List of character achetypes (classes) in popular culture

Morrus · Mar 31, 2012

Idle thoughts, really. I was considering D&D/Pathfinder classes as represented by movies, TV, and books - not counting those which are D&D-based books specifically (TSR/WoTC books). There must be thousands. Here's a few off the top of my head, but this list would probably be near endless.

Cleric

Friar Tuck, Van Helsing

Barbarian

Conan

Ranger

Robin Hood, Aragorn

Paladin

Some Arthurian Knights

Wizard

Gandalf

Druid

Merlin (arguably wizard, though)

blargney the second · Mar 31, 2012

Monk
Fist of the North Star

Bard
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (musical episode only)

Sanglorian · Mar 31, 2012

Shaman/Spirit Shaman
The Yakut shamans who each have a dangerous but powerful mother animal or 'yekyua'. A dog yekyua worries at its shaman, making him or her sick.

Monk
Friar Tuck (as a former ascetic who wrestles and fights with a quarterstaff)

Favoured Soul
Gandalf (an angel in human form and a competent warrior)

blargney the second · Mar 31, 2012

Soulknife
Gambit

Zhaleskra · Mar 31, 2012

Monk
Magami Eiko "A-ko", Project A-ko

Sorcerer
Daitokuji Biiko "B-ko"

We're sticking to base D&D/PF classes right?

Rune · Mar 31, 2012

I think Gandalf was a bard.

wingsandsword · Apr 1, 2012

Rune said:
I think Gandalf was a bard.

I thought Gandalf was a Fifth Level Magic User (according to Dragon Magazine #5)

Monk
Kwai Chang Caine (Kung Fu)
Li Mu Bai (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) (Apparently with a feat that lets him use a shortsword as a monk weapon)

Barbarian
William Wallace (Braveheart) (Don't know if the historic Wallace was like this, but the movie version could definitely be called a D&D barbarian)

Wizard
Willow Ufgood (Willow) (He multiclasses into it at the end of the movie, as in the ending we see he finally gets a spellbook, as he spends most of the movie trying to learn his first level of Wizard)

Fighter
Maximus Decimus Meridius (Gladiator) (Possibly a 3.0e Marshal or 4e Warlord, but I generally think in 3.5e terms for classes)

(Psi)SeveredHead · Apr 1, 2012

Unfortunately, most such characters were written before D&D, or without it in mind. Even "prototype" characters like Aragorn don't fit into the RPG classes.

Friar Tuck

I've read only one Robin Hood book, and it was a modern take. I recall Friar Tuck being a brawler in one of the movies. I don't believe he's ever worked miracles though.

Van Helsing

I wasn't able to finish Dracula.

Conan

Paragon-level slayer, with the Uncanny Dodge trait/feat and several helpings of Skill Training.

Robin Hood

Ranger, or as a 4e NPC, artillery (leader).

Aragorn

Skirmisher (leader) or maybe soldier (leader). Give him the ability to perform Heal rituals, such as Delay Affliction (that's how he "healed" Frodo until they could get him to the elves). He was also able to work the palantiri.

Some Arthurian Knights

I agree, some of them would be. Those that break versimilitude would anyway.

Gandalf

Paragon-level controller. His magic is essentially divine.

Merlin

In The Warlord Saga, he's explicitly called out as a druid, but ironically had virtually no power, and had to undergo a special ritual to get some. However, that required sacrificing a child, so he backed out at the last minute.

I've read Mort d'Arthur, and he was more like an advisor or counsellor, and didn't ever seem to work any magic.

Mercutio01 · Apr 1, 2012

Rogue (Thief)
Bilbo Baggins

Fighter
Beowulf
Madmartigan
Link
William Wallace
Rob Roy

Fighter/Rogue
Odysseus

Bard
Orpheus

Yora · Apr 1, 2012

wingsandsword said:
I thought Gandalf was a Fifth Level Magic User (according to Dragon Magazine #5)

Gandalf is a Solar with polymorph and object.

List of character achetypes (classes) in popular culture

Morrus

Well, that was fun

blargney the second

blargney the minute's son

Sanglorian

Adventurer

blargney the second

blargney the minute's son

Zhaleskra

Adventurer

Rune

Once A Fool

wingsandsword

Legend

(Psi)SeveredHead

Adventurer

Mercutio01

First Post

Yora

Legend

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