[3.5]Pimp my commoner!

[rezplz]

So. About 90% for **** and giggles, I thought it'd be super-awesome to play a commoner in my buddy EnnPeeCee's campaign. Here's the limitations for what I'm going with: Human. Level 3. Books used: Core books, complete series, core sequels, races of stone/wild/destiny.

Most likely point buy between 28 - 32.

If possible I'd like to avoid multiclassing so that I can have the absurd hilarity of being a straight-up commoner ;P


Edit: Most likely going for skillmonkey-ish, secondary function being ranged attacker. (might have to use all my feats for skill boosts, though :( )

[EnnPeeCee]

For bonus points:
- Start with all 8's in your stats.
- Choose club as your single weapon prof.
- Take only skill feats
- No cross-class skills

[SoD]

For bonus points:
- Start with all 8's in your stats.
- Choose club as your single weapon prof.
- Never weild a club. Ever.
- Take only skill feats
- No cross-class skills

Fixed it for you!

[Killer Angel]

Chickens are your best friends.

[ZeroNumerous]

For bonus points:
- Start with all 8's in your stats.
- Choose club as your single weapon prof.
- Never weild a club. Ever.
- Take only skill feats
- No cross-class skills

For extra bonus points: Wear full plate, never take it off and wield a bastard sword sized for a small creature.

[icefractal]

See if you can take the Chicken Infested flaw. Whether you get a feat for it or not, you still get chickens!

[rezplz]

What book is chicken infested from? It sounds absurdly silly, which I like.

[olentu]

What book is chicken infested from? It sounds absurdly silly, which I like.

I believe it is from dragon magazine but I do not remember the issue.

[Olo Demonsbane]

If you want a truly insane one I built a level one commoner yesterday that can deal ABSURD amounts of damage...once per day. Just once. HADOKEN!

Tucker
Level 1 Desert Kobold Commoner
HP: 3+Con
AC: 14+Dex
Ranged Attack: Light Crossbow +2+Dex (1d8)
Melee Attack: 2 claws +2+Str (1d4+Str)
Stats: Str (-4), Dex (+2), Con (+0), Int (+0), Wis (-2), Cha (+0)
Special: Draconic Ritual (Power Word Pain (Races of the Dragon) 1/day), Slight Build
Feats: Mortalbane (Book of Vile Darkness) x3
Flaws: Any Two.

Effectively, once per day this character can use power word pain augmented fully with all of his Mortalbane uses: 31d6 damage for a few turns, depending on their foes hp.

[Another_Poet]

Here is what I did when I played a Commoner1 (who survived a normal 1st level adventure!).

-Leather armour (non-proficient, but the penalty is 0 for leather, so it doesn't matter)
-Chose quarterstaff as my weapon
-Feats were Endurance and Die Hard. Basically 10 extra hp. W00t!
-Might as well go ahead and max ranks in Tumble so you can avoid AoOs.
-I recommend taking Constitution up to 18 and Dex up to 18. Everything else, do whatever you want.

Here are things I didn't do, but will next time I play a commoner:

-You can carry a Tower Shield for the +4 AC and drop it if you ever need to attack (thus avoiding the -10 penalty). Tower shields are the only shields that do not specify they are strapped on, and it would make sense to simply hold them by a handle; check with your DM to see if she/he will allow you to drop one as a free action.

-Max out Handle Animal. Buy two battle-trained riding dogs with your 3rd level wealth (you don't have to ride them, I know you're a human). Now with a DC 10 check you can order one to attack as a move action. Use your other move action to order the other one to attack too... or guard you. Welcome to having 2 attacks and 2 trip attempts per round. There is no ACP on Handle Animal so you can stand around in full plate and let them fight for you if you want.

-Get a mount. For your speedy getaways.

[Killer Angel]

Here is what I did when I played a Commoner1 (who survived a normal 1st level adventure!).

I find myself slightly unconfortable with the image of a "commoner" with 18 Dex and Con, or with full plate + tower shield and a couple of battle-trained dogs...

[boomwolf]

Just collect non-relevant flaws and max out luck feats, they turn any incapeable dummy into a possible threat.
Take my luckblade at later levels to turn him into a more vicious idiot lucky guy.

[Kurald Galain]

You forgot the feat Skill Focus: Craft: Basketweaving.

[Kaiyanwang]

Chickens are your best friends.

That, or Orcus polymorphed in a pig. A fat pig.

[Another_Poet]

I find myself slightly unconfortable with the image of a "commoner" with 18 Dex and Con, or with full plate + tower shield and a couple of battle-trained dogs...

The 18's are possible with the allowed point buy. Some people are always born tougher or faster than others... Commoner doesn't mean you have bad stats, it means you never learned any good "adventurey" skills that would justify a character class (or even a better NPC class). Maybe the poor kid was stuck on a farm his whole life. Maybe he had to take care of grandma. Who knows?

As for the equipment, well, peasants have been drafted for thousands of years. And once they're drafted they have to be equipped somehow. I was kidding about the full plate, since it's out of his price range at 3rd level (assuming he wants any other decent stuff), But leather armour and oversized shields are perfect low-cost equipment for a peasant levee.

I guess I feel that if I were an untrained peasant planning on going into a dungeon, I'd want to take as many reasonable precautions as possible. I'd buy good gear and make good use of it.

ap

edit: actually, if a Wizard with Int 18 makes sense, then a Commoner with Con 18 makes heaps of sense. There probably is no stat more important for day-to-day survival as a medieval serf.

