Mystery of the 20th-level Commoner
- Dion of the Fraternity
- Lurker Maximus
- Posts: 1091
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 4:20 am
- Location: Baguio City, Philippines
- Contact:
Mystery of the 20th-level Commoner
Me and my gaming group have been wondering: what would a commoner have to do to make it to 20th level, if circumstances dictate?
- Malus Black
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 301
- Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 2:43 am
- Location: Norway
Kill an awful lot of wolves and bears come to eat his sheep
Seriously, though, I really don't think a commoner would ever make it to level 20 without picking up another class along the way, unless he was somehow only faced with entirely mundane tasks which increased in difficulty as he leveled up. The above example with the epic shepherd would work at first, but he'd ultimately have to face down worgs, winter wolves and dire bears to earn any XP at all, and then it's hard to keep calling him a commoner instead of a fighter.
Seriously, though, I really don't think a commoner would ever make it to level 20 without picking up another class along the way, unless he was somehow only faced with entirely mundane tasks which increased in difficulty as he leveled up. The above example with the epic shepherd would work at first, but he'd ultimately have to face down worgs, winter wolves and dire bears to earn any XP at all, and then it's hard to keep calling him a commoner instead of a fighter.
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream
-Edgar Allan Poe
Is but a dream within a dream
-Edgar Allan Poe
- Wiccy of the Fraternity
- Membre Retiré
- Posts: 3272
- Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 6:39 pm
- Location: Powys, Cymru (Wales)
- Reginald de Curry
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 454
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:12 pm
- Location: The Ruins of Cahokia, USA
- Jakob
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 472
- Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 3:43 am
- Gender: Male
- Location: Near Milano, Italy.
- Contact:
"Hey, what in name of Pelor are you doing in my bag of holding?"Maybe he just hides behind the PCs whenever the village is attacked and gets a share of XP for not dying.
"... Don' mind mey. Jus' holdin' mah breath"
^_^
Last edited by Jakob on Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I coloni rovinavano la foresta costruendo il capolavoro dell'uomo civilizzato: il deserto.
- Luis Sepúlveda
- Luis Sepúlveda
- Gonzoron of the FoS
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 7564
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:02 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location: New Jersey
- Contact:
Maybe he's a damn good roleplayer and gets lots of in-character and story awards.
Last edited by Gonzoron of the FoS on Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
- Corrupted_Loremaster
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 296
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 7:48 pm
- Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Nice to know I was remembered. Heard of the idea back when the Epic Level Handbook came out. Someone brought up the idea of an epic level commoner, which lead to someone submiting stats far a Paragon Human 20th level commoner. Think the CR came out to something like...22 or so. Story was that he was the favored earthly agent of the god of agricultre. I guessing he could likely plow every field in the kingdom in one day...with his bare hands.Charney wrote:Well, maybe if he was a fervent follower of the all mighty god of agriculture?
WHat if his field was frequently attacked by the Tarrasque which he has to drive off with his +5 vorpal scythe? (this one comes from Corrupted Loremaste)
I think we're property...
That once upon a time, this earth was No-man's Land...but that now it's owned by Something:
That Something (now) owns this earth -- all others warned off. -Charles Fort
That once upon a time, this earth was No-man's Land...but that now it's owned by Something:
That Something (now) owns this earth -- all others warned off. -Charles Fort
- Le Noir Faineant
- Rafe, Agent of the Fraternity
- Posts: 4522
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:25 pm
- Location: The Wind Isles
I'd absolutely LOVE to play such a character in any campaign, especially in Ravenloft!!!
*Gaining experiences points just for sitting at the fireplace and staring into the gloom, while zombies and mosters of all kind roam the streets of the village... marvellous!*
But what were the special ablities of such a character... *DMG only would not fit* any suggestions?
Definitely too few sleep for me these days...
*Gaining experiences points just for sitting at the fireplace and staring into the gloom, while zombies and mosters of all kind roam the streets of the village... marvellous!*
But what were the special ablities of such a character... *DMG only would not fit* any suggestions?
Definitely too few sleep for me these days...
- Scipio
- Lord of the Repubic of Monte Mal
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 12:58 am
- Location: Oklahoma, USA
- Contact:
I'd use something similar to the blacksmith XP stuff from 2e Sages and Specialists. A blacksmith got a certain amoutn of XP for making stuff. Similarly the commoner might get a certain amount for each harvest, or any number of mundane tasks. here's a suggestion.
Per crop planted successfully each spring: 100 xp
Per crop harvested successfully: 200 xp
Per gold in crop sales: 2 xp
repairing storm damage to a village building: 50xp
(note this is in addition to the standard xp for fighting off wolves etc)
Per crop planted successfully each spring: 100 xp
Per crop harvested successfully: 200 xp
Per gold in crop sales: 2 xp
repairing storm damage to a village building: 50xp
(note this is in addition to the standard xp for fighting off wolves etc)
Dr. Cornelius Scipio, Rogue monster hunter, and owner of the Inn of the Drunken Wolf.
Rumors of my death are mildly exaggerated. I got better.
Rumors of my death are mildly exaggerated. I got better.
- Yattara
- Agent of the Fraternity
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 6:58 pm
- Location: The Hollow Country, with my eye on Albion
This is what makes the rules in the D&D DMG conncerning city-building so funny: if you follow those in determining the inhabitants for your town, you can end up with a 20th level Commoner. I did, and I still don't know what to do with him. He'll be old and wise (has to be, to survive this long ). Apart from that, I like the god of agriculture-bit mentioned, just have to tweak it a bit to make it more suitable for my city. Hmm...
Have to fight, cause I know
in the end it's worthwhile,
that the pain that I feel slowly fades away.
It will be alright
Pale, Within Temptation
in the end it's worthwhile,
that the pain that I feel slowly fades away.
It will be alright
Pale, Within Temptation
- The Giamarga
- Evil Genius
- Posts: 2313
- Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:11 pm
- Location: wandering
An interesting topic.
Sean Reynolds wrote a theory about peasants, a nice essay on commoner levelling.
I also very much liked the commoner over a lifetime thread on ENworld.
Check out Toothless Joe (also on ENworld) for an idea on a high level commoner.
There`s also some nicefiction about an epic level commoner on the silven road site.
Sean Reynolds wrote a theory about peasants, a nice essay on commoner levelling.
I also very much liked the commoner over a lifetime thread on ENworld.
Check out Toothless Joe (also on ENworld) for an idea on a high level commoner.
There`s also some nicefiction about an epic level commoner on the silven road site.
- Jason of the Fraternity
- Master of Illusion
- Posts: 1484
- Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2003 7:12 pm
- Location: Chicagoland area
- Contact: