Villager thread

[8wGremlin]

Each villager is a 1st level character.
Each villager is of a particular race.
Each villager has a stat score of 10 before racial modifications
Each villager has a background.


To create a fully fledged out village of npc villagers based on the above information, what can you come up with.
please mark any unearthed arcana characters with the tag [UA], thank you.


To get the ball rolling:


Sebastian Cleric of Chauntea, goddess of agriculture
Life domain.
Vhuman +1 Wis, +1 Cha,
Feat: Magic initiate (Druid) - Goodberry, Mould earth and Control flames
Background: Outlander

Sebastian is the local healer, with the goodberry providing more than enough healing for the villages, Sebastian also makes the local torches burn twice as bright when he can with Control flames.
Be also helps with building and ditch clearing with Mould earth.


Leia Cleric of Azuth, god of wizards.
Tiefling, Winged, Feral
Dex +2, Int +1
Arcane spells; Firebolt, Booming blade
Background: Urban bounty hunter

Leia is a kind hearted individual that helps secure dangerous spellcasters and monsters that come close to the village.
She often takes to the air to have a better look at any issues, and attacks at night, from above.


others?

[ES Curse]

Why do villagers have class levels? Aren't individuals with any class levels supposed to be uncommon?

[8wGremlin]

Why do villagers have class levels? Aren't individuals with any class levels supposed to be uncommon?
I do not believe so. I don't think it says anywhere in any of the books. But I may be wrong.

But for this thought exercise let us just say they are allowed to be 1st level only and move on.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Why do villagers have class levels? Aren't individuals with any class levels supposed to be uncommon?

Agreed. A whole village of people with PC levels sounds like a set-up for one of those dramatic TV shows with the slick production and moody lighting.

Still, if we're doing this, I might give my random character generator a spin...

Herwy, CN Wild Mage
Human (11 11 11 11 11 11)
Background: singer

A dashing man noted for his athletic physique, Herwy has little control over his magic, which usually manifests when he goes on stage to perform. He's widely regarded as harmless.


Filli Horgeson, NE Rogue
Hill Dwarf (10 10 12 10 11 10)
Background: spiritualist

This fat little dwarf is disliked by the other villagers. Fanatically devoted to his clan's patron god, Marthammor Duin, he grumbles constantly about his inability to travel (caused by a crippling leg injury he sustain when his family passed through the village 15 years ago). Has few scruples and will do all sorts of questionably-legal jobs for the right price.


Peony Morningdale, NG Paladin
Lightfoot Halfling (10 12 10 10 10 11)
Background: storyteller

A plain-looking but jovial woman, Peony has taken it upon herself to educate the youth of the village via the medium of halfling folk tales. All are welcome in her house, which is cozy and filled with interesting nick-knacks. A fearsome shot with her light crossbow.

[BW022]

Why do villagers have class levels? Aren't individuals with any class levels supposed to be uncommon?

Agreed. The vast majority of villages should have NPC classes (commoner, maybe a few guards, priests, thugs, etc.) See "Non Player Characters" (http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/DMDnDBasicRules_v0.1.pdf). If you are creating a village, you need to start by basic demographics. What is the primary industry? How many people does that need? How much support people does that need? How are its imports/exports, food, water, etc.? Unless the village is a barbarian horde, elves in a forest on the front-line of an orc war, etc. there is little need for NPCs in a village to generally have class levels.

Example, assume you have a village which is say... in some hills two days from a large city. The hills have lots of copper mines. The village's primary industry is smelting copper ore. Ok... say two smelters with 30 smelter workers in each, another 30 support people (carters, lumber producers, stable workers, etc. all specifically for the smelters) for each. That is around 120 people directly employed in the industry. Then... add another 100 women and 100 children. Then double this for basic support people... business suppliers, shopkeepers, innkeepers, shoemakers, tailors, millworkers, butchers, and the dozen other shops needed to support the population, plus their families. That is a village of about 600 people. Maybe 5% of these are non-commoner NPC classes -- guards, priest, thug, etc. Maybe 1% would have actual PC classes -- likely retired or just really good. Most would typically need a reason for being in such a place and have likely settled into another profession.

If making NPCs, I would assume everyone is a commoner and not bother with stats. I'd create a few random names, professions, descriptions, etc. and assign professions (and assume they gain a few skill or tool proficiencies and likely have a stat in the 12 range keyed to that.

