Classes in the Heroic Age

The heroes are paragons imbued with the might of the gods, even at first level. At first level the players are stronger than 80% of the mortals in the Heroic Age. It should be noted that all of these are just suggestions. With a little creativity any child of any god can fit into these classes or archetypes. Some just fit better than others. 

• Barbarian. Usually, a barbarian is an outsider, but a barbarian would be right at home in Mycenae. Hercules, with his great strength and rages, is good example of a Greek barbarian. 
• Path of the Berzerker: This tracks with Greek Mythology. Both Achilles and Hercules were known for their bloodthirsty rages. 
• Path of the Totem Warrior: This one might be a little bit more difficult to fit with Greek mythology. However, there are lots of nature deities. A child of Demeter or Artemis could fit, thanks to their affinity with nature. 
• Path of the Ancestral Guardian (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): This would be fitting for a child of Hades. Using your connection with the underworld allows you to call upon the spirits of the dead to aid you. 
• Path of the Storm Herald (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): This is perfect for the son of Zeus or Poseidon. You can draw on their power. 
• Path of the Zealot and Battlerager: This is probably where I’d draw the line. The Battlerager has spiked armor, which really was not a thing in bronze age Greece. 
• Bard. The bard class would be right at home in Ancient Greece. The lyre and flute were common instruments, while actors and storytellers found work across the land. Homer, the blind orator who wrote the Odyssey and Iliad, is a good example of a bard. 
• College of Glamour (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): This would be a good choice for a child of Demeter, Dionysus or Pan. They would be taught by satyrs. 
• College of Lore: These bards are early philosophers and perfect for children of Athena, Hera, or Apollo. 
• College of Blades (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): Good for children of Ares, Athena, or anyone else really. The Greeks love performances. 
• College of Valor: Another good choice for wise commanders and children of Ares or Athena. 
• College of Whispers: This would be very good for a child of Nyx (even though in this campaign she is the antagonist, and rarely interacts with mortals, a character could be a child of one of the Oneroi or Hypnos, god of dreams. Which would make Nyx their grandmother). 
• Cleric. The ultimate form of dedication to the gods, clerics are different than the average hero since they wield more divine power than most mortals. Chryses, who prayed to Apollo to punish the Greeks when they kidnapped his daughter and refused to return her, is a good example of a cleric. 
• At a later date, I will make a post about the Olympian gods and the Domains available to them. People in ancient Greece worshiped all of the gods, it was never a good idea to ignore one of them. 
• Druid. Historically, these are priests found among the Celtic people of Gaul, Britain, and Ireland. But in the Heroic Age they could be priests of Demeter, Artemis, Pan, or Dionysus. Erato, the forest nymph and prophetess of Pan, is a good example of a druid. 
• Circle of the Moon: Obviously, druids connected to Artemis. She does not have children, but she does choose mortals to adopt. 
• Circle of Dreams (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): Perfect for druids connected to Nyx, Hypnos, or Apollo. 
• Circle of the Shepherd (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): Ideal for a druid connected with Demeter or Dionysus. 
• Fighter. The Greeks of the Heroic age were natural born fighters, spending most of their time stealing cattle and captives from one another. Achilles, who was a master of the fighting arts and could throw a javelin farther than anyone, is a good example of a fighter. 
• All of the archetypes for the fighter are fitting for almost any child of any god or goddess. Mainly because almost all of the gods and goddesses are fighters, especially during the bronze age. Even Aphrodite fought in the Trojan War. 
• Monk. Rather than an ascetic training in a monastery, the monk is an athlete who trains at the gymnasium. Milo of Croton, one of the most famous Ancient Greek wrestlers, is a good example of a monk. 
• Way of the Open Hand: Ancient Greeks trained to fight all the time. Almost all of the monastic traditions can fit into the Heroic Age, but they train at gymnasiums not monasteries. 
• Way of the Drunken Master (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): Perfect for a child of Dionysus, who probably drinks like a fish. 
• Way of the Sun (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): Apollo is the god of the sun, and he is also a patron of athletes. 
• Ranger. There are plenty of beasts and monsters during the Heroic Age. Greece is plagued by boars, lions, bulls, and bears. Atalanta, the woman who helped hunt down the Caledonian boar is a good example of a ranger. 
• Hunter: Perfect for a child of Artemis or Apollo. 
• Beast Master: Suitable for a child of Artemis or Demeter. 
• Monster Slayer: Suitable for any child of any god or goddess. Hercules probably matches this description the most, for he slayed countless monsters. 
• Horizon Walker: Suitable for a child of Hermes. 
• Gloom Stalker: Good for a child of Hades, Hermes, or Persephone. 
• Rogue. For every strong hero there is a cunning one. The countryside is home to countless bandits who steal from unwary travelers. Autolycus, the son of Hermes and self proclaimed “King of Thieves” is a good example of a rogue. 
• Arcane Trickster: good for a child of Hecate. 
• Scout: Perfect for a child chosen by Artemis, a hunter comfortable out in the wild. 
• Mastermind (Xanathar’s Guide to Everything): A child of Athena would make a good political mastermind. A child of Aphrodite might use their beauty to gain political favor. 
• Swashbuckler: Perfect for a child of Hermes. 
• Sorcerer and Warlock. There are those mysterious spellcasters who wield the flame of Prometheus. Circe, the witch who transforms men into animals, is a good example of a sorcerer. 
• When looking to patrons for Warlocks, any of the greek gods or goddesses could offer their aid to magic users. Hecate is an obvious choice, as the goddess of magic. Hera or Apollo would also make good choices, since they were deities of oracles. 
• Wizard. There are those who make deals with Nyx, goddess of the night, or Hecate, goddess of witchcraft in exchange for power. Pythagoras, who once was seen in two cities at once and predicted the arrival of a white bear, is a good example of a wizard. 
• Paladin. The paladin does not fit well into the Heroic Age, it is a class better suited for an era of knights that will not come to Europe for another 2,000 years. 

Diomedes and Athena attack Ares 

NPCs in the Heroic Age

The average Achaean warrior is a 2nd level Fighter.

Achilles is a 12th level Fighter/2nd level Barbarian, as one of the best warriors the Achaeans have, he’s the highest level fighter in the setting. Achilles wears a suit of bronze armor cunningly crafted by Hephaestus.

Diomedes is a 11th level Fighter. He is the youngest of all the Achaean kings and second only to Achilles. He is a favorite warrior of Athena, and the only hero other than Hercules to have attacked and wounded one of the Olympians. He struck Ares, god of war, with a spear. He also wears a cuirass crafted for him by Hephaestus and carries a round shield with the mark of a boar. His sword, which belonged to his father, was crafted by a skilled smith and bears designs of a lion and a big boar.

Ajax the Great is a 10th level Fighter. He is a great strong warrior. In a duel between himself and Diomedes, the two were almost evenly matched. In a sparring match the two faced off. The duel was called off, for fear of Ajax’s life. Even though they were both awarded as victors, Ajax bowed to Diomedes, for he had drawn first blood.

Odysseus is a 5th level Fighter/6th level Rogue. The king of Ithaca is cunning.