Zelda 5e npc help

[ShutUpImEvil]

I am running a Legend of Zelda 5e campaign. An idea I had was to introduce them to Link 15 years+ after his big world saving event. He is in love with Zelda but because politics, she was married to some random noble from a neighbouring land, he couldn't stand to see her with someone else so he left the castle and hasn't been back since.
My issue is I can't pick what class I should make him. Can anyone help?
I am open to homebrew stuff if it fits.
Thank you

[nickl_2000]

If Link is an NPC class doesn't really matter. Just giving him the abilities you want and run with it.

If you really want a class, I would say Ranger or Fighter/Ranger. Ranged Weapons skills, "armor", can use a sword, etc.

[Willie the Duck]

There are multiple Links and Zeldas in the LoZ canon, which game are you talking about?

Link, as depicted in the traditional (NES+SNES) games can be readily represented by any class that can wield sword, bow, and shield. Most of his special abilities are from found treasure (magic items, in D&D parlance), and the only spells he cast can be represented by the Ritual Caster feat if need be. Personally, I'd make him a Fighter with both decent Dex and Str, a 13+ Int so that he can pick up Ritual Caster, and maybe Medium Armor Master (he does sneak up on monsters fairly well, so I figure he has stealth skill and operates without disadvantage). Other people might suggest other options (Hexblade with master sword as his patron is another fine interpretation). Honestly, even his race is questionable (he has elf-like ears, but Hyrulian characters seem to have human-esque lifespans, so maybe they are simply humans from a world where humans have pointed ears).

[RedMage125]

I am running a Legend of Zelda 5e campaign. An idea I had was to introduce them to Link 15 years+ after his big world saving event. He is in love with Zelda but because politics, she was married to some random noble from a neighbouring land, he couldn't stand to see her with someone else so he left the castle and hasn't been back since.
My issue is I can't pick what class I should make him. Can anyone help?
I am open to homebrew stuff if it fits.
Thank you

Link's class has been opined hundreds of times. The problem is that none of them fit him perfectly.

Good news for you is that NPCs don't get built using PC classes, so you could mix an match, cherry-picking abilities from a number of classes to make him what you want.

My suggestion is to take an NPC stat block that's already close to the CR you want Link to be, and modify his abilities until you get what you want. Champion (CR9) and Warlord (CR12 Legendary) both seem to fit. You'd of course want to change their greatswords to a longsword (Don't know if you've figured out what the Master Sword does*), and add +2 to his AC for his shield (more if it's magical). Don't forget to give him a Longbow. Perhaps a unique ability that lets him switch between Sword&Board and Archery 1/turn.

Which game are you basing this off of? In most, Link does not have spells, but does have spell-like abilities from items he can use.

Other potential good ideas would be giving him some kind of Spin Attack (since that's iconic), which would be that, as an Action, he can choose to attack every creature within 5 feet (Recharge 5-6). Another would be to use a bolt from the Master Sword to do Radiant Damage as a ranged attack (up to you if such requires him to be at full health).

And don't forget his Fairy in a jar. First time he drops to 0 hp, at the start of his next turn, he is brought back to his feet and healed for 15 hp. Something like that.


*Master Sword. I would make it a magic longsword (up to you if it grants +x to hit) that deals extra radiant damage each hit to monstrosities and undead (or however you want to classify "minions of Ganon").

[Trickery]

Link's class has been opined hundreds of times. The problem is that none of them fit him perfectly.

Good news for you is that NPCs don't get built using PC classes, so you could mix an match, cherry-picking abilities from a number of classes to make him what you want.

My suggestion is to take an NPC stat block that's already close to the CR you want Link to be, and modify his abilities until you get what you want. Champion (CR9) and Warlord (CR12 Legendary) both seem to fit. You'd of course want to change their greatswords to a longsword (Don't know if you've figured out what the Master Sword does*), and add +2 to his AC for his shield (more if it's magical). Don't forget to give him a Longbow. Perhaps a unique ability that lets him switch between Sword&Board and Archery 1/turn.


This is what I would do. NPCs don't need to be based on player character classes. You can just give them a set of abilities and stats, and it's much easier to keep track of them that way. This works quite well for Link since you can represent his gadgets as abilities, such as Hookshot: Link pulls himself to a distant target or pulls a distant target of appropriate size to himself.

If you wanted Link to be a player, I recommend Champion Fighter but with lots and lots of unique magic items.

[Man_Over_Game]

Link's class has been opined hundreds of times. The problem is that none of them fit him perfectly.

Good news for you is that NPCs don't get built using PC classes, so you could mix an match, cherry-picking abilities from a number of classes to make him what you want.

My suggestion is to take an NPC stat block that's already close to the CR you want Link to be, and modify his abilities until you get what you want. Champion (CR9) and Warlord (CR12 Legendary) both seem to fit. You'd of course want to change their greatswords to a longsword (Don't know if you've figured out what the Master Sword does*), and add +2 to his AC for his shield (more if it's magical). Don't forget to give him a Longbow. Perhaps a unique ability that lets him switch between Sword&Board and Archery 1/turn.

Which game are you basing this off of? In most, Link does not have spells, but does have spell-like abilities from items he can use.

Other potential good ideas would be giving him some kind of Spin Attack (since that's iconic), which would be that, as an Action, he can choose to attack every creature within 5 feet (Recharge 5-6). Another would be to use a bolt from the Master Sword to do Radiant Damage as a ranged attack (up to you if such requires him to be at full health).

And don't forget his Fairy in a jar. First time he drops to 0 hp, at the start of his next turn, he is brought back to his feet and healed for 15 hp. Something like that.


*Master Sword. I would make it a magic longsword (up to you if it grants +x to hit) that deals extra radiant damage each hit to monstrosities and undead (or however you want to classify "minions of Ganon").

Basically a Fighter with the Hunter subclass (from Ranger), given a bunch of magic items. Link's only real inherent superpower is his absolute refusal to die (from the Triforce of Courage), so Fighter or a modified Ranger is probably going to be your best guess. If you could take a Fighter and make a subclass that used the Artificer's rules of creating/modifying items, that'd be really damn close. Or take the Artificer and replace the spellcasting with martial abilities.

[zinycor]

Since he is an NPC, just make whatever you feel right for him. No need for classes and the like.

[ShutUpImEvil]

All great advice, thanks guys