Vikings represent an extremely popular and influential theme that can lead to a large array of concepts and characters. Quite distinct from the more brutish barbarian archetype, the Nordic warrior is probably one of the most popular of these classic fantasy characters.

Rangers are often depicted as lone wolves, stoic silent types, or antisocial wild characters more at ease with animals than people. They may also be heavily influenced by the idea of the hunt, seeing things through a predator-prey lense, or adopting a very pragmatic mindset revolving around survival.