Viking builds

[Teapot Salty]

Hey guys, I'm here looking for builds for everyone's favorite pillager: The viking, besides the obvious straight barbarian. What mechanics do you think fit the viking flavor the best? Give it a shot, and as always, go nuts.

[Gwendol]

Valor bard, rogue (thief), fighter (champion & battlemaster), hunter or spell-less ranger.
A cleric of thor or odin could also work nicely (thunder and knowledge).

[PoeticDwarf]

Hey guys, I'm here looking for builds for everyone's favorite pillager: The viking, besides the obvious straight barbarian. What mechanics do you think fit the viking flavor the best? Give it a shot, and as always, go nuts.

You need to be a dwarf, of course. Your background is probably sailor.

For me sounds paladin the best viking, or a thunder cleric.

[Mjolnirbear]

Viking is actually a type of lifestyle. The Norse weren't vikings, they went viking. There's an element of law and family and self-improvement in what is otherwise chaotic and a bit nuts.

Barbarian is key for his berserkr rage. Anyone who went viking was likely to try to rage. They might even try to battle while naked.

Skald is a kind of poet. In D&D that's the valor bard. While it's unusual to find a bard that is not a warrior, a lore bard could also work. Galdr is the bard's magic, the magic of words and music

A jarl is the leader. He may well be the best-educated of the bunch and know the best tactics. A Battlemaster would be terrific.

Seithr is woman's magic. It's the knowledge of divination, and of spirits. It was well-respected, even the men who practiced it (which was considered a little weird but in a culture with crossdressing gods, gods that change their functional gender and some of the naked hijincks they got up to, not all that weird to them). Here, a cleric of knowledge or a divination wizard might fit very well.

The third magic is runes. We don't have s class for that, but you could skin any kind of wizard or cleric build to have his magic come from runes.

Theives are in every culture but few norse could make a career of it. Most norse were poor farmsteaders with nothing worth stealing. Every norseman knew a little forest-work and rangers though it might be rare to do it as a career. Paladins would not likely exist. Holy crusades or missions just arent their thing. Neither would druids. They respected the land in general but for them it was not a source of power.

Warlocks...i don't think it would work. Norse don't really believe in shortcuts when it cones to working or learning. But their world is rife with spirits so it's not impossible to try to bargain.

[Slipperychicken]

Viking is actually a type of lifestyle. The Norse weren't vikings, they went viking.

That's a good point. You could have vikings of every class. Really, the act of viking seems quite synergistic with traditional D&D adventuring: a bunch of heavily-armed guys travel far and wide with the explicit purpose of victimizing others and looting their belongings.

[Tarvil]

Thunder Cleric, Champion/Battlemaster or Valor Bard (skald) are the best IMO.

[ImSAMazing]

You need to be a dwarf, of course. Your background is probably sailor.

For me sounds paladin the best viking, or a thunder cleric.

Wow what good english you speak can.

I won't say Dwarf, because Vikings weren't that small, and they didn't dwell underground. They stole other goods(also non-dwarvish) and of course they weren't that good with a forge.

Go for every class. Every class has the ability to become everyone. Vikings were devoted to some Gods(Clerics and Paladins), and some were evil(Warlocks). Of course there were some Vikings who studied much(Wizards), some lived on Chaos(Sorcerers). Of course you have the raging Viking(Barbarian), the Viking who is skilled in the arts of fighting(Fighter), a Viking which inspired others with their music in a boat for example(Bard), the Viking who lives with nature and brews potions(Druid) and a Viking which job is to just rob people(Rogue). So play what you want to be! It's D&D, the place where everything IS possible.

[Naanomi]

Ranger with coast as favored terrain, and human/halfling/favored raiding target seems a great addition. Hunter probably, but beastmaster with a raven or wolf would be culturally thematic anyways

Land Druid seems a good representation of 'old/women's magic'

Rogue would work if focused more on scouting than thieving

Warlocks could exist as well, learning magic from spirits/trolls/elves in alfheim was a thing

Monk, paladin, and Sorcerer are the only that don't intuitively fit the classic Viking image to me

[Ashrym]

Viking is actually a type of lifestyle. The Norse weren't vikings, they went viking. There's an element of law and family and self-improvement in what is otherwise chaotic and a bit nuts.

