The Commoner Handbook

[Hiro Protagonest]

Assume a player is runnig it. As I said, the Dragon has knowledge that this isn't an ordinary Thorp.

The villagers don't all clump together like an amorphous mass of 40 slings and bows. They have at most 5 (1/8 of the total number of commoners there, if half are women who have to cook/breastfeed/take care of the children that leaves 20 men, so 5 sentinels means one in every four is keeping watch) sentries.

The Dragon has adequate mental stats. It will not come in like some Chaotic Stupid orc and announce it's presence. It will fly in at night when the spot check to see it is nigh-on-impossible for a commoner (it's Tiny sized) before he gets melted by that breath weapon. By the time the town starts assembling, a commoner would die every 1d4 rounds, while a Tiny sized stealth bomber that has Keen Senses (Ex) picks them out and ducks back in the cover of night. It takes flyby attack as it's first feat probably, though I'm sure there's a better one in Draconomicon or whatever.

It is safe to assume that a small Thorp of commoners has a water source nearby, perhaps a stream. The dragon can hide there and become basically invulnerable, though I don't see how they can force it to do so.

I'd say everyone who comes out dies.

Well, let's say that there are about ten guys really focused on seeing things, and another ten focused on hearing things. 13 wisdom, max ranks in spot or listen (or both), then Skill Focus (spot or listen) and Alertness. Wyrmling black dragons have a +7 move silently and a... +15? hide, and they still need cover to hide, so if there's even a 20 ft clearing all the way around the wooden walls, the four people on guard duty at any given time have a decent chance of seeing or hearing him at any given time.

What about that teamwork benefit from Heroes of Battle that gives bonuses to spot or something? I think that would help.

[Myth]

Please don't turn this into Schroedener's Thorp. You can hardly have 10 guys with SF: spot or listen AND have all the other optimized commoners. Assume a standard setup that is not tailor-made to kill and/or intercept dragons.

There are penalties when trying to spot something at night.

Senior Sanctified will not tank anything, AC is irrelevant as the breath weapon kills any commoner.

If every single of the 40 Commoners is taking two flaws the dragon (being a PC) can take two flaws as well.

What can a Wyrmling Black Dragon do with three feats I wonder...

[Hiro Protagonest]

Please don't turn this into Schroedener's Thorp. You can hardly have 10 guys with SF: spot or listen AND have all the other optimized commoners. Assume a standard setup that is not tailor-made to kill and/or intercept dragons.

This isn't tailor-made to kill dragons. This is tailor-made to spot threats before they spot you or when they try to sneak in, have a bunch of animals ready for melee, and make all the commoners have decent ranged attacks. Only half the thorp has the SF and Alertness setup.

[Need_A_Life]

This isn't tailor-made to kill dragons. This is tailor-made to spot threats before they spot you or when they try to sneak in, have a bunch of animals ready for melee, and make all the commoners have decent ranged attacks. Only half the thorp has the SF and Alertness setup.

Still seems a bit too specialized.
Better off lighting everything up with Continual Flame so things without Hide in Plain Sight won't get to make Hide checks. How this is done would depend on the setting and resources.

• Precious Apprentice (Continual Flame) will get you one for 50gp a pop. If paid for by taxes, fines etc. this would eventually be enough to cover the whole city.
• An item of Continual Flame 1/day costs 2660gp [(2*3*1800+2500)/5] to buy or 1612gp to craft. It will be a lot cheaper in the long run (especially since you can recoup your losses by selling it, if you suddenly need the money).

And a Wild Cohort (Baby Roc) or five would give that Wyrmling a thing or two to worry about, especially if they're receiving ranged support in the form of archers and/or spellcasters.

Anyone know of any ways to qualify for Craft Wondrous Item as a commoner?

[Blas_de_Lezo]

The only way to do an effective level 1 commoner, in order to survive, is maxing the hell out of Diplomacy and organicing other commoners with you as their lead.
Then you can have various troops of organized commoners to help each other, in and out of danger or ordinary situations.
Of course, you also want to be a durable leader, so you shouldn't age up your category too much.

