10 Lord Of The Rings Characters & What Their Dungeons & Dragons Ability Scores Would Be

Summary

• The best
  Lord of the Rings
  characters would have high Strength and Wisdom scores in D&D, facing off against Sauron.
• Galadriel, Éowyn, and Gimli each possess unique abilities that make them powerful characters in Middle-earth.
• Frodo’s small stature hides his strong Constitution and Wisdom, essential for resisting the corrupting influence of the One Ring.

When Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies followed author J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous books, it was only a matter of time until someone assigned the best Lord of the Rings charactersDungeons & Dragons ability scores. With Dungeons & Dragons and Lord of the Rings both occupying huge spaces in the realm of fantasy, a crossover is inevitable. Frodo, Sam, and the Fellowship of the Ring would rack up some high scores in the Strength and Wisdom departments to get them facing off against the franchise’s titular villain, Sauron – the Lord of the Rings.

With The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 1 expanding on Galadriel’s character, Galadriel is one classic Tolkien character that has been in the public consciousness more recently. Along with Elrond, her ability has been explored in the show. Gollum will be the main character in the upcoming Andy Serkis film, Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which will shed new light on this historical character. Whichever Lord of the Rings favorite would be the ideal D&D player character, it’s worth diving into the Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma of each.

10 Samwise Gangee

Wise But Weak

Samwise Gamgee was not known for his wit in Lord of the Rings, but his Ring-bearer status earns him a remarkable Constitution score. In the second part of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, this humble Hobbit became a Ring-bearer. Although this only lasted for a couple of days, while Sam took care of the Ring in Frodo’s absence, it made Sam’s ability to resist toxic outside influence clear.

Sam’s heroic effort to bear the Ring, and get Frodo to the Cracks of Doom, is an overall task which earns Sam high scores in both Constitution and Wisdom. Sam was wise beyond his years to resist the pull of the Ring, as well as made of tough stuff. Sam’s wisdom lay in his mental clarity and contentment with his lot – his garden and his friends. He was never grasping around for power, so the Ring’s corrupting influence had fewer strongholds in Sam than in many others.

9 Éowyn

Fairly Balanced

The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim heroine will take inspiration from timeless Tolkien character Éowyn, whose fairly balanced set of abilities ensured her lasting legacy. Éowyn is an underrated Tolkien character, her beauty belying strong abilities across the board. Aragorn’s famous movie line, “you have some skill with a blade” pointed viewers to the right conclusion about Éowyn – she is strong and ready for battle.

Éowyn’s training for war, though limited, saw her kill the Witch-king of Angmar – a major battle victory. She couldn’t have done this without Merry’s help, so she may not be earning the same high scores in Strength or Dexterity as other Lord of the Rings characters, but she’s a worthy opponent. Whatever Éowyn may lack in physical combat skills, she starts making up for with her Charisma and Intelligence.

8 Gimli

Strong Constitution

Gimli had the Constitution of a Dwarf – built to last and sturdy. This strong score complemented his Strength and Dexterity. Gimli was, by all measures, a formidable member of the Fellowship of the Ring – he joined Legolas and Aragorn in pursuing Merry and Pippin after their kidnapping by the Orcs, saved Éomer’s life, and participated in the final battle against Sauron.

Gimli’s Charisma score is a tougher one to call – there were a few times when the Fellowship had to sidestep Gimli’s loud-mouthed tactlessness. However, Gimli managed to secure three strands of Elf witch Galadriel’s hair in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. This single act positioned Gimli above the likes of even Fëanor – one of the greatest of the Noldor – in some respects. Fëanor also asked for a strand of Galadriel’s hair, but his request was refused.

7 Legolas

Mostly Balanced

Lord of the Rings Elf Legolas is undeniably one of the most talented characters in the movies. It was notoriously hard for Dwarves and Men to beat Elves, often due to their long lifespans, and the simple fact of them having trained for whole lifetimes longer than other races. Carrying royal blood, Legolas was the son of Silvan Elf king Thranduil, and he clearly took every opportunity offered him to become one of Middle-earth’s greatest fighters.

Look no further than Legolas’ Orc-slaying contest with Gimli in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in the Battle of Helm’s Deep for a sure sign of Legolas’ Strength. Although Gimli beat Legolas by one, it was a close call. Legolas’ acrobatics during this battle were a good reflection of the book character’s Dexterity, earning him a high score there.

