortal canine, part Chinese guardian spirit called a foo dog.
** As revealed in Changes, [[spoiler:his pedigree may be even more purely spirit than that; one of the characters refers to him as a Foo dog himself. Ancient Mai also calls him a foo dog, and the Eebs refer to him as an "ice demon" from "the land of dreams" - aka Tibet.]]
** In ''Ghost Story'', [[spoiler: Uriel]] himself refers to Mouse as "little brother."
* HeroicDog: On several occasions, Mouse saves Harry's life. [[spoiler: Also Maggie's protector as of Ghost Story.]]
* LargeHam: ''Turn Coat'' - the bullet wound scene.
* MakeTheDogTestify: Towards the end of ''Turn Coat'', Mouse's testimony is instrumental in bringing a Bad Guy to justice. It helps that this is a court of wizards, so "My dog can identify the culprit" is not ''quite'' so blink-inducing, particularly since most of the Chinese wizards could immediately identify him as an intelligent, [[EvilDetectingDog evil-detecting]] temple dog.
* MightyRoar: Mouse doesn't bark often, but when he needs to sound an alarm, he can ''literally'' be heard for a mile.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: It hasn't been made clear just ''how'' smart he is, but it's a lot smarter than any dog has a right to be.
** Proven as of ''Changes''. [[spoiler:When Harry and his associate are transformed by Lea into hounds, they can understand Mouse speak. Turns out he's smart enough and powerful enough to be called a demon by Lea, imply that Harry is ''his'' familiar, not the other way around, and frighten Lea enough to make her back down by threatening to bite her ass off.]]
* [[spoiler:PowerGlows]]: When he does, holy wrath is about to descend on someone.
* [[spoiler:ThisIsMyHuman: As far as Mouse is concerned, Harry belongs to him.]]
->''My job hadn't changed: When demons and horrors and creatures of the night prey on this city, I'm the guy who does something about it.''
Our hero, a smart-assed private investigator and wizard with [[MegaNeko a really big cat]], an [[BigFriendlyDog even bigger dog]] and a [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark past]]. Since he killed his mentor in a magical duel after said EvilMentor's failed attempt to bring him over to TheDarkSide, he's been under very serious suspicion by the White Council as a potential warlock. Only Ebenezar [=McCoy=]'s intervention stopped him from being executed. Now he makes a living [[WeHelpTheHelpless helping the helpless]] and beating the snot out of vampires, but he's starting to realize that his family history is a lot more complicated than he had suspected...
* AntiHero: [[SlidingScaleOfAntiheroes Type 2 or 3]]. He's generally a good guy with a ''bad'' case of ChronicHeroSyndrome and HonorBeforeReason, but piss him off and you'll wish you'd never been born. [[spoiler:Isn't that right, Cassius?]] Can slide into Type 4 at times, particularly in ''Changes'', especially when he [[spoiler: made that arrangement with Kincaid]]....
* [[spoiler: BackFromTheDead]].
* BadDreams
* BadLiar: One would imagine that someone capable of hatching a (usually) half-decent plan with a half-second's notice would be able to lie half-decently, but Harry simply cannot. Averted in the later books, if only because he stops trying.
** [[spoiler:Not anymore, thanks to Lasciel.]]
* {{Badass}}: Of all shapes and sizes
** BadassAngster: Occasionally.
** BadassBeard: Every [[HeroicBSOD once]] in [[AntiHero a while]].
** BadassBookworm /GeniusBruiser: Depending on where you place his six foot eight, but skinny, person.
** HeartbrokenBadass:
** BadassLongcoat
** BadassOnPaper: While he is certainly an actual badass, reading a list of his accomplishments out of the context of the extreme amounts of effort and hardship and sheer freakish happenstance involved at the time would give you the impression that he is far more dangerous than he is in reality.
** [[spoiler:BadassTeacher]]
** HandicappedBadass: Getting [[spoiler: his arm burned nearly to a crisp]] in ''Blood Rites'' didn't slow him down much, and he still had limited use in ''Dead Beat'', wherein [[RaisingTheSteaks one of the most badass moments in the entire series happened.]]
* BeingGoodSucks: Lord, does it ever.
* BerserkButton: Hurt, threaten or kill a woman or child in his presence? He ''will'' take you down.
