Racial traits and MM's NPC statblocks: who is the most dangerous Commoner and Guard?

[Unoriginal]

The MM's (and Volo's) NPC statblocks can be used as they are presented (and I suppose a good number, but it is suggested to add the traits of the species they belong to.

The question I'm asking myself is: which of the PHB's species make the most dangerous average civilian (aka Commoner statblock) and average mook-with-combat-training (aka Guard statblock) ?

For the purpose of this exercise, I'm considering that the NPCs have access to the best weapon they're trained to use (as this suppose they have had the occasion to get ready for combat, by being recruited in a milice for exemple), as well as 60 gp worth of armor/shield for the Guard (which is what the protective equipment of the Guard NPC costs)

Commoner

Armor Class 10
Hit Points 4 (1d8)
Speed 30ft.

STR 10 (+0)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)



Guard

Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed 30ft.

STR 13 (+1)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skills Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12

Languages any one language (usually Common)



So, let's start alphabetically, with the Dwarves:





Armor Class 10

Hit Points 6 (1d8+1+1)

Speed 25ft.

STR 10 (+0)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Senses: Passive Perception 10, Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages:Dwarvish, Common

Dwarven Resilience
Tool Proficiency
Stonecunning
Dwarven Combat Training
Dwarven Toughness

Actions:
Battleaxe: +2 to hit, 4 (1d8) or 5 (1d10) damages



Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit Points 15 (2d8+4+2)

Speed 25ft.

STR 13 (+1)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 14 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +3

Senses: passive Perception 13, Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages:Dwarvish, Common

Dwarven Resilience
Tool Proficiency
Stonecunning
Dwarven Combat Training
Dwarven Toughness

Actions:
Battleaxe: +3 to hit, 5 (1d8+1) or 6 (1d10+1) damages




Armor Class 10
Hit Points 5 (1d8+1)
Speed 25ft.

STR 12 (+1)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Senses: passive Perception 10, Darkvision 60ft
Languages: Dwarvish, Common

Dwarven Resilience
Tool Proficiency
Stonecunning
Dwarven Combat Training
Dwarven Armor Training

Actions:
Battleaxe: +3 to hit, 5 (1d8+1) or 6 (1d10+1) damages

(Note: due to Dwarven Armor Training, a Mountain Dwarf Commoner could wear an Hide armor (10 gp) for AC 12)





Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)

Speed 25ft.

STR 15 (+2)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 60 ft
Languages: Dwarvish, Common

Dwarven Resilience
Tool Proficiency
Stonecunning
Dwarven Combat Training
Dwarven Armor Training

Actions:
Battleaxe: +4 to hit, 6 (1d8+2) or 7 (1d10+2) damages



The Hill Dwarf Commoner is a bit tougher than average, and hit a bit harder, but is otherwise not that impressive. The Mountain Dwarf Commoner, on the other hand, manages to pack quite a punch as they are about as good at fighting and cause as much damage as an Hilll Dwarf Guard would. If you add their potential of wearing armor, they could be notably effective in a low-level fight.

The Hill Dwarf Guard has decent amount of HPs and Perception, which are nice things for a guard to have. But the Mountain Dwarf Guard's STR makes them a surprisingly dangerous opponent against low-level threats, including pCs who think they can mess with guards in impunity.

[Coidzor]

Half-Orcs getting to say no to one hit KOs and thus require at least two attacks to damage them in order to drop them increases the number of rounds that they'll be active in a combat, thereby prolonging the situation of having the most favorable ratio of attacks made against the party vs. number of members of the party for the NPCs.

[Eunostus]

If you consider Tiefling guards to be third level characters they could be quite scary. If you fail to one-shot them, prepare to get burned by hellish rebuke (within 60 ft). That might actually open up some nice options for player tactics.

[JackPhoenix]

Propably high elf for commoner (if they take damaging cantrip) and something with flying for the guard (if they take ranged weapon)

[Unoriginal]

Now, for the Elves:




Armor Class 11
Hit Points 4 (1d8)
Speed 30ft.

STR 10 (+0)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 11 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skill: Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 60ft
Languages: Common, Elvish + another

Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
Extra Language
Elf Weapon Training
Cantrip

Actions:

Longbow: +3 to hit, 5 (1d8+1) damages, range 150/600

Cantrip: depending on the choice






Armor Class 17 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed 30ft.

