D&D General Greek heroes as D&D characters

[Kobold Stew]

We're going to have a hard time deciding what class Achilles should be.

I'll nominate Diomedes as a Paladin. If you're unfamiliar with my man Diomedes, Athena was sweet on him and caused flames to shoot out his helmet while battling those no good Trojans. It was also Athena who guided his spear as he struck Ares below the girdle, driving him from the field of battle. Tell me that wasn't a Smite!

Diomedes in Iliad 5 is a paladin; he's hitting and wounding gods; and so at least level 11.

In Iliad 10, he's got at least two levels of rogue, and expertise in stealth (unless his stealth comes from being with a Trickster Cleric...)

 

[Kobold Stew]

So would Odysseus be a Rogue Mastermind or a Bard? He's more Tactician than Warrior

Odysseus is tough, but I'm going to suggest he's got at least ten levels of Trickster Cleric in him (able to help others be stealthy; able to call on a favour from Athena when needed. That, and at least 7 levels of Rogue (possibly Assassin 9). But he's also proficient in longbows, so give him a Fighter 1 dip: Fighter 1/Trickster Cleric 10/Assassin Rogue 9.

 

[Dragonhelm]

I think they're probably all multiclassed. Homer wasn't writing with D&D rules in mind!

I think that was awfully shortsighted of him.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Jason (in Apollonius' Argonautica) is an unoptimized high-charisma Ranger (class chosen because it's the one everyone thinks is the worst designed). He truly believes Hunter's Mark makes him best at battle.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Medea is at least a level 14 Glamour Bard. I was thinking Sorcerer or Warlock, but Mantle of Majesty is the closest to what we see at the end of Euripides' play when she appears in the dragon chariot, and she can cast Raise Dead (as she does on Pelias) -- not quite right, because once raised he was also rejuvenated (level 17 lets her take wish?).

 

[Kobold Stew]

Oedipus has tricked out knowledge skills, with expertise in History and Investigation. The Noble background really works well for him (with the Keen Mind feat?). I first thought you might want an intelligence-based rogue (and in 2014 you'd want to have 3 Paladin levels so he's immune to disease as well, since he starts Sophocles' play in among a bunch of plague-ridden Thebans). He might work as a Celestial Warlock (with Apollo as a patron): healing, curse removing, but we still want the Int-focus.

 

[Maxperson]

Odysseus is tough, but I'm going to suggest he's got at least ten levels of Trickster Cleric in him (able to help others be stealthy; able to call on a favour from Athena when needed. That, and at least 7 levels of Rogue (possibly Assassin 9). But he's also proficient in longbows, so give him a Fighter 1 dip: Fighter 1/Trickster Cleric 10/Assassin Rogue 9.

He shows no real spellcasting ability, though. Better to give him fighter/rogue, and let a feat or epic boon represent the favor of Athena.

 

[Kobold Stew]

And some fighters at Troy:

Agamemnon: as leader, he believes he has Charisma. At his best (Iliad 11), he's out on the battlefield inspiring others. Maybe Paladin 10+?

Ajax and Hector. In Iliad 7, we're told explicitly that they're the best two fighters apart from Achilles, and they are equally matched; both can go all day. Maybe Ajax as a Champion 18 and Hector as a Battle Master 18?

That would let Achilles be Barbarian 20. (He needs some barbarian levels -- RAGE! -- and once you start, giving him the capstone makes sense to me.) He's got GWM (for his father's bronze-tipped ash spear), and his epic boon is the boon of speed (swift-footed Achilles). He's also picked up proficiency with a lyre at some point (Iliad 9), and so maybe he's got Musician as a starting feat.

 

[Kobold Stew]

He shows no real spellcasting ability, though. Better to give him fighter/rogue, and let a feat or epic boon represent the favor of Athena.

Of course he's not explicitly casting spells; if that's the requirement then there will be no casters at all.

But, in Od 11 he is able to call up souls form the underworld (it starts as a necromancy) -- that's casting Speak with Dead.
He can remove Exhaustion from himself (Odyssey 5-6, after being at sea).
With Hermes' Help he casts Purify Food and Drink with Circe (Od 10)
Possibly that's Greater Restoration, which he casts on himself repeatedly to remove Exhaustion (Odyssey 5-6, after being at sea).
Find Traps: Iliad 10, when he's also sneaking at night.
Enhance Ability (like everywhere; whatever stat he needs, he gets).
Zone of Truth (Iliad 9, as part of the Embassy to Achilles)
Divination (Odyssey 13, as Athena tells him he's back on Ithaca).

etc.

I was tempted to make him a Bard (he tells a fantastic story in Od. 9-12, and strings his bow like a bard in Od 21). But Enhance Ability, combined with Rogue's Peerless Skill might cover that too.

I had said Trickster Cleric, because I was thinking of his stealth in Il. 10. War Cleric might work better, with a Guided Strike (+10) for the arrow-throgh-the-axeheads trick.

 

[Peter BOSCO'S]

No, Achilles only became enraged when his boyfriend, his Bond in DND 2014 terms, was killed. His player was just trying to spam Inspiration every round by claiming that he was still angry over that death. What else do you expect from a player so munchkin, and a DM so weak, that the player asked for and the DM permitted, him to have "Resistance - All Damage (except damage to the heal of one foot)"?