Commoner (3.5E)

The nondescript character easily found anywhere, there's little reason for them to actually be out here adventuring other than some silly reason like surviving, bribery, a bet or as a service to actual warriors. However, you may never know what sort of special spark lies within these normal men and women.

Play style: The Commoner is so simple to play that it is not even recommended for normal play, due to the disadvantages you would have against even other simple classes. In normal games, they shouldn't even have stats, or at best you'd expect them to be mooks, but sometimes... sometimes, there's an exception to that rule.

Backgrounds: The Commoner is literally just about anybody -- the beggar down the street, the blacksmith in the smithy, the butler in the castle halls, the farmer who doesn't even have militia training.

Armor and Gear: The Commoner lacks any form of training in armor and weaponry, and basically has the exact same proficiencies in armor and weapon that a Wizard has (but without the magical training). In addition, their other gear would be whatever is appropriate for their regular profession.
Commoner Armor and AC
Type / Base AC / Attack Penalty
None / 10 / -
Light / 10 / -
Heavy / 10 / -2
Shield / +1 / -2

Commoner Weapon Proficiencies
Small Weapons: 1d4 (one handed), 1d6 (two-handed)
Simple/Light Weapons: 1d4 (one-handed, -2 to hit), 1d6 (two-handed, -2 to hit)
Martial/Heavy Weapons: 1d6 (one-handed, -4 to hit), 1d8 (two-handed, -4 to hit)

Commoner Ranged Weapon Proficiencies
Small: 1d4 (thrown)
Simple/Light: 1d4 (thrown, crossbow, bow, -2 to hit)
Martial/Heavy: 1d6 (crossbow, bow, -4 to hit)

Commoner Starting Stats
Base AC: 10
Base PD: 10
Base MD: 10
Backgrounds: 6 Points

Ability Scores
You can add +2 to any one stat, as long as you have not added to that score with your racial bonus.

HP: 3 x (6 + CON)
Recovery Dice: 1d6 per level + CON mod
Recoveries: 8


One Unique Thing: Unlike other classes, this is actually quite optional for the commoner; the fact that he's able to adventure at all might be considered a rare enough thing.

Icon Relationships: (3 points) Unlike other classes, this is optional for the commoner; it's very rare for any commoner to be even close to any organization, although the Prince of Shadows does tend to love the nondescript

Commoner Melee Attack
At-Will
Attack: Strength modifier + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage (1 melee weapon die per level)
Miss: --

Commoner Ranged Attack
At-Will
Attack: Dexterity modifier + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Strength damage (1 ranged weapon die per level)
Miss: --

Commoner Talents

Single Class Commoner: Choose at most 2 of the following talents (unlike other classes, you can choose to skip choosing talents entirely). Multiclass Commoners do not get any talents from the Commoner class. You can gain 1 more talent at level 6, but only as a single class commoner.  If the GM is being generous, then he might let you get 3 talents instead of 0-2 talents, with additional talents at levels 4 & 7, but the default assumption is that you can start without talents or feats, and even with them you're not as good as a regular class character.

Militia Training

You gain +3 with a Background on "Militia Training" or an equivalent background that explains how you got to learn how to use better than scrap weaponry. You gain a +2 to hit with Light and Heavy weapons, and your damage dice with these weapons increases in size by one (d4s become d6s, etc.). In addition, you gain a +2 to AC and PD when wearing light armor (+3 to AC and +2 to PD when wearing heavy armor), and do not get a penalty to attack rolls when wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield.

(Adventurer feat): Once per battle + a number of times per day equal to your Strength modifier, you can spend a quick action to increase the size of one weapon's damage die by one, but only for the next attack before the end of your current turn.
(Champion feat): A number of times per day equal to your Constitution modifier can spend a quick action to give yourself +1 to AC (+2 with a shield) until the start of your next turn.
(Epic feat): Once per day you can spend a recovery point to gain a bonus to initiative equal to your Dexterity modifier.

Adept Training

You gain +3 with a Background on "Adept Training" or an equivalent background that explains how you can cast magic. Choose a class that can cast arcane or divine spells. You gain a level one spell from that class. Starting at fifth level, you may replace that spell, so long as the new spell is two levels lower than your current level (so you can replace your level 1 spell with a third level spell instead, then at level 7 you can replace that with a 5th level spell, and so on).

(Champion feat): Once per day you can spend a quick action to treat the spell you know as if it were two levels higher.
(Epic feat): Choose another spell from the same class you chose that is level 5 or lower. You now know that spell.

Survivalist

Your base HP Factor goes up to 7 + CON instead of 6 + CON, and your Recovery Dice becomes 1d8 instead of 1d6.

