D&D General What class is Gandalf?

[Oofta]

In the books or the movies? As presented in the books he's a politician. Good for motivating people, claims great power but never really uses it, good at communicating. Oh, he also takes credit for things he had absolutely nothing to do with.

He probably has a bit of artificer to give him access to fireworks and flash bangs, but most of his big exploits are off screen. Getting other people to risk their necks while he finds something else to do? Practically his entire role in The Hobbit other than scaring off some goblins with pyrotechnics. In the Lord of the Rings? Once again organizes and leads a group but when they come up against a door that can't be opened he's helpless. He does break the bridge and fall with the balrog of course, but that's just using his staff not necessarily any inherent powers. His fight with the Balrog like most of his greatest battles are related by him, there's no guarantee he's a trustworthy narrator.

Then later on he takes credit for Merry and Pippin getting the help of the Ents even though he had nothing to do with it. Minas Tirith? In the books he's all "Okay, any day now I'm going to open that can o' whoop ass and it's a mighty big can. Got it right here. Big ol' can." but never really does much. Basically he generally takes credit for the good things that happen whether he was responsible or not while being competent at surviving and defending himself.

Obviously in the backstory that Tolkien had, he's some kind of supernatural being, that doesn't prevent him from being a politician. Mostly? His entire schtick is about survival and making himself important. Just like a politician does.

P.S. This is mostly tongue-in-cheek and voted bard. Probably with a charlatan background, hence the stories of him being a maiar and so on.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I put 'other multiclass' but I really mean NPC... he has spells, and special features, and a good attack with his magic sword. He even can self res... but he only has the abilities the DM needs to move the story along.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Solar, anything else is just feats.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say.

 

[Maxperson]

Is "The Order of Wizards" the same as phylogeneticaly of "Of the Order Wizard"? I mean, Melina wasn't listed as an Istari, but seems at least as Wizards to me.

Melian wasn't a wizard. She was just a Maia that was a heck of a lot more powerful than any of the Istari. People are saying that Gandalf would be a Solar. He wouldn't even be close. The Valar would be the Solars. Then the highest Maiar would be like the Planetars, and those would be like Melian, Arien(who carries the Sun), Eonwe(who beat a weakened Morgoth), Osse(who could affect entire oceans and raised Numenor), etc. The Istari like Gandalf would be some sort of Archon most likely, but with Sorcerer levels or in 5e sorcerer level equivalent abilities.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

If I wanted to get as close to Gandalf as possible?
Celestial Warlock - Pact of the Blade (and Staff).

Wisdom is found here.

he could also be pact of the tome and take weapon master feat but likely celestial warlock pact of the blade!

light cantrip, maybe comprehend languages? You know what? Maybe smite…maybe.

protection from good/evil?

not sure what to make of fireworks…perhaps not even magic.

 

[Maxperson]

He knew the password. No Knock.

He stated straight out that he once knew every spell of opening(knock).

""Knock on the doors with your head, Peregrin Took," said Gandalf. "But if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will seek for the opening words." "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, or Men or orcs, that was ever used for such a purpose. I can still remember 10 score of them without searching my mind."

So he once knew every knock spell that existed for every race and can still call up 200 different knock spells without even trying.

Remind me when he uses Lightning?

In the Hobbit when the dwarves are captured by the goblins(orcs). There is a flash like lightning and the smell of ozone and several goblins fall dead. He does that twice at least, maybe three times. I can't remember for sure.

 

[Yaarel]

He stated straight out that he once knew every spell of opening(knock).

""Knock on the doors with your head, Peregrin Took," said Gandalf. "But if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will seek for the opening words." "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, or Men or orcs, that was ever used for such a purpose. I can still remember 10 score of them without searching my mind."

So he once knew every knock spell that existed for every race and can still call up 200 different knock spells without even trying.

Ok, I will keep Knock in mind.

In the Hobbit when the dwarves are captured by the goblins(orcs). There is a flash like lightning and the smell of ozone and several goblins fall dead. He does that twice at least, maybe three times. I can't remember for sure.

The "flash" (but no stream) can handwaive as radiant damage.

 

[Maxperson]

Ok, I will keep Knock in mind.


The "flash" (but no stream) can handwaive as radiant damage.

A flash like lightning and the smell of ozone? That's lightning. You could handwave it as radiant if it wasn't for the ozone, but that smell is clearly from lightning.

"lightning splits atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen molecules. These can then combine into nitric oxide, which, with further reactions, forms ozone"

Edit: And while I was googling the words re: knock, someone mentioned that inside a chamber in Moria Gandalf mentioned knowing a spell of closing, which would be wizard lock.

 

[MGibster]

He's quite clearly a Magic User not a Wizard or Sorcerer.

 

[Yaarel]

A flash like lightning and the smell of ozone? That's lightning. You could handwave it as radiant if it wasn't for the ozone, but that smell is clearly from lightning.

"lightning splits atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen molecules. These can then combine into nitric oxide, which, with further reactions, forms ozone"

Edit: And while I was googling the words re: knock, someone mentioned that inside a chamber in Moria Gandalf mentioned knowing a spell of closing, which would be wizard lock.

Solar radiation causes ozone.

Radiant damage.