Viking Class

[Shadowbane]

What kind of class would a viking be? After doing some reaserch, I concluded that it would be a ranger w/ two-handed highting. (Longsword and battle axe.)

What do you think?

 

[Orm]

Add a pinch of fighter and a tablespoon of barbarian.

 

[Oates]

depends on the social class.... is he a bondi or a huskarl. Perhaps a plain ol' bezerker....

 

[isoChron]

Barbarian. Straight.

 

[Bagpuss]

Historically saxons often used shield wall tactics so I wouldn't think two-weapon fighting, except for odd skilled individuals, most would use sword (long knife) and shield, or spear and shield. Of course the Berserker is a common viking figure usually equipped with a long breaded axe, but again they would be odd individuals or elite units, rank and file would use a round shield. Most would be single class warriors or fighters.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I would expect in a fantasy game to find vikings of nearly every class (it's like asking what class an American is).
Most viking raiders would probably be warriors or fighters or rangers. Most vikings were not berserkers so I wouldn't expect the barbarian class to be well represented (though in a fantasy game it'd be perfectly legitimate to have them all be barbarians). Rouges could also make decent viking raiders. I would expect some raiding parties in a fantasy game to have wizards (rune magic?), sorcerers, clerics, druid, bards or warlocks in them.

Most vikings did not have long swords (longswords would be weapons of the elite) but would probably have short swords or daggers. Spears would be the most common weapon. Axes would also be well represented.

 

[dcollins]

In D&D, that's what Barbarian is for.

 

[Someone]

"Historical" vikings would be fighter/rogue, IMHO, with some of them having levels in bard. The berserkers are well represented by barbarians. "Fantasy" vikings would be barbarians or fighter/barbarians.

 

[Goolpsy]

Seen from an english perspective the Vikings were Barbarians..
But as a Dane myself and the studies we have to go through, through school leads me to conclude that they were like nearly everything but Barbarians.

 

[RigaMortus2]

"Historical" vikings would be fighter/rogue, IMHO, with some of them having levels in bard. The berserkers are well represented by barbarians. "Fantasy" vikings would be barbarians or fighter/barbarians.

Bard? Wouldn't that be more of a Skald?