What would they be in D&D?

[scruffygrognard]

1. Aragorn/Strider - Human (with elven blood), Alignment: Lawful Good
AD&D: Split-classed Ranger/Paladin (only a smattering of Paladin)
3rd Edition: Multiclassed Ranger/Paladin (only a smattering of Paladin)

2. Odysseus - Human, Alignment: Chaotic Good
AD&D: Split-classed Fighter/Thief (about even)
3rd Edition: Multiclassed Swashbuckler/Rogue (about even)

3. Maximus - Human, Alignment: Lawful Good
AD&D: Fighter
3rd Edition: Multiclassed Fighter/Swashbuckler (mostly Fighter)

4. Merlin - Cambion, Alignment: Neutral (good)
AD&D: Multiclassed Druid/Magic-User
3rd Edition: Bard

 

[Wormwood]

Aragorn: Solo Soldier (Leader)
Odysseus: Elite Lurker
Maximus: Elite Soldier (Leader)

 

[Sammael]

In terms of 3.5E (I'd say all are about level 10 or so):

1. Aragorn/Strider
The leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, from J.R.R. Tolkiens "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the movie trilogy of the same name.
LG Human Paragon/Paladin/Ranger/Fighter

2. Odysseus
Sailor and wanderer from Greek legend, a hero in Homer's "The Iliad" and the main character of Homer's "The Odyssey".
N Human Aristocrat/Rogue/Fighter

3. Maximus
Roman general and gladiator hero, played by Russel Crowe in Ridley Scott's masterpiece, "Gladiator".
LG Human Fighter/Marshal/Legendary Leader;

4. Merlin
Mysterious advisor to King Arthur
LN Half-Fiend Bard/Diviner

 

[Hellzon]

Hokay. Disclaimer: What I know is 3.0 and 4E, so I'll mostly use that.

So, here's the game. I'll list a few well-known characters from fantasy movies and films, and you'll briefly describe what class/level they are, and maybe a few important build choices (I don't want friggin' character sheets, here). Pick at least two different editions of D&D to do this, or go all out and describe them in every edition's terminology.

1. Aragorn/Strider
The leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, from J.R.R. Tolkiens "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the movie trilogy of the same name.

3.0: Fighter/Ranger, 10:ish level, 6 or 7 in Ranger for some ranks in Nature and Heal (and some 1:st level spells eventually). Max out Diplomacy.
4E: Warlord, inspiring build (but didn't skimp on the Int either). Paragon level, let's say 15.
General: Not really a full Ranger, at least not once the two-weapon and racial enemy stuff went in.

2. Odysseus
Sailor and wanderer from Greek legend, a hero in Homer's "The Iliad" and the main character of Homer's "The Odyssey".

3.0: Oh, tricky. A part of me is thinking of Sinbad and saying "Rogue" so let's go with that. Works with the trickyness and skilledness, at least. (Bard is right out.) 7:th level Rogue, because I like the number 7. High Cha to trick the cyclops.
4E: Rogue, Cha-build. 7:thish in this edition too.

3. Maximus
Roman general and gladiator hero, played by Russel Crowe in Ridley Scott's masterpiece, "Gladiator".

3.0: After doing this, I'll look forward to seeing the justification for anyone who doesn't choose "Fighter". Level 8 Fighter - good enough to massacre foes in the arena, but still have an even fight when wounded beforehand (that last one). Only going off the movie here.
4E: Still 8:th level Fighter. I guess the real thing was a Warlord. Maybe take some Warlord Multiclass feats.

4. Merlin
Mysterious advisor to King Arthur

3.0: 20:th level Adept/Loremaster, can't be arsed to check if that's possible. Dunno if there's a feat for the whole "living backwards" schtick, but give him high Int and tons of skill to simulate that. I suppose the Loremaster prestige class was made for him and Gandalf.
4E: Level 21 High Int Invoker? Dunno.

 

[Negflar2099]

I would list them as follows.

1. Aragorn/Strider
Human Two Weapon Ranger with a feat that lets him live as long as an elf.

2. Odysseus
I'm not so sure about this one. Warlord I think.

3. Maximus
Definitely fighter with various gladiator feats from that article a while back.

4. Merlin
Well it's easy to say Wizard and call it a day but I actually think Druid/Wizard multiclass. Maybe Wizard/Druid but I don't think so.

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

In terms of 3.5,

I would put Aragorn as an 18th level ranger, 1st level paladin, just because of the whole heir of Isildur thing

Odysseus I would put as a ranged specialisation ranger 10, rogue 5, definitely with a very high bluff skill

Maximus, I haven't seen the movie, but based on what I've seen, I'd put him at a thirteenth level fighter

Merlin I would put merlin as a half-elf 17th level druid, 2nd level sorcerer

and I'll throw Gandalf in there too, I play him as a 20th level wizard, 5th level sorcerer

 

[Nivenus]

It's difficult to sort some of these characters, particularly Odysseus and Merlin since the two have seen so many interpretations. However, I'll try my best here with 4e rules (since I feel 4e is better suited to emulating myth than 3e).