** Threaten a woman or child that he holds dear, like the Archive, or [[spoiler: his daughter]], and he will pick up [[NotHyperbole literally every weapon at his disposal]] to make sure that you die in an excruciatingly painful way. [[spoiler: Arianna Ortega and her daddy learned this the hard way when Harry beat Arianna in single combat and Harry impaled the Red King's eyes before setting them on fire. And then there's what Harry does to the ''rest'' of the Red Court...]]
* TheChessmaster: Harry evolves into this over the course of the novels.
* TheChewToy: Jim has said his whole career revolves around torturing Harry.
* CharacterDevelopment: Changes from a well meaning yet reckless and impulsive to a smarter, more analytical and cautious badass.
** This is the focus of much of ''Ghost Story'' and is explicitly stated by Uriel at the end.
* ChivalrousPervert: We know about the chivalry, and the perversion, well, apparently the faerie queen has a great ass.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: In one book, a vampire realizes that he is protecting someone because people in trouble go to him, [[WeHelpTheHelpless and he helps them]].
** And he has a massive GuiltComplex to go with that ChronicHeroSyndrome.
* TheCollectorOfTheStrange: Vampire teeth. He also has a variety of *very* odd things in his lab, including spent uranium powder and a [[strike: sack]] baggy made of the scrotum of a Lion. It was a gift.
* CombatPragmatist: Primarily the reason that Harry continues to assert that he is not a "good" person. Occasional forays into spur of the moment damsel rescuing aside, Harry rarely ever goes into a situation without being prepared and more tellingly, if he sees an opportunity to get the upper hand over a superior opponent by playing dirty, he doesn't hesitate to use it.
** Also, he's perfectly willing to use a gun or hand-to-hand combat when that would work better than magic, which is especially effective since a lot of people expect him to be a SquishyWizard with [[CripplingOverspecialization no combat skills other than magic]].
* DeadpanSnarker: Constantly, to the point where his influence has turned several of his friends and associates into snarkers too.
* DealWithTheDevil: He's turned down a ''lot'' of these over the course of the series. [[spoiler:In ''Changes'', he accepts Mab's.]]
** [[spoiler: He previously accepted, and subverted, Lasciel's.]]
* DestructiveSavior: When destroying buildings is a RunningGag, you know you've got one on your hands. ''Ghost Story'' reveals that the first magical battle he engaged in at seventeen, against [[spoiler: He Who Walks Behind]], ended with [[spoiler: an entire gas station exploding]]. And the fallout of the Battle of Chichen Itza results in a massive power vacuum.
* [[spoiler:DisappearedDad: As of ''Changes'', when he finds out about his daughter for the first time.]]
** Though technically he's been one since ''Blood Rites.'' Approximately
* {{Determinator}}: He's usually been shot, stabbed, beaten, and kicked in the guts enough times to kill most men before the real fight even starts.
* TheDreaded: Harry becomes one of these to some of his enemies. At one point in ''Changes'', when he encounters a Red Court vampire ([[spoiler:who happens to be one of their oldest, deadliest, and most capable assassins]]), it ''panics and runs away screaming''.
** FamedInStory: It's gotten to the point where nasties rarely come to Chicago unless he's a specific part of their plans, since they know it's a bit of a death sentence, and [[spoiler:the other Wardens are scared to attack him when they outnumber him twenty to one and he can barely stand.]]
** As a result of all this, he's pretty much the ruler of Chicago-not that he runs it like a gangster or something, but no small-time mage or other supernatural creature would start anything serious, for fear that the Wrath of Dresden would come down upon them. [[spoiler: His death was far more destructive than he knew.]]
*** Defender or Protector of Chicago is more apt. Gentleman Johnny Marcone and the person in charge of Monoc would beg to differ on the ruler aspect.
** Stories of his exploits also stretch to the Nevernever, in particular a certain tale involving a donut.
* FatalFlaw: His [[WouldntHitAGirl old-fashioned chivalry]]. He is a sucker for a DamselInDistress.
** As of later books he seems to be getting over this, at least in the WouldntHitAGirl sense.
* FirstPersonSmartass: To the point that one of his defining traits in the Dresden Files RPG is "Epic Wiseass."
* ForTheFunnyz: Could be the poster boy for this.
* FullContactMagic: He's no SquishyWizard, except in a PunyEarthlings sense. For all the [[PlayingWithFire chucking fire around]], he's quite likely to slug someone. Or shoot them.
* FreakOut: Undergoes a subtle and prolonged one in ''Changes''. We'll see if he gets better or not.
