Airing from 2002-2003, Joss Whedon's infamous show Firefly has maintained a cult following, even after all these years. The show, which follows a ragtag group of rebels as they navigate the expanses of space in a future beset with war and oppression, was canceled tragically after just one season. Later, the movie Serenity was released to tie up loose ends and offer some cathartic release for longtime fans of the show.
Even now, Firefly graphic novels continue to be released, eighteen years after the show's premiere. If you're a fan of the show and looking for more ways to re-experience the iconic space opera, then perhaps you'll need this guide to the main characters of Firefly and their corresponding D&D classes. After all, the story will never be canceled if it's happening in a tabletop game.
Jayne Cobb: Gunslinger
Is Jayne a straight-shooting guy? No, but he is definitely a gunslinger. As Serenity's underpaid mercenary, Jayne helps protect the Serenity and its crew from enemies, and sometimes from itself. Due to his extremely neutral alignment, he's not particularly committed to helping if he's not being paid. When he is getting paid, though, he relies on guns, ammunition, and weapons to do the job. Throughout the very short series, there doesn't seem to be a weapon that Jayne isn't proficient in, and even Malcolm was wary of Jayne's skill.
Shepherd Derrial Book: Cleric
Unlike many other clerics (especially those that players normally create for gaming purposes), Shepherd Book is a pacifist who took all of his vow feats and strictly adheres to them. Shepherd ends up on the Serenity because he feels called to be there, claiming that he feels drawn to Malcolm and his crew. Once he's there, he stays because he feels spiritually needed. Like many other clerics, Shepherd believes in a shared world with shared responsibility and shared problems. He helps solve those problems by ensuring the crew remains spiritually intact, which is helpful considering what they've all had to do to survive.
Kaylee Frye: Technomancer
There isn't much to question about a character who speaks to the Serenity as if she were a real person. Serving as the middle-woman between Malcolm Reynolds and his ship, Kaylee's whole reason for being on the Serenity is her ability to fix the old ship repeatedly with nothing but bartered scraps and stolen parts.
Since Malcolm isn't a trusting person, it speaks volumes to Kaylee's abilities as a mechanic that he can leave her with the responsibility of making sure his ship, livelihood, and home remain intact.
Hoban "Wash" Washburne: Bard
A case could be made for calling Wash an NPC with a profession in piloting. However, looking objectively at Wash's function within the crew, it seems more likely that he's a low-level bard with a pilot profession. He does an excellent job of piloting the Serenity, but he does an even better job of cheering up the dark and dismal crew around him. Even his infamous last line, "I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar," is an uplifting and beautiful message delivered in a time of pure chaos. And viewers will never forget his iconic toy dinosaurs that lived on the dashboard of the Serenity.
Zoë Washburne: Paladin
It's true that she isn't very religious, but if you swap out "divine forces" with the Independents, Zoë fits really well as a paladin. Most paladins are lawful, and while Zoë can be described as neutral good, an argument can be made that she was oppressed until she had to adopt a neutral perspective to survive since most lawful people would never join Malcolm's crew.
Her lawful-paladin type behaviors persist in the way she's the only Serenity crew member to call Malcolm "sir" and how unwilling she is to defy him. Her belief in doing the right thing empowers her as a fighter and crew member.
Simon Tam: Expert Medic
Unfortunately for fans of Simon Tam, his Dungeons & Dragons class may be a little underwhelming. Simon was already a world-class medic when his sister River Tam was experimented on by the Alliance. To rescue River, it's clear that he had to pick up some rogue levels (and perhaps one or two fighter levels) but since his capabilities don't come anywhere near fighters on the show such as Malcolm or Jeyne, his role in this adventuring group seems to be restricted to expert medic and big-brother-of-the-year. One might also be able to play Simon Tam's character as an alchemist who has focused on healing.
River Tam: Psychic
River Tam could almost be an oracle, with her borderline mystical abilities and battle prowess. But what we know about River's backstory paints her clearly as a psychic—perhaps one that has maxed out her levels and skills. When he finally trusts the Serenity crew, Simon reveals that River was a child prodigy, not just in intelligence but also athleticism.
When the Alliance experimented on her, River's abilities were transformed and fortified, until she became so psychically powerful her cognitive awareness and mental stability were also affected. Her near-prophetic visions and ability to sense emotions and thoughts are also indicative of her psychic class status.
Inara Serra: Bard
Inara Serra is a Companion in the Firefly universe, which is such a complicated profession it could be it's own Dungeons & Dragons class. Companions are part of the social elite in the Alliance, and they seem to help their clients not just sexually, but spiritually and emotionally. As such, they're revered and respected wherever they go.
In D&D, "Companion" isn't a class, so we've translated it to Bard. Inara's profession is extremely performative and relies on diplomacy and other charisma checks to function. Ultimately, on the Serenity, her main role involves keeping Malcolm honest (when possible) and helping the Serenity maintain an air of prestige.
Malcolm Reynolds: Fighter
As most maxed out fighters do, Malcolm Reynolds has taken quite a few levels from other classes. In the episode "Shindig," we see Malcolm spontaneously pick up levels as a swashbuckler or duelist. His ability to repeatedly escape nasty situations seems to come from some Rogue levels. And his charisma score seems to be extremely high as well, which is common amongst bards, though Malcolm's years of making rousing speeches to his battalion are long gone. Part of Mal's charm is the stubbornness with which he sticks to his standard Independents-issued pistol as his weapon of choice. This despite having clearly picked up many other skills and fighting styles throughout his years, so "fighter" seems like a straightforward label for his function on the Serenity, beyond Captain, of course.