Facebook friend and Christian anarchist Mark Van Steenwyk posted that he would love it if someone took the time to map D&D classes to Enneagram types, including all of the wings. I happen to be an Enneagram nerd and a D&D nerd as well as a little bit obsessive – the end result was that I did precisely that. Nine base Enneagram types with archetypes as wings. The Ranger was left out, because someone had to be out of 10 classes, and, you know…5E Rangers.
| Enneagram Type | D&D 5E Class | Notes |
| 1w9 | Way of the Four Elements | Monk with the focus on balancing extremes |
| 1 | Monk | Rightness, self-discipline |
| 1w2 | Way of the Open Hand | Some self-healing |
| 2w1 | Life Domain | Warm, embodied |
| 2 | Cleric | The caregiver, in most groups |
| 2w3 | Trickery Domain | Giver, but status-seeking |
| 3w2 | Arcane Trickster | Charming, ambitious |
| 3 | Rogue | Achievement-oriented, highly skilled |
| 3w4 | Thief | Individualistic achiever |
| 4w3 | College of War | Imperfect 1:1, but some originality |
| 4 | Bard | The artist! |
| 4w5 | College of Lore | Cerebral creative |
| 5w4 | School of Enchantment | Creative and provocative |
| 5 | Wizard | All the books! All the lore! Thinking solves all! |
| 5w6 | School of Abjuration | Protect friends |
| 6w5 | Oath of Devotion | The guardian, idealist |
| 6 (counter-phobic) | Paladin | Charge with me! Auras for allies, smite foes |
| 6w7 | Oath of the Ancients | Guardian of joy, ‘fun’ paladin |
| 7w6 | Draconic Bloodline | Another imperfect 1:1 |
| 7 | Sorcerer | Flexibility in all spells, zany bloodlines |
| 7w8 | Wild Magic | Excitement! Impatience! |
| 8w7 | Path of the Berserker | Power-seeking, smash the system! |
| 8 | Barbarian | “Not afraid to be direct” |
| 8w9 | Path of the Totem Warrior | Some delegation here; imperfect 1:1 |
| 9w8 | Circle of the Moon | Fighty druids |
| 9 | Druid | Because balance |
| 9w1 | Circle of the Land | Independent, philosophical, stubborn |
Final Note on Rangers
Clearly, rangers are left out of this table, as some class had to be. But in discussion, I thought that rangers would make sense as the more phobic version of the 6, since the classic ranger response to conflict is to back up and shoot from range, so to speak, compared to the paladin’s charge.
What do you think? What would you change?
>unfinished 
Huh – this has gotten more views than anything on this blog for a long time. Anything similar you’d like to see me take a shot at, just let me know 🙂
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This is perfect.
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Would you be kind enough to make a similar post, about enneagram types as well, but comparing them to a more modern RPG class (i.e. WoW, FFXIV, GW2, BDO, etc.)? ^_^
I don’t think I have come across to a post like that. The information is out there, lots, but scattered here and there.
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That’s a great idea. I will put that on the list of ideas to think about, as it will take a while. 🙂
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I just went through the process of figuring out which D&D race/claw my wife and children are. You nailed every single one of us! 9w1 me – Halfling Druid, 2w3 wife – Dwarf Cleric, 1w2 daughter – Half Elf Monk, 5w6 son – wizard, 8w9 son – barbarian. Amazing!!
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Makes my nerd heart soar! 🙂
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Can’t keep thinking about the Enneagram and D&D classes 🙂 I’ve given some thought to the Ranger and I think I’d put them as an 8w9. Here’s what the Enneagram Institute says about 8’s: “They use their abundant energy to effect changes in their environment—to “leave their mark” on it—but also to keep the environment, and especially other people, from hurting them and those they care about.” Combine that with the 9s love of nature and I think Ranger fits pretty well. What do you think?
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I think that makes a lot of sense, yeah.
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This is the only one of these where I am a paladin, so this is my canon!
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Happy to provide 🙂
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