* GoodIsNotNice: Boy howdy.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: ''Small Favor'' includes a partial listing of his (large) collection and he acquires more after that, including some very noticeable ones on his face in ''Turn Coat''.
* HealingFactor: A very, very slow one- improved bodily regeneration is the reason wizards live so long, and it means he can eventually recover from what should be permanent injuries.
** Now enhanced as of ''Changes'', one of the many benefits of [[spoiler:becoming the Winter Knight]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: In '''Ghost Story'', Harry comes to realize that the lines he crossed in ''Changes'' made him into the very things he was fighting. And then later in the book, realizes that this conclusion was an overreaction to one bad decision and that he's still fundamentally a good guy.
* HotBlooded: He's snarky enough that it isn't immediately apparent, but just watch him react to challenges and/or slurs.
* HonorBeforeReason: Harry will swear up and down that he's an AntiHero, but he's kind of exaggerating.
* [[spoiler: HotDad]]: Revealed in ''Changes''.
* HouseboatHero: At the end of ''Changes''. Briefly.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: He's about 6' 8", and Murphy supplies the "tiny girl" part.
** According to ''Welcome to the Jungle'', he's ''six-foot-nine'', actually. '''Everyone''' supplies the "tiny girl" part. Except maybe Gard.
* HurtingHero
--->'''Lara Raith''': "You wear your pain as armor."
* [[spoiler: ICannotSelfTerminate]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He considers it "the prerogative of wizards to be grumpy."
* KillItWithFire: Harry can bring a ''lot'' of power to bear with fire magic, and it's his usual go-to for combat evocation. [[spoiler: This served as a plot-point-by-omission when he ''doesn't'' try to KillItWithFire during most of Small Favor and also served as character-development-by-omission in Dead Beat.]]
* KindHeartedCatLover: Harry's landlady considers him this. It's one of the reasons she hasn't thrown him out after missing rent checks and "[[ZombieApocalypse wild late-night parties]]."
* LoopholeAbuse: He points out that the Law of Magic against [[spoiler:necromancy only applies to ''[[RaisingTheSteaks human]]'' [[TyrannosaurusRex dead]].]]
** He also uses this, crossed with ExactWords in ''Small Favor'', to avoid getting slaughtered by [[spoiler: Eldest Gruff. In this case, it works mostly because the [[AntiVillain Eldest Gruff]] [[MyMasterRightOrWrong wasn't that keen on killing Harry anyways]] and thus is [[PunchClockVillain willing to play along]].]]
* MaleGaze: Harry ''notices'' women who look good. This is one of his big character flaws and blind spots.
* MeaningfulName: Malcolm Dresden was a stage magician, and thus named his son after three of the greatest stage magicians in history. And [[FridgeBrilliance considering how many seemingly-impossible situations he's escaped from....]] Out-of-universe, his last name was also chosen in reference to the firebombings of the German city Dresden in WorldWarII, mostly because Harry has a similar effect on nearby buildings.
* MistakenForGay: By Butters in ''Dead Beat''.
** Later takes advantage of this [[spoiler: in ''White Night'' to sneak into Thomas' apartment.]]
* MomentOfWeakness: Harry is forced to admit to Lash's growing influence when such a moment causes pointless collateral damage in ''White Night.''
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: A significant part of ''Ghost Story'' hinges on Harry realizing just how horrible the consequences of his choices were, especially after he learns that [[spoiler: he was the one who arranged for his death and had Molly assist him.]] This revelation shakes him to the core.
** ''Proven Guilty'' has another such moment. Yes, it's awesome that he [[spoiler:kills a [[{{Film/Alien}} xenomorph]]]] with {{Hellfire}}, but immediately after, he finds that the girl he was rescuing from it had [[spoiler: bled to death, and he might have saved her life if]] he hadn't been focused so much on, and having so much fun with, obliterating the monster.
* NayTheist
--->"The Almighty and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye."
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler: by killing the Red Court he created a vacuum that various baddies are trying to fill.]]
* TheNicknamer: It even becomes significant in-story on occasion; [[spoiler:his naming of Ivy and Lash gave them identities separate from the Archive and Lasciel, respectively, and naming Bob allowed him to develop a different personality as well.]]
** And when he calls [[spoiler: Uriel "Uri", it ticks off an archangel who can probably destroy ''all the planets''. That last sylable is a VERY important part of his name - it's the "God" part of "Light of God". On the other hand, he has no problem with Mr. Sunshine.]]
