The Most Average Man

[EvilAnagram]

I wanted to make the most average character possible, someone who excelled at almost nothing, but was passably good at just about any mundane task.

Avery Mun

Standard Human

Stat spread

13 (+1)| 13 (+1)| 13 (+1)| 13 (+1)| 12 (+1)| 11 (+1)
Folk Hero background

Fighter 5 (Champion)
Prof. in Athletics and Acrobatics
Defense style
+2 Cha at level 4

Rogue 5 (Thief)
Prof. in Persuasion
Expertise in Animal Handling and Persuasion
Resilient (Wis) at level 9

This gives him 14 in every stat. He's basically the football player who kept good grades and was generally pleasant. He played at university, but it was a small school and he got an engineering degree. Everyone likes him, but in the end he's nothing special.

Can I make him more mundane?

EDIT: To clarify, the intent is to be mundane compared to other adventurers. I realize that a level 10 PC will be well beyond a commoner, so please stop making the point that a level 10 PC is well beyond a commoner. We all realize that a level 10 PC is well beyond a commoner, so there's no point in saying that a level 10 PC is well beyond a commoner.

Also, I'm leaving magic out of this build entirely.

But there's no way for a PC to be average! They're so far beyond a commoner!

[Easy_Lee]

14 is actually above average. Average for the world is 8-10. What you've made here is an exceptionally clever and charismatic athlete.

D&D 5e character creation doesn't allow you to make Average Joe.

[Unoriginal]

I wanted to make the most average character possible, someone who excelled at almost nothing, but was passably good at just about any mundane task.

Avery Mun

Standard Human

Stat spread

13 (+1)| 13 (+1)| 13 (+1)| 13 (+1)| 12 (+1)| 11 (+1)
Folk Hero background

Fighter 5 (Champion)
Prof. in Athletics and Acrobatics
Defense style
+2 Cha at level 4

Rogue 5 (Thief)
Prof. in Persuasion
Expertise in Animal Handling and Persuasion
Resilient (Wis) at level 9

This gives him 14 in every stat. He's basically the football player who kept good grades and was generally pleasant. He played at university, but it was a small school and he got an engineering degree. Everyone likes him, but in the end he's nothing special.

Can I make him more mundane?

14 in every star is god damn impressive by any standard.

If you want an actually mundane person, look at the Commoner NPC.

But if you just want a character who is not very good at anything, but has at a little bit of everything, multiclass him Fighter 2/Rogue 2/Wizard 2/Cleric 2/Warlock 2 (or Bard 2)

Also change the background to something like Guild Artisan

[EvilAnagram]

14 in every star is god damn impressive by any standard.

If you want an actually mundane person, look at the Commoner NPC.

But if you just want a character who is not very good at anything, but has at a little bit of everything, multiclass him Fighter 2/Rogue 2/Wizard 2/Cleric 2/Warlock 2 (or Bard 2)

Also change the background to something like Guild Artisan

I suppose I'm trying less to make the average man, but rather a mundane man compared to the heroes around him.

[Vorpalchicken]

I'd go straight champion . Rogues are too awesome and expertise is not average.

[EvilAnagram]

I'd go straight champion . Rogues are too awesome and expertise is not average.

If I were to go straight Champion I'd have another ASI and more bonuses to my athletic prowess. Plus, I'd have a reroll on saves and be only a level away from 3 attacks per turn. No, that's too much.

[KorvinStarmast]

14 is actually above average. Average for the world is 8-10. What you've made here is an exceptionally clever and charismatic athlete. While I agree that 14 is above average ... average for the world is 10.
Commoner. (Basic Rules, DM, p. 54)
Commoner / Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 10 Hit Points 4 (1d8) Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 0 (10 XP) Actions Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
Commoners include peasants, serfs, slaves, servants, pilgrims, merchants, artisans, and hermits.
That's your average Joe who is not a PC and thus does not get the +1 per stat. If, on the other hand, you believe that an NPC gets the PC +1, then average is 9 which doesn't make as much sense.