Starting stats: all 11
Age categoy: Middle Age
Final Stats: Str 10 Dex 10 Con 10 Int 12 Wis 12 Cha 12

Alignemnt: Chaotic Good

Flaw: Noncombatant, Murky-Eyed
Feats:
*- Sacred Vow
*- Nymph's Kiss
1- vow of nonviolence
H- vow of peace

Skills:
- Diplomacy (cc) +11
- Bluff (cc) +5
- Sense Motive (cc) +3
- Gaher Information (cc) +5
- Knowledge (local) (cc) +3

Literacy (free: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/races.htm)
Languages: Common, elven (the race most likely to help you if needed)

Special powers:
- Constanty sorrounded by a calm emotions spell http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/calmEmotions.htm

Weapon proficiency:
Short spear (cannot harm humanoid or monstruous humanoid, but it's a good weapon just in case. Also you are a charismatic character. If people imitate you, you have a reliable, cheap and effective wepon to mimic)

Equipment
Studded leather 25 gp
Heavy Wooden shield 7 gp
Traveler's outfit (with hood) 1 gp
Short Spear 1 gp
Dagger 2 gp (nonproficient, but being able to cut stuff may save a day)
4 gp left (thats a lot of money yet to a commoner, maybe useful in your strategy)

Armor Class
21
10 base, +2 natural armor bonus to your AC, a +2 deflection bonus to your AC, and a +2 exalted bonus to your AC, +3 sttuded leather, +2 shield (you'll have a terrible attack bonus, but you won't attack most of the time, so this is an insurance)

Overall strategy

First try to gain the favor of your community with intelligent use of your diplomacy, skills and powers, even if it takes you months.
Once you have emerged as a leader of your community, explain them a plan to empower themselves as individuals against opression (chaotic goodish). And yes, being opressed is part of being a commoner. Convince them to build a group to go with you on a diplomatic mission to elven land (almost all chaotic good) to look for advice and help. Choose or train your own companions, so you have a group of commoners with the role of healer, scouter and 2 "tanks" (via skills, equipment and feats).
Convince your communtity to put a common pot for this mission and delay some days going to city to buy provisions, equipment and magic stuff that grants you diplomacy bonus.

Lead the way. You're the glue of the mission, but you're tough to kill. Anything trying to hit you will have to bypass your 2 "tanks" first, your calm emotions and your AC 25 with total defense.If a creature strikes you with a manufactured weapon, the weapon must immediately make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10) or shatter against your skin, leaving you unharmed. You also have +1 bonus on all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities and fey creatures regard you as if you were fey. Which may be helpful if you are on a mission to elven lands.

If you go low profile and make it to elven lands, expend now all your magic items to a lucky, roled +2 circumstanced diplomacy skill. Tell them how commoners are opressed and need elven help. If you are not threatened, it's better to take 10. Likely, you'll get the help of the elves. Just tell them that you don't want to start a war (you're nonviolent after all), you just want to empower your community to stop the oppresion from the [corresponding] authority power. And for that you need a very small group of elves to train your community. If you pass the roll (it shouldn't be a very high DC), you will now go back to your town with a patrol of elves that will train your community, and in some months now you will have a full community able to take a NPC level in something empowering as adept, expert or warrior. And that makes a very tough group of 20-80 organized individuals, who could ally with the next neighbour village to do the same and start a powerful rebellion (again, yes, commoners are oppresed by definition).

[Flickerdart]

Don't you need Sacred Vow before you take any Vows?

[Zonugal]

Don't you need Sacred Vow before you take any Vows?

You do indeed!

But beyond such matters I'd make the request that this thread does not become focused on a challenge.

This is a handbook for pimping out commoners under the strict limitations outlined within the opening post.

Not a colosseum to see if a black dragon wyrmling can take a town.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

Don't you need Sacred Vow before you take any Vows?

Hmm, I don't remember. If so, take a Flaw to qualify for SV.

[Flickerdart]

On the plus side, Sacred Vow gives you Diplomacy bonuses, so it's not just a dead feat.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

On the plus side, Sacred Vow gives you Diplomacy bonuses, so it's not just a dead feat.

Changed. Added a flaw in order to take Sacred Vow.

[Crasical]

*applauds*

[Zonugal]

For a commoner pursuing Diplomacy I think there might be two options. The first is the exalted path in which Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Sacred Vow, Vow of Nonviolence, & Vow of Peace are taken in addition to the Honest & Polite traits.