* OneManArmy: He probably has the highest "monsters killed/time" ratio on the entire White Council.
** Inarguable after Changes, though other people still did the prep work.
* OneOfUs: Tends to quote StarWars and {{LordOfTheRings}}. A lot. Plays [[DungeonsAndDragons D&D]].
* [[spoiler:OurHeroIsDead: Harry's shot at the end of Changes and falls into Lake Michigan. It's been confirmed that he's dead. He gets better.]]
* PapaWolf: Few things make him madder than threatening or actually harming children. Along comes ''Changes''...and let's just say that no one would be making any attempts on [[spoiler:Harry's daughter any time soon should Harry still be alive]]
* PerpetualFrowner
* PerpetualPoverty: Highly prevalent in the first few books, but begins to be mitigated as the series progresses, especially once [[spoiler: Harry starts getting a regular paycheck as a Warden.]]
* PersonOfMassDestruction: He's one of the strongest wizards in the world, and according to Murphy's narration in ''Aftermath'', seeing him in action is downright ''terrifying'', even when he's on your side.
* PlayingWithFire: He ''likes'' fire. It took Mavra crispy-frying his hand to make him stop using it.
** Though he also [[spoiler: becomes something of AnIcePerson after becoming the Winter Knight in]] ''Changes''.
* PopCulturedBadass: So. Damn. Much.
* RageAgainstTheMentor: Let's see. The first one he killed in self-defense, and the second one [[spoiler:was secretly the Council's assassin the whole time]]. Not a real great track record there.
* RestartAtLevelOne: For most of the books, he's used to being the most magically powerful--and knowledgeable--person around. In ''Ghost Story'', he's repeatedly reminded of--and annoyed by--the fact that he's "the new guy" as far as [[spoiler:being a ghost]] is concerned, and he has to relearn a lot before he's effective at doing ''anything''.
* RevolversAreJustBetter: Harry prefers revolvers, generally large-caliber ones, because of both the simplicity, the power of such a high-caliber weapon, and because having a .44 shoved in your face is quite intimidating.
* RingOfPower: Starts off with one that builds up force each time he moves his arm, capable of knocking a big man off his feet and flipping a car. He eventually upgrades to modified ones, one on each finger, capable of delivering impacts common with high speed car crashes and could possibly flip 24 cars when fully charged .
* SadClown
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Constantly. Most important in ''Grave Peril'', where he breaks the Accords and starts a war over doing the right thing.
* SensorCharacter: Harry can sense the presence of magic in others. He can even tell how skilled a user the other person is from minimal contact.
* SignificantBirthDate: Halloween. Since this is also when dark power is at its strongest, his birthdays tend to ''really'' suck.
* SophisticatedAsHell
* [[spoiler: ThanatosGambit]] / [[spoiler: MemoryGambit]] In ''Ghost Story'', it's revealed that [[spoiler: Harry arranged his assassination with Kincaid and then deleted the memory.]] Yikes.
* TheAllegedCar The Blue Beetle is junk.
* TookALevelInBadass: As the series progresses, Harry gradually goes from being a semi-athletic gumshoe who gets exhausted slinging a few spells to a well-toned, building-crushing [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]] who can sling with the nastiest wizards and monsters the world over. And this is prior to the events of ''Changes'', where [[spoiler: he finally becomes the Winter Knight.]]
** He's taken multiple levels. When [[spoiler:Susan was turned]] he suffered a HeroicBSOD and started kicking more ass; when he started training with Murphy he learned enough martial arts that he actually ''could'' kick ass; when [[spoiler:his hand was charbroiled]] he began fighting smarter and developed more clever uses of his spells; when he [[spoiler:had a demonic entity living in his head]] he learned a lot about the world (and [[spoiler:got access to {{Hellfire}} while she was there]]); when he [[spoiler:got an apprentice]] he relearned better ways of casting magic; when he [[spoiler:got soulfire from Uriel]] he... well, started kicking more ass; and when he [[spoiler:got the GeniusLoci, he gained power and a super sense while on it]].
* TreacherousAdvisor: Lash, and Lea to some extent.
* WalkingTechbane: To the point where he can't have a water heater in his apartment. Or a refrigerator. Or ''light bulbs''.