D&D 5e character creation doesn't allow you to make Average Joe.
3d6 average is 10.5
IIRC, 4d6d1 average is ~ 12.25 (http://anydice.com/articles/4d6-drop-lowest/)
If you rolled exactly average human PC you'd get 6x12.25, with the +1 being 6x. 13.25. (but dice don't offer you a half ...)
With point buy, 27, you can do this.
13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 12 (whoa, almost 12.5 average!)
or
13, 13, 13, 13, 12, 11 (as was done above.
or
14, 14, 14, 10, 10, 10,
After which one adds the +1 across the board for human.
In the former case, you end up with 14, 14, 14, 13, 13, 13 which allows multiclass into anything
or
14, 14, 14, 14, 13, 12 which allows multiclass into anything except whatever stat is 12.
I can see why the OP did the latter.

[Easy_Lee]

Don't get me wrong, OP did the closest thing he could to average using point buy. I just wanted to point out that what he built is above average, more like a paragon than anything.

[KorvinStarmast]

Ah, I see, so we are in violent agreement. :smallbiggrin:
What I found interesting about the anydice analysis (http://anydice.com/articles/4d6-drop-lowest/)is this:

It also shows us that the average roll is roughly 16, 14, 13, 12, 10, 9. (http://anydice.com/articles/4d6-drop-lowest/)
Given the default generation method being 4d6d1, that is what should be the standard array, IMO.
16, 14, 13, 12, 10, 9. (Yes, it means some 1 lvl chars would end up with an 18 to start with ... heck, nearly all of them would!)

[LordEntrails]

"average" is not the correct term, mundane jack-of-all-trades is better. And the OP does a good job of making the mundane JoaT. You can debate background here and there a bit, and maybe even multi-class a bit more to prevent any one (or two) things from getting fairly strong. i.e. throw in some ranger and barbarian.

[Coidzor]

While I agree that 14 is above average ... average for the world is 10.
That's your average Joe who is not a PC and thus does not get the +1 per stat. If, on the other hand, you believe that an NPC gets the PC +1, then average is 9 which doesn't make as much sense.

IIRC, Human Commoners have 11 in every stat, Mountain Dwarf Commoners have 12 Str and 12 Con, and so on and so forth. Half-Elf Commoners have two 11s and a 12 Cha with the rest 10s.

In other words, they have the straight 10s, then they apply racials, provided the DM cares enough to bother applying the racials or even assign them a race.

[Nifft]

Avery Mun

Works well as an "everyman", but as others have said he's not really average.



Can I make him more mundane?

Lucky feat, and don't take credit for the luck -- it's not ~me~, I'm not that good, it's just fate -- right-place, right-time.

[MadBear]

Maybe apply like a single level of the 1/2 casters. That way he wouldn't get their spells or major abilities, but would pick up some mildly useful utility.

[JellyPooga]

For an "anyman" character, I'd be very tempted to throw in 2 or 3 levels of Bard for Jack-of-all-Trades and minor spellcasting; in a world where magic is common(ish), an "anyman" character needs must have some spellcasting. I'd ditch the Rogue levels for fear of being too much of an expert in certain fields and I wouldn't worry too much about Fighter levels granting additional ASI's; those can be spent on Feats like Durable, Resilient, Tough and/or even Lucky. That said, I'm not sure Champion Fighter is a great choice for an "anyman". I would propose Open-Hand Monk, with all his Ki and other remarkable abilities being explained as generally being proficient in stuff and/or just plain lucky. He wouldn't be any kind of powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, but a Bard/Monk multiclass does a remarkably good job of being the "average joe" who can hold his own being dragged along for an adventure; almost a comic-relief character that succeeds despite his lack of skill.

[Honest Tiefling]

I suppose I'm trying less to make the average man, but rather a mundane man compared to the heroes around him.

...If he's a mundane compared to the heroes, why does he have the folk hero background? Even if he was a more normal guy, the background implies he's done something impressive enough to wow people and that he has a great reputation.

[GlenSmash!]

Lately I've been making all my character have no score above 14, and have the lucky feat, and ways to get advantage to see how they compare to characters that max their main stat.

They're pretty good at most everything, and when they fail they use a luck point to see if they succeed.

I think it's super fun to play this type of character. It feels more like the hero from a fantasy Novel than a guy who is super specialized in a few things, but bad at others in a team of other specialists.

[Nifft]

Ritual Caster feat, and always down-play your skill -- "Anyone could do this. I'm just following the recipe. I can't cast real spells, no talent for it."

[EvilAnagram]

A lot of people are suggesting magical paths. I'm completely opposed to that for this particular character. I want to emphasize his mundanity in everything he does.


Lucky feat, and don't take credit for the luck -- it's not ~me~, I'm not that good, it's just fate -- right-place, right-time.