(Adventurer Feat): Your recovery dice becomes 1d10 instead of 1d8.
(Adventurer Feat): Your base HP factor becomes 8 + CON instead of 7 + CON.
(Champion Feat): Once per day you can attempt to rally as an interrupt to an attack that would normally have dropped you to zero or lower. Note: the healing is done immediately after you take damage, but immediately before you fall unconscious.
(Epic Feat): Once per day you can lose all but one of your remaining recoveries to turn a failed death save into a success, with the last recovery spent to heal you up.  This talent requires you to have at least three recoveries to take effect.

Stubborn As A Mule

You gain a +3 to your MD.

(Epic feat): You're really adamant about a lot of things, especially about not dying: you gain a +1 to your saving throws, and the GM may even lower saving throws if deemed appropriate -- yes, even death saving throws (although don't expect this to happen unless you've been really doing well in the role-playing of a stubborn as a mule sort of PC, and even then it's probably going to be just once per session thing (not even once per heal-up or once per day)).

Adept's Familiar

Special: You can only take this talent if you have Adept Training
You get the same access to the same familiars as a Wizard, but because the adept tends to struggle in terms of magic, he has a bit of difficulty in controlling his familiar too (GMs, try to play this up whenever you can). The fact that a divine caster could have a familiar might be quite interesting for the Archmage, High Priestess, Crusader and Elf Queen, among others.

(Champion feat): The familiar ends up helping you in your studies with magic or prayers one way or another. Gain an additional spell from the class you chose to gain a spell from, with the same restrictions as that of Adept Training.

Warrior's Expertise

Special: You can only get this talent if you have Militia Training
Choose a level one Fighter maneuver. You gain that maneuver. Starting at fifth level, you can replace that maneuver with a maneuver that is two levels lower than your current level.

(Adventurer feat): Gain a second Fighter maneuver, following the same restrictions as Warrior's Expertise.

Noble's Entourage

Special: This talent is the equivalent of two talents instead of one
You gain the service of a mercenary, who is just as much a commoner as you are (except you're probably the richer of the two, assuming he isn't your slave or anything). It is assumed that payment for protecting you would come from a particular financial source, although if you lack such a resource, expect this mercenary to quickly turn on you, especially in your sleep, if his loyalties lie in only gold. If the mercenary is slain, tough luck: you'll have to wait until you get to the nearest area of civilization before you can try to hire another mercenary, although if GMs can fit in a wandering mercenary into the picture, that's probably going to be your only saving grace. Interactions involving the recruiting of mercenaries gain a +3 circumstantial bonus, although don't expect that they'll be coming up to you begging for you to hire them.

The mercenary goes immediately before you, although his default action is to intercept anyone attempting to harm you, so if you want him to do something else, you should spend a quick action during your turn to tell him what to do on his next turn. The GM is ultimately the one in control of this mercenary however, so make sure he's well rewarded (the mercenary I mean).

When the mercenary is harmed, he can rally like any PC. However, he spends your recovery points instead, although when either of you rally next to the other, both gain the benefits of rallying.

(Adventurer feat): Once per day when the mercenary is engaged with you, one attack that hits you, hits the mercenary instead.
(Adventurer feat): Once per day, the mercenary can make two attacks as a standard action.
(Champion feat): Once per day for an entire battle, the mercenary can daze enemies he hits with a natural 16+.

Use the following formula for determining the mercenary's stats. Just remember that it's always one level lower than you.
Attack: 4 + Level vs. AC
Damage: 1d8 per level (1d6 at level 0)
AC: 12 + level
PD (or MD): 12 + level
MD (or PD): 10 + level
HP: 13 + 7 per level

Note: these are the stats for a warrior mercenary (GMs, it's up to you if you want to make him more complicated, perhaps one maneuver or talent would be good to add, but there should be seriously good reasons for the mercenary to have them). A caster mercenary is possible to acquire, but only upon GM discretion (and likely at level 7 or higher). GMs, if the mercenary is a caster, please lower the damage by one damage die, switch the MD and PD as appropriate, grant the caster at most one at-will and one encounter power whose level is appropriate for the mercenary in question, and lower the HP to 10 + 6 per level.

Diplomatic Aid

You gain +3 to the "Diplomat" background (or any equivalent background of your choice).  Once per day, you can attempt to explain to your GM how and why a particular Icon would help influence a given scenario.  If he agrees, roll a normal save.  If you succeed you gain a +2 Positive relationship with that Icon for the rest of the day.  Failure means you still get aid, but not necessarily from the said Icon, and not necessarily in the way you'd like it; the GM rolls a d12, with each number corresponding to a different icon (except the Prince of Shadows).  You gain a +1 Conflicted [or Negative, depending on how you and your GM work things out] relationship with the resulting icon for the rest of the day.  If the result of the d12 is the same Icon you invoked, the Prince of Shadows interferes, which means you gain a +1 Conflicted relationship with him for the rest of the day.