Assuming a standard, Middle-Aged Human commoner:
+1 cha
+2 ranks
+2 Sacred Vow
+4 Vow of Peace
+3 Skill Focus
+1 Honest
+1 Polite
Total: +14 Diplomacy

Another path is a little bit more insidious. By taking Bind Vestige and Practiced Binder you gain access to Naberius' Silver Tongue ability to take 10 on Bluff & Diplomacy checks (in addition to being able to make a rushed Diplomacy check as a standard action at no penalty). We follow that up with Hidden Talent (Attraction) which will grant us a nice bonus to social skills as well as an enjoyable compulsion affect towards any "mark." The last feat is Silver Tongue from Oriental Adventures which grants us the abilities to:
1. Change an NPC's attitude toward a person other than yourself. The DC is the same as if you were changing the character's attitude toward you,
2. Inspire love and devotion. If you successfully improve a character's attitude toward you (only) to helpful, you can choose to cause that character to show romantic interest in you. The character thereafter seeks every opportunity to be near you and makes every effort to win your affection, within the bounds of relatively normal behavior.
3. Inspire hope or despair. With a successful Diplomacy check against DC 25, you fill a single target with hope or despair, as if affected by the good hope or crushing despair spells. In the case of despair, the target can negate the effect with a successful Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your Diplomacy ranks + your Charisma modifier).
4. Cause confusion. Make a Diplomacy check opposed by your target's Sense Motive check. If you beat your target's check result by 10 or more, you can cause him to become confused for 1 round. You can use this ability as a full-round action.

Toss on a trait like Polite and we're good to go.

Assuming a standard, Middle-Aged Human commoner:
+1 cha
+2 ranks
Take 10
+4 Attraction
+1 Polite
Total: +18 Diplomacy

So not only do we end up with a greater bonus but a lot more abilities & utility in our use of Diplomacy. The other advantage to a build like this is its Bluff bonus is +17, providing even more social strength.

[dextercorvia]

Your Fire Elf entry doesn't mention that it opens up some Martial Weapons. A short bow has the faster reload time over the Light Crossbow, and is 5gp cheaper.

[Novawurmson]

Subbed. Excellent work.

[TroubleBrewing]

Okay, so, having read this thread and been INSPIRED (excellent work, by the way), I propose a game of sorts.

I call it "Settlers of Spore Civilization Fortress 3.5".

The game is played thusly: Communicating with the players individually and privately though either email or PMs, I will work with the players to create a real-time strategy-like experience using the rules for these commoners. By cribbing ideas from the greatest strategy games of all time, I hope to provide an interesting experience for everyone involved.

Proceeding over the events in a month-by-month fashion, (much like the excellent Catan series) you will control the actions of an initially small group of Commoner 1's, optimized in the manner you describe (much like the delightful game Spore). This group will grow over time (much like the much-beloved Dwarf Fortress) into the civilization you want it to be (much like the acclaimed Civilization series). After a set number of turns, you will encounter the civilization of another player, determined randomly. These two civilizations will either destroy each other through war (eliminating another player and absorbing their resources, as well as a combat buff for your troops), or through diplomacy, become one (and allow their creators to collaborate and share resources). After another sequence of turns, another group of civilizations will encounter one another.

The specific actions of a given Commoner or group of Commoners will be acted out as if it were a D&D scenario. Broad, wide-scale actions will be handled in a largely free-form style, but will be actively and directly influenced by the optimization choices made early on.

Commoners will increase in level only after they have succeeded at 4 missions. No class may ever be chosen other than Commoner. No Commoner will ever be able to perform more than 1 mission a turn, or 1 a month.

I will save the logs from each and every month-by-month breakdown, and at the end of the game, make them public. I foresee good times. Who's in?

[motoko's ghost]

Sure time permitting I'd join in, sounds fun

[TheFallenOne]

Ah, you came so close... Even mentioned Aberration Blood, but then for some reason ignored the awesome Inhuman Reach and Deepspawn.

You want powerful commoners, there are two ways to go: emulate class features through feats is one. Shape Soulmeld works well for that.

The other is getting abilities that put common enemies out of their comfort zone.
Inhuman Reach gives you a natural reach of 10 feet, 20 if you use a spear. That gives a big AoO zone. Use those for disarming(you get +4 for twohanded weapon), because of your long reach the enemy won't get an AoO in return, even if you lack Improved Disarm.
Deepspawn gives two tentacles and grapple bonus. Natural weapons in general are nice for commoners since they give a way around that pesky single simple weapon proficiency thing. Combine with Inhuman Reach and you have two 10 ft reach tentacles. Nice to start grapples without taking AoOs, and you don't need Improved Grapple for that either.