* WeaponOfChoice: Harry's primary weapon is the blasting rod, which lets him focus magic into concentrated blasts of force or fire. He also routinely packs a [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolver of one stripe or another]].
* WeHelpTheHelpless: Doesn't he ever.
* WouldntHitAGirl
* XanatosSpeedChess: From the get go, Harry demonstrates some pretty decent skills as a PI, but he develops some serious skills in the art of manipulation, cunning and developing plans to leave him winning something even if he doesn't end up with all the marbles at the end. Then again, he had [[spoiler: a Fallen Angel living in his head as a counselor for a couple years]], so maybe that helped.
** OutGambitted: To a number of people in the following spoiler. [[spoiler: In ''Blood Rites'', he successfully dethrones the King of the White Court by using Lara Raith as his catspaw, a move that impresses her, since he manipulated her by claiming that he would be ''her'' catspaw. In ''White Night'', Harry outsmarts several members of the White Court and solidifies Lara's power base again by manipulating the situation. In ''Small Favor'', he manages to outwit Niccodemus of all people, nearly killing him in the process. And finally, in ''Turn Coat'', Harry successfully comes up with a scheme to capture the White Council's mysterious traitor.]]
!'''Bob the Skull'''
Harry's wiseass spirit of intellect familiar, currently inhabiting a skull after some unspecified, long-ago incident that pissed Mab off at him. Since technology goes haywire around wizards, Harry can't use a computer, which is why he keeps Bob around. Bob knows how valuable he is, and as such Harry has to bribe him with things like porn and trips outside his skull to make sure he cooperates.
* DeadpanSnarker: And we love him for it.
* DirtyOldMan: WordOfGod is that his personality is based on his owner. He's obsessed with sex because Harry was a HormoneAddledTeenager when he acquired Bob. [[spoiler: He retains this personality after transferring to Butters because that's how he was when Butters first met him, and that first impression stuck.]]
* EveryoneHasStandards: Bob is generally cheerfully amoral. But even ''he'' thinks Kemmler was a CompleteMonster.
* [[spoiler: EvilMeScaresMe: Necro-Bob is seriously, seriously powerful.]]
* LetsGetDangerous: Let's just say that when Bob needs to take on other spirits, he rarely has any trouble handling them, the only possible exceptions being a PhysicalGod and [[spoiler:his [[EvilMeScaresMe evil self]].]]
* LovableSexManiac: Bob. . Even though ''he has no body''. Among other things, he usually spends his time reading sleazy romance novels when he is not helping Harry. Bob explains his fascination with the naked female form as being a purely aesthetic appreciation for their beauty and grace...
--> '''Harry''': And they have boobs.
--> '''Bob''': And they have BOOBS!
* MagicalComputer: Literally. Bob has an expansive knowledge of all things magic, and somehow possesses the capability to understand the current state of magic and any changes to it that may have occurred.
** [[spoiler: And as of Ghost Story he literally has a computer!]]
* MrExposition
* PragmaticAdaptation: The TV series changed him from an animated skull to a ghost ''attached'' to the skull. This is because it's much easier to show emotion and the like with, you know, a face.
* [[spoiler: PuttingOnTheReich: Evil Bob worked for Kemmler for a while, and picked up an appreciation for SS gear, if Ghost Story is anything to go by.]]
* ServileSnarker: He's bound to serve Harry. That doesn't mean he has to be polite about it.
* TheSmartGuy: Rounding out the team.
* [[BrainInAJar Spirit In A Skull]]
* [[spoiler: SuperpoweredEvilSide: You don't want to mess with Dark Bob.]]
!'''Mister'''
Harry Dresden's feline of unusual size. Mister is a matter-of-fact animal and eats Harry's leftover food whenever possible. After [[spoiler: escaping from Harry's burning house at the end of ''Changes'', Mister shows up alive and well in Murphy's care.]] Just so you know.
* CatsAreMagic: They can see ghosts, of course.
** [[spoiler: They can sense them, too. In Ghost Story when Harry's spirit shows up at Murphy's house and the gang doesn't believe it's him despite Mort's reassurances, Mister bounds in and [[CrowningMomentofHeartwarming shoulder bumps the air where Harry is like he used to when he was alive and Harry finds that he can actually pet Mister. After that, no one doubts.]]]]
* CatsAreMean: Mister quickly established who was boss when Mouse moved in.