This is a great idea.


...If he's a mundane compared to the heroes, why does he have the folk hero background? Even if he was a more normal guy, the background implies he's done something impressive enough to wow people and that he has a great reputation.
People are easily wowed. Maybe he was somewhat impressive of an athlete and competed in a lot of festivals. Maybe he found a well that solved a humanitarian crisis. Maybe everytime he sleeps with someone, they find their true love the next day, and word has spread around the Sword Coast.

There are plenty of options without having to be particularly special. The folk hero is mostly just about popularity.

[Honest Tiefling]

There are plenty of options without having to be particularly special. The folk hero is mostly just about popularity.

So...He excels at making people like him, possibly even better then the guy with 18 charisma? That doesn't seem in line with the design concept. Why not try the Entertainer background, since he could just try to amuse people with his average skills as a musician.

[Easy_Lee]

So...He excels at making people like him, possibly even better then the guy with 18 charisma? That doesn't seem in line with the design concept. Why not try the Entertainer background, since he could just try to amuse people with his average skills as a musician.

Charisma isn't about likeability. It's about force of personality. Competent used car salesmen are good at Persuasion and Deception, even though everyone hates them.

[MadBear]

So...He excels at making people like him, possibly even better then the guy with 18 charisma? That doesn't seem in line with the design concept. Why not try the Entertainer background, since he could just try to amuse people with his average skills as a musician.

I don't think he's looking to make people like him more then the guy with 18 charisma. It could simply be a 1-time thing that happened in his past.

[GlenSmash!]

People are easily wowed. Maybe he was somewhat impressive of an athlete and competed in a lot of festivals. Maybe he found a well that solved a humanitarian crisis. Maybe everytime he sleeps with someone, they find their true love the next day, and word has spread around the Sword Coast.

There are plenty of options without having to be particularly special. The folk hero is mostly just about popularity.

There a a few Backgrounds in the SCAG or campaign specific that a "common" like the folk hero, but without that event that made the folk hero small time famous.

The Inheritor might work. Just make the thing that was inherent mundane instead of a macguffin.

Harborfolk from Elemental Evil is pretty generic, while being location specific.

[KorvinStarmast]

IIRC, Human Commoners have 11 in every stat,
Maybe. I was reading in the Monster Manual, and that's an option for the DM to use. (I can see the logic behind it, and see no reason not to use it). But "on the tin" a commoner has a 10 in everything. :smallcool:

As to background for the everyday joe being discussed, I"d suggest sailor; guy who grew up on the coast ( of a sea, an ocean, or a big lake) who hauled in the nets with his dad and uncles every day (real life fishermen who do it as a living are very hard working and often clannish people) and who one day had something strange happen, so off he goes. (Or she) This for a character class choice screams rogue, but lots of other classes like Bard or cleric, Ranger or Druid, would fit perfectly well.
Ranger looks very attractive to me ...

Natural Explorer
You are particularly familiar with one type of natural environment and are adept at traveling and
surviving in such regions. Choose one type of favored terrain: arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, or swamp. (Fishing on the bayou for crawdads and catfish?)

When you make an Intelligence or Wisdom check related to your favored terrain, your proficiency bonus is doubled if you are using a skill that you’re proficient in.

While traveling for an hour or more in your favored terrain, you gain the following benefits:
• Difficult terrain doesn’t slow your group’s travel.
• Your group can’t become lost except by magical means.
• Even when you are engaged in another activity while traveling (such as foraging, navigating, or tracking), you remain alert to danger.
• If you are traveling alone, you can move stealthily at a normal pace.
• When you forage, you find twice as much food as you normally would.
• While tracking other creatures, you also learn their exact number, their sizes, and how long ago
they passed through the area.

You choose additional favored terrain types at 6th and 10th level.

[smcmike]

I’m picturing a fighter with high constitution and wisdom, and merely ok stats otherwise. Grit and common sense are both fine things for an Everyman to possess, and if your average Joe is going adventuring, you’d better believe he’s going to strap as much metal on his body as he can carry - he’s not fast like a monk or crazy like a barbarian, after all.

Folk hero makes sense, but an ex-soldier can make for an ok Everyman too. You mostly want someone who will just keep plugging away, unspectacularly. Hill Dwarf Champion, I think.

The problem with Rogue is a Rogue is an expert. Everyman is not an expert.