Aragorn

Fighter/Warlord multiclass. Which is dominant would depend upon which you think is more important - Aragorn as a leader or Aragorn as a warrior. I'm going to lean here towards Warlord, simply because he is, after all, the One True King(R).

As a 3e character he'd probably be a pure fighter, maybe with a little bit of scout on the side. But though he's called a Ranger he really just doesn't fit into the 3e or 4e interpretations of the class (or even the 2e one, from what I know). Maybe with archery as his focus over two-blade, but really, the LotR organization and the D&D class have been pretty divorced for a while now. They ain't talking.

Legolas, on the other hand, would make a spectacular ranger.

Odysseus

This depends partially upon which version of the Odyssey is being told. Primarily, Odysseus' defining traits are his intelligence, his charisma (just look at how many women he beds!), and his skill with a bow. Intelligence is the key attribute of only a handful of classes in 4e, being by far most important for wizards. However, Odysseus is very clearly not a wizard.

The closest I can think of is a warlord, once again. After all, intelligence is a key attribute for one warlord build, and charisma is the key attribute for the other. And given that Odysseus is renowned as a tactician and general, it kind of fits. Perhaps, given his trickster ways, he'd have the Sneak of Shadows or another rogue multiclass feat.

In 3e, since warlords don't exist, he'd probably function best as a dual fighter/rogue mix.

Maximus

Again, warlord (I think I'm beginning to see a pattern here...). He's explicitly a leader of men and a general. Of course he's a warlord! However, he probably wouldn't be pure as such, since he's clearly capable of holding his own in a fight. So multiclassing as a fighter would probably be a good option to have.

In 3e, I'd probably put him down as a straight-up fighter.

Merlin

I was going to say wizard, but I think I agree with what others have said about him having strong druidic overtones. While it's not explicit in many of the classic versions of Arthurian legend, Merlin seems to draw heavily on the memories of the Celtic druids and bards. So a druid, multiclassing as a bard in either edition, is a strong candidate for Merlin.

In 3e, he might also dabble in wizardry but I think that in 4e, he wouldn't find it necessary and he'd just be a straight up druid with bardic stuff on the side.

 

[Herschel]

1. Aragorn/Strider
The leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, from J.R.R. Tolkiens "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the movie trilogy of the same name.

AD&D: Ranger (just not choosing to use two weapons like some of teh module pre-gens).
4E: Fighter w/ Warlord Multiclass

2. Odysseus
Sailor and wanderer from Greek legend, a hero in Homer's "The Iliad" and the main character of Homer's "The Odyssey".

AD&D: Fighter'Rogue Dual-class


3. Maximus
Roman general and gladiator hero, played by Russel Crowe in Ridley Scott's masterpiece, "Gladiator".

AD&D: Fighter w/ kit
4E: Fighter w/ Warlord multiclass or Avenger w/ Warlord multiclass

4. Merlin
Mysterious advisor to King Arthur

AD&D: Dual classed Wizard/Druid
4E: Sorcerer

 

[wingsandsword]

1. Aragorn/Strider
The leader of the Fellowship of the Ring, from J.R.R. Tolkiens "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the movie trilogy of the same name.

2e
Half-Elf Ranger 9

3.5e
Half-Elf Ranger 6/Human Paragon 3

2. Odysseus
Sailor and wanderer from Greek legend, a hero in Homer's "The Iliad" and the main character of Homer's "The Odyssey".

2e
Human Ranger 10

3.5e
Human Ranger 5/Horizon Walker 5

3. Maximus
Roman general and gladiator hero, played by Russel Crowe in Ridley Scott's masterpiece, "Gladiator".

2e
Human Fighter 9

3.5e
Human Fighter 2/Marshall 7

4. Merlin
Mysterious advisor to King Arthur

2e
Human Wizard 8/Druid 9

3.5e
Human Wizard 3/Druid 3/Mystic Theurge 4

 

[arscott]

So, we've pretty clearly established that Maximus is a Hexblade/Psychic Warrior or a 1e Monk, so how about another batch of characters?

5. Link
Hero of the "Legend of Zelda" video game series.

6. Susan Pevensie
Older Pevensie sister from C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia".

7. Will Turner
Orphan Blacksmith turned swashbuckling pirate in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy

8. Dr. Strange
Sorcerer Supreme, and leader of the Defenders superteam, from the Marvel Comic Books