D&D General What class is Gandalf?

[Lyxen]

He uses a sword a lot more than he uses magic!

Only in the movies. He hardly uses a sword in the books, and honestly, despite the huge qualities of the movies, I always found him whirling around with a sword totally ridiculous.

Also wizards lie! Plus he’s like an angel or something.

That might be his race rather than his class. Although, of course, he is a NPC and not bound by such considerations.

He's a wizard in Middle Earth terms, but in D&D his ability is more Sorcerer like.

I'm not sure why, honestly, remember that in 5e a wizard only needs to study a book when he needs to change spells.

His sword ability comes from his being a Maia, but is magical ability doesn't.

In the books he hardly uses a sword, and in the movies, the fact that he is a Maia is never put forward, IIRC, so why would his ability to use a sword be linked to that ? It might be a racial proficiency in terms of 5e, but it could be anything, a background, etc. For example even in the movies, you don't see Saruman or Radagast use a sword.

He was a Maia and also of the Istari or order of wizards.

I agree, but so where the 5 Istari, by definition.

 

[le Redoutable]

strange noone of you all mention the Druid class ??

 

[Orius]

strange noone of you all mention the Druid class ??

That's Radagast.

Well, technically he's a celestial too, but he acts more the role of a druid than the other Istari.

 

[aco175]

Exactly. Gandalf doesn't have class levels, he's a celestial who's a DMPC. Don't give me that 5th level MU crap.

The worst class of all, the DMPC. No wonder all the halflings split to form other parties while the DM kept telling his story centered on Gandalf. Way to have him avoid the TPK at Helms Deep, showing up at the last minute to save the other PCs. Surprised he let the others go deal with the undead of the dead, but that was a railroad all along.

 

[Krachek]

To borrow an image from an old Dragon magazine, which was posted here the last time this came up:

Thank for this old stuff. I knew about it.
So if Gandalf was a 5th level mage and Sauron around 8th, it’s normal to see most campaign running between level 5-10.

 

[drmundo]

plot wizard

 

[Orius]

The worst class of all, the DMPC. No wonder all the halflings split to form other parties while the DM kept telling his story centered on Gandalf. Way to have him avoid the TPK at Helms Deep, showing up at the last minute to save the other PCs. Surprised he let the others go deal with the undead of the dead, but that was a railroad all along.

So you're a fan of DM of the Rings too?

 

[Willie the Duck]

He uses a sword a lot more than he uses magic! Also wizards lie! Plus he’s like an angel or something.

Gandalf is in a game that doesn't use classes or levels. He doesn't fit into D&D at all.

As a NPC, he can have any power the DM wants to have him fit the game.

Pretty much this. He's not a PC, so he doesn't have to fit PC mechanics. If he was a PC, there's no particular reason for him to conform to D&D parameters. And as a side note, yes* he's really an angel cosplaying/having a hobby-career as a 'wizard.'
*instant I saw this thread I knew the comments would be ~half 'he's a Maia/Istari.'

His big problem however is that he is played in a 'low-magic' game world and is stuck getting crap.

I'm not sure that's a problem for him. Most of the magic that shows up (the Ring, Sarumon, and a palantir or two notwithstanding) is of vital plot relevance and benefits his side.

Thank for this old stuff. I knew about it.
So if Gandalf was a 5th level mage and Sauron around 8th, it’s normal to see most campaign running between level 5-10.

It certainly fits (or is close to) how Gary supposedly saw the typical levels of play playing out.

 

[Cadence]

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.

I hadn't seen this before today I think, but Tolkien didn't think the Istari were Wizards in the D&D sense either...

Wizards

The Order of Wizards (Q. Heren Istarion) was the title assigned to five Maiar in the Third Age of Middle-earth. The wizards were commonly known as the Istari (Quenya...

tolkiengateway.net

As far as wanting a bard (class, not dragon slayer) in Tolkien, would that be Luthien?

 

[Laurefindel]

There are a few more « wizardy » spells that Gandalf uses in LotR, such as the leaping fires that ignited a ring of trees around the wolves, and the shutting spell that he puts on the door of the chamber of records in the Moria. He also has clear limitations, such as the inability to fly or the inability to conjure fire if there isn’t anything to burn. Figuratively, it’s the same with kindling hope and courage in the heart of men: it needs to be there to be rekindled.

but ultimately, Gandalf is like Batman. Pick a class, any class, and you can make a Gandalf. Give him a magic sword, a magic staff, a magic ring, or a few divine gifts if you need, but it’s really hard to put a D&D class on him. By tradition, he’s more magic-user than cleric so I’d be inclined to give him an arcane spellcasting class however.