[EvilAnagram]

The problem with Rogue is a Rogue is an expert. Everyman is not an expert.

I think an expert in Animal Handling and Persuasion could easily just be a well-spoken farmer.

[Nifft]

I think an expert in Animal Handling and Persuasion could easily just be a well-spoken farmer.

Expert (insight) might just be a really solid gut feeling.

[Honest Tiefling]

There a a few Backgrounds in the SCAG or campaign specific that a "common" like the folk hero, but without that event that made the folk hero small time famous.

The Inheritor might work. Just make the thing that was inherent mundane instead of a macguffin.

Harborfolk from Elemental Evil is pretty generic, while being location specific.

Pretty much. I guess some people can accept that the 'Average mundane man' can use that background, but I still say with all of the options, there are far better choices.

The problem with fighter is that while it isn't flashy, it is still representing one of the best warriors in the world. It'd be a hard sell to say that you're an expert in athletics and can kill a man in a single blow but you're still an average joe. I don't think any class would work, unless the player goes out of their way to ignore certain features.

Oddly enough, I'd suggest the Warlock. You're just an average guy, but the crazy powers keep following you and you have no idea what is happening.

[smcmike]

Pretty much. I guess some people can accept that the 'Average mundane man' can use that background, but I still say with all of the options, there are far better choices.

The problem with fighter is that while it isn't flashy, it is still representing one of the best warriors in the world. It'd be a hard sell to say that you're an expert in athletics and can kill a man in a single blow but you're still an average joe.


True, though a fair number of action heroes are Everymen, but with a hidden talent for violence. Die Hard is a good example - he’s really just an average cop (at the start, at least) but tough and smart and gritty. Lots of people are trained in some sort of combat, so it isn’t really that unusual.

Also, you aren’t going to be killing most does with a single blow. The best way to build this with a fighter would be sword and board defensive style, so your damage output will genuinely be only so-so.



Oddly enough, I'd suggest the Warlock. You're just an average guy, but the crazy powers keep following you and you have no idea what is happening.

This is a pretty decent idea, though really it’s “Average Guy, Except X,” which is a super-common archetype. This can also work for barbarian, sorcerer, or cleric pretty easily, and others, like monk, with a bit of stretching.

[EvilAnagram]

The problem with fighter is that while it isn't flashy, it is still representing one of the best warriors in the world. It'd be a hard sell to say that you're an expert in athletics and can kill a man in a single blow but you're still an average joe. I don't think any class would work, unless the player goes out of their way to ignore certain features.

My build actually can't kill someone in a single blow and isn't an expert in athletics. Throwing a punch, on a crit, he does four points of damage. That's not enough to knock out a goblin. He can hit fairly accurately, and he can avoid a punch, but he can't actually hit that hard unless he gets the drop on someone and is wielding a blade, which is fairly consistent with real life.

Also, a big reason that I chose Folk Hero is that the skills it provides are consistent with an average Joe. My character is basically a nice guy who has been consistently pretty competent in most things. He probably lucked out pretty hard in the gene pool, but he's not hyper-competent at anything but being generally likeable and good-natured, and I think most of us know someone quite similar to that.

[Nifft]

How about Beastmaster Ranger?

You don't do as much directly, but your beast can be awesome -- but everyone knows bears are awesome, so that's just normal.

[Garfunion]

A handshake from him counts as a first date.
If there is an elephant in the room, he brought it.
He is, indeed, the most interesting man in the world.
Stay thirsty my friends.


I'll let myself out now.

[GlenSmash!]

If there is an elephant in the room, he brought it.
He is, indeed, the most interesting man in the world.
Stay thirsty my friends.


I'll let myself out now.

If there is an elephant in the room, he'll look at it but not bring it up until someone else does. He is the most mundane man in the world.

[Nifft]

Oh, what about Wolf Totem Barbarian?

That's the one where everybody ELSE gets Advantage, and you're just really angry.

[Gignere]

Probably go with Valor Bard. You can fight, magic, and skills but you are not the best at it just like your ability scores. Good at everything but excel at nothing.

[Sigreid]

Funnil6 enough I just rolled a character with an 11, a 12 and 4 10s. Decided on deep gnome abjuror.