Barbarian is key for his berserkr rage. Anyone who went viking was likely to try to rage. They might even try to battle while naked.

Skald is a kind of poet. In D&D that's the valor bard. While it's unusual to find a bard that is not a warrior, a lore bard could also work. Galdr is the bard's magic, the magic of words and music

A jarl is the leader. He may well be the best-educated of the bunch and know the best tactics. A Battlemaster would be terrific.

Seithr is woman's magic. It's the knowledge of divination, and of spirits. It was well-respected, even the men who practiced it (which was considered a little weird but in a culture with crossdressing gods, gods that change their functional gender and some of the naked hijincks they got up to, not all that weird to them). Here, a cleric of knowledge or a divination wizard might fit very well.

The third magic is runes. We don't have s class for that, but you could skin any kind of wizard or cleric build to have his magic come from runes.

Theives are in every culture but few norse could make a career of it. Most norse were poor farmsteaders with nothing worth stealing. Every norseman knew a little forest-work and rangers though it might be rare to do it as a career. Paladins would not likely exist. Holy crusades or missions just arent their thing. Neither would druids. They respected the land in general but for them it was not a source of power.

Warlocks...i don't think it would work. Norse don't really believe in shortcuts when it cones to working or learning. But their world is rife with spirits so it's not impossible to try to bargain.

+1 this post.

[Mjolnirbear]

Thank you :)

Also forgot to mention:

Poetry and lore were highly valued. Any skald was likely to have a prominent placd in the jarl's court.

Also, we see viking as rape, slavery and banditry. But the norse thought of themselves as adventurers, warriors and providers. Scratching out an existence as a farmer did not provide for your family very well. Going viking was a way to provide for your family. It was a seasonal activity and they were back home in time for the harvest.

They celebrated their craftsmen, especially boat builders and smiths. Their smiths might not be as famous as, say, japanese smiths or arabic alchemists and mathematicians or greek philosopers but every culture needs it's makers. And they were epic seafarers, travelling everywhere in the known world and furthur.

[Naanomi]

An important thing to consider is races... While most 'classic' would be humans (obviously); Scandinavian cultures were big on breeding with raided and occupied locals, and being very 'progressive' for the era about the rights of captured peoples and freed slaves. Half Orc and half elf could easily be present.

Backgrounds: sailor and outlander stand out as obvious choices. Merchant is possible, many Vikings also did trading. Acolyte of a Norse God is also good, and folk hero or noble. Soldier also fine, many Vikings were just soldiers raiding between more formal battles. Sage or hermits in certain contexts would be good as well.

Criminal, charlatan, urchin, performer don't fit the classic image to me

A Viking party to me would be:
~Human Barbarian, outlander, traditional raider type. Totem or Frenzy both possibilities. Two handed axe.
~Human Ranger, sailor; coast as favored terrain, human/halfling as favored enemy; archery style. Hunter preferred, but beastmaster with a flying scout type animal also ok.
~Half-elf Bard, merchant, college of war. Axe/sword/spear and shield.
~human cleric, sage, any domain without heavy armor (I'd go with knowledge cleric of Odin since the party lacks a wizard). Spear and shield.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Also, going viking was something that a decently well-off farmer might be expected to do. In Njal's Saga, several characters (decent land-owners with a good number of sworn servants and slaves), who normally farmed their estates for a living, go out viking. In the Saga, they combine in one trip a merchant's voyage as well as raiding.

[Snig]

Wow what good english you speak can.

I won't say Dwarf, because Vikings weren't that small, and they didn't dwell underground. They stole other goods(also non-dwarvish) and of course they weren't that good with a forge.

Go for every class. Every class has the ability to become everyone. Vikings were devoted to some Gods(Clerics and Paladins), and some were evil(Warlocks). Of course there were some Vikings who studied much(Wizards), some lived on Chaos(Sorcerers). Of course you have the raging Viking(Barbarian), the Viking who is skilled in the arts of fighting(Fighter), a Viking which inspired others with their music in a boat for example(Bard), the Viking who lives with nature and brews potions(Druid) and a Viking which job is to just rob people(Rogue). So play what you want to be! It's D&D, the place where everything IS possible.

