Naughty Dog's smash hit series The Last of Us is known for the emotional storytelling and intricate post-apocalyptic world. Following the saga of Joel and Ellie as they seek to survive infected humans and regular people in a world ravaged by a deadly fungal disease.
Such a setting coincidently makes a perfect campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons because of its combination of survival, combat, and character moments. This line of thought also begs the question of what specific classes the main characters in the game would fill if the Last of Us was made into a game of D&D fifth edition. The following entries give suggestions on what class and sub-class the main characters in the series best fit. The following contains spoilers for the Last of Us and its sequels.
Joel-Ranger
The face of the series' first installment, Joel showcases the combination of stealth and combat in his abilities. This mixture also puts him in the ranger class because he is both stealthy but can hold his own in a fight more than a rogue. Given his ability to track and using the shadows to get the drop on enemies, Joel fits the Gloom Stalker archetype which grants players dark vision and extra damage at the beginning of combat. The ranger may have a bad reputation for its power, but playing Joel in a campaign can change many's opinions.
Ellie-Rogue
Last of Us: Part II put players in control of Ellie, and her abilities changed drastically from Joel. Being even more focused on stealth and having weapons that complement this playstyle mean she would not be a front-line fighter. Instead, Ellie fits the role of the sneaky rogue. Since she regularly uses nature to her advantage, the Scout sub-class is almost tailor-made for those wanting to put Ellie in their game. The powerful features of both the class and the sub-class mean that players can be useful at any stage in a campaign.
Abby- Barbarian
During the mid-point of The Last of Us: Part II, the game shifts the perspective to Abby for most of the remaining game. Different in almost every way from Ellie, Abby's skills and ability tree focus heavily on melee combat and using her immense strength to her advantage.
This type of gameplay firmly puts Abby into the barbarian class, her momentum skill being a clear analogy to the barbarian's rage. Any combination of the Totem Warrior opinions would be a powerful build for players.
Bill-Artificer
The loveable misanthrope from the series' first installment made a brief but memorable appearance as Joel and Ellie looked for a car to reach the Fireflies. The traps and firearms found throughout the abandoned town Bill calls home make him an artificer. Wizards of the Coast continually updates D&D and the artificer is one of the best examples. Bill's love of explosives fits the artillerist sub-class because its features make players extremely efficient at dealing area-of-effect and single-target damage. Putting Bill in a campaign will mean DMs will have a lot of rubble to deal with.
Tommy-Fighter
Joel's brother does not have the same proficiency in stealth, meaning the ranger is not a good fit for Tommy. What Tommy does excel at is long-range combat, as seen in The Last of Us Part II with several missions. While rangers are known for using bows, the fighter also fills this niche. The Arcane Archer, in particular, fits with Tommy's skill-set because of the numerous magical arrows players can use. This build is also a good version for players wanting to be Hawkeye in their campaign.
Tess-Bard
Joel's partner at the beginning of The Last of Us, Tess runs a smuggling operation in the Boston safe zone. Her tough nature may point towards a martial class, but a bard better fits her role in the world. She uses her charisma to make deals with the various groups in the remains of the city. Her proficiency with weapons leans her towards either the College of Valor or College of Blades to get the proper damage.
Owen-Ranger
Abby's ex-boyfriend and member of the WLF is extremely proficient in martial weapons and uses dogs like the rest of the paramilitary organization. This combination is a perfect description of the Beast Master subclass for the ranger. The original version of the Beast Master is almost unplayable because of the heavy penalties given by the beast. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything fixed these issues and the Beast of the Land becomes a damage-dealing tank, something that fits the canine companions in the series.
Dina- Druid
Ellie's partner through most of Part II, Dina shows a good proficiency with the use of plants in the game. Plant use and the druid class walk hand-in-hand.
Also, Dina has arguably the highest wisdom stat of any of the characters in the game given how she loses the desire for revenge. The subclasses the Circle of the Shepard or the Circle of the Moon make good choices for characters who want to lean into the animal side of nature. Either choice ensures a strong character for a campaign.
Lev-Ranger
Abby's companion has all the outdoor training offered by the Seraphites. His use of the bow and survival skills make the ranger the most obvious pick for a campaign setting. The Hunter Archetype also closely fits Lev's abilities because this subclass really leans into the combat survivalist that rangers are really known for. Lev makes one of the easiest transitions to a tabletop format because he uses weapons and skills needed in D&D to combat powerful creatures.
Riley-Bard
Ellie's best friend is only seen in the Left Behind DLC, but she gives a lot of context to the decisions Ellie makes in the games. Her ability to cheer Ellie up with her actions and her interest in music make her a bard in the classic fashion. Unlike Tess, Riley would not fall into one of the martial Colleges presented in D&D. The College of Lore and College of Glamour all offer fun abilities that boost party members and debuff enemies, something Riley loves to do in The Last of US.