[lebefrei]

Even if 5e, with bounded accuracy (soldiers can kill anything in large enough numbers), player characters are not average. That's, frankly, a lot of the point. You can't take a character class and be average, you're already expressing your exceptional nature. This isn't really a game about that. Clerics, wizards, and such aren't just waiting for the bus to go about their day. They are great people doing great (or terrible) things.


I wanted to make the most average character possible, someone who excelled at almost nothing, but was passably good at just about any mundane task.

This gives him 14 in every stat. He's basically the football player who kept good grades and was generally pleasant. He played at university, but it was a small school and he got an engineering degree. Everyone likes him, but in the end he's nothing special.

Can I make him more mundane?

I can't believe no one addressed the comparison you've made to what you are calling an average person in the real world!!!! Someone that appears to have gotten an athletics scholarship to a college and then graduated, with good grades, in engineering. Someone that is liked by everyone, and described as pleasant? Can you make him more mundane?! You've literally described an exceptional person, you do realize that, right? Physically, mentally, and socially superior to an average person.

[Arelai]

Valor Bard.

You could do a level of fighter for armor, and take ritual caster wizard for extra spells to round him out. And that would be a pretty balanced character.

[Cybren]

Works well as an "everyman", but as others have said he's not really average.




Lucky feat, and don't take credit for the luck -- it's not ~me~, I'm not that good, it's just fate -- right-place, right-time.
An average, unassuming person probably wouldn't make grandiose claims about fate guiding their hand.


My build actually can't kill someone in a single blow

Unless you're deliberately using bad weapons I'm pretty sure your build kills the average human in under 6 seconds

[Trampaige]

I can't believe no one addressed the comparison you've made to what you are calling an average person in the real world!!!! Someone that appears to have gotten an athletics scholarship to a college and then graduated, with good grades, in engineering. Someone that is liked by everyone, and described as pleasant? Can you make him more mundane?! You've literally described an exceptional person, you do realize that, right? Physically, mentally, and socially superior to an average person.

That's part of why this whole thing is so silly. He's worried about gaining class abilities as he levels up, but the only way to stay remotely 'mundane' is refuse to level up. He can't multiclass out of fighter/rogue because every single other class is something remarkable and specialized right away. There are no mundane 5e characters past 3-5th level.

[MadBear]

That's part of why this whole thing is so silly. He's worried about gaining class abilities as he levels up, but the only way to stay remotely 'mundane' is refuse to level up. He can't multiclass out of fighter/rogue because every single other class is something remarkable and specialized right away. There are no mundane 5e characters past 3-5th level.

It's possible that you both missed it, but it was later clarified that he wants him to be average compared to other adventurers. The OP already stated that he'd be above the normal commoner mark. So while yes compared to farmer Joe, he'd be amazing, at an equivalent level with other adventurers he'd be "meh, not bad, but not great".

[EvilAnagram]

It's possible that you both missed it, but it was later clarified that he wants him to be average compared to other adventurers. The OP already stated that he'd be above the normal commoner mark. So while yes compared to farmer Joe, he'd be amazing, at an equivalent level with other adventurers he'd be "meh, not bad, but not great".

Yeah, I think I should probably update my OP. Apparently, the thread is getting too long to bother reading all the other responses.

[Nifft]

An average, unassuming person probably wouldn't make grandiose claims about fate guiding their hand.

That's a great clue that you're assuming something wrong.

Because in a small way, you're right -- "Fate guides my hand!" is indeed not an average thing to say.

But in the much larger way, you're wrong -- because that specific statement is a really poor representation of what I've been suggesting.

Here's now it might look: "That big bad evil guy lost because it was fate. It's not because of me in specific, it could have been anyone. Maybe he angered one of the gods? I dunno, gods are above my pay grade. But I know that if you try to do the right thing, the world sometimes helps you out."

[Vogie]

I can't believe no one addressed the comparison you've made to what you are calling an average person in the real world!!!! Someone that appears to have gotten an athletics scholarship to a college and then graduated, with good grades, in engineering. Someone that is liked by everyone, and described as pleasant? Can you make him more mundane?! You've literally described an exceptional person, you do realize that, right? Physically, mentally, and socially superior to an average person.

Not really.

Lets say that he is all of those things, and until now has just worked as an architect, or construction worker, or runs a tavern, or is a minister, or has the most competitive heating & air prices in the tristate area. Everyone thinks he's... fine.

Basically he's Kevin Hart's character in Central Intelligence. He can kinda do one thing well, and that's about it. He had some notoriety in the past. And he looks like a nobody next to a Normal adventurer (which would be the Rock's character in the same film).