I played a commoner like that in PvP. Among other things, he mopped the floor with a shapeshifted strength 26 minotaur druid. Twice.

[Kalmageddon]

This thread is awesome, I love seeing all the thought you put into it!

[Myth]

You do indeed!

But beyond such matters I'd make the request that this thread does not become focused on a challenge.

This is a handbook for pimping out commoners under the strict limitations outlined within the opening post.

Not a colosseum to see if a black dragon wyrmling can take a town.

Awwww

[TroubleBrewing]

This is a handbook for pimping out commoners under the strict limitations outlined within the opening post.

Not a colosseum to see if a black dragon wyrmling can take a town.

Awwww

Not to worry, that's what my suggestion is for!

[Hiro Protagonest]

I'm up for it Grey.

I'm thinking a community of halflings and humans, with the halflings riding the riding dogs and the humans... well, being human commoners, with bonus feat and extra skills. The skills will vary from crafting ranged weapons to training dogs and horses to fighting to perception.

Is strongheart halfling allowed?

[Psyren]

Azurins randomly pop up in human communities too, so you could easily squeeze a couple of them in.

[Myth]

Hey what about Illumians? My experience with them was basically being forced to read the entry in RoD because they're a common early entry for some PrCs. They do get some sort of casting-in-a-can though.

Commoner Venerable Kobolds?

Commoner Elans?

[dextercorvia]

Illumians also gain bonuses on Skill Checks, which could be very useful.

[Cieyrin]

There's an issue with the Phoenix Sniper, as he'll never be able to gain psionic focus to actually activate Psionic Shot, since he has no ranks in Concentration and a negative Con. Not very snipery...

In any case, Panzer would seem to be a better Commoner to handle dragon incursions than Senior Sanctified, given he'll not die if he gets breathed on, though you may want Dr. Jack Daniels to to make like a drunk and heal Panzer between passes. On the other hand, if it comes in for a landing between breath strafes, Senior Sanctified can bring his aura to make peace with the dragon and give it belly rubs of good will (dragons are like alligators like that, right? ).

[Crasical]

I've just realized something terrible. Optimized first level NPCs? This is another reason to ban leadership.

[motoko's ghost]

I've just realized something terrible. Optimized first level NPCs? This is another reason to ban leadership.

Just say that leadership gives no control over the builds of your mooks(you can have commoners and warriors,etc but you can't pick their builds)

[TroubleBrewing]

[Cieyrin]

I've just realized something terrible. Optimized first level NPCs? This is another reason to ban leadership.

I don't think optimized commoners are gonna wreck the campaign more than the cohort you picked up, especially since those followers could be warriors and experts or even adepts with all this stuff on them. Leadership is still broken, this doesn't make it meaningfully more so.

[Eisenfavl]

Add Draconic Rite of Passage to Kobolds. Any spell 1/day for 100 gold and 1 hp is amazing. Colour spray, and Power Word Pain are scary. PWP is godlike, and essentially a no-save-just-die over time for most low level foes.

Also, automatically answers the dragon question. What's that, the dragon takes on average 49 damage from one use, and has 30 hp? Only close range, but awesome.

Also, Corollax from MMII is great. A flat, take-twentyable 25 DC handle animal check, and you have a 5 hp, 17 AC DR5/Silver SR 12 minion, which is scarily tough, and if you swap the useless weapon finesse for ability focus then you have a DC 15 SoL cone at will on an essentially free minion.

Also, Unique NPC abilities from DMGII, for DM's who want to cheese it up. Prodigy and Graced From Outside are scary good in combat, and pretty damn useful outside of it (+5 to my skill? Thanks), and most importantly don't change CR.
So if your PC's get their asses handed to them by a pair of Panzer's with Power Word Pain and Aid for causing trouble in the inn, its still CR 1.

Quick Edit: Check out sacrifice from BOVD. Use draconic rite of passage to summon intelligent creatures, then sacrifice them, and you can get something like (using the example sidebar) the walls of your town being prismatic.
Improved Bull Rush + Prodigy + Draconic Rite Enlarge Person gives a water orc = +15 bull rush check on a water orc, which flings the PC into the instadeath wall. All sorts of fun ways to abuse sacrifice.