Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieveshits theaters this week, and fans of the world-famous tabletop role-playing game are curious to see how the beloved game has been translated into a live-action film. Understanding the deep love that TTRPG players have for their games, directorsJonathan GoldsteinandJohn Francis Daleycollaborated with the publishers of the game, Wizards of the Coast, to bring the essence of the game to life. The end result is a movie that can entertain viewers who have played DnD for years, just as much as someone who has never rolled a 20-sided die before. One of the most important features they paid attention to was the character classes of the main characters. In Dungeons and Dragons, characters choose classes that determine their strengths and weaknesses, their magical abilities, and the special features that make them unique and integral to their adventuring parties. Each character brings skills and expertise in certain aspects of adventuring that align incredibly well with the roles of each class in the game. With Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition (5E) being the most widely used and accessible version of the game to date, we’ll use that as the reference point to compare the film characters with their TTRP counterparts. So just how accurate are the character class in this live-action version of Dungeons and Dragons? Let’s take a look at each of the main protagonists and everything that they got right about these character classes:
Edgin the Bard
The mischievously charmingChris Pineplays Edgin, the quick-witted bard andde factoleader of the party. Bards in DnD are often musically inclined and multi-faceted, bringing a number of different talents that help them fulfill many roles. If you need someone to charm a guard with wit or wonder? You go to your bard. Do you need someone to inspire your adventuring party and give them a surge of new energy? Just look to your bard. Bards are jack-of-all-trades known for their charismatic personalities, and Edgin nails the role perfectly. In the games, bards have a signature ability called Bardic Inspiration, where they amplify a party member’s ability to help them succeed. Though it’s never stated explicitly in the film, Edgin’s inspirational words to his friends truly end up pushing them to succeed, a realistic interpretation of the ability.
In the most classic bard fashion, Edgin carries around a lute that he uses quite proficiently and creatively: he uses it to entertain his friends as they travel from place to place, he plays a lofty tune to distract a guard, and even uses it to knock out an enemy or two with a comically realistic thunk. Though he’s the least combat savvy of the main party, that never hinders his contributions. He serves as the face of the group, taking on a forward-facing spokesperson role when it comes to recruiting new members or interacting with other important characters. However, there is one noticeable trait absent in Edgin: magic. Every edition of the bard in DnD has displayed magical capabilities, able to cast spells such as illusions at will. Throughout the film, Edgin never displays any talent or potential in magic, but rest assured he is enough of a bard that it feels right even without arcane ability. Edgin’s greatest tools are his wit, charisma, and heart, which are the most important traits of a bard and the reason Edgin performed amazingly.
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Holga the Barbarian
Michelle Rodriguezplays the indomitable and resilient barbarian of the group, Holga. Barbarians are DnD’s most physically imposing and formidable class. They are designed to be tanks that can take hits for the rest of the party, absorbing damage and dealing it right back to their enemies. One of their tools for doing so is an ability called Rage, which lets them use their anger to become more resistant to damage and more powerful in their attacks. As with much of the abilities translated into live-action, this trait is not necessarily described explicitly but can be seen in how her character is characterized both in and out of combat. When in a fight, Holga is Edgin’s bodyguard and muscle who can make up for his lack of martial prowess. She wields axes with ferocity, one of the weapons most associated with barbarians. The barbarian class is one of the most combat-focused in the game, so the fact that Holga’s most defining actions arefeats of impressive skillmakes her accurate to the core of what makes a Barbarian.
Simon the Sorcerer
Fulfilling many of the magical needs of the group,Justice Smithplayed the role of Simon, the sorcerer of the group; albeit not initially the most proficient spellcaster to begin with. Sorcerers in DnD receive their power from their bloodline, inheriting arcane abilities thanks to the powers of their ancestors. He is the descendant of Elminster Aumar, a wizard canonical to the DnD setting of the Forgotten Realms. All the spells Simon uses are accurate to the game itself, featuring notable incantations such as Thaumaturgy, Minor Illusion, and Shield. Some of the more defined mechanics of spellcasting are even present in the film, with spellcasters being unable to hold Concentration on more than one spell at a time. However, Simon’s proficiency in magic is put to question because of his lack of precision and skill. In the film, that serves as a narrative obstacle for him to overcome. For TTRPG fans, it’s a fantastic interpretation of Wild Magic sorcery, a subclass of sorcerers that risk random spikes of uncontrollable magic known as Wild Magic Surges. From straight-up failing to cast a spell or accidentally reversing the gravity in a room, all of Simon’s missteps feel like they’re pulled straight from the game. For every magical mishap that befalls Simon, DnD fans are sure to find some humor and relatability in the chaos that this type of sorcerer is guaranteed to bring to a party.
Doric the Druid
One of the most visually dynamic and entertaining characters is played bySophia Lillis, who was the tiefling druid of the team. Druids are spellcasters whose magic is intrinsically connected to nature and the natural world. Doric’s primary motivations are to protect the forests that her and her community, the Emerald Enclave, call home. One of their signature features is Wild Shape, the ability to transform into a number of different animals. This is Doric’s most used ability and the visual design and choreography of her transformations are engaging and dynamic. One of the most impressive scenes in the film involves a chase scene where Doric must utilize her Wild Shape for quick transformations and a speedy getaway from relentless pursuers. Though Doric fully captures the essence of an in-game druid, it should still be noted that they took a number of liberties with the mechanics in order to make it appealing for the screen. In the game, druids have a limited number of Wild Shapes per day and have a limited list of animals they can transform into. In the film, Doric can transform at will a seemingly infinite number of times and can even turn into an Owlbear, a fantastic beast that typical druids cannot turn into. That being said, Doric’s ability to turn into an Owlbear is described as unique even in that world, a knowing nod to stringent rule-abiding fans that acknowledges it’s not entirely accurate. But despite that lack of accuracy, Doric’s character design, transformations, and characterization are more than enough druid for the big screen.
Xenk the Paladin
Regal as ever,Regé-Jean Pageportrayed Xenk the paladin, devoted to upholding his righteous tenets. Paladins in DnD are powerful warriors who receive magical ability thanks to their oaths to divine beings in their world. In order to use their powers, they must uphold Tenets, or values, that are unique to each type of paladin. Xenk himself cites some of his Tenets throughout the film, upholding that strict morality that defines paladins. This commitment and devotion to a set of rules has marked the paladin class with a reputation of uptightness, something that is altogether apparent in Xenk. He is serious and focused, wasting little time for humor and jest with the party. For each witty retort made by Edgin, Xenk replies with earnest yet mildly condescending wisdom, just like a paladin. One of the most notable paladin features that Xenk exhibits is his use of Divine Smite. Paladins are able to imbue their weapons with holy power in order to increase their damage output. In his duel against evil red wizards, Xenk uses this feature like every stand-up paladin in a game: with utter dominance.
With so many traits and features for each class, it would be impossible to cite every detail taken from the TTRPG and put to life on the screen. Even among these characters, there are a number of different abilities that make small appearances. Xenk’s use of Divine Sense, a paladin ability used to detect evil, is portrayed as a sense of smell, just like it’s described in the books. Simon’s difficulty with Attuning to a magical item meant to empower him is something that actually happens in games as well. Rest assured DnD fans, the interpretations of your favorite character classes are quite accurate and are masterfully translated into rowdy fun on the silver screen.