[EvilAnagram]

Basically he's Kevin Hart's character in Central Intelligence. He can kinda do one thing well, and that's about it. He had some notoriety in the past. And he looks like a nobody next to a Normal adventurer (which would be the Rock's character in the same film).

He's really not the kind of guy who can do one thing really well. In fact, there's not really anything he can do significantly better than everyone else. That's the whole point. He's kind of okay at most things, but he doesn't have any core competency.

[Vogie]

He's really not the kind of guy who can do one thing really well. In fact, there's not really anything he can do significantly better than everyone else. That's the whole point. He's kind of okay at most things, but he doesn't have any core competency.

Precisely. He's good at doing his job, whatever that job is - You say he has a degree in Engineering, so that's (effectively) his core competency, more so than with an engineer with all tens, but he's not going to be the best around (Nothing's gonna ever keep you down). Swap it with accounting and you've got Kevin Hart's character - the only reason he's chosen by the Rock is because a) he's an accountant and b) he knew Kevin's character from the past thus trusting him. In all other aspects he's a +1 Everyman.

[2D8HP]

I wanted to make the most.....


I actually made a PC very much like this (Folk hero background, Fighter/Rogue) but Half-Elf instead of Human, so I could play my real-life age but have a PC that was physically the equivalent of a twenty-something.

My favorite PC by far.

[lebefrei]

He's kind of okay at most things, but he doesn't have any core competency.

Your understanding of human competency compared to your original post is really bothering me, and demonstrates why you aren't getting the character you want out of this. An engineer that graduated with good grades has a core competency! He isn't just "okay!" He's a skillful person. Someone that is "liked by everyone" isn't just okay, they're rare. They're charismatic, and not just an okay person. Someone that plays football in college, no matter the school size, is an exceptional athlete. They are competent. Someone with all of that is very rare, compared to the average. Your base comparison to a real person is skewed towards exceptionalism.

1. Engineering is a challenging field that earns significantly more than an average income and is above the skill level of average aptitude
2. Being a college athlete demonstrates physical superiority well above an average person, and is a common stepping stone to being an Olympic athlete
3. Being liked by everyone is not a common trait; we have people who like and dislike us, and are rarely always liked. Having this quality makes you stand out

If you want to make an average PC, you need to be bland (doesn't stand out from a crowd, tolerated but not liked), you need to be fallible, limited in skill sets, fearful in combat (average people run from danger, in fact), incapable of offering constructive and useful planning details to the party (average people do not lead, are not high level management except through nepotism, and are not visionaries). Honestly, you have to not stand out in the party, and contribute a bit but not much. You have to be unexceptional, take it or leave it, middle of the road bland.

8-11 in every stat, most certainly not a jack of all trades (being moderately skilled at everything one does is not average), and less useful to the party than anything but a regular poorly played PC.

[GlenSmash!]

I actually made a PC very much like this (Folk hero background, Fighter/Rogue) but Half-Elf instead of Human, so I could play my real-life age but have a PC that was physically the equivalent of a twenty-something.

My favorite PC by far.

Reminds me of a character I made recently. A Half-Elf Barbarian/Fighter. And like the OP's character doesn't have an Ability Score higher than 14. When thinking of a good age for him I chose my dad's age (mid 60s).

[Cybren]

That's a great clue that you're assuming something wrong.

Because in a small way, you're right -- "Fate guides my hand!" is indeed not an average thing to say.

But in the much larger way, you're wrong -- because that specific statement is a really poor representation of what I've been suggesting.

Here's now it might look: "That big bad evil guy lost because it was fate. It's not because of me in specific, it could have been anyone. Maybe he angered one of the gods? I dunno, gods are above my pay grade. But I know that if you try to do the right thing, the world sometimes helps you out."
alternatively just.... don't use the word 'fate'

[EvilAnagram]

Your understanding of human competency compared to your original post is really bothering me, and demonstrates why you aren't getting the character you want out of this.
For the record, as I break apart your post, core competency refers to an area in which the character excels above all others.


