Characteristics of sword and sorcery heroes and heroines?

The most common thing is some variation on the foundling hero. There is something mysterious or at least unknown about the hero's background. If he is not actually a foundling, his father or both natural parents were killed or presumed dead in a war or otherwise disappeared when the hero was a small child. If he seems to have a natural family on the scene, there are still some odd things that cast doubt on his true parentage.

Although it often appears that he sort of stumbles into his adventure, usually it develops that he was destined for his role. That is the reason his background is unclear at the start, otherwise everyone would have known he was special from the start. A counsellor or an evil minion or two may know or suspect who the hero is or the nature of his special destiny, but generally he seems ordinary to everyone else, perhaps with some recognized talents, but nothing all that special. Generally he himself is oblivious to his destiny. His journey begins when he is fairly young: middle to late teens.

A minimalist wardrobe.