6 The Witch-king of Angmar

High Charisma

Out of Lord of the Rings’ terrifying ringwraiths, the Witch-king of Angmar was the most powerful. The leader of the pack, the Witch-king was also known as the Lord of the Nazgûl, and led Sauron’s forces to war against various kingdoms of Men in the Third Age, before topping off his CV with a Morgul Blade to Frodo’s shoulder. This act significantly slowed down the mission of the Fellowship, proving Intelligence on the Nazgûl’s part.

Despite this, it wasn’t enough to stop Frodo from destroying the Ring. Nor was the Ringwraith’s innate power enough to save him from the wrath of Éowyn and Merry in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The Witch-king of Angmar has a high score for Charisma, despite his less-than-appealing physical appearance. In a D&D game, this Nazgûl’s intimidation factor would be hard to top.

5 Galadriel

Charisma, Strength, and Wisdom

The Rings of Power chose to highlight Galadriel’s skill in battle, while the movies were more about her magical ability, but book readers will know that Galadriel was renowned in both areas. This leads her to great Wisdom, Charisma, and Strength, although her abilities are all well-honed. Galadriel’s strength and military prowess were developed during the First and Second Ages, and may have been crucially established during her critical crossing of the Helcaraxë.

While she couldn’t have fought Sauron head-to-head alone and won, her wisdom enabled her to resist the temptation of the One Ring. Her Charisma shone through as she reaped information from the minds of many in The Fellowship of the Ring, securing whatever intel she needed, subtly, through her intimidating glare and mind reading. As one of the oldest Elves in Middle-earth, Galadriel’s Dexterity is more than a match for fellowship members like Legolas and Aragorn.

4 Frodo Baggins

Small But Powerful

Frodo’s small stature was deceptive – his diminutive frame housed a titan of a soul who succeeded in a task that all other Fellowship members would have failed at. Frodo’s quest to destroy the Ring was successful in the end, despite Gollum’s accidental assistance. Frodo’s Wisdom was essential here – he displayed a strong moral compass at all times. But it is his hardy Hobbit constitution that enabled him to resist the One Ring’s corrupting influence better than perhaps anyone else could have.

Frodo’s physical strength and fitness were never in question after The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, but compared to those of the other Fellowship members and his rivals, they were lacking. Whatever Frodo lacked in physical agility and force, he could make up for with his other high scores. After all, Frodo was The Lord of the Rings’ primary hero and protagonist for good reason.

3 Aragorn

Hard To Beat

Aragorn may be Middle-earth’s second-biggest hero, after Frodo. Aragorn’s leadership and sword-fighting skills were proventhroughout Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy time and time again, but it may be Aragorn and Arwen’s relationship that raises his Charisma score. With enough charm to steal the heart of an Elf noble, Aragorn’s marriage into Elrond’s family secured his power as the new king of Gondor and Arnor by the end of the movies.

As the heir of Isildur, and one of the last remaining descendants of the mighty Númenórean race, Aragorn was no ordinary Man. He enjoyed a long life, and was already 87 at the time of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Aragorn’s heritage blessed him with great Strength and Dexterity, as well as a long life, with the Intelligence earned over so many years serving him well.

2 Gandalf

Max For Wisdom

Gandalf’s undisputed position as the wisest in Middle-earth ranged from his protection of Bilbo and Frodo, while they possessed the One Ring, to his strategic win of the War of the Ring. While it was Frodo and Sam that carried out the mission’s hardest task – destroying the Ring – the quest would have fallen to pieces without Gandalf’s strategy underpinning it all.

Gandalf’s wisdom came from the One himself – The Lord of the Rings’ God, Eru Illuvatar. This was shown to be the case by Eru casting his vote in Gandalf’s favor after the Balrog killed him. Eru brought Gandalf back to Middle-earth after his skirmish with death because the fate of Middle-earth was dark without him. He was truly indispensable to the Fellowship and peace on Middle-earth, using his Intelligence and Constitution to win the war.

1 Sauron

Max For Intelligence

The eponymous Lord of the Rings is unquestionably one of the best villains in literature and movies, his ancient Intelligence forming the backbone of his campaign to rule Middle-earth. In The Lord of the Rings timeline, Sauron was not defeated until the end of the Third Age, with his demise marking the start of the Fourth Age. However, all throughout the First and Second Ages, Sauron ruled vast territories and carried out atrocities in his pursuit of power.

Sauron’s scheming resulted in the creation of the Rings of Power, the fantasy equivalent of advanced technology, which enabled him to extend his power beyond its normal scope. With only his wits and Charisma to help him, Sauron had previously infiltrated Eregion as a spy, to get these made. This impressive history culminated in the display of Strength in The Lord of the Rings movies that nearly guaranteed his total domination of the world.