Kyle Tavish -- male human, commoner/1, 40, 5'-8", 160lbs, greyish hair, brown eyes. Smelter, known for his loud voice and never following through with a joke or story. Wife (Beth, seamstress, three children)
Allan Rale -- male human, commoner/1, 24, 5'-10", 210lbs, shaggy brown hair, brown eyes. Carter, known for keeping a schedule and his old dog (Sadie) who begs a lot.
Sally Willows -- female human, commoner/1, 44, 5'-3", 110lbs, wavy black hair, hazel eyes. Bartender at the Copper Rock, known for carrying a club on her side and making fun of old-timers.
etc.

Stats are pretty meaningless as a DM. Name, description, profession, and some hint on how to role-play them will be more useful than class or ability scores. A dozen or so of these, would be more than enough for PCs to get an idea of what people are generally like in the village, daily happenings, etc. If you described two or three of these people, what they were doing, how they were interacting with the PCs and each other... players would get a good idea of life here and fill-in-the-blanks with the 590+ other villagers.

Only if the plot requires it and it is semi-important, would I start noting NPCs with class levels. For example, if the PCs were sent to meet and help with a wizard living in town running the local courier service. Even then... Carlie Phain -- female half-elf, wizard/2, 82 (looks 35), 4'-11", 98lbs, long blue-black hair, green eyes. And maybe include that her familiar (Boss the hawk) often carries messages to/from the nearby city for 3sp a message, and she has identify, detect magic, and comprehend languages... as spells. These might be useful to the PCs in dealing with her.

[Joe the Rat]

They're not NPC classes, they're NPC types. They don't have levels (though you could probably approximate something, based on hit dice). Closest are the casters, with their defined caster levels.

With that out of the way, a list of exceptional (but not too exceptional) NPCs gives you flavor and quick hirelings.

Nivek Ironson, The watchful eye.
Mountain Dwarf Fighter
12 10 12 10 10 10
Background: Soldier
Retired from the army for undisclosed reasons, he's moved far from his kin to start a new life. Head of the town watch. Impresses folks with his ability to wear chainmail.

[smcmike]

Jacob Jacobson - Jacob's infant son
Human baby
3 3 3 3 3 16 (he's real cute)
Background: Womb

Born 3 months ago, Jacob learned to smile last Tuesday, and is using this new ability to devestating effect with the ladies of the village. His primary motivators are warm snuggles, small objects that he can choke on, and boobies.

(Not all villagers could possibly have class levels)

[orange74]

Jacob Jacobson - Jacob's infant son
Human baby
3 3 3 3 3 16 (he's real cute)
Background: Womb

Born 3 months ago, Jacob learned to smile last Tuesday, and is using this new ability to devestating effect with the ladies of the village. His primary motivators are warm snuggles, small objects that he can choke on, and boobies.

(Not all villagers could possibly have class levels)
Innate spellcasting: Jacob's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. He can innately cast the following spell, requiring no material components:

Cantrip: Fwiends (For the duration, you have advantage on all Charisma checks directed at one creature of choice that isn't hostile toward you. When the spell ends, the creature realizes that you pooped all over the place and must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or suffer a -10 penalty on all Charisma checks until the creature can find a clean shirt.)

[gfishfunk]

Gwaar - Half-Orc Barbarian LN
Background: Oultander
Str 12 / Con 11.

Gwaar initially came into the village to raid it and prove his orc-hood, but was inadvertently given some chores to do at the local orphanage. Being honor-bound to help children, he has been trying to finish all of his chores so that one day he might finally attack the adults living there.

Lobbywilt Gearfaceington - Forest Gnome Druid NG
Background: Sage
Int 12 / Dex 11

Everyone assumes Lobbywilt is a tinker gnome due to the name, but she really is just in town to categorize and study various forms of mold.

[Belac93]

Puka, CN Bard
Forest Gnome (10 11 10 12 10 10)
Background: Puka, as he insists on being called, came from the village 3 villages away. Nobody knows much about him, but everyone in town knows to watch during his performances, and stay away from whatever he is selling. He survives off of donations for his acting in town, and the money he makes off of gullible travelers or adventurers.
Spells: Minor Illusion, Friends, Prestidigitation, Charm Person, Disguise Self, Faerie Fire, Silent Image.