Did you really just call someone out for improper English? What a douche-bag thing to do. Did you ever consider English may be his second language?

[Teapot Salty]

Did you really just call someone out for improper English? What a douche-bag thing to do. Did you ever consider English may be his second language?

Please let this be the last word on this, I'd prefer it if we avoided a flame war.




On a side note keep these coming. Anyone know any specific builds that would fit?

[Malifice]

Viking is actually a type of lifestyle. The Norse weren't vikings, they went viking.

Yet we have a 'barbarian' class, which is of course just an ethnocentric subjective definition of a social class. By comparison, why don't we have a 'civilized' class? :smallsmile:

For an archetypal viking warrior, I'd go with a a fighter/ barbarian MC (maybe a dash of rogue or ranger as well). Sailor (pirate) background (everyone is scared of a viking). Berserker for barbarian, and probably Champion for the fighter levels (viking martial arts was brutal, uncomplicated and direct). Thief for Rogue if you take more than a few levels, and Hunter for ranger if you go that path.

For fighting styles, mariner or protection work the best (viking shield walls were rightly feared tactical formations, to the extent that viking Varangian shield bearers became the official guard if the Byzantine emperor for centuries). Less organised reaver types might be a bit more great weapon (axe) or dual wielder styles.

For feats, tavern brawler, shield master and sentinel look most appropriate.

Spear, shield and chain shirt would be the primary armament. Axe and sword as backups. Seax (dagger) for utility.

[Gwendol]

Wow what good english you speak can.

I won't say Dwarf, because Vikings weren't that small, and they didn't dwell underground. They stole other goods(also non-dwarvish) and of course they weren't that good with a forge.

Go for every class. Every class has the ability to become everyone. Vikings were devoted to some Gods(Clerics and Paladins), and some were evil(Warlocks). Of course there were some Vikings who studied much(Wizards), some lived on Chaos(Sorcerers). Of course you have the raging Viking(Barbarian), the Viking who is skilled in the arts of fighting(Fighter), a Viking which inspired others with their music in a boat for example(Bard), the Viking who lives with nature and brews potions(Druid) and a Viking which job is to just rob people(Rogue). So play what you want to be! It's D&D, the place where everything IS possible.

This looks like a particularly unhelpful post. Dwarves were quite central in viking lore as master artificers. Some classes are not really represented in norse lore (druids, for example), others, like warrior skalds (valor bards) were quite common (a jarl will typically have at least one in service).

[SouthpawSoldier]

Ironic that I come across this thread while looking for older threads on a related topic. I was skimming the Unearthed Arcana on Waterborne Adventures, and was looking for the old threads discussing the archetypes.

Skimming through it for Viking and Nordic related material, I find:

Minotaurs; I remember much discussion on Minotaurs being poorly written, but per the UA article based on Krynn/Dragonlance), their society well matches the stereotype of the Norse. Honor based society, ritualized combat and duels, conquerors and seafarers.


+1 STR, +1 to one of STR, INT, or WIS
6ft, 300lb Medium creatures
30ft Speed
Horns; always armed with a 1d10 Piercing weapon. Advantage on Shoving an enemy
Goring Rush; Attack as Bonus Action when Dashing
Hammering Horns: Shove attempt as Bonus Action after a melee attack
Labyrinthine Recall: Perfect recall of traveled paths
Sea Reaver: Proficiency with Navigator's Tools and Vehicle (water)


Also includes a Storm/Weather Sorcerer Archetype; seems more Celtic than Nordic.

Not much as far as Martial class options that match OP's needs; archetypes are geared towards 1700-1800 era pirates. Still, the UA is worth looking into for ideas.

[MrConsideration]

As for Druids, there is mention of shapeshifting in several sagas. Loki shapeshifts all the time and is connected with fire, so he could represent an archetypal druid.


I think a Totem Barbarian could easily represent a 'berserker' Norseman.
A bard wold be a great fit, too - less music, more this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzmmPRG4smU

Interesting aside. in Norse culture practicing magic was considered ergi or 'not masculine', so only women were supposed to do it, Men who did use magic were publicly shamed - there's a bit of doublethink about this though because Odin, leader of the Aesir gods, was a master of Norse magic.