[LibraryOgre]

I find myself slightly unconfortable with the image of a "commoner" with 18 Dex and Con, or with full plate + tower shield and a couple of battle-trained dogs...

"Chopper, sick balls." ;-)

[Signmaker]

Tucker

Heeheehee.

[Cieyrin]

The 18's are possible with the allowed point buy. Some people are always born tougher or faster than others... Commoner doesn't mean you have bad stats, it means you never learned any good "adventurey" skills that would justify a character class (or even a better NPC class). Maybe the poor kid was stuck on a farm his whole life. Maybe he had to take care of grandma. Who knows?

As for the equipment, well, peasants have been drafted for thousands of years. And once they're drafted they have to be equipped somehow. I was kidding about the full plate, since it's out of his price range at 3rd level (assuming he wants any other decent stuff), But leather armour and oversized shields are perfect low-cost equipment for a peasant levee.

I guess I feel that if I were an untrained peasant planning on going into a dungeon, I'd want to take as many reasonable precautions as possible. I'd buy good gear and make good use of it.

ap

edit: actually, if a Wizard with Int 18 makes sense, then a Commoner with Con 18 makes heaps of sense. There probably is no stat more important for day-to-day survival as a medieval serf.

Con makes sense but I'd think they'd have good Wis scores, as well. Profession is keyed off of Wis, so it only makes sense. Con just makes you get through the long day, Wis makes you actually get something done that day.

For other extra points, keep a Profession at max ranks.

[Kylarra]

Chicken Infested flaw and Hopeless Collector (chickens).

Outside of battle or other stressful times, whenever you pull out an item, you'll have a 50% chance of getting a chicken, you will then be compelled to store it away somewhere and add it to your inventory. repeat it often enough and open your own chicken farm.

[Jergmo]

What is the deal with people giving stuff like Power Word: Pain to kobolds? I'm pretty sure the feat only allows you to pick a 1st level spell.

[Emy]

What is the deal with people giving stuff like Power Word: Pain to kobolds? I'm pretty sure the feat only allows you to pick a 1st level spell.

Power word: pain is a first level spell.

[Fizban]

That automatically kills anything at 1st level.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

What is the deal with people giving stuff like Power Word: Pain to kobolds? I'm pretty sure the feat only allows you to pick a 1st level spell.

PW:P is a 1st level spell, in RotD. On the Sorc/Wiz and Ninja list.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Dr. Hobo: Evolved Human Necropolitan Commoner 2
Attributes: Decent Str, 10 Int, High Cha
Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate
1: (Trait) Honest
1: (Trait) Illiterate
1: (Flaw) Unreactive
1: (Flaw) Shaky
1: (Feat) Martial Study, Leading the Attack
1: (Human Feat) Martial Study, Crusader's Strike
1: (Bonus Feat) Martial Stance, Martial Spirit
1: (Bonus Feat) Omniscient Whispers
3: (Feat) Stench of the Dead
6: (Feat) Undead Leadership

[Cieyrin]

Dr. Hobo: Evolved Human Necropolitan Commoner 2
Attributes: Decent Str, 10 Int, High Cha
Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate
1: (Trait) Honest
1: (Trait) Illiterate
1: (Flaw) Unreactive
1: (Flaw) Shaky
1: (Feat) Martial Study, Leading the Attack
1: (Human Feat) Martial Study, Crusader's Strike
1: (Bonus Feat) Martial Stance, Martial Spirit
1: (Bonus Feat) Omniscient Whispers
3: (Feat) Stench of the Dead
6: (Feat) Undead Leadership

Yay, Dr. Hobo! =3

[Thurbane]

It's a shame Savage Species isn't on the list of books, or you could take the Survivor class...

[rezplz]

While this Dr. Hobo sounds hilarious, I have no idea what any of his abilities/whatnot actually do D:

Thurbane: I actually think that we might be using that book, now that you mention it. I don't have it on my computer, unfrotunately, but I've been meaning to check that class out. It would fit with the character concept that I have in mind. However, it's still for the lulz of being a straight-up commoner. Maybe I'll take the commoner to level 20 ;D

[Zeta Kai]

I find myself slightly unconfortable with the image of a "commoner" with 18 Dex and Con, or with full plate + tower shield and a couple of battle-trained dogs...

The only other classes that match that set-up are warrior & fighter. Commoners are demonstrably inferior to both, so I'd allow it. That's a good fun build, & far less cheesy than most other options.

[rezplz]

The only other classes that match that set-up are warrior & fighter. Commoners are demonstrably inferior to both everything that ever existed, so I'd allow it. That's a good fun build, & far less cheesy than most other options.

Fixed it for ya ;D

And if I was a commoner, hell yeah I'd want some full plate and a tower shield to cower behind. I'd never be able to move around much and I certainly wouldn't be attacking anything (armor check penalty for being non-proficient ;D) but stuff wouldn't be hitting me at least. And it makes sense for a commoner to have a dog or two as faithful companions... that can also attack stuff :)

[Cieyrin]

While this Dr. Hobo sounds hilarious, I have no idea what any of his abilities/whatnot actually do D:

Thurbane: I actually think that we might be using that book, now that you mention it. I don't have it on my computer, unfrotunately, but I've been meaning to check that class out. It would fit with the character concept that I have in mind. However, it's still for the lulz of being a straight-up commoner. Maybe I'll take the commoner to level 20 ;D

I've taken Commoner to 30 once. The old fart can plow a mean field with his Profession(Farming) of +65. =D