WARNING: SPOILERS for Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves below.The characters of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves exist in a fantasy alternate world known as Forgotten Realms, the largest and most established setting for playing DnD, which includes set rules for character classes. Based on these rules, the Dungeons & Dragons movie classes determine how they interact with and immerse into the Forgotten Realms’ fantasy multiverse. While the previous films were less explicit in the classes they featured, the new Dungeons and Dragons movie breaks this trend and revealed the specific character classes of the main seven characters.
The Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves cast is comprised of Edgin the bard (Chris Pine), Holga the barbarian (Michelle Rodriguez), Xenk the paladin (Regé-Jean Page), Simon the sorcerer (Justice Smith), Doric the druid (Sophia Lillis), Forge Fitzwilliam the rogue (Hugh Grant), and Sofina the Red Wizard of Thay (Daisy Head). In the movie, as in the game, the respective class of each character gives them unique abilities and methods of contributing to the story. Here’s what makes each class unique in the game and how this was explored in the new D&D movie.
Bard
In DnD, bards are a magical class that cast spells through song, speech, dance, or whatever art form they practice. Out of the Dungeons & Dragons movie classes, the bard is the most versatile, and tends to be more charismatic and persuasive, often adding comedy to DnD games. While Chris Pine’s bard Edgin doesn’t cast spells, he does use his gift of gab and music to encourage allies, distract enemies, and talk his way out of (and into) nearly everything. Edgin also has no trouble using powerful magical items like the Tablet of Resurrection, and is also an ex-Harper, both of which are consistent with how bards are full casters and are often drawn into spy work.
Barbarian
Barbarians are one of D&D’s martial classes that rely on battle fury to empower them in a fight. Compared to the other Dungeons & Dragons movie classes, the barbarian is able to deal more damage and stand toe-to-toe with opponents through sheer offense and defense. This can be seen in Michelle Rodriguez’s Holga Kilgore, an Uthgardt barbarian who is highly proficient in a variety of martial weapons. Notably, the new DnD movie didn’t feature the popular barbarian ability called Rage, in which the warrior gains extra combat abilities for a limited time by tapping into their battle fury. That said, this ultimately allowed Holga to rise above typical barbarian tropes.
Paladin
Types of paladins in D&D can be varied, but most typically function as a character that utilizes both magical and martial abilities. Stereotypical paladins are classic knights in shining armor, whose vows to a code of honor or deity grant them great power. In-game, this manifests as the ability to literally smite their enemies, imbuing their strikes with magical energy and accessing spells unavailable to other martial classes. Regé-Jean Page’s paladin Xenk Yendar does all this and more. Cleverly, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves avoids creating a run-of-the-mill paladin by pushing the class to its most ridiculous limits, subverting the paladin’s heroic tropes to create a hilarious and worthwhile addition to established lore.
Sorcerer
While wizards, bards, paladins, and druids all undergo some process in order to cast spells, sorcerers have magic running through their veins, whether it’s because of their exotic or Draconic bloodline, or prior exposure to cosmic and otherworldly forces. As Justice Smith’s sorcerer Simon Aumar shows in Honor Among Thieves, sorcerers are unique among the Dungeons & Dragons movie classes for their innate ability to wield magic. In Simon’s case, this is because he is a descendant of Elminster Aumar, one of the greatest mages in the history of the Forgotten Realms. Additionally, Edgin’s insistence that Simon is capable of practically anything is a subtle clue for viewers unaware of the sorcerer’s true nature.
Druid
Perhaps the most fleshed-out of the Dungeons & Dragons movie classes, the druid derives their spells and abilities from communion with nature, which most notably manifests through Wild Shape, which allows the druid to transform into various beasts. While Sophia Lillis’ druid Doric shapeshifting into an owlbear has caused controversy for being disloyal to the source material, every other animal shape that Doric assumes is within the bounds of a high-level druid from DnD 5e. Moreover, like most druids in-game, Doric is part of an organized group dedicated to protecting the wilds, which in this case is the Emerald Enclave in the new DnD movie.
Rogue
Another martial class, rogues tend to rely on speed and finesse. They are typically agile and quick, proficient with melee and ranged weapons, and have sharp reflexes perfect for picking locks and purses and sneaking through the night. Rogues make their living through thievery, spy work, assassinations. Rogues are also cunning, as seen in Honor Among Thieves since Hugh Grant’s Forge Fitzwilliam — a rogue — cons everyone around them. Forge represents the lofty opportunities of playing a rogue with the highest possible points in persuasion and charisma. Though Forge’s specific class abilities were only briefly explored in the prologue, the character’s overall ambition and underhanded methods proudly represent the rogue class in all its shady glory.
Wizard
Wizards existed long before sorcerers were even conceived in Dungeons & Dragons. Unlike sorcerers, wizards need to read books, practice rituals, and memorize spells to wield magic — a literal embodiment of the old adage “knowledge is power“. In almost every grandiose DnD story, the wizard both represents the sheer potential of raw knowledge and serves as a warning about how easily power can corrupt. This is perfectly represented by Daisy Head’s Sofina — a Red Wizard of Thay who nearly turned all of Neverwinter into her personal undead army. Inarguably the most source-accurate of the Dungeons & Dragons movie classes, Sofina’s spells in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves reveal nearly all the capabilities of the classic DnD spellcaster.
