If Business Departments Were D&D Classes

I’ve been into tabletop role-playing games (especially Dungeons & Dragons) for about a year now, and it got me thinking…

What if we looked at business departments the same way we look at D&D classes?

Every team in a company has its own strengths, weaknesses, and quirks, just like a party of adventurers heading into a dungeon. This is purely for funsies, but it might also give you a different lens to think about how all these departments interact. And honestly, I think most of us could use a little more whimsy in the workplace.

Grab your dice, because it’s time to roll initiative for the office party!

The Support Spellcasters (Administration, HR, and Finance)

Every adventuring party needs healers, protectors, and organizers who keep the group alive long enough to even get to the treasure. In business, that is your admin, HR, and finance folks.

• Administration = Clerics
  Admins are the steady hands keeping things in order. They schedule, organize, and bless us with calendars so we don’t forget important quests, aka meetings. Without their steady guidance, chaos reigns.
• Human Resources = Paladins
  HR is all about codes of conduct, guiding principles, and protecting the group from self-destruction. Paladins swear oaths and enforce them. They are guardians of morale, wielders of policy, and occasionally smiters of bad vibes.
• Finance and Accounting = Wizards
  The finance team channels arcane knowledge that most people don’t understand. Spreadsheets? Formulas? Tax codes? That’s basically spellcasting! Wizards study long and hard to master their craft… and so do accountants. Also, woe to the adventurer who forgets about material components, as such, woe to the department head who forgets to submit receipts.

The Frontline Fighters (Sales, Marketing, and PR)

When a company needs to take ground in the marketplace, these are the warriors who rush into battle. Loud, Bold, and sometimes “nat 1” rollers on persuasion checks.

• Sales = Barbarians
  Barbarians are fueled by rage. Energy and determination, that’s sales in a nutshell. They are on the frontline closing deals with brute force charisma, charging headfirst into customer objections. When a sales team is in “rage mode”, nothing stands in their way.
• Marketing = Bards
  Bards weave magic through storytelling, music, and charm. Marketing is exactly that. Crafting campaigns that enchant the masses, spinning narratives, and inspiring people to believe in a brand. Sometimes they get mocked for being “fluff”, but just try running a company without a bard hyping you up…
• Public Relations = Rogues
  PR specialists move with subtlety, cleverness, and precision. A rogue knows how to slip into a tricky situation, defuse it, and escape undetected. That’s basically handling a brand crisis. They know the right words, the right timing, and when to drop a distraction smoke bomb.

The Creators and Tinkerers (R&D, Production, and IT)

Every party needs someone who can make, fix, or invent new stuff. That’s where the inventors and builders of the business come in.

• Research and Development = Artificers
  R&D is all about creation. Artificers tinker, test, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Sometimes the invention explodes in their face, sometimes it becomes the party’s best weapon. Same goes for R&D projects.
• Production and Manufacturing = Fighters
  The fighter is reliable. Consistent. Strong. They are the backbone of many parties. Production and manufacturing embody that role. They may not be flashy, but they deliver results. They are disciplined, skilled, and know exactly how to get the job done day in and day out.
• IT = Wizards with Multiclass in Artificer
  Yes, we already have the finance wizards… but IT deserves the title, too. They are the ones muttering arcane incantations over servers, keeping the digital monsters at bay. If the internet goes down, they’re basically necromancers, casting “Raise Dead” on the whole company. IT is a hybrid class: equal parts spellcaster and gadgeteer.

The Strategic Leaders (Operations and Management)

No party survives without someone keeping the big picture in mind. The operations and management side of business is all about strategy, foresight, and coordination.

• Operations = Druids
  Druids are attuned to the natural flow of things. Operations is about keeping the business ecosystem in balance. They know when to shift forms, adapt, and how to keep every moving piece in harmony.
• Management/Leadership = Rangers
  Rangers scout ahead, guide the party, and make sure no one gets lost in the woods. That’s management. They are tracking trends, watching for pitfalls, and… ideally… pointing the company toward success. A good ranger knows both the terrain and their team’s strengths… a bad one just points at random trees.

The Final Act

Businesses, like D&D parties, need variety. You cannot win with just barbarians, or just clerics. You need a balanced team that supports, protects, and challenges one another.

So whether you’re a bard in marketing, a cleric in admin, or a rogue sneaking through the PR jungle, remember… YOUR ROLE MATTERS! And just like in D&D, the best adventures happen when everyone brings their unique skills to the table.

Now your turn… which class would you assign your department? Did I miss any? Or, better yet, which class are you at work? Drop it in the comments… let’s see how your party shapes up!