As for 'stealing goods' and 'not being good with a forge', the tenth century Scandinavian longsword became the model of how to build a longsword for the entirety of Europe - and the Franks and the Saxons and the Slavs all raided, pillaged and stole as an institutional part of warfare. Charlemagne funded his ('civilised' Christian) empire solely on the treasure taken from conquered peoples. Raiding was a normal part of European society in the early Middle Ages. The reason we think of Vikings as particularly cruel is simple that they, an illiterate people, were raiding a literate one, so all are written sources are Anglo-Saxon or Frankish.

Is your party a group of Norsemen? I think a nautical Norseman-flaoured campaign would be great.

[Teapot Salty]

As for Druids, there is mention of shapeshifting in several sagas. Loki shapeshifts all the time and is connected with fire, so he could represent an archetypal druid.


I think a Totem Barbarian could easily represent a 'berserker' Norseman.
A bard wold be a great fit, too - less music, more this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzmmPRG4smU

Interesting aside. in Norse culture practicing magic was considered ergi or 'not masculine', so only women were supposed to do it, Men who did use magic were publicly shamed - there's a bit of doublethink about this though because Odin, leader of the Aesir gods, was a master of Norse magic.

As for 'stealing goods' and 'not being good with a forge', the tenth century Scandinavian longsword became the model of how to build a longsword for the entirety of Europe - and the Franks and the Saxons and the Slavs all raided, pillaged and stole as an institutional part of warfare. Charlemagne funded his ('civilised' Christian) empire solely on the treasure taken from conquered peoples. Raiding was a normal part of European society in the early Middle Ages. The reason we think of Vikings as particularly cruel is simple that they, an illiterate people, were raiding a literate one, so all are written sources are Anglo-Saxon or Frankish.

Is your party a group of Norsemen? I think a nautical Norseman-flaoured campaign would be great.

No this is just me build fishing, but a norseman campaign? That sounds epic.

[SouthpawSoldier]

... the tenth century Scandinavian longsword became the model of how to build a longsword for the entirety of Europe....

Look up Secrets of the Viking sword, OP. Hour long program from Nova about the Ulfbehrt; a crucible steel series of blades of legendary quality. In this case, the hype is deserved, as opposed to the katana. I believe the entire video is on Youtube. Very impressive part is watching a modern bladesmith replicate the techniques, and the testing of the steel by a metallurgy lab.

[j!nx]

what about maneuvers such as warblade gets? or is it just better to go fighter for the feats then take a level or 2 in barbarian for rage and the hit die for health? im looking into creating a "Viking" character that specializes in the shield wall and raiding tactics as well as respect for the gods such as odin and with a quote of victory or Valhalla,who he also travels with a lost beastmaster.. any ideas?

[PoeticDwarf]

Wow what good english you speak can.
Do you say this because you are someone who thinks only English people may enjoy forums. Do you say this because you like to break the forum rules or because you say on one side vikings can be everything -which is true but not the question- an on the other hand dwarves are bad vikings. And WOW druids have to make potions and bard music. Typical...

me'sa think you make good points

[Grod_The_Giant]

Swashbuckler Rogue might be good, especially with the standard-issue dash of Barbarian. Rush in and make a single big alpha-strike to chop someone in half; fight with honor or fight to win as circumstances demand.

[Sir cryosin]

Just pick any class can fit some kind of aspect. But for background you want sailor or guild artisan. What a lot of people don't know is quote on quote Vikings properly known as Norse. We're mostly trades and merchants. That's why they would go out and plunder and pillage because the lands that they lived in are harsh lands to survive on so they really didn't haven't have any time to grow crops or much livestock. So they would take everything that they plunder and pillage and go to the market and sell and trade.

[Knaight]

For one thing, I'll leave this (http://www.hurstwic.com/history/text/history.htm) here, it has the potential to be decent for inspiration.

As for the builds, the big thing is whether you want NPCs or PCs, as that allows focusing on different things. Either way you've got the archetypical equipment - mail, a shield, some combination of axes, spears, and swords, use of bows, and of course the longship. With NPCs though, you can focus on things like the formation fighting that vikings were often very good at. With PCs, I'd be more inclined to comb the sagas for particular feats of arms that sound fun and interesting, and see about recreating that style.