An engineer that graduated with good grades has a core competency! He isn't just "okay!" He's a skillful person.
You're pulling an analogy I made to relate the character to a person on the real world and treating that analogy as though it's the character, himself. The analogous example I gave is not the character I built; he is the essence of the character. The specifics of that analogy are unimportant because the meaningful part of Chad (the analogy is now named Chad) is the fact that he is unremarkable, despite his varied abilities. Being smart, athletic, and likeable never really differentiated him from his peers save to endear him to others. Many will attend his funeral, and few will remember him long after. He is utterly mundane despite his varied capabilities, and he lived an unremarkable life.

I'm saying the forest is green and you're shouting that the flower is red. No one cares about the flower. Why are you focusing on that flower?


Someone that is "liked by everyone" isn't just okay, they're rare. They're charismatic, and not just an okay person. Someone that plays football in college, no matter the school size, is an exceptional athlete. They are competent. Someone with all of that is very rare, compared to the average. Your base comparison to a real person is skewed towards exceptionalism.
I've seen half a dozen men and women like that live and die in my lifetime, and you will never know their names. Though they were remarkable people, they were not so remarkable that their lives will bring a modicum of fame beyond their immediate friends and family, and they will be forgotten in a matter of decades. People like that aren't particularly rare, certainly not in a world of billions.

The thing is that people who are generally smart and generally athletic and generally well-liked generally don't make an enormous impact in the world. People who are incredibly smart or incredibly athletic or incredibly chsrismatic? Those are the people find their way to fame, fortune, and book deals. Chad just retires early because he saved his money wisely, so he can spend most of his time at his cabin in Minnesota.

[Nifft]

alternatively just.... don't use the word 'fate'
The word is fine. Deal with it.


(the analogy is now named Chad)

Perfect name.

So, what do you think about the Wolf Totem Barbarian idea? Makes everyone else great, you're just there to coordinate and help out. The first two choices for Totem could be pretty mundane:
- Level 3: you try hard, but your allies are the real heroes => Wolf Totem (adjacent allies gain Advantage when you Rage)
- Level 6: you're just really good at packing => Bear Totem (carrying capacity doubles)


To justify some Rogue levels, you could pick Expertise in skills like Performance + Insight. The former is useless in combat; the latter might be played off as the result of your everyman status: "You know, when the Arch-Duke talked like that just now, he totally reminded me of Icky Pete. I don't trust that guy, not after what Icky Pete did to my pillows back in college."

(Maybe there are two less-useful skills?)

Sneak Attack does nothing if you're using a big two-handed weapon, so do that. Pick up a dagger if things get desperate -- you're always at your best when the chips are down.

The Mastermind archetype (SCAG) gives you an improved Help action, which boosts your allies' attacks.

Uncanny Dodge is just the other guy hitting your armor.

Evasion is just the other guy missing.

You can take a bunch of Rogue levels and still be an Everyman.

[bid]

IIRC, 4d6d1 average is ~ 12.25 (http://anydice.com/articles/4d6-drop-lowest/)
The "drop lowest" die is exactly (1^4 + 2^4 + 3^4 + 4^4 + 5^4 + 6^4) / 6^4 = 2275 / 1296 ~ 1.7554.
So 4d6d1 is 15869 / 1296 ~ 12.2446987654321.

And that's a funny number because 8/81 = 0.(098765432)repeated.

[EvilAnagram]

The word is fine. Deal with it.



Perfect name.

So, what do you think about the Wolf Totem Barbarian idea? Makes everyone else great, you're just there to coordinate and help out. The first two choices for Totem could be pretty mundane:
- Level 3: you try hard, but your allies are the real heroes => Wolf Totem (adjacent allies gain Advantage when you Rage)
- Level 6: you're just really good at packing => Bear Totem (carrying capacity doubles)


To justify some Rogue levels, you could pick Expertise in skills like Performance + Insight. The former is useless in combat; the latter might be played off as the result of your everyman status: "You know, when the Arch-Duke talked like that just now, he totally reminded me of Icky Pete. I don't trust that guy, not after what Icky Pete did to my pillows back in college."

(Maybe there are two less-useful skills?)

Sneak Attack does nothing if you're using a big two-handed weapon, so do that. Pick up a dagger if things get desperate -- you're always at your best when the chips are down.

The Mastermind archetype (SCAG) gives you an improved Help action, which boosts your allies' attacks.

Uncanny Dodge is just the other guy hitting your armor.

Evasion is just the other guy missing.

You can take a bunch of Rogue levels and still be an Everyman.

I kind of like that build. He becomes someone focused on helping others, which is a fun twist on the concept.