With shows like Strange New Worlds helping to revitalize Star Trek, fans of the franchise have a new captain get to know. Over the years, there have been many great captains in the Star Trek universe, and each brings their unique skills to the table while exploring the final frontier.
Though there is no magic and sorcery in Star Trek, the franchise's captains all fit within the Dungeons & Dragons classes. However, if a captain from this universe joins a D&D party, then their classes would be key in the situation, Many of them, without the magic, exemplify some great aspects of these classes.
Archer (Enterprise) - Ranger
Though all of Star Trek is about exploring the final frontier, few captains got to truly venture into untapped space quite like Captain Jonathan Archer of Enterprise. Guiding his crew through entirely new experiences week after week, the Alpha Quadrant of Archer's day was the edge of civilization.
Naturally, Archer aligns most closely with the Ranger class from D&D, and his legacy is closely tied to pushing the boundaries of Terran knowledge further and further into the reaches of space. He often showed himself to be most comfortable when on his treks, and established civilization didn't suit him well. His unconventional wisdom was his saving grace most often, but his gutsy toughness was also a great asset.
Lorca (Discovery) - Warlock
Of all the captains in Star Trek history, Gabriel Lorca's time on Discovery stands out as one of the most unique. Hailing originally from another timeline, Lorca's quest is one of the best mirror universe stories in all of Trek history. Though he is shown to be a wise and cunning character, his real power was derived from his time in the other universe, and crossing between universes has given him an edge.
Warlocks gain their abilities through a bargain with the other side, and that grants them unbelievable power at a cost. Unlike other magic users who earn their wisdom through practice or bloodline, the Warlock expedites their progress through unconventional means. Though Warlocks aren't inherently evil, Lorca's devious designs were nevertheless aided in a similar way to a Warlock gaining their magic.
Burnham (Discovery) - Sorcerer
Michael Burnham of Discovery is shown to have risen through the ranks until she eventually becomes captain of the ship in season 3. She is aided in this journey by her Vulcan logic, and her human tendency to bend the rules whenever it is needed. Though those two traits seem polar opposite, they combine to serve her well, and she is a balanced character because of it.
Though not wielding any magic, Burnham is most like the Sorcerer class of D&D, and she came about her "magic" through the gift of Vulcan teachings. Though the best Vulcan episodes of Trek show them to be rigidly inflexible in their logic, Burnham has the best of both worlds by being a human with a Vulcan education. She can wield her logic when she needs it, but she isn't restrained by it when the situation calls for something else.
Pike (Strange New Worlds) - Bard
Captain Kirk's immediate predecessor on the Enterprise wasn't a very fleshed-out character until he appeared in Discovery, and eventually his show in Strange New Worlds. However, when fans finally got to properly meet Captain Christopher Pike, they found him to be a charming and charismatic leader who was the very model of an exemplary Starfleet captain.
Pike's strongest asset is his overwhelming charisma, and he can use that skill to inspire and sway whoever he speaks with. Because of this trait, Pike is most like a Bard, though it is his social skills and not any particular musical ability that aligns him. Because he understands the nature of his imminent death, he can communicate his thoughts in a direct manner that whips his crew into shape. Despite his overwhelming likability, Pike is still a captain who isn't afraid to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Kirk (The Original Series) - Rogue
Many fans believe that Kirk is the best captain of all, and one of the biggest reasons is his hands-on approach to the captaincy, and his "cowboy diplomacy". Captain James T. Kirk never met a problem he couldn't overcome, and his methods usually went against the grain and bucked regulations in favor of results.
In the end, Kirk always acted heroically but that didn't mean he wasn't any less of a Rogue. Kirk's Rogue alignment comes not from his desire for stealth and trickery, but from his method of winning through any means necessary. He is predictably unpredictable, and though that method has rubbed some the wrong way, it almost always got the desired result in the end.
Picard (The Next Generation) - Wizard
If other captains were more gung-ho about their decision-making, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of The Next Generation was a much more deliberate and thoughtful leader. Tamed through a lifetime of hard living, Picard reached his captaincy as a wizened elder statesman of Starfleet, and he conducted himself with poise and wisdom that commanded respect no matter where he went.
Similar to sorcery, Picard's knowledge was what allowed him to manipulate the world around him, and he was quite Wizard-like in his approach. Wizards are known for being more reserved than the other magic classes, and Picard certainly fits the bill in that respect. On top of that, he is dictated by similar traits as a Wizard, and it is his knowledge that helps him win the day as opposed to brute force.
Sisko (Deep Space Nine) - Cleric
Captain Benjamin Sisko entered his time aboard Deep Space Nine with a heavy heart, and he had seen his fair share of tragedy before ever embarking on his leadership journey. Because of this, he was the perfect person to lead his crew into the trials and tribulations that would happen during the series. On top of his usual duties as a Starfleet officer, Sisko was also imbued with an important spiritual title, and it painted the way he conducted himself going forward.
Becoming the emissary not only helped him with his demons but also gave his life a deeper purpose as he fought for change. Clerics are holy warriors who fight not only for what is right but for a higher purpose that gives them their power. Sisko is nothing if not a fighter, but what set him apart in many of the best episodes of the show was his spiritual edge that was unlike anything else in Star Trek.
Janeway (Voyager) - Rogue
Though every captain faces challenges when commanding a starship, few faced as grave a challenge as that of Captain Katheryn Janeway aboard the U.S.S. Voyager. Being hurtled across the galaxy made many of Starfleet's rules and regulations obsolete, and Captain Janeway had to find her way of doing things to save her crew from annihilation.
While not Rogue-like as a rule, Janeway's situation pushed her into becoming a quintessential D&D Rogue. Her methods became more and more unorthodox as the challenges became equally unconventional, and Janeway was never above using trickery to best the many dangerous denizens of the Delta Quadrant.
Freeman (Lower Decks) - Fighter
Usually, the captains of Star Trek are in command of some of the fleet's best ships of the line. However, Lower Decks was the exact opposite and showed Captain Carol Freeman of the U.S.S. Cerritos who was the constant underdog. Despite this second-class status, Captain Freeman never gave up the fight and refused to give into the pressures of the outside world.
While the class is rather generic in general, Fighters are nevertheless an important part of any adventuring party. Captain Freeman is nothing if not a fighter, and she fights not only against the enemies of the Federation but against the many obstacles that Starfleet throws in her way. Though the show is a comedy, Captain Freeman's brazen toughness is frequently on full display and she is quite inspirational to her rag-tag crew.