* KillerRabbit: Mister is this to [[spoiler: the brownies who clean Harry's home, to the point that the other fairies have set up a guarding system.]]
* MegaNeko: He weighs around thirty pounds.
* RunningGag: Harry has a whole grab-bag of jokes about Mister's massive size, usually related to his eating habits (dogs, sheep, small children...) or breeding (part bobcat).
* ThisIsMyHuman: Bob, who's ridden around in his head, says he thinks this.
!'''Mouse'''
->''"Woof."''
Harry's dog, acquired accidentally when Harry was hired by a Tibetan monk to retrieve a litter of fu dog puppies from captivity. Mouse accidentally got left behind, and Harry couldn't get in touch with the monks to return him. Harry named him Mouse because he was small, grey and quiet... and the last line of the book in which he's introduced is, "Why did you buy large-breed puppy chow?"
* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: As he is in fact a magic dog, it's not too odd that Mouse seems to be about as smart as an average human. He's still a dog, though; he can't talk, nor does he have opposable thumbs, and his idea of a good time is a nice long bellyrub.
** In ''Changes'' [[spoiler: fellow animals ''can'' understand Mouse, and he "speaks" clearly and articulately. He really ''is'' as smart as, or smarter than, a human.]]
* AngelUnaware
* BerserkButton: In the short story ''Day Off'', it's revealed to be not a good idea to threaten Mister in front of him.
* BigFriendlyDog: He's one of these except for the "dumb" part, and plays it up to make himself less scary to people who meet him.
** So big that Dresden refuses to call him a "dog" anymore. "Dogosaurus" is common, and when refering to both of his pets, they were referred to as "Mister, my large cat, and Mouse, my small Ankylosaur."
* The CanineCompanion version of CoolPet
* ChekhovsGunman: Possibly. The reaction of several characters, such as Nicodemus and Ancient Mai, imply that he is more dangerous than he looks, so Butcher seems to be foreshadowing something important.
* EvenTheDogIsAshamed: Mouse has been known to sigh at Harry's density when it comes to the fair sex, and at one point [[LargeHam plays up]] an injury to make the person whose fault it was feel guilty.
** Also when Harry is giving the guitar a bad name.
* EvilDetectingDog
* FluffyTheTerrible: Mouse has a bark that crosses dimensional borders, shrugs off bullet wounds and being hit by a speeding van, and is a credible physical threat to a high-ranking fae. Luckily, he's also loyal, compassionate, and possibly more intelligent than his owner.
* GentleGiant: Well, usually. [[spoiler:Cassius]] pushed him too far, though.
* [[HalfHumanHybrid Half Canine Hybrid]]: Mouse is a temple dog-- part mortal canine, part Chinese guardian spirit called a foo dog.
** As revealed in Changes, [[spoiler:his pedigree may be even more purely spirit than that; one of the characters refers to him as a Foo dog himself. Ancient Mai also calls him a foo dog, and the Eebs refer to him as an "ice demon" from "the land of dreams" - aka Tibet.]]
** In ''Ghost Story'', [[spoiler: Uriel]] himself refers to Mouse as "little brother."
* HeroicDog: On several occasions, Mouse saves Harry's life. [[spoiler: Also Maggie's protector as of Ghost Story.]]
* LargeHam: ''Turn Coat'' - the bullet wound scene.
* MakeTheDogTestify: Towards the end of ''Turn Coat'', Mouse's testimony is instrumental in bringing a Bad Guy to justice. It helps that this is a court of wizards, so "My dog can identify the culprit" is not ''quite'' so blink-inducing, particularly since most of the Chinese wizards could immediately identify him as an intelligent, [[EvilDetectingDog evil-detecting]] temple dog.
* MightyRoar: Mouse doesn't bark often, but when he needs to sound an alarm, he can ''literally'' be heard for a mile.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: It hasn't been made clear just ''how'' smart he is, but it's a lot smarter than any dog has a right to be.
** Proven as of ''Changes''. [[spoiler:When Harry and his associate are transformed by Lea into hounds, they can understand Mouse speak. Turns out he's smart enough and powerful enough to be called a demon by Lea, imply that Harry is ''his'' familiar, not the other way around, and frighten Lea enough to make her back down by threatening to bite her ass off.]]
* [[spoiler:PowerGlows]]: When he does, holy wrath is about to descend on someone.
* [[spoiler:ThisIsMyHuman: As far as Mouse is concerned, Harry belongs to him.]]