STR 13 (+1)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 11 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skills Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 60ft
Languages: Common, Elvish + another

Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
Extra Language
Elf Weapon Training
Cantrip

Actions:

Longbow: +4 to hit, 6 (1d8+2) damages, range 150/600

Shortsword: +4 to hit, 5 (1d6+2) damages

Cantrip: depends of the choice


Armor Class 11
Hit Points 4 (1d8)
Speed 35ft.

STR 10 (+0)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skill: Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 60ft
Languages: Common, Elvish

Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
Elf Weapon Training
Fleet of Foot
Mask of the Wild

Actions:
Longbow: +3 to hit, 5 (1d8+1) damages, range 150/600





Armor Class 17 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed 35ft.

STR 13 (+1)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 10 (+0)

Skills Perception +3
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 60ft
Languages: Common, Elvish

Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
Elf Weapon Training

Actions:

Longbow: +4 to hit, 6 (1d8+2) damages, range 150/600

Shortsword: +4 to hit, 5 (1d6+2) damages




Armor Class 11
Hit Points 4 (1d8)
Speed 30ft.

STR 10 (+0)
DEX 12 (+1)
CON 10 (+0)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 11 (+0)

Skill: Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 120ft
Languages: Common, Elvish

Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
Superior Darkvision
Sunlight Sensitivity
Drow Magic: Dancing Lights
Drow Weapon Training.

Actions:
Rapier: +3 to hit, 5 (1d8+1) damages





Armor Class 17 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)

Speed 30ft.

STR 13 (+1)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0)
WIS 11 (+0)
CHA 11 (+0)

Skills Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12, Darkvision 120ft
Languages: Common, Elvish

Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
Superior Darkvision
Sunlight Sensitivity
Drow Magic: Dancing Lights
Drow Weapon Training.

Actions:
Rapier: + 4 to hit, 6 (1d8+2) damages

The Elf Commoners are a mixed bag. While they never have impressive HPs and no really great AC, they nevertheless have interesting advantages. A High Elf Commoner can be dangerous if they pick up the right cantrip, as pointed out by JackPhoenix, but they have little reason to do so. The Wood Elf Commoner can try hiding in natural environments, but will most likely not be able to do that well enough to hide from the Passive Perception of anyone who has proficiency in the skill or has a WIS above 11. As for the Drow Commoner, aside from being well adapted to the darkness of the Underdark, but that it. On the other hand, the Keen Sense, Fey Ancestry do make the Elf Commoners more efficient than most against sneaky actions and mind magic, and their Weapon Training means that they *do* pack quite a punch relatively to other Commoners

The Elf Guards on the other hand do have a fairly good AC, and their Weapon Training can leave quite an impression, or should I say a dent, on their foes. The High Elf has access to combat cantrips, and has both a good reason to have one and a varied list they can select from, which means PCs and other NPCs alike would never be quite sure what kind of damage type is about to rain on them when they face a High Elf Guard squad. The Wood Elf Guard is both better at Perception than their counterparts, and is slightly better at hiding than the Wood Elf Commoner, which means they can surprise more people. Last and, sad but true, least, the Drow Guard, while still decent, has nothing particular to set them above the other Elf Guards (aside maybe from attacking with drow crossbows from 120ft away in the dark when other elves can only see at 60ft in those conditions.

All in all the Drow Guard is inferior to the Drow statblock from the MM, who has 1 HD more, but not ridiculously so. It could be used to represent a Drow trainee or a Drow warrior who is not important enough to be trained in the arts of stealth.

[Balyano]

So why don't any of them have a charisma score? Is there something I'm missing?

[Unoriginal]

So why don't any of them have a charisma score? Is there something I'm missing?

It's a copy/paste error.

[Naanomi]

Vs adventurers or other commoners/guards? Dragonborn breathweapon would be devastating on commoner VS commoner fights

[Unoriginal]

Vs adventurers or other commoners/guards? Dragonborn breathweapon would be devastating on commoner VS commoner fights

vs the world, mostly. I'm sure the DB's breath weapon would be devastating compared to a lot of the other Commoners' options.